Arc 3: Part 42
Grandmaster Wen Qing of the Artifact Forge took the lead from their side and began speaking.
"White Tong, you understand that we meet with you today due to your Golden Crow Fire. However," she paused, her smile fading, her gaze turning sharp and locking onto Tong Su, "Although you've refined this magic artifact nicely, it's largely due to your Golden Crow Fire. To put it bluntly, your artifact refining technique is quite crude. Do you understand?"
All the disciples in the room instantly tightened at her words, and an eerie silence fell. Elder Xuan and others from the Pill Refining Pavilion frowned.
"Wen Qing, don't be so harsh," someone intervened, "This child is still young and can practice more. Your Artifact Forge may be selective, but our Alchemy Tower would love to have her!"
Other members of the Artifact Forge nodded in agreement.
Truth be told, everyone's first impression of Tong Su was quite good.
Ignoring her cultivation age, just by observing her demeanor upon entering the room and meeting the multiple God Transformation elders without showing any nervousness or arrogance indicated her excellent temperament. Calm and composed, she was indeed a promising candidate.
Having witnessed on the street earlier how much Wen Qing valued Tong Su, Xuan Yan was contemplating to himself. He figured that the Pill Refining Pavilion could promise significant resources to nurture Tong Su, preparing to contest with Wen Qing over her.
What he didn't expect, however, was that the first thing Wen Qing did was to point out flaws!
Elder Xuan couldn't help but look at Tong Su with concern. She was young, exceptionally talented, and although she carried herself gracefully, she surely had a lot of pride. How could she accept being scolded so directly by Ancestor Wen Qing?
Just as he was about to console Tong Su, she straightened her back, gave a confident smile to those around her, and then turned to Ancestor Wen Qing with a serious expression to speak.
"Bai Tong acknowledges. The Ancestor's criticism is correct — I have much to improve. Previously, when I was refining that magic artifact, I should have used the Spirit Gathering Charm to prevent the leakage of spiritual energy while melting the Hua Guang Iron. However, my hesitation caused the Hua Guang Iron to lose half of its effectiveness..."
Her enthusiasm grew as she spoke, and her eyes sparkled with excitement:
"This was due to my own lack of skill. Given another chance, I would set up the Spirit Gathering Formation before melting the Ming Wen Stone. It's not just about the artifact; the same issue occurred with my Solidifying Essence Pill..."
Whether it was Ancestor Wen Qing with a frown, Elder Xuan with his worries, or even the other great figures present, they all gradually smiled with satisfaction as they listened to Tong Su systematically acknowledge her faults.
She did not make excuses or speak vaguely, but instead, she carefully analyzed and directly acknowledged her problems, seriously contemplating ways to improve.
Clearly, she hadn't slacked off at all in these three years. Even when advancing her cultivation in seclusion, her refining skills hadn't been affected—in fact, they'd only improved.
How could they let such a brilliant prospect go? Even if she didn't possess any unique flames, someone with such talent, dedication, and discipline was bound to achieve great things in the future!
In an instant, everyone's gaze towards Tong Su intensified, as if they couldn't wait to snatch her for their own factions.
A few people were so eager that they started asking her questions right away. Tong Su answered all the queries, and if she didn't know the answer, she would honestly admit her lack of understanding and ask for their guidance. She didn't pretend to understand or offer vague, evasive responses.
The apprentices brought by the powers looked at each other, their eyes reflecting mutual admiration and acknowledgment.
Beforehand, hearing that such an individual was highly regarded by their masters had certainly sparked some jealousy in their hearts. To say they weren't envious would be a lie.
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