Chapter Twelve: Slapping Fire Qi Lian Squarely Across the Face

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The sudden attack made Qian Qi break out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, she had been on guard and immediately raised her hoe to block the whip-like strike from the Lotus Root.

However, the force behind the Lotus Root’s attack was incredibly strong. The slender girl was thrown through the air in a parabolic arc.

Qian Qi: ???

*Thud.*

She fell hard onto the ground, stunned. Pointing at the Lotus Root, which was still flaunting its power midair, she blurted out in a cracked voice, “How is it so strong—?”

Not only that, this Lotus Root seemed much darker in color than the records described; it was nearly twice as long and thick. Most crucially, the inhibitor had no effect on it!

Could it be that she had nurtured it too well, which made it stronger?

But she had also been eating well lately and had herself become a stronger version of Qian Qi 2.0! So why couldn’t she defeat it?

System Panel: [Have you forgotten your secondary skill?]

Qian Qi was baffled. Trying to recall her secondary skill, her expression darkened.

Secondary Skill—Divine Hand: Increases the yield and level of corruption of magical plants planted by the awakened.

Increased corruption meant that the danger level also rose sharply!

This was deadly! She was just a fragile young woman! Why give her such a terrible side effect?!

[Don’t be sad. A higher corruption level means the medicinal effect of the Fire Qi Fruit also increases.]

[This Fire Qi Lotus’s Fire Qi Fruit can sell for at least thirty thousand bucks!]

Qian Qi: !!!

She suddenly felt that the rising corruption wasn’t so scary after all~

“So how should I deal with it?” The bicarbonate solution no longer worked. How could she safely harvest the Fire Qi Fruit?

[Analytical Technique.]

Qian Qi: …

“I can only use the Analytical Technique three times a day!” she snapped. “Now the corrupted Fire Qi Lotus is wasting one of my precious analytical chances?”

[＾＿＾ Take it or leave it.]

Qian Qi: …Is it provoking me?

Could she tolerate this?

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Of course not. Qian Qi turned around and prepared a tube of high-concentration bicarbonate solution. To be safe, she also took a handful of bicarbonate crystals and sprinkled them on the soil.

Bicarbonate, commonly known as baking soda, is often used as a food additive and occasionally for medicinal purposes, such as reducing excess stomach acid. Consuming too much can cause indigestion or diarrhea in severe cases.

The textbooks didn’t explain why bicarbonate inhibited the Lotus Root’s aggression, but Qian Qi suspected it affected the Fire Qi Lotus’s “appetite.”

Or perhaps it softened the roots, making them less aggressive—after all, baking soda can also soften steamed buns…

Lost in thought, Qian Qi raised her hoe and tentatively stepped into the experimental field. This time, the Lotus Root did not attack her. She stomped her foot, seeing no reaction, and cheekily slapped the Fire Qi Lotus.

[...] She really was asking for a beating.

Seeing the Lotus Root still made no move, she felt reassured and bent down to touch the Fire Qi Fruit. The newly formed fruit was a vibrant, translucent red, even covered with a thin layer of dew. She fought the professional urge to peel it for sampling.

If the appearance was ruined, it wouldn’t sell for thirty thousand bucks!

Qian Qi used her light-brain device to contact Li Shuyun. Half an hour later, Li Shuyun arrived at the mountain, panting.

Seeing the three Fire Qi Fruits on the Lotus stunned her into silence.

What’s going on? It actually grew?

Li Shuyun felt as if the world was spinning. She had been guarding this plot daily to understand Qian Qi’s cultivation methods, even tanning her once-fair face.

But Qian Qi hadn’t come all day!

Yet the Fire Qi Lotus was flourishing more each day, even bearing fruit today.

Could the Lotus bear fruit simply through free-range cultivation?

Impossible. Li Shuyun dismissed the idea immediately. When her grandfather researched the Lotus, free-range growing always led to wilt and death. So Qian Qi could not have simply let it grow wild.

What else could explain it? A lazy underachiever like Qian Qi producing high-grade Fire Qi Lotus fruit in just seven days, even surpassing the yield limits with three top-quality fruits?

“Junior Sister Qian Qi, you…” She stared intently, her eyes green and hungry like a wolf. “How on earth did you manage this?”

Qian Qi quickly waved her hand, innocence flashing in her eyes as she glanced upward. “I don’t know, maybe I just got lucky?”

“No way!” Li Shuyun didn’t believe her nonsense. A few days ago, Qian Qi had seemed so confident. Why suddenly play dumb now?

Still, Li Shuyun understood the value of Fire Qi Fruit. If mass produced, the profits would be enormous.

Thus, the cultivation method itself became precious. It was understandable that Qian Qi didn’t want to share.

But if Li Shuyun investigated herself… the soil samples she secretly took had already been analyzed: ordinary fertile soil. As for fertilizer ratios, no matter how she calculated, it didn’t add up.

Taking a deep breath, Li Shuyun asked seriously, “Junior Sister Qian Qi, be honest with me. Do you really know how to cultivate Fire Qi Lotus?”

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Seeing Li Shuyun’s earnestness, Qian Qi dropped her expression and nodded.

Li Shuyun gasped sharply. “I knew it! This is a major event! Junior Sister Qian Qi, would you be willing to share your cultivation method? I can guarantee you’ll graduate smoothly! Oh, and if you want the cultivation rights, I can help you apply!”

Qian Qi stroked her chin.

For her, she could earn her diploma through her own effort and didn’t need to waste a secret cultivation method.

As for the cultivation rights… she had already checked. Passing the Plant Magic Institute’s Grade A cultivation exam would cost a few tens of thousands to buy the Fire Qi Lotus cultivation rights.

However, word of her cultivation would eventually spread. She couldn’t underestimate the treachery of human hearts. If someone kidnapped the fragile her for profit and forced her to reveal the method, then disposed of her…

Oh no, what if it turned deadly?

Would she go to jail? She was so young, with her whole life ahead…

Seeing Qian Qi’s moments of thought and worry, Li Shuyun’s mood also wavered. Finally, Qian Qi spoke.

“Forget the diploma and cultivation rights. But I might consider selling you the cultivation method in a week.”

Qian Qi smiled purely. “Senior Sister Li, if you really want the Fire Qi Lotus cultivation method, you’d better prepare enough money first.”

“How much do you want?” Li Shuyun asked eagerly at the prospect of a purchase.

Qian Qi thought for a moment. “I haven’t decided yet. I’ll give you an answer in a week.”

“Oh, right!” Qian Qi pointed at the Fire Qi Fruits, smiling. “Each Fire Qi Fruit can sell for at least thirty thousand. I’ll keep two, you take one. You help me sell it, deal?”

“Of course!” Li Shuyun agreed quickly. Originally, she had only gotten a single Fire Qi Lotus seed thanks to her connections. Now she had a top-quality Fire Qi Fruit and might even obtain the true cultivation method. This was an enormous gain!

Watching Qian Qi walk away, Li Shuyun turned and activated her light-brain, immediately dialing a video call to her grandfather.

“Hello? Yun Yun, what’s up?” A white-robed elder appeared on the screen.

“Grandpa, I may have found the correct way to cultivate Fire Qi Lotus!” Li Shuyun quickly recounted the Fire Qi Fruit situation and showed him the experimental field’s Lotus.

“Can you believe it? There are three Fire Qi Fruits, and their quality is more than three times better than what you cultivated!”

“This!” The elder in white stared wide-eyed, incredulous. “Your institute actually produced such a genius? Which student? Lin Qi? Or Xu Fei?”

Lin Qi and Xu Fei were outstanding seniors, already reserved as trial researchers at the Plant Magic Institute. If anyone could develop the correct cultivation method for Fire Qi Lotus, Li Hongsheng could only think of those two.

“Is it one of them?” Li Hongsheng asked excitedly.