Everyone’s eyes were locked onto Han Yu as he began his explanation.
"This assignment," Han Yu spoke, "wasn’t about memorization.
It was about understanding transformation. To that end, I chose two pills—Jade Vitality Pill and Emerald Blood-Recovery Pill. They use the same ingredients: Firecloud Bark, Spiritdew Leaf, Bloodroot, Silverstem Moss, and Crystalline Ginger."
Some of the more advanced disciples in the back immediately looked up. One of them even muttered, "He’s just making this up."
But Gai Qing didn’t stop him.
Han Yu continued, moving smoothly through the explanation, his voice clear and confident.
"The key is in the sequencing and temperature control. In the Jade Vitality Pill, the Firecloud Bark is refined at a high temperature to intensify its yang attributes. The Ginger is condensed late to deliver impact at the pill’s core—restoring internal qi."
He shifted the illusion.
"But in the Emerald Blood-Recovery Pill, the same bark is roasted and mellowed, introduced later to soften the yang energy, while the Ginger is added early so its warmth can saturate the whole mix, promoting circulation and healing flesh injuries."
He concluded with a short summary and bowed again. "That is my submission."
There was silence in the class.
Even the inner court disciples looked stunned.
"Wait... that actually makes sense."
"I thought he was some fluke who just passed the theory test..."
"No wonder he finished so fast."
Then, unexpectedly, Gai Qing gave a small nod—and a subtle smile.
The entire room collectively blinked.
"Was that... an actual smile?"
Han Yu, for his part, was quietly pleased. The joy-type energy rippling from Gai Qing was faint, like ripples under still water—but he could feel it with absolute clarity.
’Ah,’ he thought with smug satisfaction. ’Got him.’
And then the classroom practically lit up with surprise energy—waves of it, pouring off every disciple in the room. Most of them couldn’t even hide their shock.
Han Yu resisted the urge to bask in it like a lizard under the sun.
The next six presenters each took their turn.
Their explanations weren’t as theatrical or confident as Han Yu’s, but they conveyed the same core understanding. The illusion table became a shared teaching tool as the same herbal combination was explained from slight variations in tone or process.
One disciple explained how changing the order of introducing Silverstem Moss altered the medicinal polarity. Another explained that one pill required a stirring motion during the cooling phase, while the other did not.
When the last student finished, Gai Qing did something no one expected.
"Excellent," he said. "All seven of you have demonstrated not just a correct answer, but a correct understanding. That is rare."
Then, with a faint wave of his sleeve, he spoke again.
"Hundred bonus merit points to each of you."
The class froze again.
"Merit points?! From Gai Qing?!"
Han Yu let the sound of disbelieving mutters wash over him like music. Internally, he was cackling.
’Hundred merit points just for doing something I got paid for anyway. My clients covered the research fee, and I still got extra! This might be the greatest business scam of my life—and it’s legal.’
He turned and thanked the instructor with a bow, keeping his expression perfectly humble.
"We’re grateful, Instructor Gai."
Gai Qing looked at him with a flat expression, but Han Yu could sense the tiniest twitch of another smile forming.
"You may return to your seat."
As the seven returned to their desks, the rest of the students looked at them with a mix of resentment, awe, and curiosity.
For the first time, Han Yu wasn’t just a "new guy" or "that guy who passed the entrance test." Now, he had been acknowledged publicly—and impressively—by one of the most infamously strict instructors in the entire Alchemy Peak.
When class ended, the whispers started the moment Gai Qing left the room.
"Do you think he’ll tutor for the next assignment too?"
One of the students, a lanky outer court disciple with a hopeful smile, hesitated by Han Yu’s desk. "Senior Han, if you’re free—"
"Sorry," Han Yu cut in with a practiced smile, "my tutoring services are currently booked. But for a special price, I might be able to squeeze in another session."
He wasn’t going to charge a low fee for it this time around. Now he knew about his worth.
The student laughed awkwardly, but nodded. "Right, right! Of course."
Han Yu leaned back, folding his arms and grinning to himself. Not only had he earned merit points from the academy, not only had he gained surprise and joy-type emotional qi in droves, but now he had status, recognition, and clients all wrapped in one tidy little lecture.
’And all I had to do was explain a trick I already knew.’
A full month had passed since Han Yu’s unexpected rise from an unknown new disciple to one of the most sought-after figures in the Alchemy Peak’s outer court.
From early dawn to late evening, his days were filled with a mix of earnest study, pill refinement, lectures, and tutoring sessions. And though that might have broken the back of an ordinary disciple, for Han Yu, it was an invigorating rhythm.
Every lecture sparked some new insight. Every refinement test was a challenge. Every tutoring session was another opportunity to earn—and another drop of admiration from his fellow disciples.
He wasn’t just working hard.
The merit points kept coming in, flowing into his identity token in steady waves. He had initially expected his tutoring business to taper off after the initial assignment frenzy, but instead it grew stronger.
Word spread quickly across the outer court that "Instructor Han" was not just a better teacher than half the appointed tutors—but that he actually wanted to teach.
At least, that was how they saw it.
Han Yu just liked the income.
While others grumbled and struggled to understand assignments, his students breezed through them under his guidance—and began scoring consistently well.