Answering Refinement Essays with Eyes Closed.!
1156 Words
"Hohoho.. Alright Zhu Yuan. Before us is the second phase of the masters exam. This phase takes the form of essays. Before you are a set of ten questions selected from the upper levels of our esteemed association."
"They touch on the various intricacies of pellet refining. You are to answer any five of these questions in detailed essays. I shall personally grade your answers. The minimum requirement is to answer four of these questions sufficiently, the fifth shall be given a slight leeway but still the question must be answered to at least 70% accuracy."
"This phase is without a doubt the most difficult part of our examination. Most renowned scholars fail here. This is due the strict requirements we impose."
"You see a pellet refinement master must be thoroughly knowledgeable as what he is entrusted with is the very lives of his people and their futures as well. We do not compromise in this aspect."
"You have two hours. I wish you best of luck young Zhu Yuan. You are truly a rare phoenix about to rise in this unexciting world of ours. I find myself rooting for you in my heart."
"I feel like our world of pellet refining is about to begin a very exciting era.. Hohoho.."
Senior elder Feng Xiao's loud content laughter was loud as he stepped out of the room to leave Zhu Yuan to face the second phase of the masters examination.
Zhu Yuan briefly scanned the ten questions before him. He was glad senior Feng Xiao had left leaving him to his own devices. At least this way he could perform naturally without having to put on a show that would increase his chances of exposure.
Unknown to him, senior Feng Xiao opened a secret window next to the room Zhu Yuan was in. He keenly observed the young brat in earnest as numerous questions arose in the old experienced elder.
"This brat let's see how you perform now. You better give this old man a nice surprise."
Zhu Yuan keenly read the ten parchments before him, slowly reading the questions calmly in his mind.
Q1. What is the white eyed ocular deficiency? How is it diagnosed? What are its five phases? What are the methods of treatment in the aforementioned phases?
Q2. The dark iridium essence seed is one of the most vital and rarest of herbs in Celestial Sky Continent. What are its various uses? List and sufficiently explain at least five.
Q3. What is the blue threaded phoenix pellet? What are its key ingredients used to refine it. Briefly explain its refinement process and its three main uses.
As Zhu Yuan read all the ten parchments in silence, throngs of information flooded his mind in seconds much to his delight.
"Is this really the famed and extremely rigorous master pellet examination??"
"If this was it, then it was simply too easy!"
Afraid that the vital information that was flooding his mind would evaporate at any time Zhu Yuan quickly grabbed the large quilt in front of him and began to quickly and furiously jot down on the large white empty sheaf of papers before him without wasting a single minute.!
Elder Feng Xiao let out a loud gasp as his jaws dropped and his eyes bulged out in utter dismay. He had to strongly exert himself from immediately knocking the door down to check on just what this mysterious brat was writing so fast.
"Is he writing jibberish?? Were these questions perhaps leaked?? Was this exam compromised??"
No. He had personally picked out these questions meticulously just a while ago.
"This....this... This brat. Just what kind of monster is he??"
What these parchments represented were recent breakthroughs that the association had achieved a few years ago. They were questions that had plagued the association for decades before achieving success through combined exerted efforts from all the elite sages of the association.
It had taken years and years of dedicated research and numerous failed trials before these breakthroughs were achieved. They represented the pride and hard work of their association.
Yet to this brat not even eighteen years of age the answers they had laboured so mightily for seemed to be at the tips of his fingers! As if he could answer them with his eyes closed. As senior elder Feng Xiao watched Zhu Yuan quickly jot down five large essays in a span of fifteen minutes it was safe to say those were the most perplexing fifteen minutes of his old long life.
"Supreme senior elder if you could see this, would you dare believe your own eyes!"
"Hohoho... I have truly not lived in vain. To be able to see the birth of a true dragon with my very eyes. This is truly the highlight of my life."
A truly refreshed elder Feng Xiao laughed and felt his heart soar at the possibilities this young youth birthed in his mind.
Zhu Yuan finished his fifth essay in record time. He was about to grab the six the sheet of parchment when he stopped.
"This is five. This should be enough.. hmm how much time has passed."
"Oh no.... I answered too fast." Zhu Yuan groaned.
He picked up two empty white parchments and covered his last two essays, looking around to check if he had been discovered. Then breathing a sigh of relief he positioned himself with a fake troubled look and began to jot down a bunch of nonsense with slow flicks of his hand.
Anybody who happened to pass by could immediately tell he was deeply engrossed in and having a great deal of trouble as he engaged in the second part of the masters pellet refining exam.
"Haha.. You sly rascal! Alright I'll play along ...hohoho"
"I suddenly feel so young at heart haha.. A cup of sweet jasmine tea will do wonders. As I devise a trap for this troublesome brat." Elder Feng Xiao chuckled mischievously as he withdrew , leaving Zhu Yuan to his own mischief.
After two hours elapsed in this fashion, a serious looking senior elder Feng Xiao walked in.
"Time is up. I gather our young esteemed scholar was able to complete the task."
"Just barely esteemed elder. Just barely."
"This was truly troublesome as senior elder had stated. I am deeply worried and anxious. I have to beg senior to exercise some leniency if he can." Zhu Yuan answered with a deeply troubled look.
This rascal, is he truly only fifteen.
"Hohoho... I'm truly sorry young scholar. Strict impartiality must be followed I'm afraid."
"Come let's see."
Zhu Yuan noticed that elder Feng Xiao had come in carrying a different batch of herbs and assortments.
"Senior this..."
"Oh these are for the last phase of the master pellet refining exam. This last phase is naturally pellet refining but the earlier batch I had prepared was lacking some key ingredients."
"I merely wish to make a slight change thus.."
"Oh... So its like this. Senior elder is truly accommodating."
"No problem, no problem at all. Its naturally this old mans job after all. Hohoho..."
Zhu Yuan failed to see the mischievous glint in old Feng Xiao's eyes.
"Let's first see those essays, shall we.'
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- Writer
