Chapter 109 - 82: I Often Feel Out of Place Among You for Not Being Perverted Enough

Chapter 109: Chapter 82: I Often Feel Out of Place Among You for Not Being Perverted Enough

Honestly, Zhao Ci truly didn’t get it.

The members of the Lingge Waste Group were each a failure in their own unique way.

Some were born with weak dispositions and just muddled through life.

Some had poor Innate talent, so they worked their asses off in secret while projecting the public image of a ’Banshee’ slayer.

Others were incredibly driven, yet no matter how hard they tried, they just couldn’t succeed at anything.

Zhao Ci found it hard to say which of them had the most tragic lot, but he knew that when it came to personal life, Yang Mo definitely had it the worst. Parents of that... caliber... were a rare find indeed.

What kind of parents spent every waking moment thinking up ways to torment their own children?

Aside from the Tangsi Divine King, Zhao Ci had truly never heard of another case.

"Zhao Ci, take me with you to the Northern Three Prefectures this time!"

Yang Mo’s expression was earnest. "The Northern Three Prefectures are filled with poisonous miasmas and treacherous people. I’m quite knowledgeable about poisons. I can be your poison tester."

[Yang Mo’s Current Wish]: To go with Zhao Ci to the Northern Three Prefectures and be a Poison Tester to avoid the torment of his parents. Wish Completion Reward: Insight +10, Stealable Skill: Introduction to Toxicology.

Zhao Ci: "..."

’His parents are still at it?’

’Oh, boy...’

’As much as he wanted to help Yang Mo escape his torment, Yang Mo really wouldn’t be much help on this trip to the Northern Three Prefectures. He himself was the Gongdan Envoy; no one would dare touch him openly. The same couldn’t be said for Yang Mo, though. If he accidentally got himself killed...’

’As for being a Poison Tester and getting ’Introduction to Toxicology,’ the appeal wasn’t nearly strong enough to justify putting Yang Mo—a future powerhouse with the potential to unlock a Seventh-Layer Divine Treasure—in harm’s way.’

’After all, he’d mastered the Hundred Poison Secret Manual. He was an expert in toxicology. Did he really need an ’Introduction to Toxicology’?’

’That was as ridiculous as giving a Fields Medal winner an elementary school math textbook.’

He smiled and shook his head. "This mission is to deliver the Emperor’s Gift Pill. No one will dare try anything with me. Why don’t you stay in Lingge and keep practicing your alchemy for now? When I get back, we can scheme up a way for you to earn some merits."

Yang Mo’s face fell. "You really don’t need me?"

"Talent needs to be put to proper use!"

Zhao Ci smiled and waved his hand dismissively. "Look! Even an alchemist as skilled as Tributor Zhu was wasted when she was stuck with the Zhu Family, a place full of morons. Didn’t they just about ruin her?"

"Exactly!"

Zhu Li nodded, in wholehearted agreement.

Yang Mo: "..."

Zhao Ci continued, "Making you a bodyguard who tests for poison—how is that any different from leaving Tributor Zhu with the Zhu Family?"

Zhu Li agreed even more vehemently. "He’s not wrong!"

She wasn’t quite sure how the two situations were comparable, but that didn’t stop her from agreeing.

Hearing it put that way by the two of them, Yang Mo started to think they had a point.

Zhao Ci clapped him on the shoulder. "You keep up with your alchemy for now. When the sun starts to set, we’ll head over to the Imperial Clan Court and get you registered."

"Right!"

Yang Mo nodded, a weight finally lifted from his shoulders.

’After he went home last night, he’d been terrified that Zhao Ci was just putting on a show for everyone and would later try to convince him to back out quietly.’

’But now it seemed... he really was a true brother.’

He took a deep breath, then went to change into his Pill Robe and start his alchemy.

Zhao Ci didn’t disturb them much further. After reminding everyone to balance work with rest, he left the Alchemy Room. Instead of returning to the Tenth Prince’s Mansion, however, he sat down in the front hall of the Pill Workshop and pulled over a young man from the Chu Family, who had been sent to help with the business, for a chat.

The young man was a bit reserved at first. But after a little while, a young fellow from the Xiang Family arrived to deliver alcohol and was also roped into the conversation by Zhao Ci. The atmosphere immediately became much more cheerful.

With Zhao Ci’s deliberate guidance, the topic soon shifted to the history between the Xiang and Chu families, which attracted a large crowd of the Chu Family members over.

Before long, everyone had warmed up to each other.

Zhao Ci wasn’t in a rush. He didn’t bring up taking over the Chu Family’s alchemists directly. He knew that laying the groundwork and building rapport first was time well spent.

’Given the relationship between the Xiang and Chu families, as long as he managed things freely, there was no way Gu Xiangzhu could poach them.’

’Her agreeing to his terms was partly to secure his Alchemy of Wine, and partly for this very reason.’

The conversation flowed, and everyone was having a great time.

They chatted until the sun began to dip below the western horizon.

Yang Mo finally hurried out of the Alchemy Room. He and Zhao Ci rushed to the Imperial Clan Court just before it closed for the day to carve his name onto the stone tablet of the Tenth Prince’s Mansion.

*Phew...*

He let out a long sigh of relief.

Zhao Ci quirked an eyebrow at him. "Come on! I’ll give you a ride home. And while we’re at it, let’s get some more of those mushrooms. I’m all out of the last batch!"

"No problem!"

Yang Mo didn’t stand on ceremony. He was only from a branch of the Yang Family and wasn’t qualified to own a carriage, so he was used to bumming rides.

As for fresh mushrooms, he was running low himself. The entire Yang Family loved the stuff, and his household’s ration wasn’t large to begin with. He’d even gotten a vicious tongue-lashing from his parents for giving some to Zhao Ci before.

But after the Xingyu Pill Association rose to prominence, his parents had given up eating mushrooms that very day, saving them all for him to give to Zhao Ci.

The carriage traveled west, soon arriving at the Yang Family’s residential district.

The Dian Nan Yang Clan’s roots in Lingge weren’t as deep as those of the Feng or Zhu families. The Yang Mansion wasn’t particularly large, nor was it located in the most luxurious part of the city. However, the clan had purchased several streets behind the mansion to house their businesses and peripheral members.

Yang Mo’s family of three lived here, managing a small apothecary that specialized in herbs from Dian Nan.

It looked rather upscale, but only when compared to the shops of ordinary folk.

To be relegated to managing such a business within the vast Yang Family spoke volumes about their status in the clan.

The moment he saw Zhao Ci arrive, Yang Mo’s father, Yang Fang, immediately handed the shop over to an assistant and hurried out to greet them enthusiastically.

"Your Highness is here! It’s been too long, hasn’t it? Please, come inside. And Mo, really, how could you not invite His Highness over for such a long time?"