I Have Medicine

Chapter 599 - (Countless Invitations) Double-standard Treatment

Gongyi Tianheng’s unconventional move of refusing the test left many students with an indescribable feeling. But if he didn’t want the test, what could they do to him? Thus, their minds quickly moved on to the next item they were waiting for: the scores of the monstrously talented Pharmacist.

After all, that was what they were truly interested in… right?

Gu Zuo was still very concerned about his Big Brother’s status. While being led away by Gongyi Tianheng, he looked toward the clean-cut young man.

The clean-cut young man smiled at him: “With the ability of Junior Brother Gongyi, although he remains a Fourth-Level Student, he can receive special treatment within that rank. Junior Brother Gu, you need not worry.”

Gu Zuo thought about it and understood.

That made sense. The Longque Academy must have long had rules and regulations in place. Someone like his Big Brother, who could fight above his rank, surely had precedents throughout history. Thus, there was a set way to handle his arrangement. Big Brother was at the peak of the Ascendant Realm, so he belonged to that realm’s category, but his actual strength far surpassed it, so giving him special treatment was the solution.

That’s actually… quite reasonable.

Gu Zuo calmed down.

By this time, his Big Brother had led him to the place where the Pharmacist assessment had been conducted earlier.

Hmm, he also wanted to know what kind of treatment he would receive with his results. Also, how was the student ranking for Pharmacists determined…

When the group arrived, the black-robed person was still standing there.

Seeing them approach, the black-robed person pondered for a moment before stepping forward: “The results for this student, after discussion, have been decided.”

As soon as he spoke, many people pricked up their ears.

The black-robed person stated: “In our Longque Academy, anyone who can reach the Profound-Level may graduate and leave. Someone who achieves the rank of Pill King is considered an Elder-level figure within our Academy.” His tone then grew slightly hesitant. “If we consider you, Student Gu Zuo, a Profound-Level Pharmacist, you can be admitted as a Seventh-Level Student to cultivate in seclusion here. However, you were able to refine an Earth-Level Pill of excellent quality, which indeed puts you at the standard of a Pill King… but, in the end, it is an over-the-rank refinement and not a true attainment of the Pill King realm.”

At this point, even the black-robed person felt that the situation was inappropriate.

After all, a pharmacist’s rank fundamentally depends not on their cultivation realm, but on the level of the pill they can successfully refine. Since Gu Zuo refined an Earth-Level pill, he should be a Pill King. But if they immediately recognized him as a Pill King, it would be awkward to house him under the identity of a student. Conversely, if they treated him as an Elder… not just any Pill King could serve as an Elder in the Longque Academy.

It seemed that no matter what they did, it wasn’t quite right.

There was no helping it. Gu Zuo’s case was unprecedented, so it was no surprise that the Longque Academy was struggling with the decision.

After much deliberation, a corresponding decision was finally reached.

The black-robed person continued: “Therefore, Student Gu Zuo will receive the special treatment for a Seventh-Level Pharmacist Student. If you are willing, you may also hold a concurrent position as an Guest Lecturer… However, if you agree to become a Guest Lecturer, Student Gu Zuo must lecture once every seven days during your time at the Academy. In return, you will receive an additional stipend and benefits package for a Guest Lecturer.”

Gu Zuo was embarrassed.

‘Be a… be a Lecturer?’

‘That is too great a jump, isn’t it…’

‘Besides, if I really become a lecturer, what would I even teach?’

However, this was likely the best treatment the Longque Academy could come up with for him. If he simply refused, he would lose the benefits package that came with the Guest Lecturer position.

The benefits that could attract many Pill Kings to settle in the Longque Academy… they probably wouldn’t be simple.

Thinking this, Gu Zuo became a little hesitant.

Gongyi Tianheng knew what he was thinking, and with a slight movement of his mind, he sent a sound transmission to him.

[Ah Zuo, this is a rare opportunity, you might as well accept.]

[But Big Brother, I don’t know what to teach…]

[Ah Zuo possesses a great many Pharmaceutical classics. You can select the ones you are proficient in and which are unrelated to Ling Su’s former master’s inheritance. You can begin with the shallow and proceed to the deep, teaching slowly. Furthermore, teaching others the Dao also helps to organize and refine the way in your own heart. Although Ah Zuo’s Pharmaceutical technique is excellent, it is also highly related to your unique constitution. This is a perfect opportunity to start from this perspective and solidify your foundation.]

With Gongyi Tianheng’s explanation, Gu Zuo was instantly enlightened.

‘That’s true.’

If his Big Brother hadn’t mentioned it, he wouldn’t have thought of it, but in reality, his ability to refine flawless pills all these years truly had a huge connection to his constitution. He had read countless classics on pharmaceutical knowledge, but had that knowledge truly formed a system within his own mind? Upon careful reflection, he realized it was still lacking. If he became a lecturer, both to uphold his Big Brother’s reputation and to gain a foothold in the Longque Academy, he would definitely study meticulously and find a suitable way to explain things. At that point, it would indeed force him to review everything from the beginning, thereby strengthening his foundation.

So, Gu Zuo no longer hesitated and said to the black-robed person: “In that case, I respectfully accept your kind offer.”

The black-robed person stroked his beard and nodded, showing his satisfaction: “Since that is settled, Nephew Shen will forge your student tokens and distribute your benefits packages. As for Guest Lecturer Gu’s first class, it can take place in seven days.”

Gu Zuo and Gongyi Tianheng naturally agreed immediately. They quickly left the area and followed the clean-cut young man to their original location.

As for all the onlookers… they wanted to find an opportunity to come over and socialize, but the two walked briskly and showed no intention of stopping, causing the onlookers to halt.

Oh well. Now wasn’t a good time. Besides, they needed to investigate the identities of these two further.

Gongyi Tianheng… The more they heard this name, the more familiar it felt.

And the reaction of the long-robed elders was also unusual.

Perhaps they had missed something important.

By this point, Gu Zuo and Gongyi Tianheng finally learned the name of the senior apprentice brother who had been accompanying them—Shen Wentao. He was part of the Hall of Affairs and belonged to the department specifically responsible for issuing student tokens. Students as young as him who wielded such authority were rare, and anyone who did had an unusual background and powerful personal strength.

Now that Gu Zuo and Gongyi Tianheng had completed their assessments, Shen Wentao quickly and efficiently processed a series of procedures for the pair, issuing two Student Tokens and one Guest Lecturer Token.

Afterward, Shen Wentao smiled: “Junior Brother Gongyi is a Fourth-Level Special Treatment Student. The rest of your benefits are quite miscellaneous and will be actively delivered by an attendant each month. What you need to pay attention to is your monthly Academy Pass privilege, which is active for ten days of the month. With this privilege, Junior Brother Gongyi can freely use all the refining and training facilities within the Academy during those ten days. You can also use it to access the Academy’s many Scripture Repository locations and read the books that are comparable to your current rank, as well as those that are one rank higher.” Speaking of this, he looked at Gu Zuo. “Junior Brother Gu has the Seventh-Level Special Treatment, meaning you have Academy Pass access for thirty days a month to peruse numerous classics. However, scriptures concerning Pill Kings and above require you to use your Guest Lecturer status.”

Shen Wentao did not say much, but he covered all the important points.

This indicated that the most precious things in any place were the various classics and scriptures, and this kind of access was what students of all ranks eagerly sought.

Gongyi Tianheng and Gu Zuo were equally concerned with this.

Seeing that Shen Wentao had clearly explained everything, the two collected their respective items and, after thanking Shen Wentao, returned to their own mountain peak.

It is worth noting that because Gu Zuo’s benefits package was extremely high, yet his personal cultivation realm hadn’t reached the point where he needed those specific resources, he simply exchanged his benefits for the surrounding mountains and valleys, walling them off as the private domain for himself and his Big Brother.

This resource conversion was smoothly handled by those who knew Gu Zuo’s situation.

Thus, under Gongyi Tianheng’s planning, the valleys would be used for the training and refinement of their two thousand martial artists, and the other peaks could be used for entertaining guests, setting up private residences, and other suitable purposes.

Subsequently, Gu Zuo and Gongyi Tianheng used their Student Tokens to act separately and head to the Academy’s Scripture Repository.

Gongyi Tianheng was going to study more martial arts, while Gu Zuo needed to research the local pharmaceutical classics to prepare for his lecture seven days later.

Naturally, Gongyi Tianheng did not miss his daily courses, and at the same time, he visited all the various training facilities within the Academy.

In this way… Gongyi Tianheng and Gu Zuo were unable to move around together in the near term.

They each had their own matters to attend to.

—-

The matter of Gu Zuo becoming a Guest Lecturer quickly spread throughout the Longque Academy.

Some of the Elder-level figures paid a little attention, not to mention the students who were not in seclusion—they almost all became aware of this person. After a brief investigation, they quickly uncovered Gu Zuo’s other identity.

Pill Slaughterer Profound Shadow…

This person’s deeds had been common knowledge ever since he appeared on the List of Pill Sinners and Evildoers. Now that he was identified, the many clear-sighted individuals wouldn’t underestimate Gu Zuo because of his age.

In fact, it was precisely because of Gu Zuo’s former title that the students who might have initially harbored slight doubts about his youth all discarded their skepticism.

Deeds don’t lie. Furthermore, those with more informed connections obtained solid confirmation from the Dark Tower and other sources, assuring them that Gu Zuo’s strength was absolutely genuine, without any exaggeration.

If this was the case, he could indeed serve as a lecturer… Many Pharmacist students grew interested, wanting to know what exactly this person could teach.

Surely a person with such a huge reputation wouldn’t be unable to explain anything worthwhile, right?

This shows that Gu Zuo had every reason to feel hesitant and nervous before.

In the following days, the student factions from various sides of the Longque Academy all began making contact with Gu Zuo. Naturally, they had to make extensive preparations before contact, including drafting appropriate and properly worded invitation slips for people to deliver. Moreover, regardless of their motives, they all carefully considered the attitude they should adopt toward Gu Zuo.

Gu Zuo was completely immersed in his “lecture preparation,” slowly piecing together his content, and was thus unaware that his identity was now public across the entire Longque Academy—not only public but also attracting considerable attention.

Gongyi Tianheng, with his keen intellect, had already anticipated this. However, he didn’t wish to disturb his Ah Zuo with this matter, so he merely instructed his subordinate Tianlong Guards to keep an eye on it. He himself remained focused primarily on his cultivation.

Gradually, many invitation slips were delivered.

Among them, a few slips seemed genuinely familiar.