Chapter 20

"Really, do you want to refine a Black Iron Flying Shield?" Looking at the fiercely advancing Xiao Qifeng, Shen Lang was not panicked. He lightly dodged to the side and avoided him.

Xiao Qifeng was stunned, seemingly not expecting him to be so fast.

"Of course! If I didn't want to refine a Black Iron Flying Shield, would I still be busy at this late hour? You damn fool... Hey, what are you doing!" Xiao Qifeng cursed and turned around, but was stunned again.

He saw that Shen Lang had already started throwing materials into the furnace...

It looked like he was about to refine an artifact?

"Damn it, stop! That's my last set of materials. What the hell, do we have a grudge or something? Why are you messing with me like this?" Xiao Qifeng was so angry he jumped up.

Shen Lang's lips curled into a smile. "A Black Iron Flying Shield, such a simple thing... Watch carefully, I'll only demonstrate once. If you can't remember or understand, that's my bad luck. You should leave the Alchemy Academy and do something else. Don't disgrace the profession of alchemist."

"..." Xiao Qifeng was stunned. He had originally wanted to charge over and cut this guy down, but seeing Shen Lang's extremely skilled movements, his reason kept him from acting and he watched quietly.

As the saying goes, a true expert reveals their skill with just one move.

Shen Lang's face was filled with a mischievous smile. He even looked at Xiao Qifeng while his hands continuously grabbed materials from the side of the furnace and threw them in.

His skilled movements, his fluid and smooth operations...

And each time he grabbed the materials, he did so with perfect accuracy.

It was as if he could close his eyes and still take out the exact amount needed...

"This kid... is really a freak. When I grab materials, I have to weigh them carefully, and many materials need to be measured with a balance. But he just grabs them and... Could he really refine a Black Iron Flying Shield? But how is that possible? He looks younger than me, and I've never heard of such a person in the Alchemy Academy! His skills are even better than the Dean's... How is that possible!"

Xiao Qifeng swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on Shen Lang's operations, and he took out paper and pen, making notes from time to time.

Although he wasn't sure if Shen Lang was lying, the kid's movements seemed genuine, and his skills were definitely worth learning!

Even though his grades were at the bottom of the Alchemy Academy, he had the potential to become a first-rank Spirit Alchemist, and he had the discernment to recognize talent.

"Learn what I can first. If he's lying and can't refine it, I'll beat him up and take him to the mentor!"

Just as Xiao Qifeng thought this, he immediately regretted it.

Because the black-clothed kid on the platform started singing while working!

And it seemed to be a rather strange and energetic song!

"I crumple my dreams and stuff them into a big box, labeled 'handle with care.' I carry it, walking and looking around, singing in my dreams and waking the moon. Measuring the volume of my dreams, my heart can't contain them, so I sing casually, imagining endless applause and a sea of flowers, my happiness magnifies..."

Not only did he sing, but he also started moving his whole body, singing and dancing at the same time!

This was too crazy. Xiao Qifeng felt his brain couldn't keep up.

The path of alchemy requires a calm mind and one hundred percent focus.

Whether refining an embryo or a high-level weapon, or drawing a spirit array, the same applies.

If you get distracted, the quantity or weight of the materials might be off, or the flame intensity might not be controlled properly, leading to failure.

Especially with spirit arrays, which Xiao Qifeng had not yet touched.

These are learned by advanced alchemists, and the complexity is unimaginable. A single mistake in drawing a spirit line can ruin everything!

But this kid was so arrogant!

He was actually singing and dancing while refining!

Just singing casually?

Is this what you call singing casually?

You're happy, but I'm not!

What kind of attitude is this? Is this how an alchemist should behave?

This is outrageous! Damn, that's my material! Does material grow on trees?

It's not your stuff, so you don't care...

Xiao Qifeng was about to cry...

Damn, are you sent by heaven to play with me?

"Heartbeats are random, who cares, let me forget myself... Stop daydreaming, come over and use the Pill Fire to smelt the rough mold." Shen Lang suddenly stopped singing and said to Xiao Qifeng.

Xiao Qifeng was stunned. "What? Use the Pill Fire now? You just started a little while ago..."

"Use it when I tell you to. Stop whining. I'm refining a broken shield for you, and I'm using ten thousand spirit stones per minute... You should be grateful! If you want the Black Iron Flying Shield, do as I say. If you want to learn alchemy, follow my instructions!"

Fine, if I die, I die. You've already ruined one set of materials, and this one is almost used up...

If you can't refine it, I promise not to beat you to death!

Xiao Qifeng reluctantly walked over, pushed his hands forward, and a blue flame appeared on his palms, starting to smelt the rough mold of the shield floating above the furnace.

Using spirit energy to burn consumes a lot of spirit energy.

Soon, Xiao Qifeng was drenched in sweat and struggling to keep up.

His cultivation was at the First Heaven of Qi Martial Realm, and being able to last this long was already impressive.

But Xiao Qifeng didn't feel proud, because every time he looked up, he saw that bastard's disdainful eyes, as if he thought Xiao Qifeng's cultivation was too low or his spirit energy was too little...

Damn it, if you have the skills, use your own! Why use my Pill Fire?

Xiao Qifeng was seething with anger and felt very uncomfortable.

"Good, that's enough. Do you have a Qi Recovery Pill?" Shen Lang nodded, not entirely satisfied.

Xiao Qifeng was relieved and quickly stopped, wiped his sweat, and took out a Qi Recovery Pill.

Thank goodness, although I'm tired, this kid doesn't seem completely heartless. He actually reminded me to take a Qi Recovery Pill.

A breeze blew, and before Xiao Qifeng could react, the Qi Recovery Pill was already in Shen Lang's hand.

"What are you doing?" Xiao Qifeng was stunned.

Shen Lang rolled his eyes. "What else? Qi Recovery Pills are for eating."

He put the pill in his mouth, chewed it, and swallowed it.

Xiao Qifeng was dumbfounded, unable to understand.

What is this?

I worked hard to deplete my spirit energy, took out a Qi Recovery Pill, and he ate it?

He didn't use any spirit energy at all, why does he need a Qi Recovery Pill?

Besides, that's my Qi Recovery Pill!

That's my precious Qi Recovery Pill!

Do you know how many spirit stones a Qi Recovery Pill costs?

I'll endure, I'll continue to endure. If you don't refine the Black Iron Flying Shield for me, I'll skin you alive!

Shen Lang didn't care if Xiao Qifeng was angry or not. After adding the other materials, the Qi Recovery Pill took effect, and his spirit energy was quickly restored to more than half.

"The path of alchemy is not a solo effort. Only a fool would worry about when to use the Pill Fire. Can't you find some assistants? You're still thinking about when to use the Pill Fire and how much spirit energy you have left. What kind of spirit artifact can you refine? Watch carefully, even using the Pill Fire has its techniques."

Shen Lang lifted the rough mold a bit, then his body moved rapidly, his hands dancing like butterflies, both palms emitting fierce flames, creating beautiful trails.

Xiao Qifeng's eyes widened, unable to believe what he was seeing.

Of course, using the Pill Fire has its techniques, and he knew that.

But it was said that only a third-rank Spirit Alchemist could do this!

It was said that this was a technique in alchemy, not only maximizing the use of the Pill Fire but also allowing the refinement of different parts of the artifact, making it purer and more refined.

But this kid, even if he could refine a Black Iron Flying Shield, shouldn't be this skilled, right?

Xiao Qifeng took a deep breath, pinched himself, and tried to record the movements of Shen Lang's hands.

If he could learn even a fraction of this technique, he might be able to advance!

Under Xiao Qifeng's shocked gaze, Shen Lang seemed to be performing magic, refining the shield with incredibly profound and natural movements, as if in harmony with the laws of the universe.

At this point, it wasn't just a simple weapon...

Even if Shen Lang told Xiao Qifeng he could refine a spirit artifact or a mystic artifact, Xiao Qifeng might have believed him.

Even if it was just an act... a non-expert couldn't fake such skills.

Time passed, and Xiao Qifeng became more and more shocked.

He completely took on the role of a student or a beginner in alchemy, recording every step and detail.

The shield was rapidly taking shape under his shocked gaze.

Soon, it was fully formed and held in Shen Lang's hand.

"The design is a bit ugly, but I don't have much time to work on it. Consider it a favor to you." Shen Lang threw the shield to Xiao Qifeng.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you so much!" Xiao Qifeng caught the shield with a broad smile, repeatedly thanking him.

At that moment, Shen Lang pointed at the shield with a finger, and a beam of spirit light flashed, entering the shield.

"Buzz!"

The shield in Xiao Qifeng's hand emitted a light hum, and a ripple spread from it, forming a large, ethereal circular shield in front of it.

"Spirit... Spirit Artifact! This is a Spirit Artifact! How is this possible..." Xiao Qifeng fell to the ground, his face full of shock.

Shen Lang was stunned. "It's a Spirit Artifact, did you think I was just refining a weapon? Since I did it, I added a third-rank Spirit Water Array to it. Now the shield's defense is more than four times stronger, barely qualified, but the time was too rushed."

"Third-rank Spirit Array? Third-rank Spirit Artifact? I... I can't believe it!" Xiao Qifeng's eyes rolled back, and he seemed about to faint.

Ignoring the materials, the level of a spirit artifact or mystic artifact is often determined by the spirit array inside.

The spirit array in this shield was third-rank, so even if the materials or the refinement technique were a bit lacking, it was still comparable to a third-rank spirit artifact.

But Xiao Qifeng had only intended to refine a weapon, which is a lower level than a spirit artifact.

And without a spirit array, the defense would be much weaker.

Shen Lang frowned and slapped him a few times. "Hey, wake up, wake up. Don't faint, I need you to take me to the Alchemy Academy. If you faint, who will I go to?"