Coursework

Song Yan and Lin Qing chatted as they walked and soon arrived at the Pill Academy.

The Pill Academy was sizable. The lecture was held in the main hall of the Teaching Pavilion. Both knew their way around and soon found seats.

Song Yan was one of the Pill Academy's chore attendants that month, so he sat at the far right of the second row, with Lin Qing behind him.

"..."

Song Yan closed his eyes to rest, but in truth, he was racing against time to practice the nameless mnemonic he had obtained in that black-and-white space.

Song Yan's original advantage was that his divine sense was slightly stronger than most people's. If he could widen that advantage, refining pills might become easier.

There was still some time before the lecture began, and more disciples gradually gathered around them. Most were Outer Sect Disciples, with only a few inner disciples.

That was only natural. Inner disciples who wanted to learn could freely choose among the four academies. Lectures generally covered the basics, mainly to answer questions and clear up confusion for Outer Sect Disciples who had no one to guide them.

Perhaps because this lecture was being given by an elder from another sect, there were slightly more inner disciples than usual.

Just then, an old man with the bearing of an immortal sage entered the hall, surrounded by Pill Academy Elder Hu Zheng, Pill Academy disciple Zhou Wen, and a young man and woman.

The whispers in the hall abruptly ceased.

"I am Shen Yu of the Xuanyuan Sect. I came to visit the Dongyuan Sect to discuss some matters, and as it happened, an old friend... your Elder Hu invited me to speak to you about the art of refining pills."

"I have gained a little insight into pill refinement. Today, I shall share it openly. Please, take your seats."

Wang Xi and Shen Huai sat in the first row, with Zhou Wen beside them, while Elder Hu took the assistant lecturer's seat.

"The art of pill refinement is vast and profound. Take the Qi-Nourishing Pill, the simplest pill in the cultivation world, for example..."

Song Yan listened ravenously.

This Elder Shen from another sect taught wonderfully!

He used the simplest, lowest-grade Qi-Nourishing Pill to illustrate all manner of knowledge about the Dao of Alchemy, progressing from the shallow to the profound and revealing the greater whole through small examples.

Looking back on his own pill-refining methods, Song Yan realized there were so many oversights and misconceptions in areas he had never even noticed.

"So that's how it works..."

Song Yan concentrated fully on absorbing this most basic knowledge of the Dao of Alchemy.

In his view, apart from occasionally revealing an uncomfortable sense of superiority in his words, Elder Shen was truly accomplished.

The main thing was that far too few elders taught how to refine Qi-Nourishing Pills these days.

The other elders are always going on about Yellow Sprout Pills or Qi-Congealing Pills... Elder Shen is much more down-to-earth.

That was what Song Yan thought.

But the others did not agree.

"A dignified elder of the Xuanyuan Sect... came here just to talk about Qi-Nourishing Pills?"

It was not only the inner disciples who were puzzled.

Even some Outer Sect Disciples exchanged looks, their interest flagging.

Shen Yu noticed, of course, but he did not care. He had never intended to teach properly in the first place.

"Mm... doing this may reduce the likelihood of failed pills."

Shen Yu spoke casually, while Song Yan frantically took notes.

"All right, that will be all for today's lesson."

Shen Yu gave a light cough. "We will be lecturing at the Dongyuan Sect for three days. If you are interested, you may return tomorrow."

"As I am not a member of the Dongyuan Sect, today's coursework will not be compulsory. Those who wish to learn may go back and refine a Qi-Nourishing Pill, then submit it tomorrow for us to assess."

In truth, Shen Yu was merely going through the verbal motions as Hu Zheng had requested.

What do the pill-refining skills of Dongyuan Sect disciples have to do with me, an elder of the Xuanyuan Sect?

Besides, they are all misshapen melons and cracked dates from the outer sect. Having an elder like me assess them is simply absurd.

It was still early in the day. Fired with enthusiasm, Song Yan struck while the iron was hot and his memories were fresh. He went to the Pill Workshop, rented a lower-quality pill-refining room and Pill Furnace, and refined a batch of Qi-Nourishing Pills.

"Mm, Elder Shen was right after all."

Song Yan nodded delightedly, feeling none of his usual fatigue after refining pills.

"There's no need to control every single thing inside the furnace. The medicinal properties will respond to one another on their own. Save more divine sense and spiritual power to control the medicinal properties and the heat..."

And whether it was his imagination or not, he felt that his divine sense seemed to have improved a little again.

Could it be that nameless mnemonic?

"Could it work that quickly?"

He gazed at this batch of Qi-Nourishing Pills, beside himself with joy.

Judging by their quality and the spiritual power they contained, they would even be useful for his own cultivation.

The next day, the disciples handed in the pills they had refined, and Song Yan did the same.

The pills would not be assessed in class. Usually, the lecturer's disciples or pill attendants would sort them, write comments, and finally hand them back.

Over the following two days, aside from elaborating on some knowledge not explored in depth on the first day, the lectures began to include some history of the Dao of Alchemy and a little introductory knowledge about Yellow Sprout Pills.

Although it did not feel as useful as the first day's material, it was still knowledge of the Dao of Alchemy, and Song Yan did not turn his nose up at it.

Yellow Sprout Pills were among the most commonly used pills for Qi Refining Stage cultivators. Their refining process and technical requirements were considerably more difficult than those of Qi-Nourishing Pills, and Song Yan had no plans to spend Spirit Stones practicing their refinement just yet.

Soon, the three days of lectures were over.

A quarter past the hour of the Rooster, Dragonhead Mountain.

The Returning Hall.

"Wang Xi, Shen Huai, you two sort these out. Pick a few good ones and write whatever comments you like."

Shen Yu's brows drew into a deep frown. "Having an elder personally teach Outer Sect Disciples to refine pills-what kind of sense does that make...? No wonder the Dongyuan Sect hasn't produced a second Golden Core in all these years."

"All their time is wasted on things like this..."

He swept his broad sleeve and left.

Wang Xi and Shen Huai exchanged a glance, said nothing, and began sorting through the pile of pills.

Although Shen Yu had stressed that it was not compulsory, no Outer Sect Disciple would waste this opportunity. Even if someone wanted to, they would not have the nerve.

"..."

Wang Xi merely browsed through them idly, while Shen Huai worked with care.

Most of these pills, however, were too terrible to look at.

"It hasn't even formed a pill. A complete and utter failure..."

With a mocking expression, Wang Xi picked up a pill that, among those they had seen so far, actually ranked fairly high.

"The Dongyuan Sect's standards are so rotten, they've exceeded my expectations."

Shen Huai continued her work expressionlessly and said in a cold voice, "Most of these were refined by Outer Sect Disciples of the Dongyuan Sect. They hardly have any opportunities to practice in the first place. This is perfectly normal."

"If you had our sect's outer disciples refine them, I doubt there would be much difference."

"...Heh."

Wang Xi gave a soft laugh, its meaning unclear.

Shen Huai paid no attention to his contemptuous tone.

But then again.

These pills really were a complete mess.

For such simple pills, so few had even taken shape...

A failed pill.

A failed pill.

Another failed pill.

If the furnace explosion has left it looking nothing like a pill, don't submit it!

Mm, finally, one that barely qualifies as an effective pill.

The problem with this pill is its mediocre quality and unstable shape. The finishing steps were far too rushed.

The problem with this one is that, although its shape is decent, it contains far, far too little spiritual power. There must have been a problem with the proportions of spirit medicines, but it formed a pill through sheer luck.

Qi-Nourishing Pills contain little spiritual power to begin with. At this point, what difference is there between a cultivator eating this and eating candy?

The problem with this one...

Hmm?

The one who discovered that strange pill was not Shen Huai, but Wang Xi.

Out of the corner of her eye, Shen Huai noticed Wang Xi staring blankly and thought he was slacking off. When she turned to look, however, she found him holding a pill between his fingers, examining it over and over in a daze.

"What...?"

Shen Huai focused her gaze on it, and her expression changed slightly.

"Huh?"