318: Chapter 318, Level 2

The half-hour break passed quickly. When the middle-aged man in the deep green robe reappeared under the archway, the remaining one hundred and twenty-plus people on the stone terrace stood up one after another and gathered around. Ling Ye stood in the back of the crowd, waiting quietly.

The middle-aged man's gaze swept over the crowd, and he spoke: "The second trial: Identification."

He stepped aside and gestured, and several Green-robed Disciples carried out several long tables from behind the archway, lining them up on the stone terrace. Each table was laid out with a dozen or so items—there were Ores of various colors, withered herbs, bones and teeth of Yao Beasts, and some miscellaneous objects that Ling Ye could not name.

"Step forward one by one, and each of you will choose one item from each table and state its name, properties, and usage," the middle-aged man's voice was flat, yet carried an unquestionable authority. "Those who answer correctly for three or more items will pass. Those who answer incorrectly or cannot answer will be eliminated."

A low murmur of discussion arose in the crowd. Some looked troubled, while others were full of confidence. Ling Ye stood in the crowd, his eyes quickly scanning the items on the tables, making quick assessments in his mind.

He didn't recognize many of the Ore samples, but there were a few he had heard people mention in the teahouse—the rough stones with a faint blue luster were called "Blue Copper Ore," a common Materials for refining low-grade Magical Artifacts; the black ones with fine lines on the surface were "Ink Iron," which was hard in texture and often used for forging weapons. He knew almost nothing about the herb samples and could only make superficial guesses based on their shape and color. For the Yao Beast Materials samples—he saw a few sharp teeth, which, judging by their shape and size, should belong to some kind of medium-sized predator; there was also a small section of a spinal column with large joints, indicating that this Yao Beast possessed great strength.

He silently noted these observations and mentally prepared his draft: if he were actually asked about these, how should he organize his language to make himself sound less like a layman.

The examinees began to step forward one by one. Some who were in the front were calm and composed, talking eloquently while pointing at an Ore; others were sweating profusely, picking up an item and staring at it for a long time without being able to say anything, eventually having their names recorded before leaving dejectedly. The line moved forward slowly, and Ling Ye stood in the queue, quietly observing the performance of everyone in front of him, learning from their correct answering methods and common mistakes.

When it was Ling Ye's turn, he walked to the first table. There were a dozen or so Ores on the table. He glanced at them and reached out to pick up the piece of Blue Copper Ore with the faint blue luster.

"Blue Copper Ore," he said, trying to make his tone sound firm. "Its properties are cold, and it is commonly used to refine low-grade water or ice-element Magical Artifacts. It can also be added to alloys as an auxiliary Materials to enhance the spiritual conductivity of the Materials."

The Green-robed Disciple in charge of recording glanced at him, neither expressing approval nor disapproval, simply making a note in the register. Ling Ye put down the Ore and walked to the second table.

The second table was laid out with herbs. He picked up a withered plant with a purplish-red stem and held it to his nose to smell it; there was a faint spicy scent. He had never seen this herb before, but he remembered hearing people in the teahouse mention a medicinal herb called "Blood-Vein Grass," which had a purplish-red stem, a spicy taste, and was commonly used for brewing body-tempering medicinal baths. He decided to take a gamble.

"Blood-Vein Grass," he said. "Its properties are warm; it is commonly used for body-tempering medicinal baths and can clear the meridians and strengthen the tendons and bones."

The Green-robed Disciple made another note. Ling Ye walked to the third table without changing his expression.

The third table was laid out with Yao Beast Materials. He picked up a sharp tooth, about two inches long, and carefully observed the degree of wear on the root and the shape of the tip. The tooth was hook-shaped with sharp edges, suitable for tearing prey. He speculated that it should belong to some kind of wolf-like Yao Beast.

"Canine tooth of an Iron-backed Wolf," he said. "The Iron-backed Wolf is a low-grade Yao Beast with thick skin and flesh, and sharp claws and teeth. This canine tooth can be used to make low-grade Magical Artifacts or arrowheads, or it can be ground into powder to serve as an auxiliary Materials for certain toxic Materials."

After he finished speaking, the Green-robed Disciple in charge of recording put down his pen and looked up at him, his gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny. Ling Ye looked back calmly, without flinching.

The Green-robed Disciple said nothing, lowered his head to make a note in the register, and then signaled that he could pass.

Ling Ye nodded slightly and walked to the other side of the stone terrace—that was the area where those who had already passed the second trial were gathered. When he walked over, he found that about forty people were already standing there. Some were talking in low voices, discussing the questions they had just been asked; others were standing alone, eyes closed in meditation.

He found a corner to stand in and quietly observed those who had already passed. Among these people, a few left an impression on him—a young woman in white, with a cold and aloof temperament, who had shown almost no hesitation during the identification and seemed to know everything about all the items; a sturdy young man with solid muscles and sharp eyes, who looked like he had rich combat experience; and a thin youth, who looked like the youngest among all the examinees, but whose expression was steady, unlike the others who were nervous or excited.

He silently noted these faces.

The second trial lasted about an hour before it ended. The final number of people who passed was fixed at fifty-three. Over one hundred and twenty people participated, and more than half were eliminated.

The middle-aged man reappeared before everyone and announced: "Today's trial ends here. Those who have passed the first two trials, follow the Guide Disciple up the mountain to stay in the guest rooms for the night. Tomorrow at the hour of Chen, the third trial will be held."

A low cheer erupted in the crowd, and some people clenched their fists in excitement. Ling Ye stood in the crowd with a calm expression, but he also felt a slight sigh of relief in his heart.

The first two trials were passed. Tomorrow, the real test would begin.