Qin Ruqing blinked. “Who said I didn’t want to cooperate with the Yang family again?

I’ve already figured out what to cooperate with them on…

I didn’t agree immediately before mainly because the detoxification pills were urgent.

If we had agreed and used them to cooperate with the Yang family, those jealous big families in Xiling would have torn us and the Yang family apart.

It would have been too dangerous. I was just looking out for their best interests!”

Lu Wei looked at Qin Ruqing’s twinkling eyes and thought to herself, “Qingqing really has this ability. She calculates everything so thoroughly that others can’t outmaneuver her.

Because she never resorts to deceitful schemes; she only uses straightforward and transparent strategies.”

“So, what do you plan to cooperate with them on?” Lu Wei asked. “You’ve already offered the detoxification pills to the Celestial Bureau, and the vitality pills were used previously. What’s left?”

Qin Ruqing glanced inexplicably at Tang Zifeng for a moment, then back at Lu Wei with a mischievous grin. “It’s a secret!”

Meanwhile, the steward in the green robe spent several days verifying the effectiveness of the detoxification pills.

He then compiled a detailed report based on what he had discussed with Qin Ruqing earlier and, after confirming its accuracy, took the report to report to his superiors.

The steward’s immediate superior was the registrar, and above him was, of course, the Director of the Celestial Bureau.

During the report, both his immediate superior and the Director were present, so they listened together.

After hearing the report, the immediate superior didn’t say much, but the Director sitting at the top spoke up with a sly smile, playing with the potted plant on his desk as he spoke, “Are you saying that the Qin family didn’t agree to cooperate with us on the vitality pills because they have something better to offer?”

“The detoxification pill?”

The Director asked, and the steward’s response became even more cautious: “The Qin family has indeed refined a detoxification pill that can alleviate fire toxins to a certain extent. I have verified its effectiveness, and the detailed process and results are all written in the report.” The steward pointed to a thick scroll on the desk.

Director Fifth Feather glanced briefly and quickly withdrew his gaze. “I’m too lazy to read, just tell me.”

Why do they have to mandate these reports if the superiors might not even read them?

The steward internally sighed at this thought but respectfully replied, “I conducted consecutive experiments over three days, dividing them into two groups for comparison.

In an ideal environment completely isolated from the outside, continuous consumption of this pill for three days, coupled with spiritual power expulsion, can reduce internal fire toxins by seventy percent.”

“And under normal conditions, it would take seven days of continuous use to achieve the same effect as in the ideal environment.”

Fifth Feather made a non-committal sound through his nostrils. “You even set up control groups, not just simple experiments. You’ve made some progress… So, this detoxification pill seems effective.”

“So, what did the Qin family say?”

“They didn’t directly agree. In their words, they seemed quite worried. They said if the Celestial Bureau bypasses the local families in West Ridge and directly cooperates with the Qin family in South Ridge, they would be very apprehensive.

They fear this could provoke dissatisfaction among the West Ridge families and lead to criticism.

The Qin family is just a small family, like a candle flickering in the wind.

If such a situation really occurs, they fear they wouldn’t be able to sustain themselves for long.

If the major families in West Ridge unite, they could easily snuff them out. Hence, they are hesitant to agree.”

Upon hearing this, Fifth Lingyu and the recorder beside him both chuckled.

The recorder said, “Are they seeking our protection?”

Fifth Lingyu picked up the aforementioned scroll and casually flipped through it a couple of times, his mouth curling into a smile. “Interesting.”

The steward continued respectfully, “Miss Qin just mentioned that there has never been a precedent for cross-ridge cooperation before.

Not only could it invite criticism for the Qin family, even the impartial Celestial Bureau might be questioned for fairness.

In extreme cases, there might even be reports to higher authorities.

Therefore, the Celestial Bureau must be cautious and prepare accordingly.”

Fifth Lingyu now appeared genuinely interested, raising his eyes. “Miss Qin? She was the one negotiating with you. She’s right. Since I took office, I haven’t done much yet, and I’ve already received three reports in succession.”

The recorder didn’t say anything, just looked at the Director, seemingly amused.

Meanwhile, the steward couldn’t help but think to himself.

“So you haven’t done much yet?” You’ve already issued so many reform regulations.

You’re the typical new official setting three fires upon taking office.

And my goodness, you’ve already received three reports in succession.

Have you been reported so many times before?

Could it be that your position as Director is already in jeopardy before it even heats up?

The recorder also picked up the report and glanced through it before concluding, “Miss Qin’s intentions are quite clear. If we want to reach a cooperation agreement, the prerequisite is to find a suitable pretext for this collaboration and provide protection for the Qin family.”

Fifth Lingyu nodded thoughtfully, rubbing his chin.

“Good, good, this person is quite interesting!”

The meticulous record-keeping official sighed inwardly.

He found their new chief to be agreeable in many ways, yet somewhat whimsical in his approach to important matters.

For instance, right now, when discussing something crucial, he seemed more interested in topics that intrigued him personally.

Sure enough, the chief began querying his subordinate steward, “How did negotiations with Miss Qin go? Does her family lack elders?”

The record-keeping official sighed silently, unrolled his scroll of duty, and displayed a certain line of text through a magical spell before Fifth Lingyu. “Chief, please have a look. Miss Qin registered at the Southern Ridge Bureau Registry a year ago and is a legitimate elder of the Qin clan.”

“Oh, seems she’s not very old if she’s already an elder, huh?” Fifth Lingyu leaned back lazily in his chair, watching as the official rolled up the scroll.

“This Qin family seems quite intriguing, and Miss Qin even more so. Record-keeper, make time to visit her sometime soon, discuss cooperation in detail.”

The official was about to agree when the steward below him remembered something. “By the way Director, before she left, Miss Qin gave me some experimental detoxification pills.

The pills are fine, but the jade bottle they were in seems to have some mysteries about it… It almost resembles something created by the Celestial Bureau.”

Hmm?

Fifth Lingyu indeed became interested. “Hand it over, let me take a look.”

The steward stood up and handed over a pale green jade bottle.

Fifth Lingyu took it and immediately turned it upside down to examine the bottom.

The record-keeping official stood behind, also seeing the pattern at the base, his eyes flashing as he said, “This is something from the Southern Ridge Celestial Bureau.”

Fifth Lingyu inspected the seemingly ordinary jade bottle with increasing interest. “Record-keeper, I’ve changed my mind. Find a time when I’m free to summon Miss Qin here. I want to meet her in person.”

So it was that two days later, the Yang family remained composed, warmly and courteously, while Qin Ruqing, seeing no unusual behavior from the Yang family this time, was also at ease.

Because of what the steward told them last time, it spread through the streets and alleys.

Thinking that the Western Ridge Immortal Registry had no intention of keeping it under wraps for long, last time she was puzzled, the steward had said without much hesitation.

If it were really important confidential matters, the steward wouldn’t have been able to say so easily.

Now, the most popular topic in teahouses and taverns along the Western Ridge street is the upcoming alchemy conference planned by the Celestial Bureau.

It’s said that they will invite alchemy masters from the Western Ridge and even the entire Southern Region to collaborate on building an airship capable of crossing the Broken Pulse Mountain.

As long as they can be selected through the conference, formally participate in the project, the Celestial Bureau will reward them generously, and if they can play an inspiring role in building the airship, they will even have a chance to win a mysterious grand prize.

When Qin Ruqing heard this news in the teahouse, she commented, “There must be some important news that hasn’t yet been passed down. ‘Mysterious grand prize’ doesn’t sound tempting at all.

How are they going to entice people to participate? If I were the Celestial Bureau, I’d release news that the ultimate reward is a divine artifact! Hey, doesn’t that sound just right!”

Tang Zifeng looked at Qin Ruqing with some helplessness in his eyes. “Do you think divine artifacts are commonplace? As far as I know

Tang Zifeng shook his head, “Even prestigious families might not possess divine artifacts, so how could they offer one as a prize in a competition?”

Qin Ruqing disagreed, intertwining her fingers and placing them on the table in thought. “Often, it’s the things others think are impossible that are highly likely to exist. We need to broaden our thinking!”

She still remembered what her ancestors had told her before, about some noble and immortal families even mastering the secret art of guiding souls to reincarnation.

If even her ancestors could find a way to guide reincarnation, then creating a divine artifact would be a small matter.

Tang Zifeng pursed his lips, as he could never win an argument with Qin Ruqing.

After a moment of thought, her gaze suddenly turned and her pupils slightly dilated, her eyes round and wide.

This was how she looked when she was excited or planning something, ready to manipulate someone.

Tang Zifeng instinctively straightened his back, “What are you planning now?”

Qin Ruqing’s eyes gleamed like an owl in the night, “Brother Tang, it’s your time to shine! This competition seems tailor-made for you! Let me tell you, if you can win a place in this competition, officially join the airship project, the Tang family will come back begging you!”

“But,” Tang Zifeng hesitated, “this competition has high standards. Participants must have at least one or two acclaimed masterpieces.”

Qin Ruqing nodded understandingly, “You don’t have a masterpiece?”

Tang Zifeng’s gaze lowered, “My alchemical works have never been publicized, so they don’t count as acclaimed.”

Qin Ruqing nodded, reassuring him, “Your chance to earn acclaim is here. Without a masterpiece, we’ll create one first.”

Tang Zifeng quietly watched Qin Ruqing, his face expressionless but his confusion evident in his eyes.

Suddenly, Qin Ruqing chuckled, rubbing her hands together, “You’ve been hiding something, planning to negotiate with the Tang family over your spirit artifact. Let’s use that!”

Tang Zifeng instinctively wanted to protect his purse, “I don’t have it.”

“Hmph, you do! Don’t try to hide it from me. I gave you so much alchemical material before, and plenty of Cold Profound Ice. I’ve known for a while you’ve been secretly working on refining a spirit artifact. I even saw you experimenting!”

Tang Zifeng blurted out, “… But I did my experiments behind your back. How did you know?”

“Heh, your neighbor Cheng Yiming told me.”

Tang Zifeng: “…”

Qin Ruqing sighed suddenly, “Hey hey, don’t be so defensive. This is really beneficial for you.

Such a grand alchemical event, even if you don’t win a prize, just participating will greatly expand your horizons.

And remember, I’m asking about the spirit artifact not for personal use, but to cooperate with the Yang family.”

Tang Zifeng looked up in surprise, seeing her smile and her eyes glittering like stars, saying confidently:

“I will use the Yang family’s influence to help you gain fame!”