Attic and Alchemy Room

Zhu Zhuqing's heart pounded like a drum as she slowly moved to the bedside.

Halfway through taking off her clothes, she paused slightly and said weakly, "Um... could you... turn around first?"

Undressing in front of a man was simply too embarrassing.

"Sure! Call me when you're ready." Yao Yan stood by the windowsill, his gaze fixed on the dark alleyway.

After quite some time, her voice finally came from inside the room, saying she was ready.

Yao Yan turned around and saw Zhu Zhuqing lying on her side on the bed, the blanket covering her chest and revealing her beautifully curved, snow-white shoulders and entire back.

Yao Yan's attention was drawn to the three-inch scar on her back. It looked particularly hideous against her fair skin, with faint old cracks scattered around its edges, clearly caused by it repeatedly splitting open.

He sat down on the bed and activated the Blue Silver Emperor Soul Bone Skill, his hands moving across her back.

Zhu Zhuqing felt a tingling sensation spread through her body. Her legs involuntarily tightened around the blanket, and her body trembled faintly. Her fair skin gradually flushed crimson, while her internal temperature rose sharply.

Having grown up this far, this was still her first time being so intimately close to a man. Her heart nearly leaped from her chest.

After a while, Yao Yan removed the three-inch scar and slowly withdrew his hands. "All right, let's stop here for today. I need to recover some Soul Power first."

"Mm..." She pulled the blanket higher over herself and answered softly.

Yao Yan smiled faintly, then turned and walked to the door. Opening it, he said, "You sleep here tonight. I'll go to your room."

With that, he shut the door.

Inside the room, it took Zhu Zhuqing a long while before she poked her burning-red face out from beneath the blanket.

She first glanced at the door, then leaned against the pillow and gently closed her eyes.

Three days later, the carriage slowly entered Qingshan Town and stopped outside Jieyou Pharmacy.

Physician Yao had already been waiting at the entrance. When he saw Yao Yan step down from the carriage with a woman, a flicker of surprise passed through his eyes.

Once he clearly saw Zhu Zhuqing's appearance, he could not help thinking, What a breathtakingly beautiful woman.

Yao Yan led Zhu Zhuqing forward and introduced her. "Physician Yao, this is Zhu Zhuqing. She'll be living in Qingshan Town from now on."

"Miss Zhuqing, hello." Physician Yao greeted her with a smile.

"Hello." Zhu Zhuqing gave a slight nod. Her nature was rather reserved, and she rarely interacted with others.

Physician Yao did not mind. After all, everyone had a different personality; such a thing was perfectly normal.

At that moment, he suddenly remembered something and said, "Earlier, Young Master sent word asking me to rent an attic. It has already been tidied up. Would you like to go take a look now?"

"Wait a moment." Yao Yan turned to Wang Xiaobo. "Brother Wang, how about we go to a restaurant tonight for a proper meal and relax?"

"That sounds great." Wang Xiaobo nodded with a grin. "To be honest, after eating dry rations for nearly two months, I'm about sick of them."

While traveling before, the distances between towns varied. Sometimes they arrived late at night and could only make do with a quick bite.

"Then it's settled!"

"Sure!" Wang Xiaobo cracked the whip and drove the carriage toward his home.

Wang Xiaobo had earned a considerable sum from taking Yao Yan's job. He would not have to worry about food or drink for three years, and would even have money left over.

Everyone watched Wang Xiaobo leave before heading toward the attic as well.

The attic was not too far from the main street, but it was surrounded by trees that blocked out the noise, making it exceptionally quiet.

Yao Yan and the others entered. The attic was not particularly large, with a space of over two hundred square meters divided across three floors.

The first floor was used to sell goods. Inside stood counters made of red paulownia wood, upon which various medicinal herbs were displayed.

Physician Yao led them up to the second floor and introduced it in detail. "According to Young Master's requirements, the second floor has a cultivation room, a library, and a reception room.

"These rooms have all been renovated with special soundproofing materials to prevent outside disturbances."

"Oh, right. The alchemy room you wanted, Young Master, is behind this place." Physician Yao walked to the rear window and pointed at another small building. "It was newly constructed and reinforced with special materials to ensure that the walls won't be damaged if the furnace explodes."

Although he did not understand what "furnace explosion" meant, Young Master had specifically instructed him to arrange it, so he naturally handled it with care.

The three continued up to the third floor, which was divided into three rooms. All the furniture had been replaced with new pieces, and the daily necessities were complete. They could move in immediately.

Yao Yan entered each of the three rooms to look around, then nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad. The rooms are all fairly spacious."

"As long as Young Master likes them." Physician Yao was pleased as well.

"I'll take this room." Yao Yan pointed at a smaller room, then turned to Zhu Zhuqing. "Zhuqing, pick one too."

After hesitating briefly, Zhu Zhuqing entered the room opposite his. "I'll stay in this one."

This girl... Yao Yan shook his head inwardly.

She deliberately chose a room far away from his. Was she afraid he would eat her in the middle of the night?

After touring the attic, the three arrived at the alchemy room. A Steel Gate blocked the entrance, and there was a lever beside it.

Physician Yao stepped forward and gave it a light pull.

Rumble—!!

The Steel Gate slowly opened. Yao Yan looked inside. The space was not very large and was divided into two rooms. The larger one was specifically for pill refinement, with a large counter in the middle that took up nearly half the space.

Several iron racks stood around the room as well, holding medicinal herbs sorted into categories, each labeled with its properties.

"Young Master, this is the pill-refining room, while that room is for storing books." Physician Yao pointed toward the other room.

Yao Yan nodded.

After walking around the entire pill-refining room and confirming that there were no flaws, he nodded in satisfaction.

"Physician Yao, your work is indeed thorough," Yao Yan praised sincerely.

"You flatter me, Young Master!" Physician Yao's eyes crinkled with amusement. "I wonder if you have any other arrangements?"

Yao Yan pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "Send two more people over to look after the shop."

With Zhu Zhuqing's reserved personality, she definitely would not be able to run a business. He could only borrow a few people from the pharmacy.

"Alright." Physician Yao slowly nodded, then asked, "Young Master, opening a shop requires Empire certification. What name do you intend to give it?"

Yao Yan fell silent, pacing back and forth through the pill-refining room.

This was the first time pills had appeared in this world, and they would be the first spark to ignite the continent.

He suddenly recalled a phrase from his previous life...

His eyes abruptly lit up, and he turned to look at them. "This is the continent's first pill shop. How about calling it Spark Pharmacy?"

He asked for their opinions.

"Spark Pharmacy?" Physician Yao repeated it once, then smiled. "It really is quite good!"

"Alright, then that shall officially be our name."

Spark Pharmacy was thus born. In the future, it would shine with its own brilliance across the Douluo Continent.

The three inspected the place for a while longer. Physician Yao returned first to handle the pharmacy's affairs, while Yao Yan and Zhu Zhuqing carefully arranged the pill-refining room, putting every item in its proper place.

Before they knew it, it was already late at night.

Only then did they remember their dinner appointment. They hurried to the inn, where Wang Xiaobo had already been waiting.

The three drank and chatted merrily, only returning home separately late into the night.

Yao Yan planned to rest properly for the night. Tomorrow, he would officially begin refining pills!

Pill refinement tomorrow!