You're to Become a Bronze-Rank Pharmacist

You're to Become a Bronze-Rank Pharmacist

"Bronze-Rank Pharmacist..." Zhang He's heart gave a jolt. He already had a clear understanding of the Pharmacist Association's promotion system. To a large extent, his promotion to Iron-Rank Pharmacist had been thanks to a twist of fate: Mengyin City had happened to suffer that calamity, giving him the opportunity.

To become an ordinary pharmacist, one needed five hundred contribution points from the Pharmacist Association. Normally, a task from the Association paid only ten points; with good luck, one might get twenty at most. A traveling pharmacist who joined the Association would need to complete around forty or fifty tasks. Each task took at least three or four days, and longer ones could take half a month or even more.

To become an Iron-Rank Pharmacist, one needed five thousand contribution points! That meant it took even more effort to reach Iron-Rank. Of course, ordinary pharmacists could take on higher-level tasks at the Association and earn greater rewards.

To rise from Iron-Rank Pharmacist to Bronze-Rank Pharmacist, one needed fifty thousand contribution points!

To rise from Bronze-Rank Pharmacist to Silver-Rank Pharmacist, one needed five hundred thousand contribution points!

To rise from Silver-Rank Pharmacist to Gold-Rank Pharmacist, one needed five million contribution points! And that was nothing compared to the highest rank, King-Rank Pharmacist. In short, the higher one climbed, the harder it became!

Zhang He fell silent. Becoming a Bronze-Rank Pharmacist in a short time was simply too difficult!

"Is there any way I can earn a lot of contribution points in a short time?" Zhang He asked, unwilling to give up. Where there was a will, there was a way. He shouldn't give up so easily.

"Earn a lot of contribution points in a short time?" Lu Tiao smiled wryly. "Not everyone in the Pharmacist Association is as lucky as you, able to earn a huge number of contribution points quickly through such a major event. If you want to become a Bronze-Rank Pharmacist, you'll have to take on tasks one step at a time."

Seeing the disappointment on Zhang He's face, Lu Tiao smiled bitterly. "Sigh, if you only needed a few leaves, I could still help you. But you need the root, and there's nothing I can do about that."

Zhang He smiled wryly. Getting that root was like digging up the ground beneath all the senior pharmacists. If he didn't rely on his own abilities, no one would accept it. If Lu Tiao did it for him, the others would surely resent him.

"Don't be discouraged. You're an Iron-Rank Pharmacist now, so you can take on higher-level tasks. If you work harder and complete a few more, I'm sure you'll reach Bronze-Rank soon," Lu Tiao reassured him.

"What kind of task earns the most contribution points here?" Zhang He asked helplessly. If that was the case, he could only take on tasks while continuing to search on his own.

"Tasks helping people refine pills that can raise their cultivation, of course. But those are the hardest tasks to get. Each one costs a great deal to complete. Of course, risk and reward go hand in hand. That's why they offer the most contribution points," Lu Tiao said after a moment's thought.

"Pills that help people raise their cultivation?" Zhang He's eyes lit up. "How many contribution points can you usually earn?"

"That depends on the level. Helping someone reach the Skin Tempering Realm usually earns around a hundred points. Helping someone reach the Bone Refining Realm gets you about three hundred; the Marrow Refining Realm, around eight hundred; and the True Qi Seed stage earns even more, at least two thousand points. The higher the level, the more points you get." Lu Tiao explained it to Zhang He, then saw his excitement and froze. Hesitantly, he asked, "Are you really planning to take on a task like that? I should warn you, these tasks are thankless. The people who post them here are usually either rich or influential."

Those who posted tasks to raise their cultivation were usually people who had taken precious pills and medicines, yet still had no hope of breaking through. Think about it: if they had already taken so many pills and medicines but still couldn't break through, they must have some kind of physical defect. Even if they went to the Pharmacist Association, its pharmacists weren't immortals. How could they help them raise their cultivation with ease?

Zhang He, however, was thrilled. Helping people raise their cultivation? That was exactly what he excelled at! He had studied the Myriad Poison True Scripture and grasped the true principles of using poison, with the greatest aim of helping himself improve his cultivation. And whether it was himself, Fatty Tang, or Wang Dachui, all of them had proven the astonishing effects of his various pills!

Even people of such ordinary aptitude as Fatty Tang and Wang Dachui had reached the True Qi Seed stage in just one month. Of course Zhang He had confidence in himself!

Most importantly, helping people raise their cultivation was something he could mass-produce! As long as he gave his improved Ten-Perfect Dominant Qi to people below the True Qi Seed stage, they would surely develop a great deal of qi sensation in a short time. It would be hard for them not to improve their cultivation!

"Excellent. I'll take every task helping people raise their cultivation, as long as it's below the True Martial Realm!" Zhang He declared on the spot.

If it was a task to help someone reach the True Martial Realm, Zhang He would have to refine a large quantity of...

"What?" Lu Tiao was instantly stunned. He stared at Zhang He as if he were a monster. "You're serious?"

"Of course! As luck would have it, among the prescriptions my teacher taught me, there are a few that can help people improve their cultivation." Zhang He nodded.

Seeing Zhang He's expression, Lu Tiao knew he was serious and not just talking nonsense. Lu Tiao's eyes immediately lit up. "If that's true, I'm sure you can earn a huge number of contribution points in less than half a year. But since you're so confident, I actually have another idea that could help you earn enough points even faster. Judging by the way you're acting, you seem to be in a hurry to get the Qushen Redwood Fruit. There's another medicinal ingredient you're desperate to find, too, isn't there?"

Lu Tiao began coaxing him like an old fox.

Zhang He narrowed his eyes and stared at Lu Tiao until the man gave an awkward laugh. Only then did Zhang He slowly speak. "I wonder what good idea Master Lu has?"

Zhang He now had the upper hand, and Lu Tiao seemed to need something from him, so naturally he had to hold firm. Besides, according to Zhang He's calculations, as long as there were enough tasks, he could earn the fifty thousand contribution points he needed in just one month. Why would he need to wait half a year?

"Let the Pharmacist Association act as your agent for those pills that raise cultivation. That way, you won't have to wait as long as it takes to complete tasks—you can earn a large number of contribution points in a short time. You'll gain both fame and fortune. Why not? And when the time comes, I'll send your request for the other medicinal ingredient to headquarters. I'm sure that ingredient will also cost a huge number of contribution points. Once you have enough points, everything will be easy, won't it?"

Lu Tiao had finally shown his fox's tail, but Zhang He's heart stirred. The man was right!

Lu Tiao sipped his tea as he watched Zhang He, carefully gauging his reaction. He seemed calm on the surface, but inside he was terribly nervous. If Zhang He's pills could really raise someone's cultivation in a short time, their value would be impossible to measure. If the Luowang Prefecture Pharmacist Association could handle their sales, the way the Wang Family Pharmacy handled the Five Poison Beads, it would bring the Association unimaginable benefits—and earn Lu Tiao a generous reward as well!

Lu Tiao was tempted!

Zhang He knew what Lu Tiao was thinking. The man had his eye on Ten-Perfect Dominant Qi, the pill that raised cultivation. It was just like how Wang Pengyu had recognized his talent and seized the opportunity of the Five Poison Beads at a crucial moment!

But what Lu Tiao wanted this time was very different from the Five Poison Beads! The Corpse Poison Beetle had only flared up for a while before dying down. But in Luowang Prefecture, throughout the Western Chu Kingdom, and even across the entire continent, countless people were cultivating!

As long as people kept cultivating, demand for pills that raised cultivation would never end! If the Pharmacist Association could build a reputation for providing them, its influence across the whole continent would rise at once.

Thinking of this, Zhang He felt confident.

"These pills that raise cultivation are extremely precious. But if the Pharmacist Association can show its sincerity, I might agree to let it act as my agent," Zhang He said at his leisure. At that moment, he was a merchant. Merchants pursued profit, and Zhang He intended to secure the greatest possible benefit for himself!

"You little fox!" Lu Tiao smiled wryly. He had expected that Zhang He wouldn't agree so easily.

"I can't give you a definite answer right now. I'll need to discuss it with the other managers of the Pharmacist Association before we decide what we can offer. Do you have any of this medicine with you? We need to evaluate it first before we can determine its final value," Lu Tiao said.

Zhang He reached into his robe and pretended to rummage around for a few moments. Secretly, he took a white porcelain bottle from his Universe Bag. Inside was a weakened version of the Ten-Perfect Dominant Qi liquid.

Lu Tiao's heart surged. He took the bottle and carefully put it away.

"By the way, I'll write out another list of medicinal ingredients. Send it along with the other request and see if you can help me find them all." Zhang He had a sudden thought. Since he was going to call on such a powerful organization as the Pharmacist Association, why not make the most of it?

Lu Tiao brought Zhang He some paper. Zhang He picked up a pen and quickly began drawing. In no time, vivid images sprang onto the page!

"Excellent drawing! I can't match that skill, either!" Lu Tiao watched Zhang He's hand dance across the page. In moments, a lifelike image appeared before him, and he couldn't help exclaiming in admiration.

He couldn't help growing curious about Zhang He's teacher. What kind of person was he, to have taught such an extraordinary disciple?

Zhang He handed all the finished drawings of the medicinal herbs to Lu Tiao. He wasn't worried that Lu Tiao might figure out how to make the Mind-Clearing Pill after learning its ingredients. Its preparation was extremely complicated and required the strictest steps and precise measurements. One slip, and it would turn into useless dregs—or even deadly poison.

"I'll give you an answer within three days. If you don't have anything urgent to do, stay here for now. I'll have someone arrange a place for you. If you get bored, you can also explore the city," Lu Tiao told Zhang He.

"All right. I'll look around, then." Zhang He thought it over and nodded. He remembered that Lian Yunbi's birthday was coming soon, and he ought to buy her a present. He also needed to bring something back for his mother and younger sister.