Chapter 658: Year-End Assessment - The Quest for Immortality

Chapter 658: Year-End Assessment (Thanks to Alliance Leader Wind Chocolate) Every year, before the sect concludes its training, there is a year-end assessment. This assessment gauges the disciples' performance in various disciplines. It serves as both an evaluation for the disciples and a method to gauge their general level, affecting their reputation within the sect and the attention they receive from it. When disciples return home for the year-end break, this assessment becomes a report card for their elders. Whether they spend this festive season with smiles or in tears hinges upon these assessments. The process of the year-end assessment is similar to regular evaluations but is conducted with more formality, complexity, and greater significance. Cheating is met with harsher consequences. Three days after the exams, Mo Hua received his "report card". It was quite average: one 'A', six 'Cs'. The 'A' in formations was beyond dispute. Because 'A' is the highest mark possible. Mo Hua's knowledge of formations was profound, effortlessly answerings papers below the second grade of difficulty, and his inscriptions were perfect to the last detail. Old Master Xun was deeply impressed. He even considered creating a new grade higher than 'A' for Mo Hua but decided against being too ostentatious. Moderation was key. Aside from formations, where Mo Hua scored an 'A', all other subjects received a 'C', indicating just barely passing. These 'Cs' included cultivation, artifact refinement, pill refinement, talisman crafting, Taoist arts, and a variety of cultivation skills. Mo Hua was diligent in cultivation, but his rate of advancement was mediocre. His spiritual roots were lacking, and without having forged a physical or spiritual foundation, his cultivation appeared weak. Yu Hua Zhenren, an elder within the sect, regardless of Old Master Xun's influence, privately advised Mo Hua: "It's beyond help..." "I can only give you a 'C'..." "The foundation, cultivation speed, energy, spiritual force, potential..." The elder hesitated, tactfully adding, "…all have significant room for improvement..." For a moment, Mo Hua did not know whether to be disheartened or thankful... The elder continued: "My expectations for you won't be high, do as best as you can. It’s okay if your foundation is lacking, but you should still strive harder in cultivation, at least to keep up with your peers..." "Otherwise, if you're still at the early Foundation Establishment stage after three years, you'll have to 'repeat a grade'..." Mo Hua was taken aback, "Repeat a grade?" "Yes," the elder said, "You’ll have to stay back a batch and study for another three years with the junior disciples." "If within those three years, you advance to the mid Foundation Establishment stage, then you move on; further delay means repeating..." "If you repeat too many times, the sect will have no choice but to let you go..." Mo Hua was startled, "Will they let me go?" If he couldn’t advance, would he be let go too... The elder, sensing Mo Hua's apprehension, reassured: "Don't worry..." No one would dare suggest letting you go... With Old Master Xun backing you, who in Tai Xu Sect would dare provoke him by dismissing you... You could stay for fifty, a hundred years even, Tai Xu Sect wouldn’t find it difficult to support you... Of course, such things were better left unsaid. The elder, thinking for a bit, consoled Mo Hua: "Foundation establishment isn't that difficult. As long as you follow the teachings diligently and practice earnestly, your level will advance, and you definitely won’t be let go..." Mo Hua was puzzled. Within three years, from early to mid Foundation Establishment. Another three years, from mid to late Foundation Establishment? "Elder, isn't cultivation supposed to be hard? Is three years truly enough for a stage in Foundation Establishment?" Mo Hua asked. The elder replied, "Refining Qi and establishing a foundation aren't difficult, with enough spirit stones and resources, even a pig could be force-fed to Foundation Establishment..." "The difficulty in Qi refinement lies in consolidating the foundation and shaping the base..." "The challenge in Foundation Establishment is in solidifying one's foundation and paving one's own path to progress further..." "The pure act of leveling isn't actually difficult for these two stages..." "But it becomes challenging post-Core Formation..." The elder sighed. "The Core Formation stage is a major hurdle requiring high demands on spiritual roots, energy base, spiritual force foundation, understanding, and opportunity..." "One cannot simply rely on pure cultivation or stockpile spirit stones to reach Core Formation..." "Core formation practitioners can be seen achieving it in several years, others taking decades, and there are those stuck for over a hundred years..." "Even among the children of aristocratic families, those with exceptional talents often find themselves forever halted before the Core Formation threshold..." Mo Hua was astonished to learn how challenging Core Formation could be. "So, among fifth-grade families, core practitioners are considered a crucial power..." Mo Hua, visibly anxious, was comforted by the elder: "But don’t fret too much about it..." "Whether easy or hard, cultivation is a step-by-step process, it cannot be rushed..." "With unwavering concentration and drive, obstacles often dissolve in the surge to move forward..." "Fret too much, and it hinders your pursuit, dulling ambition and causing prolonged stagnation before the core threshold..." "Challenges that offer no solution shouldn't weigh on your heart..." Mo Hua's eyes sparkled with newfound resolve, bowing slightly: "Thank you for your guidance, elder. I will remember it!" The elder nodded approvingly. Mo Hua, pondering further, whispered: "Elder, the majority of cultivators in the world only manage Qi refinement, correct..." The elder paused, his gaze turning meaningful. "Indeed." "And for them..." "If perpetually stuck in Qi refinement, their problem rarely lies in aptitude, the true bottleneck in their cultivation often boils down to one word..." The elder declared mildly, "Poverty." Mo Hua felt uncomfortable hearing this. The elder observed Mo Hua, a hint of bemusement surfacing unintentionally in his expression. Finally, he concealed his emotions, nodding gently: "Don't dwell too much on it, you are just pioneering your foundation, focus on diligent cultivation..." "Progressing slowly might lead to repeating a year, though you'll not be expelled, it might affect your pride..." Mo Hua nodded, then paused, chilled by a sudden realization. Of course, the elder's reminder... Currently, Mo Hua was regarded as the "Junior Brother." If he repeated a grade, he'd have to call the present disciples "Senior Brother" and "Senior Sister"! This change would double the generational gap! Unacceptable! Absolutely unacceptable! Mo Hua's face turned serious. He must accelerate his cultivation, at the very least, not repeat a grade! Otherwise, he would lose his dignity as the "Junior Brother"! The elder watched, puzzled as Mo Hua suddenly became full of fighting spirit... But this was beneficial. There was no further need for words. "However..." The elder glanced once more at Mo Hua, internally sighing. Core Formation was indeed arduous... His spiritual roots were significantly lacking; it was uncertain if he could overcome that threshold... ... Mo Hua remained oblivious to this. Aside from cultivation, which was only graded 'C', Mo Hua wasn't surprised by the same grade in his other assessments like pill refinement, artifact refinement, talisman crafting. This was consistent performance. From the elders teaching to fellow disciples, and even Mo Hua himself, there was no surprise here. However, Elder Yi, who taught Taoist arts and was fairly acquainted with Mo Hua, remarked: "I can only offer a 'C'..." "Even if I wanted to give you more, I couldn't..." "No worries." Mo Hua reassured Elder Yi in turn. The rating in Taoist arts separated into three categories: spells, martial arts, and swordsmanship. Disciples were expected to specialize in at least one. After all, genuine spiritual and martial dual cultivation, along with swordsmanship expertise, was rare, even in Qianxue State, with its gathering of prodigies. It couldn't serve as the standard for ordinary cultivators. Especially for someone like Mo Hua, who is considered "below standard." Elder Yi felt a twinge of regret, sighing: "Your mastery over spells is comprehensive, and your application of them is excellent. Moreover, your strategic thinking in magical duels surpasses that of ordinary cultivators..." "But unfortunately, these traits aren't part of the hard assessment criteria..." "The spell assessment focuses primarily on the level of your spells and the number of spiritual energy cycles during casting..." "That’s why someone like you ends up at a disadvantage..." "You don't seem to have any extraordinarily powerful spells..." At that moment, Elder Yi suddenly paused. He remembered that day when Mo Hua accidentally incinerated the practice puppet with a nameless, explosive flame spell, severely injuring himself in the process... Elder Yi frowned, contemplating before shaking his head. That couldn't count... It wasn’t a reliable spell, merely an accidental concoction... Such a dangerous spell couldn't be part of an assessment. Considering Mo Hua's intelligence, he shouldn’t dare use it again... Right? Looking into Mo Hua's bright eyes, Elder Yi grew a bit unsure. "Mo Hua..." After hesitating, Elder Yi quietly advised: "Whatever you do, don't use that spell again..." "Understood!" Mo Hua nodded in agreement. He wouldn't use that spell again. However, he had already developed a revised version of it and would use the new one moving forward. ... In addition, there was another course graded 'C', which was 'The Hundred Arts of Cultivation.' The categories of formations, pills, talismans, and artifacts are considered part of these "Hundred Arts." Due to their scale, enduring legacy, and depth, coupled with their popularity, they are treated as mainstream studies and hold a special status, necessitating distinct classifications and courses. Beyond formations, pills, talismans, and artifacts, there are numerous cultivation skills. Some of these skills are derivatives of formations, pills, talismans, and artifacts; others are related to a cultivator's life, production, or dueling, although they do not hold as much prestige as others. For example, skills like spirit planting, cuisine, blood extraction, mining, music, spirit dance, chess, and construction... Though outwardly, it's declared that the 'Hundred Arts' treat all skills equally, in reality, once people are involved, hierarchies naturally emerge. Skills appearing refined, like music, chess, and spirit dance, often receive greater respect. Conversely, tasks perceived as manual labor, such as spirit planting, mining, and construction, are less esteemed. The sect doesn’t enforce these interests. Disciples are encouraged to explore these various disciplines as long as they have an interest, at least to grasp some theoretical knowledge. However, assessments prioritize skills like music, spirit dance, and chess, which noble disciple families are likely to utilize. Mo Hua had a penchant for skills like spirit planting, mining, and construction, but these were not part of the sect's assessment criteria. Particularly cuisine. Mo Hua’s mother, Liu Ru Hua, was a chef of exceptional talent. Mo Hua seemed to have inherited this skill by blood. During his travels, he was responsible for the meals of his master, Kuai Grandpa, and his senior siblings. If there were a culinary exam, with his prowess, he could eclipse all his peers! Unfortunately, cuisine wasn’t assessed either... All of Mo Hua's strengths went unexamined. All tests focused on his weaknesses. There was one exception: "chess." Mo Hua once believed he was adept at chess... In Tongxian City, and during his travels, Mo Hua frequently played chess with Kuai Grandpa. Mo Hua assumed Kuai Grandpa was a master, and thus his own skills must be commendable if he could match him. But when the examination came, he was in for a shock... The sect’s chess assessment was too strategic, too calculated, and devoid of joy... Out of eighteen matches, he only won two... Mo Hua then realized what might be the truth... Either the sect's chess teachings were flawed. Or... He and Kuai Grandpa were both lousy players... Mo Hua was a bit crushed. It wasn’t just that he was mediocre; the realization that Kuai Grandpa's chess skills were equally questionable was a blow to his esteem... Mo Hua sighed deeply. The sect values theory over practicality. Or perhaps, it’s not just Tai Xu Sect but the entire cultivation realm in Qianxue State that follows such trends. Therefore, in the 'Hundred Arts of Cultivation' course, Mo Hua barely scraped by with a 'C'... ... This one 'A' and six 'C's "report card" had to be sent back to his parents. Other disciples with a similar report card were often troubled and hesitant to take it home. Mo Hua, however, was unfazed. He sent his report card back to Liyou Province, along with a letter home, which read roughly as follows: "Dear Father and Mother, I have done my best, but the sect is teeming with prodigies far beyond my abilities, thus I ended up with six 'Cs'... What a shame... But my formation skills remain impressive! Even within Tai Xu Sect, one of the Eight Major Sects in Qianxue State, my formation abilities hold up against others... Old Master Xun has also praised me highly. ... Furthermore, I’ve settled in well here at Tai Xu Sect... I’ve established good connections with the Dao Ministry! Please don’t worry. With the New Year approaching, I urge you both to eat well! Once I reach Core Formation, I'll come home! Mo Hua." Mo Hua then dispatched both the report card and letter back home. The road to Liyou Province is long. Even within it, Tongxian City remains remote. There was no telling when this letter would arrive, nor when he'd receive a reply... ... Following the year-end assessments, there was a month-long winter break. Disciples could either return home or remain within the sect. Mo Hua chose to stay. Liyou Province was too distant for him to travel back, so he could only keep his parents, Elder Yu, and other acquaintances and friends from Tongxian City in his thoughts... Wondering what they might be doing now. Wandering through bustling streets, watching beast fights, enjoying delicious food. Perhaps Tongxian City was alight with celebrations, bustling with excitement, and vibrant fireworks were illuminating the night sky... "I wonder if they miss me..." Mo Hua sighed. ... The next day, Yu Er was also preparing to return home, clinging tightly to Mo Hua's sleeve, tears glistening in his eyes. Seeing this, Wen Ren Wei said: "Young Master Mo, why not join us at the Shangguan residence for the New Year celebration?" Mo Hua considered but then shook his head, "I think I’ll pass on visiting the Shangguan residence..." The Shangguan household is powerful, surely with many rules and strict management. Being unfamiliar, he would feel out of place. Moreover, the Shangguan family surely has sagacious elders who have honed their craft over generations. Intuitively, Mo Hua preferred to avoid crossing paths with such "ancestral figures" to prevent unnecessary attention. "Perhaps visit the Gu family?" Wen Ren Wei suggested again. Mo Hua paused. The Gu family... That might work. With Uncle Gu there, and having visited before, plus Old Master Xun mentioning the Gu family as a beacon of integrity within the Dao Ministry, with disciplined customs. Still, Mo Hua was hesitant. He planned to spend the holiday studying the fireball spell. Yu Er tugged Mo Hua's sleeve again, his eyes filled with longing. Mo Hua's heart softened, sighing, "Alright." Yu Er immediately beamed with joy. Holding Mo Hua's hand, Yu Er cheerfully led the way with leaps and bounds to the Gu household. Wen Ren Wan was delighted to see Mo Hua. Naturally, she inquired about the sect's assessments. Upon learning of Mo Hua's "One A, Six Cs," Wen Ren Wan was surprised. She assumed Mo Hua's claim to be skilled in formations was mere talk, yet it turned out he truly had a talent for it... To achieve an 'A' in formations at Tai Xu Sect, one of the Eight Major Sects, was indeed remarkable. Wen Ren Wan felt happy for Mo Hua. As for the six 'Cs' following the 'A,' Wen Ren Wan automatically overlooked them. Nobody is perfect, after all. Mo Hua's circumstances were unique; thus, the standard of expectations needed moderation. "Make yourself at home," Wen Ren Wan kindly said to Mo Hua. "Thank you, Aunt Wan," Mo Hua replied, smiling. Gu Zhang Huai felt a tad resigned. This is the Gu household... But before Wen Ren Wan, he had no say. Afterwards, Mo Hua temporarily stayed with the Gu family, spending several days with Yu Er. Still, Yu Er couldn’t stay solely at the Gu household, being the direct descendant of the Shangguan family, his itinerary was prearranged, independent of his preferences. According to the plans, Yu Er would first spend a few days at the Gu household, then return to the Shangguan family to celebrate the New Year, and after the holidays, visit the Wen Ren family for New Year's greetings. Before the end of the winter break, Yu Er would return to the Gu house, take a brief rest, and then head back to Tai Xu Sect. Mo Hua couldn't follow Yu Er everywhere, so he could only accompany Yu Er at the Gu house for these few days before the end of the year. After spending a few days together, Yu Er bid farewell to Mo Hua with a reluctant look and returned to the strictly governed Shangguan household. Subsequently, Mo Hua wandered around Qingzhou City, observing the local customs and traditions before preparing to return to the sect. It was only proper to inform the Gu family about his departure. Mo Hua went to find Gu Zhang Huai. Gu Zhang Huai was unsurprised and didn't try to persuade him to stay. Mo Hua was too crafty for him to manage or bother with. "There’s one thing..." Gu Zhang Huai said, "Since the demon lair was destroyed and the Fire Buddha perished, the Dao Ministry will award contributions. I’ll apportion some for you..." "However, such matters entail a lot of paperwork and slow procedures, so you'll need to be patient." Mo Hua's eyes gleamed with excitement, and he nodded eagerly, "Mm-hmm!" Contributions are quite valuable! Even if it takes time, as long as it reaches him, it's worth the wait. He appreciated Uncle Gu's reliability... With nothing more to say, Gu Zhang Huai's aloof personality prompted Mo Hua to prepare to leave. But just as he was about to rise, a person appeared at the door. It was an older woman with a rosy complexion and a joyful demeanor, seemingly a senior member of the Gu family. Upon entering, the elder from the Gu family exclaimed cheerfully to Gu Zhang Huai: "Zhang Huai, since you’re back, I have a marriage proposal for you..." Gu Zhang Huai's face turned dark. Mo Hua, who was just about to leave, blinked and quietly sat back down, sneaking a piece of melon from the fruit plate beside him to nibble on. Thank you to Wind Chocolate for being an alliance leader~ There will be additional chapters later. Previously, I wrote a bit too much, needing a pause, and the following outlines need more time to organize. Also, the group has been set up. The book title and synopsis have it~ Later, I’ll add a link below this chapter as well. For those who wish to join the group, feel free~ (.) (End of this chapter)