Volume One, Chapter 19: Overhearing a Forbidden Secret

Page (1/3)

Robert knew his young master held such a desire and naturally supported it. He immediately sent a telepathic message to Li Zhaohui, conveying the young master’s wish.

Li Zhaohui arrived promptly. “Brother wants to learn alchemy? I can report to the ancestor and arrange for someone to teach you directly.”

“That wouldn’t be ideal,” Jiang Heng smiled. “The ancestor is prominent and would draw attention. If I did that, people would gossip. It’s better if you just inform the alchemy shops in the market and use your personal connections.”

Li Zhaohui chuckled. “That’s no problem, but the alchemists around here aren’t very skilled. I’m afraid they can’t teach you much.”

“You overestimate me,” Jiang Heng shook his head with a wry smile. “At my current level, any third-grade alchemist could easily surpass me, let alone a fourth-grade one.”

“Very well,” Li Zhaohui nodded. For him, this was a trivial matter and didn’t require involving others.

“Then let’s go with Master Wu from the Silver Furnace Alchemy Shop,” Li Zhaohui considered. “Back in the sect, I had a good relationship with him. Later, he left the sect on his own and opened this shop in the market. Among those people, his alchemy is quite advanced.”

Jiang Heng nodded. Li Zhaohui’s recommendation was trustworthy. At his current level, having any alchemist willing to take him as an apprentice was already fortunate—he wouldn’t dare be picky.

So the two of them went straight to the market to find Master Wu. Naturally, Master Wu wanted to save face for Li Zhaohui, and since he was a descendant of Master Jiang, he certainly wouldn’t refuse.

Not only that, but he was determined to teach diligently.

Thus, Jiang Heng formally left the Alchemy Institute and stayed at the Silver Furnace Alchemy Shop to study.

To encourage Jiang Heng’s enthusiasm for alchemy, Li Zhaohui even gifted him a high-grade magical alchemy furnace.

At first, Master Wu treated it as just a task to complete, but after a few days, he realized Jiang Heng’s fundamentals were very solid and that he grasped many concepts instantly.

He then started paying closer attention, often keeping Jiang Heng by his side to guide him and letting him observe his alchemy process.

Although Jiang Heng had reached the second-grade alchemist level on his own, having Master Wu as a model clarified many confusing points.

Indeed, having a master made a real difference! Jiang Heng silently resolved to study even harder, often neglecting sleep.

One day, as he left Master Wu’s place, he unexpectedly spotted someone.

It was Gu Lan! He was slinking out of the medical clinic beside the alchemy shop, looking dejected and dispirited—no longer the handsome, dashing youth he once was.

Wow, they had just been newlyweds, inseparable and affectionate, so why was he now so spiritless? It made no sense.

Page (2/3)

On an impulse, Jiang Heng walked inside.

The clinic and the alchemy shop both belonged to Master Wu. The clinic catered to ordinary townsfolk, who could barely afford medicine; basic ailments were treated with simple pills and powders.

The senior doctor inside knew Jiang Heng and quickly stood to greet him. “Young Master Jiang, welcome! Please sit. I’ll bring some tea.”

As Jiang Heng sipped tea, he asked the doctor, “What’s wrong with that young man who just left? He looked quite unwell.”

The doctor curled his lips disdainfully. “Old men guard their courage, young men guard their chastity. That boy, at such a young age, didn’t cherish himself. He lost his purity too early, and with too much vigor—probably chasing thrills—and even used some ‘tiger-wolf’ medicine. Now his essence is depleted, his kidney yang weak, and he’s already impotent.”

Jiang Heng was stunned—he hadn’t expected such a shocking revelation from simply stepping inside.

Ha! What goes around, comes around! He couldn’t help but laugh.

The doctor felt a pang of regret for speaking so candidly in front of Young Master Jiang and quickly fell silent.

Finishing his tea, Jiang Heng smiled as he left but couldn’t suppress a gleeful laugh once outside.

“Ha ha ha ha!”

Passersby stared in surprise, thinking the young man had lost his mind.

Gu Lan slunk home, and Han Jingyue pulled him aside quietly. “What did the doctor say? Can it be cured?”

Gu Lan looked defeated, shaking his head yet nodding at the same time.

Han Jingyue was puzzled. If it could be cured, say so; if not, say so. Why nod and shake his head?

After pressing him, Gu Lan whispered, “My condition can be treated, but ordinary medicines from the clinic won’t work. It requires a second-grade marrow-cleansing pill to strengthen the foundation, followed by a second-grade yang-boosting pill to enhance yang energy. Only then is a cure possible.”

Han Jingyue fell silent. Such pills were beyond the reach of ordinary people like them.

Even the most basic first-grade pills cost dozens of spirit stones each; second-grade pills cost hundreds.

Alchemy pills were essential aids for cultivators, never intended for common folk.

Han Jingyue mentally calculated—it would cost over a thousand spirit stones to cure his illness.

Page (3/3)

This was truly a disease that demanded either life or a fortune!

“Actually, the illness isn’t too serious. If we don’t treat it, so be it,” Han Jingyue said resignedly. “It’s not that big a deal.”

She could think that way, but Gu Lan could not. As a man, this affected his dignity.

“What do you know?” Gu Lan couldn’t help but snap.

Immediately, he realized why he had spoken so harshly to Han Jingyue. He had never been so blunt before, fearing she wouldn’t endure it.

Sure enough, tears welled up in Han Jingyue’s eyes instantly.

Gu Lan hurriedly said, “Jingyue, I didn’t mean it. Please forgive me?”

“I know—you must be blaming me!” Han Jingyue sobbed, covering her mouth. “I didn’t mean to.”

But that was as far as their conversation could go. If they spoke further, it would inevitably lead back to Jiang Heng, and neither wanted to mention him.

“Stop crying!” A rough, domineering voice interrupted. Both straightened immediately.

Madam Gu stood at the door, glaring fiercely at Han Jingyue. This daughter-in-law was a mess, crying at the slightest provocation. How had she been so unlucky to get her?

If she could turn back time a few days, even if her son broke his head, and the Han family offered a thousand spirit stones, she still wouldn’t want this jinxed daughter-in-law.

Minmin was much better—though she didn’t smile much, her eyes were lively and always helpful.

These two, doing nothing but one sulking and one crying, made her feel she must have encountered misfortune upon leaving the house.

“All you do is cry and whine—does crying put food on the table?” Madam Gu scolded. “Get out and sweep the yard, wash clothes. Stop hiding inside pretending to be some noble lady.”

“If you want to be the young mistress, you need to deserve it first!”