Chapter 36: The Price of Sleeping . . .
The day following the intense duel, Ye Yuan found himself attending a medicinal theory lesson, guided by Feng Ruoqing. As the youngest teacher in Dan Wu Academy, Feng Ruoqing was renowned for her astonishing beauty, garnering countless admirers among the students.
Medicinal theory classes conducted by Feng Ruoqing always drew a full house, with students eagerly fixated on her every word. Despite the typically dry nature of medicinal theory, Feng Ruoqing's captivating presence made the subject matter seem interesting.
Contrary to the engaged atmosphere, Ye Yuan appeared less enthusiastic, occasionally dozing off due to the exhaustion from expending a considerable amount of essence energy the previous night. The relentless extraction and refinement of transcendent-grade Essence Qi Pills had left him completely drained.
Every high-tier alchemist, including Ye Yuan, possessed proficiency in array formations, an essential skill for crafting high-tier medicinal pills. Despite the Six Astral Array not being a high-tier array, the exhaustive process of extracting and refining thousands of Essence Qi Pills had taken a toll on Ye Yuan. Another long night awaited him to complete the arduous task.
Once all the transcendent-grade Essence Qi Pills were ready, Ye Yuan would amass a staggering quantity, a feat that would astonish anyone familiar with medicinal pills. Transcendent-grade Essence Qi Pills, unlike their high-grade counterparts, were rare and seldom available on the market. Their circulation was limited, primarily due to the challenging process of refinement by even accomplished alchemists.
The qualitative transformation that occurred when a medicinal pill reached transcendent-grade made it superior to low-grade Explosive Yuan Pills in terms of efficacy, with the added advantage of being free from side effects. Despite these benefits, the rarity of transcendent-grade Essence Qi Pills made them a precious commodity.
Ye Yuan, however, was an exception. His proficiency in alchemy and the Six Astral Array allowed him to effortlessly produce transcendent-grade Essence Qi Pills. While the Explosive Yuan Pill was effective, its higher tier and Ye Yuan's current strength made it challenging to consistently produce high-grade or superior-grade pills, let alone transcendent-grade.
As the lesson continued, Feng Ruoqing delved into the attributes of the Seven Star Lotus, explaining its affinity with water and its yin attribute. Unbeknownst to Ye Yuan, he had dozed off during the lecture, leading to a sudden disruption in the form of wind blades slicing through the table legs beneath his hands.
Awakening from his brief slumber, Ye Yuan found himself narrowly avoiding a fall, realizing that Feng Ruoqing had disrupted his nap. Unaware of the disdainful gazes directed at him, he attempted to explain, citing the exhaustion from the previous day's deathmatch and the extensive use of essence energy in refining the transcendent-grade Essence Qi Pills.
Although Feng Ruoqing was unfamiliar with Ye Yuan, she had heard of the recent deathmatch commotion. Despite his unconventional behavior, his explanation slightly improved Feng Ruoqing's mood. However, she believed that such conduct during class should not be tolerated.
In response to Ye Yuan's attempt to alleviate the situation with humor, Feng Ruoqing sternly reminded him to refrain from cheekiness during the lesson and urged him to focus.
"Indeed, if it's due to the deathmatch, some leniency can be granted," thought Ye Yuan, assuming the matter was settled. However, to his surprise, Feng Ruoqing shifted the conversation. In her eyes, the Alchemy Path held equal importance to the Martial Path in Dan Wu Academy, and the medicinal theory class served as the foundational knowledge for the Alchemy Dao. Ye Yuan's tendency to sleep during class, in her opinion, was impeding his future.
Ye Yuan sincerely apologized, acknowledging his mistake, and pledged not to sleep during her lessons anymore. Feng Ruoqing, unyielding, retorted, "Not just my lesson; you are not allowed to sleep in all lessons! Go back and copy the 'Herbal Essentials' ten times. I will check during the next lesson."
Ye Yuan, taken aback, questioned, "Ah? T-ten times?"
The 'Herbal Essentials' was an abridged version of the 'Herbal Compendium' authored by the Alchemy Sovereign Li Shizhen. A comprehensive guide to medicinal herbs, even in its simplified form, the book was voluminous. The prospect of copying it ten times seemed daunting to Ye Yuan.
As he contemplated, Ye Yuan recalled Li Shizhen's name, a figure who had apprenticed himself to his father, Zhengyang Zi, in the Divine Realm. In that recollection, a sense of resentment towards Qingyun Zi, who was present at the time, emerged. Vowing to teach him a lesson upon his return to the Divine Realm, Ye Yuan expressed disdain for the thick book, criticizing its inaccuracies and potential harm to others.
Unfazed, Feng Ruoqing insisted on the punishment, viewing it as a necessary deterrent. Ye Yuan, however, stood his ground and voiced his complaint, challenging the relevance of copying such a seemingly simple book when he could utilize his time more productively by refining medicinal pills.
In response, Feng Ruoqing, incensed by Ye Yuan's audacity, laughed off his assertion. She found it inconceivable that someone not even at the level of an Alchemy Apprentice would dare to dismiss the complexity of the 'Herbal Essentials,' a course that even Alchemy Kings would approach with reverence.