Chapter 26
It is no exaggeration to say that the three hours of the winter social banquet were the longest and most boring five hours in Jiang Zhulang's life. Somehow, he inexplicably learned how to make a painless withdrawal while he was in a daze, but unfortunately the timing was not right.
Jiang Zhulang practiced countless times before he mastered this ability, which also shows that he cycled through boredom-even more boredom-even more boredom until he mastered it thoroughly.
Finally, after he secretly yawned for the tenth time, the midnight bell rang. Under the guidance of the waiter, Jiang Zhulang pushed the door open from behind a painting and entered the main topic of the day - the Holy Spirit Medicine Society's welcome dinner.
The decoration inside is not as extravagant as that outside, but has a bit of a magical feel.
The ceiling was a moving nebula, with strings of whale oil candles floating in uneven patterns, emitting a soft warm yellow glow. The air was filled not with the sweet perfumes often sprayed at aristocratic banquets, but with the cool and light scent of herbs made from cedar, dragon scale fruit, and wind chimes.
People came in one after another from the four secret doors. Most of them fit the stereotype of a potion master - greasy messy hair, thin cheeks that were waxy yellow from the potion, no flesh on their bodies, as if they would fly away if the wind blew, and the hands stretched out from their sleeves were yellow and black, with marks of burns from the potion.
They all straightened their chests, either intentionally or unintentionally, revealing the Potion Master's rank badge on their chests - most of them were just apprentices like Jiang Zhulang, with the occasional junior Potion Master having arrogance and complacency on their faces, and perfunctorily dealing with the people who gathered around them.
As for the intermediate and above? They are already at the top of the pyramid in the circle of potion masters, and they will definitely not attend a mere welcome dinner.
Andre came to Jiang Zhulang, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Mr. Lan Nuo, let me introduce you to..."
"Hey, Andre? You've been doing pretty well these past few months?" Jiang Zhulang looked in the direction of the voice and saw an abnormally obese man with sparse hair on the temples swaggering towards him. His beer belly was so shaky that one was worried that it would break the buttons on his shirt.
Jiang Zhulang was a little surprised.
Since the hair growth potion came out, bald people are almost never seen among the noble class. Even small businessmen with a little extra money are willing to buy the potion to maintain their hair. He hasn't seen anyone with such sparse hair for a long time.
Moreover, those who have anything to do with Holy Spirit Potion are all sorcerers. Among sorcerers, there are very few who can be so fat.
This person, in a sense, is really very conspicuous.
Andre's face darkened and he said nothing. But the man kept insisting, "I heard that you recommended a kid who is less than 20 years old to join the club? How ridiculous! You must know that in the field of potions, experience is the most important thing, right?"
As he spoke, he glanced at Jiang Zhulang with contempt.
Andre: "Nock, that's enough! You don't like me, so you come after me. Mr. Lanno's ability is recognized by the association. How can you question it? Or do you have any opinions on the association's arrangements?"
The fat on Knok's face trembled, and he snorted coldly and stopped talking. The short and thin man beside him took a step forward and said, "Are you Lannuo, who invented the birth potion?"
Jiang Zhulang nodded.
"Oh, the hair growth potion, ah, you simply tainted the purity of potions! Alchemy is great and profound, but you invented such a vulgar thing to pursue fame and fortune! In your eyes, is potion a tool to embellish your fame?"
Jiang Zhulang: ...What else?
Before Jiang Zhulang could speak, the man continued, "A frivolous person like you is not worthy of joining the Holy Spirit Medicine Society! I think you are better off relying on your looks to make a living and please rich ladies."
Jiang Zhulang: Why is it that one or two people can't get along with him today?
"I know I'm good-looking, but thank you for your compliment on my appearance." Jiang Zhulang thanked him, but his eyes were full of indifference. He raised the corner of his lips slightly, arrogant and contemptuous, "Since 'Hair Growth Potion' defiles the dignity of the potion in your opinion, then 'Radiant Complexion' and 'Enhanced Vision' are also the same?"
The two potions he was talking about were the most famous works of the creator of "practical potions", who was also a very famous potion expert.
There are two schools of thought in the world of potions. One is special potions. All potions with buff, debuff, healing, and damage properties can be classified into this category. The powerful corrosion potion improved by Jiang Zhulang belongs to it.
The second category is practical potions. These potions do not have so many mysterious effects, but they are extremely practical and have a wider audience. After all, a person may not need a potion that can quickly corrode cyanite in his lifetime, but he will definitely need a potion for beauty and hair care, healthy teeth and eyesight.
After this was said, the man hesitated for a long time, not daring to respond, and finally said angrily: "Humph, you inexperienced brat, let's see what you can do."
Jiang Zhulang found it a little funny. He glanced at the conspicuous badge on his chest and then at the wrinkled corners of his eyes: "Experience? It is indeed very important."
"Just so you know."
"But..." Jiang Zhulang changed the subject, "Sometimes talent is more important than hard work, isn't it? Mr. Potions Apprentice."
His words were so murderous and heartbreaking that Andrei immediately burst out laughing and secretly gave him a thumbs-up.
Apparently, the commotion here attracted the attention of more than just the people involved. Jiang Zhulang soon heard the conversation coming from the crowd.
"This new guy is quite good at talking. Dis looks like he's about to explode."
"Hahahaha, I'm still just an apprentice after almost seven years. I can't get promoted to the junior level no matter what. Tsk tsk."
Diss's face flushed red, and he was angry and annoyed. He kept saying "you, you, you" for a long time but couldn't say anything. As his recommender, Knok also felt embarrassed. In a moment of excitement, he ignored the rules and asked directly: "Since you think you have talent, why don't you tell us what your membership assessment is?"
As soon as these words came out, everyone in the room fell silent. Not asking the members about the content of the assessment was an unspoken rule of the Holy Spirit Medicine Society, but Knock broke this rule.
Noticing the tense atmosphere, Knock belatedly stopped talking.
Although Jiang Zhulang didn't know the reason for the stagnant atmosphere, just by looking at the expressions of the onlookers, he knew that there was definitely something wrong with this issue.
"Alright, alright, Nok, you are such a fool. You lose control of your words when you are drunk. Come on, let me introduce you to this person. This is Lanno, the inventor of the 'Hair Growth Potion'. He is also the youngest member of our Pharmacy Association."
Someone came to Nok's rescue and introduced Jiang Zhulang to him. Then the cold scene became lively again, and people came forward to exchange names.
After the new members are introduced, the most important ceremony of the evening will be held - tattooing, to represent their joining the Holy Spirit Medicine Society.
Jiang Zhulang felt that this ceremony was like stamping a mark on a person's body to show his or her identity.
Now, he needed to think about where to put the tattoo to make it look best. After all, readers would not want to see the tattoo of "Lan Nuo" in a hidden part of the body.
In a matter of seconds, he had made his decision.
The waiter gently used a feather to apply the paint and scraped across his Adam's apple. After a slight stinging sensation, the tattoo was printed on Jiang Zhulang's neck, making the boy's neck look even slimmer and fairer.
In this way, Jiang Zhulang became an official member of the Holy Spirit Medicine Society.
The highlight of the banquet was over, and in the following time, people who knew each other in the pharmacy gathered in groups and talked in low voices.
Andre, who had been silent for a long time, came to Jiang Zhulang and whispered, "That Knock, he had some conflicts with me in the early years, and he also didn't like the people I recommended, and he was even unwilling to touch the drugs under their names."
"I heard that he coveted the effects of your medicine and wanted to treat his hair loss, but he was afraid of losing face, so he secretly spent a lot of money to buy ten boxes of medicine and asked someone to make a copy. Not only did it fail, the person also ran away with the money, hahahaha!"
Jiang Zhulang's mouth corners twitched again and again, but finally he couldn't help it and raised a few pixels.
"Hello Lanno, my name is Martin. Perhaps you would be interested in hearing about one of my studies?"
Looking at the thin man with freckles all over his face in front of him, Jiang Zhulang's expression was a little subtle.
He was planning to find an opportunity to get close to him, but who knew that the target would come to him?
This is a good thing, so that readers won’t always say that “Lan Nuo” is approaching the target with ulterior motives.
He nodded and replied, "I'm curious about what kind of research it is."
Andre reminded him, "Oh, no, no, Lanno, you'd better not. His research is just a crazy and money-burning idea. I know a group of people who are keen on researching practical potions. I think you should have a lot to talk about with them. In fact, Martin asks every time a new member joins the club, but unfortunately, he is the only one in his team so far."
Martin retorted: "That's just because they have no vision! I believe Lanno is definitely different, he will definitely be interested!"
"Why don't you tell me first?"
When talking about his research, Martin's eyes lit up. "I want to refine a drug that can speed up the spread of mushroom spores in the air, and thus..."
Andre interrupted: "Even though I've heard it so many times, I still want to ask, so what's the use of this? What can this medicine be used for?"
Martin looked at him as if he were mentally retarded and said, “Didn’t I tell you that you can speed it up…”
"Just for mushrooms?"
"That's right! I hope that the entire land of Nidos will be covered with usable mushrooms!"
Jiang Zhulang: ...
Andre: "Haha, Lanno, you heard it, right? Anyone with a normal mind would not be interested in his weird and useless ideas!"
Jiang·Abnormal Brain·Zhu Lang: Boy, you've said all the words, how can he join forces with Martin, no, fight for the common ideal?
You can't admit that you have a mental disorder, right?
Bathed in the two people's eager gazes, Jiang Zhulang opened his lips and said slowly: "Sometimes, when making potions, it's not easy to use a normal brain."
Andre: "See, I knew he wouldn't...huh?"
Martin: "It doesn't matter. I'm used to not being understood...Huh?"
Martin: "You, you agree with my point of view?! Hahahaha, I'm saying, Lannuo, you are a person with good taste! The first time I saw you, I knew you like to eat mushrooms!"
Jiang Zhulang: ...No, I can't eat any. If it wasn't for the need to break into the secret laboratory as quickly as possible, he would have immediately developed a drug to kill all the mushrooms!!
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