Pillar of Yita

The barrage that flew overhead left the wandering horse slightly astonished.

Fang Hong had participated in the level one apprentice craftsman’s assessment at the Kapuka Artisan Association, and he still remembered the grandeur of that event.

However, although Kapuka was the birthplace of the Colin Ishurian Construct School, it still couldn’t compare to a trading port and shipbuilding center like Elpaxin, which was merely a small place in itself.

So although he had anticipated it, when Jenny pushed the door open, he was still startled by the scene behind it—wow, a sea of people.

Behind the door was a long corridor, with an open-air courtyard in the middle, planted with Elf Laurel and wisteria, and a tall Sichuan pepper tree, with people everywhere, sitting or standing. Twenty-one teams, each team with as many as twenty or thirty people, with as few as a dozen, and as he stepped into the courtyard, every eye fell on them.

A human boy, not quite seventeen, but over sixteen, still with a hint of childishness.

A curious Papalarian looking around, dressed in pointed boots and with a heavy crossbow strapped to his back—have you ever seen an alchemist craftsman with a heavy crossbow?

The last one drew even more attention, a tall Rotao Lion Person, who almost had to duck his head to pass through the courtyard’s archway. When people looked at him, the Lion Person returned their gazes with pale silver eyes, making everyone reluctant to meet his stare.

In any case, this group was a bit too eye-catching.

Not to mention that they had already been the focus of conversation before this—everyone had previously been successfully drawn in by the dispute between the staff of the Elpaxin Artisan Association and the managers of the Ancient Tower.

”Why do I feel like everyone is looking at us?” Parker asked uncomfortably.

”It’s not ’like,’ they are,” Reed replied.

Fang Hong was also somewhat puzzled. He just thought that there were too many people participating in the craftsman assessment in Elpaxin, hesitating about where to queue, but at this moment, someone had already come to greet them.

It was a Dwarf with black beard and thick eyebrows, who upon seeing them, asked, ”Are you the ones from Kapuka?”

Fang Hong quickly nodded and answered, ”Yes.”

”And Otalos?” the black-bearded Dwarf asked, but without waiting for Fang Hong’s response, he turned his head and shouted to the people behind him, ”What are you waiting for? Come up and check them, and send them over after everything is clear.”

Before Fang Hong could react, a few Dwarves had already rushed over, examining him all over.

”You didn’t bring any auxiliary plugins, right?”

”Equipment is also not allowed.”

”Is there anything extra on the magic guided reactor?”

”What about the brooch?”

”Show the identification plate.”

Fang Hong, having been through one assessment before, was familiar with the routine. Since the assessment was aimed at the alchemist’s own abilities, no equipment or plugins other than the magic guided reactor were allowed.

But that was all right for him, as he didn’t have much equipment in the first place. Mazak had given him a brooch before, but it wouldn’t work until level seven, so he didn’t carry it on him.

There were some other basic equipment for combat artisans, such as control gauntlets and clockwork fairies, etc., which didn’t add attributes, so they weren’t restricted either.

The only thing that puzzled Fang Hong was that not far away, a pale-faced middle-aged man with black hair was staring at him as if he owed him tens of thousands of Lycel. Especially when looking at his identification plate and brooch, as if trying to see something out of it.

However, after the Dwarves had scanned the identification plate and brooch with specialized equipment and confirmed his identity, the middle-aged man walked away disappointedly.

It was then that the black-bearded Dwarf came over and patted his gauntlets, curious, ”Combat artisan?”

Fang Hong scratched his head, ”Sort of.”

The black-bearded Dwarf laughed heartily, probably thinking he was one of those alchemists who played at being combat artisans with a gauntlet for show since combat artisan sounded more prestigious.

He shook his head and said to Fang Hong, ”Young man, focus. The path of the artisan master isn’t inferior to that of combat artisans, all roads lead to the same destination.”

Fang Hong could only respond with an awkward smile.

It was then that a gaze landed on him, and Fang Hong noticed a girl with a distinctly foreign flair not far away, mouthing something at him.

Through the high-end translation system of the Dragon Knight System, Fang Hong surprisingly understood her words:

”Boring—”

Meanwhile, a few Dwarves were having trouble with the magic guided reactor of Reed, the Lion Person—

”’The Just’ PEM model magic guided reactor, is that product from the Rota Holy White Plains workshop?”

”There are craftsmen who would use this thing?”

”Isn’t that a Paladin’s magic guided reactor?”

”Could there be something fishy about it?”

The judges murmured to each other, stealing glances at the Lion Person who stood aloof, puffing on his pipe and gazing into the distance.

Outside, there was already a buzz of astonishment.

Below the projection screen, Luo Hao, who had just turned around, was gaping at Fang Hong in the image. He rubbed his eyes vigorously to make sure he wasn’t seeing things and couldn’t help muttering to himself:

”Damn, it’s that guy, definitely no mistake—”

”This guy actually came to Elpaxin.”

”You know him?” the instructor asked curiously from not far away.

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