"Seems… a bit familiar."
The man named Mu Qing narrowed his eyes, looking at Mo Yu with a hint of coldness, sizing up the young man with ill intent.
Upon hearing this, Mo Yu's brows immediately furrowed slightly. Although his disguise could fool ordinary people, facing some Alchemists or Artifact Refiners with powerful Soul Power, they might be able to discern some clues.
Could this guy have seen through his identity?
"Alright, Mu Qing, stop using your pick-up lines. This is my Junior Brother. I brought him today to assess for a suitable Artifact Refiner Rank badge. I don't have time for your nonsense."
At this moment, Blue Crystal tightly embraced Mo Yu's arm with her ample bosom, her beautiful eyes glaring angrily.
"Junior Brother?" Hearing Blue Crystal's introduction, Mu Qing and most of the Artifact Refiners present looked at Mo Yu, who was dressed in simple cloth clothes, with surprise.
They hadn't expected this seemingly ordinary young man to be President Blue Crystal's Junior Brother. This background made many start to speculate.
As the President of the Alchemist Association who had been parachuted into Beast Desolate City, Blue Crystal was not only powerful but also mysterious in her origins. Many speculated that she had a profound background.
Now, with Mo Yu's arrival, people were even more curious, wondering who their teacher could possibly be.
Mu Qing was also startled. Unlike ordinary people, he, who also had a significant background, was well aware of some of Blue Crystal's origins.
Behind the Alchemist Association, there was an even more powerful Qi Alliance. The Qi Alliance not only had its headquarters in Central Continent but also gathered 80% of the top Artifact Refiners across the entire continent, and Blue Crystal's teacher was a powerful figure within the Qi Alliance.
Not only that, the Lan Family behind Blue Crystal, in the land of Central Continent where experts were as numerous as clouds and powerhouses were everywhere, could also be considered a prominent force.
It was precisely because Blue Crystal had such a profound background, coupled with her Heavenly Immortal-like beauty, that Mu Qing condescended to come to Beast Desolate City to be a small Vice President, all for the sake of winning her over.
However, despite his numerous attempts to show affection and pursue her, Blue Crystal had always been very cold, even disgusted.
The persistent Mu Qing was still preparing to move her with his true feelings, but now an ambiguous Junior Brother suddenly appeared, causing Mu Qing's face to immediately darken.
"He's actually the President's Junior Brother? How come I've never heard of him before?"
Suppressing the anger in his heart, Mu Qing looked at Mo Yu with a fake smile.
For some reason, he vaguely felt as if he had seen the other party somewhere before; the young man gave him a sense of familiarity.
"Hehe, Junior Yu Mo, I am not from the Mu Lan Empire, so Vice President Mu might not be familiar with me."
Mo Yu quietly pulled Blue Crystal's arm away a bit. The soft touch from her arm made his desire grow stronger. After steadying his mind, the young man looked at Mu Qing, his expression unchanged.
"Yu Mo?" Hearing this unfamiliar name, Mu Qing frowned slightly. As an Artifact Refiner, his memory was excellent, but he had never heard this name in his mind.
As he pondered, a hint of impatience flashed in Blue Crystal's eyes. She then pulled Mo Yu's arm and walked towards the center of the hall.
As the two intimately departed, Mu Qing, who had recovered his senses, looked at Mo Yu's retreating figure, his expression immediately turning gloomy.
"Senior Sister Lan, you're deliberately using me as a shield and taking advantage of me," Mo Yu said playfully after they parted from Mu Qing, Blue Crystal having released his arm. Mo Yu had understood the situation.
Hearing this, Blue Crystal rolled her eyes at Mo Yu and said unhappily, "In Beast Desolate City, countless people want me to touch them, and I'm unwilling. You, boy, get the benefit and still act smug.
As for using you as a shield, who told that guy to be so annoying? I couldn't shake him off, so I had to trouble Junior Brother a bit. I believe you won't blame Senior Sister, right?"
After speaking, Blue Crystal's face actually showed a cute, flattering expression, similar to that of a young woman. If not for the faint smile in her beautiful eyes, Mo Yu would have truly suspected that she had become a different person.
"What a temptress…" After muttering, Mo Yu asked curiously, "Senior Sister Lan, with your position as President and Elder Bing's background, you shouldn't be afraid of that Mu Qing, right? Why don't you just send him away?"
"Oh, you also know that teacher's identity is extraordinary. It seems there was some truth to what teacher said about you being unfathomable."
She smiled at the corner of her mouth, then Blue Crystal spread her hands, a hint of helplessness flashing in her beautiful eyes, and said, "I also want to shake him off, but Mu Qing's background is not something I can just casually handle."
"Oh? What's his background?"
"You should know Elder Mu, the Mu Lan Empire's top Artifact Refiner, right?"
"I've heard of him. Could it be…"
Mo Yu had heard the name of Elder Mu, the Mu Lan Empire's top Artifact Refiner, in the Lizard Snake Clan territory during the conversation between the Lion-headed Elder and the Black Lizard Demon Snake King. Now, this Mu Qing also had the surname Mu, which was clearly not a simple coincidence.
"Yes, you're right. This Mu Qing is indeed related to Elder Mu. Back then, Mu Qing was an orphan, but later Elder Mu took a liking to him, not only treating him as his own son but also imparting all his skills to him. Now, at less than thirty years old, he has reached Rank 4 Artifact Refiner, and his talent is almost on par with mine.
And Elder Mu is not only the General President of the Mu Lan Empire's Alchemist Association but also a high-ranking member of the Qi Alliance. Therefore, even with my teacher as a backer, I still have to show him some respect," Blue Crystal said somewhat helplessly.
Hearing this, Mo Yu nodded, and at the same time, a sense of vigilance arose in his heart.
In the conversation between the Lion-headed Elder and the Black Lizard Demon Snake King, Elder Mu and Mulan Valley seemed to have a close relationship, and as his Disciple, Mu Qing must have some knowledge of what happened that night.
No wonder the other party found him somewhat familiar; presumably, the portrait of his original self, 'Mo Yu,' had been seen countless times by him.
Shaking his head, although Mo Yu was somewhat wary of his identity being exposed, he wasn't particularly afraid.
As long as the Three Elders of Mu Lan did not make a move, with Snake Uncle's help, escaping would not be too difficult.
While Mo Yu was deep in thought, the two had unknowingly arrived at the assessment venue.
"President, what are your orders?" A serious-faced old man in grey robes walked over, looking at Blue Crystal respectfully.
"I'm sorry, Elder Wu, for disturbing your proctoring. My Junior Brother also wants to take an Artifact Refiner badge assessment. Could you please add another assessment platform?"
Facing the old man who had worked at the Alchemist Association for decades, Blue Crystal did not display the President's arbitrary style, but spoke with great respect.
"Oh? The President's Junior Brother also wants to participate in the assessment. It's not troublesome at all. I'll just add a Rank 1 Artifact Refiner assessment platform."
The grey-robed old man looked at the President's Junior Brother with a hint of surprise in his old eyes, then nodded and agreed.
"Wait, Elder Wu, starting from Rank 1 Artifact Refiner is too much trouble. Just prepare a Rank 3 Artifact Refiner assessment platform for my Junior Brother," Blue Crystal called out to the old man, chuckling softly.
"What!?"
As Blue Crystal's words fell, the entire hall instantly fell silent. Everyone's gaze suddenly turned towards Mo Yu, who stood calmly.
This young man actually wanted to directly assess for a Rank 3 Artifact Refiner?
Rank 3 Artifact Refiner, that's an achievement many Artifact Refiners spend decades immersed in to reach. How old was this young man? Did he Cultivate from the womb?
Elder Wu also looked at Mo Yu in surprise. This Junior Brother, who suddenly appeared with the President, actually wanted to directly assess for a Rank 3 Artifact Refiner?
He had been in the profession for decades, yet he had never encountered such a case; this was truly a first.
"Haha, President Lan, directly assessing for a Rank 3 Artifact Refiner doesn't seem to conform to the Alchemist Association's rules. Moreover, Junior Brother Yu Mo is so young, it's better not to be so impetuous. The waters of Rank 3 Artifact Refiner are too deep; he can't handle it."
Mu Qing had approached at some point. When he heard Blue Crystal asking Elder Wu to prepare a Rank 3 Artifact Refiner assessment platform for Mo Yu, he first froze, then feigned persuasion, but was actually ridiculing him.
A Rank 3 Artifact Refiner under twenty years old? Even he couldn't achieve that, and Mu Qing didn't believe Mo Yu could either.
Even if the young man was the Disciple of that important figure, an Artifact Refiner needs to accumulate experience step by step; there are no shortcuts. It's impossible to completely feed them Medicinal Pills like with Battle Qi.
"Mu Qing, I am the President, and what I say goes here!" Hearing this, Blue Crystal's beautiful eyes narrowed, and she said in a deep voice.
Seeing Blue Crystal get angry, Mu Qing froze, avoiding her gaze. His eyes, now fixed on Mo Yu, suddenly held more anger and coldness.
"Hehe, I'm also thinking about the Alchemist Association's reputation. President Lan should understand," Mu Qing insisted.
Seeing this, Blue Crystal's red lips parted slightly, and just as she was about to say something, she was stopped by Mo Yu.
"Vice President Mu, I remember this is a rule of the Artifact Refiner Guild, and the Alchemist Association merely copied and borrowed it; there's no strict written regulation. Senior Sister Lan's actions do not violate the rules.
As for me failing the assessment and disgracing the Alchemist Association, how about this: if I fail the assessment, I won't participate in any Artifact Refiner badge assessments for ten years. If I succeed, how about you apologize to me?" Mo Yu curved his lips into a slight smile, chuckling softly.
Hearing this, Mu Qing was startled. He hadn't expected that with just a casual provocation, this boy would walk right into his trap. He quickly nodded and said, "If that's the case, it's not impossible."
"Junior Brother, you…" Blue Crystal's pretty brows furrowed, looking at Mo Yu with some concern.
However, the young man seemed to understand her concern, looking at her with a gentle smile, as if everything was under his control.
Seeing this, Blue Crystal could no longer stop him. She sighed softly, then nodded to Elder Wu.
The old man, seeing the President's signal, looked at Mo Yu with surprise. The shock in his old eyes had not faded, but he still followed the instructions to prepare the Rank 3 Artifact Refiner assessment content.
Although he didn't believe that Mo Yu could achieve Rank 3 Artifact Refiner at such a young age, if he truly succeeded, it would be an interesting story to tell in his lifetime.
Under such a wager, everyone in the audience looked at Mo Yu with curiosity. Some even started a betting pool, wagering on whether Mo Yu could obtain the Rank 3 Artifact Refiner badge.
However, even with the halo of being the President's Junior Brother, most people present did not believe Mo Yu could reach the Rank 3 Artifact Refiner level at such an age.
Therefore, Mo Yu's odds became higher and higher. Only a very small number of gamblers who wanted to win big with a small bet decided to place their bets on Mo Yu, and they were filled with trepidation.
Mu Qing also looked at Mo Yu with cold eyes, a sneer on his lips. Then he looked at the full, delicate body beside the young man, a hint of passion in his eyes.
If Mo Yu failed the assessment and was disgraced in front of so many people, Blue Crystal would surely change her mind and realize his good qualities.
While the people in the hall had varying moods, under the arrangement of the grey-robed old man, the Rank 3 Artifact Refiner assessment platform was slowly set up.
The platform was placed in the very center of the arena, as if to demonstrate its special nature. All the Rank 1 Artifact Refiner assessment platforms were also slightly moved back, highlighting its importance.
With the platform set up, everyone looked at Mo Yu, eagerly awaiting the young man to step onto the stage.
Under everyone's gaze, Mo Yu calmly walked to the center of the platform and picked up the artifact blueprint on the table.
Although the Rank 3 Artifact Refiner assessment was difficult, its nature was no different from the Rank 1 Artifact Refiner assessment. One only needed to successfully refine the Rank 3 weapon arranged by the Association.
Mo Yu picked up a piece of parchment from the platform and looked at it. This artifact blueprint was for a weapon called the Bloodthirsty Blade.
The effect of this Bloodthirsty Blade was that it could greatly increase the Battle Qi within the user for a short period by sacrificing and burning their vital essence. Although this weapon was powerful in killing, it had severe side effects. Among Rank 3 weapons, it could only barely be considered average.
However, even so, it was still listed among Rank 3 artifact blueprints, and it was not so simple to refine.
Of course, this was for others. For Mo Yu, a Rank 3 weapon was easy as long as he had hands.
"Have you finished checking? If there are no issues, then… the assessment begins!"
His gaze swept across the platform, lingering particularly on Mo Yu for a moment. Seeing that no one spoke, the grey-robed old man waved his hand, and a burst of Qi shot out from his palm, finally striking the ancient iron bell at the top of the hall.
Immediately, the clear chime of the bell echoed throughout the hall, reverberating.
Hearing the bell chime, inside the platform, all the Rank 1 Artifact Refiner assessment candidates, except for Mo Yu, swiftly placed their palms on the fire mouths of their artifact furnaces, and Battle Qi surged out from within their bodies.
With a few muffled thuds, flames began to burn fiercely within the artifact furnaces.
As the flames in the artifact furnaces blazed, a transparent light curtain slowly rose from the outside of the platform.
The light curtain was square-shaped, completely enveloping the candidates inside.
With the activation of the light curtain shield, the whispers in the hall completely fell silent.
Everyone was intently watching the candidates' movements on the platform. Of course, most eyes were focused on Mo Yu, especially those who had placed bets on the young man.
However, the young man's still-dazed behavior made them curse inwardly.
They had thought he was a mysterious Genius, but who knew he was just a braggart who exposed himself the moment he got on stage!
Blue Crystal's jade hands were tightly clasped, and a hint of worry flashed in her beautiful eyes as she looked at the young man.
Mu Qing, on the other hand, watched Mo Yu with a cold sneer. He believed he had seen through the young man's true nature: just an arrogant boy who hadn't experienced the harsh realities of society.
Even if he had some talent, his mind was clouded by pride, making him overbearing.
Just as he was thinking this, his face radiating an expression of impending victory, the next moment, the terrifying lightning fire that suddenly appeared in the young man's hand instantly changed his expression drastically, and he exclaimed in horror, "Crimson Lightning? Fire?"
Blue Crystal, seeing this, also had a look of shock flash in her beautiful eyes, because the lightning flame in the young man's hand was even more terrifying than the beast fire she had seen in her teacher's hands!
At the same time, looking at the terrifying lightning fire in Mo Yu's hand, the entire hall instantly fell silent, and gazes suddenly turned towards Mo Yu within the light curtain…