Renting a House to Make Pills

Only after Zhou Yi's figure disappeared did the entire training ground truly come back to life.

Lu Chen walked over to Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, patting them on the shoulders. "You two free this afternoon? Come into the city with me."

Their first-year freshman courses were very few, usually consisting of physical training and laying foundations.

Most days, they only had classes for half the day.

The rest of the time was free.

Lu Chen intended to use the afternoon to rent a place outside and get his pill-making business up and running as soon as possible.

"Into the city?" Huo Yuhao raised his head curiously. "Brother Lu, what are you going into the city for?"

"To rent a house." Lu Chen was brief and to the point.

The moment those three words left his mouth, Wang Dong visibly froze, and a trace of barely perceptible panic flashed through his eyes.

"Rent a house? Lu Chen, are you moving out?"

Lu Chen rolled his eyes at Wang Dong. "Why would I move out? If anyone's moving out, it should be you."

"I want to rent a place to make pills. If you don't want me turning the dorm into a smoky mess, I can do it there instead. I'd even save on rent."

As the home of the continent's number-one academy, Shrek City gathered Spirit Masters, merchants, and powers from across the continent.

Housing prices within the city had long been driven to levels that left ordinary people speechless. The monthly rent for the most basic single apartment was enough to support an ordinary family for a year.

Spirit Masters themselves were also part of a profession with enormous expenses.

Cultivation required pill assistance, and Soul Tools needed regular maintenance and replacement.

Every single expense burned through money.

Most Spirit Masters seemed glamorous on the surface, but in reality, there was not much left in their pockets.

Therefore, Shrek Academy did not prohibit students from living off-campus, though the overwhelming majority still obediently stayed in the academy dormitories.

"What? You can make pills too?!"

Hearing that Lu Chen was doing this to make pills, Wang Dong could not help but let out a breath of relief.

At the same time, he was shocked that Lu Chen could actually make pills as well.

"I can handle some basic pills."

"As for more complicated ones, my skill level isn't high enough yet."

Lu Chen stroked his chin thoughtfully.

At his current level, he could at most refine Intermediate Pills.

Even if he were given the formula for the Qinglan Cleansing Marrow Pill that the system had reorganized, he still would not be able to make it.

"Freak!" Wang Dong said resentfully.

What kind of person was this? Not only was he powerful himself, he could even make pills.

And here Wang Dong had thought of himself as a genius.

Compared to Lu Chen, Lu Chen was the real genius.

Huo Yuhao had learned yesterday that Lu Chen could make pills, so he was not overly surprised. He merely gave an apologetic smile. "Brother Lu, I won't go with you. I'm planning to return to the dorm and rest for a while so I can cultivate this afternoon."

Huo Yuhao had a very clear understanding of his own strength.

He had the lowest cultivation in the class and the weakest physique.

No, more accurately, he had the lowest cultivation in the entire academy.

Therefore, he needed to spend more time cultivating than everyone else.

When they encountered Dai Huabin today, Brother Lu had been there to help him.

But Brother Lu could not stay by his side forever. He needed to grow stronger as soon as possible.

"All right, then cultivate well. But remember to get some rest."

Seeing Huo Yuhao decline, Lu Chen merely patted his shoulder, encouragement in his eyes.

For Huo Yuhao, improving his own strength was indeed the most important matter at present.

"I understand, Brother Lu."

Huo Yuhao grinned, though his smile carried a hint of embarrassment.

"What about you, Wang Dong? If you have nothing to do this afternoon, come out with me."

Lu Chen turned to Wang Dong and raised an eyebrow.

If Wang Dong did not go, Lu Chen would have to go alone.

"Fine. I'm bored anyway, so I'll reluctantly accompany you."

"But you have to treat me to lunch. I want to eat at the best restaurant in Shrek City!"

Wang Dong agreed reluctantly with his words, but his feet had already unconsciously shifted half a step toward Lu Chen.

"What's so good about restaurants? I'll let you taste my cooking later. That's what you call incredible!"

After saying goodbye to Huo Yuhao, Lu Chen led Wang Dong out toward Shrek City.

"Keep bragging. I think you just don't want to spend the money."

Wang Dong hurried two steps to catch up.

After saying goodbye to Huo Yuhao, Lu Chen led Wang Dong toward Shrek City.

After spending an afternoon looking around, Lu Chen finally chose a Courtyard in the outskirts of Shrek City.

The overall living space was not particularly large, around two hundred square meters. It had two bedrooms, a complete kitchen and bathroom, and a small yard.

Yet even for such a house, the rent in a place as valuable as Shrek City reached a terrifying one hundred Gold Soul Coins per month.

That was already comparable to the subsidy the three great empires gave Shrek Academy for a Spirit Zun-level student.

Lu Chen also added some furniture and household Soul Tools, then hired someone to clean the rooms.

Only then did the Courtyard finally look presentable.

"Lu Chen, this room will be mine from now on."

After the cleaning lady had made the bed, Wang Dong lazily sprawled across it.

Though it was not as comfortable as his home at the Clear Sky Sect, it carried a distinctly different feeling.

"Get up, get up. There's no place for you here."

Lu Chen grabbed Wang Dong by the arm and pulled him off the bed.

Lu Chen did have a selfish reason for choosing a two-bedroom Courtyard as his place for making pills.

When they went on break, it could serve as a place for him and Qian Renxue to stay.

That way, he and Qian Renxue would have a "home" in this era.

"Tch, stingy."

After being dragged off the bed by Lu Chen, Wang Dong snorted unhappily. He casually dusted off nonexistent dirt from the corner of his clothes, then added, "What about that feast someone promised me? Don't tell me you were really just bragging. I remember someone saying not long ago that he'd let me taste his cooking, saying something like, 'That's what you call incredible'—"

Wang Dong deliberately drew out the last word, repeating every word Lu Chen had said earlier without missing a single one. His tone was filled with undisguised teasing.

Lu Chen crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "What, you don't believe me?"

"I'd be crazy to believe you."

Wang Dong answered without hesitation.

Lu Chen's Soul Power rank was already among the best of his peers, and now he could even make pills.

And now he was claiming that his cooking was incredible.

There was no way Wang Dong would believe it.

After all, a person's energy was limited. Cultivation and pill-making alike required a great deal of accumulated time.

As for Lu Chen's claim that his cooking was amazing, Wang Dong felt that at best, Lu Chen could make something that was not inedible.

"Fine, fine. If I don't make you swallow your tongue today, I'll write my name backward."

With that, Lu Chen turned and headed for the kitchen.

When buying furniture, he had also picked up some ingredients. His purpose was to cook himself a little meal here whenever he became tired from making pills.

Half an hour later, two glowing dishes on the stone table in the small yard completely conquered Wang Dong's stomach.

"Delicious, so delicious."

"Lu Chen, I want to eat this again tomorrow."

Wang Dong mumbled with his mouth stuffed full.

Even he did not notice that there was a slightly coquettish note in his voice when he said it.

"What are you thinking? You want to eat it again tomorrow?"

"Remember to wash the dishes after you finish. I'm going to make pills. Don't disturb me unless it's important."

Lu Chen rejected him without even thinking.

As friends and roommates, he could occasionally cook them a meal.

But there was clearly no way he would become their long-term cook.

After saying that, Lu Chen stood and walked to the other side of the small yard.