Chapter 270: Chapter 261: Alchemy Institute

"Damn it, so stop complaining!"

Fan Hong nodded. "Now that you put it that way, I’m suddenly full of confidence. Bro, if you kick the bucket before I do, I’ll set up a tombstone for you."

Wang Meng froze for a second. He really wanted to kick the living daylights out of the guy.

No wonder nobody ever talked to him, with the way he spoke.

But it was only after they arrived that they realized the Spirit Stones here weren’t so easy to earn.

Simply put, you needed a considerable level of skill in Alchemy. People like Wang Meng and Fan Hong could only work as laborers.

The pay for laborers was extremely low, but it wasn’t without its perks. Although the pay was meager, there were some small conveniences, like being able to use the Pill Furnaces here.

Everyone in the Alchemy Institute was bustling about. Mi Dao looked at the two of them impatiently. "Are you going to do it or not? Decide quickly. If you don’t want the job, plenty of other people do."

Fan Hong nodded hastily. "Yes, of course, we’ll do it. We’ll be in your care, Senior Brother Mi Dao."

"Don’t go around using those backwater titles from the Small Thousand Realms. I am the Dean’s disciple of the Alchemy Institute. You will call me Dean!"

"Yes, Dean, Dean," Fan Hong said quickly.

Mi Dao nodded, activated his Star Ring, and added a new status to Wang Meng’s and Fan Hong’s Star Rings: Steward of the Alchemy Institute.

Mi Dao gave the two a cool glance. "Alright, you can start now. First, go clean the Alchemy Rooms. I want them spotless."

With that, he swaggered off, leaving Wang Meng and Fan Hong to stare at each other in bewilderment.

"Wang Meng, why do I get the feeling we’ve been had?" Fan Hong scratched his head.

A group of disciples walked out. The rows of Alchemy Rooms they left behind were a complete mess—the epitome of filth and chaos.

The Holy Hall had a large number of disciples and even mortals as servants, but there was nothing like that here. They could only find students to do the work. However, this kind of chore was meaningless and a waste of time, so it was usually only done by disciples from low-ranking Small Sects or those being punished for mistakes.

One of the disciples who had just finished glanced at them coolly and tossed a comment over his shoulder, "When you wipe down the Pill Furnaces, be thorough. Don’t miss any blind spots."

This left the two of them speechless, but there was nothing to be done. Once they started, they had to do it for at least a month; quitting halfway was not allowed.

Honestly, you really couldn’t see any trace of a Dharma Flower Sect Sect Leader’s disciple—and illegitimate son—in Fan Hong. Wang Meng felt like they were in the same boat.

It really takes all kinds to make a world.

Still, Wang Meng and Fan Hong were serious when it came to work. Whatever the agreement, since they had accepted it, they were determined to do a good job. The two of them got busy.

"What’s your Tide Small Thousand Realm like?"

During a break, they both plopped right down on the floor.

"It’s beautiful. Very beautiful. I think it’s more beautiful than the Great Yuan Realm," Fan Hong said. "It’s just... I had to come here."

Fan Hong seemed a little dejected, apparently missing the Tide Small Thousand Realm dearly.

"What about you? What’s the Four Directions Small Thousand World like? I remember you guys have a clear distinction between Holy, Demon, and Evil. We don’t have that kind of separation over on my side." Fan Hong stared at the ceiling, enjoying the moment of relaxation.

"My home is beautiful too. You should definitely come visit if you get the chance. I’ll give you a tour."

Wang Meng said. The mention of the Holy Hall made him miss Zhang Xiaojiang and the others, and of course, Yang Ying, whom he worried about. He wondered if everyone was doing well.

"A chance? We don’t even know how long we’re going to live. If I ever get out of here, I’d love to take you to see the most beautiful sight in my Tide Small Thousand Realm: the endless tidal storm. It’s truly a thing of beauty."

A look of nostalgia filled Fan Hong’s eyes.

"Looks like your memory is pretty good after all. You remember the important things."

Fan Hong scratched his head. "It’s related to my old Cultivation Technique. It’s been a while since I used the Dissipating Technique, and I feel like my memory has actually improved."

"Yeah, at least you remember my name now, haha."

Fan Hong blushed a little. "I’ve switched to a Wood Element Cultivation Method. I feel like all the Cultivation Techniques in the Cultivation Academy are built upon the vast Five Elements System, but they’re really good. I might be a bit slow, but I’m still making progress. It’s just that there are too many experts here."

"Oh? What’s your take on the Five Elements Skills?" Wang Meng hadn’t really found anyone suitable to discuss this with, and he was eager to hear someone else’s thoughts.

Back at the Dharma Flower Sect, his fellow disciples were reluctant to talk to him. In fact, the Sect Leader didn’t like him either, because he thought Fan Hong was too slow and lacked any domineering presence. It was a classic case of deep disappointment in someone who wouldn’t live up to their potential. Sending him here was his last chance. The path of Cultivation was one of life or death.

"I don’t know what the Five Elements truly are, but I think everyone’s personality is different. For example, the Sect Leader always wanted me to be more domineering and fierce, but I really don’t want to be like that. I hated the Tyrant Technique I used to practice, so I chose not to think about it. When I trained, I’d forget who I was, and after I was done, I’d remember myself again. It was a constant struggle. People whose primary element is Metal are resolute and ambitious with lofty goals, but they are too rigid and break easily. People who are Five Elements Master Flame are straightforward, but overly simplistic. People of the Water Element have deep-running personalities; they don’t show their feelings immediately and are very patient, but they lack some initiative. People of the Earth Element are steady and solid with clear goals, but they are too cautious. And Five Elements Wood Masters are gentle and kind, but that’s really not suited for the path of cultivation."

Fan Hong’s speech had Wang Meng nodding repeatedly.

"Fan Hong, I think you should be a matchmaker. You’d probably have a high success rate."

"Don’t make fun of me. I can’t even speak a complete sentence in front of a pretty girl."

When he was with Wang Meng, Fan Hong would relax and become very casual.

"You’re a Five Elements Wood Master, which really fits with your personality theory. Your Cultivation Technique must be relatively gentle, right?"

"Mhm, my Cultivation Technique is indeed focused on nurturing. I specialize in talismanic arrays. Compared to offense, I much prefer defense. Really, what’s the point of all this fighting?"

Fan Hong said that people of the Water Element and Five Elements Wood Masters were both very well-suited to be Talisman Cultivators.

Wang Meng thought of the people he knew. Li Tianyi was a Five Elements Master Flame. Yang Ying was of the Water Element. Hu Jing was a mix of water and fire—no wonder she was decisive yet calm. Zhang Xiaojiang was of the Earth Element, which was very fitting; he seemed carefree and boisterous, but the fatty was actually kindhearted and dependable.

"Wang Meng, you’re strange. I think my theory is pretty effective, but I feel like it can’t be verified with you."

Fan Hong looked at Wang Meng curiously.

"What’s so special about me? If anything, it’s that I’m especially handsome."

Wang Meng flicked his hair.

"No." Fan Hong shook his head seriously.

Wang Meng felt a pang of frustration. "Hey, Fan, you don’t have to be so brutal, do you?"

"That’s not what I mean. As a Five Elements Wood Master, I’m the most sensitive to the Five Elements, but I can’t figure out your situation at all."

Wang Meng was slightly taken aback. ’This guy isn’t as muddle-headed as he looks,’ he thought.

"Maybe I’m just strong in everything. A legendary genius!"

Fan Hong considered this with great seriousness. "Maybe. But according to the Five Elements theory, it should definitely manifest in a person’s body somehow."

Fan Hong’s gaze roamed over Wang Meng’s body, making his hair stand on end.

"Dude, stop staring! I’m not interested in men."

Fan Hong scratched his head. He really couldn’t tell. ’But he should be a bit inclined towards fire, right?’ he wondered.

Fan Hong wasn’t one to get hung up on things, and his interest soon shifted elsewhere. Now that he had opened up, he passionately recommended his Tide Small Thousand Realm to Wang Meng, describing how wonderful it was, how beautiful his Dharma Flower Sect was, and of course, the junior sister from the sect who was his childhood sweetheart.

After completing their tasks, Stewards of the Alchemy Institute were allowed to use the Alchemy Technique transmission array. Wang Meng had always had some interest in Alchemy. In a way, Zhou Feng had succeeded; of all the auxiliary cultivation paths, Wang Meng was still most interested in Alchemy.

The soul mentor for Pill Cultivators was the image of a woman, extremely calm. Looking at her through the lens of Fan Hong’s Five Elements personality theory, she was probably of the Water Element—the type who doesn’t usually get angry, but can be ferocious when her anger builds up to a certain point.

At the Cultivation Academy, the general concept of the Alchemy Dao was very clear. It was undoubtedly for healing and assisting cultivation, although the former was more emphasized. Using Pills to directly increase one’s Elemental Power was clearly frowned upon. The focus was on supporting combat, not cultivation itself.

A good Pill could indeed play a crucial role in battle, especially at a critical moment. The first Chapter of the Alchemy Dao introduced the Elemental Power of Pill Cultivators. Wang Meng nodded as he listened, feeling that it made a lot of sense. It wasn’t that different from Zhou Feng’s understanding. If there was a difference, it was probably that the collection of Pill Formulas held by the Cultivation Academy was far beyond what any Small Thousand Realm could compare to.

In fact, the more one learned about the Star Alliance, the more mysterious and terrifying it seemed. The Cultivation Academy alone was enough to reveal its profound foundation. Just what kind of person could have established such a massive Cultivation Alliance?

If someone said it had no connection to the Middle Thousand Worlds, Wang Meng would be the first to disbelieve it. But he had to keep these questions buried in his heart. With his current strength, such problems were still far too distant for him.

At the Cultivation Academy, aside from daily studies, students also had to go on missions. Some were optional, while others were mandatory, serving as a kind of test. For these, Pills were very important.

However, buying them from the academy’s Alchemy Room was definitely something Wang Meng and Fan Hong could not afford. In comparison, it was more practical and feasible to buy the materials and refine the Pills themselves.

Generally speaking, the Holy Hall would send them their provisions in another month or two. The number of Spirit Stones wouldn’t be large, but if they were frugal, they wouldn’t be destitute.

Children from poor families learn to be independent early. Wang Meng was well-adapted to this kind of situation, and Fan Hong didn’t seem like a big spender either. At the very least, he had a good attitude.

While Wang Meng was diligently cultivating, things were getting lively back at the Holy Hall.

The departure of Ning Zhiyuan, Wang Meng, Li Tianyi, Mingren, and Liangyuan meant that the Holy Hall Jiufen Hall no longer had an Overlord figure capable of uniting all the Sub-Halls.

Although Thunderlight Hall was full of momentum and had a resource advantage, it had been weak for many years, and people like Hu Jing and Zhang Xiaojiang still needed time to grow. Dao Guang Hall, on the other hand, was like a starved camel that was still bigger than a horse. Wang Meng’s departure, in particular, had caused Zhao Guang’s ambition to swell without limit.

Opportunity always favors the prepared. Zhao Guang used his authority to investigate the "internal traitor" as a pretext to vie for power within Dao Guang Hall, playing political games. Whether it came to background or strength, Zhao Guang, with the support of the Zhao Family, was a real headache for Gongsun Wuqing. However, Gongsun Wuqing had followed Ning Zhiyuan for many years and had deep roots in Dao Guang Hall himself. The two of them were locked in a fierce struggle. If they had joined forces, Hu Jing would have been in a truly difficult position. But Hu Jing astutely seized this opportunity, using Gongsun Wuqing to counterbalance Zhao Guang and buy precious time for Thunderlight Hall to develop rapidly.