51. After Certification
In the Alchemist Guild, an old man watched Mu Chen leaving.
"Grandpa, even Mu Chen has become a first-level alchemist, but I haven't gotten the hang of it yet." A young girl asked the old man.
"Don't worry. Sometimes you will be enlightened in just a moment. If you work harder again, you may be able to make an elixir." The old man comforted.
"Did Mu Chen take any elixir recently? Why did he suddenly change a lot?" The girl frowned and wondered.
"I don't know. However, Mu Chen cannot be underestimated. Judging from the situation, the Mu family seems to have another alchemist." The old man looked at Mu Chen's back and said thoughtfully.
"I thought that he paid three hundred certification fees for nothing in return, but in the end, he succeeded in making elixirs. It's unbelievable that he can be this good." The girl said.
"You never know how people can impress you." The old man stroked his beard and praised. When Mu Chen was making pills, he was right there. Mu Chen's fire control and grasp of alchemy were top-class.
"Mu Chen only used a set of herbs to refine elixir pills. Either he was lucky, or his success rate is incredibly high." The girl said thoughtfully.
The old man narrowed his eyes and said, "His level of alchemy may surpass his father's in the future."
"Grandpa, you are flattering him. Who knows if he will change back one day?" The girl said.
............
"Why did you get involved with Lan Ruofeng and Zhuang Yu?" Mu Chen asked with extra caution.
"I didn't want to talk to them, but they had to talk to me, and I couldn't do anything about it." Ye Shi said with anger, his eyebrows furrowed.
Mu Chen said solemnly, "Lan Ruofeng is a pervert, so you should stay away from him."
Ye Shi, "..." Is Lan Ruofeng a pervert? Although he does look weird and is a little annoying, but is he a pervert? It seems to be exaggerating.
"Mu Chen, are you jealous of Lan Ruofeng?" Ye Shi leaned forward and asked.
Mu Chen nodded and said, "Yes! I'm jealous of Lan Ruofeng."
In the original story, Ye Shi risked his life several times for Lan Ruofeng, but Lan Ruofeng had always kept distance from Ye Shi. According to the author, Lan Ruofeng did this because he did not want to break Ye Shi's heart even though he had no feeling for Ye Shi.
Mu Chen didn't think there was anything wrong when he read the story. But when he was a part of story and got so close to Ye Shi, Mu Chen sneered at Lan Ruofeng's thought. Luo Ruofeng did not refuse Ye Shi because he needed Ye Shi's help, not because he did not want to hurt Ye Shi's feelings.
"Are we going back now?" Ye Shi looked at Mu Chen and asked.
Mu Chen shook his head and said, "No, let's go to Tianhe Restaurant first."
"Why? Didn't you always like to go to the restaurant where I worked before?" Ye Shi asked Mu Chen.
"Tianhe Restaurant has the best chicken. Don't you like chicken?" Mu Chen said lightly.
Ye Shi blinked his eyes and said, "Me?"
Mu Chen looked at Ye Shi and said, "Don't you like chicken?"
Ye Shi argued, "I don't really like chicken. But if you want to, I can go with you."
Mu Chen, "..."
"I like chicken very much. Stone, can you go with me?" Mu Chen said sincerely.
Ye Shi nodded and said, "Okay."
............
"Good news! Good news! Master Mu Chen has successfully passed the first-level alchemist certification of the Alchemy Masters Guild and has become a first-level alchemist." The manager said.
Mu Yuanhang looked at Mu Yuanfeng in surprise.
Mu Yuanfeng took a sip of tea calmly, not looking surprised at all.
It had been a while that Mu Chen learned alchemy from Mu Yuanfeng, but Mu Yuanfeng never talked about how Mu Chen managed the alchemy. Therefore, Mu Yuanhang assumed that Mu Chen didn't have the talent of alchemy.
"Brother, you're keeping it such a secret. Chen can make a first-class medicinal pill so quickly." Mu Yuanhang said.
Mu Yuanfeng smiled lightly and said, "He has just started learning, and the success rate is low. The elixirs that he makes are not worth the value of the medical herbs he has wasted. I don't think it is necessary to mention him."
Mu Yuanhang smiled reluctantly and said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Chen can pass the certification of a first-level alchemist in such a short time, which means that Chen's talent in alchemy is outstanding!"
"You are overflattering him, brother. Chen is not that talented." Although Mu Yuanfeng said so, his eyes said that he was proud of Mu Chen.
Mu Ke was surprised by the news. Although he also heard that Mu Chen seemed to have worked really hard recently, but he didn't think Mu Chen would hold on for a long while. But now Mu Chen had actually become a first-class alchemist, Mu Ke was impressed.
"Where's Mu Chen? Is he home yet?" Mu Ke asked.
"Not yet." The housekeeper said.
Mu Ke frowned and said, "He's certified as a first-level alchemist. Where else did he go?"
"He took Young Master Ye to a restaurant." The housekeeper said bravely.
"Young Master Ye? Which one?" Mu Ke asked.
Mu Yuanfeng said lightly, "Ye He's grandson."
Mu Keman asked, "Mu Chen really likes him?"
Mu Yuanfeng nodded and said, "I think he does."
............
"Mu Chen, long time no see!" Chen Moran walked into the restaurant and stared at Mu Chen.
Mu Chen was surprised to see Chen Moran because Chen Moran seemed to have been living in a hell.
As he did everything to please Zhuang Yu, elders of Chen's family was repelled by him. Not only was he locked up, but his allowance was also reduced.
Poor guy! Mu Chen had already begun to gradually get himself out of being a cannon fodder, but Chen Moran seemed to be worse than the one in the book.
"Brother Chen, it's you! Would you like to sit down and eat something?" Mu Chen said calmly.
Chen Moran smiled lightly and said, "Since you invited me sincerely, I will be happy to join you."
Ye Shi rolled his eyes in his heart.
Chen Moran saw the alchemy master's robe on the table and the golden seal on the robe, frowned, and asked, "What is this?"
"This is the first-level alchemist certification seal! This is the first-level alchemist's robe. It is said that no one else but the alchemist himself is allowed to wear it." Ye Shi said proudly.
Chen Moran looked at Mu Chen and said in surprise, "You have become a first-level alchemist."
Mu Chen nodded and said, "Yes!"
"You learned alchemy from your father?" Chen Moran asked with a gloomy face.
"Yes!" Mu Chen replied plainly.
"Mu Chen, are you the Mu Chen I know?" Chen Moran asked with a frown.
Mu Chen said, "Of course I am Mu Chen. Who else can I be?"
"Mu Chen, you once said that alchemy is hard-working, tiring and boring. You won't touch it in your life. You also said that you like Zhuang Yu. If you can't be with him, you will stay single for life." Chen Moran said, looking into Mu Chen's eyes.
Mu Chen, "..." What nonsense did the original Mu Chen talk about? Single for a lifetime? No wonder Chen Moran put on so much effort to chase Zhuang Yu.
Ye Shi frowned and looked at Mu Chen in confusion.
Mu Chen smiled lightly and said, "It was said by a young and frivolous man. I did not mean it when I said so."
Chen Moran squinted his eyes and said, "Are you really going to give up on Zhuang Yu."
"Yes for sure." Mu Chen said without hesitation.
Chen Moran said with a long face, "Mu Chen, when did you become less ambitious? Just because Zhuang Yu has Lan Ruofeng? Are you planning to quit without a competition?"
Chen Moran looked like he was disappointed at Chen Moran.
Mu Chen looked at Chen Moran in confusion, held his chin, and asked, "What are you trying to say?"
Chen Moran froze there and then confessed, "Zhuang Yu is now completely fascinated by Lan Ruofeng."
Mu Chen shrugged and said indifferently, "Oh. So..."
"Aren't you going to say something?" Chen Moran said with a long face.
Mu Chen shrugged and said, "What do you want me to say?... Do you need me to help you chase Zhuang Yu?" Mu Chen suddenly thought of something.
Chen Moran argued, "You are not helping me. You are helping us. We can join forces first to drive away Lan Ruofeng, and then we can compete for Zhuang Yu fairly."
What the hell was Chen Moran thinking of? Two cannon fodders worked together to break up the destined couple? Then they would be dead sooner.
52. Cannon Fodder's Thinking
"I'm sorry. I'm not interested in your proposal." Mu Chen said.
Chen Moran was so stupid. Mu Chen did not want to be hold back by him.
Chen Moran was confused, "Mu Chen, what's the matter with you? Are you afraid of Lan Ruofeng?"
Mu Chen nodded and said, "Yes! Lan Ruofeng has an extraordinary background, and he is a second-level alchemist. He is very powerful. I am afraid of him, to death." As a cannon fodder, Mu Chen did not want to compete with Lan Ruofeng at all.
"Mu Chen, you are a coward!" Chen Moran glared at Mu Chen coldly, then left.
As Chen Moran had finally left, Mu Chen breathed a sigh of relief.
Ye Shi looked down, nibbled at the chicken leg in anger, and cold light flashed in his eyes.
Mu Chen blinked and said with a smile, "Stone, I am totally over Zhuang Yu. I am now..."
"You don't need to explain. I know. I believe you." Ye Shi said lightly.
Mu Chen said with a smile, "Thank you."
"That man is really stupid." Ye Shi squinted at Chen Moran's back with disdain.
Mu Chen asked, "Stupid? Why is he stupid?"
"Zhuang Yu is already a four-star warrior, but he is just a nine-star martial art pupil. He is better off spending some time improving his strength than trying to please a warrior. A martial art pupil and a warrior? Even if he ended up with being with Zhuang Yu, wouldn't he worry that he would be beaten up by Zhuang Yu once they had a fight in their relationship?" Ye Shi said with contempt.
Mu Chen, "..."
Mu Chen found it necessary to practice harder. During this time, Ye Shi had eaten well, slept well, and had allowance. He had successfully become a three-star warrior. Although Mu Chen had been working hard in improving physical condition and cultivation, alchemy had distracted Mu Chen a lot. Therefore, he was only a two-star warrior.
"Ah! Speaking of which, Zhuang Yu looks soft and fragile, but he is very strong. I suppose he is a very talented cultivator?" Ye Shi muttered.
Of course he is because he is the hero of the story. Of course he is talented. Mu Chen thought.
Zhuang Yu was not only talented, but also lucky. A lot of cannon fodders gave him training resources. Although Zhuang Yu came from an ordinary family, he was not lack of money or resources.
"When you were chasing Zhuang Yu, he was already a warrior, right? You were not even an eight-star martial art pupil at that time. Why were you so brave to do that?!" Ye Shi asked with flickering eyes.
Mu Chen, "..." You need to ask the original owner! Maybe the original owner didn't know why because the author made him fall in love with Zhuang Yu.
Zhuang Yu looked fragile and people may have urge to protect him. Therefore, it was easy to forget that Zhuang Yu was a good cultivator.
Mu Chen suddenly remembered the young masters around Zhuang Yu. None of them were more powerful than Zhuang Yu. Zhuang Yu alone might be able to beat up all those people.
Mu Chen said, "Stone, have you heard of this old saying?"
"What?" Ye Shi asked with great interest.
"Newborn calves are not afraid of tigers." Mu Chen whispered into Ye Shi's ear.
Ye Shi nodded and said, "But you can't perform..."
Mu Chen, "..." Ouch! Bull's eye!
............
Chen Moran walked out of the restaurant angrily.
"What did Mu Chen say?" Sun Yu asked eagerly when Chen Moran walked out.
"He's not interested. It seems that we can only find a way to drive Lan Ruofeng away." Chen Moran shook his head helplessly.
"Lan Ruofeng, this ignorant guy, an outsider, is actually making a fuss in our territory. Doesn't he know that a strong dragon can't defeat a local snake?" Sun Yu bluffed.
"Zhuang Yu is deeply confused by this guy." Chen Moran gritted his teeth.
Sun Yu changed the subject and said, "I heard that Mu Chen became a first-level alchemist. Is it true?"
"It's true." Chen Moran answered. His family had always compared him with Mu Chen. In the past, he had won Mu Chen all the time. But now, Mu Chen achieved much more than him.
"He is going to make a lot of money recently." Sun Yu gritted his teeth.
"His father is a third-level alchemist. It is much easier for him to become a first-level alchemist." Chen Moran said.
"Even so, I still envy him! If I become a first-class alchemist, Ayu might change his mind and fall in love with me." Sun Yu muttered.
Chen Moran squinted. A bit of jealousy flashed in his eyes.
53. Mu Yuanfeng's Teaching
After Ye Shi and Mu Chen finished their meal, they went back to Mu's house.
Mu Chen was surprised that the servants in the family treated him with a lot more respect.
They showed respect not because they were not intimidated by his identity but from the bottom of their hearts. On the way back to his room, he walked pass several maids.
Ye Shi was with him, but the maids kept winking at him. Mu Chen could only laugh bitterly.
Usually there is no one on this road. He met several at once, and there was a pretty girl who literally threw herself into his arms. If he didn't avoid quickly, maybe he would embrace a girl in his arms. Although being admired by a girl was what most men yearn for, but he was an exception because he was a gay!
Ye Shi stood aside, although he didn't say anything, his eyes sunk.
For a moment, Mu Chen had a feeling that Ye Shi would stretch the girl's face, but Ye Shi just smiled dissatisfiedly, which made Mu Chen feel creepy.
"Father." Mu Chen greeted Mu Yuanfeng respectfully.
"Where's Ye Shi?" Mu Yuanfeng asked.
"He went to practice." Mu Chen scratched his head and said.
Mu Yuanfeng squinted his eyes and said, "Really? Ye Shi's energy is soaring quickly. It seems that he is about to become a four-star warrior?"
"So soon?" Mu Chen couldn't help saying.
Mu Yuanfeng smiled and said, "Yes! Ye He praised Ye Shi's aptitude in letters several times in the past. It seems that he did not exaggerate."
Mu Chen nodded, Ye Shi also had the golden finger given by the author. If Ye Shi was not strong enough, he would not be able to help Lan Ruofeng. Although he was a cannon fodder, he was an outstanding one.
"Father, I found that something has changed in the family." Mu Chen blinked and said.
Mu Yuanfeng smiled lightly and said, "You are right. You've become a first-level alchemist, and the servants in the family look at you with admiration."
"I am just a first-level alchemist." Mu Chen said.
"The social status of an alchemist is very high. On the way you came home, did you meet many young girls who winked at you?" Mu Yuanfeng asked jokingly.
Mu Chen's face sunk, and he said embarrassedly, "Father, how did you know?"
Mu Yuanfeng smiled lightly and said, "I guess so. It's human nature. You used to tease young girls in the family, but they always avoided you as if you were a beast. I assumed that their attitude will change once you have become an alchemist now."
Mu Chen, "..." What a pro! Mu Yuanfeng was really predictable.
Mu Yuanfeng patted Mu Chen's shoulder and said earnestly, "Son, you know, as long as you make alchemy well, any kind of beauty will come to you. You don't need to do extra efforts at all."
Mu Chen, "..."
"Father, when can I learn the refining of second-level elixirs?" Mu Chen asked.
Mu Yuanfeng smiled and said, "Chen, I know you are in a hurry, and I also know that the refining of first-level elixirs is not difficult for you at all, but your strength is a shortcoming. Second-level alchemy refining requires enough physical strength. You have also seen that Lan Ruofeng is a second-level alchemist, and he is already a nine-star warrior."
Mu Chen cursed the original owner in his mind for wasting such a good aptitude for so many years.
"How far do I have to practice before I can learn to refine second-level medicinal pills?" Mu Chen asked.
Mu Yuanfeng thought for a while and said, "At least a five-star warrior."
Mu Chen nodded and said, "I see."
Mu Yuanfeng patted Mu Chen's shoulder and said, "Take your time. Why are you suddenly so eager to become a second-level alchemist?"
Because Lan Ruofeng that Ye Shi originally loved in the book was already a second-level alchemist. Although Ye Shi's fate had changed because of him. But who would know if the original book would affect Ye Shi later?
"This is the elementary stone card for you. There are 10,000 elementary stones in it. In the future, if you make a medicinal pill and sell it, the elementary stone will be directly saved to this card." Mu Yuanfeng said.
"10,000 elementary stones? So many? Father, is this allowance for me?" Mu Chen asked.
Mu Yuanfeng shook his head and said, "No. This is how much you earned."
Mu Chen said in surprise, "Alchemy is so profitable?"
Mu Yuanfeng said, "Of course, otherwise why would so many people want to be alchemists?"
Mu Yuanfeng squinted his eyes. When ordinary alchemists first learn alchemy, their success rate was extremely low. They would be lucky enough not to splash all their money on it, unlike his son who made a fortune out of it.