coobybook Ch. 216 - Huh... I Think I Forgot to Go to School...
Ch. 216 - Huh... I Think I Forgot to Go to School...
"It's all real -- go ahead and put it out!"Chen Shu shook his head, picked up a wooden sign, and began his charitable service to the masses: free potion compounding for everyone.
Of course, he'd only compound Flame Potions, Ice Potions, and Lightning Potions.
The moment the sign went up, it drew instant attention.
Dali Potion Shop's reputation spoke for itself these days. No advertising required.
Ten minutes later, the first customer walked in.
"Boss Chen, you're doing the free compounding thing again?"
A man strolled into the shop, a bundle of medicinal herbs in his hand.
"Hand over the herbs."
Chen Shu took the herbs and walked toward the shop's toilet.
Never forget your original aspiration and you will see it through... [1]
"Hm? These herbs--?"
While the customer waited, his gaze drifted to the surrounding shelves.
The moment he spotted the various fire-attribute herbs, his expression shifted instantly.
"Don't tell me these are all Black Iron-grade herbs?"
The man scanned the prices below. They were all basically market rate.
"Did your boss raid a beast nest or something?"
His shock only deepened. Every herb on those shelves was impossibly fresh -- clearly harvested not long ago.
Wang Tianbao and his crew just shook their heads.
Privately, they suspected Chen Shu had simply robbed someone...
Word of the free compounding spread across Nanjiang City in no time.
As the saying went: if there's a deal and you don't take it, you're a goddamn fool.
People flooded in from all directions. Dali Potion Shop's front door was packed. Everyone who walked in noticed the herb shelves too.
Most of them couldn't afford the herbs, sure. But some of these visitors were loaded.
This had been Chen Shu's plan all along -- use the traffic from free compounding to move his herb inventory fast.
Two days flew by in a blink.
Chen Shu sold twenty million yuan worth of herbs.
At this pace, the entire stock would be gone in under half a month.
Meanwhile, his potion proficiency was climbing rapidly as well.
---
Nanjiang Second High.
Special Training Class.
"Students, I will be your teacher for this month!"
An elderly man with white hair and glasses stepped onto the podium.
He surveyed the class below, cleared his throat, and spoke:
"In February, I'll be teaching you Cultural Studies. This is the only month exclusively dedicated to academics, and I hope every single one of you gives it your full effort!"
"The Academic Written Track on the College Entrance Exam is equally critical. If all you have is combat ability and no academic culture, people will call you a ruffian. Maybe even a bandit. Can you really accept being called that?"
The class fell silent. The moment they heard the word "bandit," every pair of eyes instinctively drifted toward the back of the classroom.
But Chen Shu's seat was empty.
Today was the first day of school, and he simply hadn't shown up.
Nobody was surprised. If anything, they thought it was only natural.
"Take a look around -- is anyone missing? If not, we'll begin class!"
The teacher spoke up. It was really just a formality.
In all his years, the Special Training Class had always been filled with students of excellent character. Truancy was unheard of.
Even Fang Si back in the day -- even when she skipped class, she'd at least file a leave request.
The class went quiet. Everyone knew Chen Shu wasn't there, but not a single person opened their mouth.
Without him, everyone could study more effectively...
---
The hectic life of senior year's second semester had begun.
Special Training Class students attended Cultural Studies during the day and cultivated their Beast Taming Power at night.
Students from wealthier families didn't just train at the Beast Taming Dojo in the evenings -- they supplemented with Beast Orbs, cultivation potions, and more. Their cultivation speed was practically a mile a minute.
With the College Entrance Exam approaching, everything was on the line. Families pulled out their life savings. Some even took out loans.
Beyond car loans and mortgages, the banks had rolled out Beast Taming Loans -- with interest rates so low they were practically charitable. As long as you could provide your child's Beast Taming talent tier and their contract spirit's potential rating, approval was virtually guaranteed. It was the state's way of supporting students from less privileged backgrounds.
As for Chen Shu? He was still at the black market, compounding potions for free. The matter of school starting had been completely tossed out of his mind.
Time flew, and soon it was the end of February.
Chen Shu put the wooden sign away. The charity event was on pause for now.
All three of his potion proficiencies had reached Grandmaster Level. Pushing for Sage Level would take far too long.
The fire-attribute herbs in the shop had sold out completely as well.
His account now held an extra 120 million in Huaxia currency. An absolute fortune by any measure.
"Little Yellow!"
Chen Shu used Semi-Manifest Summon. The space beside him cracked open and a massive mouth tore into existence.
He tossed thirty potion bottles through it, straight to the Slime.
These were the surplus from his three elemental potions. The standard yield was two bottles, but every batch he compounded produced three -- so he naturally pocketed the extra one each time.
The Slime had already been maxed out on elemental potions before this.
Now, at Grandmaster Level proficiency, it could absorb an additional ten doses.
Sure, it was an attribute-less contract spirit. Feeding it elemental potions provided basically zero improvement.
But Chen Shu had OCD about this stuff!
If the bar wasn't completely full, it just didn't feel right...
This wasn't perfect cultivation anymore -- this was waste cultivation!
"Huh? Boss, are you not brewing anymore?"
Someone walked in carrying herbs.
Chen Shu's mouth twitched. The phrase hit differently than intended.
What do you mean I'm not qualified anymore?!
"I'm not compounding for you guys right now. As for when the next event starts, keep an eye on Dali Potion Shop's latest announcements!"
The man could only leave in disappointment.
"So what should I do next...?"
Chen Shu muttered to himself. "I feel like I forgot something..."
Right at that moment, his phone rang.
"Shen Wushuang? Who's that?"
Chen Shu's face went blank. Then a jolt of electricity shot through his entire body.
"HOLY SHIT -- SHEN WUSHUANG!"
His eyes went wide. He finally remembered what he'd forgotten.
HE'D COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN TO GO TO SCHOOL!
He sucked in a deep breath and, at last, hit the answer button.
"CHEN PI, ARE YOU TRYING TO DIE?! School started almost a MONTH ago -- where the HELL are you?!"
Shen Wushuang's roar blasted through the phone.
To prevent exactly this, he'd specifically reminded Chen Shu three days before school started.
And the bastard STILL hadn't shown up!
If Shen Wushuang hadn't decided to swing by the school today to check on the students' progress, he might never have found out.
"Teacher Shen, if I told you... I forgot... would you believe me...?"
"FUCK OFF! Don't bother coming to school. Come to Purple Wood Mountain on the west side of the city!"
"Purple Wood Mountain?"
Chen Shu's expression froze. A chill shot through his heart.
That was Nanjiang City's abandoned burial ground -- mass grave territory.
"TEACHER SHEN, I WAS WRONG!"
If Chen Shu actually went to Purple Wood Mountain, Shen Wushuang would absolutely bury him there...
"I'm coming to school right now! Immediately! On my way this instant!"
He sprinted out of the black market shop and bolted toward Nanjiang Second High.
"Driver! Fast, fast, fast! Nanjiang Second High!"
"Young man, what's the rush? It's not like you're scrambling to be reborn..."
"Driver, if you go any slower, I really WILL be reborn!"
"..."
[1] Never forget your original aspiration and you will see it through (bu wang chu xin, fang de shi zhong): A phrase originally from Buddhist sutras that became Xi Jinping's signature CCP motto at the 2017 Party Congress -- essentially the Party's official slogan for moral discipline and integrity. Chen Shu recites it reverently... while walking into a toilet to brew medicinal potions.