The display was filled with all kinds of medicinal herbs, their prices varying based on type and age.
The pharmacist behind the counter, seeing how young Yun Jin looked, couldn't help but show a hint of impatience. "Little girl, if you want to look at herbs, bring an adult. Don't stand in the way of my business."
Though there were no other customers in sight, Yun Jin obediently stepped aside.
She put on her most innocent expression. "Sister, I'm sorry. Can I just stand here and look? I feel so happy and familiar when I see these herbs. Sister, do you know all of them? You're amazing!"
The pharmacist: "..."
What had she just said?
How could she have been so harsh to such a sweet girl? She'd probably wake up at midnight later, filled with regret.
Her expression softened. "As a pharmacist, recognizing herbs is the most basic skill. I'm already a fifth-grade pharmacist. Next year, I can take the exam to become an alchemist."
A trace of longing flashed across her face. "If I can become an alchemist—even just a first-grade one—my life will change completely."
"Oh?" Yun Jin quickly asked, "Do you have to be a pharmacist first before becoming an alchemist?"
The woman smiled. "Most people do. But if you can refine a standard first-grade pill, you can skip straight to being an alchemist. Those from great families are born with the best resources. They train from childhood just to refine one first-grade pill—even if they fail a hundred times, succeeding once is enough. But for ordinary people like us, without resources or guidance, the only path is starting as a pharmacist and climbing step by step. It took me five years to go from first-grade to fifth-grade, and that's considered good talent. But the final hurdle—from pharmacist to alchemist—is the hardest."
She sighed.
In this world of cultivation, the children of great families played on easy mode.
For ordinary people? The climb was brutal.
"I see," Yun Jin nodded, then asked, "Where do you take the alchemist exam?"
The pharmacist pointed east. "There's a branch of the Alchemy Pavilion in the market. They handle the exams. The Alchemy Pavilion is the union of all alchemists, backed by the Xuandan Gate—one of the Four Great Holy Lands. If you show exceptional talent, you might even be recruited by them directly."
Her eyes shone with longing.
Yun Jin nodded eagerly.
Perfect. Time to take the exam!
If she wanted to refine the Heaven-Mending Pill within three months, she had to get an alchemist certification—even if it drained all her simplification points.
Between leveling up her alchemy and mastering the Azure Lotus Sword Art, her 157 simplification points suddenly didn't seem like enough.
She needed more opportunities to show off.
The pharmacist chuckled at Yun Jin's scheming expression. "Little sister, do you also want to be an alchemist? Dreams are good, but we must take things step by step. If you start working hard now, in ten years, you might reach my level. And who knows? Maybe one day, you'll become an alchemist."
Yun Jin nodded solemnly. "Sister, here's the thing."
Her innocent demeanor made the pharmacist listen attentively.
"I think I'm a genius." Yun Jin declared with absolute seriousness. "I think I can become an alchemist directly."
Pharmacist: "???"
[+30 Emotional Value!]
Yun Jin blinked. "When I become an alchemist, I won't forget your guidance today. I'll take you with me to greatness."
The pharmacist didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Alright, alright. I'll wait for that day."
Just as Yun Jin was about to say more—
YANK.
Her collar was seized as Yue Zhao dragged her back, his face dark. "Yun Jin! Stop running off!"
Yun Jin protested, "I wasn't running around. I was looking at herbs. Senior Brother, rather than buying pills, why not buy herbs and refine them ourselves? The price difference is huge. I'm just trying to save us some money."
Yue Zhao's lips twitched. "Everyone knows refining your own pills saves money. But that only works if someone's willing to do the refining!"
In the entire Tianxing Sect, alchemists of Grade Five or above were few and far between. The only one they had was the Peak Lord of Shendan Peak, Huo Lie.
Aside from him, there were barely ten alchemists in the whole sect.
If Zhao Wuji asked, those alchemists would trip over themselves to deliver pills. But for Tianjian Peak?
Who would bother with them?
"Why rely on them?" Yun Jin puffed out her chest. "We'll train our own alchemist!"
Yue Zhao flicked her forehead. "Without the right heritage, how would we even start?"
The most advanced alchemy techniques were monopolized by the Xuandan Gate. The rest were passed down through generations.
For outsiders to learn? They had to join—and only the most talented were accepted.
For ordinary people, becoming an alchemist was like climbing to heaven.
"I'm a genius," Yun Jin declared, full of confidence. "I think I can give it a try."
The pharmacist couldn't help but laugh.
Yue Zhao, thoroughly embarrassed, tried to drag her away. "Sorry, sorry. Don't mind her."
"Mind what?" Yun Jin clung to a pillar, refusing to budge. "I know I have talent!"
Yue Zhao's face darkened further.
He never should have brought her.
Come to think of it…
Why had he thought this junior sister was soft, cute, and adorable when they first met?
What kind of delusion was that?!
The pharmacist chuckled. "Little sister, dreams are good. But you must take things step by step. To become an alchemist, the foundation is herb recognition. And it's not just about identifying them—even the same herb can have different medicinal properties based on its growing conditions. A pharmacist's core skill is attuning to herbs, sensing their unique attributes. For example, take this Biling Grass—it's the main ingredient for Biling Pills. Why don't you try sensing its potency and properties?"
She wanted Yun Jin to understand just how difficult even the basics were.
Becoming an alchemist? Impossible without years of training.
"Sure!" Yun Jin agreed instantly. "Senior Brother, let go. Let me try."
Gritting his teeth, Yue Zhao released her.
"It's fine. Children always think the world is simple. Once she tries, she'll understand the difficulty," the pharmacist said kindly.
Yue Zhao relaxed slightly, about to nod in agreement—
Then Yun Jin's crisp voice rang out.
"Biling Grass. Age: Fifty years. Remaining potency: 80%. This specimen grew in overly damp conditions, giving it a slightly cold nature. It's best to neutralize that before use."
Yue Zhao laughed. "She's making it up so convincingly—"
Then he turned and saw the pharmacist's horrified expression.
Yue Zhao: "???"
Don't scare him like this!
That look—
Did Yun Jin actually guess right?!