When the mentor announced Li Luo’s result, the disbelief that greeted this declaration was resounding and expected.
Hanzhi was the most flabbergasted. He wanted to ask the mentor if he had seen the needle wrongly. Perhaps it was 56 and not 66.
Understanding the disbelief and uncertainty in the audience, the mentor spoke again without prompting. “Suncreek Villa, Li Luo. Tempering strength 66%. No error!”
The crowd’s uproar subsided a little.
With this confirmation, there was no more room for doubt.
Hanzhi’s face was contorting and twitching uncontrollably. He could not accept this outcome.
He could not believe that a mere third-grade artificer had managed to equal his result.
On what basis?!
He had used a four-star formula! The Suncreek Villa’s upper seventh-grade secret watersource was not that much better than the lower seventh-grade secret watersource that the Bigswamp Villa had provided him. It was impossible for Li Luo to pull ahead because of that.
And no amount of artificing talent could have closed the gap either!
Although their tempering strength was the same, this was a terrible humiliation for Hanzhi. Fifth-grade against third? No matter how thick his skin, he could never declare this a draw.
Not if he had any pride or respect for the effort he had spent achieving the last two grades.
However, Hanzhi’s devastation was not yet complete. The mentor started speaking again. “I declare the third-grade round of the Artificers’ Fair closed. The results are in, and the final winner is the Suncreek Villa’s Li Luo.
“Although both him and Bigswamp Villa’s Hanzhi achieved 66% tempering strength, Li Luo’s needle is slightly higher. In accordance with the rules, I declare him the winner.”
He pulled out two more tempering measurement needles and stuck them into the two spirit liquids again, lifting up the result as clear confirmation.
The truth was plain for all to see. Indeed, both spirit liquids had reached the 66% mark, but Li Luo’s was slightly higher.
It was an insignificant difference, one that would usually be ignored. But this was a competition, and precision counted.
Li Luo’s win was well-deserved and rightful.
However, this was the final straw that broke Hanzhi. His rationality bubbled over, and his friendly smile turned into a snarl as he shook with rage.
Losing to a third-grade resonance artificer? How would he ever face the world again?
He was already experiencing a lot of friction in his relationships with the Bigswamp Villa’s artificers. They had said many unkind things to him ever since he arrived. And with this crushing defeat, he could only imagine how much worse his days at the Bigswamp Villa would get.
“CHEAT! He must have cheated!” Hanzhi could bear it no longer, his voice rising to a hysterical pitch.
“Mentor, you are a resonance artificer too! You must know that it’s impossible for a third-grade resonance artificer to make a 66% third-grade spirit liquid! How can a third-grade formula produce 66% anyway!?”
With each accusation, Hanzhi’s finger jabbed accusingly at both Li Luo and the mentor.
The other five resonance artificers nodded in agreement as well. They could not accept the fact that they had all lost to a third-grade artificer.
The mentor turned to Li Luo. “I’m sure you can explain this?” he offered mildly.
Li Luo had laid low just for this moment. Now was the moment. “Thank you, Mentor!”
Li Luo smiled gratefully and nodded to the mentor in appreciation as he stepped forward to the center. The crowd hung on his every move.
“Hark, the traitorous ex-president of the Suncreek Villa speaks. Indeed, when your poisonous fumes hung in our air, we only had three-star formulas. But after you burned down the Suncreek Villa’s laboratories, we rebuilt from square one. Thanks to our benefactor, we were able to obtain a four-star formula at her great expense.
“That is why I call this spirit liquid the Budding Butterfly Spirit Liquid.
“And now you can have my heartfelt appreciation if you stop looking at us as a broken villa, broken while you were captain at our helm.”
The mentor blew out some air through puffed cheeks. That was a lot of damage. Li Luo had managed to deftly pack a condensed summary of Hanzhi’s crimes into his explanation.
Burning down research labs was quite a travesty in the world of spirit liquids and purifying lights. Everyone understood how difficult and precious research was. Hanzhi jumping ship was not a problem, but firing the deck before you jumped was just blatantly callous.
Of course, the powerful factions in Xia City knew of it, but many of the Resonance Artificers Hall students had not known. Li Luo’s words brought a fresh wave of hostility against Hanzhi.
At the same time, sympathy for the Suncreek Villa arose.
Hanzhi clenched his fists tightly, a tight knot of horror and panic within him. Li Luo had twisted a knife in his reputation. He would forever be ruined in the world of spirit liquids and purifying lights in the Xia Kingdom.
“Who would think that such a vile, traitorous, spiteful, emotionless, wretch was amidst us all along!” an anguished voice cried out.
“You’ve brought shame to all resonance artificers! If I were one myself, I would rather turn down employment than work in the same lab as you! Who’s to say you wouldn’t burn it down with me inside!”
The crowd turned in surprise to the owner of this impassioned outburst. They saw a youth seized in the moment, his eyes wild with emotion.
“Ah, don’t look at me,” he said in a voice most humble and noble. “I am just an unrelated audience member with a sense of justice.”
The students near him snorted. “Weren’t you just exhorting students to go wild for daddy a moment ago?”
“Do you think all of us have the memory of a bee?”
“F*cking Yu Lang!”
Duze Beixuan felt like his liver was on the verge of bursting. That cheeky punk was happily leading the Bigswamp Villa’s artificers’ minds in the direction of resignation.
Duze Honglian’s expression was grim as well. Li Luo and Yu Lang were the perfect duo to play off each other. Even if they dissociated themselves completely from Hanzhi now, the Bigswamp Villa would still be affected.
It was… vexing.
On stage, Hanzhi was a quivering mess of rage, and he pressed on. “Li Luo, even with a four-star formula, there is no way you could have achieved 66% tempering strength!” he spat. “There has to be more!”
The other artificers nodded in agreement.
Li Luo’s smile only grew wider, and he looked at the raving Hanzhi almost kindly.
Where else would he find such a good partner to work with him?
“If it wasn’t for the fact that you burned down our labs, I would have thought that you were actually our ally.”
He coughed once for attention, then he turned to the crowd and bowed slightly while beaming brightly.
“And now I would like to make an announcement.
“After half a year of growing our business and developing, we finally have made some modest accomplishments. I would like to present it before all of you today.”
Li Luo fished out a crystal vial, showing them all the sparkling liquid within.
All eyes were on it.
Some had already guessed.
“Indeed, perhaps some of you can recognize it… It is nothing special, really, just a bit of our secret watersource.”
Li Luo smiled, savoring the moment. “However, there’s just one teensy, little thing…
“It is an eighth-grade watersource.”