Knife splashing

Chapter 722 Rare Finds of Spiritual Materials
"Master, you are joking."

Shalifei rubbed his bald head, his mouth almost reaching the back of his head in a grin. "I know my own abilities. What ancestors? I've never thought about that."

They were just being polite, but they were secretly overjoyed.

An ancestor of a lineage—that's no simple title.

To give a simple example, the title of "Ten Grandmasters of China" is not only a title for martial arts realm, but also carries a significant status bonus.

Most of them were leaders of a certain school of thought.

The youngest member, Wan Shengying, was able to be included largely because he was the founder of Wan Sheng Quan (a style of Chinese martial arts).

Shalifei knew his own limitations. Although he had been fortunate enough to awaken his supernatural powers in middle age and had entered the realm of internal strength, he was already at his limit if he could use the power of firearms to avoid becoming a burden to the team.

I never even considered the idea of ​​being a grandmaster.

If one can truly create a school of thought and leave a mark on history, then this life will not have been lived in vain.

"laugh!"

Master craftsman Zhao Huogong was not known for his good temper. Upon seeing this, he sneered, "You coward! If that's all the spirit you have, even if I forged a divine weapon for you, you wouldn't be able to use it."

"You're right, senior!"

Shalifei wasn't shy at all. He immediately thumped his chest loudly, "Don't worry, if this treasure is really made, I, Shalifei, will do everything in my power to make it happen. I will never let you two down!"

"That's pretty much it..."

Zhao Huogong nodded, stroking his beard thoughtfully, and said, "If we're going to do it, we should do it the best we can."

"The charioteer I followed back then was eccentric and had a wildly imaginative style. He had many strange designs that I used to scoff at, but now I have a different opinion."

"What are your thoughts?" Shalifei asked curiously.

"This is also because of you."

Zhao Huogong sighed, then picked up the gun that Shalifei had placed on the table.

With two quick clicks, he removed the rear magazine. Looking at the magazine, his eyes were somewhat complicated. "Back then, the craftsman said that wrapping the bullets and gunpowder in fire paper would easily cause them to break and get damp. If the cartridge case was made of iron, and the cartridge case was discarded after firing, the speed could be increased."

"Back in my day, I couldn't even get enough to eat. How could I possibly discard such valuable ironware, which requires exquisite craftsmanship? Therefore, I thought this method wouldn't work. But things are very different now. Seeing your musket, this idea has come back to mind..."

The old man was in a bad mood and thought about what happened back then.

Back then, he didn't formally become an apprentice to learn a craft. Instead, he was kidnapped by pirates, enslaved, and sold to a Portuguese craftsman. He was beaten and scolded every day, but luckily he was skillful and could help with the work, which saved his life.

Later, after learning the craft, he killed the Portuguese craftsman and boarded a ship belonging to a Chinese merchant to return home.

Those dark days are still a nightmare to this day.

Shalifei, naturally unaware of this, said with some surprise, "I've also considered encasing it in an iron shell, but I'm afraid the iron might not be able to withstand it."

Zhao Huogong composed himself and laughed heartily, "Don't underestimate Qiankun Academy. I wouldn't have dared to dream of it before, but it's a gathering place for many experts. With Zhou lad here, what's there to worry about?"

Zhou Baixiao, who was sitting opposite him, was not good with words, but he still nodded and said, "It's worth a try."

"In that case, I'll have to trouble you two!"

Upon hearing this, Shalifei was overjoyed and rose to his feet, respectfully bowing with his hands clasped.

This week, Bai Xiao is no ordinary person. He is a hereditary gunpowder craftsman from Yichun, Ganzhou. He has improved the method of air-drying gunpowder and has already made a name for himself in the "Wubei Zhi" (Treatise on Military Preparedness) at a young age. He is currently in charge of improving new types of gunpowder for the Xuan Dynasty.

Others might not be able to do it, but with this person joining, the chances are definitely not small…

…………

For the next few days, Li Yan and the others settled down comfortably at Qiankun Academy.

The academy had not yet started classes, and the large place was somewhat deserted, but they had managed to have a few peaceful days.

They stayed in a small courtyard provided by the academy. It wasn't luxurious, but it was definitely clean and tidy. Unless they possessed important items and didn't want to be disturbed, the academy would provide servants to take care of their daily lives.

Food is provided by the academy's dining hall. Although it will mainly serve students and artisans in the future, special meals are prepared for these special "guests". The ingredients are mostly taken from the academy's own medicinal garden and herb garden, and occasionally there will be medicinal meals to replenish qi and blood.

Most of the time, they accompanied the craftsmen they had chosen to forge weapons.

He spent the rest of his time wandering around, getting to know the academy's instructors and learning some techniques.

For example, Wang Daoxuan obtained several healing formulas from Ge Pusheng, acquired some spiritual herbs, and followed him in refining pills, producing some remarkably effective hemostatic powder, purifying pills, and so on…

There's also Long Yan'er, who was originally at Baicaotang, but ever since she met Bai Chenshan, the director of the Imperial Observatory, and discovered the insect fossils in his possession, she has become curious about these ancient insects and started learning from Bai Chenshan...

Mr. and Mrs. Zhao officially became instructors at the academy and participated in the China Earth Vein Mapping Project.

In short, everyone had a very fulfilling life.

A few days of leisurely life almost made them forget the chaos in the capital...

…………

Inside the Hundred Crafts Building, many people held their breath and surrounded Li Yan from ten meters away.

Li Yan slowly formed a hand seal, staring intently at his left arm.

zizi~
As he unleashed the Northern Emperor's Yin Thunder Palm, his arm guards instantly crackled with lightning.

"It's done!"

A seamstress gasped softly, her eyes filled with excitement.

Even Li Yan smiled.

The "Thousand Thoughts" arm guard has now been reforged.

The master weaver "Wan Baiqiao" used his unique "kesi leiwen" technique to embroider metal wires made of spirit iron into the arm guards, making up for the original shortcomings, enhancing the arm guards' power, and giving them a greater chance to develop spiritual charm.

Most importantly, this arm guard can enhance lightning magic.

Ordinary lightning spells need to be released once they are used, but with this treasure, they can be stored, allowing the lightning to flow continuously.

Clang!
Li Yan casually drew the Dust-Slaying Blade and slowly ran it across his left arm guard.

With a crackling sound, the blade was also covered in a layer of lightning.

The Dust-Severing Blade was reforged in Mount Shu and infused with dragon horns. To unleash its full power, it must be activated using thunder magic. Combined with the arm guard "Thousand Thoughts," they complement each other perfectly.

Congratulations, Young Hero Li!

"With this treasure, all evil spirits will have to give way!"

Everyone was congratulating her, but the middle-aged woman "Wan Baiqiao" remained serious. "Alright, you can withstand the Yin lightning. Now let's try the Yang lightning method."

Li Yan nodded, put away the "Northern Emperor Yin Thunder Palm", made another hand seal, and unleashed the "Heavenly Thunder Demon-Subduing Hammer".

This is a secret technique from the Heavenly Thunder Palace, so its power is self-evident.

It also appears to be more violent than Yin Lei.

Crackling!

As soon as it was used, lightning crackled on the arm guard, and even white sparks appeared.

Thunder and Fire!

Upon seeing this, Li Yan was not pleased but rather alarmed.

Feeling the powerful force accumulating on his arm guard, he slammed his hand on the ground without saying a word.

boom!
With a deafening roar, debris and dust flew everywhere.

When the dust settled, everyone stared wide-eyed.

However, the ground paved with bluestone had become a bowl-shaped pit with a diameter of five meters, turning it into a complete mess.

Similarly, the power of the Thunder Hammer has also been greatly enhanced.

But Li Yan's expression was grim as he looked at the arm guard.

At the intersection of the latitude and longitude lines, a large number of metal wires have broken, becoming rough and uneven.

"Certainly not."

Wan Baiqiao sighed and shook her head, saying, "The rare thing about this arm guard is that it is interwoven with warp and weft threads, balancing the two energies of Qi. But the young hero's thunder magic is too strong, and the silk threads I used simply cannot withstand it."

Tao Fengchun, a master craftsman from the Mo family who was watching the spectacle, also shook his head and said, "The flagpole you used for that flag is made of ordinary spiritual materials, which cannot withstand the weight. I have searched the entire storeroom of Qiankun Academy, but there are no suitable materials available."

Li Yan frowned and pondered, then handed the damaged arm guard to Wan Baiqiao, cupped his fists and said, "I'll figure out the material issue. Thank you both for your help."

"rest assured."

Tao Fengchun waved his hand, "The Master has already given instructions, and I will certainly take them to heart. As long as we find suitable materials, the two of us will start working immediately and can finish within seven days!"

……

After bidding farewell to the two and leaving the Hundred Crafts Building, Li Yan felt a headache coming on.

Some things still caught him off guard.

The imperial court did indeed allocate a considerable amount of precious materials to support Qiankun Academy.

To put it bluntly, it serves as seed capital, the basis for transactions. Once Qiankun Academy is on the right track, it will be collected from all directions through various means to expand the academy's coffers.

Neither the imperial court nor the royal family would hand over truly valuable things.

Like the "evil spirit stone" he obtained before, no one else wanted it, which is why he was able to get his hands on it. He still has to find suitable materials himself.

As for Shalifei's side, everything else is fine, but the firing pin of the gun barrel is not hard enough.

If you're in Shushan or Wudang Mountain, it's easy to find good materials as long as you're willing to spend the money.

But this is the capital city; we can only ask for help from others.

Thinking of this, Li Yan headed straight for the main hall of the academy…

"The master has gone out."

Knowing his position, Yan Jiuling's subordinate officials dared not conceal anything and explained in a low voice: "The academy is about to open, but the list of the first batch of students has not yet been finalized. You and the supervisor have been in the capital these days, firstly to avoid trouble, and secondly to deal with various parties and persuade them to donate to the academy."

"About how many days will it take you to return?"

"This... I truly do not know."

Li Yan was somewhat disappointed that Yan Jiuling was not there, but he could understand it.

The Qiankun Academy was enormous, and its construction cost a considerable amount of the national treasury.

With all sorts of research projects on top of that, it's no exaggeration to say that they were burning money like firewood almost every day.

Although the imperial treasury was full, there were many places where money needed to be spent, and it was impossible to pay for everything. Therefore, the development of the academy could not be separated from the donations of various forces.

The announcement of the steam engine was also used as leverage to accelerate the development of the academy.

With the academy in dire need of rebuilding, Yan Jiuling was naturally extremely busy.

Li Yan pondered for a moment, then suddenly a thought flashed through his mind: "Where's Fatty Lin?"

Yan Jiuling was not the only acquaintance in the academy.

Lin Yu, the chubby boy, also passed the imperial examination and became a Jinshi.

According to the original plan, this kid should return to Jiangsu and Zhejiang and, with the support of his family, become a local official.

However, this kid was rebellious by nature. He refused to follow the family's arrangements and instead used Li Yan's connections to shamelessly befriend Yan Jiuling, managing to sneak into Qiankun Academy.

The Lin family of Jiangsu and Zhejiang is wealthy and powerful.

This kid has secretly learned the art of treasure hunting, and he's knowledgeable and has excellent eyesight; he might have a solution.

"Lord Lin is at the Museum Study," the clerk hurriedly informed him.

Li Yan nodded, immediately took his leave, and headed towards the courtyard complex on the left side of the academy.

"Bowuzhai" was also an important area of ​​the academy.

The place was mostly populated by Confucian scholars who were well-versed in geography and history, as well as geomancers and treasure hunters.

Mr. and Mrs. Zhao were then assigned to teach there.

The imperial court also assigned the academy the task of redrawing a topographical map of China.

This topographic map should not only include the mountains and rivers, but also the detailed directions of the earth's energy points and acupoints.

Firstly, it was to gather information, and secondly, it was to strengthen control over the Xuanmen (Taoist sect) and find more blessed lands.

After passing through the square arranged in the pattern of the Heaven and Earth trigrams, and then through several long corridors and moon gates, Li Yan arrived at the "Museum Studio".

Even before getting close to the specially built, spacious hall, the clamor of voices could already be faintly heard.

Unlike the hammering and forging in the workshop area, this place was filled with heated arguments.

Showing his waist token, Li Yan quietly entered the main hall, where a magnificent sight immediately unfolded before him:

In the center of the hall, a huge wooden platform occupies the main position, on which is spread a large silk map that is mostly drawn. The landscape is already taking shape, with countless colorful lines and dense symbols marked on it.

Several scholars, dressed in Confucian robes and exuding an air of elegance, were gathered around the stage. They would occasionally point at the map, debating in hushed tones about the ancient and modern names of a river or the precise elevation of a mountain peak, holding heavy ancient books or newly compiled survey records in their hands.

The scent of ink and the unique aroma of old paper rolls, mixed with the fragrance of sandalwood, filled the air.

Several other groups of people were also surrounding the giant map.

Several elderly men dressed in blue robes were fiddling with compasses, jade cong, or other instruments shaped like animal horns.

They were all geomancers, specializing in feng shui and geomancy, and identifying the earth's energy and dragon veins. At this moment, they were arguing endlessly about several key points marked on the map, their faces flushed with anger.

"Nonsense! The Luoshu Nine Palaces deduction is completely incomprehensible here! Look at this Longmen Ferry – the left sand is low and crouching like a sick snake, and the right bank is rugged like a broken blade. It is clearly an ominous formation of 'golden knife cutting water'! According to the 'Shaking Dragon Classic', this place should be marked as 'land vein stagnation'. How can you force the twenty-four directions according to your Qi theory?"

"Nonsense! How can the flow of Qi in the universe be judged by the naked eye? Here, the Xu and Qian meet, and the seven luminaries are located between the Kui and Lou constellations! According to the Xuan Kong Flying Star calculation, the evil Qi here has been dissipated in the Lower Yuan Jiazi, and it has become an auspicious 'Greedy Wolf Entering Kan' formation! You stick to ancient books, but have you ever calculated the changes in celestial phenomena?"

"Hmph! You two shut up! What do you care about auspicious or inauspicious energy? I sent three generations of people to explore this area, and there are nine layers of 'dragon scale soil' a hundred feet underground! The 'Burial Classic' says, 'Soil has varying weights, and energy follows the bones.' This is clearly the acupoint where a dormant dragon turns over! The map must mark the hidden burial site, otherwise, if the earth shakes and the mountains collapse one day, who will bear the consequences?"

During the argument, they were both holding compasses, looking like they wanted to kill each other.

Upon seeing this, Li Yan's eyelids twitched immediately, and he walked along the side of the main hall.

Qiankun Academy brings together the best minds from all over the world, which has its advantages and disadvantages.

For example, these geomancers include those from the Form School, the Compass School, the Green Bag School, and the Eight Mansions School.

In the past, when people met, they would be able to remain calm and greet each other with clasped hands and the title of "fellow Daoist".

However, drawing this picture was a grand event that had not been seen in China for a thousand years. No one wanted to fall behind, and they also had to win back the honor of their sect. Naturally, they argued incessantly all day long.

I heard that a couple of days ago, two geomancers got into a fight and were both sent to Baicaotang.

Having dodged the geomancers who were about to get angry, Li Yan looked towards the corner behind him.

Over there, a few people were discussing in hushed tones. Although they were all wearing the blue robes issued by the academy, their appearances were quite different.

Some were short and had a deathly look on their faces; some had fleshy faces like butchers; and some had ordinary appearances, much like old farmers. They were either holding ancient-looking probes or stroking a few strangely colored minerals, talking and discussing in hushed tones.

These are all treasure hunters from various factions.

Zhao Luzi's familiar figure was also among them, carefully tidying up a stack of moldy ancient books.

The most eye-catching among them was undoubtedly the fair-skinned and plump Lin Yu.

He smiled broadly, glancing occasionally at the geomancers to prevent them from fighting each other again.

Upon seeing Li Yan, Fatty Lin's eyes lit up, and he ran over with Zhao the Donkey.

"Oh my, young hero Li!"

Fatty Lin still had that warm smile on his face. "What brings you here? I'm currently discussing with some seniors what treasures are hidden in the 'Nine-Bend Golden Scale Vein' at the source of the Yellow River. We're saying that we'll inevitably need the help of the Twelve Yuan Chen in the future."

Zhao Luzi just smiled憨厚ly and didn't say anything.

"Brother Zhao, are you settling in well here?"

Li Yan nodded slightly and looked at Zhao Luzi.

"very good."

Zhao Luzi looked much better than before and replied, "The academy is doing very well. Lord Yan is taking good care of us. Yan'er is planning to open a wine cellar and start brewing wine again, and she's already pregnant..."

At this point, the smile on his face could no longer be hidden.

Having gone through a brush with death, he was clearly quite satisfied with the peaceful life at the academy.

"That's good."

Li Yan patted him on the shoulder, then looked at Fatty Lin, "Young Master Lin, I have something to ask of you."

"You say."

Fatty Lin's small eyes darted around, and his face immediately broke into a smile.

The Lin family of Jiangzhe is a well-known wealthy family in Jiangnan, but this young man has no airs of a young master at all.

"I'm looking for some materials."

Li Yan didn't stand on ceremony and explained the trouble he was in, saying, "We need to do it as quickly as possible, preferably within the next few days."

"These past few days?"

Lin Yu frowned upon hearing this. "I can get what you're talking about, but it would take at least a month to transport it from Jiangnan..."

He then said in a deep voice, "I asked the president of the Jiangsu-Zhejiang Chamber of Commerce in Beijing to keep an eye out and ask the other chambers of commerce, but that's not a sure thing. If we want to get it in the next few days, I do know a place."

"where?"

"The Imperial Palace Treasury".

"Isn't that utter nonsense..." Li Yan was speechless upon hearing this.

Fatty Lin spread his hands and said, "Then there's nothing we can do. If you ask me, it must be in the Imperial Treasury. You have a lot of connections in the capital, so looking there is the fastest way."

Li Yan touched his brow. "Here's what we'll do. I'll figure something out, and you keep an eye on things too."

Following Lin Pangzi's advice, Li Yan immediately took action and sent messages to people he knew.

Luo Mingzi, Yuan Feng, Bai Chenshan, Pei Zongti, Dong Cunshan of the Bagua School…

In a short period of time since arriving in Beijing, he has already built a considerable network of connections.

Unexpectedly, the first to send news was from the Golden Swallow Sect...

(End of this chapter)