Chapter Thirty-One: The Lively Medicine Class

The subject following the Alchemy class was Pharmacology. The second-year Pharmacology course was bustling with activity. Mo Yao, Nangong Yurou, and Dou Ruhua had all come to join the excitement, and Mingyue noticed that many new female disciples had joined as well; even Jiang Yiyi had shown up for the lesson.

Jiang Yiyi maintained her usual arrogant, condescending air, looking right through Mingyue as if she were thin air. Since they had no friendship to speak of, Mingyue naturally paid her no mind. Jiang Yiyi was exceptionally attentive during Murong Yiwen’s lecture, likely because he had recently been appointed as the instructor for the second-year Pharmacology course.

Murong Yiwen was tall, handsome, and fair-skinned, always projecting the image of a gentle and cultured young nobleman. He was rumored to be the dream lover of many young maidens.

This Pharmacology lesson, like the previous ones, was held outdoors, involving the collection of herbs in the wild. A teaching assistant led the academy disciples to the Shushan Immortal Sect’s herbal cultivation base.

The cultivation base was vast, spanning several mountain peaks, and it housed a wide variety of rare medicinal species. Most of the common herbs used by the Medicine and Alchemy divisions originated here. Mingyue even spotted immortal-grade herbs like thousand-year-old lingzhi and ginseng.

The assignment for this class was to collect herbs between one hundred and three hundred years old. After the teaching assistant explained the techniques for collection, the characteristics of the herbs, and their medicinal properties, the disciples began their work. Mingyue noticed many female disciples wearing elaborate makeup, their hair slicked with oil, and their bodies emitting such heavy perfumes that they made her and Nangong Yurou sneeze repeatedly. Mingyue had no choice but to pull Nangong Yurou to a more secluded spot to collect herbs.

"Sigh, these women have lost their minds," Nangong Yurou sighed. "It’s just a pity that while the falling flowers have intent, the flowing water remains heartless."

"Look at Jiang Yiyi—every time she sees Murong Yiwen, she has that look of lovesick longing," Nangong Yurou whispered, pointing at Jiang Yiyi, who was constantly craning her neck to catch a glimpse of him. "Look at that sour, shrewish face of hers; I doubt Senior Brother Murong would ever fancy someone like that."

Mingyue observed Jiang Yiyi’s features—her pointed chin and thin lips—and found that she indeed matched Nangong Yurou’s description. She couldn't help but laugh and chide, "Hurry up and pick your herbs, big sister. Be careful not to get punished for not having enough later."

As the two chatted away while picking herbs, they didn't feel particularly exhausted.

Nangong Yurou smirked, mimicking Murong Yiwen’s tone, and teased, "Junior Sister Mingyue, this herb should be picked like this. This way, you won't damage the herb, nor will you hurt your own hands."

"See if I don't tear your mouth apart!" Mingyue pounced on her, wrapping her arms around her and tickling her under the armpits.

"Hey, hey, hey, stop it! Mingyue, I won't dare do it again!" Nangong Yurou gasped, laughing so hard she nearly collapsed to the ground.

Mingyue was not to be outdone. Mimicking Nangong Yurou’s coy voice, she said, "Senior Brother Qiao, is this sword technique done this way? Could you teach me?" She looked at Nangong Yurou with a wide-eyed, fan-girl expression.

"You, you wretched girl, see if I don't rip your mouth!" Nangong Yurou huffed and lunged over to pinch Mingyue’s lips.

In the distance, a figure approached. The man was dressed in white, his posture upright, looking dashing and handsome, drawing gasps from numerous maidens. The two girls suddenly froze, exchanged glances, and Mingyue’s pretty face immediately fell.

"Haha, Senior Brother Murong is here again. Little Sister Mingyue, you’re on your own now." Nangong Yurou pointed at the approaching Murong Yiwen and "whooshed" away to hide.

Mingyue lowered her head, pretending not to see Murong Yiwen approaching. She heard the excited screams of many women as they caught sight of him.

"Oh heavens, he’s so handsome!" one girl squealed, her eyes filled with pink stars. "Xiao Yu, help me check—is my eyebrow makeup okay?"

"Hurry and help me fix my skirt; I want to present myself in the most beautiful way to Senior Brother Murong." Another girl tossed aside her herbs, stood up to smooth her clothes, and deliberately stepped forward, placing herself right in Murong Yiwen’s path.

Jiang Yiyi intentionally drifted toward the junction where Murong Yiwen was walking, eyeing the direction of his approach while pretending to pick herbs.

Mingyue tried to make herself as small as possible, crouching in a corner dense with medicinal plants, shrinking into the foliage, terrified of being spotted by Murong Yiwen.

Mingyue looked at Nangong Yurou, who made a face at her and vanished, leaving Mingyue seething with annoyance.

Murong Yiwen walked straight toward where Mingyue was hiding, his gaze fixed forward. He didn't even spare a glance for the other female disciples looking his way, nor did he look at Jiang Yiyi, heading directly to Mingyue’s side.

Murong Yiwen’s pleasant voice sounded from behind her: "Junior Sister Mingyue, hurry and pick your herbs on the side. It’s too hot in the thicket; be careful of heatstroke."

Mingyue turned around helplessly and bowed deeply to Murong Yiwen. "Greetings, Senior Brother Murong."

Murong Yiwen carefully studied the young girl before him. She was petite and slender; although still young, her figure was already beginning to curve elegantly. Her features were exquisite and beautiful, and against her crystal-clear, snow-white skin and moon-colored robes, she looked like a fairy emerging from a painting amidst the flowers and herbs. Her pure and sweet aura made the surrounding blooms look dull in comparison. If she were this outstanding at such a young age, one could only imagine how dazzling she would become when she grew up.

Murong Yiwen sighed inwardly, *Truly, she is a rare beauty, seen only once in a millennium.*

He scrutinized her as if admiring a masterpiece. She appeared shy and bashful, indescribably charming and moving.

For a moment, he felt a stir in his heart, a bittersweet sensation bubbling up. In over twenty years, this was the first time he had felt such a heartbeat—he knew this was the taste of love.

Murong Yiwen stepped forward, his smile growing even more radiant. "Junior Sister Mingyue, is there anything about this type of herb that you don't understand?"

"No, thank you, Senior Brother Murong." Mingyue kept her head slightly lowered. Murong Yiwen was standing very close, and feeling nervous, she instinctively took a step back.

Murong Yiwen said softly, "Mingyue, come here. I’ll take you to see some five-hundred-year-old Yao herbs. Not everyone has the opportunity to see such high-end immortal plants."

Mingyue hesitated and asked, "Senior Brother Murong, none of the other disciples are going. If I go alone, wouldn't that be inappropriate?"

Murong Yiwen replied with full confidence, "It doesn't matter. Junior Sister Mingyue, you are well-versed in medicine and so unique; it is only right that the Medicine Division values you and provides special guidance."

Mingyue was extremely reluctant to go, but he was an instructor and she was a student. She might enter the Medicine Division in the future and would inevitably have to deal with him, so a direct refusal seemed improper. She had no choice but to follow him slowly, enduring the gazes of envy, jealousy, and hatred from countless other maidens, as they headed toward another empty patch of the herb garden.

She noticed Jiang Yiyi staring intently at them, her eyes filled with envy, jealousy, and spite.

As they walked, Mingyue glanced around, silently complaining to herself: *Why hasn't that Nangong Yurou come to rescue me yet? That wretch, I’m never helping her with a written exam again.*

Mingyue followed Murong Yiwen, dragging her feet until they finally reached the herb field. Murong Yiwen stood at the edge with his hands behind his back, recounting the characteristics of various herbs over five hundred years old. Listening to him, Mingyue felt that Murong Yiwen was actually quite talented. He spoke of pharmaceutical knowledge with ease, as if enumerating his own family treasures. He was truly worthy of being the top inner-disciple of the Medicine Division. She couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for him, and he seemed much more pleasant in her eyes.

Seeing the look of admiration on Mingyue’s face, Murong Yiwen was delighted. He naturally reached out and took Mingyue’s hand, saying, "Junior Sister Mingyue, let’s go look over there; the herb varieties there are even rarer."

Mingyue’s body stiffened instinctively as he took her hand. She struggled, but couldn't pull it away. She looked awkwardly at their joined hands, then back at Murong Yiwen.

Murong Yiwen simply looked at her with his trademark gentle smile, holding her small hands tightly in his large ones, as if he didn't feel there was anything wrong with this at all.

The air seemed to freeze, and an awkward atmosphere quietly spread. Mingyue felt her hand, held by his, become incredibly rigid.

"Mingyue, Mingyue! Where are you?" Nangong Yurou rushed over, her pretty face flushed red. Mingyue felt a surge of joy.

"Mingyue, there you are! I feel so unwell, oh!" Just as Nangong Yurou reached Mingyue, she rolled her eyes and collapsed against her, feigning a faint.

Mingyue seized the opportunity to pull her hand from Murong Yiwen’s grasp, catching Nangong Yurou and calling out with feigned alarm, "Yurou, Yurou! What’s wrong?"

Murong Yiwen stepped over to help support Nangong Yurou. Seeing her eyelashes fluttering constantly, he knew this girl was up to her old tricks again.

"Senior Brother Murong, look." Mingyue went through the motions of checking Yurou’s pulse, rubbing her chest, and pinching her philtrum to wake her up. Looking helpless, she said, "Yurou seems to have some heatstroke. I’ll take her to rest on the side first." With that, she helped the "fainting" Yurou up and slowly walked back to the area filled with other disciples, finding a flat spot to sit down.

Murong Yiwen had a mouthful of words stuck in his throat. Watching her retreating figure, he felt both sweet and melancholy. Nangong Yurou had used this trick many times; even if he were a fool, he would have understood the meaning by now. Every time he got close to Mingyue, Nangong Yurou would rush over to interfere. He seized every opportunity to get close to her, and anyone with eyes could see his intentions. Yet, Junior Sister Mingyue remained distant, acting as if she were completely ignorant.

*Junior Sister Mingyue should be fourteen this year, right? In the mortal world, girls of this age can already be married. It’s not too late for me to pursue her, is it?* It was normal for a girl to be shy; he just had to find an opportunity to propose it himself. His naturally proud and aloof heart was filled for the first time with sweet bitterness.

With Murong Yiwen’s medical expertise, he didn't actually need to teach in the second year. He had requested to teach the second-year class solely because of Mingyue.

The first time he taught, he caused the female disciples in the class to scream, and one even fainted from sheer happiness. However, Murong Yiwen only had eyes for Mingyue.

What Mingyue didn't know was that Murong Yiwen’s decision to teach the second-year class was entirely for her sake.

In truth, when Murong Yiwen first saw Mingyue, he only thought she was pure, beautiful, and naturally honest; he hadn't been moved by her. It wasn't until a chance encounter in the academy that he had suddenly felt his heart skip a beat, and from that moment on, he could never forget her.