Druid Fairy

Chapter 162 Escaping the First Day of the Lunar New Year
Wei Ling'er's steps were light, like a cat pacing, but her aggressive aura was like that of a tigress on patrol.

She walked up to Li Mengze, stopped, and her beautiful phoenix eyes tilted slightly upwards, scrutinizing and amused him as she looked him up and down.

Her supporters immediately understood and spread out in a semi-circle, separating Li Mengze from the others and creating an invisible pressure field.

The surrounding students held their breath, casting sympathetic glances. Li Mengze must have had some terrible luck to be targeted by this female demon.

"What's your name?"

Wei Ling'er's voice was clear and crisp, but it carried a condescending tone, as if she were questioning an ant on the roadside.

Li Mengze sighed inwardly, knowing that he couldn't avoid this trouble today.

He raised his head, met the other person's gaze, his expression calm, and cupped his hands in greeting: "Disciple of the Academy, Li Mengze, greets the County Princess."

He was neither humble nor arrogant, and his voice was clear and gentle, like a clear spring in the mountains, instantly diluting the gunpowder smell on Wei Ling'er.

Wei Ling'er was slightly taken aback. She had anticipated many possible reactions, such as being so frightened that she wet herself and knelt down to beg for mercy.

Or perhaps he's all bark and no bite, putting on a brave face and challenging her, just like that clueless fool from before.

But she never expected it to be so calm and collected, as if she, the Princess of Qingyang, was no different from a tree by the roadside.

This made her feel like she had put all her effort into a punch that landed on cotton, leaving her with an indescribable sense of awkwardness.

“Li Mengze?” She repeated the name, a playful smile curving her lips. “Aren’t you afraid of me?”

Li Mengze thought to himself, "I'm afraid, of course I'm afraid, I'm afraid of mad dogs."

But a perfectly timed look of doubt appeared on his face as he countered, "The county princess is of royal lineage, a golden branch and jade leaf, her radiant glory shines upon us, why should we be afraid?"

This rhetorical question left Wei Ling'er speechless.

Her mother was the current emperor's most beloved younger sister, the Third Princess. She grew up in the capital, born with a silver spoon in her mouth, getting whatever she wanted.

Within the territory of Songling Prefecture, even the prefectural governor had to show her respect.

Accustomed to being the center of attention, she was domineering and fearless, and this was the first time she had ever met an "oddball" like Li Mengze.

He neither fawned nor dodged; he simply stood there quietly, like a pine tree rooted in the mountain rocks, exuding a calm and serene demeanor.

Interesting, really interesting.

For the first time, a genuine curiosity ignited in Wei Ling'er's cold phoenix eyes, like a mother leopard discovering a new and exciting prey.

"You are very good."

She suddenly smiled, a smile as beautiful as a hundred flowers blooming, adding even more captivating charm to her already beautiful face.

She extended her slender finger, her movements flirtatious: "You've successfully caught my attention. How about this: if you're willing to come to my county magistrate's residence and become my personal alchemist, you won't need to participate in today's trial. I guarantee you'll pass directly, how about it?"

Upon hearing this, a collective gasp of astonishment rippled through the crowd.

This...this is simply a meteoric rise to the top!

What does it mean to have the personal alchemist of the Qingyang County Princess?
It means endless wealth and luxury, and an inexhaustible supply of rare medicinal herbs!

Let alone passing a mere preparatory trial, becoming a formal alchemist of the royal family in the future is practically a certainty!

In an instant, countless envious and jealous gazes were cast upon Li Mengze.

"What luck this kid has! He actually caught the eye of the county princess!"

"Yes, we've really hit the jackpot this time. From now on, when we see each other, we'll all have to call him Master Li."

"Hmph, she's just a kept man, what's there to envy!"

Chen Haoran, who had been whipped by Wei Ling'er earlier, now clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms.

He looked at Li Mengze, his eyes filled with humiliation.

Why?
Why did he get a beating and humiliation for speaking out for justice, while this guy who did nothing got such a great opportunity?
Several young men from noble families who knew Wei Ling'er's background secretly sneered, their eyes filled with pity as they looked at Li Mengze.

"Hey, living off a woman? You're probably just going to be her plaything."

"That's right, you don't know, this county princess has a really bad temper. All those handsome male lovers she keeps in her mansion either have their legs broken or are tortured beyond recognition within three months. This kid is so delicate and tender, I'm afraid he won't last a month."

Faced with this unexpected "olive branch," Li Mengze was on high alert.

He had no doubt that if he actually agreed, he would probably be tormented to the point of being reduced to ashes by this "mad dog" within three days.

He subtly turned his head slightly, avoiding Wei Ling'er's restless finger, then bowed again, saying sincerely, "Thank you for your kindness, Princess. It is my great fortune to have your favor. However..."

He paused, a perfectly balanced look of embarrassment and sincerity on his face: "We cultivators, in our practice of alchemy, seek a clear and unobstructed Dao heart."

For Mengze, this trial is both a test and a hurdle on his path of cultivation. If he does not personally overcome it but relies on the county princess's power, although he may gain temporary advantage, it may leave a lingering attachment in his heart, turning into a mental demon, making it difficult to make any further progress in his alchemy journey in the future.

Mengze dared not jeopardize his long-term goals for short-term gain, nor could he accept the county magistrate's immense favor with his flawed self; that would be the greatest disrespect to her. If Mengze could pass through this ordeal by his own efforts, proving he possessed some talent, then he could serve the county magistrate with a clear conscience, even unto death.

These words were perfectly worded, expressing gratitude while elevating the reason for refusal to the level of "Dao Heart," which is most valued by cultivators, leaving no room for criticism.

More importantly, he left himself a way out: if he really passed the test, it wouldn't be too late to serve you, thus avoiding offending anyone and protecting himself.

Wei Ling'er frowned slightly after hearing this.

The duck that was about to be eaten somehow managed to fly away.

However, Li Mengze attributed his words to the path of cultivation. If she were to force him further, it would be tantamount to openly destroying someone's foundation for cultivation, which is a major taboo for cultivators.

"Humph."

She snorted coldly and withdrew her hand. "Fine, I, the county magistrate, will see just how capable you really are today. If you fail... hmph, you can expect to clean my horse's chamber pots for the rest of your life!"

After saying that, she swayed her slender waist and walked to the front row surrounded by a group of people, clearly not intending to miss this "good show".

Li Mengze breathed a long sigh of relief, but a layer of cold sweat had seeped out on his back without him noticing.

Dealing with this mad dog is more mentally taxing than refining a batch of elixirs.

Now he's on the line, and today's trial is one he must not only pass, but win spectacularly.

Otherwise, it will absolutely be impossible to resolve this amicably.

…………

"Cough cough!"

Elder Zhao cleared his throat and announced the official start of the trial. "Today's trial will consist of two rounds."

"The first round is material identification. The second round is alchemy."

Elder Zhao's voice echoed clearly in the square.

"In front of each of you are one hundred kinds of processed medicinal powders. Your task is to accurately write their names, medicinal properties, and year of origin on the answer sheet within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. One mistake will result in a tenfold penalty, and those who make more than three mistakes will be eliminated!"

These words immediately caused an uproar in the room.

One hundred kinds of medicinal powder!

And it's been processed! That's incredibly difficult!

It is important to know that many medicinal herbs undergo subtle changes in color and smell after being ground into powder, making them extremely difficult to distinguish.

Moreover, accurately stating the year requires not only knowledge but also experience and keen observation.

Looking at the hundred white porcelain bowls lined up in front of him, Li Mengze felt that this level of test was child's play for him, who had "experienced" with almost all the legendary spiritual herbs in the "Hundred Herbs Spirit Realm".

He didn't rush to write, but instead closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

The Breath of the Tree slowly activated, and a wondrous connection with nature instantly enveloped the entire desktop.

In an instant, the powder that had been ordinary in his eyes seemed to come alive.

Some emitted a gentle, earthy yellow glow, some pulsed with a scorching crimson aura, and some were shrouded in wisps of chilling blue mist...

The "qi" of each medicinal herb, their "life rhythm," became incredibly clear in Li Mengze's perception.

"Huh? Interesting."

A barely perceptible smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He discovered that several of the medicinal herbs had been tampered with.

For example, the powder that appeared to be "century-old stalactite" contained less than 10% "Three-Day Soul-Severing Powder," whose medicinal properties were extremely subtle and could not be detected by ordinary detection methods. If used incorrectly, it could lead to failure in alchemy at best, and death at worst.

And that bowl of "Crimson Flame Fruit" powder, seemingly bursting with medicinal power, actually had its core fire elemental energy extracted using a special method, leaving only an empty shell, good to look at but useless.

"It seems that this first round tests not only the ability to identify materials, but also one's temperament and discernment."

Li Mengze understood.

These traps were clearly set up by Elder Zhao on purpose to eliminate those who were not knowledgeable and were impetuous.

He opened his eyes, picked up his pen, and no longer hesitated.

"Dragon Blood Vine, 320 years old, warm in nature, primarily promotes blood circulation and tissue regeneration..."

"Ice Soul Grass, 150 years old, cold in nature, can calm the mind and soothe the spirit..."

"The three-leaved entwined flower, fifty years old, is highly poisonous. Its powder contains spores of 'colorless moss' and should not be smelled lightly."

His pen moved swiftly across the paper, leaving only afterimages.

In less than half an incense stick's time, he had written down all the information about the hundred kinds of medicinal herbs, and even marked the hidden traps and tampering that had been done.

After doing all this, he put down his pen, closed his eyes quietly to rest, as if victory was already in his grasp.

His actions naturally caught the attention of Elder Zhao and Wei Ling'er, who were not far away.

Seeing that he had handed in his paper so quickly, Wei Ling'er couldn't help but curl her lip and sneer inwardly: "A hundred kinds of medicinal herbs, and you think you can distinguish them in half an incense stick? What a fool! Just wait to embarrass yourself!"

Elder Zhao walked calmly to Li Mengze's desk, picked up the answer sheet filled with writing, and his pupils contracted sharply after just one glance.

All right!

Not only were they all correct, but the age of each medicinal herb was also accurate to the single digit! This is simply unbelievable!

What shocked him even more was that Li Mengze had actually found out all the traps he had secretly laid, and analyzed them in great detail, without missing a single detail!
You should know that those traps were extremely sophisticated, set up by several elders of the royal family. Not to mention these young students, even some of the deacons might not be able to see through them all.

But this boy in front of me actually...

He looked at the boy who had closed his eyes to rest again, and his expression changed completely.

It was no longer an elder scrutinizing a younger generation, but a shock and ecstasy at discovering an unparalleled gem!
'This child is a true genius! No, a prodigy!'

Elder Zhao took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his excitement, and slowly put down the answer sheet, having already made up his mind.

The first round of trials has ended, and naturally, some are happy while others are sad.

More than half of the students were ruthlessly eliminated due to various mistakes.

Chen Haoran, however, managed to pass thanks to his solid foundation, though his face remained pale, clearly indicating that he had suffered a significant setback.

When Elder Zhao announced that Li Mengze had achieved a perfect score and ranked first, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone looked at Li Mengze as if he were a monster.

Especially Wei Ling'er, whose beautiful face was filled with disbelief.

She herself could only barely identify more than eighty kinds, and there were still a few that she was unsure about.

How could this kid possibly get a perfect score?

Without a second thought, Wei Ling'er said, "Elder Zhao! This person must have known the question beforehand! Please investigate, Elder!"

Faced with these unfounded accusations, Li Mengze felt helpless.

Even if they had been tactful beforehand, it seems they had still offended this county princess. For such a favored daughter of heaven, there was indeed no room for the slightest disobedience.

Elder Zhao frowned and gave Wei Ling'er a cold glance: "Princess, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want. The questions for this trial were put together by me and a few other elders on the spot, and there is absolutely no possibility of leaks. I personally reviewed Li Mengze's answer sheet, and every word is true and without a single mistake. If you are not satisfied, you are welcome to come up and check it yourself."

Since Elder Zhao had spoken, even if Wei Ling'er was unruly, she wouldn't dare to question the authority of a royal elder in public.

She could only stomp her foot in frustration, swallowing her anger once more, but the look in her eyes as she gazed at Li Mengze became even more complicated.

There was anger, there was resentment, but more than anything, there was the excitement of meeting a worthy opponent and... a possessive desire.

"Very well! This county princess would like to see if your alchemy skills are as impressive as your smooth talk!"

(End of this chapter)