The weapon refiner is not doing her job properly

Chapter 251 Strict Selection

“Whether you join the Star Alliance or not, you will see them with your own eyes one day.” The orphan boy’s voice still carried a trace of childishness, but his tone was as cold as iron. “Running away won’t help. Either you become blind, or you become strong enough.”

The girl blinked, not quite understanding what the two boys were talking about, but she remembered the hunter's back as he walked down the long street carrying a black metal box, upright and silent, as if he were carrying a weight that no one could see.

From that moment on, a thought quietly took root in her mind: she wanted to become that kind of person.

As for those children who chose to back down from the very beginning.

Su Ninglong wouldn't waste her time on him; once fear takes root, it's extremely difficult to eradicate unless a drastic change occurs.

She looked at Charlie and Sally in front of her and remembered how they had always stumbled and fallen as children but never complained of pain.

Their dreams have changed over the years, and their way of speaking has changed, but the courage in their bones has never been worn away.

Su Ninglong calmly composed herself and posed the next question: "What are your thoughts on the Mystic Spirits?"

The boy in the blue shirt answered decisively: "They shouldn't exist. It would be best if none of them remained."

The girl's voice was soft but clear: "I've never encountered a Mystic Spirit before. Are they very ugly?"

Su Ninglong nodded expressionlessly, her intelligent answer far superior to those of the other kids in her cohort who only knew how to follow others' answers during her own assessment years ago.

The orphan boy's lips pressed into a thin line: "I hate them. They killed my parents." He raised his eyes, his pupils like dark, scorched stones. "I will kill as many as I can, as many as I can. At least... to protect those who are still alive."

A brief silence filled the room. After a few breaths, Su Ninglong nodded slightly.

"not bad."

She turned to the guide who had been standing quietly to the side, her voice flat and even, "Take them to the simulator."

The three guides couldn't figure out her intentions. Did she really want to take him on as an apprentice, or was it just a formality?
They discreetly observed Su Ninglong's expression, but couldn't read any emotion from her face.

The group dared not ask any further questions and could only follow the instructions, leading the children to the inner room where the simulator was located.

All three passed the tests successfully, including tests on temperament, simulator reaction, resistance, and physique.

The final result showed that the girl awakened her superpowers, while the boy in blue, although he passed, was noticeably more aggressive and jealous.

The orphan, on the other hand, seemed remarkably calm.

Although he was somewhat disappointed when he heard that he had not been chosen as a Spiritualist, he still sincerely congratulated the girl.

This character aligns perfectly with Su Ninglong's standards.

"That boy in the old clothes is mine now."

The orphan's name was Xue Heng. His guide, who was paired with him, immediately beamed with joy, lowering his voice but unable to hide his excitement: "You've been chosen by Su Ninglong; you'll be a cultivator under her tutelage from now on!"

Xueheng stood there, stunned, almost unable to believe it. He instinctively turned around and looked at the girl behind him.

The girl's lips turned down slightly, and tiny drops of water glistened on her thick eyelashes. She said with a wronged expression, "Why did you choose him? I'm already a Spirit Master."

Her guide patted her shoulder gently and explained softly, "Hunter Su always has her own ideas about who to choose. This young man has only been granted the qualification to follow and learn from her; he is not yet a formal disciple and needs further evaluation. The path of cultivation is different from that of ordinary spiritual practitioners; it depends on opportunities. To gain them is a matter of luck, to lose them is a matter of fate. You already possess supernatural abilities, while his future is unknown, and whether he will be able to acquire them in the future is still uncertain."

Some of the words were too difficult for the girl to understand, but the guide's gentle tone gradually calmed her down, and she put away the doubt and envy in her eyes.

On the other side, Xue Heng's guide led him outside and solemnly instructed him: "Don't be surprised, and there's no need to feel guilty. Su Hunter chose you because you meet her requirements. Try to relax these next few days, don't actively try to sense spiritual energy, and don't repeatedly recall the scenes in the simulator. Remember, a cultivator must never become a Spiritualist first. Once you take the path of a Spiritualist, it means you're no longer destined to be with Su Ninglong. Understand?"

Seeing Xueheng's somewhat confused expression, the guide added, "Just keep a calm mind. Hunter Su always has her reasons for doing things. If you follow her, even the orphanage you're in will benefit."

Upon hearing the phrase "the orphanage can benefit," Xueheng's eyes lit up noticeably. The kind caregivers and director of the orphanage were people he wanted to repay.

The guide led Xue Heng to Su Ninglong. Su Ninglong gazed at him, confirming once more whether he was willing to follow her and become a cultivator.

Xueheng answered without hesitation: "I'm willing. I want to slay more Mystic Spirits."

He didn't instinctively look to the guide for guidance, a detail that further convinced Su Ninglong that he was a child with his own opinions. "Alright, you can stay. But to truly master the art, you still need to pass a test. I'll observe more over the next couple of days to see if there are any other suitable prospects."

Su Ninglong handed him two books, one about cultivating spiritual plants and the other about the minerals needed for refining weapons. "See which one you are more interested in."

She knew that Xueheng possessed a wood spirit root, making him more suitable for cultivating spirit plants, especially the extremely difficult-to-cultivate Enlightenment Tea. This was precisely her ulterior motive for approaching Xueheng.

However, there are always exceptions. If he truly prefers weapon crafting, he might still choose that path.

Xueheng learned to read at the orphanage, and would ask the guide for help whenever she encountered something she didn't understand.

Although the future is uncertain, his diligent attitude deserves recognition.

The next day, the distribution center was packed with people like never before.

Parents from all the star regions of Gemini heard the news that Su Ninglong was taking on apprentices, and no one wanted to miss this opportunity.

In this world where mystical spirits are increasingly rampant, becoming a spirit means having the power to protect oneself.

Although most people are not clear about the specific differences between cultivators and spiritual practitioners, those who are well-informed have heard of the value of precious resources such as "Qingxin Tea," and that following Su Ninglong means they will have no worries about their future.

Three or four rows of parents were lined up outside the allocation center, many of whom had come before and wanted to try their luck again. Even students who had already been admitted to Star Alliance were encouraged by their parents to come and give it a try.

The weather was hot and humid, and parents and children wore temperature regulators around their necks to prevent heatstroke.

But the regulators couldn't block the scorching sun and waves of heat overhead. The crowd tried their best to squeeze into the limited shade, and the air was filled with an atmosphere of scorching heat.

"Didn't you say you weren't coming? Didn't you say you'd already chosen a school for the child?"

"I remember you said that even someone like Su Ninglong could get into the Star Alliance, so the Star Alliance isn't all that great."

The person being asked chuckled awkwardly: "Well... it's because there were negative rumors about her circulating online before."

"Now that she's being praised online, does that mean she's become a good person?"

Su Ninglong was never distracted while carrying out her mission. Her divine sense always covered the entire area, and she heard every word of these sycophantic comments.

She said nothing. These complete strangers had been relentlessly smearing her online for so long without stopping, and now these few idle words were nothing more than the buzzing of mosquitoes to her.

After selecting Xueheng, Su Ninglong chose several other children, both boys and girls. Although they were not as clever and quick-witted as Xueheng, they had the same simple stubbornness as Sally, and were independent in their own way.

What was alarming was that every single one she selected passed the simulator test without exception. This precision sent a chill down the spines of the staff in the observation room.

In the end, fifteen children who were not even waist-high were gathered together.

Su Ninglong stopped selecting them and only instructed them to enroll early to prepare for the final test.

On the day of the test, she took out a magical artifact shaped like a mountain range.

"This is called the 'Path to Heaven'." Su Ninglong's voice was exceptionally clear in the silence. "You must climb the mountain ladder, which has a total of 9,999 steps. No one will help you along the way, and you will encounter many obstacles. Only those who reach the top by their own strength will be qualified to become my disciples."

She looked around at the young faces and emphasized, "Those who think they can't endure this hardship can quit now."

Among the fifteen children, several from well-off families looked around, and seeing that no one was moving, they had no choice but to remain where they were, unable to contain their unease.

Su Ninglong nodded slightly, and the magic weapon grew larger in the wind the moment the spiritual power was injected.

In the blink of an eye, a majestic archway stood before me. Looking up, the stone steps disappeared into the depths of the thick fog, seemingly leading straight to the sky. Strangely, if you went around to the back of the archway, there was no trace of the mountain, only emptiness.

“Food and supplies are available along the way. If you really can’t hold on any longer…” she said, “just shout ‘Give up’ three times and we’ll send you out.”

Yun Fei, who was watching from the sidelines, looked surprised and eager to try it out: "Can we give this magic artifact a shot?"

“No.” Su Ninglong shook her head. “Activating this thing requires a lot of quasi-spirit stones. Your strength is too high, and the magic weapon can’t support it. Unless you can help me summon higher-grade spirit stones.”

At this point, Su Ninglong winked playfully, "We have enough spirit stones, and we can even set up illusions, mind-testing arrays, and sword arrays for you... Unfortunately, spirit stones are in short supply right now."

Yun Fei's gaze fell on the string of beads on her wrist: "There are quite a few similar beads in the depths of space, but they are all tainted with an ominous aura and difficult to bring out. If you could purify them..."

Su Ninglong narrowed her eyes instantly, giving the other person a look that seemed to say, "Are you kidding me?"

She asked softly, "So, you're talking about yarn?"

She needed rest. She didn't want any more trouble before the next match began.

Venturing into the depths of the universe, she was highly likely to encounter those unspeakable rulers. She did crave the spirit stones, but she needed to save her life even more.

The path to immortality is long and arduous; one must not court death.

Nascent Soul Formation, Deity Transformation, Tribulation Transcending, Mahayana... the higher the cultivation realm, the more silently time passes. When everything has changed and all has turned to ashes, perhaps the only thing left is the memory she carries alone.

Since meeting Qi Shen, Su Ninglong has been thinking a lot.

That person lived for so long that he almost lost all trace of time and forgot too many things from the past.

This suddenly frightened her, fearing that her memories of Zou Shuyi would ultimately consist only of those brief few years of childhood.

"After the competition is over, I will go back to my godmother's place to stay for a while."

The rulers have not yet invaded this space; they still roam other dimensions. And those who truly harm their fellow humans are often themselves.

Therefore, the responsibility of eliminating the Mysterious Spirit should be shared by all of humanity.

Just because someone is a cultivator doesn't mean they should automatically shoulder everything.

A hint of regret flashed in Yun Fei's eyes: "You must tell me when you have time."

"Hmm." Su Ninglong put her hands behind her back and looked towards the mountain path.

Several children were helping each other along, while the orphan, still wearing his worn-out clothes, walked steadily and slowly upwards on his own.

Half a day later, most of the children had only climbed five or six hundred steps.

They only found some bottled water; food was nowhere to be seen. Exhaustion and hunger caused the children to complain, feeling that Su Ninglong had broken her promise.

As Xueheng passed by them, she couldn't help but frown: "We came here to train, not to sightsee. If they prepare food every few hundred steps, how long will it take to climb?"

His gaunt face was etched with seriousness, and his gaze swept over the crowd like a razor's edge.

Children are always straightforward. After Xueheng said that, some silently lowered their heads and continued climbing, some sat on the steps in a huff and didn't move, and a chubby boy retorted directly: "You think you know everything? Dressed like that, you definitely won't have a chance to become a spirit master."

Xueheng was stunned.

His cheeks flushed red, and for the first time he hated himself for being tongue-tied, not knowing how to refute the other person.

He ignored them and turned to continue climbing.

These days, Xueheng has been researching a lot of information about spiritual beings on the old quantum computer at the orphanage. She used to think that becoming a special spiritual being required one in ten thousand strokes of luck.

After researching, he realized that in this world, to get ahead, you need someone to support you.

Only by establishing a firm foothold in society can one go further.

Having lost both parents at a young age, he was much more thoughtful than his peers.

The slender figure climbing alone was clearly visible to Su Ninglong. She nodded slightly and flicked her long, slender fingers.

Xueheng felt a weight in her arms. Looking down, she saw a sandwich wrapped in oil paper, emitting an enticing aroma.

At the same time, a clear, cold voice echoed throughout the mountains: "A supply point will be set up every three thousand steps. If you want extra food, you need to pass a random trial at a level of one thousand or more. The trial duration is uncertain; the longer you delay, the longer you will go hungry. Alternatively, you can give up now."

Upon hearing this, the children's expressions immediately changed.

Looking at the seemingly endless steps in front of them, and thinking about having to climb three thousand steps on an empty stomach, the children immediately shouted "Give up".

Of the fifteen children, only thirteen remained in the blink of an eye.

Some naive children, upon hearing that there was indeed food on the three thousand steps, had no choice but to grit their teeth and continue climbing.

At this moment, Lei Qingya and Feng Ying finished their work and came over to watch. Lei Qingya looked up at the Heavenly Ladder that disappeared into the clouds and gasped: "Nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine steps? Xiao Su, this test is too harsh."

Can a five-year-old child climb such a tall ladder all by themselves? It's unimaginable.