Chapter 275: Chapter 266: Alchemy Institute

After a round of abuse, his Heart Spirit was exhausted. He had no choice but to leave his Sea of Heart to rest. Still, training in the Sea of Heart had its benefits. It constantly strengthened his own Heart Spirit; every time it was depleted, it would improve just a little.

For an ordinary person, consuming their Heart Spirit like this would be incredibly dangerous. But the nourishing effect of the Godhood was on full display. Whenever Wang Meng’s Heart Spirit was depleted, the Godhood would immediately replenish it.

This meant Wang Meng was slowly assimilating the Godhood, rather than being assimilated by it. If Wang Meng could completely devour the Godhood and make it his own, his achievements would surely surpass even Moo Shan’s.

However, the Godhood didn’t replenish it instantly, and Wang Meng wasn’t a machine. The best way to recover was to rest.

Exhausted, Wang Meng quickly fell into a deep sleep.

In the past, Wang Meng would have kept training until he made some progress, but he couldn’t do that now. He still had his part-time job at the Alchemy Institute.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw Fan Hong standing there.

"Ah, what are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you." Fan Hong scratched his head. "I... I really don’t know how to thank you."

"Damn, what’s with the formality? Aren’t we friends?"

"Yes!" Fan Hong nodded forcefully.

"Then that’s that. Let’s go."

"Wang Meng..." Fan Hong stammered.

Wang Meng glanced at Fan Hong. "If you have something to say, just say it."

"In my drunken stupor... I think I saw a Fairy. She lent you Spirit Stones."

’Shit...’ Wang Meng had thought it was something serious. "That was Yan Yuyue. That damn Ascension Tower is no place for people like us. She paid for half of it this time. How embarrassing."

"My annual allowance will be here soon. I’ll pay her back then," Fan Hong said. Wang Meng knew Fan Hong actually received a considerable allowance from the Dharma Flower Sect; he’d just given it all to Chan Jing, which was how he’d ended up in this sorry state. And he had been happy to do it.

"Don’t worry about it. A disciple of the Demon Heart Sect Leader isn’t short on cash. I’ll just owe her a favor and pay her back later," Wang Meng said.

"She’s from the Demon Heart Sect? Oh, now I remember! Among our batch of disciples who arrived in the Great Yuan Realm, two super-geniuses emerged. One is Ma Tian’er, and the other is Yan Yuyue. Ah, I think they’re both from your Four Directions Small Thousand World. You guys have hit the jackpot! One’s in the Dragon King Faction and the other is in the Empress Faction. Tsk, tsk, those are some formidable groups you can’t afford to mess with!"

Fan Hong’s eyes were sparkling. "I never imagined Yan Yuyue would be so beautiful, just like a heavenly Fairy."

Wang Meng looked at Fan Hong and patted his head. "Are you okay?"

’Did the shock break this guy’s brain or something?’

"Wang Meng, my friend, I’ve come to terms with things. To be precise, I’ve had a great epiphany! So what if I’m an illegitimate son? So what if I got dumped? I probably won’t be able to forget her anytime soon, but I’ve decided to live my life to the fullest!" Fan Hong clenched his fists. His expression was still a little pale, but what had changed was that he was no longer running from his problems. He was facing them head-on.

"That’s right. You have to pull yourself together. It’s her loss for having no taste." Wang Meng patted Fan Hong’s shoulder, dropping the subject.

As the first year drew to a close, the Four Directions Small Thousand World started attracting attention, all because of the incredible strength of Ma Tian’er and Yan Yuyue.

In the past two days, Ma Tian’er had fought five matches and won them all.

Yan Yuyue had fought eight matches and won them all.

What’s more, they were both beauties. Everyone knew that Wood Element women were the most gentle. If you could win one over, she would be willing to give you everything—even her life. The Wood Element was the most suitable for Dual Cultivation.

Water Element beauties, on the other hand, were very independent and opinionated, making them difficult to win over. Yet, the Water of the Five Elements often produced the most captivating women.

Yan Yuyue was living proof of this.

Thanks to their performance, the Four Directions Small Thousand World’s reputation was on the rise. Of course, if the two of them could maintain this momentum, their respective Sects would also reap even greater benefits.

Most importantly, both of them were single!

Countless admirers were said to be eagerly rubbing their hands in anticipation.

Meanwhile, Yan Yuyue and Ma Tian’er were focused on their Cultivation. With the backing of their factions and their talents on full display, they were set for smooth sailing. However, comparisons were inevitable among peers, and the fact that they both came from the same Small Thousand Realm made them all the more conspicuous.

One an Evil Cultivator, the other a Saint Cultivator.

At this moment, Wang Meng and Fan Hong were busy scrubbing Furnace Cauldrons. It was a messy job, but neither of them complained. After all, the clients had paid for the service.

They chatted while they worked, staving off the loneliness. "Ma Tian’er is from your Sect, isn’t she? You two must be pretty close."

"We’re okay," Wang Meng said with a wry smile. His situation with Ma Tian’er was currently rather awkward. She was a good person, but he had actively rejected her, and no one would be happy about that. The fact that he had later gotten together with Yang Ying had probably been an even bigger blow to her.

"The moment I heard ’okay,’ I knew it was a lost cause. That Yan Yuyue seems like a really nice person, though, actually paying our bill. But she’s from the Demon Heart Sect. In your Four Directions Small Thousand World, are Saint Cultivators and Demon Cultivators on good terms?"

The newly enlightened Fan Hong seemed to have turned into a chatterbox. At least Wang Meng wasn’t lonely anymore.

"It’s just like anywhere else—the competition is still fierce. The Holy Hall and the Demon Heart Sect keep to themselves and don’t interfere with each other, but it’s hard to say for the rest."

"I knew it. Sigh... it’s a shame we’re not strong enough. It would be great if we could join a faction. A Sect only gives you a few Spirit Stones, but joining a faction brings tons of benefits. We wouldn’t have to worry about being bullied anymore, either."

"Not interested. I think things are fine as they are."

"That’s only because nothing has happened yet. The trouble with Dragon War probably isn’t over. If we don’t find a major faction for protection, we’re in serious danger. I’ve been on pins and needles these past couple of days."

"We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. What good would worrying do?" Wang Meng could see that Fan Hong truly had no experience with conflict. The Dharma Flower Sect had been a protective umbrella for him, and now, in the Great Yuan Realm, he was finding it difficult to adapt.

"I heard that if you pay a hefty sum of Spirit Stones, you can join the Tyrant Faction. Then we wouldn’t have to be afraid of Dragon War and his cronies. How about it? I could try to arrange it for both of us?" Fan Hong rubbed his hands together.

Wang Meng just smiled. "I don’t need it."

Fan Hong didn’t press the issue. "By the way, you were right, a loser really can make a comeback! The Master showed up yesterday and actually used the Curved Sword Skill to take down Hua Wuque in one move. It supposedly drove Hua Wuque half-mad. It’s given me some confidence in myself, too. If even the Master can grasp the Curved Sword Skill, why can’t I?"

Fan Hong looked at Wang Meng, but Master Wang was simply focused on scrubbing a Pill Furnace. ’Sigh, can’t people be a little more careful? This thing must have exploded something fierce. There’s dust everywhere.’

Master Wang and Fan Hong diligently finished their assigned chores and entered the instructional Array. There, they could refine some essential Pills for themselves. After all, there were many places in the Great Yuan Realm that were inaccessible without the aid of Alchemy.

Of course, Wang Meng wasn’t there for such mundane needs. Even the extra income wasn’t important to him. He was there for the Alchemy Dao itself.

Zhou Feng had been a good master. While Wang Meng had been able to show off a little back then, it was only due to the influence of his Godhood. His true skill in the Alchemy Dao was still leagues behind. But Zhou Feng was an easygoing person who didn’t hold it against him. He had been a very attentive teacher, which had given Wang Meng a solid foundation.

The Alchemy Dao was another kind of shortcut on the path of Cultivation—a shortcut of wisdom. Cultivators were obsessed with the idea of ascending to the heavens in a single step by refining the Immortal Pills of their dreams. In reality, that was little more than a fantasy, a dream held by those who loved taking shortcuts. Nevertheless, in terms of practical application, the Alchemy Dao was undeniably crucial.

At the Cultivation Academy, Pills weren’t just for healing and detoxification; they also had many protective effects, such as warding off water and fire. Wang Meng absorbed this knowledge voraciously, planning to use his own understanding to create Magic Talismans that he could one day bring back to Zhou Feng, Little Jing, and the others at the Holy Hall.

After the heartbreak, Fan Hong had also become much more serious. His timid nature might not change overnight, but he had gained a measure of fortitude and was no longer agonizing over his own personality.

The Alchemy Institute was quite busy. Cultivation inevitably led to bottlenecks, and turning to the Alchemy Dao to seek a breakthrough was a well-trodden path.

Fan Hong glanced around for a bit before leaving the instructional Array. Seeing Wang Meng still engrossed in his studies inside, he felt a flicker of admiration. ’The early bird gets the worm, I guess.’

Fan Hong didn’t disturb Wang Meng. He quietly finished the rest of the chores, and seeing that Wang Meng was still completely absorbed, he left without a word.

Wang Meng had been captivated by a particularly unusual Alchemy Skill: Heart Spirit Refining.

Alchemy primarily relied on Pill Flame, which came from one’s Sea of Fate and originated from the Five Elements Flame. ’Heart Spirit Refining?’

’What does that even mean?’

But Wang Meng was naturally drawn to the strange and unusual. They say curiosity killed the cat; his could probably kill a giant panda.

The so-called Heart Spirit Refining didn’t mean forgoing Pill Flame; it was still necessary. The difference was that it wasn’t just about controlling the heat; the key was to infuse the will of one’s Heart Spirit into the process, thereby granting the Pill life.

It sounded like complete nonsense.

This Refining Technique was considered unorthodox even at the Cultivation Academy. It might not be reliable, but for it to be included here, its creator couldn’t have been a nobody—though, of course, it was a name Wang Meng didn’t recognize.

Wang Meng dared to try it because he knew he was special. That sliver of Godhood, however faint, was still a form of Divine Sense. He had to explore every possible way to use it.

Wang Meng was a man of action—it was better to do something than just think about it. But... the materials here were incredibly expensive. Even though he was a Steward of the Alchemy Institute, that only granted him free use of the instructional Array.

After leaving the Array, Wang Meng did some quick mental math. As a new student, many things had been free or discounted during the first year. ’Damn,’ he thought, ’the expenses now are terrifying.’

He really needed to come up with a plan. If things continued like this, Fan Hong might be able to hold out, but he himself would be reduced to begging.

Suddenly, he found himself thinking fondly of Dragon War. ’When is that guy going to come looking for a one-on-one fight? What’s taking him so long?’

Wang Meng absolutely refused to believe that Dragon War would let the matter drop. The guy was a Demon Cultivator and clearly the type to bully the weak and fear the strong. Having suffered a loss due to his own arrogance and been humiliated in front of his friends—it would be weirder if he *didn’t* come looking for revenge.

Wang Meng looked around the Alchemy Room. Fan Hong had already finished the last few chores. Wang Meng stretched; it was about time to head back.

Just then, the door opened. "Sorry, we’re closed for the day. The Alchemy Institute is shutting down. Please come back tomorrow."

"I’m in a bit of a hurry. Could you wait just a moment? I’ll be quick."

The voice was soft and melodic. Wang Meng turned his head to see a woman about his height. Dressed in purple robes, she cut a slender figure, and the skin of her exposed neck was as flawless as jade. When he saw her face, even Master Wang, a man who had seen his fair share of beauties, was stunned for a moment.