“Huang Quan,” Jing Chen called out.
“Yes?”
Jing Chen looked up at her, hesitated for a moment, and finally asked, “Where have you seen a dragon clan before?”
This question was impossible to answer.
She couldn’t possibly tell Jing Chen that she had seen them in another world, right?
Seeing Huang Quan remain silent, Jing Chen said, “If you don’t want to say, you don’t have to. Just pretend I never asked. I was just too curious…”
Curious?
Huang Quan could understand if others said they were curious. After all, most people hadn’t seen the dragon clan, so it was natural to be curious. But Jing Chen was different.
He knew about the existence of the dragon clan, so he must know some things about them. Given that, why was he still so curious?
“I’ll tell you later.” The little one was still asleep and it wasn’t convenient for it to come out now. Once it woke up, she would let Jing Chen see it.
Jing Chen was a bit surprised. “Really?”
He had thought that Huang Quan wouldn’t tell him, but unexpectedly, she would… Even though it wasn’t now, it showed that Huang Quan was willing to share eventually.
No matter how long it took, he would find out one day.
“Yes.” Huang Quan smiled as she looked at him.
Jing Chen’s appearance was very deceiving. If one wasn’t careful, they would mistake him for a child.
If Jing Chen didn’t look so cold and was more lively and cute, no one would ever guess that this child was actually an adult…
“Let’s get back to cleaning,” Huang Quan said as she picked up her things and went inside to continue tidying up.
Jing Chen also carried the water back to his room to clean.
The two of them first cleaned their rooms and then together tidied up the entire courtyard. By the time they finished, it was already noon.
After freshening up, Huang Quan and Jing Chen left the courtyard together to head to the academy cafeteria for a meal.
On the way there, Jing Chen thought of something and asked, “Huang Quan, which academy are you in?”
“The Holy Spirit Academy,” Huang Quan replied.
Jing Chen was surprised. “Aren’t you without spiritual power?”
Huang Quan told Jing Chen what the principal had said.
After hearing it, Jing Chen remarked, “That’s actually a good thing.”
“I’m in the Holy Spirit Academy too,” Jing Chen added. “Feng Jiuyuan is also in the Holy Spirit Academy. The three of us are in the same academy.”
Three?
Huang Quan smiled. There would likely be one more to add: Nangong Qingle.
Jing Chen was right; this arrangement was indeed good.
The closer they were to Nangong Qingle, the more likely they were to catch the person behind her.
…
Huang Quan and Jing Chen went to the academy cafeteria together for lunch. After eating, they went to the academy’s Alchemy Hall, and it was there that Huang Quan finally understood what the High Priest had meant when he said, “The Imperial Academy is a place where money disappears.”
During the meal, the prices didn’t seem too high, but when it came to buying things… it was really expensive.
The pills in the Alchemy Hall started at a minimum of 100,000, with the highest ones reaching several million, even ten million?
Just a couple of rounds in these academy shops, and you’d be broke.
But…
Huang Quan looked at the price tags on the pills, and her mind was buzzing with calculations.
The fact that the pills were so expensive at the academy indicated that there was a market for them. Since she was short on money, could she refine pills and sell them to the academy?
Oh, correction: have them sold in the academy’s Alchemy Hall.
After leaving the Alchemy Hall, Huang Quan shared her idea with Jing Chen.
After hearing her out, Jing Chen looked at Huang Quan with a very complex expression and said, “You’re planning to compete with the Alchemy Academy.”
Huang Quan chuckled, “Now that you mention it, I guess I am.”
“Wait!” Jing Chen suddenly called out.
Huang Quan looked down at him and asked, “What’s wrong?”
Jing Chen looked at her and said, “There are requirements to become an alchemist.”
“To become an alchemist, you need both wood and fire spiritual roots, but you…” Jing Chen looked at her and said, “Don’t you lack spiritual roots?”
Having spiritual roots is necessary for having spiritual power. Without spiritual roots, how can one refine pills?
Huang Quan smiled and replied, “You’re right, I don’t have wood and fire spiritual roots, but who said that without these two spiritual roots, one can’t refine pills?”
Jing Chen didn’t know what to say. Huang Quan was different from them; she was a very special existence.
Even though she didn’t have spiritual roots, she could still refine pills. At just fifteen years old, her martial prowess was exceptional.
Special people, naturally, could do things that others couldn’t.
Jing Chen sighed inwardly, deciding not to continue on this topic. He shifted to another question, “Where shall we go next?”
“There’s no need to browse the academy shops anymore,” Huang Quan said. “The prices are ridiculously high. I refuse to buy anything from the academy.”
Jing Chen was puzzled, “Huang Quan, are you really in need of money?”
Originally, she could have had the Ninth Abyss City’s young master owe her a favor, but instead, she chose money…
How dire is her need for cash?
But it shouldn’t be…
As far as he knew, Huang Quan had earned a lot of money from the competition she pressured him about. After the competition, they had immediately set off for the ruins, with no chance to spend money. How could she still be so short on funds?
“Yes.”
Huang Quan looked at Jing Chen with a serious expression, “Desperately so.”
“Jing Chen, if you have any profitable ventures, remember to let me know,” Huang Quan said. “If it pays well, we can split the earnings.”
Jing Chen’s serious expression cracked slightly upon hearing this, and he nearly lost his composure.
“We’ll go shopping outside the academy,” Huang Quan said as she walked. “The herbs outside are cheaper than those in the academy. I’ll buy some more to prepare.”
Since they had just arrived today, they could still go out, but once classes officially began, they wouldn’t be allowed to leave without the teacher’s permission.
Jing Chen and Huang Quan left the academy together and headed to the herbal shop.
The herbal shop Huang Quan went to was one she had visited before. During her previous visit, she had bought many herbs, and since Huang Quan was exceptionally beautiful, the shop assistant had a strong impression of her. When he saw her again, he immediately approached, “Miss, you’re here. What herbs do you need this time?”
Huang Quan handed him a list of herbs, saying, “All the herbs I need are listed here.”
The shop assistant looked down at the list, which was filled with herb names. The quantities listed were all ten of each, totaling over a hundred herbs, and all were high-priced. This was a big order.
The shop assistant smiled brightly as he took the list, “Miss, please wait a moment. I’ll prepare them for you right away.”
The shop assistant went to prepare the herbs, while another assistant led Huang Quan and Jing Chen to a waiting area.
About fifteen minutes later, the original assistant returned with around ten people, each carrying a wooden tray filled with herbs.
The assistant and his helpers placed the herbs in front of Huang Quan, saying, “Miss, here are the herbs you requested. Please check if everything is correct.”
Huang Quan got up to inspect the herbs while Jing Chen stayed seated.
Soon, Huang Quan finished checking, “Everything is fine.”
Hearing that, the assistant immediately brought out the herb boxes to pack the herbs.
After the herbs were packed, Huang Quan paid for them, and she and Jing Chen left the herbal shop.
End of Chapter
