After that every one went to cultivate or do there own thing and so as I . It's not going to be any helpful wondering around what whoud happen if I catch a young masters interest.

I came back my cell and sitting cros-slegged examining the glowing green light which is pulshing in depth of the primordial drop. And then ,

The door to my room slammed open with a resounding crash, rattling the wooden frame. A flustered Ling Dong, his face flushed with irritation, burst into the room like a whirlwind, his robes flapping behind him.

“Lu Ming!” he practically shouted, hands flailing. “I just heard the news! The sect’s changing the evaluation criteria—this is huge!”

I, who had been sitting comfortably in my bed , barely lifted an eyebrow. My gaze lazily shifted toward the door. I had barely managed to focus after the early morning lecture from Senior Sister Wun'er.

“Evaluation criteria? Oh, great,” I mumbled, rolling my eyes. "Just what I need—more pressure."

Ling Dong marched right up to my bed, the usual sheen of excitement and determination in his eyes now replaced with a rare urgency.

“The sect leaders are tired of seeing all the lazy disciples slacking off! So, guess what? They’re making the criteria twice as difficult! More points required to pass. More challenges to face. And even more scrutiny on your cultivation progress.”

“Twice as difficult?” I said, rubbing his temples. “Did they just wake up one day and decide ‘Hey, let’s see if we can make everyone’s life miserable’?”

“Exactly! It’s madness!” Ling Dong said, exasperated. “They’re going to start checking our progress every month now, not every season. And if you don’t hit the new benchmarks? You get slapped with a punishment. Don’t even get me started on the new sect-wide tasks. It’s going to be a nightmare!”

At that moment, my head was assaulted by Vernor’s voice, like a quiet whisper directly in my mind.

“Well, isn’t that just perfect?” Vernor remarked dryly. “Here you were thinking you could finally focus on you peaceful cultivation. Now, you’ll have to stay in cultivation all the more, and no one can complain not even a young master —heaven forbid they.”

I groaned inwardly. “I’m so glad to have you on my side, Vernor.”

Ling Dong didn’t seem to notice the mental exchange. “You have to start taking this seriously, Lu Ming. The sect is tired of its disciples lounging around and doing the bare minimum. If we don’t impress, we’re out. And don’t think you can just coast through because of your... ‘connections.’”

I rubbed my face, feeling a headache coming on. “What connections? I’ve been avoiding all that drama since I got here.”

“Which is why you’re so lucky you’re still here,” Ling Dong said with a grin, clearly unaware of Lu Ming’s growing dread. “But the competition’s tough. The bar’s been set higher now. I heard that even the older disciples will be under scrutiny. And if they slack off, the consequences won’t be pretty. "

I sat up straight, my posture now as stiff as a board. “Great. Twice as hard, twice as much pressure, and a bunch of new expectations. Wonderful.”

Vernor’s voice cut in again, even more sarcastically than before.

“Twice as hard? Oh, master, you’ve only just begun. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the sudden burst of intensity. Nothing like a little challenge to get the blood pumping, right? After all, it’s not like you’ve been working all that hard up until now. But don’t worry, I’ll guide you.”

I shot a glare toward the corner of the room, as though i could see Vernor floating there. “I’m sure you will... with a side of backhanded comments, of course.”

Ling Dong, oblivious to the inner banter, continued, “So, what are you going to do about it? If you don’t keep up with the rest, you’ll be left behind. And trust me, nobody wants to be the one who gets dropped during the next sect assessment.”

I sighed dramatically, throwing himself back onto the bed. “Alright, alright. I’ll keep up. You don’t have to worry about me. I’ve got a plan. I’ll just keep my head down and really focus on my cultivation. Less distractions, more cultivation. That’s the key, right?”

Vernor chimed in, more cheerful now, as if delighted by the prospect of seeing me struggle a bit more.

“Yes, let’s just hope your 'focus' is stronger than your usual method of procrastination. And don’t forget: still not enough to actually cultivate. But for now, why not start with the basics?”

Ling Dong watched me for a moment, confused by my odd behavior. “You sure you’re okay, Lu Ming? You’re acting weird today.”

I groaned and sat back up, giving him a tired smile. “Just peachy, Ling Dong. Just peachy. ”

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

“You’ll figure it out,” Ling Dong said, shaking his head. “But hurry up. The new evaluation starts in one month. Don’t be the one who gets left behind because of your ‘focus’.”

With that, Ling Dong left, still muttering about the sect’s new rules.

I sighed, my gaze shifting toward the window. “Twice as difficult, huh? Well, guess I’ll need twice the amount of coffee… or maybe just a few more minutes of sleep…”

Vernor’s voice, ever helpful, responded instantly:

“How about we start with not failing the first round of assessments, hmm? After all, nothing says success like not embarrassing yourself on the first try.”

I groaned again.

Well if I want speedy progress, I need resources, in a large quantities.

"How about we start with advancing our role in alchemy hall, " Vernor said. " Great idea I was also prepareing fir it,it's a whole week... "I said.

The early morning light painted the sky in hues of orange and gold as i walked briskly toward the towering gates of the Alchemy Hall. The air was crisp, carrying the faint aroma of herbs and alchemical concoctions brewed overnight. Today marked the end of one weeks of relentless preparation, where i had learned the basics of alchemy from yun fei besides doing those chores.

Today was the day I would earn the title of Junior Grade Alchemist.

I adjusted my robes, brushing away imaginary dust as i stood before the bustling entrance. My heart thudded in my chest, a mix of excitement and nervousness swirling within me.

"Stay focused, Host. Vernor is fully operational and prepared to assist."

The calm, measured voice of Vernor eased my tension. "Thanks, Vernor. Let’s make this count," I whispered under my breath before stepping inside.

The Alchemy Hall's main chamber was an expansive room lined with shelves of ancient texts, glowing crystals, and rows of alchemical tools. Dozens of hopeful candidates filled the hall, each sitting at individual stations equipped with a furnace, herb trays, and writing materials.

At the head of the room stood a stern-looking elder, his long silver beard flowing like a waterfall over his pristine robes. His voice, imbued with authority, resonated across the hall.

“Welcome, aspiring alchemists. Today, you shall prove your worth. The Junior Grade Alchemist Examination consists of three parts: a written test, herb identification, and practical pill refinement. Only those who pass all three will earn the Junior Grade Alchemist badge.”

The candidates exchanged glances, a mix of determination and anxiety visible on their faces. I took my seat, my back straight and my mind sharp.

“Begin!” the elder commanded.

A scroll was placed on my desk, and I unrolled it to reveal a series of intricate questions about alchemical theory, ingredient properties, and hypothetical scenarios. Each question seemed designed to test both knowledge and critical thinking.

One question caught my attention immediately:

"If two herbs with conflicting elemental properties are required in a pill, how would you stabilize their interaction?"

I paused for a moment before Vernor’s calm voice chimed in.

" Use a neutralizing agent such as Celestial Vine extract to balance the energies." Vernor declared the answer. By the way is it count as cheating, but there's a line that "if you don't get caught while cheating, then it's not cheating".

Golden text shimmered faintly over the scroll, guiding me through the answer. I wrote quickly, my brush strokes confident as i tackled each question. With Vernor's assistance, i completed the section well ahead of time, leaving no doubts in my mind.

The second part of the examination was held in a side room, where trays of herbs were arranged neatly on long tables. Each tray contained a single herb, and the candidates had to identify its name, properties, and uses within a time limit.

I approached the first tray, which held a cluster of small, translucent berries. Their faintly glowing surface exuded a cool, refreshing scent.

“Hmm… Icefire Berries,” I murmured.

Vernor, Confirmed the Properties ....enhances dual-element pills. Alchemical us, stabilizes fire and ice energy simultaneously.

I noted down the details and moved to the next tray. A pale green leaf with jagged edges lay before him, emitting a faintly spicy aroma.

“Greenfire Mint. Best used for fire-based cultivation pills,” i muttered, my brush gliding over the parchment as Vernor provided additional insights.

Tray after tray, i worked with methodical precision, correctly identifying herbs such as Spiritroot, Amber Lotus, and even the rare Windthistle. By the end, I felt confident in my performance.

The final challenge was the most daunting: refining a 1st-grade Spirit Recovery Pill. Candidates were given a standard set of herbs and a basic alchemy furnace.

I sat at my station, taking a deep breath to steady myself. The herbs were neatly arranged before me—Spiritroot, Cloud Grass, and a pinch of Star Dew. I carefully inspected each ingredient to ensure they were of high quality.

Vernor Scanning herbs… All ingredients verified. Activating energy pattern visualization for optimal refinement.

A translucent overlay appeared in my vision, mapping out the ideal energy flow for the process.

I ignited the furnace, the flames leaping to life under my spiritual energy. The first step was to extract the essence of each herb without burning away its potency. I placed the Spiritroot into the cauldron, channeling a steady stream of energy to heat it evenly.

Vernor, Increase energy output by 5%. Maintain for 12 seconds.

Great support vernor...

I adjusted my energy flow, watching as the Spiritroot released a faint golden vapor. Next, I added the Cloud Grass, which required a gentler touch to preserve its delicate essence.

The real challenge came during the fusion stage, where the individual essences had to be combined into a harmonious whole. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I carefully manipulated the furnace’s heat and my energy flow, guided by Vernor’s real-time adjustments.

Vernor, Stabilizing energy pattern. Focus on the central node to prevent imbalance.

With Vernor’s assistance, i managed to merge the essences perfectly. A soft glow emanated from the cauldron, signaling the pill’s completion.

As the light faded, a single pill rolled out, its surface smooth and shimmering faintly with spiritual energy.

I approached the elder with the pill in hand, my heart pounding. I somehow managed to form the pill after one week of continuous practice,its was hellish one week for , since coming to this World. The elder examined it closely, his sharp eyes scrutinizing every detail. After a tense moment, he nodded.

“Well done. This Spirit Recovery Pill meets the standards of a 1st-grade pill. Lu Ming, you have passed.”

The elder handed me a bronze badge inscribed with the symbol of a Junior Grade Alchemist. I stared at it for a moment, pride and relief washing over me.

[System Notification: Congratulations, Host. You have earned the Junior Grade Alchemist title.]

Clutching the badge, I allowed himself a small smile. This was just the beginning for my peacefull without trouble life .