Chapter 1296   Inspector

“Is there anyone who can’t make one no matter how hard they try?” Mengmeng blinked her big eyes and asked.

No one knew what she was thinking about.

“Of course. Someone has no talent for refining pellets. Sometimes, if you put the spiritual herbs half a second later, the energy balance in the furnace will be stricken. You can just wait and see that at least one-fifth of so many of you can’t pass the test. Thirty pellets equal at least ten batches. It’s too strict for some amateurs,” Zhang Han said.

In fact, he expected that one-third of the students wouldn’t pass the test.

Even so, Mengmeng was shocked. With her eyes widening, she said, “When we went there not long ago, our tutor said that this event is to give the students some benefits, not only the rewards but also credits.”

“Haha, it’s true for most of the students, but you’re training under a very strict dean. There are countless people in so many Star Areas and Star Provinces in this world. They differ in personalities. You can’t judge them by their appearance, nor can you trust them easily. For example, your tutor told you that this event is to help you earn credits. Take it as a joke. Don’t feel happy until you gain something, so you won’t be disappointed,” Zhang Han said softly.

Zhang Han didn’t spout big ideals often except when Mengmeng experienced something.

In fact, Zhang Han was reluctant to say that.

He could say big ideals to his daughter, but there was no need. He would feel good as long as Mengmeng was happy.

“Oh, I see. Anyway, I haven’t thought about credits,” Mengmeng said with a smile, “well, I’m going to try to refine some pellets. The task has to be completed. What’s the saying I’m looking for? Oh, a tiger father will not beget a dog daughter. I can’t hold you back.”

“Your words,” Zi Yan smiled and said, “are very pleasant to hear. I’ll see if you can complete the task.”

“Of course, I can.”

Mengmeng ran off skipping. On the lawn behind the main residence, she took out the furnace, the spiritual herbs, and the Fire Stone.

A new round of pellet-refining began.

Zhang Han and Zi Yan just exchanged a few words.

Bang!

The slight sound of the furnace explosion came into their ears.

“I’ll go and have a look.” Zhang Han grinned.

It reminded him of the explosions he had made when he had been a newcomer to pellet-refining.

He didn’t know how many furnace explosions he had caused.

“Go. I think you’d better teach her,” Zi Yan said, “don’t let the furnace explosion make our daughter’s face black.”

“You’re right. I’m going to have a look.”

Zhang Han immediately moved and walked two meters to the side of Mengmeng.

And Mengmeng just began to refine the next batch.

She put the spiritual herbs in order every now and then.

The fire emitted by the Fire Stone appeared light red in color, shining on Mengmeng’s incomparably delicate, beautiful face.

She had long eyelashes and big blinking eyes. There was a serious look in her eyes. Every so often she would pout and her lips were pink and plump.

It was such an incredibly beautiful scene. She was about to turn fifteen years old and already looked graceful and gorgeous.

She was refining pellets. When she pursed her lips, it was almost time to put the spiritual herbs in.

The explosion didn’t happen, so she smoothed out her pouted lips.

However, good times didn’t last long.

Bang!

When a spiritual herb was put in, the furnace exploded again.

“Why again?”

Mengmeng touched her forehead and felt a little confused.

She pressed the smart wristband and projected the formula of the divine pellet.

“Oh! When did you come, Dad?” Mengmeng was suddenly shocked.

“Just two minutes before,” Zhang Han said with a smile.

“I exploded the furnace again. Why is it so difficult to refine pellets? Dad, how can you avoid the explosion?” Mengmeng pouted her lips and asked.

“Well, it requires hundreds and thousands of repetitions to master,” Zhang Han said, “the furnace exploded too many times when I learned how to refine pellets, so I got experience.”

“Oh, it means that I still have to practice.” Mengmeng looked at the pellet formula in front of her with her big shining eyes and said doubtfully, “I follow the steps. Why does the explosion always happen in this step? When the Bright Leaf Flower is put in, it always brings an explosion. Should I make the flame a bit smaller? But I’ve cut it by half. Alas, do I also lack the talent for pellet-refining?”

“No.” Zhang Han’s face became serious. “It’s the problem of the pellet formula. You put the materials in an order that leads to furnace explosion very easily. Look at the Streaming Fire Leaf and the Grass of Forever. When the former is put in, the flame attribute in the furnace will increase by five times and affects all the energy, and then the grass will quieten the energy. However, there is still a lot of steaming fire in the furnace, which is difficult to feel. It hides in the spiritual herbs that haven’t been refined before. When we put the Bright Leaf Flower in, it’ll be like throwing a fireball on dry firewood. The energy will instantly soar and result in a furnace explosion.”

“Huh?” Mengmeng was stunned. “The formula is wrong?”

“Yes, it’s wrong.” Zhang Han shook his head and said, “it contains stupid mistakes. Put the second-grade spiritual herb Narcissus between the Streaming Fire Leaf and the Grass of Forever. The initial order should also be changed. Two second-stage spiritual herbs named Grass Carp Fruit and Liparis Fargesii Core should be thrown into the furnace at the beginning. In this way, it will directly become the second-stage divine pellet, which is more likely to increase the quality of the pellets. It’s easy to refine medium-grade pellets and top-grade pellets. If you only want a first-stage pellet, putting a stalk of Narcissus between the Streaming Fire Leaf and the Grass of Forever can almost avoid the explosion. The formula will never be wrong under the condition that you can control the flame well and seize the time. The success rate would be at least 30%. But my daughter may have a success rate of 50%.”

After that, Zhang Han smiled at the sight of Mengmeng looking dizzy.

“I’m confused,” Mengmeng said in a daze, “I’ve never heard of the Narcissus, the Grass Carp Fruit, or the Liparis Fargesii Core.”

“Hahaha, this is the Dao of plants and vegetation. For example, most of the apprentices and beginners practice how to make the first-grade pellet. Even someone who knows very little about pellet refining will succeed with a pellet formula, but the success rate is relatively low. In simple terms, the most important things for refining pellets lie in only three points: flame, pellet formula, and materials. You have to practice controlling the flame and you don’t need to prepare the formula by yourself. As for the materials, you should focus on the time and order to put them in and the control of the energy in the furnace.”

Hearing Zhang Han’s detailed explanation, Mengmeng shook her head and said, “Dad, I’m... I’m confused by you.”

“Well, Dad will show it to you once. You control the flame first and then I put the spiritual herbs in, OK?” Zhang Han asked.

“Yeah, Okay.” Mengmeng cheered up.

She began to control the flame.

“Throw them in one by one according to the order in the formula.”

Zhang Han began to expound on the pellet refining. “Look, when Streaming Fire Leaf is thrown in, the energy soars. When the Grass of Forever is added, it looks like it has quietened the energy. But it’s an illusion. If you want to perfectly control the flame, you should cut it by half now. I’ll shatter the Bright Leaf Flower and turn it into gas energy. If I throw it into the furnace half a second earlier, the success rate will be much higher.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a bang sounded!

A large cloud of black smoke rose.

Zhang Han was speechless for a while.

“Hahaha.” Mengmeng laughed. She was so happy that she couldn’t close her mouth. “Dad, you also exploded the furnace.”

“Yes, you’re right.” Zhang Han sighed and smiled. “The success rate is much higher, but it’s not 100%. You continue in this way and then you’ll have one success out of three.”

Mengmeng continued in this way.

“If no explosion happens after the shattered Bright Leaf Flower is put in, there will be no problem in the follow-up.”

Various spiritual herbs were put in one after another.

“It’s the last one. Congeal it for ten seconds and increase the flame energy by ten times. The pellet formed.”

Woosh! Woosh! Woosh! Woosh!

Five divine pellets floated out of the furnace and into Zhang Han’s palm.

“Dad, you’re amazing,” Mengmeng quickly blinked her eyes and said with admiration, “my Dad is the best.”

“That goes without saying. I’m your Dad, right?”

“Yes.”

“Shall we continue?”

“I’ll try it myself? Dad, can you stand beside me and give me instructions?”

“Of course.”

Mengmeng put the formula aside and controlled it herself.

For the first time, Zhang Han told her how to do it all the time.

“Now it’s the right time to put the shattered Bright Leaf Flower in the furnace. The furnace didn’t explode, so it means that the energy is gathering. That’s very good. Keep it. The pellet didn’t appear, so you haven’t succeeded yet. The flame is too big. Make it a little smaller. It’s done! You succeed with only one attempt. Your talent for pellet refining is better than mine.”

His words made her little princess burst with joy.

Laughter could be heard from time to time.

Zi Yan stood on the balcony on the second floor, holding a glass of red wine bought in a commercial city. She watched them refining pellets quietly with a happy smile on her face.

Mengmeng mastered the first pellet formula taught by Zhang Han.

The improved divine pellet.

She wasn’t skillful enough, but her success rate was still as high as 30%.

It was a terrifying success rate.

If it was a skillful pellet-refining master, the success rate would be 50%.

Unless the furnace was smashed by others, Zhang Han had reached a 100% success rate in refining first-grade pellets even if he closed his eyes.

It could be seen how precious the pellet formula was.

Although Zhang Han had only altered a few elements, the success rate had increased a lot. It was difficult enough to baffle many pellet-refining masters, including the dean who had developed the divine pellet.

In order to develop a pellet formula and make alterations, not only did it require the deep cultivation of the Dao of plants and vegetation, but it also needed much profound knowledge.

Since Mengmeng was able to complete the task, she learned about Zhang Han’s improved methods and pellet formula the next night.

She wouldn’t over practice it and began to practice the first formula with a success rate of about 30%. Her moves became much more skilled.

On the fourth day, Mengmeng and the others came to the Pellet-refining Branch.

“Today, we’re going to start the training. The previous training will be of great help to your pellet-refining,” A tutor shouted on the stone platform in front of the field.

“You should also take it seriously. You should know that you can’t waste the spiritual herbs. From today to the next three days, if you refine thirty divine pellets, you’ll get ten basic credits. If anyone of you wastes the resources, he or she will be punished. Now, let’s begin.”

Clatter.

As he spoke, the crowd fell into an uproar.

Many students felt bored.

“It’s better to go to the Miscellany Branch. My friend is there, learning to control puppets. It’s very interesting. She controls scarecrows all day long. Look at us. Refining pellets all the time. It’s so boring. Oh, come on. If we can’t complete the task, we have to be punished.”

“You’re right. A friend of mine is in the Senior Martial Arts Branch. His tutor doesn’t care what they’re doing. They can get credits once they practice martial arts.”

“Hey, it’s so annoying to compete with others.”

However, there were also some students who felt interested in pellet refining.

“I can make thirty divine pellets. I never thought that pellet refining would be so interesting. If I can perfectly control flames and energy, I’ll also become a master in refining pellets.”

“I don’t know if my success rate can be improved. When I’ve been practicing in the yard these days, I’ve reached a success rate of 10%. I’m also talented in pellet refining. Maybe I can come here to sit in on and minor in it.”

“...”

The content of their conversations was rather diverse.

The students began to refine pellets one after another.

They had imagined it quite nicely, but the reality was harsh.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sound of the furnace explosion could be heard one after another as if a song had been played.

Seeing this, the tutors on the stage shook their heads repeatedly.

Their expressions looked a little emotional that seemed to be saying, “Too young. Rookies in pellet refining.”

Some tutors ignored them because they considered that these students would go back in a few days. Even if they were excellent in some aspects, it didn’t mean that they could learn the knowledge of pellet refining.

The furnace explosion was also within their expectations.

There were also some Grade-Two students on patrol who were all the core disciples of the tutors in the Pellet-refining Branch. They acted as cold-faced instructors patrolling over everything.

“Mengmeng, did your Dad teach you?” Yue Xiaonao asked.

“Yes, a lot, but I can’t remember them all,” Mengmeng said with a smile.

“What’s your success rate?” Yue Xiaonao asked again.

Swoosh!

Mengmeng made a gesture.

“30%?”

Yue Xiaonao, Nina, and Felina were all stunned.

“Oh my god, 30%. It’s too horrible.”

“Mengmeng, what kind of friend are you?” Yue Xiaonao suddenly became angry and asked, “why didn’t you ask us to join you?”

“Come on. I’ve asked you to join me several times, but you were either cultivating or playing in the gaming cabin,” Mengmeng said disdainfully.

Yue Xiaonao was speechless.

She didn’t know what to say.

She rolled her eyes and said with a smile, “Well, the key is that I’m not interested in pellet refining.”

“I’m interested in it, but I can’t learn it well,” Nina smiled and said, “I don’t have much energy to learn it. In the future, well, when my cultivation reaches a bottleneck, I’ll learn from Uncle Zhang with Mengmeng.”

Felina remained silent.

“Mengmeng, since you have such a high success rate, why don’t you refine a few more batches to help us pass the test? Otherwise, we can’t make it,” Yue Xiaonao asked.

“No problem, it’s a piece of cake.”

Mengmeng looked at the furnace in front of her.

When she was about to calm herself down and start to refine the pellets, a senior man in white walked over from the side with a fierce look on his face and asked, “What are you talking about?”

To everyone’s surprise, he cast a sound-proof cover and shouted, “Do you know that all your credits will be deducted if I discover you cheat?”

“Ouch!” Yue Xiaonao turned around and said, “you scared me.”

As a result, the face of the man darkened slightly. “Although it’s an exchange class, you can’t cheat. If you have any problem, you can ask me.”

As he spoke, his eyes were fixed on Mengmeng’s cheeks, and his voice became softer.

“As a sophomore, I can pretend that I didn’t hear what you just said.”

“Eh?” Nina raised her eyebrows slightly.

Judging from his expression, they knew that he fancied Mengmeng’s pretty face and wanted to date her.

In just a few days since they had come to the academy, more than fifty people had chased after Mengmeng.

As soon as Nina thought of this, she was rather resigned. In the past, there had been quite many people who had pursued her in the Sea Dragon Star Area. But now, there were almost none.

There was nothing she could do. After all, Mengmeng was so beautiful.

“We’re going to refine pellets,” Mengmeng said directly.

The implication was: leave us alone now.

However, the senior man shook his head slightly, saying, “Let me introduce myself. My name is Chen Diran. I’m the personal disciple of the dean, Frank.”

It may have taken his family countless crystal stones to make him Frank’s personal disciple. Moreover, this kind of offer may have occurred many times.

Speaking of this, there was some resentment in his heart although he looked a little arrogant.

Frank was like a vampire, sucking a lot of crystal stones every year from his family.

“It seems that we have nothing to do with who you are,” Mengmeng said with a smile.

She looked courteous as she rejected the admirer. She had mastered the way to handle this matter after practicing countless times.

It was also a way of doing things that Zhang Han had taught her since she had been a child.

Say “no” to what you didn’t want to do.

Zhang Han had seen too many people who wouldn’t refuse others. Once they intended to do it, they would be quite embarrassed. They blushed and hesitated, ending up with a bad mood.

In fact, it wasn’t a big deal to refuse others if you found the right way to do it.

Upon hearing Mengmeng’s words, the senior man laughed and said, “No rush, you guys have three days to refine pellets. Just now, I heard you guys talking. Well, she said that your success rate in refining divine pellets is very high. How high is it?”

“My success rate is none of your business. Senior Chen, we’re going to refine pellets,” Mengmeng said again.

Her repeated rejection caused the man to frown with an expression of disgust.

Seeing his look, Nina secretly commented. “He’s narrow-minded. Does he think someone like him has the right to pursue Mengmeng? If Uncle Zhang finds it, his legs will be broken first.”

After staying with Zhang Han for a long time, even Nina was very curious about how difficult it would be to be Mengmeng’s boyfriend.

She felt that it seemed that no one in the entire Heavenly Dragon Star Province could make it.

At this moment, Felina gave a cold snort.

The aura of the God Transformation Realm rose from her.

The man was slightly stunned.

He was also in the God Transformation Realm, but he had stayed in the first grade for ten years.

He was surprised to find that there was a freshman in this realm in front of him.

She was pretty good.

The man was stunned for a moment. He looked back at Mengmeng and said, “Mind your attitude. I’m an inspector. I heard what you just said. If I report it, all of your credits will be deducted and you may even be punished as a typical example.”

After saying this, he was subconsciously worried that he would be refuted. Falling out with them wasn’t his purpose, so he continued, “I heard you say that you have a high success rate, so I came to have a look out of curiosity. Since you don’t want to tell me, why don’t we make a bet?”

As long as they agreed to bet with him, the next step could be carried out. He would take it slow. Anyway, it was boring to patrol back and forth. It was better to chat with them. If he could hook up with such a pretty young girl, he would be so proud to take her out with him. It could be seen by looking at her face that when she grew a couple of years older, she would be a peerless beauty.