Ning stepped into the Spiritual Plant Hall’s assessment grounds.

  At a glance, the crowd was exactly as he had expected.

  Most were elderly disciples, their cultivation hovering around the fifth or sixth stage of Qi Condensation. They were broad-shouldered and sturdy, carrying the unmistakable air of seasoned farmers.

  Judging by appearances alone, the competition looked… rough.

  Ning stood quietly to one side, calm and unhurried, observing the others.

  That calm didn’t last long.

  “Well, what do we have here?” A man strode over, his robes neat but worn, his eyes sharp with poorly concealed hostility. “Such a young face. Are you sure you’ve even fulfilled the requirements to take the exam?”

  “Hm? Who are you?” Ning asked.

  Such a classic arrogant opener. Did I accidentally activate my protagonist's halo or something?

  As everyone knew, once that halo was switched on, it came with a free debuff: attracts lunatics and unsolicited criticism.

  “I am Xin Fu,” the man declared. “A veteran farmer who has planted two acres of basic grain and eight acres of mid-tier grain. I have reached Great Accomplishment in three basic farming arts and Minor Accomplishment in the Earth-Shaking Hoe Technique.”

  He puffed out his chest.

  “And you? What, did your family buy you a spot? Another rich second-generation brat pushing elders aside? There are always people like you.”

  His voice was intentionally loud.

  Ning immediately understood the play. This guy was a rookie crusher.

  Only five certificates were issued per assessment for outer sect members.

  Originally, professional certificates were issued by the alliance of Nascent Soul sects in the Eastern Wilderness. To obtain one, cultivators normally had to travel to designated locations, usually large cities scattered across the land.

  However, sects like the Pure Qi Sect that had joined the alliance were also granted a yearly quota to issue these professional certificates themselves. This was especially important because the certificate remained valid even while traveling and could be used to vouch for one’s identity.

  Because of that, the certificate carried significant weight.

  As a result, the limit of five was extremely restrictive. While it was unclear whether the sect itself received only five Spiritual Farming certificates each year, the Spiritual Plant Hall allocated only these five slots to outer sect members.

  So, one more participant meant one less chance.

  And a young face was the easiest target.

  The surrounding disciples glanced over. When they recognized the speaker, Xin Fu, a known face in the spiritual farming game, they quickly looked away.

  No one spoke.

  If the newcomer withdrew, that was one less competitor.

  If he lost his composure, even better.

  Ning exhaled softly, his eyes narrowing slightly.

  This was the first time he had drawn this kind of attention in this world. For someone like him who wanted to play the mob, such attention was naturally not liked.

  Alas, since this man had generously provided him with such 'opportunity', Ning decided it would be rude not to respond.

  “Xin Fu,” he said evenly, “since you’re talking about achievements, within just three years, I’ve advanced from a novice to cultivating high-grade plants like Frozen Breath Grain. As for spell mastery, only someone insecure feels the need to flaunt it.”

  The moment Xin Fu opened his mouth, the first thing he did was brag about his achievements. Unfortunately, Ning’s numbers were bigger than his.

  Xin Fu frowned. “What did you say?”

  “Talk is cheap,” Ning continued calmly. “Spiritual farming is judged by results, not age, not seniority, and certainly not by how loudly one complains.”

  He took a step forward, posture straight.

  “You accuse me of being a rich second-generation,” Ning said. “Then tell me, what field did I inherit? What master spoon-fed me techniques? Or are you simply angry that after decades of cultivation, you’re still competing with juniors?”

  That one landed cleanly.

  Xin Fu’s expression darkened.

  Ning didn’t stop.

  “I entered the sect openly. I farmed my own plots. I completed missions one by one. My merits are recorded, my fields inspected, and my results verified. If that counts as ‘buying my way in,’ then the sect’s registers must all be forged.”

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  His voice sharpened slightly.

  “Are you saying the sect favors one over another?” Ning asked. “Or are you accusing the sect of corruption?”

  The atmosphere shifted instantly.

  What had started as bullying a junior had escalated, smoothly and mercilessly, into questioning the sect itself.

  “Y-you!” Xin Fu stammered, his face paling. “I, I didn’t say that!”

  Those words were dangerous.

  Accusations like that, spoken in public, were an express invitation for the Disciplinary Committee to pay a visit.

  How does this brat have such eloquence at his age? Xin Fu panicked.

  He just picked the one who didn’t look like a farmer. Fair skin, not too bulky, easy target… and now he had hit a wall.

  If Ning knew what Xin Fu was thinking, he would have smiled.

  Having lived in the age of the internet, Ning was well-versed in the sacred art of talking smack. Just because he usually presented himself as polite didn’t mean he couldn’t retaliate.

  Ning’s voice hardened.

  “This certification is not a favor handed to the elderly,” he said. “It is earned. I need it, and I will compete for it. If that threatens you, then improve your skills instead of your insults.”

  He paused, then added mildly,

  “And next time you accuse someone of being useless, make sure you’re not the one afraid of being replaced.”

  Xin Fu’s face flushed red.

  But he said nothing.

  Faced with such a counterattack, he was stuck, unable to swallow it, unable to spit it out. He pointed at Ning, fingers trembling.

  “You, you, you!”

  Anger and anxiety clogged his throat. A thousand rebuttals lined up in his mind, none brave enough to step forward.

  Ning shook his head, ignored him, and walked away.

  People like this usually came up with the perfect comeback two or three days later, right before falling asleep, and then regretted it for the rest of their lives. A fitting punishment.

  Only after Ning left did Xin Fu finally manage to speak, trembling with rage.

  “Didn’t I work my way up step by step? Didn’t I toil like an ox? Didn’t I dig ten acres of land over twenty years, working like a dog?”

  …

  Ning returned to another corner, his expression calm. This time, he circulated the Turtle Breathing Technique to its fullest extent, playing dead.

  As for Xin Fu, it was nothing more than a minor episode.

  As for why Ning hadn't just ignored Xin Fu this time, it was simple. This was the assessment hall. He knew that there would probably be an elder overseeing this assessment.

  Retreating now would leave a bad impression, making him seem half-hearted. Worse still, Xin Fu's initial accusations had already undermined his qualifications. Retreating would only make it stick.

  Alas! He only wanted to be a polite young man, yet they insisted on forcing the issue. And most importantly, their accusations and smack talk weren’t even that good. In the end, he didn’t even have to curse or do anything at all.

  Ning sighed and waited for the assessment to begin.

  Soon, an elder arrived. As usual, he flared his foundation-building cultivation to suppress the noise and attract the attention of everyone.

  "The Spiritual Plant Hall assessment has three stages," the elder announced.

  "The first is identifying spiritual plants, explaining their effects, and describing their cultivation methods."

  "The second is casting spiritual plant spells. The most effective spell will be judged the best."

  "The third is treating spiritual plants. Nine plants have been prepared: three low-grade first-tier, three mid-grade first-tier, and three high-grade first-tier, all afflicted with ailments. You must identify the symptoms and treat them accordingly."

  With that, the assessment began.

  "Enter the room from where your name is called."

  "Fu Xin!"

  A burly man entered the first room. About an hour later, he emerged, his expression grim.

  Ning remained calm. He had prepared thoroughly; there was nothing to worry about.

  "Ji Ning!"

  The call came from the third room.

  Ning walked inside.

  An elder sat in a chair, waiting.

  "Let's not waste time," the elder said. "Tell me about this herb, Skybeak Root."

  "Skybeak Root," Ning replied smoothly. "It comprises the root and stem of the vine of the thick-veined chrysanthemum. This woody vine grows in ravines with Yin energy and cold streams. Its taste is astringent and slightly warm. When combined with a Yin-Raising Leaf, it can be used to concoct a Freezing Cold Pill. "

  "What is the use of a nine-inch black root?"

  "When does fleece-flower become poisonous?"

  Questions flew rapidly. Ning soon fell into a steady rhythm, answering each one clearly.

  To be honest, it was easier than he had expected.

  "Black Root Ginseng," Ning continued, "is a spiritual plant with a long growth cycle. It belongs to the Earth element in the Five Elements theory and prefers shade, usually planted beneath forest canopies. Ten years is first-grade middle-tier, fifty years first-grade upper-tier, one hundred years first-grade supreme-tier. Three hundred years becomes second-grade lower-tier, five hundred years middle-tier, eight hundred years upper-tier, and one thousand years supreme-tier. It is an excellent medicine for healing injuries, restoring vital energy, and producing longevity pills."

  Ning realized that most of the questions came from books that were in the library. And holding the knowledge in high regard, he had naturally read quite a lot of books.

  Especially since he had been delayed in taking this exam. He naturally used the time to memorize and learn even beyond the library.

  Plus, with his proficiency in taking exams, Ning naturally knew the most appropriate way to prepare and memorize such things.

  After nearly an hour, the questions finally slowed.

  The elder took out a plant.

  "The Dao of plants and vegetation is unpredictable," he said. "Your final test is ingredient identification, blindfolded."

  Ning blinked. “Blindfolded?”

  “Yes.” The elder smiled. “A true spiritual plant master can recognize a plant and determine its cultivation methods by feeling alone. Through intuition and experience, they can formulate the most appropriate approach. That is what this test is meant to assess.

  Ning: (?_?)

  What do you mean by just using feelings? Ning had a very strong feeling that this elder was bullshitting him but he had no evidence.

  "Anyway, this artifact blocks your vision. You may only rely on your other senses."

  He handed Ning a blindfold.

  Fortunately, Ning was prepared for this as well. His preparation had been quite thorough. Old Zhou had gone through a similar test before and had complained about it endlessly.

  Moreover, with the help of Old Zhou and his friends who had already passed this stage, Ning had collected past questions and focused his preparation around them.

  This was common practice for a transmigrator like Ning, but few people in this world thought to do such things. So, although he still questioned the assessment process, he was not caught off guard by it.

  "What is this?" The elder placed an object in his hand.

  Ning carefully examined it, his senses working at full capacity, texture, smell, subtle qi fluctuations, matching every detail to his memory.

  "This is Red Flame Herb. It's the main ingredient in Flare Flame Powder."

  "Correct."

  Another ingredient.

  "This is Snow Weed. It's used to preserve the freshness of spiritual plants."

  "Correct."

  "This is Tiger-Striped Leaf. It enhances blood and qi circulation."

  "Correct."

  "…This is a Mimic Seed," Ning said after a pause. "It's used as a substitute ingredient in alchemy."

  "Correct."

  …

  "Hm?" Ning frowned slightly. "It's short and thick, yet unusually sticky… Elder, what is this?"

  The elder froze.

  I'm the examiner, he thought. Why are you asking me?

  ...

  Thanks for reading~