Zhuang Yue didn’t know Shen Qing well and what she liked to talk about, so he chose to start a conversation about the ancient legends they learned in class.
At first, Shen Qing listened quietly, only speaking in a few words. But with Zhuang Yue deliberately prompting her, the conversation continued for a long time.
Mingguang, though a long-established immortal sect, was no less historically rich than Zhengxi Sect. Shen Qing also told Zhuang Yue about people and events from the same period, indirectly supporting the authenticity of the legends. Zhuang Yue gained a lot from listening to her.
That evening, at Zhuang Yue’s invitation, Shen Qing sat with the three of them for the first time, eating together at the same table.
Seeing this change, Zhong Yunyi finally acknowledged the reality—Zhuang Yue had gone from being her follower to becoming Shen Qing’s.
She was a bit angry at Zhuang Yue’s betrayal, but if it meant that things could go more smoothly with Shen Qing, she could accept the “betrayal” of one Zhuang Yue.
Shen Qing, inexplicably, noticed that at some point, going in and out with Zhuang Yue had become a matter of course. Though she didn’t find his presence irritating, having someone around made her uneasy, as she feared it would be inconvenient to do certain things.
Zhuang Yue, on the other hand, felt that Shen Qing wasn’t as aloof as she appeared, and interacting with her was more comfortable than with Zhong Yunyi.
Furthermore, considering Shen Qing’s background, personality, and experiences, once his true gender was revealed, she would probably be more accepting than Zhong Yunyi, who had a stronger sense of belonging to Mingguang... right?
Zhuang Yue wasn’t very sure about this.
More than a month later, they had finished learning the basic foundation-building chapter and completed the beginner herb identification in the alchemy course, moving on to the processing stage.
In the classroom, Senior Sister Jiang, with her arms crossed, surveyed the room. She only had eight students in her class and quickly walked around the classroom from end to end.
One by one, she corrected their mistakes. Watching her students, whether skillful or clumsy, handle the herbs, Senior Sister Jiang said solemnly, “The value of an herb lies in how it’s harvested. Whether it has great medicinal effects depends on whether you handle it properly. Do not be careless. The quality of the herb, whether it’s low or high-grade, is determined by your attention to detail.”
Several new disciples became even more cautious after hearing this. Senior Sister Jiang nodded in satisfaction, "It's better to be three points slower than to rush for a single moment. (寧可慢上三分，也不可争搶一瞬 directly translates as it's better to be three points slower than to rush for a single moment. This means that it's better to be cautious and take more time than to rush and make a mistake. It emphasizes being deliberate and careful over being fast or hasty.) This concoction isn't about watching the furnace; one mistake and it's over."
Zhuang Yue focused intently, evenly processing the herbs in his hands. After gently kneading them, he rolled them into a small ball.
Senior Sister Jiang saw this and praised, "Zhuang Yue, you’re doing very well. With this level, you could already go help out and earn some cloud tokens."
Zhuang Yue's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly asked, "Senior Sister Jiang, really? With this level, can I start taking on tasks?"
Senior Sister Jiang chuckled a little and said, "Don’t get too excited. It’s just the lowest level herbal assistant job. Each time you’ll earn only one or two cloud tokens, it’s not exactly high-level."
"Oh," Zhuang Yue replied, feeling disappointed.
That day, he had learned from Senior Sister Ji of the Cloud Garment Hall that the palace recruits staff, and the lowest-level jobs are assistant roles. Tasks include processing herbs, smelting metals, tending to the medicinal garden, and other entry-level missions. Each day, they can earn three cloud tokens.
But perhaps Senior Sister Ji hadn’t mentioned that to earn three cloud tokens, you’d need to be a skilled worker.
At this point, the other new disciples in the class, hearing about cloud tokens for the first time, began asking Senior Sister Jiang about them. When they learned that cloud tokens in the Mingguang Inner Sect could be exchanged for various valuable items, the newcomers couldn’t contain their excitement.
After class, the group headed to the Cloud Medicine Hall to speak with the Senior Sister in charge of task registration, wanting to know what cloud tokens could actually be exchanged for.
The Senior Sister sitting behind the workstation smiled kindly at the new disciples. Every year, newcomers would look at the cloud token catalog while exclaiming in surprise. It was always a lively scene that never got old.
— Minor Spirit Boosting Pill. Enhances cultivation, making progress twice as effective, worth 15 cloud tokens.
— Minor Spirit Replenishing Pill. Quickly replenishes spiritual energy, worth 150 cloud tokens.
— Essence Recovery Pill. Rapidly heals injuries, worth 300 cloud tokens.
— Revitalization Pill. Strengthens the body, eliminates illness, worth 30 cloud tokens
…
Eh?!
Zhuang Yue saw the familiar characters and realized that the Revitalization Pill was exactly what his cheap master had given him after he fell into the water. It’s worth 30 cloud tokens, while the Minor Spirit Boosting Pill is only worth 15 cloud tokens!
Upon a closer look, Zhuang Yue realized his mistake. Although the Revitalization Pill costs 30, it’s for a bottle, while the Minor Spirit Boosting Pill at 15 is for one pill.
No wonder the lively junior sister had said that it was impossible to save up 10,000 cloud tokens. To cultivate, you have to eat pills, and to eat pills, you need cloud tokens. Not spending your money at all is already an achievement, so don’t even think about saving up.
They had already finished learning the entire chapter in building their foundation and were about to begin the process of drawing in spiritual energy to their bodies. The Minor Spirit Boosting Pill was essential. Zhuang Yue’s foundation was too weak, and the Revitalization Pill was a revitalizing and nourishing pill. He would have to take it as well.
Just these two pills were a long-term expense.
Zhuang Yue couldn’t help but feel despair, feeling as though his 20-year mortgage had been extended for another 50 years.
“How come your expression is so bad?” Shen Qing, who was standing on the outskirts, noticed that Zhuang Yue seemed lost in thought.
Zhuang Yue pressed his lips tightly, shook his head, and sighed, “I never expected that coming here, I’d end up living as a house slave…”(活成了房奴 translates as "living as a house slave" or "becoming a mortgage slave." It humorously conveys the idea of someone being overwhelmed by the financial burden of homeownership or debt, where their life seems dominated by paying off the mortgage.)
Shen Qing: “???”
On the way back, Zhuang Yue remained quiet, and Shen Qing was quite unaccustomed to it.
Ahead, Dong Wan was chattering to Zhong Yunyi, counting on her fingers and figuring out what kind of work she had to do and how many days she had to work to earn the necessary cloud tokens.
As a local tyrant(土豪 = local tyrant. It's often used humorously to describe someone who has a lot of money but may not have the cultural refinement or sophistication associated with it.), Zhong Yunyi voiced her complaint if being unable to directly recharge (充值 literal translation is recharge. An internet slang referring to topping up or adding more funds to an account, especially in online games or platforms where you use virtual currency—cloud tokens in this case.) for cloud tokens: “Why can’t I just exchange money for cloud tokens directly?”
Dong Wan pointed out directly, "Perhaps Mingguang expects the disciples to exchange their hard work for it."
Zhong Yunyi fell silent, understanding that Mingguang Palace was working hard to cultivate the disciples' ability to support themselves.
Since joining, regardless of their past identity, everyone's life must be self-sustained. Raised in luxury, she not only had to pour water and wash her face, dress herself and comb her hair, but also had to wash clothes and empty the chamber pot.
Mingguang Palace could afford servants, but it wanted the disciples to live independently and did not encourage lower-ranked disciples to hire others to serve them.
Those who could afford servants in Mingguang were all high-ranking individuals with status, ability, and position. The ones serving them were also inner disciples, and the payment had to be in cloud tokens.
Zhong Yunyi resignedly said, "We still need at least one Minor Spirit Boosting Pill as a base. Let's start looking for tasks we can do tomorrow."
Dong Wan happily said, "I can go to the dining hall and check it out. My mother always said that children who can eat have talent in cooking!"
Zhuang Yue was amused and smiled, "That makes sense. Only those who can eat can cook."
Dong Wan excitedly said, "See, Zhuang Yue understands this too!"
Zhong Yunyi, feeling helpless, glanced behind and said, "If you want to go, go ahead. I can’t do anything about it."
Zhuang Yue saw that Zhong Yunyi seemed to want to pull him along, so he quickly spoke up, "I think I’ll go to the Cloud Medicine Hall instead!"
Although he really wanted to go to the Cloud Garment Hall, after all, it was directly related to the Sea Spirit Silk Robe, but compared to dealing with needles and threads, he felt he was better at handling plants.
In the end, Zhuang Yue went to the Cloud Medicine Hall, Dong Wan to the Cloud Dining Hall, and Zhong Yunyi to the Cloud Garment Hall.
Shen Qing didn’t go anywhere, seeming to have no need for anything.
Zhuang Yue could understand. Shen Qing didn' lack pills and got her own weapons. Although she was here for an exchange and study tour, there was no need for her to follow the same routine as the disciples of Mingguang.
With that much time, it would be more profitable to spend it on cultivation.
Zhuang Yue was assigned a long-term task. He needed to start from the basics, pick the right herbs from the medicine garden when the time came, and then carry them to the Cloud Medicine Hall to hand them over to the next person in the process.
Each time was two hours, and he earned one cloud token per session. After accounting for class and cultivation time, he could exchange enough tokens for one Minor Spirit Boosting Pill per month, with a little left over.
The direct disciple senior sister said that during the initial phase of guiding spiritual energy into the body, one Minor Spirit Boosting Pill a month was just enough to absorb. Any more would be a waste.
"This is so perfect, could it have been calculated on purpose?" Zhuang Yue muttered.
He was just vexing over how he’d have to wait a few months before he could exchange enough for a bottle of Revitalization Pill when he suddenly heard someone sneakily shushing him.
An idea suddenly popped into Zhuang Yue’s head: his Revitalization Pill was here!
Looking in the direction of the sound, the old swindler was still in his female disguise, but this time he wasn’t trying to dress up as a young girl. Instead, he looked more like a cooking lady from the dining hall.
It still blinded his eyes, but at this moment, Zhuang Yue couldn’t help but feel a bit of warmth looking at him.
The gleam in Zhuang Yue’s eyes made the old man shiver with unease. He nervously rubbed his arms, hiding behind a large tree and beckoning him over.
"Master~~~ you finally came!" Zhuang Yue’s voice was full of excitement as he hurried over, carrying the medicine basket.
"Don’t shout, be careful not to get caught." The old man looked around nervously. This path led from the medicine garden to the Cloud Medicine Hall, and though there weren’t many people at this hour, it was still best to be cautious.
"Master, I found out about the Sea Spirit Silk Robe you asked me to find. As long as I earn 10,000 cloud tokens, I can get it! I’m working hard right now, striving to collect enough cloud tokens as soon as possible." To prove that he wasn't disregarding him, Zhuang Yue boasted.
"10,000 cloud tokens to exchange for it?" The old man frowned slightly, clearly aware that cloud tokens weren't easy to earn within Mingguang, "How long will it take?"
Zhuang Yue’s face changed, and he looked suspiciously at his "cheap" master, saying, "Does Master want it immediately? Should I go steal or rob it from those who have it? If I do that, will I even be able to keep my life?"
The old man’s initial plan was evidently like this; he coughed a few times, "It’s not that simple and crude, I sent you into the inner sect to get close to the target, then gradually work on it, slowly coaxing and getting the Sea Spirit Silk Robe."
To put it plainly, the old man’s methods were still nothing more than swindling.
Zhuang Yue was obviously unwilling. The risks were too great, and there were too many variables.
He said with a serious face, "Master, I’m afraid you’re overestimating the situation. With my current identity, I couldn’t even meet such a person. Rather than coveting an elusive opportunity, it would be better to gather enough cloud tokens and exchange them."
The old man glanced at him and slowly said, "You’ve really grown, kid, daring to defy your master now."
Zhuang Yue was not afraid. "After entering this Minguang Palace, what I see and hear every day makes me no longer the ignorant person I used to be. Please forgive me for daring to offer some suggestions, master."
Today was different from usual. Zhuang Yue was taking a gamble, betting that the old man wouldn't dare do anything to him here.
He had witnessed the power of Mingguang Palace and the strict management within, and he figured that the old man couldn’t sneak another person in now.
Sure enough, the old man, faced with Zhuang Yue’s unshakable confidence, faltered in his attitude and softened, "Alright, alright, no matter what method you use, as long as you can get the Sea Spirit Silk Robe."
Zhuang Yue immediately took advantage of the situation, "Then, to achieve our goal sooner, I kindly ask Master to grant me that bottle of Revitalization Pill."
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