The sudden attack scared Qian Qi into a cold sweat, but luckily she had always been on guard, and immediately lifted her hoe to block the incoming root whip.
However, the force of the lotus root's attack was formidable, and the frail girl was knocked into the air like a projectile.
Qian Qi: ???
[Pff.]
Qian Qi plopped down on the ground in shock, pointing at the arrogant lotus root swinging in the air, exclaiming, "Why is it so strong —?"
Not only that, but the color of this lotus root seemed much darker than what's described in the books, and it was nearly twice as long and thick. The most crucial point was that the inhibitor was ineffective against it!
Could it be that she nurtured it too well, and that's why it became stronger?
But recently, she had been eating well and growing stronger too, so why couldn't she defeat it?
System panel: [Forgot about your Second Skill?]
Qian Qi was puzzled. She tried to recall her Second Skill, and her face instantly darkened.
The Second Skill, Divine Hand, enhances the yield and degree of demonization of Magic Plants planted by an Awakener.
Increased degree of demonization means the risk level will skyrocket!
Oh no! She's just a weak girl! Why give her such a troublesome side effect?!
[Don't worry, a higher degree of demonization means the medicinal effect of the Fire Qilin Fruit will also enhance.]
[This Fire Qilin Lotus's Fire Qilin Fruit can sell for at least thirty thousand!]
Qian Qi: !!!
Qian Qi suddenly felt that a higher degree of demonization wasn't that scary after all~
"Then how do I deal with it?" Her sodium bicarbonate solution was no longer effective; how could she safely harvest the Fire Qilin Fruit?
[Decoding Technique.]
Qian Qi: ...
"I can only use Decoding Technique three times a day!" Qian Qi grumbled, "And now a demonized Fire Qilin Lotus is going to waste one of my decoding opportunities?"
[＾＿＾ Love it or not.]
Qian Qi: ... Is it mocking me?
Can I tolerate this?
Of course, Qian Qi couldn't tolerate it. She turned around and prepared a tube of high-concentration sodium bicarbonate solution. Just in case, she also grabbed a handful of sodium bicarbonate granules and sprinkled them directly onto the soil.
Sodium bicarbonate, commonly known as baking soda, is generally used as a food additive and can sometimes have medicinal purposes, such as reducing excessive stomach acid secretion. If consumed in excess, it can lead to indigestion or even diarrhea.
The textbooks never explained why sodium bicarbonate could suppress the aggressiveness of the Fire Qilin Lotus roots, but Qian Qi suspected it affected the Fire Qilin Lotus's "appetite."
Or perhaps it made the roots "soft" and non-aggressive? After all, baking soda can make steamed buns soft, emmm...
Qian Qi mused to herself, raising her hoe and cautiously stepping into the experimental field. This time, the lotus root didn't attack her. She stomped her foot, saw no reaction, and brazenly slapped the Fire Qilin Lotus.
[...] She's really asking for a beating.
Seeing that the lotus root still didn't attack her, Qian Qi breathed a sigh of relief and bent down to touch the Fire Qilin Fruit. The freshly formed Fire Qilin Fruit was bright red with a translucent sheen, even with a thin layer of dew on it. She barely managed to suppress her professional instinct not to peel off the skin to make a sample.
If she ruined its appearance, she wouldn't be able to sell it for thirty thousand!
Qian Qi opened her Light Brain to contact Li Shuyun, who arrived breathlessly on the mountain half an hour later.
Seeing the three Fire Qilin Fruits hanging on the Fire Qilin Lotus, she was left utterly dumbfounded.
What's happening? Did it really grow?
Li Shuyun felt like she was spinning in circles, trying to figure out how Qian Qi cultivated the Fire Qilin Lotus. She had been guarding this plot every day, even sunburning her pretty, pale face.
But Qian Qi hadn't even come here for a day!
Yet this Fire Qilin Lotus grew better day by day, even producing fruits today.
Could the Fire Qilin Lotus grow fruits if left to fend for itself?
Impossible, Li Shuyun immediately dismissed that idea. When her grandfather did research, leaving the Fire Qilin Lotus to fend for itself would inevitably lead to wilt diseases and certain death. So Qian Qi couldn't possibly have left it alone.
But how else to explain how a slacker idiot who did nothing right could grow a high-quality Fire Qilin Lotus in just seven days, even exceeding the yield limit with three top-quality Fire Qilin Fruits?
"Junior Qian Qi, you..." She fixated on Qian Qi, her eyes gleaming green like a hungry wolf, "How exactly did you manage to grow it?"
Qian Qi quickly waved her hand, looking innocently sideways, "I don't know, maybe it was a blind cat running into a dead rat?"
"How is that possible!" Li Shuyun refused to believe her nonsense. Just a few days ago, Qian Qi looked so confident, and now she was playing dumb?
But Li Shuyun understood. The Fire Qilin Fruit sold for a hefty price, and if mass-produced, the profit would be enormous.
Thus, the cultivation method for the Fire Qilin Lotus naturally became invaluable, and it was reasonable for Qian Qi not to reveal it.
However, if she were to examine it herself... the soil samples she secretly collected had already shown results — just ordinary fertile soil. As for the fertilizer ratio, she couldn't figure out what was off, no matter how she analyzed it.
Taking a deep breath, Li Shuyun said seriously, "Junior Qian Qi, tell me the truth, do you really know how to cultivate the Fire Qilin Lotus?"
Seeing Li Shuyun getting serious, Qian Qi dropped her playful expression and nodded.
Li Shuyun gasped, "As expected! This is definitely a big event! Junior Qian Qi, would you be willing to share this cultivation method? I can guarantee you'll smoothly get your diploma! Oh right, if you want the cultivation rights, I can help you apply!"
Qian Qi stroked her chin.
To her, obtaining the diploma through her own effort was possible without wasting a cultivation secret.
As for cultivation rights... she had checked earlier; she could purchase the cultivation rights for the Fire Qilin Lotus for a few thousand dollars by passing the Magic Plant Research Institute's A-level planting exam.
Nonetheless, word of her successfully cultivating the Fire Qilin Lotus would spread eventually. She couldn't underestimate the malice of human nature, what if someone kidnapped her weak self for profit, forcing her to reveal the secret and then dispose of her...
Oh dear, what if it led to a tragedy?
Would she end up in prison? She's still so young, full of youth...
Seeing Qian Qi's changing expressions of contemplation and worry, Li Shuyun's emotions were also in turmoil. Finally, Qian Qi spoke, "Forget about the diploma and cultivation rights, but I might consider selling you the cultivation method in a week."
Qian Qi smiled innocently, "Senior Sister Li, if you truly want to obtain the Fire Qilin Lotus cultivation method, you'd better prepare enough money."
"How much do you want?" Seeing an opportunity to purchase, Li Shuyun asked hastily.
Qian Qi thought for a moment, "I'm not sure yet, I'll give you an answer in a week."
"Oh, by the way!" Qian Qi pointed at the Fire Qilin Fruit, smiling, "These Fire Qilin Fruits can sell for at least thirty thousand each. I'll take two, you take one, and help me sell them, okay?"
"Of course, no problem!" Li Shuyun readily agreed. Originally, she had only used her positional advantage to obtain a Fire Qilin Lotus seed, and now she not only received a top-quality Fire Qilin Fruit but also had a high chance of buying the genuine Fire Qilin Lotus cultivation method; no matter how she saw it, it was a huge win!
Seeing Qian Qi leave, Li Shuyun turned and opened her Light Brain, immediately calling her grandfather's video line.
"Hello? Yunyun, what's up?" At the other end of the Light Brain, an elderly man in white appeared on the screen.
"Grandpa, I might have found the correct Fire Qilin Lotus cultivation method!" Li Shuyun quickly summarized the Fire Qilin Fruit situation, then showed him the Fire Qilin Lotus in the experimental field. "Can you believe it! There are three Fire Qilin Fruits on it, not only that, the quality is more than three times better than the ones you cultivated!"
"This!" Seeing the Fire Qilin Lotus, the old man on the screen widened his eyes in disbelief, "Could it be someone of such talent emerged from your academy? Is it Lin Qi or Xu Fei?"
Lin Qi and Xu Fei were excellent seniors pre-selected as intern researchers by the Magic Plant Research Institute. They would become official researchers if they passed the internship. If anyone could have discovered the correct Fire Qilin Lotus cultivation method, Li Hongsheng could only think of these two.
"Is it one of them?" Li Hongsheng asked excitedly.