Chapter Fifty-Eight: The Bronze Elixir of Life

Tu Jiawen’s strength truly took Fang Tang by surprise. Moreover, she possessed Steel Armament, granting her formidable defensive power. Fang Tang couldn’t help but wonder about the sequence ability of the man who had managed to injure that Steel Armament. That perverted voyeur, always causing trouble.

After dinner, Fang Tang resumed handling his orders. Tu Jiawen merely glanced at him before returning to her room. When he heard her lock the door, Fang Tang was speechless. Heaven knows, he really had no such intentions toward Tu Jiawen. He simply wanted to enjoy the villa life for a while and wait for Tu Jiawen’s pass to refresh, so she could do him a small favor. Twenty hours—he could wait. It was also the perfect opportunity to earn more Elemental Stones.

The orders kept piling up. On top of two hundred, more than a hundred new ones had come in. Fang Tang didn’t sleep a wink that night, working tirelessly to fulfill them.

When Tu Jiawen came downstairs and saw the pile of Elemental Stones at his feet, she was stunned.

“You earned this many Elemental Stones in one night?” she typed, placing the message before him.

Fang Tang nodded. “I made advanced weapons for them. Charging a single Elemental Stone isn’t unreasonable, is it? After all, these are life-saving items.”

Tu Jiawen’s beautiful eyes flickered, but she said nothing more. With so many Elemental Stones, one could buy twenty years of life in the Hall of Immortality in the Cradle World, or purchase a Level Six technology from the Techno-Sanctum. Was all this truly accomplished by someone who’d only entered the Catacombs seven days ago? Perhaps it was people like Fang Tang who were best suited to survive in this world.

They had breakfast together. As noon approached, Fang Tang looked toward Tu Jiawen.

“How long until your pass refreshes?”

“Fifteen minutes,” she replied.

He pressed further, “How long can you stay in the Cradle World?”

“Two hours.”

Fang Tang frowned. “The pass has a thirty-six hour cooldown, but you’re only allowed two hours inside? The ratio seems off.”

“The Cradle World only welcomes those with high evolutionary levels,” she explained. “Low-level people can only linger near the Gate of Evolution, or enter the Gate itself and, thanks to twisted rules, can stay there much longer.”

Fang Tang nodded lightly. “When you go to the Cradle World later, could you buy me a blueprint for Ecological Copper Solution?”

Eyebrows raised, Tu Jiawen looked steadily at him without speaking.

“Two Elemental Stones—help me out!”

She shook her head. “Ten!”

Fang Tang was caught off guard. “Three!”

“Ten!” she insisted, unwavering.

Fang Tang shook his head. “Five at most. Otherwise, forget it.”

Tu Jiawen spread her hands. “Deal.”

“You’re even greedier than I am!” Fang Tang muttered, but handed over five Elemental Stones. Then he took out another thirty and gave them to her. “For the Ecological Copper Solution—refund whatever’s left.”

“I’m trustworthy!” Tu Jiawen declared, her tone firm and unusually fluent.

Fang Tang nodded and mumbled, “Let’s hope so.”

Fifteen minutes passed and the countdown on Tu Jiawen’s arm reached zero. She tapped the timer lightly, and a beam of light enveloped her. After about eight seconds, she vanished from the villa.

“So the residence can serve as a teleportation point—amazing!” Fang Tang clicked his tongue and returned to handling the few remaining orders.

Just then, Xie Ling sent a message: “Big bro Fang, could you help me make a Featherlight Ring? Sister Liu Xu said it boosts speed. The Catacomb creatures lately are tough, and I can’t outrun them.”

“No problem. Send me the materials,” Fang Tang replied.

Retrieving the materials Xie Ling had sent, he took out a finished silver ring and handed it over to her. Looking at the colorful Elemental Stones scattered across the floor, Fang Tang felt elated. With these stones, when he next encountered a Level Two or Three shop, he could point at the sequence abilities on display and declare, ‘I’ll take them all!’

Evolutionary level was the foundation of survival; sequence abilities were the cornerstone of strength. Only by growing ever stronger could Fang Tang hope to survive.

With the last order complete, Fang Tang began to count his spoils: 96 Lightning Stones, 88 Fire Spirit Stones, 91 Wind Stones, and 85 Bluewater Stones—a total of 360. Adding the 35 he’d given Tu Jiawen, the sum approached 400. Seven Level Two elemental weapons in one night; his hands were nearly worn raw.

Though he hadn’t slept, Fang Tang was still full of energy.

The blueprint for Ecological Copper Solution!

He put 500 iron ingots up for sale and sent the link to Liu Xu. “I need ten batches of memory metal, as soon as possible.”

“Hold on!” Liu Xu replied.

While Liu Xu was making the memory metal, Fang Tang took out ten Bluewater Stones and began crafting the Heart of Frost. It would take half an hour. By his estimate, Tu Jiawen would be back soon.

Suddenly, a beam of light pierced the ceiling and shone beside him. Tu Jiawen’s figure appeared within the brilliance, the teleportation effect truly miraculous. As the light faded, Tu Jiawen’s beautiful eyes quickly found Fang Tang, who was waiting eagerly.

“For you.” Tu Jiawen handed him a blueprint and fifteen Elemental Stones.

“The Ecological Copper Solution cost 2,200 credits. There are 50 credits left—I’ll give you materials for the difference.”

“No need, keep it,” Fang Tang replied with a wave. With his newfound wealth, what were fifty credits? A third of an Elemental Stone, a mere trifle.

Hurriedly, he added the Ecological Copper Solution blueprint to his collection, and the synthesis tree appeared.

Ecological Copper Solution: 30 copper ingots required.

“Tsk, three hundred copper ingots in all. Luckily, I have enough.” For all his faults, that man’s resources had been abundant.

With the Ecological Copper Solution on its countdown, Fang Tang finally felt at ease.

“The Frost Cannon… by the Techno-Sanctum’s standards, that’s a Level Five technology.”

“Comprehensive strength is determined by the highest-level tech weapon, evolutionary level, sequence ability, and spirit-bound items. Plus, with Yue Yue on my side, my overall strength should be at Tier Three. After all, my evolutionary level is the lowest, but that can’t be helped.”

Fang Tang considered his abilities as time ticked by. When Liu Xu sent over the memory metal, the Heart of Frost was also done.

It resembled a greatly magnified snowflake, icy to the touch. Even a breath over it would create a visible mist.

“Now I can have properly chilled cola, can’t I?”

After a brief wait, the Ecological Copper Solution was finished. Square blocks materialized, just as described. Fang Tang poked one—the surface rippled like water, smooth and glossy.

“Amazing!” he exclaimed, quickly tossing all the materials into the newspaper. The Frost Cannon now had a circular countdown—about an hour to go.

“Level Five technology?” Tu Jiawen’s eyes widened at the sight of the Frost Cannon.

“Yes, I found it in the Ice Catacombs. Got nearly killed by a Snow Demon,” Fang Tang replied, rubbing his chest. Then he looked at Tu Jiawen. “Soon I’ll be able to enter the Cradle World too. I want to see the Gate of Evolution. Any advice?”