"Yes, I've memorized every herb described in the Hundred Herbs Pharmacopoeia, inside and out."
"Pharmacist Chen, feel free to test me."
Lin Chang'sheng spoke with obvious confidence.
"Alright, then let me quiz you. Don't say I never gave you a chance."
Pharmacist Chen frowned ever so slightly, but still picked up the Hundred Herbs Pharmacopoeia and flipped open a random page.
This Lin Chang'sheng—he'd only been at the Hundred Herbs Hall for just over five days. Chen couldn't believe that in so little time, Lin had chewed through the whole fat Pharmacopoeia, and memorized it forwards and backwards?
"Only five days with the Pharmacopoeia and you think you're ready to be a Medicine Boy? Hmph........"
"He just kept flipping through the book; didn't see him actually reciting anything. Maybe the kid's head isn't screwed on right?"
"True gold fears no fire. We'll find out in the test soon enough, hehe......"
"......."
Right then, the other youths who'd been reciting the Pharmacopoeia with Lin started whispering to each other when they saw Lin go for the assessment. Everyone wanted to see him make a fool of himself.
"Tell me about the medicinal properties of Ligustrum."
Pharmacist Chen looked at Lin Chang'sheng and spoke plainly.
"Ligustrum: Fruit, oval-shaped, some slightly curved, skin is blue-black and wrinkled; both ends are blunt and rounded, base has a stem mark, odorless, taste sweet with a hint of bitterness; main functions: nourishes liver and kidneys, strengthens waist and knees. Treats yin deficiency with internal heat, dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus, soreness of back and knees, premature graying. Benefits liver and kidneys, improves eyesight, darkens hair."
"Mhm."
Pharmacist Chen nodded lightly and continued, "Now tell me about motherwort!"
"Motherwort: Belongs to the Lamiaceae family, annual or biennial herb, root has densely packed fine roots...... Main effects: invigorates blood, dissolves stasis, regulates menstruation, reduces swelling, treats miscarriage and difficult labor, painful swelling and ulcers.....etc!"
Lin Chang'sheng replied instantly, calm and collected.
"Hmm? What about Bletilla?"
Pharmacist Chen flipped to Bletilla, and Lin Chang'sheng recited the details without missing a beat.
Pharmacist Chen then tested him on kudzu root, almond, wormwood, snow lotus and a dozen other herbs, all picked randomly from the Pharmacopoeia. Unbelievably, Lin called out each one like he knew them all his life—no hesitation!
"Five days, and you've learned to recite the Hundred Herbs Pharmacopoeia by heart. You probably had some prior knowledge of herbology, but that's fine—so long as you can master the Pharmacopoeia, you qualify to be a Medicine Boy. In that case, I'll recommend you to help out Alchemist Li."
Pharmacist Chen looked at Lin Chang'sheng with a satisfied gleam in his eyes.
In his mind, Lin Chang'sheng must've had some background with herbs already—there's no other way he could memorize all that cold.
"Wait, he really recited everything?"
"This kid must've gone through all the medical books before. Sure, you could flip through it a dozen times in five days, but to recite all of it verbatim? No way."
"......"
The other ten or so youths who'd come with Lin Chang'sheng were visibly stunned at his flawless recitation.
.......
With Pharmacist Chen's help, Lin Chang'sheng was soon sent to Alchemist Li's side as an assistant—a Medicine Boy.
His job: while Alchemist Li was working on alchemy, Lin prepared and set out the herbs, making the work go smoothly. Lin had heard that Alchemist Li excelled at refining Qi Replenishing Pill, Qi Blood Pill, and Essence Stabilizing Pill!
"Elder Li, someone owed my dad silver and paid it back with wine—I don't drink, but I know you love a good brew, so I brought you some to try!"
That afternoon, Lin Chang'sheng went to a tavern and spent 10 taels of silver for a quality jar of aged Carefree Brew. He snuck it to the Alchemy Room, presenting it to Alchemist Li Changchun.
If you want the pill formula, you've gotta give something in return. Otherwise, why would anyone teach you?
"Oh?"
When Li Changchun saw Lin Chang'sheng hand over the Carefree Brew, his face lit up—a student worth teaching. He smiled, "What did you just call me?"
"Uh...Disciple Lin Chang'sheng greets you, Master!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Chang'sheng respectfully cupped his fists in salute.
"Good, that's the proper way!"
Li Changchun waved his hand and said, "Alright, go on—prepare ten sets of herbs for the Qi Replenishing Pill formula sitting on the table."
"Yes, Master!"
With a spark of excitement, Lin Chang'sheng turned to grab the pill formula.
With the pill formula, he could simplify things!
So when the time came—
With his new title as Alchemist's apprentice, elixirs would flow endlessly, and his rise to First-class Expert would become a lot easier!
[Detected pill formula: Qi Replenishing Pill! Spend 1 tael of silver to Simplify?]
Once Lin memorized the formula for the Qi Replenishing Pill, as soon as it locked into his mind, a red prompt popped up on his skill panel.
"Simplify!"
Lin Chang'sheng confirmed at once.
[Great Dao is Simple: Qi Replenishing Pill simplification....... Simplifying...... Qi Replenishing Pill simplified—now just roll a mudball!]
As soon as Lin affirmed, in less than ten heartbeats, another red prompt appeared.
"Wait, what?"
"Roll a mudball?"
Seeing the prompt, Lin Chang'sheng's eyes widened in surprise.
This was way too easy.
Just rolling a mudball could boost alchemy experience for Qi Replenishing Pills.
See, a regular Alchemist only had a certain success rate.
The more experience you built up with Qi Replenishing Pill, the higher your success rate.
Say someone else brings in ten sets of herbs and asks for four pills. If your success rate is 100%,
You could keep the remaining six pills as profit.
No need to supply your own herbs, and you get elixirs pouring in nonstop—and an Alchemist's pay is way better than a Medicine Boy's.
[Alchemy: Qi Replenishing Pill (0/100)]
Lin Chang'sheng looked at his skill panel, and decided that after work, he'd roll some mudballs to boost his experience.
......
County Government Office.
Back courtyard.
"Old Li, are you certain the bamboo shavings from Lin Chang'sheng's home are made from the same wood as the shafts of the four arrows that killed my brother?"
A still striking woman stared at the elderly man in black before her, her beautiful face contorted with a hint of malice.
"From my observations, they're identical."
Old Li nodded.
He knew he couldn't beat Lin Chang'sheng himself, but the Gang Leader's little sister was also Wife to the County Magistrate—the Magistrate wouldn't turn a blind eye, would he?
If Lin Chang'sheng died, he'd avenge his own son as well.
"I want Lin Chang'sheng dead! Skinned and sliced!"
Ma Qian turned to County Magistrate Chen Ling beside her and declared.
"Don't worry—this guy won't live much longer."
Chen Ling answered calmly.
.......
"Oh my god, look! An immortal! Flying Heaven with Sword!"
"I never thought I'd witness an immortal soaring sky in my lifetime!"
"I'd always heard tales of immortals, but never saw one myself. After today, I could die happily!"
"........"
By afternoon,
West City Street was packed with people. Lin Chang'sheng was on his way back from Hundred Herbs Hall when he overheard lots of excited chatter—folks pointing at the sky, eyes wide in awe.
"Immortal?"
Hearing the buzz, Lin Chang'sheng looked up. Two streaks of sword light flashed across the sky.
It was two flying swords—one fiery red, ridden by a man in white robes.
The other pale blue, ridden by a woman in blue. Both of them rode their swords as flashing streams of light, zooming toward the horizon and vanishing in seconds.
"Flying Heaven with Sword!"
"Now that I've got a skill panel...will I ever reach that level, too?"
Gazing upward at the two vanished sword-lights, Lin Changchun's eyes sparkled with hope and envy.
A new life.
He'd crossed into a world where Martial Artists could uproot mountains, and Immortals could shatter stars with a flick. Who wouldn't want to ride a sword across heaven and earth?
Raise a cup and sing as you go?