I Can Give Talents

Chapter 241 – Departing To Central Region

"Well, well, the Princess of Alchemy Formulas," he said, his tone brimming with enthusiasm. "I've been meaning to thank you for years, Alchemist Panda. And now, I finally have the chance. Thank you for showing me the Fire Concept back then. Because of you, I managed to grasp it myself."

Anda smiled warmly. "President Albert, with your skill and talent, you would've figured it out eventually—even without my accidental help. There's no need to thank me."

"No, no, no. It's better sooner than that vague 'eventually.' We're talking about Dao here, not some random alchemy techniques," President Albert said firmly.

Anda chuckled. "Well, if that's the case, I'll gladly take credit for it. Does the esteemed President have any gift of appreciation for my contribution? I'm about to enter the Mystic Realm, and I might need a thing or two to preserve my life in there."

Leyvi nearly choked on air, glancing at Anda in disbelief. She had borrowed his signature shamelessness and wielded it like a seasoned pro.

President Albert blinked, momentarily taken aback. He had expected Anda to be more reserved, but he quickly realized he had misjudged her. Ah, so she's one of us after all.

"Hahahaha! I see, I see," he laughed, stroking his chin. "No wonder you've risen so fast. This is how the world works! We need to be shameless if we want to stand at the top. The shy and reserved? They don't get anywhere!"

With a grin, he closed his eyes briefly, his spiritual sense diving into his space ring. "Let me see... I think I've got something you can use. I've got plenty of toys I used to play with back in the day."

He sifted through the artifacts stored in his ring, clearly enjoying the process of rediscovering old treasures.

"Aha! This one!" President Albert declared triumphantly, holding up a familiar-looking object.

"Pfft!" Leyvi nearly choked, struggling to hold back laughter. Valenia and Ava weren't any better, their faces contorted as they tried to suppress their giggles. Only Lilian remained completely indifferent, as if the situation didn't concern her in the slightest.

Anda, on the other hand, blinked in confusion, staring at the object in President Albert's hand. She seemed utterly dumbfounded.

The object in question? A panda plush toy. Its black-and-white fluffiness practically radiated innocence. No wonder it provoked such a reaction.

"Hahahaha! Do you like it?" President Albert asked with a wide grin. "Out of all the old junk I've kept with me, I'd say this one's the most suitable for you. It matches your look perfectly!" Without waiting for a response, he enthusiastically shoved the plush toy into Anda's arms.

He then turned to Leyvi, sidling up beside him like an old friend. "Well? What do you think? Doesn't it look perfect with your wife?"

Leyvi nodded, his lips twitching as he tried to maintain composure. The truth was undeniable. The panda plush toy did suit Anda perfectly. She was already decked out in her signature panda-themed outfit and accessories, her hairstyle styled to resemble panda ears.

Now, with the plush toy nestled in her embrace, she truly looked like the Queen of All Pandas.

"Hahahaha! Don't fret, Alchemist Panda," President Albert said, grinning widely. "Although it looks like a useless toy, it's actually a tier-4 artifact."

The crowd's attention immediately shifted to the plush panda in Anda's arms. Some gazed at it with open envy, while others looked skeptical. Who on earth would waste valuable resources to make a tier-4 artifact in the form of a panda plush toy?

Anda snapped out of her speechlessness, her curiosity piqued. Inspecting the panda more closely, she realized it really was a tier-4 artifact.

"What can it do?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

President Albert smirked knowingly. Leaning closer, he sent a sound transmission to her to avoid sharing the details with the crowd.

"This panda can enlarge itself into a massive form, like a demonic beast, and fight on your command!"

Anda blinked, her mind immediately making comparisons. Isn't this similar to the fighting puppet Sawi created?

"My old friend made it," President Albert continued via sound transmission. "She went through a phase where she was utterly obsessed with pandas. But since she wasn't a beast tamer, she couldn't tame a real one. So, she made this demonic panda artifact to replicate the experience."

He paused, chuckling at the memory. "It's quite strong for your level, but don't rely on it too much. Its attack patterns are simple and predictable, and you won't have precise control. All you can do is lock onto a target—it'll keep attacking that target until you cancel the command or its power source runs out. You can try it out later to see how it works. Hahahaha!"

"I see," Anda nodded thoughtfully. As she examined the plush panda artifact, she couldn't help but compare it to the fighting puppet prototype Sawi had been developing. While Sawi's creation was still in its early stages, it was already evident that it surpassed the panda artifact in versatility.

Sawi's fighting puppet allowed full control through spiritual sense, granting users freedom in battle. By comparison, the panda's autopilot feature, though handy in chaotic situations, was limited by its basic attack patterns.

Still... there's value in an autopilot function for emergencies. Anda mused. She made a mental note to suggest adding such a feature to Sawi's prototype upon her return.

With a smile, Anda looked at President Albert and raised the panda plush slightly. "President Albert, thank you for this adorable gift. I'll be looking forward to the day I get to use it in battle. I'm sure there'll be someone bold enough to cause trouble for me soon."

The crowd collectively gulped. The elders among them immediately turned to their juniors, warning them to avoid any unnecessary conflict with Anda, especially the Pill Palace members.

Their former Palace Master Dirk Dracolia had once suffered an enormous loss, causing the Pill Palace to lose four exclusive tier-4 alchemy formulas due to his arrogant personality, and since then he held a grudge against Alchemist Panda.

However, when they got the news that a Protector granted the Alchemist Panda's husband the Deed of Sovereignty, the upper echelons of Pill Palace immediately took action and voted Dirk Dracolia out of his position to avoid further trouble. Later, when Anda received her new title, they became convinced they made the right choice. The Leyan Family was a fast-raising family backed by a Protector. It was better to avoid conflict with them.

"Hahahaha! Good, good! That's what I like to hear," President Albert said, clapping his hands in approval. "An alchemist who isn't afraid to fight! Most alchemists these days are nothing but wimps—they spend all their time indoors pooping alchemy products and have zero combat experience. But an alchemist like you, one who can fight? Truly rare!"

The alchemists from the Alchemy Association exchanged annoyed glances. Wimps? they thought indignantly. We're alchemists, not warriors! Do you have any idea how much time we already spend crafting alchemy products, perfecting alchemy techniques, and researching formulas? Why do we need to fight too?

Despite their grumbling, they didn't dare voice their complaints. After all, it was President Albert—and he could be as unpredictable as his words.

Even Elder Godari, who had just completed the headcount, found his mouth twitching. This is why people can't stand geniuses, he thought, sighing internally. Not only do they excel in alchemy, but they also want to be good at fighting. Can't they leave something for others?

"Ah, Godari, are you done?" President Albert's voice interrupted his musings.

Elder Godari nodded curtly, snapping out of his thoughts.

"Hahahaha! Excellent! Alright, everyone—it's time to depart!" President Albert declared enthusiastically.

With a flourish, he pulled out a gleaming airship from his space ring. It was a massive vessel, capable of accommodating over two hundred passengers with ease. The ship's elegant design was unmistakably luxurious, boasting intricate engravings and polished metalwork.

However, what truly caught everyone's attention was the logo emblazoned on its side. The airship bore the emblem of the Alchemy Association, but with a peculiar twist. The original logo depicted a dignified figure holding a cauldron aloft, symbolizing the mastery of alchemy. On President Albert's airship, however, the figure had been modified to resemble him—complete with his distinct white hair and smug grin—holding the cauldron in an identical pose.

The crowd stared in stunned silence.

This man really doesn't hold back, does he?

Even Anda and Leyvi exchanged glances, barely suppressing their laughter.

"The weird president truly lives up to his reputation," one onlooker whispered.

Leyvi couldn't help but smirk. "He certainly knows how to leave a lasting impression."

"The world sure is full of weird people," Valenia muttered under her breath as she followed the group toward the airship.

Leyvi couldn't resist. "You're one of us Val, so by association, you're weird too."

Valenia's annoyed expression was priceless. She shot him a glare but said nothing, clearly debating whether to dignify his remark with a response.

Anda laughed at the exchange, her amusement brightening the atmosphere.

The airship doors opened with a smooth hiss, revealing an interior that was just as grand as its exterior. Luxurious seating, polished floors, and glowing arrays lining the walls gave it a futuristic yet elegant feel. President Albert, standing proudly at the entrance, gestured for everyone to board with his usual flair.

"Come aboard, everyone! Our journey to the Mystic Realm awaits!"

Without further delay, the crowd filed onto the airship. Each group found their designated cabins, unpacked, and settled in for what would undoubtedly be a long journey.

Once the airship was in motion, the hum of its engines barely noticeable thanks to advanced noise-dampening arrays, President Albert's voice came through the ship's sound system, breaking the tranquility.

"Attention, everyone," his voice boomed, a mix of authority and playfulness. "The journey to the Central Region is expected to take about three weeks. However, let me remind you that the Central Region itself is quite massive. From there, it could take another two months of travel to reach the area where the Mystic Realm is located. If all goes well, this will be nearly a three-month journey."