Chapter 22: Bi Xin City
A strange look flashed across the Alchemists' eyes. They too did not want a burden.
Chen Yu wanted to defend her, but could not think of a way.
Xiao Hong, on the other hand, was completely relaxed, she just smiled, "There's no need to defend me, Alchemist Nangong. I was just thinking of something."
She turned to Li Huo, "Alchemist Li, where do you get the Beast Spirit Blood Ganoderma?"
"Huh?" Li Huo was confused, "From the Sect, obviously. What's that got to do with anything?"
Xiao Hong nodded. "It has everything to do with it: the Blood Awakening Pill is an active Pill - it acts proactively, igniting the Blood Qi in one's body. And such a process requires a great amount of energy to do so. But the thing is, the 'ferocity' of the energy is just as important. Awakening the Blood Qi using the Blood Awakening Pill is like a Father beating his son into waking up! It's like being splashed with a bucket of ice-cold water when you're cosy, sleeping in your bed…"
The Alchemists' mouths twitched, 'What a… great comparison! I salute you!'
"... In a nutshell, it 'shocks' the Blood Qi into awakening!" Ignoring the other Alchemists' expressions, Xiao Hong continued, "The 'Father' in this case is the Beast Spirit Blood Ganoderma. This Spirit Herb requires blood from ferocious Demon Beasts to grow. But the sect uses only tamed Demon Beasts, which means its blood has lost most of its 'ferocity'.
"The Sect uses it for the Blood Supplement Pill, which is a Healing Pill and thus quite gentle, and it doesn't matter whether the medicinal power of the Beast Spirit Blood Ganoderma is docile or ferocious since its preparation method essentially neutralises any such 'characteristic'.
"In fact, it is better for it to be docile - that would make the preparation easier."
Xiao Hong stopped speaking. And she didn't need to continue either, everyone here was a talented Alchemist. If they couldn't guess even after so much explanation, they might as well get off this ship!
"I see, I see!" Li Huo exclaimed, his eyes brightening in excitement! "That makes sense! Thank you, Alchemist Xiao! You are truly worthy of the title of 'genius'!
"Alchemist Li overpraises me!" Xiao Hong replied modestly.
After some more praises, the Alchemists continued their debates. This time, Xiao Hong also participated. But she had an agenda: every time Nangong Wan proposed an idea, she would give a better, more efficient idea, rendering Nangong ideas useless. She fully abused her knowledge to suppress Nangong Wan. Xiao Hong had never thought of herself as broad-minded or magnanimous. No, she knew just how narrow-minded she could be and was completely happy to remain like that. She wanted to teach this Villainess a lesson!
Besides, in Xiao Hong's non-existent Villainess-taming experience, the Villainess first needs to be shown her place. So, Xiao Hong went all-out, trying to show she was far better.
Of course, she didn't make it obvious - she also provided better solutions to others' ideas. She was also very polite. Coupled with her insane Charm stat, the other Alchemists only thought that this was an overenthusiastic genius, Alchemist!
The only one who was dismayed was Nangong Wan. Her pride in achieving Grade 2 in three years had completely disappeared and was currently at a loss.
'She is more talented than me at Alchemy too!' Nangong Wan recognised reality. 'Brother Hao might really like her more than me!'
A scenery appeared in her mind where her Brother Hao happily held Xiao Hong's face bringing it closer to his until -
'NO! Nononono! Brother Hao is mine!' Nangong Wan clenched her fist, her eyes blazing. 'If she's better than me now, I'll try harder. To be with Brother Hao, I must try harder. If I try hard enough, I will surpass her!
It is only a difference of year - it was because I did not study Alchemy wholeheartedly, otherwise, my achievements would not be any worse!
'Moreover, Brother Hao might like Alchemists, but that doesn't mean he has to like her!
'I've still got a chance!
'I will show Brother Hao that I'm the better choice!'
If Xiao Hong heard her thoughts she would label this girl a 'serial overthinker'! She had only just talked to Bai Hao but this girl had already constructed an entire love story for them and then cried herself to sleep taking her imagined story as reality!
What a vivid imagination!
***
It was only after their throats had gone dry from all that talking that they decided to call it a day and continue tomorrow.
At this moment, Qi Lijuan exclaimed, "Eh? It's already evening outside!"
Apparently, they had debated all the way into the evening since the morning!
"Haha! I suppose debating with such talented individuals is indeed engaging for the mind!"
"Well said!"
Everyone else echoed voicing out their agreement.
"Very well, let's meet up tomorrow!
Upon returning to her room, a massive smile appeared on Xiao Hong's face!
"It works! Hahahaha!! It really works!" The time required to learn the art had decreased slightly - not by much, just a few hours. But Xiao Hong didn't care, they were discussing Grade 2 Alchemy, not Grade 3. There was very little information regarding Grade 3 in their discussion/debate.
Xiao Hong was happy mainly because it meant that she did not have to spend as many Spirit Stones on learning Techniques! She could save the Spirit Stones for her cultivation instead!
It was only after Xiao Hong had started cultivating Techniques that she realised that the amount of Spirit Stones that she had to spend would reach an astronomical amount if she used the system to learn.
Maybe right now she wasn't spending a lot of money, but she realised that as she grew stronger this number would increase exponentially, leaving her wanting for money. Thus, the fact that she could use external measures to speed up her learning was truly a Heaven-sent!
***
Just like that, an entire week passed. Xiao Hong constantly moved between her room and the Hall, constantly trying to decrease the amount of time required for learning Grade 3 Alchemy. After an entire week of effort, she managed to grind down the time required to 40 days!
At this moment all the disciples of the Purple Spirit Sect were at the Balcony.
Xiao Hong stood along with Chen Yu, the other Alchemists and the Mission Leader. She had made great friends with them during these few days.
"So that's Bi Xin City?" Qi Lijuan looked down curiously at the City they would be staying in, "It's somewhat underwhelming, isn't it?"
Nangong Wan rolled her eyes, "Of course it is! Do you expect some faraway City to have the same level of prosperity as the Cities in the Sect's territory?" Her disdain for this 'backwater' place was quite obvious.
He Ping, who came from such a backwater place was slightly offended, "So, what if they are not as prosperous? It has its own charm!"
"Of what? Stink?" Nangong Wan mocked.
"You-!"
"Alright, that's enough! Little Sister Wan, apologise to Junior Brother He." Bai Hao ended the squabble before speaking to Nangong Wan in a reprimanding tone.
"Yes, brother Bai!" Nangong Wan happily agreed and turned to He Ping and apologised with cupped fists and inclined head, "Alchemist He, please forgive my offence, I have crossed the line." It had to be said cupped fist was the most versatile gesture in the World of Cultivation!
Xiao Hong watched this interaction with a strange look on her face. She turned to look at Qi Lijuan who was also looking at her with an equally strange look on her face.
A look of understanding passed between them, 'This girl is totally done for!'
Seeing her new villainess so completely smitten with Bai Hao, Xiao Hong's jealousy towards him, which had already pierced the Heavens, directly pierced the Void beyond!
Well not really, Xiao Hong had her Sister Ying after all. It was just that she was already missing her a bit and was jealous that she couldn't come along.
'Oh, well, perhaps it's better she didn't come along. With Gu Ran here, it'll be a miracle if the Secret Realm doesn't collapse!'
***
Bi Xin City.
Inside a humongous Palace, a handsome-looking youth with long crimson locks that fell to his shoulders sat cross-legged with his eyes closed.
At this moment, his eyelids snapped open and gazed in the direction of the Purple Spirit Sect's Ship, as though his golden orbs could penetrate the walls and ceiling.
A smirk appeared on his face. "The Purple Spirit Sect, huh?
"The information was accurate, it really is that idiot - Bai Heng.
"Tsk, tsk. Purple Spirit Sect, Bai Heng. We're gonna have great fun from now on, aren't we?" The man casually looked towards a dark corner, where a figure stood, looking as though they were cloaked in a curtain made of Shadow itself.
"The Mystic Sky Sect just has to hold its side of the bargain, and we'll take care of everything else, Fellow Daoist Yuan." A husky, slightly hoarse voice that roused a man's desire sounded from the figure.
'Damn, what a voice! I really want to see what's underneath the hood.' The man surnamed Yuan really itched to rip off the cloak - his curiosity was killing him. However, he did not have a habit of courting death and he knew his place. That spine-tingling, bone-chilling Killing Intent nearly made him embarrass himself. He did not even think that was possible in the Fusion Realm!
Moreover, her Essence seemed very strange, utterly unlike a cultivator's. It wasn't like a Demonic Path's Demonic Qi, neither was it like the Martial Artist's Blood Qi, or Blood Force. He could make neither heads nor tails of it. Thus, he decided it was best to remain obedient.
"Yes, yes. m'lady." Yuan respectfully agreed.
'Purple Spirit Sect, ah, Purple Spirit Sect, what kind of ancient monstrosity have you provoked?' Let alone he, even his Master, a peak Transformation expert was terrified of this force! According to his Master, even the Essence Soul Mighty Figures were wary of it. He had been sceptical when he first heard of it - the Super Sects completely dominated the World, after all!
His master gave him a strange look and said, 'There's always a Heaven beyond the Heavens, Feng'er, always remember that.'
'The (Mystic Sky) Sect has gotten involved in something really huge this time!'