I rely on learning to achieve immortality.

Xu Zhou got along fairly well with the other inner disciples.

Although he was just an unofficial student, those people weren't fools. They knew that the stewards in the hall had summoned him, so he must have some extraordinary abilities.

They wouldn't provoke Xu Zhou, but they would only maintain a nodding acquaintance, nothing more.

As time went by, they gradually became familiar with each other, but ultimately there was still a barrier between them.

It wasn't until the subsequent in-hall test that Xu Zhou realized the gap between the two sides.

In the monthly internal tests at Baicaotang, their knowledge far exceeded Xu Zhou's current level. They could casually recite the knowledge he had just read in books, as if they already knew it by heart.

Clearly, they had read these medical texts long before entering Baicaotang.

Not only had he read the "Lingcao Jing" (Classic of Herbs), but he had also read all other medical classics, including "Xun Teng Zong Lu" (General Record of Seeking Vine) and "Xian Yuan Guo Ji" (Collection of Immortal Fruits), so he already had a solid foundation.

Xu Zhou was the only one who truly started learning from scratch.

Without a doubt, Baicaotang has strict requirements for its apprentices; they don't just hire people to coast along. If he falls too far behind the others, he probably won't stay long.

However, this gap cannot be bridged in a short time; he currently spends most of his day in the library. If he stays any longer, people might notice something amiss.

Xu Zhou could only wait it out.

Compared to him, the inner disciples did not devote themselves entirely to the medicine classics. They only spent six hours a day reading there, using the rest of the time for rest and cultivation.

They had some discussions about Xu Zhou's almost unwavering behavior in the book room, but their comments were limited to mere amazement.

They would only occasionally gossip behind each other's backs: "No matter how hard you try, you can't neglect your cultivation."

Some kind-hearted people offered words of advice, and even Steward Zhang and several senior apprentices reminded them that cultivators should prioritize their cultivation level. Once their level increases, their thinking speed will also improve, making it easier to return to learning.

Unexpectedly, Xu Zhou thanked him repeatedly and agreed, but when he turned around, he didn't change anything at all.

This is something they find hard to understand.

"What's the use of learning more if you can't improve your skill level?" someone whispered.

Some people shook their heads and said no more.

Soon no one dared to persuade him anymore.

someday.

Xu Zhou, who was in the midst of deep learning, suddenly sensed someone coming to his side.

He immediately came to his senses and looked to the side in confusion.

The newcomer was one of the other apprentices, named Xiao Bing. He had two elders in his family who held prominent positions within the sect, and the others subtly centered around him. He himself was quite easygoing and got along well with everyone.

At this moment, Xiao Bing had a smile on her face, seemingly without any malice.

He held up a porcelain bottle and shook it: "Why didn't you collect the Huangya Dan (a traditional Chinese medicine) distributed in the hall?"

Xu Zhou remained silent for a long time before explaining, "I'm just following along as a student apprentice; I can only receive Huang Ya Dan once every three months."

"I can't believe it!"

Xiao Bing was surprised by this reason and suddenly realized.

"No wonder, I was wondering why even Peng Hu couldn't get in, but you were able to enter the hall ahead of time. So that's why."

Upon hearing this, Xu Zhou neither became angry nor laughed, but simply said, "I come from an outer sect and have no background. If I want to enter the Hundred Herbs Hall to learn alchemy, this is the only way."

Xiao Bing smiled and said, "Kid, don't be discouraged. It's not bad to follow a fellow student as an apprentice. Peng Hu missed this opportunity, and he's not doing as well as you now."

Xu Zhou's heart skipped a beat, and he looked up with a puzzled expression.

Xiao Bing continued, "Peng Hu failed to be selected before and went to the Li Huo Cave. Recently, I heard that he had bad luck and encountered a fire demon, so he's probably crippled."

"Compared to others, the fact that you can still sit here and learn alchemy in peace is already quite good."

He casually patted Xu Zhou on the shoulder, then shook his head and left.

Xiao Bing treated the matter as a joke, but Xu Zhou remained silent for a long time because of it.

Peng Hu was no less talented, and he worked even harder than him, but in the environment of the Golden Flame Sect, he ended up crippled.

The path of cultivating immortality is truly perilous!

Subconsciously, he gripped the book even tighter.

Three months have passed in the blink of an eye.

According to the rules of Baicaotang, after three months of apprenticeship, they can go to the pharmacy to formally learn about various medicinal herbs to aid their studies.

After all, you can't learn practical experience just by reading books. You have to see the aroma, color, and feel of medicines yourself to truly master them.

Xu Zhou did not go, since Baicaotang only said that he could go, not that he had to.

He felt that his knowledge was still lacking and he was not familiar with many medicinal herbs. Going there would be a waste of time, so he might as well stay in the library and concentrate on studying the classics of medicine.

The others, however, were eager to try. They had long felt that staying cooped up here studying was too stifling, and on the first day, they went to the pharmacy in high spirits.

That afternoon, all five returned looking grim.

While reading the classics, Xu Zhou's attention was distracted as he overheard a few of their conversations. He discovered that they were all cursing the senior apprentice who managed the pharmacy.

"In all my years in the sect, I've never seen such a heartless person!"

"It's like this pharmacy belongs to him. I just touched the medicine cabinet a little bit, and he immediately kicked me out. I didn't get to do anything all afternoon."

"I was supposed to be identifying medicinal herbs, and I only made a mistake, but they won't even let me try a second time. They even said that someone like me would definitely blow myself up if I tried to refine pills. Is that any way to talk?"

Someone saw Xu Zhou still sitting at the table reading and couldn't help but scoff, "Junior Brother Xu is smart; he stayed here instead of going, otherwise he would have gotten a scolding too."

Xu Zhou turned a deaf ear to this.

After everyone had finished their tirade, they shook their heads and continued reading. Many harbored a burning desire to teach their senior a lesson next time.

Seven days later, the five of them visited the pharmacy again.

Unsurprisingly, he returned looking disheveled.

This time, they were genuinely angry. One of them, still furious, threatened to have his family deal with the matter.

The remaining few were still relatively sober. Xiao Bing frowned and reminded them, "This is the Hundred Herbs Hall. The rules are not the same as they were in the inner sect. Even if you want to see your parents, the steward might not let you through for something like this."

The man didn't believe it and went out to find the steward.

Xu Zhou didn't hear the result, but from then on, he never heard them speak ill of the senior brother on duty behind his back again.

For a long time to come, the other five would still go to the pharmacy. He, however, remained unmoved, staying only in the library to concentrate on his studies.

Regardless of external circumstances, he maintained his own pace and continued learning, just as he had when comprehending the [Primordial Energy Cultivation Technique].

After several months of hard work, he had read through most of those dozens of medicine books and was able to distinguish the common first-level medicinal materials and their general medicinal properties.

This is already quite excellent for ordinary cultivators, enough to handle various situations in the wild. But for alchemists, it is only the most basic of the basics.

Next, following Steward Zhang's instructions, we should begin studying "A Comprehensive Explanation of All Herbs".

This medical text records numerous variations in the properties of medicinal herbs. It is said that by understanding this text, one will gain a basic understanding of all medicinal herbs. Even if new medicinal materials grow in the world, one can quickly identify their characteristics by following the key points in the text, remaining true to the fundamental principles despite all changes.

Correspondingly, this medicine book is also very obscure and difficult to understand.

Xu Zhou initially read it through, but after finishing the beginning, he couldn't understand it at all, feeling that the words and phrases in the scripture were described in a fog.

Only after he finished reading the pharmacopoeias that recorded the properties of medicinal herbs could he barely understand some of them based on his existing knowledge.

He stumbled along, expending a great deal of effort, barely managing to connect the texts with the medicinal classics he had previously read, before he was able to continue. Gradually, although he didn't fully understand them, he could vaguely grasp the general outline.

Having learned this much, Xu Zhou felt that he had encountered a bottleneck in the field of identifying medicinal herbs.

Continuing to study by rote will no longer be of much help to him; he needs to see the actual appearance of the medicinal herbs with his own eyes and compare them with the knowledge in the books in order to learn better.

Xu Zhou closed the book and, for the first time before midnight, got up from his desk.

"I need to go to the pharmacy to take a look."

At this time, he had been working at Baicaotang for half a year.