The Rolls-Royce drove smoothly through the bustling city.
Inside the car, Bai Zhi sat upright, her body tense like a fully drawn bowstring.
Her eyes, hidden beneath the brim of her hat, cautiously scanned the rapidly receding streetscape outside the window, her mind racing.
Where exactly was this villain going?
It was almost dark; what could he possibly be doing?
Was he heading to some secret hideout to plot new schemes?
Or was he meeting some underworld boss for a dirty deal?
Bai Zhi had already envisioned no less than ten possibilities, each filled with evil and darkness.
She clenched her fists, her fighting spirit growing stronger.
Lu Cheng, sitting beside her, seemed oblivious to the 'battle stance' of the little lamb next to him; he merely leaned back lazily in his seat, closing his eyes to rest...
In a certain third-rate university in Modu, inside a male dormitory.
Xiao Fan was trembling with excitement as he stared at the small bronze cauldron he had picked up from the Antique Street.
He could clearly feel an ancient, vast aura continuously emanating from within the cauldron, nourishing his spirit.
"medicine king cauldron! This is definitely the ancient Medicine King's alchemy cauldron!"
Xiao Fan greedily caressed the rough patterns on the cauldron's body, his eyes filled with fanaticism.
He focused his mental energy on the medicine king cauldron, hoping that, like before, it would burst forth with attribute light orbs all over the floor.
However, nothing happened.
Just as he was wondering why, the system's notification sound finally arrived.
Ding! Detected that the host has obtained the special item "medicine king cauldron."
Please, host, activate the true power of the medicine king cauldron through the act of "alchemy"! The higher the grade of the pills refined, the better the quality and greater the quantity of attribute light orbs dropped!
Alchemy?
Xiao Fan was first stunned, then overjoyed!
Wasn't this the path to his rise, tailor-made for him?
He, Xiao Fan, would not only become a martial arts expert but also an alchemy grandmaster!
He was ambitious; if he was going to refine, he would refine the most top-grade pills!
He immediately clicked on the shimmering [Tycoon Investment System], trying to find relevant "projects."
The reason was simple: he had no money!
If there was some related quest, then the medicinal ingredients for alchemy should naturally be reimbursed by the system!
The next second, a golden quest pop-up suddenly appeared.
Detected that the fated goddess Jiang Lian is troubled by the hidden dangers of her "Divine Phoenix Bloodline"!
The cultivation technique she practices, the Nine Revolutions Burning Heaven Art, is incredibly overbearing; without external moderation, over time, her heart meridians will inevitably be damaged, and she will suffer from qi deviation!
Now releasing an urgent quest: Refine the lost ancient pill—the Nine Revolutions Heart-Cleansing Pill!
Note: This pill is a supreme miraculous medicine recorded in the Phoenix Nurturing Sutra, used to moderate the Divine Phoenix Bloodline and stabilize the Dao Heart!
Upon seeing the quest content, Xiao Fan's breathing stopped!
This... this was like someone bringing a pillow when he was sleepy!
The system not only told him about Jiang Lian's hidden danger but also pointed out the solution!
He recalled the not-so-intimate, even somewhat distant, atmosphere between Lu Cheng and Jiang Lian on Antique Street.
He felt like he was capable again!
As long as he could refine this Nine Revolutions Heart-Cleansing Pill and present it to Jiang Lian, solving her major concern in one fell swoop, why wouldn't he be able to win the beauty's heart?
At that time, that guy named Lu would be nothing!
These were pills refined by the medicine king cauldron; could he do it?
The quest details even thoughtfully listed the complete pill formula for the "Nine Revolutions Heart-Cleansing Pill," as well as the possible locations where the required medicinal ingredients might appear in the real world.
"Hahahaha! Heaven helps me!"
Xiao Fan could no longer suppress the ecstasy in his heart; he immediately prepared to go out and purchase the medicinal ingredients according to the locations marked by the system...
The Rolls-Royce slowly stopped in front of an ancient-looking street.
The three characters "Returning Spring Hall" stood out particularly prominently in the night.
A faint, reassuring scent of herbs permeated the air.
Lu Cheng, with Bai Zhi, who looked like a curious child, got out of the car.
Bai Zhi immediately activated her "Fortune Radar," cautiously scanning her surroundings.
However, the radar interface was calm, with only a few faint fluctuations of fortune, like the glow of fireflies, not worth mentioning at all.
"What are you doing here?"
Bai Zhi asked, puzzled, feeling her intelligence challenged.
A big villain, not doing bad things at night, but coming to a traditional Chinese medicine shop?
"Inspecting my own property."
Lu Cheng smiled mysteriously and walked into Hui Chun Tang.
Bai Zhi followed behind, and upon hearing that, she stumbled, almost falling.
His own... property?
But there's no need to come to a Chinese medicine clinic at night, right?
Could it be that he... wanted medicine for that aspect?
He really was going to do something bad after all!
At this moment, inside Hui Chun Tang.
Xiao Fan, full of spirit, slapped a prescription onto the counter.
With the system's identification ability, he had quickly gathered most of the common medicinal ingredients from the pill formula at other pharmacies, leaving only the most core and precious main ingredient.
"Boss, give me a Millennial Dragon Blood Vine!"
He said in an unquestionable tone, as if saying, "Give me a bottle of mineral water" was just as simple.
The person responsible for dispensing the medicine was an Old Chinese Medicine Practitioner with white hair and beard, but whose eyes were exceptionally sharp.
He slowly looked up from behind his reading glasses and scrutinized Xiao Fan.
His gaze was like evaluating the quality of an item.
"Young man, you have quite a big mouth."
The Old Chinese Medicine Practitioner put down the medicinal scale in his hand and said unhurriedly.
"The Millennial Dragon Blood Vine is a supreme treasure, priceless, and not for sale."
He paused, then added.
"This item is only for those with predestined affinity."
These words, this posture, this gaze... it was practically the classic lines of a standard minor character in a novel!
The anger in Xiao Fan's heart was instantly ignited!
He was about to pull out his bank card to stage a classic face-slapping scene of "How dare you look down on me" and "I'll drown you in money."
Just then.
A smiling voice came from the doorway.
"Eh?"
"Isn't this the one who bought the national treasure?"
"What a coincidence! The world is truly small."
Lu Cheng thus leisurely walked in.