Chapter 661: Forger of Essences, Esmund

When the other vagrant cultivators heard about Edmond and the young cultivators with him, they didn't think much and decided to conduct some trials to take the disciples who had an affinity with their cultivation techniques, ideals and other things.

Actually, for the disciple selection ceremony, Edmond's nine adopted children along with Ajax, Lewis, Paulin and Jeff were the participants that the guild master was chosen; however, later, Justice, Levi and Neil were also given a chance to participate in the trials.

After seeing that there were 16 participants in total, the vagrant cultivators thought only half of them would be chosen by them.

But after evaluating till now, they felt everyone would be selected.

'Looks like it,'

Elder Ramon nodded his head as he agreed to what Elder Seward had said.

'Let's pick the disciples after the completion of all trials,'

Elder Elek said to the other vagrant cultivators who were also in agreement with his words.

'Until then, I have an interesting thing to pass the time. Do you want to hear it?'

Soon after completing that discussion, Elder Ramon asked Sandra and other vagrant cultivators including the guild master.

'You want us to bet us on who will complete the trial first, right?'

Before Elder Ramon could say what that interesting thing was, Elder Sandra, scoffed at him as she stopped bothering about him before looking back at the trial.

'Let's leave her. She is always like that. What about you?'

Elder Ramon was neither surprised nor shocked at Elder Sandra's attitude as he got used to it and asked others.

"I place my bet on Dark flame," Elder Esmund said after glancing at the young cultivators.

"Hmm...my choice will be Levi,"

Elder Sewards gave his option.

Elder Elek and the guild master shook their heads and stopped bothering with them before moving some distance away from them.

"Good...I will be placing my bet on Kind mantis,"

Elder Ramon unconsciously revealed a smile and said an unexpected name that made both Elder Esmund and Elder Seward raise their brows.

However, they didn't say anything and continued to watch the trial.

At the other end, Ajax and others were also watching with an interesting look on their faces.

"I got the reward,"

It didn't take much time before one of the young cultivators reached the peak of the mountain and found a small box.

As soon as he found the box, he started shouting with great excitement that made the other young cultivators disappoint. 

Nevertheless, after thinking that he was one of them, that didn't bother them as they felt happy for him.

"Since I won the bet, you two owe me one now,"

At the same time, Elder Ramon was very happy as he said to the two vagrant cultivators who placed their bets earlier.

'What? He is the King mantis?'

'How do you know his name?'

'You are absolutely cheating,'

'That's right! This is your secret realm and of course even if you cheated we could not notice it,'

Elder Seward and Elder Esmund retorted back at Elder Ramon's words before going away from Elder Ramon.

'If you didn't want to keep your word, then just don't give me anything but don't you dare slander me,'

Elder Ramon scoffed at the two elders and didn't bother to argue with them as he knew how to get back the things they owe him.

...

"Everyone did their best and I was impressed by your will power; however, one of you can have the reward. So, better luck next time,"

Soon, Elder Seward moved towards the young cultivators and with a wave of his hands, he brought all of them from the mountain peak to the normal ground where every vagrant cultivators were standing.

At the same time, he motivated the young cultivators with his words.

"Elder Seward...there is nothing inside the box,"

While Elder Seward was motivating the young cultivators, Kind mantis silently opened the small box; however, there was nothing inside it that made him ask the Elder Seward.

'What?'

All the remaining participants were shocked by Kind mantis' word and looked at the opened box in his hands.

"Haha...no need to worry,"

Elder Seward laughed a little before saying, "Actually, I didn't put any reward in the small box because I didn't know who will win in my trial."

"Then the great reward….,"

"I am guessing that you have talent in short blades. So, I will give you a pair of short swords,"

Before King mantis could finish his words, Elder Seward took out a pair of green coloured short swords and tossed them at Kind mantis.

'Heaven grade weapons?'

Ajax who was watching from the sideline muttered in a low voice when he looked at the two short swords.

"Heaven grade?"

Kind mantis was shocked to the core as he felt the power of the swords in his hands and unconsciously muttered.

'What?'

Except for Ajax and Levi, everyone felt they missed a great reward and they were excitedly waiting for the next trial to start. So that they could win in that trial and get a good reward.

"Everyone, no need to show the shocked looks on your faces. As long as you give your best, even if you don't win in the trial, you might become the disciple of a vagrant cultivator,"

Elder Ramon slowly walked towards the young cultivators as he said to them before looking back at Elder Esmund and continued saying, "Now, the next trial will be hosted by Elder Esmund."

After finishing his words, Elder Ramon along with Elder Seward left the young cultivators to Elder Esmund.

"Until now, I am satisfied with all of your performances. I hope you give your best in my trial too,"

Elder Esmund started his talking as he continued, "As my name suggests, I  am very proficient in forging materials. So, the trial will be related to it."

'Sigh...I am not interested in it from the beginning and didn't learn much about it,'

'Looks like I might be not giving my best in this trial,'

…

…

…

Almost all the young cultivators were depressed the moment they heard Elder Esmund's words and felt this trial was not meant for them.

In the Zrochester province, professions like Alchemy and Forging were considered as good professions and at the same time, they were very rare.

In this province, one could learn these professions by only three things.

One, they have to be lucky and become a disciple of a master who had some significant rank like rank 3 or rank 4 and where rank 4 was the highest level any cultivator could reach in the Zrochester province.

Two, to give as many spirit stones to a rank 2 alchemist or rank 2 forging master to learn their crude techniques.

Three, which was almost impossible and only happened a couple of times in the Zrochester province. It was to get enlightened by the heavens into these professions.

So, many of the young cultivators didn't focus on these professions as it required time and resources and even then there was no guarantee that they could learn these professions.

'Finally, it's my time to prove myself,'

While all the cultivators looked depressed, one of them looked excited as he waited for Elder Esmund to finish his words.