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Li Yaowan said to Li Yang, "Weapon forging is very time-consuming. If you want to get the culture dish sooner, you can assist Professor Song."
Li Yang understood the implication—since you can accelerate pill refining, can't you also accelerate weapon forging?
She certainly can.
But Li Yang wasn't sure if she should reveal her abilities so completely.
Song Jinhuan seemed to see right through her, saying, "'Natural' is 'complete'... Since you are accomplished in alchemy, you must also be exceptionally talented in weapon forging."
After saying that, she rested her chin on her hand and looked at Li Yang, her eyes full of charm. "What, is my sister not as good as that old woman Li Yaowan?"
Li Yang: "!"
Song Jinhuan then noticed the miniature doll on her shoulder and said disappointedly, "Never mind, I won't take what others love."
Li Yang was completely bewildered and had no idea what the professor from the Weapon Forging Department was talking about.
Knowing her old friend's skill well, and fearing that her students might be misled, Li Yaowan quickly explained, "Dean Si probably wouldn't even bother to tell you, but Heavenly Fortune Bearer of the Nature Department are all-rounders... Dean Si of both Star Magic and Spiritual Cultivation, and is also an expert in weapon forging and beast taming."
Li Yang asked in surprise, "All-rounder... a genius?"
"Yes, literally," Song Jinhuan sighed. "You can reach two or three, or even four or five, heights that others struggle to achieve in their entire lives."
Li Yaowan interrupted urgently, "Don't mislead her!"
She then turned to Li Yang and explained in detail, "While the Nature Department is more versatile, a person's energy is ultimately limited. Even Dean Si only chose the mental and Spirit Department. Although her skills in weapon forging and beast taming far surpass those of her peers, she certainly cannot compare to the Heavenly Fortune Bearer of these lineages."
Li Yang nodded in agreement, "I understand the principle of 'don't bite off more than you can chew.'"
Li Yaowan added, "Of course, the capable should do more. You can't limit yourself to just one lineage; two or three should be no problem! Your talent in alchemy has already begun to show. As for weapon forging, you can learn about it if you want, or you can ignore this old hag if you don't want to."
Song Jinhuan exploded on the spot. "Li Wanzi, do you think I'm dead?!"
Li Yaowan blushed and said, "Don't call me that in front of the children!"
Song Jinhuan said, "You were the one who went shameless first."
Li Yaowan retorted, sticking out his neck, "I'm just stating the facts. She has already demonstrated her talent in the Pill Department, hasn't she?"
"She must also have a talent for the Weapon Forging Department!"
You're too late. There's a proper order to things.
"I'll curse your father!"
Seeing this, Li Yang quickly stepped forward and said, "Teacher Li! Professor Song! Um... I'm just here to create petri dishes."
Song Jinhuan pulled Li Yang aside and dismissed Li Yaowan, saying, "Professor Li, please leave. I'll discuss the rest with Li Yang."
"You..."
"What? Professor Li, you can forge weapons too?" Song Jinhuan looked at Li Yaowan provocatively.
Li Yang tried to smooth things over, saying, "Teacher Li, please go back to your work. Thank you for introducing me to Professor Song."
Li Yaowan always felt uneasy, as if she had pushed her little lamb into the clutches of Song Jinhuan, the big bad wolf. She pitifully pleaded, "Li Bao, remember what your teacher told you!"
Li Yang understood her implication and said, "Yes, the Pill Department is my second home."
Upon hearing this, Li Yaowan was overjoyed.
The old lady was in high spirits, finally able to hold her head high, and defiantly glared back at Song Jinhuan.
Song Jinhuan retorted without any politeness, "Get out! Get out!"
As soon as Li Yaowan left, Song Jinhuan regained her alluring demeanor. She looked at Li Yang with a smile and said, "I haven't made petri dishes for almost 30 years, so I might be a little rusty. Tell me your needs."
Li Yang's needs were very simple, which was somewhat of a waste of his talents.
"The students just wanted to cultivate seeds of mutated corn, mutated chives, and mutated wheat."
What level?
"Second order."
Song Jinhuan feigned a troubled expression and said, "I haven't crafted low-level Star Weapon in a long time, this is a bit difficult for me."
She added, "The Second Grade weapon forgers in the department have only been in the field for four or five years and have absolutely no experience in creating petri dishes."
Li Yang understood that these words were all a prelude.
She was mentally prepared and waiting for Song Jinhuan to name her price.
To everyone's surprise, Song Jinhuan's eyes lit up, and she looked at Li Yang with her chin in her hand, saying, "Why don't you... create it yourself?"
Li Yang: "!"
Song Jinhuan said, "I'll teach you how to make a petri dish. You'll make one right in front of me, and of course, you must do your best."
Li Yang understood perfectly well and asked, "Professor Song wants to see... whether I have a talent for weapon forging?"
Song Jinhuan replied, "There's no need to look, you definitely have it."
Li Yang gave an awkward laugh.
Honestly, she has no talent, she's just good at wasting time.
Song Jinhuan added, "What I want to see is whether you have a heart that loves forging weapons."
Is it really that mysterious?
Li Yang was increasingly confused.
She was confident she could dedicate her life to forging weapons.
But the question is, what exactly constitutes passion?
Krypton life...
That's so soulless!
Li Yang frankly said, "Professor Song, I might not say I'm passionate about weapon forging... but right now I really want to create a suitable culture medium."
Or rather, there is more than one.
If she masters this technique, her seniors and juniors will never lack culture dishes.
Song Jinhuan stared at her for a while, then sighed softly, "So clueless about romance, blinded by money... Fine, fine, Li Yaowan certainly has a successor."
Li Yang had become acquainted with several teachers.
My own teacher Peak Eighth Grade...
Dean Shen Seventh Grade Peak expert...
Professor Li, Sixth Grade Peak...
None of them were as difficult to understand as Professor Song from the Weapon Forging Department.
Let's go.
Song Jinhuan took Li Yang to the weapon-making workshop downstairs.
The students who were passing by greeted them.
Upon entering the weapon-making workshop, Song Jinhuan said to a young Second Grade weapon-making craftsman, "May I borrow your weapon-making table?"
The Second Grade- rank weaponsmith, caught off guard by Song Jinhuan's sudden appearance, nervously agreed, "Okay, okay!"
He stepped aside, expecting to see Song Jinhuan use his weapon-forging platform, but Song Jinhuan said to Li Yang, "Forging weapons is not like alchemy. You have to sense the creation in your hands. Without love, it will have no soul."
Li Yang was completely bewildered. For a moment, she felt that she might really not be suited for the Weapon Forging Department!
Song Jinhuan prepared the materials needed to create the petri dish and looked at Li Yang with eager eyes, saying, "It's up to you now."
As soon as Li Yang stood in front of the weapon-casting platform, he heard a notification from the system.
[Will it consume lifespan to create a Second Grade cultivation dish?]
"It will consume ten years of your lifespan."
[With your limited talent for weapon forging, you roughly process the current materials and begin crafting a Second Grade cultivation dish. After ten years of unremitting efforts, the cultivation dish's progress is 5%.]
Li Yang suddenly felt everything go black.
Does it really take 200 years to create a single Second Grade petri dish?
Forging weapons is indeed much more difficult than alchemy!
I wonder if accumulating experience in weapon forging will allow me to forge weapons faster.
Instead of investing 190 years in one go, Li Yang said, "I'll consume 150 years."
The system didn't want to give her any chance to exploit loopholes, and the progress dropped to 80%.
Undeterred, Li Yang added, "It will take twenty years."
System notification: [Crafting progress: 90%]
Knowing he couldn't even save a year of his life, Li Yang said speechlessly, "Twenty more years."
After 200 years of investment, the system has finally changed its wording:
[Your talent for forging weapons is extremely limited, and your perception of materials is also very poor. However, through your long-term companionship and tireless efforts, and your 200 years of perseverance, you have moved these materials and condensed them into a Second Grade cultivation dish.]
Li Yang communicated with the system for a long time, which also consumed 200 years of his lifespan.
However, for Song Jinhuan and the students from the Weapon Forging Department who were watching, it was as if a Second Grade cultivation dish had appeared out of nowhere.
The students in the Weapon Forging Department didn't even know what a petri dish was. One of them asked curiously, "Hey, what did they create?"
"The key point is, she succeeded in creating it in an instant!"
"Although I don't know what this is, it's definitely high-quality within the Second Grade Realm!"
Song Jinhuan stared blankly for a long while before picking up the petri dish and exclaiming, "It's full of love!"
Li Yang herself felt nothing.
But...
She's been a devoted follower of these materials for 200 years; how can that not be considered love?
Li Yang: I have every right to say that!
Song Jinhuan looked at Li Yang, her long, narrow eyes gleaming with fiery light. "Good child, you possess exceptional talent for forging weapons; you are a blessing to countless soldiers of Huaxia!"
Song Jinhuan continued, "28 years ago, your senior sister worked through the night to forge 1,000 Star Weapon, which boosted the Falcon Corps's combat strength by 50%, allowing them to hold the outer gate of Huaxia Main City until several Supreme returned to defend it..."
"I'll always remember that Nature Department Heavenly Fortune Bearer whose eyes were full of love, but sadly she..."
Li Yang: "!"
This was a story from the Nature Department that she had never heard before.
With tears welling up in her eyes, Song Jinhuan said, "Li Yang, if you ever want to know anything about weapon forging, just ask me."
Li Yang actually found it hard to understand Professor Song, but inexplicably felt a strong liking for her. She said, "Thank you, Professor Song."
Song Jinhuan seemed to have something left unsaid, but she didn't say it aloud, only murmuring softly in her heart, "I hope this time... I won't disappoint the Nature Department again."
-
Li Yang took the petri dish and returned to her small courtyard.
All the way, the message kept flashing before her eyes: [Lifespan Points +1 year.]