Pharmacist and Reward

Chapter 34: The Pharmacist and the Reward

The message came from Yurouzi. She volunteered, "Senior North River, leave the matter of pre-paying Senior Song's basic cultivation method to me! Although I'm only at the third-rank realm, I can definitely teach basic cultivation methods! I was planning to visit the Jiangnan Region again anyway!"

She really wanted to witness Song Shuhang refining Body Tempering Liquid with an induction cooker. More importantly, she wanted to sneak out and play for a few more days before her father returned home. As the saying goes, tasting is knowing. This girl was completely captivated by the outside world and dreamt of running away from home every moment.

As soon as Yurouzi finished speaking, Mad Saber Three Waves immediately chimed in, "Wait obediently on Spirit Butterfly Island for me to return. I'll set off in an hour and arrive at Spirit Butterfly Island by evening."

The one speaking in this tone was, of course, Spirit Butterfly Venerable. It seemed he was still messing with Mad Saber Three Waves and hadn't gone home yet.

Yurouzi stuck out her tongue and went silent, not daring to speak again.

Northern River Loose Cultivator sent a smiley face, a jab at Mad Saber Three Waves.

Song Shuhang also smiled. He breathed a sigh of relief and typed a few words on the interface, "Thank you, Senior North River. I need to pre-..."

Before he could finish typing, ding-dong, another message popped up in the group.

This time it was Pharmacist. He sent a brief two words: "Me!"

The message was too cryptic, even Northern River Loose Cultivator couldn't guess what he meant.

After a long pause, Pharmacist replied, "Brother North River, please leave the matter of teaching young friend Shuhang cultivation methods to me."

Another long pause...

Pharmacist: "Young friend Shuhang, I just simulated the process of you refining Body Tempering Liquid with magic. During this, I thought of several very interesting possibilities that would be very helpful in perfecting and simplifying the Body Tempering Liquid Elixir Recipe. Some things are hard to explain online. I want to watch you refine Body Tempering Liquid once in person, and then you'll help me to the best of your ability to perfect and simplify the Body Tempering Liquid Elixir Recipe. Well, regardless of whether my experiment succeeds at that time, I will give you a good reward as compensation for your hard work—I have a set of body-tempering sword techniques and a meditation method."

After a pause, he typed again, "My sword techniques and meditation method are slightly better than Senior North River's."

This was a naked temptation.

"Brother Pharmacist intends to guide young friend Shuhang? That would be even better!" Northern River Loose Cultivator chuckled. "Shuhang, why aren't you quickly agreeing to Brother Pharmacist? You have a free teacher to guide you in Foundation Building. This opportunity absolutely cannot be missed!"

Northern River Loose Cultivator felt that Song Shuhang's luck was indeed extraordinary.

Generally speaking, the two most difficult steps for a rogue cultivator to become a true cultivator were 'Body Tempering Liquid' and 'Foundation Building'.

Foundation Building was difficult because rogue cultivators usually obtained one or two cultivation method legacies and taught themselves. Due to the lack of guidance from a master or incomplete cultivation methods, rogue cultivators often made mistakes during Foundation Building, wasting their time.

As for Body Tempering Liquid, it was even more so. Rogue cultivators who wanted Body Tempering Liquid had to collect the medicinal ingredients themselves. They might even have to refine it themselves. The bitter experience of this process was something Northern River Loose Cultivator, who had once lost his fortune, dared not recall.

And for Song Shuhang, with Yurouzi gifting him medicinal ingredients earlier, and now Pharmacist offering to guide him in Foundation Building as a reward—the two most difficult steps for rogue cultivator entry, he was about to overcome them with ease.

"Thank you to both seniors," Song Shuhang said gratefully. The people in the No. 1 Group of the Nine Provinces were truly good people!

Mass sending of good person cards.

"Shuhang, the address?" Pharmacist asked.

Song Shuhang quickly replied, "Jiangnan University Town in the Jiangnan Region. I live in the student dormitory."

At the same time, Song Shuhang's gaze fell on the small potted plant next to the computer. Inside was a plant growing in a curved shape, like a coiled dragon, with barbs at the tip and a purplish-black stem.

It was Poison Dragon Grass, the medicinal herb Pharmacist had previously posted a picture of in the group asking about.

I wonder if Senior Pharmacist still needs this Poison Dragon Grass? Song Shuhang thought to himself.

"Contact information?" Pharmacist asked again.

Song Shuhang immediately sent his mobile number.

Pharmacist: "Arriving tomorrow morning, looking for you!"

Then, before Song Shuhang could say anything more, Pharmacist had quickly gone offline.

He had originally wanted to mention the Poison Dragon Grass to Pharmacist, but oh well, he'd talk about it when he arrived.

"Tomorrow morning?" Song Shuhang pondered. He had class tomorrow morning, didn't he?

Never mind, if it's really impossible, he'd take another morning off. He had already taken quite a few days off recently, so one more morning wouldn't matter.

In the No. 1 Group of the Nine Provinces.

The girl Yurouzi, who had been scared back by her dad earlier, quietly reappeared, "Senior Song, have you really decided to walk the path of a rogue cultivator? Even with everyone's help in the No. 1 Group of the Nine Provinces, the life of a rogue cultivator is really tough."

"This is the most suitable method for me right now," Song Shuhang replied with a smile. "Also, Yurouzi, thinking back now, the hospitalization of the two professors the day before yesterday wasn't a coincidence, was it?"

"Hahahaha, Senior Song, what are you talking about? It was definitely a coincidence, a coincidence! I've never lied since I was a child!" Yurouzi quickly replied. "Oh, right, my senior brother is calling me. He must need me for something. Seniors, you guys chat slowly, I'm logging off~"

After saying that, without giving Shuhang a chance to reply, she quickly went offline.

Song Shuhang pinched his chin. "It really wasn't a coincidence. I knew it. How could there be such a coincidence in the world? Two professors hospitalized for foot injuries at the same time."

He felt a little sorry for Teacher Ren Shui and Professor Smith. When he had time later, should he go visit them?

After all, it was their injury that led to him accompanying Yurouzi to Luoxin Street, which resulted in the reward of two boxes of medicinal ingredients from Yurouzi, and gave him the opportunity to come into contact with the world of cultivation.

Speaking of which, the chat process in the group just now felt like a dream.

In his imagination, becoming a cultivator would definitely involve undergoing various trials from the seniors in the group, and like Tang Sanzang on his journey to the West, enduring immense hardships before finally obtaining the method of eternal life.

He never expected that the seniors in the group, instead of posing difficulties, would offer all sorts of help.

If this were truly a dream, he sincerely hoped he wouldn't wake up.

In the Nine Provinces Number One Group, Northern River Loose Cultivator sent another message, instructing Shuhang: "Young friend Shuhang, if you ever have any questions on your cultivation path in the future, feel free to ask us in the group."

"Choosing the path of a loose cultivator means you won't have a teacher to guide your practice. So, if you encounter something you don't understand, ask immediately, especially regarding cultivation. Never be shy. Otherwise, one wrong step will lead to a cascade of errors. At best, it will waste your cultivation time; at worst, it could lead to qi deviation and bring great calamity upon you."

"Thank you for the reminder, senior." Speaking of questions, Song Shuhang immediately thought of one: "Right, senior North River. I wanted to ask, can Body Tempering Liquid be given to others? Like my parents and relatives? Are there any taboos in the group regarding this?"

Song Shuhang was not a selfish person.

The effects of Body Tempering Liquid were so good, even capable of removing many hidden ailments during the body tempering process, that his first thought went to his parents. Filial piety above all else.

"We have no such taboos. As long as you have surplus elixirs, it's fine to give them to your relatives. After all, elixirs are different from cultivation methods. Cultivation methods should not be easily passed on, but there are no restrictions on elixirs."

Northern River Loose Cultivator added, "However, I must remind you that the medicinal ingredients in this world are not as abundant as you might imagine. And there aren't many people as generous as Yurouzi. It's very likely you won't be able to obtain more medicinal ingredients for a while. With thirty-two sets of refining materials, even if you succeed in refining every time, you'll only get thirty-two portions of Body Tempering Liquid. This quantity might not even be enough for your hundred-day foundation establishment." Northern River Loose Cultivator explained gently.

He didn't dislike Shuhang's thought of giving the elixir to his family; in fact, he admired it.

To think of one's own family and friends first upon experiencing the benefits of body tempering showed a person who aligned with his preferences. Someone who understood benevolence, righteousness, and filial piety was someone he could feel at ease with as a fellow Daoist.

After all, few people would want to make lifelong friends with unpredictable demonic cultivators.