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Chapter 422

Chapter 422: Life-or-Death Battle Stage

“It’s another foreigner who’s here to participate in the Alchemy Competition!”

“However, she looks so young . It will be very difficult for her to win a spot in the competition . ”

“Still, coming to an Alchemy Competition organized by the Alchemy King’s Mansion is worth it . She would gain some experience!”

“You’re right!”

After looking at Lou Qianxue once more, everyone averted their gazes .

However, Lou Qianxue’s sensitive ears caught their discussion .

“The Alchemy Competition organized by the Alchemy King’s Mansion? Didn’t that happen two years ago? Could it be…”

When she realized it, Lou Qianxue could not help but smile . “What a coincidence! I didn’t manage to make it for the Imperial Academy’s recruitment and the Alchemy Competition two years ago . And the moment I returned, I chanced upon it again…”

Despite such a coincidence, Lou Qianxue did not plan on participating in the competition .

“Lingxi Prefecture is the capital of medicine . It has a lot of medicinal herbs . I should look around and buy some . ”

Lingxi Prefecture was filled with medical stores . Lou Qianxue randomly chose one and entered it .

The shop had a lot of medicinal herbs, including many fourth-grade and fifth-grade medicinal herbs, which were rarely found elsewhere .

However, that was it .

It was hard for shops of such a small city to have higher-level medicinal herbs . Furthermore, some herbs could not be easily bought despite their high demand . Unless one used special channels, it was hard to buy them .

A few medicinal herbs caught Lou Qianxue’s eye . She was about to buy them when she realized something…

“I don’t think I have enough money… There are quite a few blood ginsengs in the Mountain River Space . However, due to the nourishment of the magical tree, the blood ginsengs have extremely strong vitality . It’s not worth it to sell them for medicinal herbs . ”

A frown appeared on Lou Qianxue’s face, and she started thinking .

Suddenly…

“Store Owner, I beg you . Please lend me a stalk of Xanthophyllum! I’ll return it to you later,” someone hoarsely pleaded .

“Return me? You’re so poor that you can’t even afford a stalk of Xanthophyllum . What will you return me?”

“I’ll go to the black market! After I get the Xanthophyllum from you, I’ll risk my life by participating in the life-or-death battle stage . If I win, I can get twice the amount of Xanthophyllum . I’m begging you! My younger brother needs the medicine . Just lend me a stalk!”

“I won’t lend it to you! Get out, you poor man! Don’t disrupt my business by staying here!” The store owner got annoyed by the man’s pestering . He became fierce, pushed the man away, and ordered someone to chase out the man .

“Black market? A life-or-death battle? I’ve heard of it before…”

Lou Qianxue followed the middle-aged man out of the shop and caught up to him . “Excuse me, Sir?”

The man stopped in his tracks . With a timid expression, he carefully asked Lou Qianxue, “Ma’am, may I know what do you want?”

“I want to ask you something . If you can give me a satisfactory answer, this will be yours . ” Lou Qianxue took out a stalk of Xanthophyllum and waved it in front of him .

It was a medicinal herb she had gotten from Master Huo when she was still in the Fengyang prefecture .

The man’s eyes lit up, and he instantly became excited . “Ma’am, you’re so generous and kind! Thank you so much! Just ask me anything . It doesn’t matter what the question is! Just ask away! As long as it’s something I know, I’ll tell you everything!”

Lou Qianxue nodded . “You said that if you risk your life at the black market’s life-or-death battle stage, you can get double the amount of medicinal herbs . What’s this about?”

“The life-or-death battle stage… . ” The question stunned the middle-aged man . He then grimly advised her, “Ma’am, only desperate people who have no other choice will go to a violent and bloody place like that . A noble person like you—”

“It doesn’t matter . Just tell me everything . ”