What Did Senior Brother Know Junior Brother Did Before?

After leaving the Hall of Bestowing Merit, Yang Chan first went to the Medicine Hall registry office to register his identity with the Medicine Hall before heading to the Hall of Internal Affairs.

He had not anticipated what happened at the Hall of Bestowing Merit, nor did he want it to happen again. Once his name was registered with the Medicine Hall, no one would try to snatch him away again, sparing him quite a bit of trouble.

When Yang Chan emerged from the Hall of Internal Affairs, he had gained quite a few things. Two Steward Disciples beside him were helping carry part of them.

They were all daily necessities—every kind of household item, quite complete.

After returning to the Formal Disciples' quarters in the Medicine Hall and finding the room corresponding to his plaque, he began to sort everything out.

A Formal Disciple's room was much larger than the small room he had as a Steward Disciple. It was very clean, without rat holes or other broken gaps. Judging by how new it looked, it could not have been built more than ten years ago.

By the time Yang Chan had finished arranging his room, dusk had already fallen.

Seeing that the time was about right, he changed into the blue robes of a Formal Disciple. They were woven from silk and exceptionally fine. He had received two sets, enough for regular washing and changing.

By the time Yang Chan headed for the Public Kitchen of the Medicine Hall, he was already dressed in blue, and people had begun lining up.

Formal Disciples differed somewhat from the information he had heard. In some respects, it had been exaggerated. Their food was not unlimited, nor could they eat their fill without restraint. Instead, every person received a fixed portion: one large bowl of rice, two corn buns, half a bowl of meat, half a bowl of meat soup, and one bowl of preserved mustard greens.

Every three days, they could collect one bowl of Qi Replenishing Body Nourishing Soup from the Public Kitchen. Yang Chan was a day late and could only wait another two days.

Yang Chan felt slightly disappointed, but his goal of eating meat every day had been achieved. This quantity was far better than what Steward Disciples received.

A bowl of Qi Replenishing Body Nourishing Soup was worth 0.2 Potential Points—his accumulated gains from two days before. But with food like today's, he did not know whether his Potential Points would continue increasing.

Hall of Medicine Training Ground.

This was a place specifically for Formal Disciples of the Medicine Hall to practice martial arts.

When Yang Chan arrived, some people were already practicing the Ox Demon Strength Fist. Others held Stone Mills to train their strength, while still others rammed their bodies against enormous upright boulders.

They were all tempering their bodies, preparing for External Refinement.

"Junior Brother, you were just promoted, weren't you?"

As Yang Chan entered the Training Ground, a somewhat plump, short man with a round face dotted with several pockmarks walked over to him, looking at him with a beaming smile.

"That's right. And you are?"

Yang Chan nodded and asked in return.

"Senior Brother here is Shi Gaojun. Those familiar with me call me Brother Jun. Seeing as Junior Brother has only just come to the Training Ground, you probably don't know the situation here. How about Senior Brother gives you an introduction?"

At Yang Chan's response, Shi Gaojun's smile grew even brighter. A potential customer—and a newcomer, at that. People like this were the easiest to earn silver from.

Yang Chan glanced at Shi Gaojun. Sure enough, some people's names seemed to have been chosen in reverse, just like this man's.

Of course, perhaps it was simply an aspiration.

"Then I'll have to thank Senior Brother. I've only just arrived and truly don't know the situation here."

Having just become a Formal Disciple, he did not know what particular rules or subtleties the Training Ground held. Though he knew nothing about this place, getting some information from this man would not be a bad thing.

There was filth among the Steward Disciples of the Qingyuan Sect as well, like Wang Sheng and the others. Even though Yang Chan had kept a low profile, he had not been able to avoid it.

There would certainly be no shortage of conflicts among Formal Disciples either.

"That's easy enough. In the Medicine Hall Training Ground, look at where these people are positioned. Most of those practicing punches have not yet mastered Raging Bull Strength and are still nurturing their Jing Power. Most are disciples who have not been in the sect for long."

"As for those lifting Stone Mills, they are training their strength and tempering their physical power. Even if their Jing Power has not yet reached mastery, they are not far from it. They are preparing for External Refinement and have generally been in the sect for two or three years."

"Those who use their bodies to collide with stone pillars, or have others strike their bodies, are preparing for External Refinement: Bronze Skin. They are also the strongest group among these Formal Disciples, having been in the sect for four to five years."

Shi Gaojun paused after speaking, saying nothing more as he looked toward Yang Chan.

"Does Senior Brother need Junior Brother's help with something?"

Seeing this, Yang Chan knew that this was when the man began revealing his true purpose.

It was just like those salesmen—first using a pile of things that interested you to draw your attention, then getting you to take the initiative and ask for more information, before gradually leading you into their trap.

Yang Chan had naturally seen such tactics before. However, he needed some intelligence. If it did not affect him, there was no harm in agreeing.

"Senior Brother knows several people who have mastered Raging Bull Strength. A bowl of Qi Replenishing Body Nourishing Soup every three days is of no use to them. I see that Junior Brother has just become a Formal Disciple and urgently needs Qi Replenishing Body Nourishing Soup. It can help your Jing Power reach mastery sooner and save you a great deal of effort."

Shi Gaojun spoke with a smile, revealing his purpose.

After Jing Power reached mastery, the medicines required had to be older. Even with monthly stipends and task rewards, it was difficult to sustain the expense, so naturally they added Qi Replenishing Body Nourishing Soup to the list.

For disciples who had just entered the sect, this was something they urgently needed.

"The sect doesn't interfere?"

Yang Chan was somewhat surprised, though he now knew this Senior Brother was selling medicine.

Still, Qi Replenishing Body Nourishing Soup truly was something he needed.

"Once Qi Replenishing Body Nourishing Soup has been collected, as long as it isn't taken by force, the sect naturally won't interfere."

"But this Qi Replenishing Body Nourishing Soup is also extremely precious, so its price naturally isn't low."

Shi Gaojun answered, the smile never leaving his face. Based on his previous experiences, this meant he had found another fine sheep to shear.

Newly promoted disciples naturally received rewards from the Qingyuan Sect. His goal, of course, was to fleece all the silver Yang Chan had on him.

As for outright robbery, no one dared do such a thing.

Formal Disciples of the Qingyuan Sect were different from Steward Disciples. They were members of the Qingyuan Sect. If you robbed someone one moment, the next the matter would be reported to the stewards and deacons. You would be left carrying a burden too heavy to bear.

"May I ask what price Senior Brother is offering?"

Yang Chan asked. If the price was suitable, he did not mind buying from this Senior Brother.

"Three taels of silver per bowl."

"After all, you can only get one bowl every three days. It isn't easy. If Junior Brother drinks one extra bowl every three days, Raging Bull Strength will certainly reach mastery within a year."

Shi Gaojun held up three fingers as he explained the benefits of Qi Replenishing Body Nourishing Soup.

Yang Chan froze for a moment after hearing that.

So he had been taken for a fat sheep.

"Does Senior Brother know what Junior Brother did before coming to the Qingyuan Sect?"

Instead of answering, Yang Chan asked a question.

"What did Junior Brother do before?"

Shi Gaojun was somewhat baffled by Yang Chan's question.

"An Herb Gathering Boy."

"After gathering herbs, I sold them to medicine shops. Among them were the ingredients for Qi Replenishing Body Nourishing Soup."

Yang Chan replied with a smile.