Chapter 714 - 646: Getting on the Right Track, and I Have a Kind Heart

As for the Contribution Points required to obtain the Demon Dragon Blood Exchange Technique, the number was certainly immense. But that was a relative term. For an Advanced Pharmacist like Yang Chan—or a future Top Level Pharmacist—it was simply a matter of time and effort to accumulate enough. From that perspective, it was a problem that would solve itself.

For instance, he was now using some of his elixirs to complete tasks for the Holy Land. While earning Contribution Points, he also reaped a good deal of Spiritual Materials. The more he practiced alchemy, the faster his points piled up.

Thus, for Yang Chan, the real restriction was never the Contribution Points; it was the prerequisites for the exchange.

However, based on the arrangements he was making, it wouldn’t be long before he met those prerequisites.

’The Spirit Medicine Tower is slowly getting back on track, but I still need to deal with those hidden threats. Can’t have them causing trouble for me.’

’I’m making such big waves here. Even though the Saintess is running interference with the Quasi-Saint Son, he might still do something desperate when cornered. I have to be prepared for that.’

’These moles are exactly how he might lash out. While they can’t cause me any major harm right now, they could still drag my name through the mud and make me lose face.’

’Getting things in order here will serve as a good precaution.’

’If he makes a move now, it would actually be better; the impact on me wouldn’t be too great. What I’m afraid of is that he’s too patient, biding his time to hit me with a devastating blow. That would be a real problem.’

Yang Chan understood a simple truth: a dog that bites doesn’t bark. It just waits for the critical moment to strike viciously, because barking does little more than startle its prey.

A bark might even draw unwanted attention, getting the dog itself struck down.

As he considered this, Yang Chan’s gaze grew deep.

For now, things were proceeding according to his predictions and going quite smoothly, but Yang Chan never once let his guard down.

A brief period of success meant nothing. It could even be an illusion, designed to make one lower their guard. Yang Chan was keenly aware of this, which was why he hadn’t become a hands-off manager, even with most of the Spirit Medicine Tower now under his control.

After all, if something went wrong at the Spirit Medicine Tower, the ultimate responsibility would fall upon the Stewards.

And if there was a problem with the person overseeing the Intermediate Pharmacists, the blame would ultimately land on Yang Chan, not on the actual troublemakers—especially when he was already being targeted.

Yang Chan planned his path forward. After a moment of thought, he went into the courtyard to practice his Martial Arts.

Ever since becoming a Steward at the Spirit Medicine Tower, his time for training had been severely cut. The tower simply wasn’t a suitable place for Martial Arts Cultivation, which was another reason he wanted to stabilize things there as soon as possible.

Martial Arts Cultivation required personal effort in addition to improvements from adding points. The two were complementary; the effect was better when they worked in tandem.

...

Pill Pavilion.

Spirit Medicine Tower.

"Xu Yuan, Gongye Xun, Peng Yuan’an..."

"The few of you need not return to the Spirit Medicine Tower tomorrow."

Xu Gaocen had gathered everyone on the list Yang Chan had given him. He’d called them all over, more than ten people in total.

These individuals handled the more basic, mundane tasks at the Spirit Medicine Tower.

In their normal roles, they had no direct contact with the Pharmacists collecting Spirit Medicine, nor with the reserves of Spirit Medicine in the rear. Of course, they might gain access if duties were temporarily reassigned, but that only happened under special circumstances.

"Pharmacist Xu, what do you mean by that?"

Xu Yuan asked hastily.

He looked anxious, as if he hadn’t heard clearly or couldn’t understand.

"I mean exactly what I said. You’ve been dismissed. You can look for a new post within the Pill Pavilion."

"As for the Contribution Points you’ve earned for the past few days of work, they will be distributed as usual. Nothing will be withheld."

"Pharmacist Yang is no cruel exploiter; he’s not going to steal the Contribution Points you’ve earned."

"It’s just that you are no longer a good fit for the Spirit Medicine Tower."

"You all know what’s been happening at the Spirit Medicine Tower. People have been dismissed every day for a while now, and you’ve seen Pharmacist Yang’s methods."

"So, it would be best for all of us to part amicably."

Xu Gaocen said, his face expressionless. He knew perfectly well that these people being dismissed were likely agents of the Quasi-Saint Son. They might appear to be diligent workers, but in reality, they were probably waiting for an opportunity to backstab someone.

Perhaps some of them were innocent, but what did that have to do with Yang Chan? If there was even the slightest hint of a problem, they had to go. After all, he couldn’t possibly conduct a detailed investigation on every single person.

Besides, some were hidden so deeply that even a thorough investigation might not uncover them.

Xu Gaocen didn’t know on what basis Yang Chan was making these dismissals, but he didn’t need to know the details. He just had to follow Yang Chan’s instructions.

He was now effectively Yang Chan’s subordinate, and as a subordinate, there was no need to ask too many questions.

Besides, he was far more concerned with using his position at the Spirit Medicine Tower to acquire more Spirit Medicine and advance to Advanced Pharmacist as soon as possible. That, for him, was the proper path forward.

Yang Chan had already caught up to and surpassed him. He couldn’t just stand by and watch, or soon he wouldn’t even be able to see Yang Chan’s back in the distance.

After all, when Yang Chan had started out, he had been Xu Gaocen’s Pharmacist Apprentice. Back then, Xu Gaocen was already an Intermediate Pharmacist.

But now, he was still an Intermediate Pharmacist, while Yang Chan had already advanced to become an Advanced Pharmacist, a rank higher than his own. The more he dwelt on this gap, the greater the pressure he felt.