This is what an immortal should be like

Chapter 199 Modern Talented People

The atmosphere today was not very serious overall. When the old dean saw that a group of people had noticed the information on the bronze mirror, he went over and explained the situation.

"This is the bronze mirror that displays information on the Xuan Tian Yi. It seems that quite a few people have already noticed it!"

As the old dean's voice rang out, people nearby made way for him, allowing him to walk directly in front of them. When Ban and Gong turned to look at him, he greeted them with a smile.

"You two must be Master Ban and Master Gong from the Dayan Ancient Museum. I've long known that you two are exceptionally skilled, experts in the fields of cultural relic archaeology appraisal and restoration. You were considered master craftsmen in ancient times. There are still many problems with the Xuantian Yi, and perhaps your expertise can uncover more issues."

It's true that experts in archaeological appraisal and cultural relic restoration are right. Master Gong is capable of making antique porcelain replicas so realistic that they are indistinguishable from the real thing, so archaeological appraisal is naturally no problem for him either.

"Oh, Dean Duan, you flatter us. We're just two old men, and all we've learned are some traditional country tricks passed down through generations. We can't compare to experts and scholars like you. We just think this Xuan Tian Yi is truly ingenious."

Before Master Gong could finish speaking, Master Ban interrupted him.

"Master Gong is right, but we have indeed noticed something. It's clearly the use of sophisticated mechanisms, and we are very interested in it."

As Master Ban spoke, he glanced at Master Gong, who then heard the former's voice transmission in the latter's ear.

"We have to show some value, otherwise we'll just be seen as two useless old men and get kicked out, won't we?"

"Makes sense!"

Master Gong returned an affirmative look.

Since the two of them had already entered the state of immortal cultivation, they could naturally sense the extraordinary nature of the Xuan Tian Yi. At this time, they should certainly learn more about it and not hide their abilities too much.

The director of the Imperial Observatory clearly valued the two craftsmen more now, as these traditional craftsmen might have unique insights into ancient artifacts like the Xuan Tian Yi.

Of course, Duan Kang wouldn't show favoritism to the others, but instead took the opportunity to explain.

"I think everyone, except for the two of you, must be very interested in the information above. Those with a high level of knowledge in classical Chinese literature may already be secretly interpreting it."

As he spoke, Duan Kang took a printed sheet of paper from someone nearby. It contained some information, which he then held up and told everyone.

"The information on the bronze mirror needs to be studied in conjunction with the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams, the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, and many ancient theories. Based on our previous internal research and interpretation, the information on the bronze mirror roughly describes the following."

The information presented on the white paper at this moment roughly clarifies that the Earth element (己土) generates the Wood element (甲木), which is related to the Earth and Metal elements, and its direction is Kun-Shen, which is the southwest of the location of the Xuan Tian Yi (玄天仪).

The text then provides further interpretations of the term "spiritual vein," describing it as a burst of spiritual energy or an unusual movement of dragon veins. The subsequent association with the element of wood is a summary of its attributes.

The blank sheet of paper contained a lot of writing, which made Master Ban and Master Gong realize that the people in the Imperial Observatory actually knew quite a lot, at least their current interpretations were quite accurate, they just didn't know some key information.

The two glanced at the sun, moon, and stars above the Xuan Tian Yi out of the corner of their eyes. In fact, this was the key, and it was necessary to compare the direction of the stellar power.

However, even if ordinary people have such ideas, they don't have the ability to verify them.

While Ban and Gong were pondering, most people were also looking at the blank paper when someone in the crowd suddenly spoke up.

"So the small balls on these bronze rings on the Xuan Tian Yi represent the sun, moon, and stars?"

"Yes, the Xuan Tian Yi also includes astronomical operations!"

Then someone else spoke up directly.

"So the stars above were also moving around during this event?"

"Yes, just like in the previous video, they work together."

The old dean gave an explanation, and then someone else spoke up from the second floor.

"So what does the arrow in the center of the star-shaped base refer to?"

The star-shaped ring at the top represents not only the stars above, but also the stars in the darker areas. In the center is a bronze platform with inscriptions similar to those on a compass, but more complex.

Obviously, the compass is positioned quite high, so people on the first floor cannot see it; they can only see the copper plate on the base.

Perhaps worried that the old dean might get tired, someone from the Imperial Observatory answered from the side.

"It's more of a directional indicator, and it also incorporates the feng shui theories of the Great Yan Dynasty. The stars above and the platform in the middle also correspond to the ancient theory of a round heaven and a square earth."

The officials from the Imperial Observatory offered a lengthy explanation, but the crowd only continued to raise more and more questions.

"The arrow does indeed point southwest, but if the upward direction is merely a matter of orientation, then the markings on this bronze mirror are sufficient; Kun Shen also corresponds to southwest."

"That's because arrows are more intuitive!"

A scholar nearby spoke up, but was immediately refuted by others.

"Even if it's more intuitive, is such a redundant design necessary?"

"How can you call it redundant? Don't you find it aesthetically pleasing? Or perhaps it was designed to please the emperor?"

"Then what about the star-shaped bronze rings on top?"

"The Xuan Tian Yi is also an astronomical instrument, and it is necessary to study the laws governing the movement of stars."

The process of exploration can also be considered a study of the Xuan Tian Yi (a type of astronomical instrument).

Master Ban and Master Gong listened to the discussion without interrupting. These experts and scholars were all highly respected academics, and it was best for the two "peasants" to stay out of it and just listen.

"Everyone, everyone——"

A loud-voiced man interrupted the discussion. Everyone fell silent briefly and looked at the speaker, but he pushed his way out from the front of the crowd and quickly walked towards the stairs on the side.

"Dean Duan, and everyone else, I have a background in astrophysics and am currently involved in the research of a new generation of navigation satellites. Let's consider the problem from another angle." The voice came from the second floor, and the person had already run to the handrail on one side and looked at the Xuan Tian Yi. Sure enough, he could see the compass and copper ring on the top.

"First of all, the ancients believed that the world was flat and the sky was round, so let's consider this from their perspective and temporarily agree with this view."

"Secondly, this bronze disc might not just be a compass. Could we imagine it as an ancient navigation coordinate system? The central bronze disc represents the flat earth, and the surrounding bronze ring represents the stars whose altitude and orientation are constantly changing! The arrows point not only to the direction calculated by the astronomical instrument, but also to the precise coordinates calculated!"

The man seemed to get excited as he spoke, pointing to the copper rings.

"Look, assuming the arrows represent coordinates, what do the stars above represent? They represent the moment when the Xuan Tian Yi (a celestial instrument) completes its calculations, and the positions of the stars based on the coordinate points!"

"If everything is accurate, we can use reverse calculation to determine the precise latitude and longitude coordinates, and thus find the point that the astronomical instrument is pointing to!"

People on the first and second floors were listening to the person upstairs talking; some whispered among themselves, while others seemed lost in thought.

Master Ban and Master Gong were already deeply shaken.

"My goodness! Old Ban, it seems he's right. Those latitude and longitude coordinates seem to refer to the same thing as the Xuan Tian Yi?"

"It's not just a possibility. They can really deduce it based on the positions of the stars. Is technology capable of this?"

As the two whispered to each other, they were filled with disbelief.

Meanwhile, the people on the second floor were still in a state of excitement.

"The technological level of our ancient Great Yan was definitely not low, as can be seen from the exquisite nature of this Xuan Tian Yi. Think about it, is what I said possible? Does it have strong rationality?"

The people from the Imperial Observatory present were excited as they listened, not expecting such a pleasant surprise on the very first day that this group of scholars had gathered.

Sometimes the right path just needs a spark of inspiration, and this spark clearly appeared at this moment, igniting a guiding light on the way.

"What you said makes a lot of sense. If we calculate it according to your method, would you be able to calculate the accurate coordinates?"

The people on the second floor laughed.

"Dean Duan is just being overly concerned; you're an astronomer too!"

Duan Kang slapped his forehead. The orbits of the major stars that humans currently observe are all known. As long as we correspond to the position of each star, we can determine the coordinates of a certain point in time.

So, are the star positions on the Xuan Tian Yi really accurate? Do the trajectories of stars from ancient times to the present need to be corrected? Even if they are accurate, is the Xuan Tian Yi broken?

These problems certainly exist, but they are not something to consider at this moment.

"May I ask who is calling?"

Duan Kang looked up at the person on the second floor, who smiled.

"Li Kai from the University of Technology, I've attended your classes before. Tell me the names of every star on the astrolabe. Give me a little more time, and I'll be able to calculate the approximate coordinates soon!"

Someone in the crowd immediately made a suggestion.

"The data from the first movement seems incomplete. The fixed location should be from the last time it was moved. Based on the indoor surveillance footage, the time should be easy to determine. Let's use this time point for calculation?"

"Great, I'll help too. Quickly record its current location, just in case it suddenly moves again."

"Yes, yes, that's the way to do it!"

"Okay, I'll arrange everything!"

This group of people were originally experts and scholars who were visiting the Xuan Tian Yi (a type of astronomical instrument) for the first time, and some of the pragmatists suddenly wanted to get to work.

Master Ban and Master Gong listened with their eyes twitching uncontrollably, both their left and right eyes twitching at the same time.

Oh no! Even in this degenerate age, there are still capable people! It seems they're really going to determine their positions. What are we going to do? Mr. Zi'an and the others are still there!

As for the names of the stars, each bronze ring not only has a bronze ball on it, but the name of the star is also written on the side of the bronze ring. With the group's proficiency in classical Chinese, such a straightforward description is not difficult at all.

"or."

"Do something underhanded?"

The two masters, Ban and Gong, almost simultaneously transmitted their voices to each other, and then understood each other perfectly, their hands hidden in their sleeves secretly forming hand seals at the same time.

The next moment, two beams of light, invisible to the naked eye, shot directly towards the top of the Xuan Tian Yi.

The two did not want to destroy the Xuan Tian Yi, so their solution was to move the positions of the stars, thus eliminating the need for precise coordinates.

The two beams of light were only fired out, but instead of hitting the star-shaped bronze ring above as expected, they were instantly absorbed by the Xuan Tian Yi.

"Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh"

At this moment, the Xuan Tian Yi started moving again, and everyone around immediately fell silent.

The hands of Masters Ban and Gong trembled slightly in their sleeves. They immediately realized that the spiritual energy in their bodies was constantly leaking out and being absorbed by the Xuan Tian Yi.

"Oh no, our spiritual energy is leaking out! Could this thing be alive?"

"Seal the Spirit!"

When the two realized they couldn't stop, while everyone's attention was drawn to the Xuan Tian Yi, they immediately pointed a few fingers at each other, sealing several major acupoints, and the leakage of spiritual energy in their bodies finally stopped.

However, although the leakage of spiritual energy between the two had stopped, the Xuan Tian Yi was significantly different from before.

At this moment, the massive bronze artifact was faintly emitting a light, like a weak protective shield, which seemed to defy all conventional understanding.
(End of this chapter)