Chapter Twenty-Two: Rewards and Promotion

“So this is what it meant by ‘avenging the last day’?”

Chen Yushu silently watched for a while, then turned his head away.

In his dream, the other had already laid out the grievances between them. Xu Hao, during its time of misfortune, had threatened and coerced it, forcing it to hand over a book on talisman crafting and another on the art of incense making.

Now, with the other transformed into a vengeful spirit, resentment had festered deeply within it, turning into an obsession; naturally, it was determined to settle old scores when the opportunity arose.

“It only has one night.”

“Let it have its way, just this once.”

Recalling what the other had told him in his dream, Chen Yushu chose to turn a blind eye. At this moment, his heart finally came alive, a surge of excitement rising within him.

He hadn’t expected that the legacy of the Yin Walker, which he’d searched for so long and longed for so ardently, would truly appear before him.

And not just anywhere, but right beneath his own bed, soon to be within his grasp.

Of course, for now, ‘it’ was still present, and with so many others on the communal bed, none of whom were dead, he dared not make a scene or draw attention.

So he could only restrain himself.

In this way, time passed without notice until dawn broke.

By then, Chen Yushu was no longer in a hurry. Like the other apprentices, he rose at a normal hour and left the dormitory with the crowd.

He made a point of observing Xu Hao. At this moment, Xu Hao’s complexion was deathly pale, his steps shaky and weak—he had clearly been drained terribly.

His face was clouded with gloom and fear, tinged with venomous resentment. Several times, he hovered near the front of the shop, as if trying to make some difficult decision.

After a long hesitation, he finally strode inside.

Chen Yushu paid this little mind.

He waited quietly in the open yard, and before long, Lü Liang and Zhao He joined him. Both greeted him warmly, their conversation laced with respect, and they frequently sought his advice on various matters.

Chen Yushu answered each question generously, unreserved in his teaching.

He, too, learned from them. In certain breathing techniques, he sensed that they surpassed him, and so he didn’t hesitate to ask for guidance.

“When three walk together, one can always be my teacher.”

Teaching others allowed him to learn in return.

[Apothecary King’s Stance +1]

A glimmer of satisfaction shone in Chen Yushu’s eyes.

“Excellent. Talent alone is not all-powerful. With talent and diligence, one is destined to achieve great things.”

Just then, Qian Qian approached, offering a word of praise.

“Master Qian!”

“Greetings, Master Qian!”

Chen Yushu, Lü Liang, and Zhao He all bowed in greeting.

“All right, I’ll instruct you once more. After that, you’ll practice on your own,” Qian Qian said, waving his hand. He turned to Chen Yushu, “You join in as well. Also, I’ve informed the shopkeeper that you’ve already mastered the basics of the stance. He’ll probably want to speak with you later—just answer honestly.”

He paused, then added, “You’ll likely be rewarded, and your work duties will be adjusted.”

“How will they be adjusted?” Chen Yushu asked curiously.

“You certainly won’t be wasting your time endlessly washing herbs. But as for the specifics, I have no idea,” Qian replied with a wave.

“Thank you for the reminder, Master Qian,” Chen Yushu said, bowing again in gratitude.

Qian Qian smiled, then began instructing them in the stance.

This time, his approach was even-handed; he no longer spoke to Chen Yushu in generalities, but guided him as attentively as he did Lü Liang and Zhao He—occasionally tapping him to correct his breathing and guide his strength.

Of course, Chen Yushu had already experienced such guidance the previous day. Revisiting it now, he gained new insights.

[Apothecary King’s Stance +5]

...

Chen Yushu glanced at his attributes panel, a smile forming on his lips.

A single lesson had awarded five experience points—if he could receive such guidance daily, even accounting for diminishing returns, it would greatly accelerate his progress.

After two rounds of stance practice, all of them were exhausted.

Naturally, the day’s instruction came to an end.

Qian Qian didn’t linger, and after a short rest, Lü Liang and Zhao He rose and silently headed to the back courtyard to begin their chores.

Chen Yushu, having rested enough, was about to stand when he noticed a slightly portly figure approaching.

It was Zhou Zheng, the shop’s steward.

With a cheerful smile, Zhou Zheng walked over. “I just watched your stance practice—you’ve definitely grasped the basics. Impressive! Honestly, I didn’t have high hopes at the start. Apprentices from the mountains like you rarely master the stance within three months. But your performance surprised me. In just two days, you’ve entered the door of the Apothecary King’s Stance. That’s unique, not just in our Liu family pharmacy, but in the entire county and three surrounding towns. You deserve praise—and a reward.”

“You flatter me, Steward Zhou,” Chen Yushu replied with a bow.

“I know when praise is due. The Liu family pharmacy has its rules—excellence is rewarded, faults are punished. You mastered the stance within two days; your talent is exceptional. So just now, the shopkeeper spoke. Not only will you be granted the opportunity to enter the ‘Secret Pavilion’ and choose a martial art, but you’ll also be assigned to the shop as a decoction apprentice to learn the art of brewing and preparing medicine. Are you willing?”

Zhou Zheng smiled as he looked at Chen Yushu.

“Thank you, Steward Zhou. Thank you, Shopkeeper. I am willing,” Chen Yushu replied, bowing again, his heart filled with excitement.

The ‘Secret Pavilion’ was, in truth, the pharmacy’s library, housing many martial arts legacies.

For instance, after apprentices had achieved proficiency in the stance, they could learn advanced external techniques like the Apothecary King’s Locking Strength Art, or internal arts such as the Apothecary King’s Thunder Ingestion, all stored within the Secret Pavilion.

If apprentices wished to learn, it had to be done within the pavilion.

This opportunity was of immense value to him. The pavilion contained not just the Apothecary King’s arts, but also a wealth of offensive techniques—swordplay, saber techniques, staff and fist arts. Mastering any one of them would greatly enhance his combat power.

Outside, a single technique could cost dozens or even hundreds of taels of silver.

As for his new position as a decoction apprentice, it was a significant step up for him. In the Liu family pharmacy, there were dozens of apprentices, most of whom performed menial and exhausting tasks. Even Zhao Lei, a senior apprentice living in Room One, only handled roasting medicinal materials—a single aspect, offering little real skill.

Only those who had achieved minor mastery in the stance, like Zhang Ruyun and Wang Yuan, could be promoted to decoction apprentices within the shop.

There, they would receive constant guidance and have the chance to study medical texts.

This was why decoction apprentices were so highly esteemed among the apprentices.

And now, though he was still far from true proficiency in the stance, he was already being placed in the shop.

Clearly, he was being highly valued.

Refusing was out of the question.

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