Dorm Seven's Boss, a Pharmacy Apprentice

After completing his registration, Duan Qingya stepped into Dorm Seven and surveyed the empty beds. Just as he was about to choose one for his belongings, a somewhat timid voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Um, are you a new student this year? We have a rule in Dorm Seven. Whenever a new student arrives, the boss has to fight them. Whoever wins becomes the boss of Dorm Seven."

Looking at the calm, unruffled Duan Qingya, Wang Sheng nervously explained Dorm Seven's rule.

"I want to choose a bed first. We can talk about fighting afterward."

Carrying his bundle, Duan Qingya walked around Wang Sheng. Already nervous, Wang Sheng instinctively replied, "Okay, I'll wait."

By the time Wang Sheng remembered his task, Duan Qingya had reached a bed near the corner, put down his bundle, and begun unpacking.

Feeling everyone's eyes on him, Wang Sheng could only steel himself and shout at Duan Qingya:

"Hey, now that you've picked your bed, it's time to fight me!"

Knowing he could not avoid it, Duan Qingya set down his quilt, walked slowly over to Wang Sheng, and said softly:

"Hello, my name is Duan Qingya. I'm not interested in becoming the boss of Dorm Seven."

"I'll probably be very busy later and often away from school. Even if I became your boss, I wouldn't be able to help you."

Wang Sheng did not believe Duan Qingya's explanation at all. Even if Duan Qingya was a work-study student, how busy could a six-year-old possibly be? These were all excuses to get out of it!

"We haven't even fought yet! Don't talk to me as though you're certain to win!"

Already somewhat angry, Wang Sheng spoke defiantly to Duan Qingya.

Duan Qingya had never expected Wang Sheng to be such a powder keg. He had barely said anything, and Wang Sheng had already exploded.

"All right. Let's talk after the match, then!"

Duan Qingya and Wang Sheng went to the newly cleared space and faced each other, settling into their opening stances.

"Ready—begin!"

At the starting signal, Wang Sheng charged at Duan Qingya with all his strength. He was determined to show Duan Qingya the gap between their abilities!

To Wang Sheng's surprise, Duan Qingya remained rooted to the spot as he drew closer. Wang Sheng could not help thinking:

Tch, I thought he'd be impressive, but he's already scared stiff! I'd better hold back a little. If I hit him too hard, it'll be awkward getting along later.

Wang Sheng had intended to use his full strength, but just before throwing his punch, he held back a little and shifted his target from Duan Qingya's stomach to his chest.

Thud!

His head spinning slightly, Wang Sheng stared at Dorm Seven's ceiling.

He did not understand. Why was he the one on the floor? Hadn't he just hit Duan Qingya?

"Heavens, Wang Sheng went down in one move! This new kid's really good!"

"No way, right? I think Wang Sheng held back. We're all going to share a dorm, after all. Taking it too seriously wouldn't be good."

Ignoring the chatter around him, Duan Qingya reached out and pulled Wang Sheng up. Once Wang Sheng was standing steadily, he asked, "Well? Want to go again?"

Seeing Duan Qingya assume his opening stance again, Wang Sheng no longer had his earlier drive.

He had not even seen how Duan Qingya had defeated him. If he attacked again now, could he really beat him?

Seeing Wang Sheng hesitate, Duan Qingya straightened up and proposed an arrangement. "How about this? We'll have another match when I get back. What do you say?"

With Duan Qingya offering him a way to save face, Wang Sheng's eyes shifted. After a moment's thought, he agreed. "I wasn't using my full strength just now. When you get back, I'll give it everything I've got!"

Paying no attention to what Wang Sheng said, Duan Qingya grabbed a few things and left the dorm.

His most important task now was to find a Pharmacy and become an apprentice medicine preparer.

Duan Qingya took a sheet of paper from inside his clothes. It listed Nuoding City's better-known pharmacies.

Once a Pharmacy gained a reputation, many people would come seeking treatment. Treating illnesses required prescriptions and medicine preparation. Writing prescriptions was the physician's job, while preparing the medicine naturally fell to the apprentices.

Before long, Duan Qingya arrived at the largest Pharmacy in Nuoding City. It had four open doorways, with people coming and going through every one.

Tiantian Pharmacy had even listed the conditions it could treat out front, including infertility and impotence.

As expected of Tiantian Pharmacy, the largest in Nuoding City. With this much foot traffic, they must bring in loads of medicinal herbs every day!

At the thought, Duan Qingya's eyes lit up. The more medicinal herbs passed through, the more chances he would have to come into contact with them.

The moment he stepped inside, Duan Qingya was drawn to Tiantian Pharmacy's medicine cabinets, which stood twice a person's height. Each cabinet was a meter wide, with drawers that pulled out a full arm's length.

Before Duan Qingya could take more than a few steps, however, a child about his age came up to ask what he needed.

"Sir, are you here to see a physician or buy medicine?"

"Tiantian Pharmacy has the best physicians and medicinal herbs in Nuoding City. Whatever you need, we'll do our best to accommodate you!"

The child greeting Duan Qingya wore a practiced smile and enthusiastically promoted Tiantian Pharmacy to him.

Not wanting to waste any more time, Duan Qingya got straight to the point and told the child why he had come.

"Hello, I'd like to speak to your manager."

"Shoo, shoo! You little brat, why aren't you studying at school instead of coming here to be a medicine-preparing apprentice?"

Tiantian Pharmacy's manager irritably pushed Duan Qingya out before he even had a chance to demonstrate anything.

"Besides, Tiantian Pharmacy has never been short of medicine-preparing apprentices!"

The manager turned and pointed out several children busy attending to customers, then went back into Tiantian Pharmacy without another glance.

Standing on the street once again, Duan Qingya looked at the manager who had thrown him out, shrugged helplessly, and turned toward the next Pharmacy.

What awaited Duan Qingya next, however, was one rejection after another. After having so many doors slammed in his face, he began to wonder whether he could find a suitable Pharmacy at all.

Tch, am I really going to have to head into the wilderness to find medicinal herbs and learn to identify them? But that would take far too much time. It would definitely hold up my cultivation.

Looking at the names he had crossed off his list one after another, Duan Qingya decided to calm down first. He was being a little too impatient.

After wandering through most of Nuoding City, Duan Qingya was drawn to a Pharmacy in a relatively remote, quiet part of town.

"Yao Luochen? Interesting. To dare choose a name like that—is the owner bold, or just bold?"

Standing outside the pharmacy beneath its "Yao Luochen" sign, Duan Qingya could not help muttering to himself.

The pharmacy had two doors, one wide open and the other half closed. A pot hung from the half-closed door.

As soon as Duan Qingya entered, the fresh fragrance of medicinal herbs curled around his nose.

"Sir, you don't look as though you're here to see a physician. Have you brought a prescription to be filled?"

A middle-aged man with a somewhat lean face and a distinctly dispirited air sat before a wall of medicine cabinets, giving Duan Qingya a kindly smile.

Duan Qingya surveyed the pharmacy's interior. Everything a pharmacy ought to have was present.

What surprised Duan Qingya most, however, was that this pharmacy, less than half the size of Tiantian Pharmacy, had a selection of medicinal herbs every bit as good—provided the medicine cabinets behind the man were not empty.

"Are you the owner here? I'd like to discuss something with the owner. It's very important."

Duan Qingya sat down in front of the man and asked softly and politely.