Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Weight of Wealth

The prescription is invaluable, especially those that junior brother wishes to learn—if it can improve one’s spiritual power and advance cultivation, it is even more so.

Ordinarily, a pharmacist in the Pill Chamber must serve for a full year and offer considerable contributions before being allowed to learn a new prescription.

Zhu, the Daoist, said, "Even I cannot bend the rules for you, unless—"

"Unless?" Ying Chen was stirred by this and quickly cupped his hands in inquiry. "Unless what? Please, elder brother, enlighten me."

"Unless you can learn on your own," Zhu replied. "The prescriptions you desire are actually available in the Library Pavilion, such as the Five Essence Spirit-Firming Powder, Snow Lotus Sand, Golden Marrow Paste, Dragon Scale Pill, and others."

"The price for redemption is not low, but if you succeed in mastering them, recouping the cost would be a simple matter..."

Ying Chen fell silent. "That may be true, but self-studying a prescription is not so easy."

The higher the grade, the more complex the prescription. Though he had self-taught the Three Herb Moonlight Powder, he had not underestimated the difficulty of pill-crafting arts.

Learning prescriptions in the Pill Chamber is not merely about obtaining the formula; there are medicinal books for reference, opportunities to observe other pharmacists at work, even direct guidance from pharmacists, pill masters, or ancient elders—all these are what matter most.

Were it not so, Ying Chen would not have gone to the Pill Chamber to learn.

"Self-studying a prescription is indeed not easy, but who says you must truly do it alone?" Zhu picked up his teacup, took a leisurely sip, and said, "As for pill-crafting, I myself have some insight and accomplishments; instructing you would not be difficult."

"The medicinal books you need, I can point out. Even personally opening a furnace for you to observe is but a trifling matter."

"This..." Ying Chen was certainly tempted, but did not rashly agree. Instead, he cupped his hands and said movingly, "With such attentive guidance from elder brother, I do not know how I could ever repay you."

"That is easily settled." Zhu chuckled. "In fact, I have been pondering a certain matter lately..."

"I am all ears," Ying Chen replied.

"It's a long story." Zhu sighed. "At first, when we built the channel and provided guarantees, it was all for the convenience of pharmacists selling their spirit medicines; thus, we set a fifty-fifty split. Now, looking back, it seems rather naive."

"You may not know, but every month, for this matter, the spirit stones and talisman coins I spend add up to this much." He gestured with his hand and sighed. "Truly, I have not profited a single coin and am already overwhelmed!"

Ying Chen's eyelid twitched. He heard the implication—Zhu was not simply seeking a greater share.

Sure enough, seeing him silent, Zhu went on, unconcerned, "I am preparing to propose a seventy-thirty split with the pharmacists. What do you think?"

"Isn't seventy-thirty too much?" Ying Chen asked.

"You are thinking too simply," Zhu replied. "If I don’t propose seventy-thirty, how will the pharmacists ever step back?"

Ying Chen could not help but nod; Zhu’s logic was not unfamiliar to him.

"You wish to learn prescriptions? Simple. I can teach you more than you imagine, and what you must do is just as simple—"

"Once you establish yourself in the Pill Chamber, you need only support me."

"When the matter is done, you will still have a fifty-fifty split."

Ying Chen fell silent.

The old saying goes, 'Better sacrifice a companion than oneself.' If he could learn new prescriptions and still keep his share, why care about the fate of the other pharmacists?

But the matter is not so simple—it could involve much more.

He pondered and tentatively asked, "I wish to know, elder brother: does Elder Gu know about your business?"

Zhu laughed heartily and countered, "Where do you think most of my spirit stones go each month for arrangements?"

Ying Chen felt it was as he expected, but this was the assurance he sought.

Feigning indecision, Ying Chen finally said, "All I need do is support you in changing the split?"

"Naturally." Zhu was already smiling, and without waiting for Ying Chen’s agreement, he said, "Brother Ying, a pleasant cooperation."

Ying Chen did not respond, merely nodded. "When may I consult you about the prescriptions?"

"Any time," Zhu replied.

"Then," Ying Chen rose and cupped his hands, "I will take my leave for now."

Zhu merely waved his hand, and Ying Chen turned and strode from the quiet room, leaving the Pill Chamber behind.

He felt vaguely that Zhu’s plan to change the split would not be so easily accomplished, but that was not a problem for the moment.

For now, he must secure what he needed.

He visited the Library Pavilion and examined the prescriptions Zhu had mentioned: Five Essence Spirit-Firming Powder, Snow Lotus Sand, Golden Marrow Paste, Dragon Scale Pill... These were indeed excellent choices, each offering unique assistance and benefit to his current cultivation.

Yet Ying Chen did not expect that the first obstacle would be the contribution points needed to obtain the prescriptions!

These days, he had earned some spirit stones through pill-crafting, but his focus had been on cultivation, not industriousness.

The spirit stones he earned merely sufficed to cover various expenses; to exchange contribution points for prescriptions was far out of reach.

"Perhaps I should return to the Pill Chamber and toil for a while?"

Ying Chen felt a headache coming on—he had other plans for these days, and if all his time was spent on pill-crafting, the priorities would be reversed.

"Wealth, oh wealth..."

Only after truly cultivating the Dao did one realize that 'methods, wealth, companions, and land' are not empty words.

"Rather than this, it might be better to seek out a lucrative task," Ying Chen considered. "I have spent too long meditating in the mountains; perhaps a change of scenery would benefit my cultivation."

But lucrative tasks were rare...

At this point, Ying Chen paused, suddenly recalling something.

He hurried to the Bone Hall and searched several times through the posted tasks from the General Affairs Court in the Bone Society, his gaze gradually shifting.

The Bone Society occasionally received benefits from the General Affairs Court or various chambers, but those lucrative tasks were just as sought after within the Bone Society.

Thus, Ying Chen did not find a satisfactory option, but unexpectedly, his attention was drawn to a piece of news once more.

"In the southeast, underground, baleful energy is growing..."

Ying Chen stroked his chin. For cultivators of the demonic sect, underground baleful energy is a treasure—useful for spell cultivation, refining magical tools, corpse raising, puppet making—no sect could do without it.

For the Five Filth Origin Baleful Arts he intended to cultivate, if he could refine baleful energy from the earth as one of the filth, it would greatly enhance the quality of his forged origin baleful power.

Ying Chen had originally thought to find a moment to collect some filth for cultivation; now, seeing this, his interest was immediately piqued.

If he could gather some underground baleful energy, not only could he cultivate spells, but the surplus could be sold for spirit stones—a perfect strategy, achieving two goals with one effort.