Chapter 109
Yu Xunge sometimes couldn't tell whether Yi Qiuguo was genuinely foolish or just pretending to be.
She placed an order for a new phone, and within a minute of payment, the seller sent it via email. She handed the new phone to Tu Lan and asked Yi Qiuguo to send a photo of her to the little dragon, who was eagerly clutching the phone. "Why didn't my dad come?"
Yi Qiuguo replied, "You weren't home yesterday, so your dad and I missed each other. He thought you wouldn't be here today either, so he didn't come."
Yu Xunge asked, "Are you still in that Xiyanghong leveling group?"
Yi Qiuguo's expression shifted slightly. "No, we didn't want to bother your brother, so we dropped out."
Oh, oh, oh~~ you didn't want to bother my brother?
You got kicked out after angering Yu Xunhuan, didn't you~~! Hahaha—!!
Before Yu Xunge could suppress her smile, she saw Yi Qiuguo turn to her, looking hopeful. "Can you take us to level up? You have a dragon now; you should be able to protect us, right?"
Yu Xunge's smile froze: ……
Clearing her throat, she said, "I'm busy."
Yi Qiuguo sighed, "Busy… always busy… being busy is good…"
Yu Xunge: "…………"
If it weren't for those little wandering eyes of yours stealing glances at me, I might have thought you were genuinely upset.
Not wanting to give anything away, Yu Xunge directly said, "About the earnings from the photo of Tu Lan…"
Yi Qiuguo immediately turned and ran, grabbing cleaning tools to help Yu Xunge tidy up her house, wiping tables, the fridge, and the floor, even blowing on her hands before wiping, flattering to the point of being unbearable.
Yu Xunge helplessly got up to make breakfast. At this rate, it was clear she wouldn't be able to eat alone.
Halfway through cooking, Yu Qingshan arrived.
He had been feeling increasingly down lately; nothing seemed to go right, and he had been swindled out of some money, suspecting it was someone sent by Yu Xunhuan…
He even changed his online name from "Depressed Qingshan" to "Wishing to Die Qingshan."
Yu Qingshan wanted to get closer to Tu Lan, but she clearly didn't like him. As soon as he entered the house, Tu Lan flew upstairs to join Yu Xunge.
With his hands behind his back, Yu Qingshan sighed, "This dragon, you need to train her well."
Yu Xunge added more flour to the pot. "She's level 14, I'm level 7. If she doesn't train me, it's already good enough."
True… Yu Qingshan hesitated for a moment before saying, "Take good care of that dragon; don't let anyone steal her, especially your brother. Be careful."
Yu Xunge raised an eyebrow in surprise. Has this old man changed his tune?
She couldn't help but glance down at her pants. Had she gone through a second growth spurt?
"Why do you say that?" She turned to Yu Qingshan. "My brother is doing just fine…"
Oh my gosh!!! The blue bar above Yu Qingshan's head moved. This old man, even when trying to be caring, has to use a lie detector, huh?
That line about "my brother is doing just fine" was something she said at the risk of being struck by lightning…
Yu Xunge maintained her composure and continued, "Alright, I get what Dad means. Although he can be a bit temperamental, this dragon is fine. You must have seen that trending post online, right? Once I gather enough dragon dung, I'll send it to my brother. That dragon is definitely my brother's, so don't worry, I'll help him!"
Yu Qingshan's feelings were complicated. He knew his daughter was speaking the truth, but he didn't want Yu Xunhuan to get that dragon… He knew Yu Xunhuan's character all too well; she was clearly already resentful towards him and Yi Qiuguo.
While she wouldn't resort to violence against him and Yi Qiuguo, she would definitely employ some petty tactics to make them uncomfortable… Lately, he felt like everything was going wrong…
Right now, Yu Qingshan just wanted to suppress Yu Xunhuan.
**Chapter 140: The Legend of Zelan Star Has Its Own QQ Space**
Yu Xunge pretended not to see the heavy expression on Yu Qingshan's face. After finishing the noodles, she called Yi Qiuguo from the backyard to come eat.
During the meal, Yi Qiuguo asked why Tu Lan wasn't joining them. She was hoping to film a few more videos of the dragon eating.
Yu Xunge replied, "She eats all the time, no need to join us."
Yi Qiuguo immediately pulled out her phone to record Tu Lan's little story. "Hmm… what else?"
Yu Xunge asked, "How many followers do you have on that account?"
Yi Qiuguo put on an exaggerated shy smile. "Over twenty million."
Yu Xunge warned, "Don't promise anyone anything, okay? I won't cover for you."
Yi Qiuguo quickly replied, "I know, I know. You think I don't know your personality? You're so stingy, I know you well enough! You probably want to collect Tu Lan's dragon dung to sell for money."
Yu Xunge: Are you still insulting me?!!
Yu Qingshan, feeling a bit sour, hinted, "Your mom is making way more money than I am now. I'm almost out of cash for good cigarettes and liquor."
Yu Xunge lowered her head to eat her noodles, pretending not to hear.
Yi Qiuguo quickly followed suit, also pretending to be deaf.
Yu Qingshan sighed deeply: These two women are really stingy.
Speaking of good cigarettes and liquor, Yu Qingshan turned to Yu Xunge. "Did you take all the good cigarettes and liquor from my stash?"
Yu Xunge pointed at Yi Qiuguo. "Mom gave them to me!"
Yi Qiuguo pointed back at Yu Xunge. "She said she wanted to give gifts!"
Yu Qingshan felt his wrinkles deepen. He wanted to say more, but Yu Xunge quickly handed him a bottle of Zelan Star wine. "Zelan Star wine, it's quite rare."
Of course it's rare; it was bought by Hecipa ten years ago. She had one bottle, found it terrible, and left the other untouched. It was about to expire in a week, and Little Maqi had given it to her while cleaning the warehouse.
Yu Qingshan nodded appreciatively. "You're still so filial."
Yu Xunge smiled, but she didn't dare to respond too eagerly, fearing that a simple "mm" might be detected as a lie by Yu Qingshan, which would be quite the joke.
After finishing the meal, Yu Xunge hurriedly sent the two off. Then, she created a social media account for herself using Tu Lan's phone, letting the little ice dragon post selfies and earn tips for herself.
Then she began reading "Hecipa, Alchemy Maniac." She had reason to suspect that the next time she attended class on Zelan Star, this book would be confiscated by Hecipa.
……
After dropping out, Hecipa began studying abroad on Zelan Star. She discovered that even with the same potion formula, potions brewed by different races had slight variations, yet the effects remained the same. The Moon Fox tribe even had secret techniques, which piqued Hecipa's immense interest.
She learned wherever she went, using potions or gold coins as tuition, studying the alchemical methods and characteristics of each race.
She didn't involve herself in any disputes and had no interest in power or status.
During this time, Hecipa encountered the noble lady she had once served.
They greeted each other calmly and then passed by.
"Take it out on her? Why would I take it out on her? She has never harmed me, neither physically nor mentally."
"She didn't do anything wrong; she just happened to buy a maid, and that maid happened to be a prodigy. She's very lucky."
"You talk about dignity? I never shy away from my background. I was indeed a maid, but the way I reclaim my dignity is not by harming an innocent lady, but by becoming a legend."
—Excerpt from "Hecipa's Autobiography, 21-Year-Old Edition"
Yu Xunge felt ants crawling all over her body… These quotes sounded like the QQ signatures of teenagers.
How to put it, the legend of Zelan Star has its own QQ space.
She suspected that "Hecipa, Alchemy Maniac" was something Hecipa had tried to ban and destroy, but the one that should really be banned is that "Hecipa's Autobiography, 21-Year-Old Edition," right, Hecipa!
She wiggled her toes—her digging was tiring—before continuing to read.
While other alchemists were obsessed with more glamorous and powerful alchemical formulas, Hecipa was engrossed in alchemical techniques and herbs. She tirelessly studied the basics, to the point where her early fame stalled her progress as a high-level alchemist for many years.
People mocked her, but actions always speak louder than words.
Potions bearing Hecipa's name would be snatched up immediately because everyone discovered that potions crafted by her had the least impurities, acted the fastest, and tasted the best.
A third of "Hecipa, Alchemy Maniac" is dedicated to documenting Hecipa's duels with renowned alchemists from various races during her studies in 35 main cities.
Alchemists loved Hecipa but also feared her because of her exceptional talent, yet she held no regard for authority or hierarchy.
"If there must be authority in the field of alchemy, then I will always respect potions; potions are the best language we alchemists have."
—Excerpt from "Hecipa's Autobiography, 27-Year-Old Edition"
Today, she used her potion skills to impress one senior, and the day after tomorrow, she would provoke another authority with her potions. She even overturned a thousand-year-old alchemical theory, causing a stir in the alchemical world.
Hecipa's path in alchemy seemed limitless; she walked freely, and every path she trod would inspire future generations to imitate and learn.
But one thing was certain: whether they loved Hecipa or feared her, people were always chasing after her.
Hecipa's talent and beauty made many nobles fall for her, the most famous being the Minotaur Prince from back in the day—now the King of the Minotaurs—who was unfortunately rejected by Hecipa.
"We're not suited for each other. I told him that right from the start. Whenever I see his head, I think of potion ingredients."
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