Chapter 59 (continued)

Why does that sound so familiar?

Zhong Kun was also astonished. "What do you mean by 'instantly'? Alchemy, such a slow and meticulous process, can be completed in an instant?"

Lin Zhaoqin said, "Rumors can't be taken seriously. Maybe it just makes alchemy faster, and things will just get out of control if you keep talking about it."

Zhong Kun nodded and said, "That makes sense. Just like Yangzi, there are rumors outside that she killed my brother in one move during the monthly exam, and took you down in half a move... cough, Lin Zhaoxia." He didn't dare to say "your sister" out loud.

Lin Zhaoqin rolled his eyes and said, "You've gone too far! You're saying you'll kill my sister in one move and take down your brother in half a move?"

Zhong Kun: "..." If he were even slightly stronger, he would have definitely given her a beating!

Li Yang, however, felt that it might be true.

Those Heavenly Fortune Bearer...

Is this guy cheating too?

Speaking of which, Lin Zhaoxia was also Heavenly Fortune Bearer; she... cough, I don't know what kind of talent she possessed.

Li Yang mentally complained to the Tongzi: "I thought you were unique, but it turns out you're just another face in the crowd!"

System: "Would you like to consume 2000 years of your lifespan to perform this query?"

Li Yang: "?!"

She made a casual remark, but she didn't expect him to say something like that.

However...

She doesn't even have a lifespan of 2000 years, and even if she did, she wouldn't want to find out!

What if she asks, "Tongzi, are you common enough to be everywhere?"

Lifespan - 2000 years.

Tongzi gives her a yes or no answer... she'd be so angry she'd faint!

After hearing about Jiang Yuqing's situation, Li Yang wasn't too worried.

She did accept Li Yaowan's request, but as she said, she would try her best, but if winning required a great sacrifice...

Losing is losing.

Li Yang is only a minor in the Pill Department and cannot shoulder the heavy responsibility of revitalizing the pills of Central Capital Pill.

Besides, their Nature Department hasn't been revitalized yet.

They had no time to care about the Pill Department, which had over a dozen research institutes, hundreds of patents, and was incredibly wealthy yet stingy.

The Star Ash Mystic Realm will open tomorrow, so Li Yaowan rushed to the Agronomy Department and personally handed the Exquisite Furnace to Li Yang.

Li Yang was quite surprised. "This is... almost reaching purple quality?"

Li Yaowan: "That's right! This is the best alchemy furnace in the Second Grade Realm. Unless it's a natal alchemy furnace nurtured from childhood, none can compare to it!"

The Natal Alchemy Furnace is similar to a growth-type Star Skill in the Star Combat Department.

Learning it isn't difficult, but getting promoted continuously is not.

"Is Jiang Yuqing using her natal alchemy furnace?"

"No!"

"Why?"

"He was initially just a collateral branch of the Jiang Family, keeping a low profile. It was only after he was admitted to the Star-Slaying Military Academy that his alchemy abilities suddenly emerged, attracting the attention of the Jiang Family. The Jiang Family hadn't even had time to nurture his natal alchemy furnace yet."

Li Yang found this strange and asked, "Can alchemy skills suddenly erupt?"

Li Yaowan lamented, "This is called 'good fortune'! He's most likely Pill Dao Heavenly Fortune Bearer, but unfortunately... he's already enrolled in the Star-Slaying Military Academy."

Li Yang understood, and she said solemnly, "Teacher Li, I promise I will do my best, but regarding the outcome of this competition..."

Li Yaowan sighed deeply and said, "Let's do our best and leave the rest to fate!"

As she spoke, she pulled out a small cloth bag from her bosom. The bag was only the size of a palm, embroidered with large, glittering gold ingots, and even the drawstring was gold. A string of small gold coins hung from the hanging rope.

Li Yang: "This is..."

Li Yaowan's withered old hands trembled as he said reluctantly, "The purple-grade Qiankun Bag contains a sufficient amount of Starlight Carbon. You can put the refined pills in there later."

Li Yang took it, smiling brightly, "Thank you, Teacher Li!"

Li Yaowan: "This is..."

Li Yang added, "I will definitely do my best to refine the medicine!"

Li Yaowan's words "I'll lend you this" were swallowed back down.

The silver-haired old woman held Li Yang's fair and delicate hands, and sighed, "Little Fox... cough, Xiao Li... our Pill Department..."

Li Yang grasped her hand and said first, "Teacher Li, I need to prepare for tomorrow's alchemy. Let's leave it at that!"

Li Yaowan's well-intentioned but pitiful words were met with a sharp retort, "Fine, then hurry up and get ready!"

Li Yaowan left, Li Yang looked at the Qiankun Bag in her hand, liking it more and more.

The Qiankun Bag is a type of Star Artifact. One characteristic of Star Artifact is that they do not restrict the user's cultivation level. Even ordinary people can use high-grade Star Artifact. However, some Star Artifact are also very dangerous. It is common for someone to blow themselves up if they use them improperly.

Star Artifact has many advantages, its only drawback is... its high price.

Too expensive.

It's ridiculously expensive.

For example, for the same blue-grade items, Star Artifact weapons are generally more than ten times more expensive than Star Weapon, pills, or Star Curse.

The reason is simple.

Because there is market demand.

For example, Li Yang, who is at the Second Grade Realm, cannot use a purple-grade alchemy furnace (which is also Star Weapon), but he can use a purple-grade Qiankun Bag.

The Purple-grade Pill Furnace is only suitable for those at the Third Grade and Fourth Grade Realm.

However, the purple-grade Qiankun Bag is available to everyone, so its price is naturally higher.

Li Yang found Zhong Kun and asked, "Do you know how much a purple-grade Qiankun Bag costs?"

Zhong Kun said, "Purple grade! That's rare! The starting bid is at least 1000 merit points."

Li Yang: "!"

She looked down at the Qiankun Bag again and thought the gold ingots embroidered on it were so lifelike and adorable. Even if they were real gold ingots, they wouldn't be worth 10 million!

After Li Yang opened the Qiankun Bag, the system beeped.

[Space package detected, loading will begin shortly, please wait.]

In situations like this, the Tongzi is quite convenient.

If Li Yang were to open the Qiankun Bag herself, it would be like sticking her head into a giant rice jar; retrieving anything would be quite difficult.

Once the system loads it, it becomes immediately clear.

A new page has appeared on the system panel, next to Star Skill Appraisal, called "Qiankun Bag".

After Li Yang clicked on it, she found a small icon that looked exactly like a miniature version of the Gold Sycee Qiankun Bag.

After clicking on the Qiankun Bag, a flat, open surface pops up.

It's a bit like the game Li Yang played in her past life – "Catch the Goose," a bunch of 3D objects stacked together.

However, the Qiankun Bag contains only Starlight Carbon, unlike the "Catch the Goose" which is filled with all sorts of other things.

Information about the Qiankun Bag was also displayed next to it.

Space size: 1 cubic meter.

Used: 1 cubic meter.

Item: Starlight Carbon.

Li Yang: "..." As expected of you, Professor Li, you really don't waste a single bit.

Li Yaowan gave her a purple-grade Qiankun Bag so that she could carry enough Starlight Carbon.

As for where to store the pills that are refined later?

Once the Starlight Carbon is used up, space will naturally be made available.

Li Yang tried clicking on the page, and a piece of Starlight Carbon landed in her palm.

With the system panel, it's much more convenient to access these features; I don't have to look down and search for them anymore.

One square meter isn't a large amount, but it's not small either.

If you have a lot of things, it can be quite inconvenient to find them.

Li Yang rarely praised Tongzi, saying, "Well done!"

System: [Consume lifespan to expand the Qiankun Bag?]

Li Yang's eyes lit up. Such a good thing! Had the Tongzi changed its ways today?

She cautiously replied, "It will take a year."

System: [Your talent for refining weapons is abhorrently poor, yet you possess an inexplicable self-confidence. You attempted to expand and upgrade your purple-grade Qiankun Bag, but after a year of effort, the Qiankun Bag's space remained unchanged, and your Spirit Points decreased by 5 points.]

Li Yang: "..." I deserve to die for praising you just a second ago!

Meanwhile, on the other side...

The Jiang Family arrived at the Zhongdu Military Academy ahead of time. As the recognized richest family in Huaxia, they were remarkably low-key.

There were quite a few of them, but they were all dressed simply and neatly, even somewhat plainly.

The most eye-catching among them was the boy surrounded at the front. He was wearing the uniform of the Star-Slaying Military Academy, a crisp double-breasted shirt with a waist belt and subtle dark gold patterns. The trousers were well-tailored, perfectly accentuating his long legs and making him appear even taller and more upright.

The students of the Zhongdu Military Academy were well-informed, and some who loved to join in the fun had already come to see what was happening.

"Is that Jiang Yuqing?"

"It definitely is!"

"The girl next to him is so tall!"

The girl was also very eye-catching. She was not very old and should be another student sent to the Star Ash Mystic Realm by the Star-Slaying Military Academy. However, she was not wearing a school uniform, but only a plain white long shirt. Her short hair that was past her shoulders was slightly messy, and her exposed skin was fair and smooth. She was shoulder to shoulder with Jiang Yuqing was at least 185cm tall, or even slightly taller.

However, the girl's demeanor was somewhat dejected, and she looked listless, as if she hadn't eaten or slept for several days.

Yu Hongyuan was also present. As a top henchman, he was naturally tasked with gathering firsthand intelligence about the enemy for his boss.

So he squatted down there, filmed a video, and quickly posted it to the "Loving Agronomy Group".

Taro Ball Is Not Round: "Senior Sister! This must be Jiang Yuqing!"

Li Yang also saw the imposing young man and nodded, saying, "I'll remember that." Even if they met again in the Star Ash Mystic Realm, she wouldn't be unfamiliar with him.

Lin Zhaoqin asked, "Are you sure?"

Li Yang looked at her. "What's wrong?"

Lin Zhaoqin pointed to the boy in the Star-Slaying Military Academy uniform in the video and said, "This isn't Jiang Yuqing."

Zhong Kun nodded sadly, "That's definitely not it."

Then, the two pointed together to the "girl" in the video whose face was only half visible, and said, "This is Jiang Yuqing."

Li Yang: "???"

Upon seeing the two students from the Star-Slaying Military Academy, Yu Hongyuan immediately identified the boy as Jiang Yuqing. As for the girl... it didn't matter; she was just a follower.