Capítulo 448: Chapter 566: In the Spotlight
Chapter 566: In the Spotlight
Inside the grand hall, the independent formation arrays around each brewer allowed them to completely focus on their craft without interference from the outside world. The atmosphere was thick with concentration, as every participant moved with precise, deliberate motions.
From the elevated platform, the examiners could observe the entire brewing process with a single glance. It was impossible for anyone to hide errors or cheat. The lofted position granted a perfect vantage point over all the brewers below.
However, not all examiners were equal in expertise. The head of Wangyuelou and Chief Manager Qian, though formidable in their own right, were far less experienced in the art of brewing than Chief Brewer Li. As a result, Li scrutinized every detail ticulously, his eyes following the subtle movents of each hand, the gentle rotation of each vessel, the exact mont herbs were stirred or heated. anwhile, the others occasionally chatted among themselves, their conversation more about etiquette than technique.
Hours passed. One by one, brewers completed the Hundred Flowers Brew, neatly placing their finished liquor aside before turning their attention to the more challenging mory of a Lifeti.
Fang Chu, though not the fastest, consistently stayed near the top of the group. His hands moved with steady confidence, each step in the brewing process deliberate and precise. Every fold of his technique and timing carried the marks of soone who had spent countless hours refining every detail.
Chief Brewer Li could not help but notice. He leaned slightly toward Chief Manager Qian and murmured, “The young brewer from Qingzhou… he seems unfamiliar, probably new to Wangyuelou these past few years?”
Qian nodded. “Yes, Qingzhou recently changed brewers. That much I know.”
Li’s eyes narrowed with appreciation. “This young man is impressive. Look at the finesse in his Hundred Flowers Brew. Just judging by this, he is on par with our veteran brewers.”
The head of Wangyuelou chuckled lightly. “It is rare indeed for a brewer to earn Li’s praise. Not many are worthy of it.”
Li’s reputation was unmatched. His skill and attention to detail as Chief Brewer ant that when he acknowledged soone, it was no small matter. Following his comnt, the other examiners on the platform also subtly turned their gazes toward Fang Chu, curiosity and interest lighting their eyes.
Yet Fang Chu remained completely absorbed in his task, unaware that he had already caught the attention of so of the most powerful figures in Wangyuelou. His entire focus was on the delicate dance of brewing.
Days passed. Ti seed almost irrelevant in the presence of such skill. The brewers here were by no ans ordinary; even a year might feel like a fleeting mont to them. Many of the examiners themselves had spent decades, even centuries, in seclusion, refining their mastery over various arts. For them, a single month passed in a blink.
With only one day remaining before the assessnt concluded, several brewers finished their mory of a Lifeti batches. They opened their formation arrays, allowing the intoxicating aromas of both the Hundred Flowers Brew and mory of a Lifeti to fill the hall. The scent was complex, layered, and enchanting, weaving together floral notes with hints of rare herbs, leaving an almost spiritual resonance in the air.
“Finally completed! That actually took half a day less than I expected,” soone whispered, relief in their voice.
“Usually, mory of a Lifeti takes a month and a half to finish. Seems like a bit of pressure actually speeds things up,” another muttered.
But not everyone shared that sense of satisfaction. A young brewer’s voice suddenly burst out in frustration. “Ah! I missed a step! It’s ruined… there’s no way I can score high now!”
Brewing was as unforgiving as alchemy or artifact crafting. A single misstep could result in complete failure. Wangyuelou’s assessnt carried enormous weight. Failing could determine not only one’s rank but also their quality of life for the next fifty years.
mory of a Lifeti was particularly unforgiving under the imposed one-month limit. Many brewers, especially those less familiar with it, struggled under pressure. Each error lowered their score, and for so, failure was inevitable. These brewers faced the harsh reality: the lowest scorers would be assigned to the most barren, resource-poor continents, denied the privileges and spiritual resources that their peers enjoyed.
Those who failed left the arrays quietly, faces downcast, embarrassed before their peers. Out of a hundred brewers, twenty-three had to retreat to the rear of the hall, effectively removing themselves from ranking entirely. Their future assignnts would be to the least fertile lands, ensuring they would have to toil and improve over the coming decades to advance.
Chief Brewer Li frowned slightly. “The difficulty of this assessnt was slightly higher than usual, but this is not an excuse for failure. I hope that in the next fifty years, all brewers will dedicate themselves to mastering the craft, continuously refining their abilities.”
If not for the presence of so many witnesses, Li might have spoken more sternly. These were the finest brewers in the Tianyuan Realm, yet so failed under a modest ti constraint. That was unacceptable by his standards.
He then turned his attention to the remaining seventy-seven brewers. “The rest of you will continue with the assessnt. First, we will judge and score the Hundred Flowers Brew.”
Scoring was simple but precise. Each liquor was brought to the elevated platform, examined by all eleven examiners. After tasting, they scored each batch. The highest score would be removed to prevent favoritism or exaggeration, and the remaining scores would be combined to form the final rating.
The Hundred Flowers Brew, being a commonly brewed liquor, produced minimal differences in quality. Most scores clustered closely together. Fang Chu, however, stood out. His batch received a final score of 945 out of a possible 1,000. Among the seventy-seven brewers being scored, this placed him comfortably within the top ten—a remarkable achievent.
For a first-ti assessnt after joining Wangyuelou, such a high score was unprecedented. Even the seasoned examiners noticed it. Li and Qian exchanged glances, curiosity and intrigue evident in their eyes. Fang Chu’s performance had drawn attention not just for his technical skill but for his composure, creativity, and the subtle refinent in his brew.
Unbeknownst to him, the eyes of so of the most powerful figures in Wangyuelou were now watching more closely than ever, anticipating how he would tackle the far more difficult mory of a Lifeti.
The spotlight was on Fang Chu. The first challenge was complete. The stage was set for the next—and far more formidable—task.
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