Li Yang looked at the Star-Attracting Pill in the small box, muttering, “Didn’t they say it was produced by the Zhong family and would outclass everything on the market? Why did the system determine it has too many impurities?”
She took one pill out. It was about the size of her thumb.
At first glance, it looked like a common traditional Chinese medicine pill, black and giving off a faint herbal scent.
But when Li Yang focused, she could see the dazzling starlight on it.
To compare, the number of starlight particles on it was at least as many as a carnivorous plant.
“First-grade high-tier?” Li Yang guessed.
The “rank sequence” in this world was actually very simple.
Whether it was a Star Bearer or a mutated creature, or even this pill, it seemed to be determined by the amount of starlight.
Although Li Yang’s mental value had reached 90 points, it was only outstanding among ordinary people.
True Star Bearers were probably much higher than her, just like physical strength.
For an ordinary person, the maximum physical strength value is 95, but for a first-grade Star Bearer, their physical strength starts at 100.
Li Yang cautiously tried, “Consume one month’s life span to improve the quality of the Star-Attracting Pill.”
System: “You have no alchemy experience. After attempting for a month, the quality of the Star-Attracting Pill decreased.”
Li Yang: “…What?! I was told it would improve, but it decreased!”
Li Yang gradually understood the system’s rules.
If the time input was too short, it was very likely to fail, so for it, the smallest time unit seemed to be “years.”
Li Yang wasn’t reluctant to sacrifice a year’s lifespan, but she was concerned about the Star-Attracting Pill…
It was worth at least 100,000 per pill!
What if she ruined it?
Losing both her lifespan and money would make Li Yang feel heartbroken.
“Alright, fine, you can’t get the wolf without sacrificing the sheep. I have to go through with it.”
“Consume one year of life to improve the quality of the Star-Attracting Pill.”
System: “You have no alchemy experience. After a year of refining, the quality of the Star-Attracting Pill improved to First-grade, 8th Tier.”
Li Yang looked closely at the Star-Attracting Pill.
The starlight still shimmered brightly, but she couldn’t see much difference.
It was probably already First-grade, high-tier, and she had just improved it a little, so it was like it had increased back to its original state.
“Ugh… It’s a bit costly…”
Li Yang thought for a moment and decided to try another year.
System: “You have almost no alchemy experience. After continuing for a year, the quality of the Star-Attracting Pill improved to First-grade, 9th Tier.”
Li Yang was a bit dissatisfied.
She had spent two years of her life, and the quality only improved this much?
Was this pill harder to improve than her physical and mental attributes?
“Hmm… my alchemy experience increased… So, is this improvement actually in my alchemy skills?” Li Yang thought and felt somewhat relieved.
Once her alchemy experience increased, it should become easier in the future.
Li Yang sighed in relief and then said, “Consume three years of life to improve the quality of the Star-Attracting Pill.”
System: “You have almost no alchemy experience. To improve the quality, you decide to spend one year learning alchemy.”
System: “You have a little alchemy experience. You begin refining the pill again and improve the quality of the Star-Attracting Pill to Second-grade, 1st Tier.”
System: “With your limited alchemy experience, you notice the quality of the Star-Attracting Pill exceeds your abilities, so you can no longer improve it. However, your stubborn character makes you continue trying. The quality of the pill stays at Second-grade, 1st Tier.”
Li Yang’s head buzzed.
After spending five years of her life, the conclusion was that the Star-Attracting Pill’s quality exceeded her abilities and could no longer be improved.
Damn system!
It tricked me out of my lifespan!
I’m not spending anymore!
Li Yang was frustrated, but the system never responded or gave any extra hints.
She had to rely on her own efforts, risking her life to try things.
After calming herself down, Li Yang analyzed, “It’s not a total waste. At least I gained alchemy experience… The quality of the Star-Attracting Pill is already quite good. With my current ability, it’s unlikely to improve further…”
As for the previous notes, Li Yang had figured out the system’s perspective.
From the system’s point of view, the quality of the Star-Attracting Pill was very poor. It probably wouldn’t even make it to Second-grade, and once it reached Third or Fourth-grade, it would consider it inadequate.
But Li Yang herself had limitations.
She was currently “unranked,” and improving this First-grade, high-tier Star-Attracting Pill to Second-grade was already quite good.
No one in real life would be as foolish as her, spending five years on a First-grade pill!
Li Yang looked at the Second-grade Star-Attracting Pill and muttered, “If it were a First-grade, 1st Tier Star-Attracting Pill, could I have easily improved the quality? But a First-grade, 1st Tier Star-Attracting Pill costs at least 100,000. I can’t afford that.”
Li Yang put away the Star-Attracting Pill and looked at the cultivation method.
She didn’t rush into practicing but first opened the letter left by Zhong Kun.
The letter had a faint fragrance, and Zhong Kun’s handwriting was much more neat and elegant than his attire.
However, the content was quite fiery.
It started with, “Big liar, big liar, big liar…”
Li Yang cleared her throat, skipped over the three lines of “big liar,” and read the rest.
“Alright, I was too stupid. This matter is over. Don’t bring it up again! The Star-Attracting Pill I promised you, I’ve given it to you ‘with a clear conscience,’ and I also transferred an additional 50,000 for you to keep quiet. Remember, this is a hush money! Hush money means you’re not allowed to talk about what happened in the practical exam!”
Li Yang laughed, put down the letter, and checked her bank balance…
Oh, there really was an extra 50,000.
As for how Zhong Kun knew her bank account details…
Well, it wasn’t hard. She was a poor student from Huang City No. 1 High School, and Zhong Kun could find her details with a little effort.
After yelling for a while, Zhong Kun seriously wrote her a long paragraph:
“Don’t use the Star-Attracting Pill yet. It’s for when you become a Star Bearer. Of course, if you’re short on money, you can sell it, but remember, this is a First-grade, high-tier Star-Attracting Pill, worth at least 150,000 per pill. Don’t sell it off as a low-tier one.”
“The book ‘Beginner Star Bearer Cultivation Method’ is available for you to read. Normally, people don’t attempt to attract stars into their bodies until they’re 18, but you’re different… You’ve already reached the limit of physical strength. Ah, you terrifying woman, you actually reached the limit of physical strength. Well, it’s okay. My brother losing to you isn’t a disgrace. He’s all fired up now… Cough, I got off track. Anyway, you can try attracting stars into your body now. I bet no one’s taught you, right? So I’m sending you the Zhong family’s ancestral technique! Actually, this book is used all across China. I’m not lying. Look how honest I am! I’m not lying to you! You big liar!”
After that, there was nothing useful.
The rest was just “big liar” written over and over, which Li Yang chose to ignore.
Where’s the “big liar”?
She was an honest person.
Li Yang put down the letter and picked up the “Beginner Star Bearer Cultivation Method.”
She skimmed through it, but every word was familiar, yet when combined, it left her with a head full of question marks.
“Meditation… Breathing… Sensing the starlight… Perceiving the star orifices…” Li Yang tried following the instructions in the book.
Nothing happened.
Just the meditation step was already difficult enough.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
There was a knock at the door.
Li Yang looked through the peephole and saw the visitor—Fang Chuyun.
Fang Chuyun had sent Li Yang a message earlier saying she was coming over.
She had arrived rather quickly.
Li Yang quickly tidied up the Star-Attracting Pill and cultivation method, then went to open the door.
The door opened, and Fang Chuyun was still wearing her usual cold expression.
She was tall and stood there as though she might bump her head on the door frame.
“Come in…”
Li Yang said these three words, then was startled.
Fang Chuyun pulled out a large bouquet of flowers from behind her.
Li Yang had noticed something behind her earlier but hadn’t seen it clearly.
This enormous bouquet of flowers filled the hallway.
The flowers were pink and blue hyacinths, quite beautiful.
There was also a card with the message:
“380 hyacinths, wishing you great success.”
Li Yang: What surprised her even more was that in the middle of the hyacinths, a small figurine with a blank expression popped up, saying, “Total score 380, first place in Donghua Province, congratulations to Li Yang for your great success!”
The figurine kept repeating it. The hyacinths were bunched together, and combined with the cold-faced, goddess-like figure holding the bouquet…
Li Yang couldn’t help but laugh.
This was too much of a contrast!
Wasn’t she supposed to be the cold goddess?
Why was she becoming so cute?
Fang Chuyun said, “The flower language of hyacinths is victory.”
Li Yang felt warmth in her heart and smiled, “Thank you.”
She took the large bouquet of flowers and invited Fang Chuyun inside.
Fang Chuyun didn’t just bring flowers.
She also took a small book out of her backpack and said, “This is the ‘Beginner Star Bearer Cultivation Method.’
Since you’ve reached your physical limit, my father said you can try attracting stars into your body.”
As soon as she said that, Li Yang became serious.
She really wanted to know more about this, but she couldn’t find anything online and didn’t have the right person to ask.
Although Zhong Kun had mentioned it in his letter, it was all very vague.
Fang Chuyun’s father, Fang Xiyuan, was an important figure in Huang City, a Fifth-grade Star Bearer.
Not only in Huang City, but even in the provincial capital, a Fifth-grade Star Bearer was highly influential.
For example, the chief examiner of this practical exam, Teacher Lin Yunshu, was also a Fifth-grade Star Bearer.