paranoianovel Chapter 38 It's so good!
Chapter 38 It's so good!
Tang San's Adam's apple bobbed up and down with difficulty.
He was engaged in a fierce internal struggle.
On one hand, there was the pride of being a Tang Clan disciple, the disgust for that unscrupulous merchant Li Fulan, and the vow he had made yesterday: "I would rather die than eat it."
On the other hand, there was the bottleneck of the Xuan Tian Gong that he could not break through for a long time. It was the extreme desire for power in this world where strength is respected, and the deep-seated sense of powerlessness after his master's death.
He stared at the faintly glowing pill in his palm, his knuckles trembling.
"This is not a compromise..."
He silently repeated it to himself over and over, trying to find a perfect excuse for his crumbling self-esteem.
"This is enduring hardship and biding my time, bearing humiliation and burdens. My master is dead, and I must become stronger to avenge him. A small sacrifice is necessary for a greater goal. As long as I return the money to Xiao Wu later, this won't be charity, but a fair transaction."
"Yes, it's a transaction!"
Self-hypnosis complete.
Tang San suddenly tilted his head back and, as if swallowing poison, stuffed the Spirit Gathering Pill into his mouth.
Gudong.
The elixir entered the stomach.
There was no sense of humiliation as I had imagined.
Instead, a warm current flowed through my meridians and instantly spread throughout my body. It felt like drinking a bowl of piping hot mutton soup in the dead of winter, warming me from my throat all the way to the soles of my feet, making every pore on my body open up, and bringing indescribable comfort.
The bottleneck of the Xuan Tian Gong, which had been difficult to overcome for so long, actually made a slight cracking sound under the influence of this medicinal power, as if it had loosened a little.
"It smells so good!"
The two words almost subconsciously exploded in his mind, causing his tightly bound face to relax instantly, revealing a complex expression that mixed shock and pleasure.
It felt like finally being able to defecate after being constipated for three days; it was incredibly satisfying.
"Hey! Isn't this Tang San, the guy we're supposed to 'hold the line to the death'?"
Just then, a sarcastic voice came down like a bucket of cold water being poured over someone's head.
Zhang Wei, sporting his distinctive pointed head, swaggered over with a few followers, fanning himself with a folding fan. His small, sly eyes darted around, and he immediately spotted the dregs of medicine still clinging to Tang San's lips.
His face immediately lit up with a wonderful expression, and he exclaimed exaggeratedly as if he had discovered a new continent.
"Hey everyone! Come and see!"
He shouted at the top of his lungs, as if afraid that no one would hear him.
"Who was it yesterday who swore they'd rather die than eat that? How come they're suddenly raving about it today? Tang San, that's a real slap in the face, doesn't it hurt? It's so embarrassing! Hahahaha!"
He laughed so hard he almost fell over, his pointed head swaying brightly in the sunlight.
Students passing by stopped to watch, pointing and whispering, and chuckling.
"Haha, this is so delicious!"
"That was a slap in the face, louder than a drumbeat!"
"You were so tough yesterday, but you chickened out today."
Tang San's face instantly turned a deep liver color.
The initial feeling of comfort vanished instantly, replaced by the shame and indignation of being publicly exposed. My ears burned, stinging painfully.
But he had lived two lives, and his mental fortitude far surpassed that of ordinary people. After a brief moment of panic, he stiffened his neck, his face flushed, and loudly argued:
"What do you know! Times have changed! I was just testing the medicinal properties... How can a Soul Master's cultivation be considered shameful?"
He cleared his throat and began spouting those high-sounding, half-classical principles.
"Take the essence and discard the dross, learn from the barbarians' superior techniques to subdue them. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. I am studying the enemy's weapons..."
Before he could finish speaking, everyone around him burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! What did he say? What 'essence and dross'?"
"Learn from the barbarians? What are you talking about?"
"Come on, just say you want to eat it, why make up so many excuses?"
The classroom and surrounding area were filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
Just as the atmosphere was filled with "joy," a tall, slender figure appeared by the classroom window.
Li Fulan, dressed in her elegant dark green teaching assistant robe, crossed her arms and watched the scene with a smile.
He didn't mock Tang San for his "it's actually good" attitude; instead, he looked at him with the satisfaction of a loving father, as if he had seen a lost lamb return to the right path.
He reached out and gently tapped on the window frame.
Knock knock knock.
The crisp sound instantly drowned out all the noise.
The entire room fell silent, and all eyes were focused on the man who controlled the academy's "drug lifeline."
"Very good, Tang San has finally figured it out."
Li Fulan smiled and nodded, her gaze sweeping over everyone present, a shrewd glint in her eyes.
"It seems everyone has realized the importance of elixirs for cultivation. Therefore, to encourage everyone to cultivate more scientifically, I've decided to announce some news."
He paused, looking with satisfaction at the students' pricked-up ears, and slowly dropped the bombshell.
"At the end of this semester, I will select the student with the best academic performance and the fastest improvement from all students to become my personal disciple."
He held up one finger and waved it in the sunlight.
"Not only will his tuition be completely waived, but—from now on, all my elixirs will be available to him in unlimited quantities!"
boom!
These words were like a depth charge, instantly detonating the entire classroom.
Unlimited supply!
What does that mean?
It means a continuous flow of soul power, a cultivation speed far exceeding that of peers, and a broad road to becoming a strong person!
Even Tang San's breathing quickened, and a burning light flashed in his eyes. Although he disliked Li Fulan, that did not diminish his desire for such resources.
"I want to cultivate! I want to go to the training ground!"
"Get out of my way! I'm buying this batch of the powerful bone-strengthening pills!"
"Teacher Li! Look at me! I'll definitely be the most hardworking!"
The students instantly went into a frenzy. The crowd that had been watching the spectacle scattered and rushed towards the training grounds and the pill shop, afraid that if they were a step too late, someone else would snatch the opportunity first.
Looking at the chaotic yet "energetic" scene, Li Fulan's lips curled into a playful smile.
This is the effect he wanted.
Roll it up, roll it up to your heart's content.
In this vortex called "competition," no one can remain unaffected.
Tang San, now that you've taken the first bite, don't even think about stopping.
Xiao Wu stood in the corner, watching all of this.
Her big eyes were full of confusion and bewilderment.
So much had happened that her simple little mind couldn't quite process it all.
Yesterday, my third brother swore that he would "never eat it even if it meant death," but he ate it today.
Zhang Wei publicly mocked Third Brother, who blushed and said a bunch of things she couldn't understand.
When Teacher Li announced that he would be taking on personal disciples, everyone rushed out like crazy.
Where is Third Brother?
Third Brother also ran away.
He didn't even glance at her before rushing out with the crowd, muttering something like, "The bottleneck has loosened; strike while the iron is hot."
Xiao Wu stood there, still holding the empty porcelain bottle in her hands.
She bought it with a week's worth of pocket money.
Ten gold soul coins.
That's enough to buy a whole basket of carrots.
Third Brother took the medicine but didn't even say thank you.
She didn't care about the thank you.
What she cared about was... that her third brother had changed.
Although my third brother didn't talk much in the past, his eyes were always bright, and he had a reassuring quality about him.
But now?
Now, all that remains in Third Brother's eyes is that urgent, almost frantic longing.
They were no different from the students outside who chased after Teacher Li.
"Third Brother..."
Xiao Wu murmured the name, unable to describe the feeling in her heart.
She lowered her head, staring blankly at the empty porcelain bottle in her hand.
The faint scent of medicine still lingered, making her feel slightly dizzy as it entered her nose.
Xiao Wu clenched her little fists, a stubborn light flashing in her eyes.
"Xiao Wu must strive to become stronger!"