Was this a bad dream?

Lin Mu Yu had already decided that this was not a dream but the fact that he had pa.s.sed into a completely unknown world that was even more bizarre than any dream.

Behind the old man stood a young lady who wore a flowery green skirt and looked at him happily. She seemed to be around twenty years old and had a slender and graceful figure. A pair of long white legs extended from her extremely short green skirt. Standing tall and straight, she was wearing a tank top which barely covered an ideal pair of supple b.r.e.a.s.t.s. If this was a dream…isn’t it a bit too scandalous?

Lin Mu Yu quickly came to his senses and asks, “Was…was it you who saved me?”

The old man smiles slightly. “No, my granddaughter, Chu Yao, was the one who saved you!”

Ah, so the beauty was named Chu Yao; it’s a really good name. Lin Mu Yu praises her silently before he says, “Grandfather, thank you…Where is this place?”

“This is Cathaya City,” The old one smiles kindly. “You don’t even know where you are? You’re very brave to have ventured into the Seven Stars Forest where many wild beasts roam. If it wasn’t for Chu Yao who found you while she was picking herbs there, I’m afraid you would have become a good meal for a wolf.

(TL: Cathaya is a species of pine)

“Thank you…” Lin Mu Yu looks at Chu Yao.

Chu Yao’s cheeks were dusted red as she says in a melodious voice, “There’s no need for thanks. I’m a doctor so saving people is part of my nature.”

The old man then asks, “Young man, what is your name? Why did you wander alone into the Seven Stars Forest? I have measured your pulse and you don’t have any power within your body so you don’t seem like a pract.i.tioner?”

How should I answer this? I can’t possibly say I failed to disconnect from a game and ended up here, right? And I even saw a monster called the Seven Luminaries Demon King fight hundreds of Masters before my eyes…that doesn’t seem very persuasive at all.

Hence, he says, “My name is Lin Mu Yu; I lost my way and wandered into the Seven Stars Forest before I fainted…”

“Oh? Then where are you from? When you are healed, I’ll accompany you back.”

Now how should he answer that? Once again, Lin Mu Yu was brought into a difficult situation. If he said that he came from the ravine, the old man would definitely ask which mountain it was, or even which city. He did not know a thing about this place so his lies would surely be exposed. The only way out of this was…

“Ah…”

He suddenly clutched his head and let out a pained cry. He says, “I….I can’t seem to think of anything. I…where am I?”

Faking amnesia. Dayum, I’m too smart!

He felt extremely smug about his quick wits.

…

The old man gawks and says, “I did some checks earlier and it seems like your head had suffered some trauma. That might be the cause of the short term memory loss you are experiencing now. However, there is no need to worry. For the time being, you can stay in our Bai Ling Medicine Shop. When you’ve recovered your memories, I’ll ask Chu Yao to send you back. Should you need anything while staying here, please let Chu Yao know.”

“Thank you, grandfather! That’s right, I don’t know your name yet.”

“Oh, my name is Chu Feng. You can just call me Grandpa Chu.”

“Alright, thank you Grandpa Chu!”

“No worries, you just focus on resting!”

“Ok.”

…

Chu Feng exited the room while Chu Yao turns around to look at Ling Mu Yu before playfully sticking her tongue out at him and exiting the room, leaving Lin Mu Yu with a view of her gorgeous figure. No matter what world this was, the women here were really outstandingly beautiful.

A sudden wave of fatigue strikes him and Lin Mu Yu felt as though his head was about to explode. Like a nightmare, he could not get the image of the Seven Luminaries Demon King trying to possess his body out of his mind.

By now, he had already accepted this reality. He had indeed entered another dimension but he had no clue as to why he was here.

He closed his eyes and a series of familiar symbols appeared in his mind. These are…

? But if this was reality, then why would he  

be floating in his mind?

“System spirit!” Lin Mu Yu silently called, but there was no reply.

“Refining Techniques!”

This time, there was a response. Before his eyes, the

menu appeared. There were two kinds, one for refining medicine and another for smithing equipment. The symbols were holograms which he could only see but not interact with. Lin Mu Yu could only exclaim in wonder…perhaps he had brought his in-game skills with him to this reality?

As he thought about that, Lin Mu Yu immediately felt intense regret. Why had he deleted powerful skills like Stars Tactics and G.o.d-slicing Slash? If he had been able to bring them into this world, they would had all been G.o.dlike techniques! As he called for his skills again, he discovered that only

responded. Falling Stars Footsteps and Dragon-Hold Spear Technique appeared to be wrapped in chains. They had been locked!

Whilst he was in the midst of contemplation, the door was suddenly pushed open and a smiling Chu Yao enters the room holding a bowl. “Lin Mu Yu, Grandpa says that your body is still weak as if all the energy has been sucked from you, so you can only drink porridge now to restore some strength.”

His stomach was indeed already empty so Lin Mu Yu immediately smiles, “Thank you so much, Chu Yao!”

Chu Yao laughed lightly. “How old are you?”

“23 years old.”

“Oh?” Chu Yao smirkes deviously. “I’m 24 years old so you should call me Chu Yao Jie. Before you leave Bai Ling Medicine Shop you’ll have to call me that.”

(TL: Jie is older sister)

Lin Mu Yu could feel a slight headache but nevertheless smiles, “Alright, Chu Yao Jie.”

“Do you need me to feed you porridge?” Chu Yao bends her body towards him and looks at him cheerfully. As a result, Lin Mu Yu had a clear view of her cleavage. He instantaneously felt like he had been electrocuted.

“N-no…no need.” Embarra.s.sed, he shakes his head. His face was turning red.

Chu Yao places the bowl on the bedside table and says, “Then, take your time and eat. I need to go out to look for herbs now.”

“Yeah. Thank you Chu Yao Jie.”

After he ate the bowl of porridge, he regained plenty of energy but Lin Mu Yu still felt that there was something wrong with his body. He punched the air with his fist. The strength his body did not match what he had in his previous world. Although Lin Mu Yu wasn’t an expert, he still had a certain degree of mastery of martial arts back then, thus he should not be feeling as powerless as he is now. There must have been something that affected his body…could it be linked to the death of the Seven Luminaries Demon King?

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t get a clear conclusion. Therefore, he simply walked out of the house where a cool breeze caresses his face, making him feel at ease.

It was the backyard of the medicine shop and was rather large. A pine tree stood tall and around it were more than ten tables. These tables were covered with various kinds of herbs, including the leaves and roots of various plants. Chu Yao, together with another ten Alchemist Apprentices were concentrating on the extraction of useful segments in the herbs.

On the side, Lin Mu Yu was watched silently but deep down he was stunned. There were many different kinds of herbs here but to think that he actually recognized a majority of them! Eagle Eye gra.s.s, Seven Star flower, Frost Leaf gra.s.s, Cauldron root, Steel-tipped flower, Saint Heart fruit and so on… These were all herbs from

! Moreover, Lin Mu Yu was one of two Refining Grandmasters in the game and Alchemy was a sub-branch of Refining Techniques. He scanned through the herbs one by one. They were all Level 1 and Level 2 herbs!

Chu Yao’s hands moved daintily like a b.u.t.terfly as she plucked the second layer of leaves from the Eagle Eye gra.s.s and the bulging root of the Cauldron roots. It was a sight to be admired.

After a long while, Chu Yao finally spotted Lin Mu Yu. She laughs. “What happened, do you recognize these herbs?”

Lin Mu Yu didn’t know how he should answer her so he points to a stalk of gra.s.s and says, “This is Frost Leaf gra.s.s. Its element is the bitter cold, right?”

“Eh?”

Chu Yao’s mouth fell open as she looks at Lin Mu Yu with admiration. Smiling, she even changed the way she addressed him. “Ah Yu, do you recognize any other herbs?”

(TL: Ah is a custom familiar name used in place of one’s first name, or last name in English standards.)

“Yeah. I sometimes collect herbs to create Healing Potions.”

“Oh, so it’s like that…” Chu Yao purses her lips before she laughs. “Actually…since you temporarily can’t remember anything about yourself and your hometown, you should just stay here. Our medicine shop may not compare to the hundreds of other medicine shops in Cathaya City but we’re definitely capable of providing for one more person. You could learn Alchemy with me and help out in the shop. Grandpa’s old and needs our help, how does that sound?”

Evidently, Chu Yao wanted him to stay and since Lin Mu Yu had only just come to this world, he naturally wanted somewhere where he could acclimate himself. So he gladly nods and smiles. “If it’s alright with Chu Yao Jie, I’ll stay here!”

When Lin Mu Yu first arrived here, he was only wearing the Newbie outfit that was in tatters, but despite that, he was handsome and his eyes were clear and lively which appealed to Chu Yao, which was the reason as to why she wanted him to stay. When Lin Mu Yu agreed, she happily claps her hands and says, “It’s great that you want to stay here! All of us apprentices are studying Alchemy under Grandpa so you can call me Senior!”

Lin Mu Yu couldn’t help but smile. “Can I still call you Chu Yao Jie?”

“Yes, whichever one you prefer!”

Chu Yao was ecstatic but there was a youth beside her who was approximately twenty-five years old and appeared rather unhappy. Frowning, he says, “Ah Yao, you haven’t even asked Master for his permission. How can you randomly let someone join the medicine shop?”

This person’s name was w.a.n.g Ying. He was the oldest Apprentice of the medicine shop and one of the official Alchemists of the shop.

Chu Yao’s happiness was dampened as she replies, “Senior, Ah Yu is all alone in his difficult circ.u.mstance. It was by luck that I rescued him so I definitely cannot abandon him in Cathaya City. Moreover, Ah Yu recognises these herbs, meaning that he’s fated to be a Alchemist. I’m sure Grandpa would agree with me as well.”

“Hnn.” w.a.n.g Ying says coldly, “Lin Mu Yu. I know Chu Yao found you in the Seven Stars Forest. I don’t care who you are but if you want to join this medicine shop you had better display your talent. Although our shop may not be famous, we definitely don’t tolerate any freeloaders.”

Lin Mu Yu tries hard not to display his annoyance towards w.a.n.g Ling and says: “Do you want to test me?”

“Exactly!”

w.a.n.g Ling smiles coldly as he says, “If you can’t even pa.s.s my test, then there’s no need for you to be in the medicine shop. Use your common sense and scram!”

As he said that, he holds up a stalk of purple gra.s.s. “What is this?”

Chu Yao hurriedly retorts, “Senior, that’s a Level 3 herb! Ah Yu hasn’t been introduced to Alchemy yet. Isn’t this too difficult for him?”

As Chu Yao expressed her worry, Lin Mu Yu blandly replies, “Dream Leaf gra.s.s.”

“That…”

w.a.n.g Ying did not expect that someone like Lin Mu Yu to recognize the herb so he holds up another gold coloured plant and asks, “Then what about this?”

Evidently, the herbs here and those in

were the same. Lin Mu Yu quickly gathered his self-confidence and replies, “Gold Silk gra.s.s. It’s a Level 3 herb. By your left hand is the Level 3 herb Purple Snake Vine and by your right hand is the Level 3 herb Blood Sage. I’m right, aren’t I?”

It was w.a.n.g Ying’s turn to be dumbfounded.

Chu Yao steps forward, simultaneously happy and angry at the same time. She grabs Lin Mu Yu’s hand and says to w.a.n.g Ying, “Senior, Ah Yu just arrived at Bai Ling Medicine Shop so why did you try to embarra.s.s him? When Grandpa comes home, there will be consequences!”

……

w.a.n.g Ying remained silent and stares at Chu Yao and Mu Yu’s linked hands before glaring harshly at Mu Yu.