Chapter 189: Chapter 189: An Insignificant Interlude, Another Major Upgrade

When Yang Chan learned that Gao Yuanlong and the others had returned empty-handed, he wasn’t surprised.

It was a shame so many people had failed, but the outcome had long been decided.

When he saw Gao Yuanlong and the other Intermediate Pharmacists take action, but saw no one at the Hall Master Level, he knew they had virtually no chance of success.

If success was as simple as finding Elder Hua, his spot would have been snatched away long ago.

A whole group of them had rushed off with great fanfare, only to return empty-handed. It only proved they hadn’t grasped the situation, sought out the right people, or, to be blunt, possessed the right backing.

If other Hall Masters had appeared, things wouldn’t have ended so simply, and Yang Chan might even have gotten his wish.

To Yang Chan, the incident was merely a minor interlude that barely made a ripple. Afterward, Gu An didn’t even send someone to inform him, which showed just how insignificant the impact was.

Han Bingyu did mention it to him, but she only had a rough idea of what happened, not the full details. ’They took action, but it was completely useless,’ Yang Chan thought.

Yang Chan continued his Cultivation in his courtyard, his Cultivation level steadily improving. He also spent time refining Lantian Jade Refining Pills and First Revolution Nourishing Viscera Pills, both to replenish his stock and to prepare for the upcoming trip to White Jade City.

The trip to White Jade City would be a long one, so he naturally needed to prepare enough Elixirs and other supplies for the journey there and back. He couldn’t stand the thought of his Potential Points continuously decreasing; they were the key to his Cultivation and could not be compromised.

In addition, Yang Chan used his Sect Contribution Points to redeem a full set of Hidden Weapons at the Sharp Weapon Level. They were quite valuable. This set could injure an Inner Master, and if coated with deadly poisons, they could still prove useful.

Even for an Inner Master, dealing with poison throughout their body was no simple matter. Forcing the toxins out required time.

This set of Hidden Weapons was designed for that very purpose.

If he were attacked by an Inner Master, he could look for an opportunity to use the Hidden Weapons to weaken his opponent. Then, at the critical moment, he could unleash his own Inner Master-level Combat Power to end the fight decisively.

The power an Inner Master could unleash was terrifying, so for Yang Chan, having more tricks up his sleeve was always a good thing. As for such methods being considered dirty, Yang Chan would just laugh at anyone who couldn’t afford to buy Hidden Weapons of this Level.

He was also refining Elixirs during this period to save up for a set of Sharp Weapon Level Armor and a Long Sword—one for defense, and one for offense.

Though his body had been tempered multiple times, it wouldn’t fare well against weapons at the Sharp Weapon Level. It was best to have more precautions.

He planned to use Hidden Weapons to kill his enemies, but he also had to be prepared for his opponents to use similar tactics against him. He also needed to refine a more Advanced Antitoxic Pill, a Pill Formula he had acquired after his Pharmacist skill reached Tier Three Mastery.

This wasn’t like the previous Antitoxic Pills he had made. The refining process was more complex, with a difficulty comparable to that of the Lantian Jade Refining Pill. Of course, for Yang Chan, that level of difficulty was nothing.

While he prepared various methods to use against others, he naturally had to prepare countermeasures for himself. An Inner Master could easily neutralize poisons, but with this Antitoxic Pill, the effect would be superior. The detoxification would be faster, allowing his body to recover more quickly.

White Jade City was filled with masters, and there were bound to be plenty who used unorthodox methods. It was always better to be overprepared.

Although a Grandmaster like Ji Feng, at the Third Lungs and Spleen stage of Inner Refining, would be accompanying them to White Jade City, along with an escort of other Direct and Elite Disciples, Yang Chan still felt the need to prepare more of his own protective measures. When it came down to it, he trusted himself most.

Yang Chan’s days were packed and fulfilling. His Pharmacist’s Assistants, like Han Bingyu and Gu Shitong, knew he would be leaving the Cyan Yuan Sect for over a month. They had been taking on many tasks with him lately, as the duties of a Pharmacist’s Assistant were tied to their Pharmacist.

Once Yang Chan left, they would essentially be without work, and their monthly stipends would decrease. By taking on more tasks now, they could save up more of their stipend to spend on their own improvement.

They also sought out Yang Chan, asking for his guidance on what a Pharmacist needed to master or what books they should read, so they could continue to improve in his absence.

He naturally offered sound advice to the Pharmacist’s Assistants he had selected. Whether they could act on it, however, was up to them. He couldn’t help them with that.

Han Bingyu was an exception. She had already borrowed the books she needed from Yang Chan and had already planned out her studies for the time he would be away.

She planned to improve her Cultivation while also advancing her Pharmacist skills, even attempting Alchemy herself—following the same path Yang Chan had taken.

"Pharmacist Yang, the Han Family just delivered these ingredients. Please let me know what else you need."

Han Bingyu brought over another pile of medicinal ingredients. Yang Chan had been refining a large number of Elixirs recently, a good portion of which went to the Han Family. In return, they sent him a steady supply of various ingredients.

Once Yang Chan had enough silver coins, he stopped asking for more. Any extra would just sit around, useless.

It was like for some wealthy people: once their fortune reached a certain point, it just became a string of numbers.

"Next, have these ingredients sent over."

Yang Chan handed her a piece of paper with a list of the ingredients he required.

’A portion of the Elixirs I’ve been refining lately used ingredients from the Han Family,’ he mused. ’For instance, most of the materials for the Advanced Antitoxic Pills came from them. Since these are Elixirs I’m preparing for my own use, I naturally don’t want too many people to know. The fewer people who knew about a life-saving Elixir like this, the better. That secrecy is part of what makes it so effective. The only downside is that these Advanced Antitoxic Pills don’t provide any Potential Points. Otherwise, I could pop them daily and achieve a certain level of complete poison immunity. This is the same as with the ordinary Antitoxic Pills I’d taken before—there’s no difference in that regard.’

Having finished his train of thought, Yang Chan also took out a bottle of Lantian Jade Refining Pills.

"Of course, Pharmacist Yang."

Han Bingyu nodded, skillfully taking the paper and scanning it. This was so she could double-check the ingredients herself once the Han Family made the delivery.

It was always this way. The ingredients from the Han Family first went to her for inspection, and only after she confirmed everything was in order were they delivered to Yang Chan. It was a work habit of hers that had naturally earned his praise.

"I’ll be leaving for White Jade City soon to attend the Pharmacist Exchange Conference. I’ll be gone for at least a month. While I’m away, I need you to help me keep the courtyard clean. Don’t worry about the bedroom; I’ll take care of it myself when I return."

’A courtyard can get very messy if left untended for a long time,’ he thought. ’The last time I went to Tan City, I returned to a courtyard that looked practically abandoned. I want to arrange for someone to tidy up this time so I don’t have to do a massive cleaning the moment I get back.’

’Entrusting this to Han Bingyu is a sign of my high regard for her, but it’s also a test.’