What Is This?

During the eight days of pharmacist training, Yang Chan gained something from the lectures given by the three Intermediate Alchemists. Though it was not much, it was something. He gained nothing at all from the other five Junior Alchemists.

Yang Chan already knew everything those Junior Alchemists explained. In fact, he knew it in greater detail and more comprehensively than they did.

And these Junior Alchemists were already among Qingyuan Sect's finest.

"The panel really is powerful."

"Potential Points really are useful."

"Hard work truly pays off."

Those three thoughts surfaced in Yang Chan's mind, making him even more aware of just how formidable his Second Order: Entering the Hall in Pharmacist was.

Within Qingyuan Sect, he could already be considered a fairly capable Junior Alchemist. Especially in terms of knowledge reserves and comprehension, he far surpassed ordinary pharmacists.

Perhaps he still needed to put more effort into practical work such as dispensing and refining medicine. He could either spend time mastering it or use Potential Points to make up the gap. He had many options.

The eight days of pharmacist training were easy for Yang Chan, but agonizing for the other Alchemist Assistants. There was simply too much to memorize, and many things still needed to be mastered.

The more one knew, the more one discovered how shallow one's own understanding was.

As a result, after the pharmacist training, the many Alchemist Assistants all wore faces as bitter as gourds.

Some even had expressions that said, "What is this?" (An excellent reader will add the image themselves.)

In truth, this was also the pharmacists' purpose. Only when they realized how little knowledge they possessed could they be said to have truly learned something.

At the same time, it allowed these Alchemist Assistants to clearly see the road ahead and the abilities they needed to master, making it more likely for them to become pharmacists.

Although Qingyuan Sect was at war with the Three Great Sects, it had never stopped cultivating its disciples. This was planning for the future, and something only a powerful faction could do.

Pharmacists differed from Elite Disciples. What they needed was not combat ability, but understanding, mastery, and application of knowledge related to medicinal ingredients, their properties, and medicinal principles, followed by practical operations, until they were ultimately cultivated into pharmacists.

Different natures required different methods of cultivation.

During those eight days, another major event occurred: it rained in Qingzhou. It was a torrential downpour. There were reports that a white flood dragon had flown overhead during the rain, while others said the Dragon King had brought the rain. Legends abounded, and opinions varied wildly.

At first, Yang Chan thought there might truly be mythical divine beasts, but after hearing one bizarre tale after another, he understood.

Just as Emperor Gaozu had slain a white serpent, only for it to be said that he had slain the son of the White Emperor. Emperor Gaozu, meanwhile, claimed to be the son of the Red Emperor. In an instant, he went from an ordinary man to the descendant of the Red Emperor, god of the south, and suddenly seemed far more grand and exalted.

Words exaggerated by people.

Perhaps someone had seen something pass by amid the heavy rain, and it became one myth and legend after another.

Yang Chan knew there were strange beasts in this world. Even Grandmaster-level experts were no match for some powerful strange beasts, yet the records in books seemed to contain none with the ability to summon wind and rain.

To be honest, Yang Chan hoped those divine beasts existed. Then perhaps immortals and gods existed as well, and the direction of his efforts would become clearer.

As his Lifespan grew ever longer, he needed even more to blend in among those who pursued immortality.

If one did not want to stand out too much, one had to be among similar people. Even a husky in a wolf pack could at least serve some purpose in concealing itself.

These myths and legends were unimportant. What mattered was that it had rained. For drought-stricken Qingzhou, this downpour could ease many conflicts and give the people of Qingzhou hope of surviving.

If this rain had come more than two months earlier, Qingzhou might even have been more peaceful. Of course, that was only a possibility.

After all, the three major forces—Lingyu Palace, Taiyu Valley, and Nanhua Sword Sect—had planted people in Qingzhou even before the great drought. They had clearly long intended to make a move against Qingyuan Sect and replace it.

Who would not want to become the overlord of a province? The vast amount of cultivation resources, silver, secret manuals, and other tributes alone made countless factions covetous. All of them were good things, and replacing Qingyuan Sect would put them right into one's pocket.

Whether it was to strengthen oneself or the faction one belonged to, it would be of immense help.

Some chaos was caused by natural disasters, while some was caused by ambition.

During these days of pharmacist training, Yang Chan's Potential Point gains had all broken past one.

The Lantian Jade Refining Pill was far more effective than Yang Chan had expected. His daily Potential Point gains increased by 0.3, and it also provided obvious help to his External Refinement: Skin and Flesh cultivation.

Naturally, Yang Chan also wanted to refine Lantian Jade Refining Pills. However, the medicinal ingredients were rather expensive, and with his current abilities, the pills he refined might not be very effective. He could only temporarily abandon the idea.

He would study it again after passing the pharmacist examination and becoming a pharmacist of Qingyuan Sect.

Yang Chan had originally planned to take the pharmacist examination once the pharmacist training ended, since no pharmacists had been assigned to go down the mountain for support for many days.

But the day after that thought arose, two more Junior Alchemists from the Medicine Hall were assigned down the mountain. This made Yang Chan extinguish the thought once more.

These days, even becoming a Junior Alchemist carried some danger. It was better to hold out a while longer. The silver he currently had was at least enough to cover his expenses for this period, so there was naturally no need to risk becoming a pharmacist.

After completing the Medicine Hall's task, Yang Chan went as usual to the Martial Arts Courtyard to practice the Ox Demon Strength Fist. Far fewer people were cultivating there these days. It was not that they were not diligently cultivating, but that they had all gone down the mountain.

Or perhaps they were already gone.

At first, Yang Chan had found it somewhat hard to adapt, but now he had grown accustomed to it.

Life and death were unpredictable.

"Junior Brother Yang, long time no see!"

Du Xiaolin's voice came again.

"Senior Brother Du, I hope you've been well. Judging by the way you look, it seems you've gained quite a lot."

Yang Chan turned toward the voice and saw Du Xiaolin. It had been some time since he last saw him.

Not long after Du Xiaolin had proposed going down the mountain to undertake missions, he had followed the others down the mountain.

Now, Yang Chan could see that the other man's aura had changed greatly from when he went down the mountain. The most likely explanation was that his cultivation had broken through.

His Raging Bull Strength had very likely reached the great completion of Nourishing. Yang Chan sensed it so easily because Du Xiaolin made no effort to restrain his aura or conceal the change.

"Alas! I did gain something, but it was too tragic."

Du Xiaolin let out a long sigh before speaking.

His breakthrough in cultivation did not seem to make him very happy. Clearly, he had encountered quite a few things while down the mountain.

"So many people went, but far fewer familiar faces came back. Still, this Senior Brother of yours got his hands on quite a few good things. If Junior Brother needs anything, you can tell me, or you can head to Qingyu Street. This Senior Brother will be setting up a stall there for a while, and I'll definitely make sure Junior Brother comes away with something."

Du Xiaolin quickly changed the subject and continued promoting his business.

Seeing this, Yang Chan swallowed the words of comfort he had been about to offer. This sort of person truly did not need comforting.