Chapter 197: Assessment

Inside the headquarters of Xiyang House.

The spacious hall was packed to the brim. All these people wore the robes of Refinement Masters, yet they were clearly divided into two distinct camps. The Refinement Masters on the left were precisely the personnel of Xiyang House headquarters, while those on the right were the Refinement Masters from the West Ridge Prefecture branch, led by Tang Yun and Lu Lu Xiaofeng.

At this moment, the personnel of Xiyang House headquarters were all staring at Tang Yun and the others with gazes that carried a hint of scrutiny and anger.

After all, they had all witnessed the farce that had taken place earlier at the headquarters entrance.

These fellows were clearly Manager Pei Hao's people, yet they had the nerve to come and demand Mi Fa source water—wasn't this simply aiding the enemy?

And in their righteous indignation, they momentarily forgot that among them, there had actually once been some who could be considered part of Manager Pei Hao's faction.

But after this stretch of time, they had already completely forgotten about such matters.

Who was Manager Pei Hao?

That wretch had vicious intentions. In the past, he had taken advantage of their inexperience in the world and their naive hearts, attempting to lure them into the darkness. Fortunately, however, after receiving the enlightenment of the young prefect, they had thoroughly severed their ties with him.

Now in our hearts there is only the young prefect!

And his Mi Fa source water!

Faced with the gazes of these headquarters Refinement Masters, Tang Yun and the others were also somewhat ill at ease, but there was nothing they could say. They could only play deaf and mute—after all, as long as they could obtain Mi Fa source water, that was all that mattered.

Li Luo stood on the steps, with Jiang Jiang Qinge and Cai Wei standing behind him.

He surveyed the entire hall, smiling at the Refinement Masters on the headquarters side: "Everyone need not harbor any resentment toward our colleagues from the West Ridge Prefecture branch. In my eyes, they have all once rendered meritorious service to the development of Xiyang House."

Tang Yun, Lu Lu Xiaofeng, and the others had rather complicated looks in their eyes. They truly had not expected that the magnanimity of the young prefect Li Luo would be so broad. These people of theirs, being stationed in West Ridge Prefecture, were effectively branded with Hao De Lao Yin. Coming to the headquarters to cause trouble this time was also effectively a slap in Li Luo's face.

Yet Li Luo had not spoken harshly to them, nor had he forcefully driven them away, nor had he directly purged them from Xiyang House. Instead, he had stepped back, allowed them to enter Xiyang House headquarters, and even agreed to grant them Mi Fa source water.

This kind of magnanimity truly left one feeling somewhat ashamed.

"Hmph, Tang Yun, you all had better watch yourselves. The young prefect has treated you generously—don't be ungrateful and fail to recognize his kindness." Elder Zheng Ping said with a stern expression.

Tang Yun and the others smiled bitterly and said nothing, merely silently accepting it.

Because at this point, what was the use of saying any of this?

They were indeed grateful for Li Luo's broad-mindedness, but... they truly were Manager Pei Hao's people.

"Over this past month, the performance of Xiyang House headquarters has been excellent. Here I must also thank everyone. Previously, Xiyang House was thrown into turmoil because of Han Zhi, which caused enormous losses, but that doesn't matter. I believe that in the future, Xiyang House will surely become even stronger."

"My goal is to make Xiyang House one of the top ten Spiritual Water Wonder Light Houses in Great Xia. When that time comes, some among you will also stand out and become famous Refinement Masters in Great Xia!" Li Luo said with warmth in his gaze as he looked at the headquarters Refinement Masters, speaking with great fervor.

The headquarters Refinement Masters immediately showed excited and exhilarated expressions. The changes in Xiyang House over this past month had all been witnessed by them, and they also understood that all of this was because of Li Luo's arrival.

Although for Xiyang House to become one of the top ten Spiritual Water Wonder Light Houses in Great Xia, there was undoubtedly still a very long road ahead, under the leadership of the young prefect, it might not be impossible. After all, he had already accomplished many miracles.

And when Xiyang House grew powerful to that point, their status and treatment would undoubtedly rise along with it.

This was truly something to yearn for.

Tang Yun and the others gazed at those exhilarated and excited headquarters Refinement Masters, and couldn't help but feel a surge of envy welling up in their hearts. They didn't know whether what Li Luo said could be achieved, but it was, after all, a kind of hope.

As for them, stationed in West Ridge Prefecture, the development of the Xiyang House branch there could only be described as muddling along. Over these years, Manager Pei Hao had also had no interest in developing it, simply treating the branch as a machine for collecting tribute money.

They understood clearly that the development of West Ridge Prefecture held little prospect.

On the steps, Cai Wei's beautiful eyes looked at the impassioned crowd, and she turned her head to smile softly at Jiang Jiang Qinge: "The young prefect's ability to bewitch the masses is becoming more and more practiced."

"This shows that he is becoming more and more confident." Jiang Jiang Qinge said, the corners of her lips curving slightly.

Cai Wei nodded her head slightly. Only a person with sufficient confidence in themselves could truly stir the hearts of the people—because he believed he could do it, others would therefore place their hopes in him.

Amid this fervent atmosphere, Tang Yun and these branch Refinement Masters felt somewhat out of place. He immediately cleared his throat dryly and asked aloud: "Young prefect, may I ask when we can begin refining Spiritual Water Wonder Light?"

Li Luo smiled and said: "You need not feel constrained. The refining schedule hereafter will be the same as that of the headquarters Refinement Masters. Elder Zheng Ping will arrange the venue for you."

"Will our refining... also come with an adequate allocation of Mi Fa source water?" Lu Lu Xiaofeng hesitated for a moment before asking.

Li Luo nodded and said: "Your allocation will be exactly the same as that of the other Refinement Masters—there will be no difference whatsoever."

The branch Refinement Masters present all secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Hadn't they come to headquarters precisely for the Mi Fa source water? If over this month Li Luo had simply treated them as mere labor, then who would bother with this so-called assessment.

"There is one more matter..."

Tang Yun gritted his teeth and asked: "May I ask what the specific form of the assessment the young prefect mentioned earlier is?"

They were worried that Li Luo was digging a pit for them here.

Jiang Jiang Qinge and Cai Wei's gazes also turned over, for they too wanted to know what the assessment Li Luo had spoken of was, because this was the most crucial point.

Once these people like Tang Yun passed the assessment, Li Luo would have to supply them with Mi Fa source water from then on. But if he deliberately set the assessment to be impossibly difficult to meet, then everyone would understand that Li Luo was deliberately toying with them, and Li Luo would ultimately be even less likely to win these people over.

Under the gaze of one pair of eyes after another in that great hall, Li Luo instead smiled with an unhurried expression and said: "The assessment is actually just something said in passing..."

"However, to put everyone's mind at ease, I'll still state it clearly."

"The content of the assessment is very simple. As you all know, I possess the Water Aspect, and I am also a Refinement Master. Currently I am Second Rank, and I am precisely in the process of breaking through to Third Rank Refinement Master..."

"Within this month, you may send any Refinement Masters, including President Tang Yun and Lu Lu Xiaofeng, to compete with me. The content of the competition is the refining of Spiritual Water Wonder Light, except that due to my rank, it can only be limited to Third Rank Spiritual Water Wonder Light and below."

"The competition is divided into three rounds, corresponding precisely to the refining of First Rank, Second Rank, and Third Rank Spiritual Water Wonder Light. The refining materials are completely identical, and additionally, no Mi Fa source water will be provided."

"As long as among these three rounds, any one of you can surpass me, then the assessment is considered passed."

Li Luo looked at Tang Yun and the others, revealing an extremely gentle smile.

"What do you all think of this assessment?"

Tang Yun and Lu Lu Xiaofeng, upon hearing this, exchanged glances, then said with some disbelief: "The two of us may also take part?"

They were Fourth Rank Refinement Masters! Although the Spiritual Water Wonder Light they refined was limited to below Third Rank, with their experience, the refining power of the Third Rank Spiritual Water Wonder Light they produced would certainly not be low.

Moreover, they only needed to win once?

One must know that whether the current Li Luo could even refine Third Rank Spiritual Water Wonder Light was already a question. How would they compete then? Simply rule it as their victory?

Was Li Luo truly going to give it to them for free?

At this moment, the expressions of Tang Yun and Lu Lu Xiaofeng became extremely complicated. They gazed at Li Luo, whose face was gentle. Young prefect... could it be that we have all misjudged you...

Are you an idiot?