A Small Test of Strength

"Young man, becoming an alchemist is no easy thing! And since you're already here and no one else can see you, why not take off that veiled hat?"

Old Alchemist Cheng, whose back was badly hunched, felt some admiration when he saw Li Qingyun, still so young, coming out to "work."

He assumed Li Qingyun wore the veiled hat to hide his face, lest acquaintances recognize him and make him feel embarrassed.

After all, at his age, the most important thing was to cultivate the Body Strengthening Exercise diligently at home, build up one's blood and vitality, store up yang energy, and work the fields with all one's might—have more children and more sons, striving for a glimpse of the "immortal path."

Working for a living was, naturally, somewhat of a waste of youth.

"Mm, Old Cheng is right. The reason I wear this veiled hat is not really because I cannot show my face..."

Li Qingyun humbly bowed to Old Cheng and offered a slight explanation.

Old Cheng, Zhang Chengshi, and the other female clerk drying medicinal herbs all revealed knowing smiles. The more Li Qingyun explained himself, the more they felt that he was thin-skinned and unwilling to let acquaintances know he had come out to find work to support his household.

Still talking tough—wasn't it simply that he could not show his face!

Yet in the next moment, the three of them froze. Li Qingyun readily followed the suggestion and casually removed the gauze sun hat from his head. His face was fair and handsome, with sword-like brows and star-bright eyes, like flawless jade shining beneath the sunlight.

"This! I never expected Young Master Li to be so..." Zhang Chengshi blushed, unconsciously wiping her mouth after realizing that her drool seemed to be getting out of control.