Chapter 125: Thinking of a Way

Zhang Xuan was on the verge of tears.

He had initially expected these items to cost no more than a few hundred thousand gold coins. With a cool million at his disposal, he thought spending a bit extra wouldn't be an issue, especially since the money was practically free. He never dreamed that the total would add up to over twenty million...

The money he prided himself on wasn't even a fraction of the total cost!

People usually complain about getting a raw deal; this was a downright swindling of the teacher!

He had intended to help them activate their bloodlines, compensate for their deficiencies, dramatically increase their strength, and stun everyone. He also wanted to project the image of a master who disdained money. He never in his wildest dreams imagined it would cost this much... It was absolutely outrageous! If he had known it would cost this much, why bother putting on airs?

“Perhaps... I should just give up!”

Suppressing his wounded pride, Zhang Xuan was torn.

With the meager funds he had, not even a fraction of the cost could be covered, meaning these medicinal ingredients were certainly out of reach. Was all his long preparation – first becoming an apprentice, then an alchemist – going to amount to nothing but a wasted effort? Would he achieve absolutely nothing?

Crucially... he had already boasted about it. Zhao Ya and the others knew he was going to find a way to activate their constitutions and boost their strength. If he returned empty-handed, where would he put his face later?

“No, giving up just because it’s too expensive isn’t my style!”

If he really abandoned these items, Zhao Ya and the others wouldn't be able to activate their constitutions, making it nearly impossible to defeat Lu Xun in fourteen days! Failing without even trying didn't suit the identity of a transmigrator! Furthermore, as the teacher and enlightener of Zhao Ya and the others, he truly couldn't stand by idly and do nothing. Although he had only recently become a teacher, he felt this sense of genuine responsibility towards his students.

If he didn't have enough money, he had to find a way!

With this thought, Zhang Xuan walked back to the old man. “Ahem, President Ouyang,” he began, “given that I’m an alchemist, could I perhaps put these items on credit and find a way to gather the money for you later?”

“That… won’t do!” President Ouyang shook his head. “No one in our guild can refine third-grade pills; they must be purchased from the main guild. This money cannot be put on credit…”

“But… over twenty million? I definitely can’t come up with that much in a short time…”

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

“Then there’s no other way,” Ouyang Cheng couldn’t help but suggest. “Why don’t you try refining pills? With your knowledge of elixirs, you should have many ways to earn money.”

The young man before him possessed knowledge that surpassed even the guild's experts, especially concerning alchemy. If he were to refine pills, while twenty million sounded daunting, it wouldn't be difficult for an alchemist of his caliber to earn.

“Does refining pills really earn money quickly? How much profit can one make from an Aperture-Nourishing Pill, like the ones you just refined?” Zhang Xuan couldn’t help but ask.

“The Aperture-Nourishing Pill sells for a high price and is quite difficult to refine, making it one of the most profitable first-grade pills. Each one should earn around fifty thousand. If you refine ten a day, you could earn over twenty million in less than two months!” President Ouyang stated confidently.

While refining pills was indeed profitable, it also depended on market demand and the availability of medicinal ingredients. What he said was only theoretically feasible; even a formal alchemist would likely get sick of refining pills every single day.

“Two months?”

Zhang Xuan's face clouded over with exasperation. By the time he accumulated enough money in two months, the Freshman Grand Competition would have long been over; it would be far too late. If that were the case, he might as well steadily improve their strength through conventional means. What was the point of all this effort?

Besides, while his theoretical knowledge was impressive, that was thanks to the Heaven's Path Divine Library. Asking him to actually refine medicine… that was certainly absurd. Though he spoke eloquently, if he truly had to do it himself, he likely couldn't even manage the first step of extracting medicinal ingredients. He had watched others refine medicine earlier; without decades of arduous practice, it would be impossible to accomplish.

“Is there… a more profitable method?” he couldn’t help but ask again.

“More profitable?” President Ouyang shook his head, about to say no, when he suddenly thought of something. “If we’re talking about the most lucrative profession in this world, it would undoubtedly be a Master Teacher. Even simple guidance costs a considerable fee. While alchemists are well-paid, they still fall far short when compared to Master Teachers.”

There were many professions in the world; appraisers and alchemists were considered quite profitable. However, they paled in comparison to Master Teachers. Many people remained stuck, unable to break through even as their lifespans neared their end. If a Master Teacher could offer even a single piece of guidance, they might break through their bottlenecks and reach higher realms. With increased cultivation came not only a longer lifespan but also a faster rate of earning money. Therefore, some individuals would spare no expense, even squandering their entire family fortunes, just to receive a single word of guidance from a Master Teacher.

Therefore, to earn money quickly, a Master Teacher was undoubtedly the fastest way; no other profession could compare. Unfortunately, becoming a Master Teacher was far from easy. It required passing countless assessments and possessing one's own students, as well as experience and reputation from teaching various courses. Take Zhang Xuan, for example: relying on the Heaven's Path Divine Library, he could easily solve many problems. However, without students, he wouldn't be able to qualify as a Master Teacher.

“Please reserve these items for me first. I’ll find a way to pay you in ten days!”

A bold idea struck Zhang Xuan, and he spoke.

“Alright!” Ouyang Cheng didn’t know his plan, but seeing his calm and composed demeanor, and sensing he wasn't joking, he nodded.

“I’ll take my leave!”

After speaking with him, Zhang Xuan headed out.

“Since Master Teachers earn money quickly… if I impersonate a Master Teacher… could I earn money faster?” The earlier thought resurfaced, and Zhang Xuan pondered. By normal means, earning over twenty million gold coins within ten days was almost impossible, short of robbing a bank! However, if he disguised himself as a Master Teacher, there might be an opportunity!

If others tried this, they would certainly be beaten to death on the spot if discovered. After all, Master Teachers were profoundly knowledgeable; a single mistake could easily give them away. But he was different! With the Heaven's Path Divine Library and his knack for bluffing from his previous life, deceiving people would be quite simple if he truly wanted to. Of course, it wasn't strictly deception. With the Heaven's Path Divine Library complementing the Heaven's Path Divine Art, identifying others' flaws and helping them advance would be incredibly easy and pleasant.

“Excellent, that’s the plan!”

After mulling it over and finding no apparent flaws, Zhang Xuan couldn’t help but nod. To win the bet against Lu Xun in half a month and make Zhao Ya and the others' cultivation rapidly advance, those items absolutely had to be purchased, and the money had to be earned. This was the only way he could earn over twenty million gold coins within ten days.

“I’ll need to prepare some things in advance. At my current age, if I go around claiming to be a Master Teacher, no one would believe me. I’ll have to disguise myself to appear at least in my thirties.”

Like alchemists, if he, not even twenty yet, claimed to be a Master Teacher, he’d probably be ridiculed to death before he even finished speaking. He absolutely had to disguise himself and alter his appearance. Otherwise, he would face a lot of trouble in the future and struggle to gain people's trust.

“Second, as a Master Teacher, one must naturally possess status and gravitas. It’s impossible to go around to people’s homes offering guidance; if I did that, I’d be seen as a swindler.”

Having lived in an age of information explosion in his previous life, he knew quite a bit about such matters, even if he hadn't personally done them. Given the esteemed status of Master Teachers in this world, it was clearly unrealistic for one to go door-to-door like a beggar, offering guidance and then asking for money.

“What should I do?”

If he couldn't go to people's homes, how would he find clients? How would he earn the money?

Zhang Xuan's brows furrowed deeply.