Number One, I want to learn Alchemy.

As time came to September and passed the middle of the month, it was time again to go to Zhican Valley for procurement.

These past few days, Qin Ran had been urgently teaching Yan Yi how to make a procurement plan.

"Each level of cultivation needs to be separated. What kinds of elixirs do Foundation Establishment cultivators need? What kinds of elixirs do Golden Core cultivators need? What kinds of elixirs do Yuan Ying cultivators need... These need to be broken down.

"The monthly contributions of outer sect disciples, inner sect disciples, and personal disciples also need to be put into a new table.

"The lower, medium and upper quality of each elixir also needs to be separated, because the gap between each quality level is huge, so the price difference is also very big."

He was already teaching Yan Yi hands-on how to make a procurement plan and make tables.

"The market price of each elixir needs to be investigated clearly beforehand. The materials needed for each elixir need to be clear. The prices of each material also need to be clear. Only then can we know how many spirit stones Zhican Valley has earned from every elixir from us. We can also bargain purposefully with Zhican Valley..."

Qin Ran was teaching very carefully, almost making it according to the financial statements from his previous life.

This really made things difficult for Yan Yi. On one hand, he hadn’t taken over this position for long and hadn’t figured out which elixirs were important and which were less important. As for the ingredients and prices of the materials for the elixirs, he was completely in the dark.

On the other hand, he had just taken over mathematics and had barely gotten a grasp on Arabic numerals in the past few days. Now Qin Ran wanted him to make tables and use them for statistics, which really was asking too much.

Qin Ran was about to teach things like bar charts and line charts, but seeing that Yan Yi was on the verge of collapse, he had no choice but to stop.

He patted Yan Yi on the shoulder and comforted, "There's still plenty of time. Don't put too much pressure on yourself, just take it slowly."

"Yes," Yan Yi replied with a bitter face.

Although this was what Qin Ran said, what Yan Yi heard was: There's only a few days left, hurry up and work on it, be more serious, or you'll run out of time!

He couldn't help feeling even more nervous.

Seeing this, Qin Ran shook his head and left.

But before he had even walked back to his seat, he suddenly remembered something. He went back to Yan Yi's desk, his tone a little serious as he asked, "I haven't asked you yet - do you want to go on the September 20th procurement trip to Zhican Valley or not?"

"Ah?" Yan Yi was startled. Wasn't it assumed that he would go since he had taken over this position? Feng Feng Yan had gone every time until she couldn't go anymore.

"I should go right?" He answered uncertainly.

"I won't hide it from you, I'll tell you the truth - procurement is actually very dangerous..." Qin Ran said. "Dangerous to the point of losing your life."

"Are bandits very rampant these days?" Yan Yi asked. They had just killed Feng Feng Yan, and were still going to continue robbing?

"No, the danger lies elsewhere," Qin Ran said.

Yan Yi was clever enough not to ask further. He knew there were inside details, and it also involved Qin Ran's reason for getting rid of the original group from the Medicine Service Hall. It wasn't something he should pry into.

After thinking for a good while, he said, "Master, if you're not afraid of danger, why would I be?"

"Haha..." Qin Ran laughed and shook his head. "It's not the same.

"Whether to go or not, choose for yourself. I won't force you. There's no need to reply now... Think it over carefully before you say anything..."

Qin Ran had patience and consideration for those he approved of that went above and beyond just a little bit.

Hearing this, Yan Yi silently nodded.

Qin Ran returned to his seat, took out a book, and started working on the procurement plan. Of course a newbie like Yan Yi wouldn't be able to make a viable procurement plan. He still had to make one with his own hands this time.

As he made the plan and calculated spirit stones, he felt more and more heartache. The more the plan came together, the more he was able to discover just how many spirit stones a sect like Zhican Valley could earn.

For example, the materials for a single Energy Gathering Pill cost about 20 spirit stones. But one lower quality Energy Gathering Pill could be bought for 20 spirit stones. And with one batch of materials for Energy Gathering Pills, seven or eight Energy Gathering Pills could be successfully refined...

...And this was just for lower quality Energy Gathering Pills.

As he continued calculating, feeling heartbroken, he suddenly threw down his brush in frustration. Sitting properly at his seat, he asked the four disciples in charge below, "Do any of you have the intention to learn alchemy?"

For these outer sect disciples, having a cultivation method and some pills was enough for cultivation. As for which path of cultivation to take, that depended on what cultivation methods they could get ahold of.

Therefore, most outer sect disciples practiced things like the sword or qi, because those two professions had the lowest entry barrier and required the least resources.

Whereas there were rarely any professions that were extremely resource-consuming like Fu Practitioners, Alchemists, and Array Masters.

Among them, Alchemists in particular, while being a necessity of the cultivation world, required an ocean of resources to cultivate just one.

It was not unrelated that Dan Peak of Dao Sword Sect declined because it couldn't compete with Zhican Valley for resources.

In summary, becoming an Alchemist was something these outer sect disciples didn't even dare dream about.

And now Qin Ran was asking them if they wanted to learn alchemy...

Who wouldn't want to learn alchemy?!

Especially Zhou Fu!

This was what she had been waiting for. She joined Medicine Service Hall recklessly just so she could take Qin Ran as her master and learn alchemy.

So the moment Qin Ran spoke those words, she immediately called out, "Master, I want to learn alchemy!"

Hearing her words, Medicine Service Hall fell silent. No one else spoke.

Qin Ran looked at her, this woman with graceful looks and an "old lady's" age.

In fact, Zhou Fu's looks were decent. In the world of cultivators, she could be considered average. It was just that compared to Qin Ran, her age was too old...

Of course, age never really mattered in the world of cultivation.

"What is your cultivation level?" Qin Ran asked.

"Late Foundation Establishment."

Qin Ran nodded. Those at Foundation Establishment Stage could refine basic necessities like Foundation Establishment Pills, Energy Gathering Pills, and Fasting Pills, so she was worth cultivating.

"Other than materials, have you studied alchemy before?" Qin Ran asked again. The previous test had mainly been about materials.

"I can configure some simple medicine for treating illnesses and healing injuries myself."

So she had never refined pills before. Qin Ran understood. He asked again, "Do you understand medicine theory?"

Zhou Fu hesitated, then shook her head.

Qin Ran then took out a simple book on medicine theory from his interspatial pouch and threw it to her, saying,

"After I return from Zhican Valley, I will test you. If you can pass, I will teach you alchemy techniques."

Zhou Fu caught the book, unable to contain her joy. She almost prostrated herself on the spot, insisting on calling him Master. But she still had some shame, so she only cupped her fists and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Master!"

"What about you two?"

Wu Yan and Zheng Jue kept silent, neither saying they were willing nor unwilling.

Who didn't want to learn alchemy?

But they were afraid there was some scheme behind this. It seemed Zhou Fu was being sent as a pathfinder. They would observe before making a decision.

Yan Yi stood up and greeted with cupped fists, "I'll listen to Master's arrangements."

Qin Ran looked at Wu Yan and Zheng Jue, a smile at the corner of his lips. He didn't say much, only, "You two can talk about it later!"

He also said to Yan Yi, "Focus on finishing the procurement plan first. Don't worry about anything else for now."

The three of them all cupped their fists and voiced their compliance.