Chapter 1677: Stop? Continue!

Chapter 1677 - 1677: Stop? Continue!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The middle-aged refining master’s face stiffened for a moment. Then he smiled and said, “Fellow Daoist, you’re really not nervous. You can still joke at a time like this.”
He pointed to the stone platform ahead. “Generally speaking, many people stutter when they come to this place.”
The stone platform ahead was no taller than three feet and had a radius of about 10 feet.
On the green stone platform, there was a long wooden platform, surrounded by a total of nine large chairs.
At this moment, the wooden chairs were all empty.
There were also several young people in robes standing beside the stone platform, looking nervous, some with flushed faces, some pale.
Two of them were clenching their fists tightly, trembling so much that even their legs wouldn’t obey.
“The Refining Master certification trial begins.”
As the voice sounded, three shadows descended on those nine wooden chairs.
These shadows were clearly a kind of formation, projecting the images of people from who knew where in this form.
“The Refining Master certification is not done by our Pagoda City, but by the deacons and elders of the Alliance of Refining Masters in various cities around here and elsewhere.
“In this certification ceremony, the judges are randomly selected, so it’s very difficult to cheat.’
The middle-aged man beside Han Muye said softly.
With such means, it seemed that the strength of this Alliance of Refining Masters was greater than previously imagined.
At least, this formation alone was no ordinary means.
“Zhao Yuping, certifying as a level one Forging Master, begin.”
In front of the platform, the Refining Master presiding over the certification shouted.
The face of the gray-robed young man who had already walked onto the platform was tense as he looked at the various spiritual materials placed on the wooden table in front of him.
“He is the younger generation of the Zhao family. He’s probably just starting out.” A trace of disdain flashed across the middle-aged refining master beside Han Muye. He said in a low voice, “These families in the city treat the Alliance of Refining Masters as their own.
“These certification materials seem to be free as if they didn’t cost anything.”
All materials for certifying a level one forging master did not require spending origin coins, as long as a total of 100 origin coins were paid for the level certification fee.
These 100 origin coins were not given to the Alliance but paid to the three judges, and used to defray the expenses of activating the formation.
In fact, for every forging master certified, the Alliance here would lose a considerable amount of origin coins.
Fortunately, this forging master would quietly make up for these losses through various transactions in the future.
“Buzz!”
The young man named Zhao Yuping raised a flame in his hand and began to throw various spiritual materials into it in an systematic manner, burning them continuously.
This scene made the two young men below the stone platform look envious. “He’s from an aristocratic family after all. He actually has a spiritual fire.”
“His smelting technique is so proficient. He must have had a lot of spiritual materials to practice with in the past.”
Where could ordinary apprentice refining masters find spiritual fire? How could they be qualified to refine and forge spiritual materials independently?
This was the heritage of the aristocratic families.
Resources were basically monopolized by these aristocratic families.
If one wanted to improve, one had to either join an aristocratic family or become an itinerant cultivator which was a difficult path.
In the cultivation world, it was essentially the same everywhere.
In the cultivation world of the Primordial Era, there were few aristocratic families, but there were major sects and dynasties, which still controlled the resources.
The principle of the strong becoming stronger is truly an unbreakable truth in the world.
Han Muye looked at the spiritual fire rising on the platform and sighed slightly.
Back when he transmigrated to the cultivation world, his first step was to enter the Sword Pavilion in the Nine Mystic Mountain to become a Sword Caretaker. This choice was indeed right.
“Snap—
On the platform, more than 20 assembled pieces of various parts formed a black armor piece.
The armor piece vibrated and transformed into a battle ax.
It was very difficult for a level one forger to forge and refine a Battle Puppet and Battle Armor independently.
Of course, this certification trial did not require the forging of Battle Puppets and Battle Armors.
The youth named Zhao Yuping on the platform lifted the battle ax, waved it lightly a few times, and then placed it on the table.
The three judges raised their hands and emitted a spiritual light.
“The three judges will give assessments based on upper, middle, and lower grades.
“As long as it’s not rated lower by all three judges, it’s considered a pass.” The Refining Master beside Han Muye explained.
The three spiritual lights on the platform turned into three large characters:
middle, middle, lower.
Zhao Yuping was overjoyed and bowed to the three judges.
“Thank you, Seniors.”
Then, he straightened his clothes and carried the battle ax down the stone platform.
This counted as a successful certification. An alchemist in a green robe walked over with a smile, patted Zhao Yuping on the shoulder, and then placed a black iron badge on him.
Han Muye heard Zhao Yuping call the man “Uncle”. Obviously, the man was from the Zhao family.
Sure enough, these aristocratic children had many more resources and conveniences.
At this moment, it was not yet Han Muye’s turn to step onto the platform. The other certified youths walked up the stone platform one by one.
Some succeeded while others failed.
Young people without backgrounds were usually more nervous and their movements were more awkward, naturally increasing the chances of failure.
Among them was also a level two forging master who forged an armguard and ultimately managed to pass by luck.
“Fellow Daoist Han, it’s your turn.”
As the last person stepped down from the platform, Zheng Jiang, a level two alchemist beside Han Muye, spoke up.
Earlier, he had helped Han Muye register various information. The two of them chatted and introduced themselves.
Apart from being on duty in the main hall of the Alliance of Forging Masters, Zheng Jiang would also take on some scattered tasks outside.
Level two forging masters were not considered strong. In the workshops and trading companies in the city, they could only be considered assistants.
To truly stand on their own, they needed at least the level of a level three forging master.
Zheng Jiang did not have the support of a big family behind him. His forging and refining skills had been stuck at level two for many years..