So it was the Yixin Society. And here he'd thought it was the Yixin Society.
Nothing more needed to be said. Time to go straight to—
Loyalty! Devotion!
The sun shone bright in the north, and there were plenty of suns in the south.
From where Chen Zhuo stood, the sun here at Taiqing Vocational and Technical College of Alchemy was both blazing bright and blindingly abundant.
After sighing inwardly, Chen Zhuo shifted his gaze upward.
There, descending slowly from the sky, was a tall, blonde woman dressed in an azure gown. The gown radiated powerful fluctuations of spiritual power—evidently an extraordinary set of dharma robes.
Not only that, several beams of sword light flickered behind her, and a crimson bracelet on her wrist gave off a faint, dangerous aura.
Though she gave off slight Homelander vibes, the sheer, swaggering extravagance of this Daoist Scholar Dong was genuinely astonishing.
This...
This was an undergraduate!
Terrifying to behold.
No wonder every junior college student scrambled so desperately for a chance to reach the undergraduate level.
Seeing such flair, Chen Zhuo secretly wished he were the one in her shoes!
"Daoist Scholar Dong!"
All at once, every junior college student present cupped their hands in respectful greeting.
"Mm."
Touching down softly, Dong Xuejiao nodded with an air of breezy nonchalance. "Today is a gathering for our Yixin Society club. There's no need to act so cold and aloof."
Underneath that placid exterior, she was privately gloating.
*Yes!*
*Just like this!*
*All that effort running around, scraping together borrowed magical artifacts—it was worth every bit!*
Dong Xuejiao was smug. These were non-negotiable measures.
After all, she was now a cultivator who had upgraded from vocational to undergraduate studies at Qingwu Immortal Dao Academy, attending classes alongside third-phase undergraduates. Many of her classmates were Foundation Establishment cultivators. If she showed any weakness or timidity during a speech back at her junior college, what would she do?
Dong Xuejiao herself could endure humiliation, but the dignity of the undergraduate tier must never be stained!
That was why she had gone to such lengths.
Aside from that, however, catching up with old friends was quite a pleasant affair.
"Don't be nervous, everyone. People online always claim undergraduates look down on junior college students. Let me set the record straight: don't I often come back to chat with you all?"
Dong Xuejiao adopted an amiable, gentle demeanor as she spoke to the crowd around her. "It's all about sharing joy with the common folk."
"Indeed, indeed! Senior Sister Dong is so generous and open-minded!"
"Senior Sister Dong has only been away from our college for half a year, but her whole complexion looks different! The undergraduate feng shui really nurtures a person!"
"..."
The crowd bustled with shameless flattery, while Chen Zhuo stood off to the side, keeping his mouth firmly shut.
The reason was simple.
Flattering her wasn't a privilege granted to someone of his rank.
In this Yixin Society club, Chen Zhuo was currently nothing more than a nobody.
As the fawning on the plaza carried on, Dong Xuejiao listened to the compliments pouring in from all sides, the corners of her mouth curving slightly. She was clearly reveling in every word.
*Ah, wonderful.*
*This is the real perk of upgrading to undergraduate!*
Just as Dong Xuejiao was about to say something, Si Jing squeezed through the crowd, putting on a welcoming smile. "Senior Sister Dong!"
"Ah, Si Jing."
Dong Xuejiao's eyes swept over Si Jing, then drifted to Chen Zhuo standing behind her. She sighed with nostalgia. "Long time no see. Seeing you reminds me of the days when I picked you to be my pharmaceutical rep... Is this guy behind you your chosen rep?"
"Senior Sister, this is a junior I recently scouted named Chen Zhuo."
Si Jing introduced him immediately, gesturing for him to step forward. "He has tremendous potential in the pharmaceutical rep line of work. There isn't a drug he can't sell. He hits the drugs hard in his daily routine, and his cultivation progresses at lightning speed! He's only been enrolled for a little over six months, and he's already at the fourth layer of Qi Refining!"
*The fourth layer of Qi Refining is hardly anything special...*
Unimpressed, Dong Xuejiao followed up, "What kind of spiritual root aptitude does he have?"
"An implanted artificial root," Si Jing replied in a low voice.
At those words, the smile on Dong Xuejiao's face instantly froze. Her brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, clear displeasure flickering across her features.
*What is going on?*
*I've only been gone for half a year, and our Yixin Society has already fallen this low?*
*Even people with implanted roots are being recruited now? Don't they know the clear divide between mortals and immortals?!*
Seeing Dong Xuejiao's irritation surfacing on her face, Si Jing immediately sent a message via divine sense: *Senior Sister, Chen Zhuo's spiritual root may be artificially implanted, but his talent for drug usage is incredible, and his immortal Dao potential is sky-high! Old Yuan has already applied for this year's Outstanding Junior College Student Loan on his behalf. He's a tournament reserve for the Drug Appraisal Department, which means he'll soon have several thousand spirit coins in hand!*
*Holy shit, why didn't you say so earlier?!*
Without a second's hesitation, before anyone else could react, Dong Xuejiao took a giant stride past Si Jing. She arrived directly before Chen Zhuo, grabbed his hand in a tight grip, and exclaimed, "Junior Brother Chen!"
Chen Zhuo: "???"
The sudden gesture gave him quite a fright. He instinctively tried to pull his hand back, only to find Dong Xuejiao's grip ironclad; he couldn't budge an inch.
"Junior Brother Chen, hello!"
Dong Xuejiao beamed with radiant warmth. "I've heard Si Jing mention you for so long, and meeting you today, you truly are a striking talent!"
Caught completely off guard by this abrupt burst of enthusiasm, Chen Zhuo nevertheless maintained his courtesy. "Daoist Scholar Dong flatters me."
"Why call me Daoist Scholar? That makes us sound like strangers!"
Dong Xuejiao gently scolded him with a playful pat on the back of his hand, looking as tender and kind as could be. "You're Si Jing's junior, which makes you my junior too. Just call me Senior Sister from now on, understand?"
"Uh..."
Chen Zhuo braced himself and replied, "All right, Senior Sister Dong."
*What's happening? Why the sudden shift in attitude?*
Clutching Chen Zhuo's hand, Dong Xuejiao's eyes shimmered with an unmistakable hunger for spirit coins. "Junior Brother Chen, I have quite a stock of medicine with me—all genuine products directly from Qingwu Immortal Dao Academy's drug laboratories, with exceptional efficacy! So, is there anything you need?"
This was a bit too zealous.
*What is she thinking? Does she take me for some second-generation immortal scion?*
It felt thoroughly bizarre, but Chen Zhuo still took the opening to ask, "Senior Sister Dong, I heard you have Nine Dragons Coffin Bearers?"
"Nine Dragons Coffin Bearers?"
Dong Xuejiao's eyes lit up. She could feel the spirit coins already practically in her pocket. "You want to hit Nine Dragons Coffin Bearers?"
"Yes, Senior Sister."
Chen Zhuo nodded. "I'd like to start with the first dragon."
Hearing this, Dong Xuejiao broke into a brilliant smile. "Great! That's the spirit! Azure Dragon, right? I have channels for that! And I can give you the internal friends-and-family rate—guaranteed cheaper than the market price!"
"There are three formulations for Azure Dragon!"
"The base version is six hundred spirit coins: an oral sustained-release tablet with a smooth, steady release of medicinal power, taken daily for thirty consecutive days."
"The injectable version is eight hundred spirit coins: a direct shot that gets right into your system. Fast-acting and intensely potent, it typically lasts for a full day."
"The intestinal peristalsis formulation is one thousand spirit coins: absorbed rectally to boost uptake. As for how to administer it... well, those who know, know. It acts ridiculously fast and packs an immense punch! But if you're a beginner, you're better off skipping this one for now."
"So, which one does Junior Brother Chen want? Or perhaps you'd like a few different ones to combine with other compounds?"
Dong Xuejiao stared at him with burning, expectant eyes.
"Uh."
Chen Zhuo was genuinely caught by surprise.
*There's an enema version, for fuck's sake...*
That was a bit too hardcore for his taste.
Still, the price tag was steep.
Even though his loan would be approved shortly, he needed to budget carefully.
After turning it over in his mind, Chen Zhuo said, "Senior Sister, give me one dose of the injectable version."
Chapter 40