Chapter 20: The Alchemy Academy (1)

“Big sister, you’re lying. Your favorite flowers are roses, and you even made me promise to buy them for you,” the Thirteenth Young Master bluntly exposed his sister’s fib without the slightest courtesy.

Indeed, they had all found out by now—Ye Lanyu loved roses, especially blue ones. Perhaps it was because of her name, but she was particularly fond of the color blue.

“You little rascal, running your mouth again! I was trying to turn someone down.” Ye Lanyu knocked the Thirteenth Young Master on the head with a touch of exasperation, raising her voice for the benefit of the flower-bearer nearby, who looked rather crestfallen.

“If you want to refuse, just say so. Why lie about it?” he asked, rubbing his head.

“You don’t understand. Even if I refuse, they’ll still bring me flowers and gifts. It’s truly a headache—your sister’s charm is simply too much. It’s not like you, though; nobody would bother with you,” Ye Lanyu declared as she dragged the Thirteenth Young Master away at a brisk pace, leaving her pursuers behind.

This was her daily routine, and it inevitably affected both the Thirteenth Young Master and Tigress, so that there was never a peaceful, leisurely stroll onto campus for any of them. Yet at the same time, having her as his escort saved him from much unwanted trouble.

“That’s not true! I have plenty of admirers too,” the Thirteenth Young Master protested.

“Really? Which young ladies possess such insight to recognize your hidden worth?” Ye Lanyu pressed, genuinely curious to learn who these admirers were, and what extraordinary taste they must have.

She was not simply looking for an excuse to laugh at him; spending so much time together, she was well aware of some of his unique abilities, talents rare enough that few could rival him.

“It’s not just young ladies—even some men are after me,” the Thirteenth Young Master said proudly, as if his sister had underestimated him.

“What?! Men? Are you talking about those freaks? I’ll kill them! Tell your sister who they are, and I’ll turn them into ice sculptures,” she thundered, instantly jumping to the worst conclusion.

“Miss Lanyu, perhaps you should clarify first,” Tigress interjected. In truth, the situation was quite different from what Ye Lanyu imagined, but Tigress refrained from explaining further—Ye Lanyu disliked hearing about her brother’s affairs from others.

Ye Lanyu, puzzled, quickly realized there must be a misunderstanding; her brother was often prone to expressing himself poorly.

“So, tell me—how exactly are they pursuing you?” she asked.

“They chase me just like those people were chasing us a moment ago, holding things in their hands and yelling at me not to run,” the Thirteenth Young Master replied.

At this, Ye Lanyu’s face darkened. Just like them? Wasn’t that precisely what she had feared?

“Master, what exactly are they shouting, and what are they holding?” Tigress prompted.

“They’re holding stools and chairs, yelling, ‘Ye Lang, you idiot! What crazy thing have you done now? Stop running! I’m going to kill you today!’”

There was a long silence.

Ye Lanyu finally understood. The “chase” he spoke of was not courtship, but a hunt, and she knew precisely what those objects were.

They were his alchemical creations—perhaps a potion, perhaps a magical device. Whatever they were, they all shared one trait: a hint of danger. In the Thirteenth Young Master’s words, “It’s not finished yet.” Of course, a half-completed product could not be expected to be safe.

But if he knew they were dangerous, why did he keep bringing them along to cause havoc, plunging everyone into chaos? The unfortunate students, victims of his inventions, often felt the urge to wring his neck.

Most of the Thirteenth Young Master’s creations were experimental prototypes. For reasons unknown, his mind was always brimming with strange ideas. What began as an ordinary alchemical formula would mutate once he’d added a few things.

Usually, these mutations enhanced the original effect, sometimes introducing a new one. But occasionally, mistakes occurred, and something once safe became a little hazardous.

And that was only with formulas; he modified alchemical arrays too, with similar results. His altered arrays became so idiosyncratic they formed a style of their own—often incomprehensible to others.

Now, his classmates had learned one thing for certain: the Thirteenth Young Master’s inventions were dangerous.

Sometimes the damage was minor; other times, the entire classroom suffered. Whenever such incidents occurred, Tigress would quickly drag him away.

As for why Tigress didn’t simply confiscate all his inventions—the truth was, she tried, but he made so many things it was impossible to keep track of them all.

Sometimes, he would accidentally trigger the danger himself, bringing misfortune to those nearby. Sometimes, he left things lying around, and curious classmates would pick them up—only to regret it instantly. Yet every time, he himself remained unscathed under Tigress’s protection.

Perhaps that was what irked everyone most. Students of the Alchemical Arts Institute were used to occasional accidents; they all understood that mistakes were part of the process. But why, they wondered, did the Thirteenth Young Master always escape unscathed, while they bore the consequences? It was jealousy—envy of his luck.

In time, the Thirteenth Young Master became the public enemy of his class—indeed, of the entire institute. But there was nothing they could do to him, and Tigress was more than a match for any of them. Under the circumstances, they could only swallow their frustration.

“All right, I’m off to class. See you in the cafeteria at noon. Try to behave yourself today, and don’t cause any more trouble,” Ye Lanyu advised, knowing full well her brother would pay her little heed. Still, she gave Tigress a meaningful look to keep watch over him.

Ye Lanyu was a student at the School of Magic, while Ye Lang belonged to the School of Alchemy. Their classrooms were separated by several sports fields and academic buildings. If Ye Lang had been in the School of Martial Arts instead, it would have been closer, but as it stood, the School of Alchemy was quite far away.

Given that even a student like him posed certain risks, the School of Alchemy was regarded as the most hazardous place on campus—a veritable repository of dangerous items. Naturally, it was isolated on the edge of the grounds, protected by the strongest defenses and clear barriers—artificial rivers or high walls—separating it from other schools.

This arrangement, at least, spared the Thirteenth Young Master from some trouble; many would-be avengers gave up after failing to find an opportunity to approach him.

Students who chose alchemy as their field tended to be less quarrelsome than others. Although envy existed, it was rational, focused on technical prowess rather than personal matters.

Fortunately, though the Thirteenth Young Master was making steady progress, to outsiders he still appeared weak—a minor figure among true prodigies of the Alchemical Arts Institute.

And his idiosyncratic alchemical skills, though promising, had yet to amount to much, so for now, he escaped further attention.