"You want to learn alchemy?"
After leaving the study, Lu Bei told Bai Jin about his plan to further his studies. Bai Jin was puzzled and thought that Lu Bei was just acting on impulse.
"It's not a sudden thought, Senior Sister. I'm serious."
Lu Bei said seriously, "I want to learn a skill. Not to mention that more skills are better than less, more ways to go will give you more opportunities. Alchemy is a must-have skill for people of my generation, so it's a good thing to learn it early."
"Junior brother, you have only just started practicing. It would be too hasty to start learning the art of alchemy now. You should practice more to consolidate your foundation."
Bai Jin shook his head and said, "If you are short of elixirs for your practice, just tell me directly. When I'm not around, you can go find your Senior Sister Zhu and she will meet your needs."
Bai Jin suspected that Lu Bei lacked a sense of security. Sanqing Peak was too poor and did not have many resources for cultivation. In addition, he was young and ambitious and unwilling to ask for help, so he came up with the idea of learning alchemy.
If I don’t learn alchemy, I will have no experience. If I have no experience, I will have to practice honestly. If I practice honestly, I will not be a genius.
Lu Bei muttered in his heart, his face solemn: "Senior Sister, to tell you the truth, I am either practicing or practicing every day, and you don't let me go out. I am bored and want to find a hobby to pass the time."
"Junior brother, what you said makes sense. I was not thoughtful enough."
Bai Jin nodded. She could accept this reason.
Throwing Lu Bei into the alchemy room of Dashengguan, and letting him learn to make elixirs without leaving home, without having to worry about being harmed by the dangerous world, and with Zhu Yan watching over him, it is indeed a good way to kill time.
This way, she could avoid the possibility that Lu Bei would sneak out during the day without anyone watching over him when she was not around.
"I will ask your Senior Sister Zhu for help. I think it won't be a difficult matter."
"Then I'll trouble you, Senior Sister."
Lu Bei nodded, and as he turned to leave, he suddenly thought of something and said with a strange look, "Senior Sister, weren't you in a hurry to return to Lingxiao Sword Sect? Why aren't you in a hurry anymore?"
"… "
Bai Jin's face immediately turned red, and she just said that she still needed to buy some things in Dashengguan, all of which were things for girls, and asked Lu Bei not to ask too many questions.
Can you call girls too
Let's state the facts and reason. Your junior sister's daughter is a girl, right
The corners of Lu Bei's mouth twitched, but he was tactful enough not to say anything. His goal had been achieved, and it was time to retire.
…
The next day, Bai Jin left early in the morning and planted three sword talismans on the back of Lu Bei's hand, saying that they could keep him safe in times of crisis.
Zhu Yan said goodbye to Bai Jin unhappily and took Lu Bei in a carriage to the Huangji Sect’s base in Dashengguan.
As the seat and first county of Dongqi County, Dashengguan has a leading population and economy. The stationing of Huangji Sect has brought the prosperity of this county to a higher level.
Apart from anything else, the economic benefits brought by wealthy royal children like Zhu Yan alone are not a small amount.
First of all, the land was selling at a high price.
Secondly, the Huangji Sect’s Dashengguan base has to replenish and consume elixirs and formation diagrams every day, and the coming and going of cooperating merchants and immortal sects also brings in a considerable amount of tax revenue.
This is not the point. The point is that the Huangji Sect’s headquarters in Dashengguan is located in a valley in the west of the county. Although it is far away from the county center, the number of shops on both sides of the road remains unchanged.
The entire valley was taken over by the Huangji Sect and divided into several areas for use by different departments.
The Danfang area is surrounded by pavilions and green trees.
To the naked eye, there was no sign of strict security, but in fact, the formation was linked together. If Zhu Yan had not guaranteed and issued a certificate at the entrance, Lu Bei would have been taken to a small dark room by a big man who jumped out of the bushes before he could take two steps.
Zhu Yan is the accountant of the Danfang. She has a boss who is the chief accountant and two colleagues who are also accountants. The main daily work is done by these three people, and she is mainly responsible for getting by.
By reporting to work and leaving get off work on time, she can basically work fifteen days a month, and is the outstanding subordinate that the chief clerk praises the most.
Don’t ask, the only thing you know is her surname is Zhu.
Zhu Yan is very self-aware. Others respect her not because of herself, but because they don't want to get into trouble. Therefore, she is not arrogant when dealing with people. She greets people with a smile and makes friends everywhere.
With her help, Lu Bei quickly found a job in the alchemy room.
Trainee alchemist.
The master Lin Bohai who was responsible for introducing him to the art of alchemy was very experienced, a 20-year veteran of the alchemy room, a native of the Huangji Sect, and had undergone systematic training in the art of alchemy.
Lin Bohai looked at Lu Bei helplessly, and seeing that he looked eager to try, he looked even more helpless.
As an old veteran, my biggest headache is the newbies who come in through connections. If I don’t ask them, it’s hard to explain. If I ask them…
What you said, it would be a miracle if we can control it!
Fortunately, the days in the alchemy room are boring, and Lin Bohai is very experienced in dealing with newbies. He is confident that within three months, Zhu Yan's distant relatives will give up.
He regrouped and said in a friendly manner, "Lu Bei, have you ever refined pills before?"
"No."
"That's fine."
Lin Bohai nodded. The answer was within his expectations. He stroked his beard and smiled, "It doesn't matter if you don't have it. Just watch someone practice it. It's easy to get started."
“Neither have I.”
"… "
Lin Bohai was silent for a moment. It turned out that he was not a newbie, but a young master who was looking for trouble.
Considering Zhu Yan's identity, this young master's family background wouldn't be that bad. If he was bold enough, he might be someone with the surname Zhu, hiding his real name and coming down there to have fun.
That's even easier.
Lin Bohai led Lu Bei to an alchemy room, a single-person room on the second floor. It had a desk, tea, landscape paintings, and a window through which one could see the beautiful scenery of the valley in the distance.
Refining elixirs here for a long time will not only greatly improve one's tea-making skills, but also strengthen one's belief in yearning for freedom.
This is how Lin Bohai treated the young masters and young ladies who came to visit him in the past.
"Lu Bei, alchemy is a profound art, and its complexity cannot be explained in words. I have studied this art for many years and figured it out in four words."
Lin Bohai raised four fingers and said confidently: "Nothing is difficult in the world as long as you practice!"
"Master Lin is absolutely right."
Lu Bei nodded repeatedly. He thought so too. There was no need to complicate things. The personal panel would handle everything.
After saying that, he brought out several books on the basics of alchemy that covered a wide range of topics, as well as some cheap herbs and tools, and asked Lu Bei to read them while practicing. If there was anything he didn't understand, he should write it down on paper and he would answer them one by one tomorrow morning.
"The alchemy furnace is here, you try it first. My furnace should be used to make the elixir, but the fire is a little too strong, so I won't accompany you." Seeing Lu Bei excitedly weighing the herbs, Lin Bohai ran away as fast as he could.
From a personal point of view, Lin Bohai doesn't like Lu Bei for a very realistic reason. Taking on an apprentice is a loss, a waste of time and a loss of money.
The monthly salary of an alchemist is pitifully low, and this is the same whether in the official or private sectors.
The reasons on the official side are too complicated. Speaking of the folk, alchemists have a delivery rate. Every time they refine a batch of pills, there are fine pills, finished products, and waste pills.
When you are lucky, the whole furnace will be full of fine products. When you are unlucky, if your hands shake even a little, the whole furnace will be ruined.
Therefore, every time a furnace of pills is opened, the raw materials are in excess, allowing the alchemist to lose money within a certain range.
The main source of income for an alchemist has never been salary. A skilled alchemist makes money from raw materials. After finishing a furnace of fine products, he puts the remaining raw materials into his own pocket and sells them for profit.
Because of this uncontrollable unspoken rule, the monthly salary of alchemists has become lower and lower, which is a disguised acquiescence, allowing alchemists to use their experience and skills to earn extra money after completing the specified tasks.
As the newbie among newbies, Lu Bei must have suffered a lot of losses, part of which was due to Lin Bohai. Although Zhu Yan had assured him that he need not worry about the losses, it is best to be safe than sorry. What if the losses were too great and the other party turned against him? Could he still go against the royal family
"Forget it. I am a big-hearted person! The alchemy room is boring and not very interesting. I don't think a young man like him can stay here for long."
Lin Bohai stroked his beard. Ten days, at most ten days. If Lu Bei could hold on for ten days, he would stand upside down and refine a furnace of pills.