Dragon Clan: I am Lu Mingfei, the Intelligence Strategist, the God of Concepts!

Chapter 209 Phoenix Hall, Nicholas Flamel's Easter Egg (10k)

It has to be said, this is really Xia Mi's fault.

Old Tang, a Brooklyn street urchin who didn't even finish junior high, was bored recently and asked if he could join the school... just to get a diploma.

Something is better than nothing.

Nuwa knew a little about this guy's situation, and immediately approved his application with a wave of her hand.

Lu Mingfei had no objections.

But at that time, neither of them realized the seriousness of the problem.

After all, the school was only so big, and they were bound to run into each other all the time. This was the first time the Fire King and the Earth King had met...

Then something went wrong.

That day, Lu Mingfei happened to come out of the weapon refining pavilion and found that Old Tang's [combat power] was increasing rapidly.

Leaving aside basic 'reputation and combat strength', in just one day, Old Tang evolved from an ordinary person with decent physical abilities to the average physical strength of a B-grade hybrid—accompanied by binge eating that Lu Mingfei was very familiar with.

When Lao Tang saw Lu Mingfei, he ate heartily while showing off his meal, and his first words were: "My head feels so itchy, like something is growing out."

Lu Mingfei was terrified and quickly packed up the leftovers to take Lao Tang for a checkup.

Back in the main hall area, before activating the medical equipment, Lu Mingfei first gave Lao Tang a check-up in his own way.

Now, Lu Mingfei can use the rules of 'spirit' to enter the realm of consciousness. He reached out and placed his hand on Lao Tang's head. There, besides Lao Tang's own consciousness, Lu Mingfei saw a huge, sun-like phantom of consciousness...

Old Tang's own consciousness was right next to the illusory figure; compared to it, the difference was like that between a cup of water and a lake.

In this realm of consciousness, unlike the physical laws of reality, there is clearly no light, yet consciousness itself can emit the most brilliant radiance, enough for one to see everything around them clearly.

Lu Mingfei and that enormous consciousness could see each other... or rather, they didn't need to 'see' each other; as long as they were here, their existence would inevitably be known to the other.

This is undoubtedly Norton's true consciousness.

Upon seeing this colossal creature clearly, Lu Mingfei finally realized that his long-held dream of 'Old Tang and Norton merging' was simply impossible, or rather, Norton's original intention was to achieve this merging.

But Old Tang and Norton were never equivalent.
How much wind and waves can a cup of water create when it is poured into a lake?
unless……

Compress this lake to the size of a cup of water, or expand this cup of water to the size of a lake.

But I always feel that neither of them is easy to achieve.

Lu Mingfei then understood.
No wonder, back then, the little devil said that Norton and Old Tang might not be able to 'merge', and the result might not be what Lu Mingfei imagined. No one could help him in this process; he had to rely entirely on himself.

How difficult would it be for the consciousness of an ordinary human to surpass the accumulated power of a dragon king through countless resurrections?

Even just being able to stand on equal footing with them is unimaginable.

Perhaps from the very beginning, the little devil was pessimistic about this path and did not believe that Lao Tang could do it. He simply provided Lu Mingfei with some solutions and let him try them out and experience the difficulties.

However... things didn't suddenly get out of control.

Norton's illusory consciousness is capable of communication.

Although it seems I can't say too much.
Only one sentence,
However, it provided Lu Mingfei with a crucial piece of information—

"Don't let him be alone with Jormungandr."

……

on the plane.

Lu Mingfei carefully observed Old Tang, who was still enthusiastically flipping through alchemy books.

Recalling what happened that day,
Since being seemingly stimulated by Jormungandr, Norton has been actively guiding and activating Donald's bloodline.

Unlike the sudden enlightenment, enlightenment at Longchang, or the return of the Dragon King recorded in classical texts...

Old Tang's awakening was a process that respected science quite a bit. Although the speed of cell division and differentiation was a bit outrageous, at least it didn't violate the law of conservation of energy too much.

Perhaps it was because Norton was wary of something else.
In short, there was no choice but to stand up all at once.

Old Tang now temporarily possesses the bloodline and has gained the ability to sense dragon runes, allowing him to learn the alchemy he has always dreamed of... Recently, he has even put aside his favorite game and begun to concentrate wholeheartedly on studying his true love, handicrafts.

However, all of this seemed rather contrived to Nuwa.

This snake spirit sister couldn't help but sigh, as expected, the pure-blooded dragons lurking in human society are all Oscars, whether it's Xia Mi or Old Tang.

If they act like this, who wouldn't be confused?

"Judging from Xia Mi's behavior, she may not have recognized Lao Tang's true identity."

Lu Mingfei pondered to himself.

"Norton suddenly woke up and gently stimulated Old Tang's body. Coupled with what he said, it seemed that he had a sense of crisis and wanted to provide the body with some self-protection ability."

When it comes to food and drink, Lu Mingfei will of course give his good brother the best treatment. The only thing limiting Lao Tang's development is his own chewing muscles. During this period, Lao Tang's progress has been very fast.

Old Tang is now equivalent to a regular A-level hybrid. Sure enough, having a wealthy family makes all the difference. Just by eating two meals, he can surpass the centuries of marriage alliances and selection processes of those hybrid families.

Lu Mingfei wasn't worried about any adverse effects from the body's evolution. He would regularly check on Old Tang every day to ensure that Norton's awakening state remained within safe limits.

but,

What exactly does Norton mean?
"Could it be that Norton is wary of Jormungandr? Well... that's a plausible explanation. This king of the earth and mountains seems to be love-struck, but he actually survived to the end in the previous scenario. Although I don't know exactly what happened, it definitely shows that Jormungandr has some skills."

Lu Mingfei considered another possibility.
"It's possible that Norton set up some kind of warning mechanism that would be triggered if he came into close contact with other dragon kings, to prevent others from taking advantage of him while he was in a weakened state. But this time, when he woke up and found it was Jormungandr, he fell asleep again and didn't want to be woken up again."

"Of course, to be fair, there's a third possibility. According to Jormungandr, during the Dragon Age, she formed a blood pact with Constantine, and it's possible she also formed a pact with Norton at the same time. In fact, Jormungandr had already noticed Norton's abnormality, so she chose to secretly help him, but Norton didn't appreciate it..."

I feel like either scenario is plausible.

After pondering for a long time without success, Lu Mingfei rubbed his temples and couldn't help but curse under his breath.

"Damn it, I really want to kill every riddler in my life! That damned Norton just wouldn't explain himself! He could have said one more sentence!"

Lu Mingfei reconsidered.

"However, Norton's situation seems quite different from Jormungandr and Leviathan. Although they are all young dragon kings, Norton's true consciousness has fallen into a dormant state, with Old Tang's human personality taking over everything. There is not even any sign of bloodline awakening in his body. Norton needs to actively activate it, while Jormungandr and Leviathan already possess considerable power."

"What's the reason for this?"

Calculating the dates, it seems that Norton's consciousness will be able to recover somewhat after arriving in Portugal.

Lu Mingfei swore an oath.

We really need to give this King of Bronze and Fire a good interrogation when the time comes.

……

Porto is located in northern Portugal, facing the Atlantic Ocean, and is the country's second-largest city.

Its history can be traced back to the 5th century AD.

Opdo Airport.

A dozen black Mercedes-Benz cars blocked the road outside. Men and women in suits poured out of the cars. All the core members of the Oliveira family had gathered here. In the past hundred years, they had accumulated a luxurious lineup of one A-level hybrid and eight elite B-level hybrids.

In this city, the Oliveira family are veritable local tyrants. They use the power of capital to secretly control every aspect of Porto. Of the fifteen parishes, they completely control nine and can directly influence the remaining six. If they wish, they can completely manipulate the city's mayoral election.

When a group of mixed-race individuals rises from behind the scenes to the forefront, even if their average bloodline is not strong and they only have a 10% advantage, it is enough for them to accumulate wealth and power that surpasses worldly standards.

But at this moment, these 'emperors' in the eyes of a small group of insiders,

They stood in two lines in the arrival hall, like the most fervent fans, waiting for a private jet to land and for the VIPs inside to arrive.

Among the group was an unremarkable C-class mixed-race woman, wearing a bohemian-style long dress, with tall blonde hair and high heels. Her dignified makeup was masked by an expression of disbelief in her eyes.

After waking up yesterday morning,
Evely Oliveira was planning to inform her father, the current patriarch's cousin, that his beloved daughter would soon be bringing her future husband to the family, and hoped to receive the elders' blessings.

But before she could speak, her father interrupted her, saying, "You've come at the perfect time."

"A distinguished guest from the legitimate Zhou family will be arriving at the Oliveira family tomorrow. They specifically requested to see you. We'll go to the airport together with the patriarch, brothers, sisters, and the whole family..."

And all the words she hadn't yet uttered were uttered by the old man's words...
"The distinguished guest's name is Lu Mingfei."

It rotted completely inside his stomach.

The patriarch, his brothers and sisters, and their entire family... Evelyn knew very well what kind of lineup this was, equivalent to the entire Oliveira family, with all the awakened bloodline hybrids coming out in droves.

A transfer order made everyone put down their work and head to the airport terminal to greet the distinguished guest. As a business elite, Evelyn knew very well that such things usually didn't even result in getting to know the person well; it was mostly just to leave a good and humble 'overall impression' on the other party.

This means that the Oliveira family has a very strong sense of spirit.

So she asked a question about the world of mixed-race people that she hadn't cared about for a long time.

"Who exactly is Lu Mingfei?"

……

And now, she has finally confirmed it.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Evelyn.”

Lu Mingfei greeted his mother-in-law with a smile, followed by the charming and smiling Xiao Tiannu.

"Hello, you, you... Hello."

Evelyn's original Mandarin accent was quite standard; she could even be a broadcaster or host. But at this moment, under extreme emotional turmoil, her clear and articulate tone almost turned into an electronic voice.

I've seen...a ghost!
Su Jiannan is a beast! He didn't even tell me about something this big.

Evelyn groaned inwardly, her gaze involuntarily drifting to a corner of the arrivals hall where a sinister middle-aged man was hiding his face under a baseball cap.

"Mom! Grandpa!" Su Xiaoqiang's voice was naturally sweet and clear.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you, Xiaoqiang."

Meanwhile, Su Xiaoqiang's maternal grandfather, the younger brother of Chief Oliveira, was all smiles as he looked at his granddaughter...

Actually, he had never been very familiar with the offspring of his seventh daughter and an ordinary person. He wouldn't say he disliked her, but he certainly didn't have a deep impression of her. They lived on opposite sides of the world and had many children, so it was difficult for him to pay much attention to an ordinary girl.

Even for Su Xiaoqiang's sake, the best approach is to reduce contact between the two sides. It would be better to let her have some misunderstandings about her mother's family and let her live a peaceful, ordinary life.

But now, the old man naturally embodies the image of the most loving grandfather.

Without a doubt, from today onwards, Su Xiaoqiang will inevitably become his most cherished grandchild, surpassing all his affection for his other descendants.

"Hello."

Lu Mingfei wore a subtle smile, neither too distant nor too enthusiastic.

Only then did the true patriarch realize the importance of the situation and step forward to bow in greeting, along with other key members of the Oliveira family, who gave Lu Mingfei a brief self-introduction.

Lu Mingfei greeted them with a smile, but his attention was mainly focused on the little fairy's mother... or more precisely, her head.

No big deal.

It's undeniable that the little fairy is beautiful, thanks to her mother's excellent genes.

She has the deep, three-dimensional features typical of Europeans, yet her eyes and brows contain the subtlety of a classical Eastern beauty. Although she is 42 years old, there is not a trace of time left on her eyes, and her skin is so delicate that she doesn't look like a white person at all—even among mixed-race people, her appearance is definitely among the top.

Su Xiaoqiang did not inherit her bloodline, but she perfectly inherited her mother's talent.

"Then...please go ahead?"

After some pleasantries, Evelyn hesitantly began to speak.

Normally, she should have acted like a mother-in-law upon their first meeting, but given the circumstances and the various rumors she had heard from her father, she dared not show any authority in front of her son-in-law.

Lu Mingfei smiled and said, "No, no, you are Xiaoqiang's mother, just call me Lu Mingfei, or you can call me Mingfei like President Su does. If you don't mind, either is fine."

“Okay, okay,” Evelyn replied hastily.

The group left the airport in a large procession.

Lu Mingfei, Su Xiaoqiang, and Su Xiaoqiang's mother and her family got into the middle limousine.

A dozen or so bulletproof Mercedes-Benz vehicles were positioned in front of this car, spreading out like black wings. The black eagle, with the extended car as its 'eyes,' drove towards the manor in the suburbs.

Stay inside the airport.
Su Jiannan took off his baseball cap and burst into silent laughter, laughing so hard he pounded his chest and stamped his feet.

……

Lu Mingfei took Su Xiaoqiang off the plane alone.

It wasn't a big deal.

Nuwa, Zero, Erii, and the three 'fierce generals' remained on the plane. After the main force left, they secretly got into Zhengtong's own car and headed to the base to stay.

Lu Mingfei's purpose in coming here was to support the Little Fairy, but he didn't intend to bully anyone. After all, to be fair, the Oliveira family hadn't done anything excessive, and bringing up the power of Nuwa would be too much.

During this trip, Nuwa didn't even get rid of her snake tail.

As they drove towards the estate outside the city, Lu Mingfei listened to introductions about Porto and Oliveira while enjoying the scenery along the way. The city is known as one of the world's wine capitals, with museums everywhere, the Dom Luís I Bridge spanning the Douro River, the Stadio delle Erde, and more.

He was not worried at all about encountering danger on this trip.

The Tiger Roar Spear, which can maximize its full power, was not with Nuwa and the others. After studying it for a period of time, Lu Mingfei had long since reached the point where he could teach Erii to use 'Judgment', not to mention that he had also mastered many other functional words of power.

The Oliveira family was very sensible; from the beginning, they had no intention of being his enemy. On the contrary, they hoped to use Su Xiaoqiang and Evelyn as a means to forge a deeper bond with his orthodox banner.

The car stopped in front of the ancient castle in the center of the manor.

Compared to those modern estates, the Oliveira family's core estate appears more ancient and refined, with a highly artistic sculpted fountain in the center of the lawn.

"Mr. Lu, you've come from afar, would you like to rest for a while?"

"We have prepared the best room for you. Please do us the honor of having a casual dinner this evening. You can then wander around Porto at your leisure. If you need, we can arrange the best tour guide for you... In addition, as you have arranged, there will be a meeting with other European families the day after tomorrow."

Inside the car, the head of the Oliveira family introduced the family to the children like a secretary.

It could also be like an agent, while Lu Mingfei is a big star.

That's right, Lu Mingfei's trip to Porto this time was even a business trip.

According to his plan, since he was already here, he might as well meet all the people he wanted to see, including the old man from Angers, who recommended several 'allies' to him.

“I really like the scenery of your manor,” Lu Mingfei said politely.

"Haha, it's Oliveira's honor."

The clan chief laughed heartily.

"Mr. Lu, please get out of the car."

'Jingle Bell--'

A red carpet stretched from where he got out of the car to the stairs, with male servants standing on one side and female servants on the other, all bowing to him. The scene before him was something that could only be seen in a British drama.

As Lu Mingfei entered, a clear, ringing sound rang out, giving people a sense of calm and tranquility, much like the effect of some kind of miniature alchemical matrix.

Candles lit up the hall, and the portraits of the Oliveira family patriarchs on the walls, previously hidden in shadow, suddenly became crystal clear.

The entire castle hall instantly gained a more solemn and dignified atmosphere, with members of the Oliveira family, dressed in formal attire, standing in neat rows at the back.

"Mr. Lu, please allow me to introduce you to the history of Oliveira."

The clan chief said humbly.

……

This time, Lu Mingfei finally experienced what it's like for a leader to go to the countryside.

It can truly be described as meticulous.

Regarding the Oliveira family,

Before coming here, Lu Mingfei had made many plans. He considered all sorts of problems that might arise after bringing the little fairy to the Oliveira family, as well as the possibility of her being outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant, or even the outrageous situation of discovering that his father-in-law and mother-in-law lived in a doghouse. Then, naturally, Lu Mingfei would stage the return of the Dragon King and wreak havoc on all sides.

After all, every time Su Xiaoqiang mentioned the Oliveira family to him before, she always used a pitiful tone.

However, once the situation actually took place, the other party's attitude undoubtedly showed that in such a large family, the probability of having a normal person was far greater than that of a fool.

But thinking about it now, it makes sense. Su Xiaoqiang's impressions of her mother's family mostly came from her childhood. As she grew older, her past memories were filtered through a lens, and subjective impressions took precedence.

"Mr. Lu, this is your room."

On the third floor of the castle, Chief Oliveira pointed to the main gate ahead.

"my room?"

The room had a large door, and the decorations on both sides were simple and understated. When the old man pushed open the door, Lu Mingfei realized that this was not just any guest room, but more like a room reserved for someone of high status. On the wall of the study hung a portrait.

Above is a man wearing a round, pointed hat, holding a wooden cane, dressed in a simple hemp robe, with a thick, neat white beard.

The old patriarch followed Lu Mingfei's gaze and said, "This is a portrait of the great Nicholas Flamel. In the 14th century, the great Flamel helped Oliveira. We will always remember him, so we set aside this 'Flammel Room' in this castle to accommodate our most distinguished guests."

"I see." Lu Mingfei nodded slightly.

He had already heard the old patriarch recount the history of Oliveira downstairs... Originally, Lu Mingfei didn't intend to listen, but the other party was too enthusiastic.

A group of people stared at him expectantly, but he was too embarrassed to say no.

This family can be traced back to the 7th century AD. Their ancestors fought their way through 500 years of hardship and began to emerge on the stage of mixed-race society in Spain from the 12th century onwards...

At that time, there was no concept of modern Spain. To be precise, it was the Iberian Peninsula, which is the northwestern part of the European continent, roughly equal to the combined territory of present-day Spain and Portugal, plus a small country called Andorra and a British colony, Gibraltar.

Initially, a group of Arabs who believed in Islam occupied the Iberian Peninsula and established the Umayyad Caliphate. In the 11th century, the Umayyad Caliphate disintegrated, and a small kingdom called Taifa splintered off from it. The Oliveira family was one of the kings of Taifa in the 11th century. Similar to the Sengoku period in Japan, this small place had more than 20 local military leaders, and anyone could call himself king.

In this battle for supremacy, the Oliveira family produced a hybrid ancestor who appeared to possess S-class blood. In that era of limited technology and undeveloped alchemy, the dominance of an S-class hybrid on the battlefield was significant. As a result, the Oliveira family emerged victorious and gained an opportunity for rapid development.

But this period of prosperity was short-lived. In the following two hundred years, the northern Christians who had been initially driven out by the Umayyad Caliphate sought to reclaim their lost territory and united to form the Kingdom of Aragon.

In the fourteenth century AD, they finally returned with renewed force, defeating the Thai forces in a series of retreats...

Some of the rulers of the Kingdom of Aragon actually cooperated with dragons, or rather, the kingdom was founded from the very beginning by pure-blooded dragons.

Unfortunately, they encountered an anomaly.

The legendary hybrid and legendary alchemist—the first Nicholas Flamel.

"If it weren't for the great Flamel's intervention, the Oliveira family would probably have ceased to exist long ago."

The old clan chief was filled with emotion.
"Unfortunately, the Oliveira family suffered heavy losses in that battle. Only one-tenth of the family's powerful hybrids survived, and their status plummeted. To this day, they have no choice but to retreat to the port city of Porto."

Lu Mingfei understood what the clan chief meant.
What they were really saying was that they wanted to seize the opportunities of the times and revive the glory of their ancestors.

A thousand years ago, Oliveira's ancestors were once very wealthy, and could be considered one of the most prestigious families among hybrids. However, they were wiped out because they killed a dragon... or rather, the dragon came knocking on their door. They almost lost everything. If it weren't for Flamel's timely appearance, they might have been exterminated.

As for now, our hopes are naturally pinned on Lu Mingfei.

"So, didn't the Secret Service take any action back then?"

Lu Mingfei suddenly asked.

Logically speaking, Europe has always been the stronghold of the Peruvian party.

The old patriarch scratched his head: "Uh... actually, there was an operation. At the time, the Secret Party seemed to be distracted by something important, so they didn't arrive immediately. By the time they sent out the dragon-slaying team, the battle was already over, and all those ancient dragons died under the great Flamel alchemical matrix."

Got it, that's the plot of a classic police and gangster movie.

Lu Mingfei wasn't too surprised.

"As pioneers in slaying dragons, the Oliveira family's achievements should be remembered by the world," Lu Mingfei said slowly.

"Thank you for your recognition." The old clan chief smiled from the bottom of his heart.

"Then I won't disturb you any longer, Mr. Lu. Please rest for a while. If you need anything, please feel free to let me know."

"Oh, right."

The old clan chief suddenly spoke.

"The great Flamel once lived in this castle. According to the parchment scrolls left behind, this legendary alchemist, mindful of Oliveira's difficult battles with dragons, specially left behind a technique of alchemy, claiming that if our descendants could master this technique, they could become his disciples."

"Unfortunately, our ancestors lacked the talent to master alchemy and missed the opportunity to become apprentices of Flamel..."

"It should be an alchemical item that no one has been able to trigger for hundreds of years. Over time, people have even forgotten which one it was. However, we have collected all the items from back then in this 'Flameme Room.' If you are interested, you can try your luck."

The old patriarch pointed towards the storage room in the room and said with a smile:
"Just treat it as a little Easter egg."

……

There is no taboo regarding men and women.

This room was assigned to Lu Mingfei, and naturally it was also given to Su Xiaoqiang.

Are you interested in this little surprise?

"Let's try it."

Su Xiaoqiang blinked and looked at Lu Mingfei: "What if we run into each other?"

"it is good."

Lu Mingfei smiled.

Lu Mingfei had naturally heard of Nicolas Flamel's name.

Even Su Xiaoqiang, a half-baked alchemy assistant, knew of this person who was a monument in the history of human alchemy.

Alchemy and the power of words are the two pillars of dragon technology. In an era before science, dragons created many miracles through alchemy and the power of words.
Nicolas Flamel was originally a scribe in 14th-century Paris, France, but he suddenly learned alchemy, a dragon-related skill. It is said that while copying a rare book, he came across an alchemical manuscript called the "Book of Abraham," which contained dragon script grammar. From then on, he reached the pinnacle of his life and is the only person in history recorded to have successfully created the "Philosopher's Stone"...

There is also a legend that he obtained this alchemical manuscript through a dream revelation.

But in any case, the rumors must be false.

First of all, Dragon Script is essentially the embodiment of rules. It uses language to build a bridge for spiritual communication with the rules. Rules are abstract and ineffable, and there is no absolute connection between rules, so there can be no such thing as 'Dragon Script Grammar'.

So Nicolas Flamel is basically a numerical monster, relying entirely on his mental talent to tough out those dragon runes, and then he humbly said that it was due to skill and grammar, and some people actually believed it.

Those who have been painstakingly searching for the Book of Abraham for centuries are destined to find their efforts futile.

However, Lu Mingfei was actually quite interested in Flamel's little Easter egg.

Strictly speaking, 'Flameel' is a lineage, but it doesn't pass down bloodlines; rather, it passes down knowledge. Besides Oliveira, there are many other stories about Flameel circulating in the world, such as turning mercury into gold and silver, which are essentially the hallmarks of 'elemental substitution' in the Seven Kingdoms of Alchemy.

Flammel then joined the Secret Society in the early 15th century, and his successors were also members of the Secret Society.

Just like the forger of the 'Murasame' sword in my senior's hand.

14th generation Flamel mentor.

The two entered the storage room.
After a quick glance around, before Su Xiaoqiang could even begin her treasure hunt with great enthusiasm...
Lu Mingfei reached into a corner covered with a light dust and pulled out a rough stone statue.

Alchemy Tool: Memory Statue

[Forger: Nicolas Flamel]

[Brief Description: A simple yet sophisticated miniature sculpture that stores a 46-second mental image. It requires a certain amount of mental energy to resonate with, and can be viewed repeatedly after automatic recharging.]

[Current automatic charging count: 3/3]

[Review: A purely technically impressive creation, and also a baby bus.]

"Here, take this and play with it."

Lu Mingfei casually handed it to Su Xiaoqiang.

Su Xiaoqiang: "...??"

……

The dinner was not large, and the Oliveira family clearly knew why Lu Mingfei had come.

The only people at the dining table were the clan chief and members of Su Xiaoqiang's mother's lineage.

After eating,
Lu Mingfei declined the evening's hospitality and left the manor with Su Xiaoqiang.

They went to the orthodox stronghold in Porto to meet up with Nuwa and the others.

They didn't have a moment's rest all afternoon, except for Old Tang, who seemed possessed by Norton, completely absorbed in studying the craft.

Erii, who calls herself a travel guide, has planned a fairly comprehensive travel itinerary in her notebook.

Researching Portuguese cuisine, experiencing traditional Portuguese song and dance... these are mostly fun-oriented activities.

"Oh, you even brought back gifts for us sisters?"

Nuwa looked at Lu Mingfei as he pushed open the door and entered, along with the small statue in his hand, his rosy lips shining brightly... as he ate local barbecue.

"Just a little unexpected gain."

Lu Mingfei deliberately saved his appetite, so he simply sat down, picked up a skewer of grilled oysters, took a sip of the locally produced port wine, and then gave a general account of what he had seen and heard at the Oliveira family's place.

Erii listened with great interest, repeatedly raising her notebook to express her amazement.

"Flameme's Easter egg?"

Nuwa immediately lost interest; clearly, the meat skewers on the table in front of her were more appealing to her.

Lu Mingfei chuckled, walked to the corner of the room, and took out the Tiger Roaring Fang Gun, which had been shipped over in an iron box.

Strictly speaking, among the girls in the family,

Nuwa is a warrior and healer, Zero is a pure warrior, and Erii can be considered a mage.
No one was particularly interested in Flamel's memory statue, including the alchemy assistant Su Xiaoqiang. Their interest in Flamel's Easter eggs lay more in the 'treasure hunt' process than in the treasure itself.

This process was ruthlessly disrupted by Lu Mingfei, so naturally he would no longer study this rough-looking little thing.

But for Lu Mingfei

This memory statue possesses extraordinary value.

It contains a technique of alchemy that could free him from the predicament of carrying a 'weapon' with him.

It is called 'Transfiguration'.

In short, it involves using mental stimulation of a specific alchemical matrix to adjust the physical properties of an object without affecting or altering its intrinsic properties; for example, turning a solid into a liquid or a hard object into a soft one.

Of course, this only applies to inanimate objects.

In addition, this alchemical statue itself has considerable research value. Whether it is the alternative application mode that is somewhat similar to 'Gqotoh', or the understanding of alchemical materials, or the craftsmanship of carving the alchemical matrix, Flamel's level is far superior to Lu Mingfei's at present. There are many things to learn.

The only thing that made Lu Mingfei feel a little awkward was...

It is widely believed that Nicolas Flamel did not actually die...

It seems to be true.

……

Xicheng District, Hepingmen
Behind rows of prestigious yet understatedly luxurious shops on Liulichang Street lies a narrow, winding alley.

At the end of the alley, in a place no one cares about at all, the signboard of "Fenglongtang" is tattered, and a royal blue cotton curtain hangs at the entrance.

It's clearly an antique shop, but it's almost at the very end of the alley. People who collect antiques would never choose such a remote location to open a shop.
The boss seemed to have realized the problem as well. The calligraphy, paintings and porcelain were all packed up, as was the phoenix coronet and wedding gown hanging on the wall that no one had inquired about, but which already had a client.

This morning, we had a new but familiar guest who had made an appointment in advance.

"You have to eat the old Ciqikou douzhi (fermented mung bean juice) when it's hot and bubbling, otherwise it'll be super sour and fishy when it cools down... It also has to be paired with jiaoquan (deep-fried dough rings), I have to recommend the Huguosi brand, they're so crispy they'll crumble at the slightest touch... Hey, hey, don't add sugar!"

"Take small sips first, then big sips, slurp it up from the bowl, and add some pickled vegetables—hey! The taste is indescribable!"

The boss, surnamed Lin, was wearing a bamboo-cloth shirt, holding a pair of iron balls in his hands, and speaking with a Beijing accent.

He was animatedly teaching a visitor from out of town how to eat local Beijing snacks.

If you disregard his distinctive Aryan features—gray hair and iron-gray eyes—this boss is absolutely authentic.

"Ugh—I vomit!"

Until the young guest let out a desperate cry.

Mr. Lin chuckled and pulled a plastic bag from under the table. Inside was a set of jianbing guozi (Chinese crepes)...

"Forget it, you're not good at enjoying life. Try this instead, Old Li."

"call--"

The young "Old Li" had a Chinese face and was panting heavily, but he ignored the cake being pushed towards him on the rustic coffee table.

Instead, he appeared lost in thought, his clear black eyes unfathomable, etched with the marks of time.

"What's the matter?"

Mr. Lin was taken aback for a moment, then asked tentatively.

"nothing."

Old Li snapped out of his daze, forgetting to take the jianbing guozi (Chinese crepe), and subconsciously picked up the dark blue liquid and put it into his mouth.

"Ugh—I'm going to vomit!!!"

Mr. Lin is now genuinely nervous.

He knew very well how terrifying the spirit of this 'monster' before him was; even the great king himself admitted that he was qualified to sit at the table.

What problem is troubling him?

After a while,
"Sorry, I lost my composure. Something I was doing earlier was triggered, which was a bit unexpected."

Old Li wiped his mouth, glancing at the porcelain bowl in front of him with lingering fear:

"The traditional food here is really delicious."

"Haha, it's actually not bad."

Mr. Lin smiled and gave a vague answer, his eyes constantly scrutinizing the man in front of him. "It's mainly for out-of-towners to try something new."

"Speak, what brings you here this time? You don't look like you're here to buy anything."

"I came to ask what was going on because I saw you seemed to be closing suddenly."

Old Li said while munching on a jianbing guozi (Chinese crepe).

Mr. Lin waved his folding fan and said, "I'll just move to another place. Business isn't good here in the alley."

"Changing the location might not necessarily improve the situation."

"Give it a try," Mr. Lin said casually.

Old Li stared into Boss Lin's eyes, his gaze subtly revealing a golden glint.

"Don't!"

Mr. Lin snapped his fan shut, avoided the other person's gaze, and looked into the distance.

"Since you've come all this way, why don't you discuss alchemy with me? I might see if I can squeeze some of my fortune out of you?"

"I'm afraid you're lying to me," Old Li said frankly.

Boss Lin laughed heartily, "There's no need to keep dwelling on the past."

"After all, strictly speaking, I am also your mentor, aren't I?"

Old Li chuckled and shook his head: "Heh, Mr. Lin, where are you planning to move your business next? Can you at least give me a hint?"

"It's hard to say. I guess I'll have to stay here for a while. In the antique business, it's all about three years without business, then three years of profit. If I can find the right people, I won't have to keep running around anymore."

Mr. Lin spoke casually, deftly boiling water and brewing tea. He poured, steeped, rinsed, and washed the celadon teaware, which flew up and down in the hands of this old European man, creating a dazzling and mesmerizing aesthetic.

A faint aroma of tea wafted through the air, and finally, a small cup of steaming tea was served to the young man.

"Come on, rinse your mouth after drinking the soy milk."

Old Li took it and gently sipped the autumn Tieguanyin tea.
"Understood. I wish you great success in your business."

Get up and leave.

It's as if they just came here to freeload a breakfast.

Lin Fenglong watched the young man's retreating figure with a smile before he suddenly disappeared into the depths of the alley.

Ears twitch slightly.

The "Tianbian Dichao" records that: "The ghost bird in the capital cries day and night. After more than a month, its cry became very mournful. It also gathered and cried at the Observatory, which was even more unusual."

He hadn't heard the ghost bird's call for several months.

There was not a sound.

(End of this chapter)