Eternal Life: Talent Grows with Age-Chapter 233 - 159: Expelled from the Sect

This is a contest between flexibility and steadfastness.

Within White Cloud Cave Mansion, conflicts between factions are by no means unheard of.

Alchemist Lin and Alchemist Lei are merely two such representatives.

Of course, these arguments are never too sharp; if Alchemist Lin had given a solid B or even an upper B, Alchemist Lei would have just turned a blind eye.

However, this is Grade A we’re talking about. In White Cloud Cave Mansion, it carries immense honor. To this day, only a handful have ever received such a rating.

"Grade A is the highest evaluation in White Cloud Cave Mansion. Even if it’s just the lower A, it still earns the bearer a considerable share of the disciples’ quota."

Disciples of White Cloud Cave Mansion are judged on an A, B, C, D scale.

Lu Chang’sheng’s overall evaluation could hardly reach Grade A.

In fact, no one in the entire White Cloud Cave Mansion has ever gotten an overall Grade A, not even the master of the cave, Master Baiyun.

Master Baiyun hails from Heaven-Burning Valley, and it’s this system they brought over from there.

Even in Heaven-Burning Valley, a Grade A rating marks one as a true standout.

Over all these years, while a few have gotten single-category A grades in White Cloud Cave Mansion, not a soul has achieved an overall A.

There is an unfathomable gap at play here.

Still, even so, if Lu Chang’sheng gets an A grade in this, his overall rating could just barely reach lower B.

An alchemist with such a rating would enjoy considerable benefits in White Cloud Cave Mansion.

In recent years, only two people have made it to overall B ratings.

Alchemist Lin knows that one of those is particularly close with Alchemist Lei.

Where he could once have enjoyed the B-level privileges alone, he’d now be sharing them with Lu Chang’sheng if Lu received a B.

This is exactly why Alchemist Lei spoke out in opposition.

He sees the truth but doesn’t say it aloud.

There’s no way Alchemist Lin would tear his relationship with Alchemist Lei just for Lu Chang’sheng, so he doesn’t expose it outright.

But on the matter of flexibility versus steadiness, he refuses to budge an inch.

"There’s nothing wrong with being steady—pushing every detail to its utmost is its own kind of skill."

The end of Lu Chang’sheng’s alchemy session was fast approaching.

Alchemist Lin, unwavering, insisted on awarding him a lower A.

Alchemist Lei’s face darkened. He downgraded Lu Chang’sheng straight from lower B to upper C.

Though he didn’t think steadiness was optimal, he knew it was still a valuable quality, and Lu Chang’sheng’s attention to detail in the alchemy process was exceptional. Hence, lower B was his bottom line.

Any lower, and it would be nothing more than open mockery in front of all the gathered alchemists.

And after this whole uproar, dropping him to upper C would make it clear to everyone that this was retaliation against Alchemist Lin, not a fair assessment of Lu Chang’sheng.

······

It was only after leaving the Alchemy Room that Lu Chang’sheng learned of all this from others.

His heart sank, and he said to the cultivator before him, "Alchemist Lei has a point. I’ve been reflecting on how to break free from my own shackles as well."

A trace of satisfaction appeared on the cultivator’s face.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, if you wish, once you’re in White Cloud Cave Mansion, you can always exchange with us. We might not have higher overall ratings, but we’ve got some connections." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Watching those cultivators leave, Lu Chang’sheng’s face remained calm.

"This is how it is without power or status."

He’d already come to grips with this long ago, so he wasn’t especially dejected.

If you want to climb up, there’s no avoiding the competition.

No matter how stealthy you try to be, as your strength and position grow, you inevitably draw rivalry from all sides.

It’s simply the law of nature.

"I wonder what my final rating will be."

The results weren’t instant; there was still a short wait ahead.

Thankfully, compared to the civil service exams of Great Yuan, this was nothing.

Less than a quarter of an hour later, Lu Chang’sheng saw a handful of people coming out from the corridor on the right.

"Which of you is Fellow Daoist Lu Chang’sheng?"

An old man, his hair and beard all white, called out in a booming voice.

Lu Chang’sheng stepped out from the crowd.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Lu—you’ve been rated Upper Grade C!"

Envy flickered in the old man’s eyes.

Given Lu Chang’sheng’s age and cultivation, his talent was clearly nothing special—which weighed heavily in the final evaluation.

To land an Upper Grade C had already astonished the old man.

"Congratulations to you too. I hope you’ll look after me in the days ahead."

They exchanged names, and as Lu Chang’sheng walked away, the old man turned down the corridor, only to overhear two others discussing the quarrel between Alchemist Lin and Alchemist Lei.

"You mean Alchemist Lin gave Fellow Daoist Lu a lower A?"

The old man was stunned.

The two White Cloud Cave Mansion disciples nodded and detailed the event, leaving the old man gasping in disbelief.

"So—if not for that twist, he would’ve gotten a B?"

"Most likely, yes."

"What a shame, what a damn shame."

The old man shook his head repeatedly.

He didn’t grow suspicious; Alchemist Lei had been subtle, and unless you really paid attention, you’d never suspect a thing.

Even if someone did, nobody would speak up for Lu Chang’sheng. Behind closed doors, most would just gloat over it.

······

The last traces of darkness faded away.

The morning sun slowly crept up above the horizon.

A pearly layer of dew glazed the greenery outside White Cloud Pharmacy, the leaves vibrant in the dawn light.

At the sight, even Lu Chang’sheng’s gloomy mood gradually began to lift.

"Now, I’ve passed the evaluation. All that’s left is to wait a while and I’ll be admitted into White Cloud Cave Mansion."

So thought Lu Chang’sheng.

He had already surpassed his own goals.

After all, just reaching Grade D would’ve been passing, and he’d received Upper Grade C.