71: Wait, you're not here to apply for a job, are you?

Su Duo blinked, and an idea suddenly struck her: "Cousin, why don't we go to the guild to play?"

"He's also at the guild," Zhuang Sanming said expressionlessly.

Because he knew that whenever Su Duo blinked, it meant she was about to come up with another terrible idea.

"Oh, how can that be the same? Cousin, let's go check out the Alchemy Hall! Didn't Mother say the Alchemy Hall is hiring recently? It must be a lot of fun."

Su Duo said with a playful smile.

The Alchemy Hall?

Zhuang Sanming actually wanted to go there to see, after all, if he wanted to join the Alchemy Hall in the future, he would have to go through a recruitment process sooner or later.

"Alright, then let's go take a look," Zhuang Sanming said, lightly clearing his throat twice.

This was Su Duo's idea, not his own desire to go, hmm.

It had nothing to do with him.

The two made their way to the Alchemy Hall in the guild, and before they even got close, they saw a large crowd of people ahead.

"So many people! Are they all here to apply for positions at the Alchemy Hall?"

Su Duo stood on her tiptoes, trying hard to see what the people inside were doing.

"Over here, there's a gap here," Zhuang Sanming discovered a small path.

"Coming, coming!" Su Duo was eager to see the excitement, so she quickly followed Zhuang Sanming and ran over.

The people at the Alchemy Hall were indeed recruiting staff, but none of the applicants satisfied them, so they hadn't hired anyone yet.

"Zhuang Sanming!"

Zhuang Sanming was just squeezing his way in when someone suddenly clapped him on the shoulder, startling him.

He turned his head, waved his hand, and said, "Zhuang Siwei? What, are you here to watch the fun too?"

The person behind him was named Zhuang Siwei, his paternal uncle's son, and also his younger cousin.

However, their personalities were very different; Zhuang Sanming was cautious and didn't like to meddle, while Zhuang Siwei enjoyed ridiculing others and couldn't stand seeing others do better than him.

Back when Zhuang Sanming's parents passed away, Zhuang Siwei's parents had explicitly refused to let Zhuang Sanming stay with them.

Not only did they not let him stay, but they also tried to seize the house his parents left behind.

Of course, Zhuang Sanming was unwilling. Although he was very young at the time, he understood things and eventually transferred the house his parents left to Father Su and Mother Su, who were willing to take him in.

"Of course I'm here to watch the fun. Am I here to apply for a job?" Zhuang Siwei said, spreading his hands.

Zhuang Sanming didn't speak.

Zhuang Siwei's eyes suddenly widened, and he looked at Zhuang Sanming incredulously: "Wait, you're not here to apply, are you?!"

Zhuang Sanming shook his head: "No."

He did want to apply, but he wasn't qualified yet.

"I knew it. If someone with your strength could get into the Alchemy Hall, then I would have already become the Alchemy Hall manager."

Zhuang Siwei snorted. He had always looked down on Zhuang Sanming, thinking he was useless, seventeen years old and still eating and living off others.

A person with no father or mother, wanting to enter the Alchemy Hall?

Dream on!

Hearing these words, Zhuang Sanming's gaze sharpened for a moment.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Are you really going to get hired? Pfft." Zhuang Siwei shook his head disdainfully.

Didn't he know Zhuang Sanming's meager skills?

Without cultivation resources, even good talent was useless, let alone Zhuang Sanming's not-so-great talent.

"Say what you want, just don't follow me." Zhuang Sanming didn't want to say more to Zhuang Siwei; he would join the Alchemy Hall sooner or later.

What was there to say to someone like Zhuang Siwei, who only relied on family protection but didn't work hard himself?

"Hey!" Zhuang Siwei saw Zhuang Sanming quickly run ahead and immediately went to chase him.

"Cousin, where did you go just now? Why are you only just getting here?" Su Duo had already gone ahead and asked when she saw Zhuang Sanming arrive.

"Nothing, just ran into an annoying person," Zhuang Sanming said indifferently.

"Who are you calling annoying!" Zhuang Siwei squeezed out from under someone's arm, saying indignantly.

Zhuang Sanming rolled his eyes and ignored him.

Su Duo said: "Zhuang Siwei? So it's you. Won't your father beat you if you run out to play by yourself?"

Zhuang Siwei heard this and reacted as if his tail had been stepped on: "Of course not! I'm already grown up, and my father can't control me."

"Oh." Su Duo nodded innocently. She was just like that; she believed whatever anyone said.

On the other hand, Zhuang Siwei mumbled something under his breath after seeing Su Duo's reaction, his voice too low to be heard clearly.

Zhuang Sanming no longer paid him any mind, but looked towards the recruitment area.

He saw a man who looked to be in his thirties emerge from the Alchemy Hall, his face full of dejection.

"Next, number 25."

"Mine, mine, I'm number 25!" One of the people waiting in line outside quickly ran inside.

The interviews for the Alchemy Hall were conducted indoors, so no sound could be heard from outside, and their admission standards were unknown.

All one could see were people coming out looking dejected.

"You can't tell anything from this," Su Duo pouted. "It's boring, might as well go home early."

Zhuang Sanming didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She was the one who said she wanted to come play, and she was also the one who said she wanted to go home.

"Let's watch a little longer," Zhuang Sanming said.

He wanted to know if the Alchemy Hall would be able to recruit anyone this time. If not... he wanted to try.

Although the probability of passing was small, he still had to try.

"Becoming an Alchemy Hall staff member is good, but the requirements are high. So many people haven't been selected," Zhuang Siwei tsk-tsked.

His parents also worked at the guild, but not in the Alchemy Hall.

At home, he often heard his parents talk about how respectable and how profitable the Alchemy Hall staff were, so much so that his ears had calluses.

But one thing he knew clearly was that if you could become an Alchemy Hall staff member, then everyone would look at you with respect when you walked outside.

Zhuang Sanming watched for a while longer, then said to Su Duo, "Let's go."

These people's strength was even inferior to his; they went in and came out very quickly, apparently not selected.

This, however, gave him a bit more confidence.

"Mm." Su Duo yawned. She had wanted to leave a long time ago.

"Leaving already? Not watching anymore?" Zhuang Siwei gave a provocative smile, "But then again, someone like you wouldn't get hired anyway, so watching longer is pointless."

"Why do you speak so harshly? My cousin didn't say he was going to apply, and besides, even if he did, it's none of your business!"

Before Zhuang Sanming could speak, Su Duo rolled up her sleeves and retorted at Zhuang Siwei.

"Hey, you..."

"Cousin, let's go. Ignore him, he's just a clown." Su Duo pulled Zhuang Sanming out, begrudgingly leaving Zhuang Siwei with only their backs.

Zhuang Sanming hadn't expected Su Duo to stand up for him one day, and he felt a bit relieved: "Mm."

Zhuang Siwei didn't follow them out. Su Duo ran fast, and he hadn't even figured out how to argue with her before she left.