Yang Chan never imagined that after the first day of the Pharmacist Exchange Conference, the group of Pharmacists wouldn’t be heading back to absorb all the new knowledge. Instead, they went to a brothel together.

This time, they were visiting a new brothel—another one of the Twelfth Floor establishments, the Xunfang Building.

Elder Yan and a few other Advanced Pharmacists led the way, looking like madams leading their flock. If it weren’t for the fact that they didn’t have to pay, one might even suspect they were on the brothel’s payroll.

This group of Pharmacists didn’t have to spend a dime at the brothel. To be precise, the Pharmacist Alliance was footing the bill. That’s just how wealthy they were.

It was, for all intents and purposes, a company-funded trip to enjoy the pleasures of the brothel. Aside from some physical and mental exertion, there was no cost. They could just walk away scot-free when it was all over.

Elder Yan and the others weren’t treating everyone out of their own pockets; this was simply a legitimate use of the Pharmacist Alliance’s expense account.

In White Jade City, the Pharmacist Alliance was the single most profitable organization. Even the red-hot business of the Twelfth Floor establishments couldn’t compare. The price of Elixirs was exorbitant, and some couldn’t be bought even if one had the money.

If Top Level Pharmacists like Xu Chuan and Lu Qianfan were the ones Refining the Elixir, the price would be so prohibitive that only the truly great families could afford it.

Elixirs refined by other Advanced Pharmacists and Intermediate Pharmacists were hotly contested, with everyone scrambling to get their hands on them.

Elder Yan and the others were all Honorary Elders of the Pharmacist Alliance. Upon their arrival in White Jade City, they were naturally given a spending allowance. It was tacitly approved for them to bring other Pharmacists and disciples along, as it all fell within their allotted budget.

In the eyes of the Pharmacist Alliance, all the Pharmacists brought here for the Pharmacist Exchange Conference were prospective members. Even if they didn’t become fully loyal members, they could still become Honorary Elders. Naturally, they had to be shown some perks to demonstrate the power and resources of the Pharmacist Alliance.

For the Pharmacist Alliance, gaining another Advanced Pharmacist as a member was highly beneficial. It was a win-win situation.

Yang Chan smiled as he headed to the Xunfang Building with Xu Gaocen and the others, but his smile was tinged with bitterness. ’I just want to focus on my Cultivation, research my abilities as a Pharmacist, and absorb all the useful information I’ve heard,’ he thought. ’But instead, they keep dragging me out for fun and games.’

’For an upright person such as myself to constantly face these situations... It’s really...’

"Pharmacist Yang, what do you think of this one? She has such an innocent-looking face. If you’re not interested, I’ll take her with me."

A Pharmacist who had gotten along well with Yang Chan these past few days spoke up. He’d seen Yang Chan choose the "Pure Narcissus" at the Baihua Building last time, and this girl bore a slight resemblance to her.

"Many thanks, Pharmacist Gao. In that case, I’d be rude to refuse."

Yang Chan reached out and stopped the girl from being led away. ’He was getting quite practiced at this,’ he mused.

’I’m such a pure soul,’ he thought. ’But to blend in with the group, I suppose I have to let myself be tainted a little.’

’One day, I’ll wash away this stain and return to my former, pure self.’

"My good sir, don’t be so hasty. Let’s head upstairs first."

The innocent-looking girl playfully slapped his restless hand before guiding it into her ample bosom and leading Yang Chan upstairs.

Of the brothels Yang Chan had visited in the last two days, the Xunfang Building was the most normal. The air was thick with the scent of rouge and powder, accompanied by all sorts of decadent sounds. But beyond that, there were none of those strange, special fragrances or uses of Spiritual Power; all the methods used to attract patrons were quite conventional.

He’d heard they were preparing a new top courtesan, but it wasn’t yet time for her official debut. She only made rare, occasional appearances, leaving many men itching with anticipation. It was a perfect execution of the "scarcity marketing" tactics Yang Chan remembered from his past life.

Some had even offered an exorbitant price for the courtesan’s appearance but were still turned down, which only served to inflate her fame.

As for whether the person offering this exorbitant price was a plant, few people cared to investigate. All eyes were on the courtesan.

Yang Chan had assumed the night would once again be all about romantic dalliances. He was surprised when, in the middle of their chat, the conversation drifted to the Pharmacist Exchange Conference. They even started discussing the content of the Advanced Pharmacists’ lectures, right there in the Xunfang Building.

This surprised Yang Chan, but he was happy to join the discussion. His happiness wasn’t an act, either; he was genuinely pleased. The Pharmacists were finally done messing around and were getting back to their actual profession.

Yang Chan’s happiness was short-lived. The group soon steered the conversation back to amorous topics. ’I guess I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up with this bunch,’ he thought. They were all incredibly shrewd. They would bring up a few unconfirmed tidbits for discussion, then drop the subject, obviously gathering information for their own future Alchemy attempts.

Their return to flirtatious banter wasn’t just out of genuine interest; it was also a tactic to prevent others from gleaning too much useful information.

Holding a few cards back was perfectly normal.

Even masters did it with their own apprentices, to say nothing of people they had only just met.

They could be drinking and dining buddies, but anything more was out of the question. It was as simple as that.

As an Inner Master, Yang Chan was keenly aware of these dynamics, but he pretended not to notice, playing his part perfectly as an unremarkable Pharmacist in the crowd.

He appeared to have blended in with the group, but in truth, he maintained only a nodding acquaintance with the others. He could exchange a few words, but the conversations never went deep. This ensured that no one would form a strong impression of him.

Perhaps it was because of the day’s excitement, but Yang Chan’s hands seemed to develop a mind of their own. The innocent-looking girl beside him had eyes hazy with desire, as if she could devour him whole. Thankfully, Xu Gaocen and the others called for him to leave, and he departed under the girl’s plaintive gaze.

Compared to this girl with her manufactured innocence, Yang Chan much preferred the genuine article.

When he returned to the Cyan Yuan Pavilion, another person was in his room. She was looking at him timidly. Even after all the hardships she had endured, she remained largely unchanged. ’Now *this*,’ he thought, ’is true innocence.’

However, Yang Chan wasn’t in a rush. Instead, he began preparing his Dragon Bone Medicine Bath. He had returned a little late, but it was still before midnight, so he had to fit in his final bath of the day.

With the help of a pair of slender, delicate hands, Yang Chan soaked comfortably in the Dragon Bone Medicine Bath.

"Xiaoyu’Er, help me massage my Extraordinary Acupoints. Use moderate pressure." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Yang Chan looked at the Maid beside him—the young girl the Cyan Yuan Pavilion had sent over—and pointed to his temples. The name for the points was different, but the location was the same, and a massage there would help relieve his fatigue.

If Xiaoyu’Er had any Martial Arts Cultivation, Yang Chan would never have let her massage such a dangerous spot. However, he had already confirmed that she was a genuine ordinary person. He had, after all, used various positions to confirm it, so there was no need to worry about her.

After all, the degree of his body’s Tempering was far beyond what an ordinary person could harm, even one holding a weapon. It was only natural to put Xiaoyu’Er to work.

Xiaoyu’Er was serving him now; later, he could return the service. It was only fair.

"Of course, Pharmacist Yang."

At first, Xiaoyu’Er had called him "Master," but he disliked the title and had her address him as Pharmacist Yang, just like everyone else.

Her two small hands pressed down on Yang Chan’s Extraordinary Acupoints. After a few corrections from him, her movements became steady and rhythmic.