Reborn as Xu Xuan, Plundering Perks & Flooding the Mountain Ling

Chapter 7: More Than One Talent? This Guy Has Several!

[Master of Alchemy (Blue): The host is proficient in various potion-making methods and principles and can innovate to some extent.]

Xu Xuan let out a sigh of relief as he finally completed his transformation. With such a mastery of the alchemy skills, this assessment should be a breeze!

“Xu Xuan, you may begin!”

Nodding, Xu Xuan swiftly got to work. The assessing masters and the onlooking disciples all widened their eyes in anticipation.

“This disciple seems to have a natural talent for herbal identification. He gathered all the necessary ingredients in just a few breaths! I must admit, Lao Mu does have an eye for talent!”

Master Xuan Mu stroked his beard with a proud expression.

“If he had no potential, why would I make an exception for him? You don’t know, but earlier today, he refined a batch of Drunken Dream Powder in the back mountains. It knocked out more than a dozen servant disciples—including two inner sect disciples!”

Hearing this, Xuan Yan, Xuan Ming, and Xuan Mo Master’s expressions turned serious. Knocking out outer disciples was one thing; their cultivation was usually no higher than the Body Refining realm.

But the inner sect disciples were at least at the Seventh Level of the Body Refining Realm, with some even being Innate-level experts. There were certainly potions capable enough to knock them out, but for someone of Xu Xuan’s age to have refined such a concoction was highly unusual. Still, Xuan Ming, Master of the Combat Sect shook his head.

“Just because he had a powerful drug doesn’t mean he made it himself. Even if he did, it could have been pure luck or years of experimentation.”

Master Xuan Yan and Xuan Mo nodded in agreement. Whether in alchemy, Weapon Forging, or Talisman crafting, mastery required both practice and a bit of luck. Even a fool might succeed by accident, But one’s luck doesn’t prove his Innate talent.

“Enough talk, he’s about to start his first refinement! Whether he truly has talent or if it was just luck…We’ll know soon enough.”

Boom! Boom!

Two loud crashes interrupted the discussion. The servant disciples looked toward the hall’s centre, stunned. Xu Xuan stood in the middle, holding a furnace—which was the size of half a human—in each hand, casually moving them from the alchemy chamber to the main hall.

“What… How is this possible?! These furnaces may not be made of top-tier materials, but… They’re crafted from refined iron and bronze to withstand explosions!”

“Each furnace weighs at least half a tonne! And he’s holding one in each hand effortlessly—doesn’t that mean he has the strength of half a tonne in each arm?!”

Master Xuan Ming’s eyes lit up.

This kid looks thin, and his aura is only at the Seventh Level of the Body Refining realm… Who would have thought he was born with divine strength with such a powerful physique! If he had the right techniques and weapons…He could crush armies, slay demons, and purge evil effortlessly! This kind of talent belongs in the Combat Sect!

However, despite his internal excitement, he deliberately spoke dismissively.

“Impressive brute strength, but it’s useless for alchemy. I say we end the assessment early.”

Xu Xuan then stacked firewood and lit the flames. In less than fifteen minutes, towering flames engulfed the furnaces, heatwaves filled the entire hall. The iron-bronze furnaces glowed red-hot. Xuan Yan, Master of the Weapon Forging Sect raised an eyebrow.

Xuan Mu, you really found a gem! This kid isn’t just a brute with raw strength…He clearly has mastery over fire control! To reach this temperature so quickly, while maintaining perfectly equal flames in both furnaces…If he were in Weapon Forging instead of Alchemy, he’d grow even more!

Alchemy and Weapon Forging both required fire control—but alchemy demanded precision, while Weapon Forging focused on extreme heat. The hotter the flames, the better they burned away impurities in metals. Master Xuan Yan, although outwardly composed, was already scheming internally.

This kid, Xu Xuan, was born for weapon crafting! If I can recruit him, he’ll bring great prestige to the Weapon Forging Sect!

Before Xuan Yan could act, Xuan Ming, Master of the Combat Sect spoke up again.

“Xuan Mu, this test is far too difficult. And this kid is too ambitious, trying to control two furnaces at once. He’ll fail at this rate. I suggest we end the assessment early!”

Master Xuan Yan immediately saw an opportunity and chimed in.

“Xuan Ming is right! We should end the assessment now!”

Master Xuan Mo, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up as well.

“I agree!”

Master Xuan Mu stared at them in disbelief. For a brief moment, he even began to doubt himself. Had he truly made the wrong decision by allowing this early assessment?

As the four sect masters argued, the disciples outside whispered among themselves.

“What’s happening inside?”

“I heard they’re ending the assessment?”

“He just started—why end it now?”

“It’s obvious—Xu Xuan must be failing!”

Hearing this, Fan Rui was ecstatic.

“Really?!”

“Of course! I heard Master Xuan Yan and Xuan Ming both say so!”

“And honestly, this test was unfairly difficult.”

“Even alchemy disciples with four or five years of training can’t guarantee success every time. And Xu Xuan had never even seen this pill before today!”

“How could he possibly succeed?”

“I thought we were witnessing a miracle, but… sigh!”

Inside the hall, a long silence followed. Then, Master Xuan Mu suddenly asked:

“If we stop the assessment now… what happens to Xu Xuan?”

Master Xuan Ming hesitated, but Master Xuan Yan immediately spoke.

“This kid at least has some strength… Let him join the Weapon Forging Sect as a fire-stoking assistant.”

Master Xuan Ming, realizing he was losing ground, quickly countered:

“That’s a bad idea! This kid is too arrogant, trying to control two furnaces at once. If he stokes flames recklessly, he might cause an explosion! I should take him to the Combat Sect for proper training!”

Master Xuan Mo scoffed.

“If you two think Xu Xuan is useless, then neither the Combat Sect nor the Weapon Forging Sect should take him. I just had my disciples investigate. Xu Xuan is literate and even passed the imperial exam as a scholar. So, he must have some talent for calligraphy and painting. Why don’t I take him into the Talisman Sect as a scribe? That way, you two won’t have to worry about him anymore!”