Genius in the whole system: The useless young lady dominates the world

The stream babbled, its water crystal clear. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled golden light on the surface. Lu Lingxi walked along the stream, the Flying Snow Sword in her hand radiating a faint chill, like a silver dragon coiled around her fingertips, ready to respond to any unexpected situation.

A gentle mountain breeze carried the fragrance of flowers, and after about an hour, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a vast meadow.

This place seems to be a secret realm between heaven and earth, with exotic flowers and rare herbs growing everywhere. Some petals are as clear as crystal, some leaves shimmer with seven colors, and some unheard-of medicinal herbs emit a refreshing fragrance.

Suddenly, a strange sound entered her ears, like a hoarse song intertwined with the low growl of a wild beast. Lu Lingxi held her breath and crept in the direction of the sound, parting the waist-high grass. The scene before her made her stunned.

An oddly shaped old man sat cross-legged in the middle of the grass. He was short and stout, like a round gourd, with messy hair like a bird's nest and a tangled white beard, some of which was even covered with unknown medicinal residue. His robe was so worn that its original color was no longer visible. It was covered with patches and dirt and grass clippings, making him look exactly like a hermit in the mountains.

In front of the old man was a pile of colorful herbs, some of which were still pulsating as if they were alive. He held a shiny black wooden stick and stirred the herbs while humming a tuneless tune, his expression so focused that he seemed to have forgotten everything around him.

Beside the old man stood a massive bronze medicine cauldron, its surface engraved with intricate patterns resembling dragons and phoenixes, shimmering with a mysterious luster in the sunlight.

Flames roared beneath the cauldron, yet no fuel was visible. Wisps of colorful medicinal fragrance rose from the cauldron, forming strange patterns in the air.

"Cough cough..." Lu Lingxi coughed lightly, trying to get the old man's attention.

But the old man paid no heed, remaining immersed in his own world, humming a tune that sounded like "ee-ee-ya-ya," the rhythm of his stirring with the wooden stick carrying a certain cadence.

"Senior?" Lu Lingxi raised her voice.

The old man then raised his head, his cloudy yet gleaming eyes narrowing into slits as he looked Lu Lingxi Yao up and down.

"Oh my, where did this little girl come from?" His voice was husky with a hint of playfulness. "Could she be a lost little fairy?"

Lu Lingxi nodded slightly, but remained vigilant. The seemingly crazy old man in front of her had an indescribable and unfathomable air about him in every gesture.

"Hehe, little girl, you're quite lucky. You've stumbled into my Medicine King Valley by accident." The old man grinned, revealing a set of yellowed teeth. "I am the master of this Medicine King Valley, and outsiders respectfully call me the Medicine King."

"Medicine King Valley?" A hint of surprise flashed in Lu Lingxi's eyes. It was the same name as the place where she learned alchemy in her previous life.

“Exactly, exactly.” The old man stroked his beard proudly. “My Medicine King Valley is the most hidden treasure land on the Tianqi Continent. Ordinary people can’t find it even if they want to.”

Lu Lingxi was startled. That spatial rift actually led here? But what about Nalan Rongzhi and Qinglong?

"Little girl, state your name." The old man's eyes gleamed.

"Junior Lu Lingxi Yao."

“Lu Lingxi Yao…” The old man savored the name, as if he were tasting a rare medicinal herb. His eyes narrowed slightly, and his nostrils twitched gently, as if he had caught something unusual.

Suddenly, his eyes widened, his surprise evident. "Huh? You have a special fragrance, is it... the scent of medicine?"

He suddenly leaned closer to Lu Lingxi, took a deep breath, and showed an intoxicated expression on his face, as if he were savoring the most exquisite wine in the world.

"Good! Good! Good!" the old man exclaimed repeatedly, his voice trembling slightly with excitement. "It's the purest medicinal fragrance! Little girl, you actually have a natural talent for alchemy!" His eyes gleamed with a strange light, as if he had discovered a rare treasure, and the fervor in his eyes almost devoured Lu Lingxi.

Lu Lingxi frowned slightly, took a step back imperceptibly to distance herself from the old man, and looked around warily. She saw that the dense medicinal herbs blocked out the sky and she could not see the way she came. Various strange plants swayed in front of her, as if mocking her predicament.

Damn it, they were in the dense forest just a second ago, how did they end up in this godforsaken place in the blink of an eye?

"Old man, how do I leave here?" Lu Lingxi asked indifferently, but she was anxious. She had to find Nalan Rongzhi and Qinglong as soon as possible. She wondered if they were also in Medicine King Valley.

The old man stroked his beard and said with a smile, "You want to leave?" He paused, his eyes gleaming slyly as he looked at Lu Lingxi Yao. "Little girl, since you have such talent for alchemy, why not become my apprentice and inherit my mantle?"

"No interest." Lu Lingxi refused without hesitation, her tone as cold as ice. Alchemy? Her mind was now completely focused on Nalan Rongzhi's safety; everything else was irrelevant.

"Little girl, don't be so quick to refuse," the Medicine King said with a smile, his tone carrying a hint of temptation. "My alchemy skills are unparalleled in the world. If you can learn them, you will surely have a bright future. The way of alchemy is profound and extensive, capable of understanding all aspects of life and healing countless people. Don't you want to become a Medicine King and be famous throughout the world?"

"Forgive my frankness, but I have no interest in becoming a renowned medicine master or being famous throughout the world." Lu Lingxi Yao's tone was firm as she refused again. Her mind was entirely focused on how to leave this place, and she had no time to care about the art of alchemy.

Seeing her resolute attitude, the Medicine King was not annoyed. Instead, he asked with great interest, "Little girl, you have a talent for alchemy. Have you ever refined any pills?" A cunning glint flashed in his eyes, as if he was pondering something.

Lu Lingxi recalled that she had indeed refined some pills to make money before, so she replied indifferently, "I know a little bit about them."

"Oh? Why don't you show me?" A glint of light flashed in the Medicine King's eyes, his tone filled with anticipation.

Lu Lingxi hesitated for a moment, but finally agreed. She took out some medicinal herbs, formed hand seals, and a surge of fire and wood spiritual power enveloped the herbs. Surprisingly, she did not use a medicine cauldron, but directly used spiritual power to refine the pills.

With her hands flying, the medicinal herbs began to melt and recombine under her control. Lu Lingxi was completely focused, and a fine layer of sweat gradually appeared on her forehead, but her expression was unusually calm, as if she were performing a wonderful dance.

Upon seeing this, the Medicine King's eyes widened in disbelief. Refining medicine without a cauldron? This was unheard of! He held his breath, staring intently at Lu Lingxi's movements, afraid of missing any detail. His cloudy old eyes gleamed with astonishing light.

A moment later, a fragrant pill appeared in Lu Lingxi's hand. The pill was crystal clear and emitted a faint light, as if it contained boundless vitality.

She casually tossed the pill to the Medicine King, saying, "It's just a very ordinary healing pill, I hope you won't laugh at me." Her tone was indifferent, as if her astonishing act just now was nothing out of the ordinary.

The Medicine King took the pill and examined it carefully, his eyes filled with shock and excitement. Although this pill was just an ordinary healing pill, its quality far surpassed any pill he had ever seen. The surface of the pill was as smooth as jade, and the internal medicinal power was abundant. It faintly emitted the sounds of dragons roaring and tigers howling. Moreover, it was made without using a medicine cauldron!

"Genius! Absolutely a genius!" The Medicine King trembled with excitement, his voice becoming shrill with elation. "Little girl, you are simply a once-in-a-century genius in alchemy! I will take you as my disciple today, no matter what!"

Lu Lingxi smiled bitterly to herself. She had absolutely no interest in alchemy and only wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. "Old man, I really didn't intend to..."

"Don't refuse!" The Medicine King interrupted her, his tone carrying an unquestionable authority. "I know you have other things on your mind, but if you don't become my disciple, don't even think about leaving Medicine King Valley!" A sly glint flashed in his eyes, as if he had already expected Lu Lingxi to refuse.

Lu Lingxi's heart sank. This old man was actually using this method to force her? She looked around again. The dense herbs were like a maze, and she couldn't find an exit. It seemed that she had no choice but to agree to the old man's demands first and then look for an opportunity to leave.

"Alright, I promise you." Lu Lingxi sighed helplessly, a resolute glint in her eyes.

"Haha! Good! Good! Good!" The Medicine King laughed excitedly, his laughter echoing through Medicine King Valley, startling a flock of strange birds and beasts perched among the herbs. "From this day forward, you are my personal disciple!" His eyes shone with joy and anticipation, as if he saw the future hope of Medicine King Valley.

And so, Lu Lingxi Yao inexplicably became the Medicine King's disciple and began her alchemy career in Medicine King Valley. She thought it was just a temporary measure, but she never expected that she would stay for half a year...

In the past six months, Lu Lingxi Yao has been studying the properties of various medicinal herbs and refining various pills every day. At first, she was absent-minded and always thought about how to escape, but as time went by, she was gradually attracted by the mystery of medicine making. She began to understand the true meaning of what the Medicine King said: "It can solve all the problems in the world and heal all living beings."

The Medicine King was overjoyed to see his disciple making progress day by day. He imparted all his knowledge to Lu Lingxi Yao, even teaching her some secret pill formulas. In his eyes, this disciple was the future of Medicine King Valley and the inheritor of his life's work.

Six months later, deep within Medicine King Valley, in a secluded cave, smoke swirled and various strange medicinal fragrances intertwined, dazzling the eyes and mind. A huge alchemy furnace was burning fiercely, emitting bursts of roaring sounds.

"Girl, I have passed on all my life's skills to you. You are now a ninth-grade treasure pill master, which is enough to make you stand out from the crowd even in the Upper Eight Realms." The Medicine King looked at Lu Lingxi Yao with eyes full of satisfaction.

"Thank you for your guidance, Master." Lu Lingxi Yao bowed respectfully.

Over the past six months, although she was forced to learn alchemy, she has indeed benefited greatly. A complex emotion flashed in her eyes, a mixture of gratitude to the Medicine King and uncertainty about the future.

"Alright, it's time for you to leave." The Medicine King waved his hand, his tone tinged with reluctance. "Go, go do your business. Remember, wherever you go, never forget the way of alchemy. It can not only save lives, but also enlighten the mind and reveal one's true nature."

A flash of light, and Lu Lingxi's figure disappeared into the cave. The Medicine King looked at the empty cave and murmured to himself, "I hope you will not disappoint my expectations... The future of Medicine King Valley depends on you."

When Lu Lingxi opened her eyes again, she found herself back in the dense forest. The familiar environment made her breathe a sigh of relief, but she immediately became nervous again. She looked around, searching for that familiar figure, but Nalan Rongzhi was nowhere to be seen. What was even stranger was that her connection with the Azure Dragon seemed to be blocked, and she could not sense the Azure Dragon's location at all.

Lu Lingxi's heart suddenly clenched. Half a year had passed in the blink of an eye, but Nalan Rongzhi's disappearance made her feel extremely panicked.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "Rong Zhi, where are you?" she murmured softly.