Sin City Chapter 9

Chapter -9 a.s.sessment

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Shen Lan is definitely not a magical tower constructed by ordinary methods. In addition of being higher than generally seen towers by three times, it also doubles them in terms of diameter. This implies that the total surface area of Shen Lan magical tower is more than ten times as compared with normal magical towers. Moreover, this is without including the huge subsidiary building complex. It’s hard to imagine the cost of such a gigantic tower. The amount of people involved directly or indirectly with the affairs of Shen Lan tower amounts to more than ten thousand. It is simply on a scale of small town. Shen Lan is basically a huge monster, it’s daily trade of goods is ten times more than that of a town of the same scale. Huge upto this extent, just the establishment of Shen Lan in itself has already surpa.s.sed ‘just an outstanding art’.

For the distribution of goods, Shen Lan relies on the it’s proximity with the sea. It has it’s own sea port. More than ten docks capable of anchoring huge ships were brought into existence from within the hard coral reefs solely through the use of magic. On the dry land, three major public roads from three different directions unite at Shen Lan. There are at least five-six towns along the highways because of the trade.          

Shen Lan tower is located at the apex of Floating Ice Gulf in the Northwest part of the continent. At the same time, it is also the estuary of two large rivers. Floating Ice Gulf is immensely widespread, it is basically just a huge sea. It extends from Xinghui peninsula at Southern end upto the Heng Dong mountain range in the North, exceeding over fifteen hundred kilometers straight line distance. Every upcoming winter, Ice Floating Gulf would enter a period of freezing. Only the most southern part of the coastline can be connected via ships. However, Shen Lan port’s location is at the extreme of warm currents. It is cla.s.sified as ice free port.

Shen Lan tower’s location is extremely significant. Here, the transportation is very convenient and moreover it is an important strategic location as one of the three major pa.s.sages to south’s Bing Yang continent. Ferocious Polar Grey dwarves and magical beasts have no other choice but to take the long way around by going through the Twilight valley. Not only this path cause an additional thousand kilometers, but it also require them to directly confront the Divine Alliance’s Thunder G.o.d Barrier. Only after the establishment of Shen Lan, the dwarves who love to riot would rather confront the Thunder G.o.d barrier then trying the Shen Lan route again. Within the legends of many dwarf tribes, Su Hailun is already on toe to toe with the most frightening demon G.o.ds. Moreover, when she officially broke through the critical juncture of twentieth level into an Advanced level Legendary Master, Shen Lan turned into an absolutely peaceful territory.
Although the Dwarves are ruthless and fearless, they know better than to disturb the peace here. As a result, gradually, Shen Lan turned into a beautifully prospering territory.

Above-mentioned is the history of Shen Lan.

The narrator of this history is a hundred year Old Master. His magic power is not too outstanding at eighth level, almost the trashiest accomplishment here at the Shen Lan, precisely the place where Li Cha is at right now. However, the Old master possess an extremely good looking appearance and an melodious voice. Concerning the history of Shen Lan, he is second only to Su Hailun. His duty is very simple, that is to explain the history of Shen Lan to the visitors. As for Li Cha, a new apprentice, learning about the former magnificence and glory of Shen Lan is his first lesson. It  even exceeds ‘magic power and innate skills a.s.sessment’ in terms of priority. The latter helps a magician to decide upon a path that can allow him to go farthest in this complicated magical world. As for the former, Li Cha will only realize it after a very long time. Nevertheless, it’s upto magic apprentice himself whether he decides to tread upon this path or not. 
Li Cha’s status is completely different than the rest of the  disciples. He is Su Hailun’s personally recruited disciple. Therefore, one day of history for other disciples became three day’s history for Li Cha. To feel like speaking for three days straight on history, this truly was an accomplishment on Old Master’s part.
History coming out from the mouth of the Old Master naturally missed a lot of details, and he also himself deliberately omitted a lot of crucial points. Officially compiled history will always be selective. What could be said, what couldn’t be said, everything is predetermined. To be capable of a.s.similating everything together in form of a picture in the brain by himself, Li Cha is already thoroughly displaying “Wisdom” and “Reality” innate skills.
Nonetheless, three days of brainwashing showed a remarkable effect. To say the least, Su Hailun in the eyes of Li Cha at present is considered as a naive, innocent and delicate woman. Furthermore, he also don’t have any impulse to take a bite of her. a.s.sociating her with the most dreaded woman of dwarves and giant beasts, how it is possible that her frightening description is overstated.
Naturally, this result was not the original intention of the Old Master. However, it is also unlikely for him to be aware of it. In the eyes of majority of people, Li Cha is a quiet child. Quiet upto the extent that he would rarely show any expressions. He is never seen to be happily laughing or crying after a rebuke or bullying. Whatever he has to do, he would immediately do it. Moreover, accomplish it without having a thread loose. His demeanor is completely different from a ten year old child.

On his body, there was no sunshine.

Three days of history pa.s.sed by, following it was innate skill a.s.sessment. Li Cha was led into an extraordinary hall. He was getting dazzled just by looking at the golden apparatus erected in large numbers. Hall was bustling with over twenty employed Masters. Furthermore, managing of the process was in the hands of a senior magician. When Li Cha used his ‘reality’, he wasn’t looking at a magician, rather was looking at a burning sphere ignited by magic power. He is at least a seventeenth level senior magician, capable of a.s.suming a position at any imperial court’s palace. However in reality, he was a.s.signed to do his innate skill testing.

　Li Cha was made to throw away his clothes and pushed onto an ice cold metallic chair with his body completely wrapped up in bandages. Soon after, the senior magician very carefully pushed down a few crystal needles into his body. The entire process was very painful. However, Li Cha silently endured clenching his teeths. Just by looking at the situation, it can be easily determined that this testing is no joke. He had never heard that testing can be treated  like this as if going to a war. For common disciples, it would be much simpler. However these masters are treating an ordinary magic testing ceremony as if it is the most important magic experiment, each and everyone of them earnestly serious. Their clean and precise movements were displaying their high accomplishment.             
What Li Cha didn’t knew was that behind the single surface magical wall, Su Hailun was comfortably leaning against a sofa while closely following everything. She was enthusiastically looking at the notes of previous era’s legendary master while constantly filling her mouth with fruits. However, methods of legendary master are not something which an ordinary person can guess. Even without using eyes and ears, she has more than hundred of methods to monitor everything that is happening around her surroundings. Under the gaze of Su Hailun, all masters without exception were sparing no effort.

　Shen Lan has only one master, that is, Su Hailun. Aside from Su Hailun, all are servants. Those who can accomplish to make her happy, might even be able to raise their status five times. A Master came over and placed a bowl under Li Cha’s nose, allowing him to inhale mist floating up on the surface of the bowl. After a short while, Li Cha’s consciousness gradually turned fuzzy, but he was still able to maintain a sense of reality. He could roughly make out what was happening in the surroundings amidst his fuzzy consciousness.

He felt bizarre sensations coming from every part of his body. After a moment, he could make out a vague voice saying “ Elemental affinity High. Fire, Shadow and Divine aspects, a little stronger. Innate skill element, none.”

Afterwards he felt all kinds of acute pain. This is a test regarding to his elemental destruction sustaining capability, which is also the most basic composition of magical resistance. After another moment, the sound again declared the result; Elemental Resisting Power Good. Even amidst lost consciousness, Li Cha couldn’t help but twitching up. However, his body was firmly restricted, he was absolutely powerless to escape.  

Next, in Li Cha’s consciousness, a needle entered with a whoosh sound. Pain due to it was aimed directly at his soul!

“Spiritual Power exceptional, approaching Genius level.” Hearing this evaluation sentence, Li Cha relaxed. So it turns out that test is still ongoing, and moreover he had obtained pretty good evaluation.

Next was, all kinds of tests concerning to body functions. Li Cha was afraid that they would even check the “innate skill of him being male”and moreover give it an ‘outstanding potential’ a.s.sessment, being much higher than his magical innate skill. It took three hours to conclude the a.s.sessment, eventually taking form of a report of over twenty pages.

During this time, Su Hailun was able to finish up reading two journals, try out a new magic concept and finish up ten kilograms of fruits. She never left the surveillance position from beginning till the end.

Finally, when Li Cha was sober again, he was told that his overall  evaluation is outstanding with no specific inclination. At the same time, he also possess sufficient talent in martial arts. If he wish to become a professional martial artist, then he might be able to attain eleventh B category in this life.

Li Cha was very happy with his outstanding evaluation. After his spirit stabilized, he found that he couldn’t stand steadily even for a moment. So, he was brought to rest. “Above ‘outstanding’, there is one level… I suppose?”Li Cha was pondering by taking today’s obtained general knowledge into consideration.“Moreover, it is not always true that genius level would exist, only under some special conditions would be someone a.s.sessed as a genius.”

However the youngster wasn’t aware that his grade evaluation table was not true. Above outstanding there are whole five more a.s.sessment levels. They are, Genius, brilliant, legendary, Solitary and Su Hailun.