Qin Ruqing furrowed her brows and couldn’t help but say, “You’re so stubborn. I’m not asking whether you can perfectly and flawlessly create that artifact. I’m asking if you have any better ideas now compared to before, if you can improve the problems on the drawings!”

Tang Zifeng finally understood, “So the issues on the drawings, I have thought of solutions.”

Qirong and Luwei both relaxed their shoulders.

Qirong sighed with relief, “Big Brother Tang, you really know how to test our hearts! You almost scared us to death just now.”

Luwei, now relaxed, chuckled, “Big Brother Tang is so meticulous.”

Qin Ruqing sighed, holding her forehead, This might be how alchemists are—rigorous, precise, one is one, two is two, no room for error.

Thinking this way, perhaps he was born for this line of work.

Tang Zifeng seemed to realize he had misled everyone.

A hint of confusion and embarrassment flitted across his jade-like face, and his hands, resting on the table, tightened slightly.

He sat upright, resembling a primary school student scolded by a teacher.

Qin Ruqing saw his expression and secretly chuckled.

Suddenly, she slammed the table, “If that’s the case, I have an idea!”

Tang Zifeng’s attention was immediately drawn.

She stood up, paced around the room with her hands behind her back, then turned around, her eyes shining as she faced Tang Zifeng, “Back then, Tang Biao could silence you and turn black into white because his strength was greater than yours. Since he used this tactic, you should fight fire with fire!”

“Both of you participated in this Alchemy Competition, which puts you on a fair and equal ground. Your talent and skill in alchemy surpass his, making you the stronger contender in this field. There’s no need to negotiate with them extensively or prove your innocence laboriously. You should directly refine the spiritual tool he slandered you with during this competition. Make it better and more advanced than his truncated version!”

“He accused you of stealing his idea, but now you, the supposed thief, can solve the problems on the drawings and even improve upon them. Meanwhile, this so-called victim of theft can’t even replicate the original drawing and can only create a truncated version. It’s clear who’s in the right and who’s superior!”

“You should expose Tang Biao’s false facade in front of all the people of Xiling, all the alchemy masters, the noble families, and the Immortal Artifact Bureau! Look at how much he values his fake persona of a genius alchemist. Hit him where it hurts! And remember, when the time comes, you won’t need to go back to the Tang family to say anything. That confused patriarch of yours will surely come begging you to return.”

As Qin Ruqing became more impassioned towards the end, her fists clenched tightly, as if she were the one who had been wronged and was about to confront the scum herself.

But clearly, she wasn’t the only one stirred up. Qirong also stood up abruptly, clapping his palms forcefully, “Exactly! That’s how it should be. This villain needs to be humiliated and his reputation tarnished! Tang Big Brother, hit him where it hurts!”

Even Luwei agreed wholeheartedly, saying, “People who lack something tend to disguise it more. Making Tang Biao fall from the clouds is undoubtedly the best way to strike him. Tang Big Brother, this Alchemy Convention is a golden opportunity. You mustn’t miss it!”

Tang Zifeng was indeed swayed by Qin Ruqing’s words, but… looking at the three pairs of eyes staring at him eagerly, why were these three from the Qin family more excited than he, the person directly involved?

Tang Zifeng hesitated slightly, “But, that spiritual tool isn’t completely polished yet. It still lacks the final tempering procedure. So, presenting a semi-finished product in the Alchemy Competition, wouldn’t that be…”

Qin Ruqing understood. The professional ethics and requirements of an alchemist told him

“It’s disrespectful and unprofessional to enter a competition with an unfinished product.”

But she couldn’t argue that at this moment, he was still concerned with ethics or not. For some who are passionate and persistent about their profession, this is the bottom line, part of their professional faith.

Qin Ruqing could only say, “I’m just suggesting. Whether you use it or not is up to you. You don’t need to burden yourself. If this method isn’t used, there are plenty of other ways. For example, when you have completely polished this spiritual tool, you can present it to your patriarch. That alone will dispel all rumors.”

“You have the ability to turn the tables whenever you want. So, the choice is entirely yours.”

Qin Ruqing’s gaze was calm and composed. She truly didn’t mind how Little Tang decided.

In essence, the issue boiled down to whether Tang Zifeng was willing to enter the competition with a semi-finished product, and how he wanted to handle Tang Biao. Whether to publicly humiliate Tang Biao at the Alchemy Convention or deal with him privately upon returning to the Tang family. Obviously, returning to the Tang family would allow Little Tang to return home smoothly, but the repercussions for Tang Biao… that would be uncertain.

After a long silence, Tang Zifeng slowly raised his head, his gaze firm. It seemed he was telling Qin Ruqing, but also affirming it to himself:

“He was the one who wronged me first, so don’t blame me for being unjust. I used to be too honest and easy-going, which led to being bullied. Therefore, I choose to forge that spiritual tool at the Alchemy Convention… to strike Tang Biao where it hurts, to humiliate him.”

At the end, Little Tang lowered his gaze. Clearly, he was a bit embarrassed to utter such melodramatic lines.

But the Qin family members were incredibly adaptable. As melodramatic, passionate youths, they didn’t find these lines embarrassing at all.

Qin Ruqing immediately exclaimed, “Yes!” She high-fived Qirong first, then hugged Luwei tightly. She intended to turn to hug Little Tang next, but seeing his embarrassed expression, she decided against it.

Qin Ruqing declared loudly, “Alright, it’s settled then. From today until the Alchemy Convention, our motto is—’Expose the scum!'”

On the day the Alchemy Convention began, the sun over Xiling seemed less scorching, accompanied by a gentle breeze—clearly, it was a perfect time for… uh, hosting the Alchemy Convention.

To demonstrate their style and determination, Qin Ruqing and the others didn’t walk this time. Despite the short distance of just two streets, they opted to take a flying boat!

It was the same clownish flying boat piloted by Tang Zifeng. The four of them boarded the boat, which creaked and groaned as it flew to the convention grounds. Upon arrival, they found the venue bustling with people, and surprisingly, there was no space for their boat to dock.

It wasn’t because their choice of transport was wrong. Clearly, they weren’t the only ones with a flying boat in the sky. The only issue was the stark contrast between their boat and Little Tang’s boat—it was like comparing an aircraft carrier to a dinghy…

The largest flying boat in the sky raised its sails and powered its turbines with a buzzing sound, ascending into the sky. After circling high above several times, it descended slowly and finally settled at a high altitude. A long ladder was lowered from the boat,

“A graceful figure in a red dress appeared.”

Qin Ruqing and the others immediately recognized her as the stunning sister from the Lin family.

Her entrances were always grand. She didn’t bother with the ladder; it was too slow for her. Instead, she lightly tapped the ladder with her toes, causing the ankle bracelets to jingle like dragonflies skimming over water. She gracefully leapt down, drawing applause from the crowd.

Someone exclaimed, “It’s Lin Family’s Fairy Yijun!”

“Lin Family’s ship!”

Following her entrance, it was as if a switch had been flipped. The large ships in the sky began to display their unique features—some flapping massive wings, others extending paddle-like appendages resembling cockroach legs to row and maneuver.

Qin Ruqing and her group were caught in the middle with their small boat, resembling chicks among elephants. At one point, when a ship flapped its wings, the airflow nearly capsized their tiny vessel.

Tang Zifeng remained composed, steering their boat towards a quieter corner. For a moment, there was silence on their boat.

Qin Ruqing cleared her throat, trying to sound calm, “So… shall we disembark?”

Tang Zifeng cleared his throat too and nodded.

Unable to find a place to dock, Tang Zifeng simply retracted the flying boat. The four of them climbed down onto Luwei’s alchemy furnace.

After they landed, they walked silently for a while, heading in the opposite direction of the convention grounds.

Suddenly, Tang Zifeng, who was leading, stopped. Qin Ruqing almost bumped into him and had to stop abruptly. Luwei and Qirong also halted, blinking at Tang Zifeng.

Tang Zifeng’s ears turned bright red. He glanced at Luwei and Qirong, then at Qin Ruqing, standing upright and composed. After a moment, he awkwardly muttered:

“In the future… I’ll make a bigger one.”

Qin Ruqing and the others exchanged glances, then burst into laughter.

Qin Ruqing laughed so hard that she had to hold her stomach. Finally, unable to hold back any longer, she blurted out the criticism she had been holding in:

“Hahaha, Tang Zifeng, what were you thinking? Why are the wings on your flying boat so tiny! Forget about looking majestic like a giant roc, they barely give it the agility of a little bird! Your boat, when those wings flap… it looks like a giant flapping moth!”

This time, Tang Zifeng’s embarrassment spread from his ears to the base of his neck.