Not Eager to Eat? Something's Wrong with Your Brain

"Senior Sister's words were wrong, and you said them to the wrong person."

Yang Chan glanced at Shu Yu and spoke calmly.

Compared with the others, he was not particularly eager to enter the Alchemist Training Office. But since things had come to this, he naturally would not give it up.

This was one of the rewards for his hard work, a benefit he deserved. Why should he abandon it?

What was his should be his.

"Oh? What was wrong with them?"

A puzzled look appeared on Shu Yu's face. Thinking it over, she did not think there had been any problem.

After her friends learned that she had obtained a place in the alchemist training, their various compliments had gradually given her the feeling that she was no longer on the same level as Yang Chan and the others. Otherwise, she would not have acted this way.

It was like how drinking too much toxic chicken soup could subtly change a person's way of thinking, even making them arrogant.

"For the time being, I also don't have time to help Pharmacist Xu. So the people you should be saying this to are the others. You addressed the wrong person."

Yang Chan spoke blandly.

"Huh? Junior Brother, you don't want to be Pharmacist Xu's Alchemist Assistant anymore?"

Surprise appeared on Shu Yu's face. She had not expected Yang Chan to have such thoughts.

In her view, Yang Chan was dissatisfied with Pharmacist Xu's announcement and wanted to become another pharmacist's Alchemist Assistant.

"Unfortunately, I also received a training spot and need to participate in the alchemist training."

Yang Chan found it rather strange that Shu Yu would think that, so he simply stated the facts.

Some people truly were not worth talking to. It was too much of a waste of time.

After saying that, Yang Chan walked straight into the Alchemist Training Office.

The guards beside the training office saw Yang Chan enter but did not stop him.

Naturally, these guards had long known who would be participating in the alchemist training.

"Strange, how did he get that spot?"

Seeing this, Shu Yu's face filled with confusion. She knew everyone who had received a place in the alchemist training and had not heard that anyone had withdrawn.

Yet the guards had not stopped him, which meant Yang Chan was qualified to participate in the training. This left Shu Yu deeply puzzled.

Could Yang Chan have some sort of backing?

The thought surfaced in Shu Yu's mind. Being able to participate in the alchemist training at this point did resemble someone who had entered through the back door.

Those with status and connections could gain many conveniences. Even after the alchemist training slots had been confirmed, they could still squeeze someone out.

Still filled with doubts, Shu Yu entered the Alchemist Training Office. She saw that all the people previously confirmed to participate were present. No one had been squeezed out; instead, there was one extra person—Yang Chan. This confused her even more.

"How are there twenty-one people?"

Shu Yu muttered to herself.

"You didn't know? That extra person received a sect reward. Hall Master Gu had Steward Sikong add an extra spot."

"I only just heard about this from Pharmacist Zhao as well."

Le Yuqin, who was familiar with Shu Yu, heard her words and explained.

"So that's how it was. I didn't know that was possible."

Shu Yu understood at once.

Yang Chan had rendered merit in the matter involving Zhao Ziqing. It seemed the sect's reward was this place in the alchemist training.

She had given so much to obtain her place in the alchemist training, yet Yang Chan had gotten one so effortlessly.

No wonder Yang Chan had completely ignored her goodwill that day. He had already known he had a place in the alchemist training, so naturally he did not care at all.

This was where Yang Chan's confidence came from, and where his self-assurance lay.

"Could he become a pharmacist before me?"

Shu Yu murmured.

She had seen Yang Chan's grasp of the Medicine Scripture. Whenever Xu Gaocen explained knowledge related to medicinal properties, pharmacological principles, and medicinal effects, the answers Yang Chan gave to the questions were always the best.

Naturally, she had subconsciously compared herself with Yang Chan. She had thought the alchemist training would help her widen the gap, but now that gap might instead be pulled wider in the other direction.

Yang Chan found an empty seat. When he saw Xu Gaocen walk in to explain pharmacological principles, his expression did not change.

For this alchemist training, the Medicine Hall had selected eight people: three Intermediate Alchemists and five Junior Alchemists. Xu Gaocen was one of them.

"This time, I'll be covering knowledge related to judging the effects of various medicinal herbs, pharmacological combinations, and analyses of medicinal properties. There will be quite a lot, so don't let your minds wander."

"Peony, Coptis Chinensis, Isatis Root, Dictamnus Bark..."

Once Xu Gaocen began speaking, he lectured continuously for two hours without even stopping to drink a sip of water. When he finally stopped, aside from being slightly less spirited, there was little change in him.

Who knew how many people envied such a gift for lecturing—especially instructors, teachers, salesmen, and the like. With such ability, one could use an unrotting three-inch tongue to talk even the dead back to life.

After finishing, Xu Gaocen merely said they would continue in the afternoon, then left.

Once martial cultivation produced Jing Power through nourishment, the body underwent continuous, all-around strengthening. Yang Chan understood this deeply, especially since he also cultivated the Life-Nourishing Technique. The improvements to every aspect of his body's interior were tremendous.

The most obvious was his recovery ability, far surpassing that of ordinary people.

After cultivating the Ox Demon Strength Fist, External Refinement: Skin and Flesh began tempering the skin and flesh. This included the mouth, tongue, and the like, naturally making them far stronger than those of ordinary people.

Once an ordinary person spoke continuously for more than half an hour, they would struggle to continue. Their throat would also develop all kinds of discomfort, forcing them to pause, drink some water to moisten it, and let everything in their mouth that had been moving rest and slowly recover.

But after External Refinement: Skin and Flesh, it did not only include the skin and flesh on the surface. It also included the skin and flesh of the face and inside the mouth, making them far more resilient and greatly strengthening all kinds of recovery abilities.

If Yang Chan were to lecture continuously for two hours, he might be in even better condition than Xu Gaocen. The Life-Nourishing Technique he cultivated was more helpful to his body's recovery. Lecturing continuously for two hours was a trivial matter.

Xu Gaocen truly deserved to be an Intermediate Alchemist. His lecture was packed with substance, and even Yang Chan gained quite a bit from it.

This also meant that even Junior Alchemists could improve by listening to Xu Gaocen's lecture.

Of course, more of it was focused on the things one needed to pay attention to in order to become a pharmacist. After Xu Gaocen left, many Alchemist Assistants wore faces like bitter gourds. Xu Gaocen had covered far too much, and remembering and thoroughly absorbing it all was an extremely difficult task for Alchemist Assistants like them.

This was also why those participating in the alchemist training had to be selected carefully. If one's ability was insufficient, there would not be much to gain from attending the lectures. They might even lose confidence and give up on becoming pharmacists because it was too difficult.

At the same time, understanding it required a certain threshold. Without enough ability, they simply could not comprehend what he was teaching.

Unlike those bitter-gourd-faced people, Yang Chan had gained from the lecture and digested everything, so he naturally looked relaxed.

He walked straight out of the Alchemist Training Office and headed for the Medicine Hall's Public Kitchen to eat. If you weren't eager to eat, there was something wrong with your brain.