The Great Industrial Era of Cultivation #1-100
Author: 试剑天涯
Date: 2025-03-23T22:50:40+00:00

Chapter 1: Supplementing Cultivation with Magical Treasures

The hand holding the silver mirror trembled violently.

The unfamiliar face in the mirror shattered the last shred of hope in his heart.

“So, from now on, I’m called ‘Zhang Hao’?

The world of cultivation actually exists!

Are there immortal techniques?

Is there immortality?”

Although he had fantasized about transmigrating countless times, he felt lost at this moment.

He pinched his thigh hard, and the sharp pain made ‘Zhang Hao’ open his mouth wide, but he didn’t dare to make a sound.

Outside the door, there were faint footsteps and voices.

He pressed his left hand on his right hand, and the palm of his right hand pressed against his thigh. The warmth of his palm slowly dispelled the pain and gradually calmed his emotions.

His head throbbed unbearably, and the two sets of memories rubbed and collided like millstones, constantly crushing his meager sanity.

Looking again at the slightly childish face in the mirror, Zhang Hao couldn’t help but make faces at himself, baring his teeth, sticking out his tongue, and winking: “Okay, returning to eighteen years old is acceptable.

Huh, this mirror is so strange!”

This was a round mirror with a handle, and a pure, large ‘gemstone’ was embedded in the handle. The mirror had simple and exquisite light cyan ‘patterns’.

The patterns started from the ‘gemstone’ and extended outwards, all the way to the “bottom” of the mirror surface.

The mirror surface… was actually floating, like fleeting light and shadows.

A memory surfaced: this was a ‘life artifact’, and the ‘gemstone’ was a low-grade spirit stone that had been cut.

The patterns on the surface of the mirror were array patterns, using a ‘spiritual material’ called ‘Mystic Iron’ to arrange a small array called the ‘Mirror Surface Technique’.

“What wonderful daily necessities, the world of cultivation is truly wonderful.”

He gently put down the mirror, carefully got up, and dared not put on shoes. He walked silently around the room, observing.

The bedding on the bed was exquisite cotton textile, and the curtains were embroidered silk. The bed was exquisitely carved with a dragon playing with a pearl relief.

The floor was made of large white jade stone slabs with a little cyan pattern; walking barefoot on it, it was warm, cool, and refreshing.

On the sandalwood-scented purple-red Eight Immortals table, there was an exquisite tea set, containing a teapot, teacups, and snacks; gently touching it, the teapot was slightly hot.

This tea set was also a life artifact, with a heat preservation function.

The room was full of items, but they were in good order; calligraphy, jade carvings, books, writing brushes, ink, etc., were all available; although the style was unprecedented, it exuded luxury everywhere.

But upon closer inspection, he found faint floating dust on the surface of some ornaments and in the corners of the room.

Was this a wealthy family that had declined?

“Or is it that they encountered trouble?”

He returned to the bed, squatted down with his head in his hands, enduring the throbbing pain in his head, desperately trying to recall. The fragmented and chaotic memories finally pieced together some valuable information:

“Zhang Hao” was the young master of the small cultivation family, the ‘Zhang family’. His cultivation talent was not considered excellent; at eighteen years old, he was only at the fifth level of Qi Refining. Therefore, every once in a while, he would go to the ‘Subtlety Temple’ on Emerald Bamboo Peak to pray for blessings.

Unexpectedly, this time there was an accident: the prayer turned into a curse, and a soul curse at that - a very vicious one.

Zhang Hao didn’t know what happened after that, he only knew that his ‘father’, Zhang Shengde, was constantly running around… until he transmigrated.

“In other words, my transmigration was obtained through prayer~~~ Prayer~~~”

Zhang Hao looked up speechlessly and was immediately stunned:

On the ceiling, there was an elegant but exquisite flying celestial maiden painting.

On the rainbow bridge, a celestial maiden with fluttering robes flew towards the top of the white clouds; there, there was a palace that stretched across the sky, looming:

Dragons, phoenixes, unicorns, and cranes, white tigers, one after another legendary immortal birds and divine beasts were hidden among them; peaches and ginseng fruit trees were laden with fruit; blue lotuses and colorful gourds complemented each other.

Between the white clouds, there were celestial maidens playing; above the rainbow bridge, there were heavenly soldiers guarding.

Outside the palace, between the misty white clouds, there were spiritual mountains and beautiful waters, and strange peaks and verdant hills.

Dimly, a dreamlike flying celestial world slowly unfolded before his eyes; he seemed to step on the white clouds and ride the wind away.

Suddenly, a burst of headache pulled Zhang Hao back to reality.

“This is… an illusion?!”

Zhang Hao was thoughtful, “From daily necessities to decorations, everything reveals traces of cultivation, exquisite and ingenious; comparing it with my memories, I can basically conclude that this is a prosperous age of cultivation.”

Looking up at the flying celestial painting again, Zhang Hao’s heart gradually surged with great ambition: Now that I have transmigrated, I will definitely leave an eternal mark in this world of cultivation!

However, as an outsider, what development direction should I choose?

Looking at the flying celestial painting, Zhang Hao fell into deep thought.

Slightly heavy footsteps outside the door woke Zhang Hao up.

Taking a deep breath, he had to think about his current situation:

“Zhang Hao’s” father, also the head of the Zhang family, ‘Zhang Shengde’, was a Golden Core stage expert; the Zhang family was a small cultivation family… um… belonging to an emerging commercial family, whose main industry was smelting and selling Mystic Iron.

Wait, the style is wrong!

“This should be a world of cultivation, how did an ‘emerging commercial family’ come out?”

The footsteps stopped at the door.

Zhang Hao’s heart jumped to his throat.

Time seemed to freeze.

After a while, the door slowly opened; a tired, yet steel-like figure walked in step by step, carefully holding a colorful glazed gemstone in his hands.

Then… big eyes met small eyes.

Zhang Hao looked at the other person, covered in dust, his face full of fatigue, and his eyes filled with suppressed anger; but the look in his eyes was full of pity, worry, and care… as well as a little doubt and endless surprise.

An uncontrollable impulse surged in his chest, Zhang Hao couldn’t control himself, his voice was low and excited: “Dad, I’m better.”

‘Zhang Hao’ thought silently: This is the last obsession of the previous soul, just to report safety to his father.

Well, since I have occupied your body, I will bear your responsibilities.

Your relatives are my relatives! Your family is also my family!

“Your responsibilities will be borne by me!”

Zhang Shengde looked at Zhang Hao blankly, carefully placed the “gemstone” in his hand on the table, excited and a little unbelievable, he walked staggeringly towards Zhang Hao, gently grabbed Zhang Hao’s hand, and carefully checked it.

After a while, Zhang Shengde’s eyes burst into brilliant light, he hugged Zhang Hao tightly, and laughed excitedly: “Good! Good! Good! My son is blessed by the heavens, even a vicious curse targeting the soul can’t do anything to you.”

In the laughter, hot tears fell.

“Dad, it’s my fault for making you and Mom worry.”

“It’s not your fault.” Zhang Shengde hugged Zhang Hao tightly, afraid of losing him again, “It’s all the Qian family’s doing.”

“The Qian family?” Zhang Hao tried to search his memory, “The Qian family on the other side of town?”

“Yes!” Zhang Shengde gritted his teeth a little.

Zhang Hao helped his father sit down, poured a cup of tea for his father, and cautiously asked the reason.

Zhang Shengde was in a turbulent mood at this time, and he didn’t suspect anything else, but told the whole story:

This is a prosperous age of cultivation, and the demand for cultivation resources is almost a bottomless pit.

In such a prosperous age, competition is fierce, and everyone is doing their best to improve their combat power.

But cultivation cannot be achieved overnight, so how can one quickly have strong combat power?

Simple, supplement cultivation with magical treasures!

“If magical treasures are used well, Golden Core can completely crush Nascent Soul (although most of them are like Yi Shui Han, a tragic farewell).

Such an environment has created commercial prosperity.

Among the many commodities, the most representative cultivation resource is “Mystic Iron”.

Mystic Iron is the most widely used spiritual material and also the most abundant spiritual material; like steel in another world, Mystic Iron constitutes the main body of the magical treasure world.

From luxurious life artifacts to advanced magical treasures to large-scale war artifacts, Mystic Iron can be seen everywhere.

Speaking of this, Zhang Shengde sighed: “We and the Qian family are in the same town and mine the same Mystic Iron vein, so we are already at odds.

Recently, our Mystic Iron smelting technology has made a breakthrough, but it has made the Qian family desperate and unscrupulous.”

“Dad, now that I have awakened, we can make the Qian family suffer a big loss!”

“It’s too late!” Zhang Shengde sighed, “In order to exchange for this purification gemstone, I have already handed over the Mystic Iron smelting technology.”

Zhang Hao stood up suddenly; he wanted to say something, but he couldn’t say it;

Gradually, he sat down again.

The world of cultivation, family, sect, Mystic Iron, magical treasures, spiritual energy, formations… the memories of this world were churning.

The world of technology, enterprises, universities, steel, machinery, electricity, circuits… the memories of another world were boiling.

Zhang Hao’s eyes were deep, the teacup in his hand gradually tilted, the tea flowed onto the table, and dripped to the ground with a “drip, drip” sound.

A vague idea appeared in Zhang Hao’s mind and gradually became clear:

“Graft scientific ideas onto the world of cultivation to guide the development of the family!”

The ‘emerging commercial family’ is the most perfect ‘rootstock’ for grafting ‘scientific ideas’.

Zhang Hao stood up again, his tone a little excited: “Dad, I have a vague idea that may allow the family to get out of trouble and even go further.

But I want to understand the entire process of Mystic Iron smelting.”

Zhang Shengde looked at Zhang Hao, his eyes full of doubt - he only thought that Zhang Hao was comforting himself, perhaps with a little mischief.

Zhang Hao returned a firm look.

Chapter 2: The End of the Known World

Zhang Hao’s gaze was firm and stubborn. Zhang Shengde finally nodded helplessly.

Picking up the purification gem on the table, he said to Zhang Hao, “To completely eliminate the curse, let’s purify you once.”

Urged by true essence, the purification gem emitted a seven-colored rainbow light, connecting with Zhang Hao’s brow.

Zhang Hao slowly closed his eyes. In a haze, it seemed that the seven-colored rainbow light flowed into the depths of his soul, bringing light and warmth, dispelling darkness, chaos, and coldness. His soul gradually became clear and pure.

Two sets of memories slowly merged, and the soul completely integrated with the body.

The headache disappeared, and his consciousness was clearer than ever. A cultivation method called “Small Heavenly Circulation” appeared in his mind. This was the Zhang family’s cultivation method.

After recalling it, Zhang Hao was overjoyed. He actually understood it! The core of the cultivation method was ‘unity of man and nature’. A great nation had been chanting this idea for thousands of years.

The heroic feeling of riding the wind from the previous ‘Flying Immortal Picture’ resurfaced in his heart.

Riding the wind, wielding a sword in the martial world, wanting to compete with the heavens.

In a haze, Zhang Hao seemed to see a vast and boundless energy between heaven and earth, churning endlessly.

This must be the spiritual energy of heaven and earth!

The cultivation method began to operate on its own, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth poured into his body.

As if real and illusory, Zhang Hao stepped onto a path, a path between reality and illusion.

After walking for a while, a stone wall blocked the way. Zhang Hao gently pushed, and the stone wall shattered with a bang, revealing an even wider path.

Zhang Hao’s heart stirred: Qi Refining sixth level!

Continuing forward, another stone wall blocked the way. This time, the stone wall was towering and impenetrable, as solid as iron. He crashed into it several times, but could not shake it at all.

Zhang Hao was thoughtful and sat down to cultivate.

The idea of unity of man and nature sprouted, and a mysterious aura seemed to flow into his body, his figure gradually becoming taller, stronger, and more majestic.

His figure gradually approached the height of the stone wall, and with a punch, the stone wall shattered again.

“Qi Refining seventh level! So that’s how it is.” Zhang Hao smiled and lightly stepped onto the new path.

Light veils of flowing light fluttered around, and mysterious information flooded into Zhang Hao’s mind. Zhang Hao slowed down and gradually became immersed in it.

He didn’t know how long had passed, but the world shook like light smoke, gradually fading and disappearing.

Zhang Hao slowly opened his eyes, only to see that the previously dazzling purification gem was full of cracks and had lost its luster.

With a crash, the purification gem turned into fragments.

“Purification gem.” Zhang Hao was thoughtful. He turned to look at his father, only to see that his father had a look of shock on his face.

Zhang Shengde stuttered a little: “Qi Refining… seventh level?”

Zhang Hao nodded and slowly released his aura.

Zhang Shengde’s face gradually bloomed with a smile, and finally he laughed loudly: “Good! Good! Good!

To be able to awaken from the soul curse on your own, not only will your comprehension undergo earth-shattering changes, but you won’t have to fear the soul curse in the future.”

“Hehe…” Zhang Hao smiled foolishly: My situation… probably~ doesn’t quite fit what you said.

Zhang Shengde suddenly grabbed Zhang Hao and rushed out: “Let’s go, let’s tell your mother that you’re safe.”

…

Zhang Hao was dragged by his father, all the way like a kite, to the North Courtyard.

His mother’s face was a little pale, but it was because she had fallen ill due to Zhang Hao’s problem; to be precise, she had almost suffered a Qi deviation.

Zhang Hao held his mother’s hand and said words of concern, “Mother, don’t worry, look, your son is already well. But Mother, you must pay attention to recuperation.

Only when Mother recovers will your son be happy.”

“Good, good, Mother will definitely get better as soon as possible.”

Zhang Shengde watched from the side, a bright smile on his face. Only after losing something do you know how to cherish it. The scene before him was precious and warm.

But deep in his eyes, there was a flash of cold light—the Qian family! In order not to repeat the same mistake, the Qian family must be uprooted!

Zhang Hao spoke for a long time, until his mother became sleepy before leaving.

When they arrived at Zhang Shengde’s study, Zhang Hao was a little worried: “Father, Mother’s health…”

“It’s okay, she’ll be fine after some rest. No matter what, your mother is also a Foundation Establishment cultivator.”

Seeing Zhang Shengde’s relaxed expression, Zhang Hao felt relieved.

Zhang Shengde spread out a simple map on the table: “If you want to participate in family affairs, you must understand the environment the family is in.

The place where we are located is considered the end of the known world.”

The end of the known world?

Zhang Hao became interested and looked carefully. The map was very simple, and he could only get a rough idea. But with Zhang Shengde’s explanation, Zhang Hao gradually sketched out a three-dimensional picture in his mind.

In this cultivation world, or rather the ‘known world’, there are seven continents. Located in the northwest is Fertile Earth Continent. In the westernmost part of Fertile Earth Continent, there is a “Qixia Kingdom”, or “Qixia Country”.

Qixia Kingdom is close to the ‘Death Green Sea’. This is the end of the known world, the place where the sunset glows return, hence the name ‘Qixia’.

The Zhang family is located in the westernmost part of ‘Qixia Kingdom’, in Ninghe County, Changshan Town, bordering the Death Green Sea.

Qixia Kingdom has many mountains, and the reserves of Mystic Iron ore are particularly abundant, but the Zhang family does not have the exclusive right to it.

However, Mystic Iron is, after all, a spiritual material, and the smelting technology is the core. The Qian family is unscrupulous, just for the Zhang family’s smelting technology.

After finishing speaking, Zhang Shengde asked, “Do you have any questions?”

“No.” Zhang Hao shook his head.

In fact, Zhang Hao really wanted to ask what the ‘Death Green Sea’ was all about, but he was afraid of giving himself away.

Zhang Shengde nodded, his tone a little heavy: “Next, let’s talk about the trade routes.

Qixia Kingdom has many mountains and relatively barren land, and medicinal materials are scarce.

Since the rise of the national era thousands of years ago, the eastern countries have monopolized the trade routes, and the price of medicinal materials has been rising year after year, while the price of Mystic Iron has been falling year after year.

Since the existence of countries, the western countries have been constantly conquering the east, but they have suffered more defeats than victories, and have angered the eastern countries.”

“Taking the ‘Qi Nourishing Pill’, which nourishes Qi and blood and strengthens the foundation, as an example. In the east, one Qi Nourishing Pill only needs three to five spirit stones, or even less; but here, it costs twenty spirit stones.

At the beginning of cultivation, refining essence into Qi, the Qi Nourishing Pill is essential. The quality and quantity of the Qi Nourishing Pill directly affect the foundation of cultivators, which affects the base number of cultivators in a country, which in turn affects the foundation of a country.

There is also the crucial Foundation Establishment Pill. In the east, the Foundation Establishment Pill only costs one hundred spirit stones; but here, it costs thousands.

The number of Foundation Establishment Pills is directly related to the strength of a country.

Expensive pills are draining the blood of the western countries!”

Zhang Hao’s gaze also became serious, “Is there only one recipe for the Foundation Establishment Pill?”

“There are many recipes. But the main ingredients needed for the Foundation Establishment Pill are always the same.

For example, Immaculate Flower, Soul Stabilizing Grass, hundred-year-old ginseng, blood ginseng, Tendon Bone Grass, Golden Snake Grass, etc., almost all Foundation Establishment Pills require one or two of these, and these are almost all controlled by the east.”

Finally, Zhang Shengde sighed: “Now, we have to take out seventy percent of our wealth to buy pills every year, but it’s still not enough!”

Zhang Hao nodded slowly, gaining a basic understanding of his environment. To sum it up in one sentence: it’s very pessimistic.

It can even be said that the crisis is imminent!

Chapter 3: Let’s Play Industry

The waves of the Death Green Sea surged, crashing against the jagged, rocky beach with pebbles weighing dozens of kilograms, creating a thunderous roar.

The seawater displayed an eerie, ghostly green hue. On the vast sea, colossal marine monsters could be seen emerging from time to time.

A sea serpent with a head as large as five or six meters had set its sights on Zhang Hao, the sharp horn on its head gleaming coldly. Its head and neck, which had popped out of the sea, resembled a pillar supporting the sky.

Suddenly, the sea turned red as a swarm of tiny fish appeared, surrounding the sea serpent. The sea serpent, terrified, quickly disappeared with a whoosh.

The red fish pursued, but suddenly a mouth over twenty meters wide appeared on the surface of the sea, swallowing most of the small red fish in one gulp. The remaining small red fish scattered in all directions.

Just as the large mouth was about to flee, seaweed shot out of the sea like sharp spears, instantly turning the seawater red. The seaweed quickly contracted, the sea churned, and soon there was no trace left, only red blood slowly dissipating.

Zhang Hao watched silently, having been observing here for half a day. The howling sea breeze carried a faint, salty, fishy smell.

“The Qian family must be uprooted, but more importantly, I need to establish myself in this world! Once I have a firm foothold, the Qian family will be no problem. Without a firm foothold, talk of revenge is just a joke.”

“Little Hao!” A warm and loud voice interrupted Zhang Hao’s thoughts. A man who resembled Zhang Shengde, flew over on a breeze.

The breeze stirred, his flowing robes fluttered; his unruly long hair flew in the wind, like a carefree immortal in this turbid world.

“It’s my second uncle, Zhang Shengye.”

Zhang Shengye, at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage. Compared to the slightly mature Zhang Shengde, Zhang Shengye looked only in his twenties, handsome and extraordinary.

Zhang Shengye gracefully floated in front of Zhang Hao, his two powerful hands grabbing Zhang Hao’s shoulders, looking him up and down, and laughing loudly, “Not bad, not bad, how are you feeling now!”

“I made my second uncle and everyone worry. I’ve fully recovered!

Right now, I can’t wait to contribute my abilities and wisdom to the development of the family.”

“Oh, your words are sweet. Come on, second uncle will take you to see the Mystic Iron smelting process.”

…

“Forged from the depths of mountains, tempered by fierce fire with ease.”

The mining and smelting process of Mystic Iron was a magnificent sight. The entire mining and smelting base was covered by an array formation.

Everywhere he looked, there were busy figures, about a thousand in all. Although the Zhang family was not large, it was still a cultivation family.

The craftsmen were busy with sledgehammers, chisels, crowbars, picks, and other tools, the tools flashing with the light of magical treasures, the hard ore flaking off like biscuits.

The ore was crushed in a huge “grinding disc”, then sent into the smelting furnace along with charcoal and low-quality crushed spirit stones; the ground fire blazed, and the molten iron was cast into ingots about three or four inches in size.

Zhang Shengye explained at the side, “Smelting Mystic Iron requires spirit stones in addition to charcoal.

What comes out of the furnace is crude iron, with less than ten percent Mystic Iron content. It needs to be forged and purified; this is the most difficult and crucial part of the Mystic Iron smelting process.”

On the other side, on forging platforms built with crude iron, were the busy figures of blacksmiths.

Three people formed a group, one holding the tongs in his left hand and swinging a small hammer in his right, one swinging a sledgehammer with both hands, and one tending the ground fire and sprinkling water on the red-hot iron blocks with pine branches.

“This is our family’s secret.” Pride flashed in Zhang Shengye’s eyes, but then he sighed, “Now the Qian family has it too.”

“The main impurity in Mystic Iron is iron. Only through repeated forging can the iron and various impurities be knocked off little by little.

But there is a limit. When the Mystic Iron content exceeds half, it forms a very stubborn ‘grass iron’. To continue forging and purifying it, a certain method is needed.

Our method is: water forging. Water, is spirit spring water that is infused with spiritual energy.”

Zhang Hao watched carefully. One person sprinkled water with pine branches, the water droplets evenly falling on the red-hot iron block, and clusters of water vapor rose up, with continuous hissing sounds. The other two forged, each hammer strike sending sparks flying, which were impurities.

The three took turns forging and resting. After an hour, the fist-sized iron block had become an iron sheet, and no more sparks flew.

The iron sheet was as bright as new, with a faint treasure light flowing, the forged grooves resembling concave mirrors, reflecting the surrounding light and shadows.

“Mystic Iron doesn’t rust!” Zhang Hao thought to himself.

Zhang Shengye stepped forward and picked up the iron sheet, his slightly glowing index finger touching the iron sheet. After a moment, he smiled: “Mystic Iron purity 82%.

Very good! Reward each person with one low-grade spirit stone!”

“Thank you, manager!” The three were overjoyed.

Zhang Hao was surprised: “Second Uncle, you used the Appraisal Technique, right?”

“Want to learn?”

“Yes!”

“Wait until the Foundation Establishment stage. Haha…”

Zhang Hao: …Second Uncle, you’re being naughty.

After Zhang Shengye finished laughing, Zhang Hao asked again: “Second Uncle, I wonder what the significance of Mystic Iron purity is?”

“Purity? If the Mystic Iron purity is above sixty percent, it is considered qualified and can be used to refine low-grade magical artifacts.

Seventy percent can be used to refine mid-grade magical artifacts.

Eighty percent can be used to refine high-grade magical artifacts.

When the Mystic Iron purity reaches ninety percent or more, it can be used to refine low-grade magical treasures.

It is said that when the Mystic Iron purity is close to one hundred percent, it can be used to refine spiritual artifacts.”

“Right now, the best Mystic Iron we have only has a purity of eighty-five percent.

Alas… now the Qian family has also obtained the water forging method. In the future…”

Zhang Shengye’s tone suddenly filled with anger and helplessness, “In the future, we can only try to produce high-purity Mystic Iron to ensure the family’s income!”

Zhang Hao said thoughtfully: “Second Uncle, I have an idea that might allow us to quickly obtain a large amount of high-purity Mystic Iron.”

Zhang Shengye looked at Zhang Hao and asked casually: “What method?”

“Well… the method is very simple and doesn’t cost much. I don’t know if Second Uncle dares to try it?”

Zhang Shengye laughed: “Little Hao, trying to provoke me, your skin is itching. I’ll go ask your father.”

Zhang Hao: …I thought you were going to agree~~~

Zhang Shengde arrived and said directly: “You can try it; but if you dare to mess around, hmph!”

Having obtained permission, Zhang Hao shouted: “Continuously heat the flowing molten iron, keep it in a molten state, add an appropriate amount of crushed spirit stones, and inject a large amount of air.”

A dark red flame burned on the surface of the molten iron, and a plume of gray-brown, pungent, and dry smoke rose from the surface of the molten iron.

Zhang Shengde waved his hand and released a spell, a tornado leading directly outside the barrier, taking away all the smoke.

Zhang Hao shouted: “Continue, continue, increase the amount of air until no gray-brown smoke is produced. The molten iron must be stirred, and pay attention to slag removal.”

The craftsmen were busy.

But Zhang Hao’s gaze had already shifted: a craftsman was operating a crude blower, blowing air into the molten iron.

Zhang Hao walked around, and finally squatted next to the blower to observe. The blower was about the height of a person, and its appearance… was very “well-behaved”!

The craftsman, his face covered in soot, said carefully: “Young Master, this thing is very dangerous, please be careful.”

“How is it dangerous?”

“It often explodes.”

“Explodes? Hmm… have you found the cause?”

“It’s nothing, it’s just that the array patterns are easily burned, leading to spiritual energy riots. Just… be careful!”

The craftsman suddenly grabbed Zhang Hao and crouched down. The blower made a muffled sound, and a wave of spiritual energy rushed out, spreading like ripples, knocking over many of the surrounding craftsmen.

The power wasn’t great, but somersaulting and lying on the ground full of gravel, powder, and rust had a comedic effect.

Zhang Hao got up: “Thank you. What’s your name?”

“This humble one… this humble one is Huang Mingshan.” Huang Mingshan was a little excited, the young master had thanked him.

“Okay, Huang Mingshan, you go ahead and get busy, we’ll chat later.”

“Yes, yes!” Huang Mingshan was very excited. He skillfully disassembled the blower, replaced it with a new array pattern, and continued working.

About an hour later, there were only wisps of brown smoke on the surface of the molten iron, the flames had completely disappeared, and the volume of the molten iron had shrunk by nearly ninety percent.

At this time, the molten iron had a crystal-clear feel, and a faint, silk-like treasure light flowed on the surface of the molten iron.

Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye were excited, shocked, and dumbfounded. The two looked at each other, then looked at Zhang Hao, then looked at each other again…

Zhang Hao looked at the molten iron and nodded: “Okay, cast the iron ingots and start forging.”

Before the first iron ingot had completely cooled, Zhang Shengde grabbed it, cast an Appraisal Technique, and was dumbfounded: “Pu… purity… 93%…”

“Hiss…” Zhang Shengye and many surrounding craftsmen gasped.

Young Master Zhang Hao was very calm, and flamboyantly distributed the iron blocks to the many blacksmiths: “Continue forging until no sparks fly.”

“Yes!” The craftsmen scrambled to grab the iron ingots, and the continuous sound of forging rang out again.

Chapter 4: Artificial Power

The night was deep, but everyone’s eyes shone like glowing pearls.

Zhang Hao stood with his arms crossed, quietly watching – the first step was perfect!

One piece after another of forged Mystic Iron was placed before Zhang Hao, Zhang Shengde, and Zhang Shengye.

“Basic purity of 93%, which can reach 95% after forging.”

“95% purity, reward of one spirit stone.”

“96% purity, reward of three spirit stones.”

“94% purity… go back and continue forging.”

“97% purity, reward of six spirit stones.”

“96% purity…”

Mystic Iron of different purities was sorted into categories, and soon several small mountains rose. But at this time, Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye had expressions of calm, or rather, numbness.

The artisans were very excited. They had created a miracle, and the rewards were generous.

Zhang Shengye circled the Mystic Iron several times, and suddenly became excited again: “The value of these Mystic Iron is enough to buy half a town!”

Zhang Shengde, in his excitement, did not lose his reason: “I’m afraid it will bring us a catastrophe!”

Zhang Shengye instantly calmed down.

Zhang Hao was a little puzzled: “Didn’t you say that Mystic Iron reserves are very rich and everyone can get involved? Right now, this Mystic Iron, added together, is only three thousand 500g.”

Zhang Shengde pulled Zhang Hao aside and explained in detail.

First, currency: low-grade spirit stones, mid-grade spirit stones, and high-grade spirit stones, all on a scale of one hundred.

One 500g of 60% purity Mystic Iron can be cast into one thousand Mystic Iron coins; two iron coins can buy about 500g of unpolished rice.

One 500g of 60% purity Mystic Iron is worth one low-grade spirit stone.

One 500g of 70% purity Mystic Iron is worth five low-grade spirit stones.

One 500g of 80% purity Mystic Iron is “at least” worth twenty low-grade spirit stones.

When the purity of Mystic Iron exceeds 80%, each increase in purity increases the price by at least ten spirit stones.

And 90% purity Mystic Iron, because it can be used to refine magical treasures, only accepts mid-grade spirit stone pricing, at least ten mid-grade spirit stones; 96% purity Mystic Iron is worth at least seventy mid-grade spirit stones!

“96% purity Mystic Iron is at least seven thousand times the value of 60% purity; with a slight fluctuation in price, it could be ten thousand times!

“So, this small pile of Mystic Iron in front of us is a real mountain of wealth! Three thousand 500g of Mystic Iron is worth at least twenty-one million spirit stones!”

Zhang Shengde turned around and shouted: “Everyone, whether guards or artisans, will be rewarded with two more low-grade spirit stones each, and those involved in Mystic Iron smelting and forging will receive two more.

When the Mystic Iron is sold in the future, everyone’s… sal-ar-ies will in-crease!”

“Woah…” The artisans and guards jumped up excitedly.

“Okay, everyone disperse, go do what you need to do.”

Everyone scattered, excitedly starting to get busy.

When only Zhang Hao, Zhang Shengde, and Zhang Shengye were left, Zhang Hao couldn’t help but ask: “Dad, Second Uncle, won’t these artisans leak the secret?”

Zhang Shengye smiled: “Don’t worry, everyone here has been carefully screened, and has sworn a poisonous oath. If there is any leakage, the whole family will suffer.”

“Ah… this… isn’t that too harsh?” Zhang Hao was surprised.

Zhang Shengye laughed: “This is actually also protection. If it weren’t like this, someone would secretly kidnap their families to threaten them.

Moreover, the entire Fertile Earth Continent is doing this.”

“I see.” Zhang Hao suddenly understood.

Different worlds have different rules, and I need to update my thinking.

Zhang Shengde stared at Zhang Hao with burning eyes: “Can you talk about the smelting of Mystic Iron?”

“Dad, Second Uncle, this is what I was thinking just now: the main impurity of Mystic Iron is iron, and iron rusts. There must be something in the air that can cause the change in iron. So I tried to introduce air into the molten iron, and fortunately succeeded.

Those rising brownish-gray fumes must be iron rust.”

Zhang Shengde looked at Zhang Hao for a while before nodding: “Very good associative ability.”

“Dad, I feel particularly sharp-minded now.”

Zhang Shengye laughed: “Perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise. The Qian family shot themselves in the foot this time!

Little Hao, what do you think we should do about the Qian family?”

“Second Uncle, I think that the Qian family has obtained new technology and must be investing and transforming on a large scale, just to make a splash.

We must also seize the time to transform and produce a large amount of Mystic Iron.

When the Qian family is ready to make a splash, we’ll go and keep them company.”

“Keep them company? That’s a good idea! I will send someone to keep an eye on the Qian family!” Zhang Shengde’s face suddenly burst with murderous intent. He had been harmed miserably by the Qian family during this period, and this revenge must be repaid twice over!

Zhang Hao then said: “Dad, Second Uncle, I have another idea.”

Zhang Shengye was curious: “Little Hao, what idea do you have?”

Zhang Hao opened his mouth and said: “Sell low-level and mid-level magical artifacts in large quantities and at low prices! Hmm… I think the word ‘dumping’ would be better.”

“Tell me about it,” Zhang Shengde said.

“Selling magical artifacts is obviously more profitable than selling Mystic Iron; we have enough room to lower prices, so we can fight a price war and seize the market.”

“Heh…” Zhang Shengde smiled, touched the top of Zhang Hao’s head, and said earnestly: “The idea is good. But it’s a bit rushed. We should sell a large amount of Mystic Iron for the time being.”

“Why?” Zhang Hao asked.

“Because… we still need to unite some ‘friends’ to open up the situation.

Before our own strength is strong enough, we can’t hog all the profits!

Moreover, we also lack the artisans needed to refine magical artifacts and magical treasures!”

Zhang Hao understood: quietly enter the village, don’t fire the gun~~~

In the end, Zhang Shengde decided: use good Mystic Iron to arm the family; the Mystic Iron sold to the outside world should not exceed 86% purity.

Bows, crossbows, arrows, weapons, etc., need to be replaced and supplemented in large quantities. Arrowheads and blade edges should be covered with a layer of high-purity Mystic Iron to increase armor-piercing ability.

Zhang Shengde was responsible for arming, Zhang Shengye was responsible for the mine, and Zhang Hao… temporarily worked as an engineer!

By the time it was dawn, the artisans could directly refine Mystic Iron with a purity of 70% to 86%, saving the later forging process.

At Zhang Hao’s request, the iron ingots were cast into one and a half foot squares (half a meter), and stacked up like city bricks.

After confirming that the artisans had mastered the technique, Zhang Hao found the artisan Huang Mingshan to learn about the fans.

To be honest, Zhang Hao was surprised and delighted when he saw the fan before.

What is the first element for developing industry?

“Power!

“Artificial power!

“Artificial power that is no longer restricted by nature, that can liberate human hands, that can be controlled and repeatedly manufactured!

“The industrial revolution in another world, rather than starting with the steam engine, started with artificial power.”

Huang Mingshan was very restrained, his face full of the color of smoke and fire, and only his snow-white teeth could be seen when he smiled honestly from time to time.

“Sit down, don’t be restrained.”

“Yes, yes, yes.” Huang Mingshan sat down carefully, only lightly sitting on half of the chair, with his hands on his thighs, slightly bent over and bowed his head.

Zhang Hao smiled gently, took out ten low-grade spirit stones and put them on the table: “Huang Mingshan, I will ask you a few questions about the fan. If you answer well, these spirit stones are yours.”

Huang Mingshan instantly calmed down, staring at the spirit stones with burning eyes. Ten low-grade spirit stones is almost equivalent to Huang Mingshan’s net income for the past six months. Now, they are lying quietly in front of him, within reach.

Zhang Hao flipped out a notepad and asked one question after another, and Huang Mingshan answered one by one.

The fan is driven by spirit stones. A one-inch-sized low-grade spirit stone can keep the fan running continuously for half a day.

In everyone’s perception, this cost is a bit high – just blowing air, it costs sixty spirit stones a month! Too extravagant. Under normal circumstances, a bellows is enough.

As for the structure of the fan, it is very simple. There is only a low-level wind array, no mechanical structure, only an array rune structure.

But this structure generates a lot of heat, and the array patterns are made of low-grade Mystic Iron with extremely high resistance, so the array patterns often melt.

Moreover, this kind of clumsy fan is not new, but it is not very useful in the world of cultivation, so it has not been developed.

“I have another question, array patterns made of low-grade Mystic Iron are easy to burn out, why not use better Mystic Iron?”

Huang Mingshan blinked, but was a little confused: “They are just clumsy things, good Mystic Iron is so expensive.”

“Does everyone do this?” Zhang Hao asked.

“Yes!” Huang Mingshan looked as a matter of course.

Zhang Hao smiled: “Very good. These ten spirit stones are yours.”

“Thank you, Young Master.” Huang Mingshan picked up the spirit stones, his face full of joy, and finally gave Zhang Hao a silly smile.

Zhang Hao nodded: “Huang Mingshan, I have a task that I need your help with.”

“Young Master, please tell me, as long as Huang Mingshan can do it, I will go through fire and water, and die without hesitation!” Huang Mingshan stood up excitedly.

“Good!” Zhang Hao expressed his appreciation for Huang Mingshan’s attitude, “It’s nothing, you make a list of all the artisans you know who understand fans, arrays, and refining, the more detailed the better.

If this is done well, I will reward you with another ten spirit stones!”

“Yes!” Huang Mingshan’s eyes lit up, and he vaguely felt that the opportunity to change his destiny seemed to be coming.

Chapter 5: New Standard

Welcoming the morning sun, Zhang Hao examined the Nourishing Yuan Pill in his hand. The pill, about the size of a finger, resembled the finest pearl, radiating a hazy, precious light.

This was an ordinary Nourishing Yuan Pill, yet it was worth twenty low-grade spirit stones, equivalent to twenty thousand iron coins, nearly a commoner’s annual income.

Cultivation, cultivation; wealth, companion, method, and land – wealth comes first!

The pill melted instantly in his mouth, a warm and moist aura flowing through his entire body.

Glancing once more at the rising sun, Zhang Hao smiled and closed his eyes, beginning his cultivation.

Industry was important, but cultivation couldn’t be neglected either.

Riding the wind and controlling the void, living as long as the heavens – the thought alone was exhilarating.

In a daze, Zhang Hao once again entered the so-called ‘harmony of man and nature’ state.

The vast energy between heaven and earth still surged like ocean waves, and Zhang Hao greedily absorbed this immense power.

In a trance, he found himself once again on the small path filled with array patterns, surrounded by dancing streamers of light.

A realization began to brew in his heart: the circulation route of true essence within his body faintly followed a certain rule, a rule that connected the inside and outside of the human body, interacting with heaven and earth.

He didn’t know how much time had passed, but Zhang Hao noticed that the stone wall in front of him seemed shorter. He had a feeling that as long as he reached out and pushed, he could enter the eighth level of Qi Refining.

But Zhang Hao smiled and didn’t act. He had just broken through the sixth and seventh levels in quick succession and hadn’t consolidated his foundation yet. Cultivation couldn’t be achieved overnight; he had to take it one step at a time.

When the sun was high in the sky, Zhang Hao opened his eyes. The power of the seventh level of Qi Refining surged within him. Zhang Hao narrowed his eyes, formed a hand seal with both hands, and suddenly pushed forward.

A seven-foot-tall palm of flame appeared, silently melting a foot-deep pit in the rock wall.

Zhang Hao stepped forward and gently touched it; it was scalding hot to the touch.

He clenched his fist and punched the rock wall; his fist plunged more than two inches into the rock, and the surrounding rock shattered, creating a circular depression a foot in diameter.

“Is this the power of cultivation?” Zhang Hao looked at the destruction he had caused, somewhat shocked. “Developing technology in such an environment is quite a challenge!”

Zhang Hao then drew his sword, a high-grade magical treasure. The sword sliced through the rock as if it were cutting through loose plaster. The power of cultivation filled Zhang Hao with both surprise and joy.

He was happy that cultivation indeed had a future, but he was also surprised – with such a powerful cultivation environment, how should industry develop?

“…………”

After lunch, Zhang Hao returned to the smelting area. Along the way, he was still thinking: novels were indeed deceptive. Cultivators not only didn’t abstain from grains, but they actually ate more and ate better.

For this lunch, Zhang Hao ate spiritual rice, drank spiritual spring water, and the dishes were either the flesh of demonic beasts or spiritual fruits and vegetables.

“Young Master.” A voice interrupted Zhang Hao’s wandering thoughts. It was Huang Mingshan.

Huang Mingshan handed over a list with more than twenty names on it.

Zhang Hao glanced at it and nodded. “Huang Mingshan, leave this list with me for now. Everyone should seize the time to produce these next few days. Once things are settled, I’ll gather everyone to research and improve the wind turbine together.”

Huang Mingshan was overjoyed, but he cautiously asked, “Young Master, doesn’t the family have some high-level artifact refining artisans? Why look for ordinary craftsmen like me?”

Because you guys are easy to control and listen to orders. Those guys are too arrogant; even Father has to discuss things with them. Of course, he couldn’t say that out loud. Zhang Hao’s reply to Huang Mingshan was, “I saw your pragmatic and realistic attitude.”

Huang Mingshan immediately stood up straight. “I guarantee I won’t let Young Master down!”

Zhang Hao nodded and began to inspect the smelting area. The Mystic Iron that was being prepared for sale had a purity between seventy percent and eighty-six percent. According to Zhang Hao’s requirements, it was all cast into ingots one and a half feet square.

After the Mystic Iron ingots cooled, they were carefully polished, with all six sides as smooth as a mirror and the edges straight. An aura of ‘standardized’ industry wafted over.

One by one, the Mystic Iron ingots were stacked up like city bricks. In just one night, more than twenty ingots had already been cast. It was foreseeable that as the smelting furnace was modified, the production speed would continue to increase.

One smelting area was casting arrows, including small sleeve arrows, ordinary bow arrows, repeating crossbow bolts, and large crossbow bolts – everything was available. The arrowheads would be dipped in a ninety-three percent pure Mystic Iron solution, covering them with a layer of high-purity Mystic Iron. After later processing, the armor-piercing ability of the arrows could reach the ‘magical treasure’ level.

“Little Mouse.” Zhang Shengye called out to Zhang Hao from afar.

“Hey… Second Uncle, can we discuss something? Can we change that nickname?”

“Then I’ll call you Big Mouse.”

“Uh… Little Mouse is better; it sounds nicer~~~” Zhang Hao looked up, speechless.

Zhang Shengye stared intently at the Mystic Iron ingots in the distance and asked, “Little Mouse, you’ve made the Mystic Iron ingots too big; they’ll be hard to sell.”

“Oh? How does everyone usually buy them?”

“Some are purchased by individual cultivators, a few pounds or even a few ounces at a time.

Others are purchased by armies, government offices, merchant guilds, families, mercenary groups, etc., in varying amounts. Sometimes it’s several thousand pounds, other times it’s several hundred or several dozen pounds.”

“Second Uncle, I have an idea. Let’s lower the price and seize the market.”

“It’s hard to lower the price!” Zhang Shengye disagreed. “The profit margin for Mystic Iron is almost transparent; everyone is earning hard-earned money. If we lower the price, we’ll offend a lot of people and disrupt the market.”

“Second Uncle, what if we don’t do retail and only do wholesale, and on a large scale?”

“Wholesale?” Zhang Shengye’s eyes lit up instantly.

The concept of wholesale existed here, but it was mainly for ordinary goods. Cultivation resources were mostly scarce and difficult to scale, so Zhang Shengye didn’t think of it at first.

Zhang Shengye began to calculate, “Our current production efficiency has almost increased a thousandfold, and the cost is less than half of what it used to be. In the future, as the scale expands and efficiency increases, the cost will be further reduced.

So, we have plenty of room to lower the price.”

“Such large-scale production only reduces the cost by half?” Young Master Zhang Hao had a question.

“The biggest cost of smelting Mystic Iron comes from crushed spirit stones. Although these crushed spirit stones are low-quality spirit stones, they are still spirit stones.”

“I see.” Zhang Hao nodded. “Second Uncle, I have another suggestion, which is to establish a new standard of measurement.

The general units of measurement are: catty, jun, stone, etc., with thirty catties being one jun and four jun being one stone.

These measurement methods are relatively chaotic and not conducive to large-scale wholesale and statistics.

Moreover, Mystic Iron is very heavy; ‘one stone’ of Mystic Iron is only about six or seven inches square.

And establishing a new unit of measurement, or rather, establishing our own standard, is itself an identifier.

If we want to become a first-class family, we must set our own standards.”

“Well said!” Zhang Shengde walked over. “So, what kind of standard do you want to set?”

“Father, Second Uncle, there’s a ‘big catty’ on the market, also called a kilogram. I want to use one thousand kilograms as a unit, and name it ‘ton’ (Note ①).

One ton of Mystic Iron, ten percent off the market price for wholesale.

Ten tons or more of Mystic Iron, fifteen percent off the market price for wholesale.

Fifty tons or more, twenty percent off.

No individual sales; the minimum order quantity is one ton.

I measured it; a Mystic Iron ingot one and a half feet square is exactly one ton.”

“Good, Little Mouse, you’ve been planning this for a long time.” Zhang Shengye laughed heartily, turning to look at the neatly stacked Mystic Iron ingots, his eyes flashing with joy.

These Mystic Iron ingots had been polished to a mirror-like finish, their surfaces radiating a faint cyan precious light, like huge gemstones. Just one glance was enough to make one’s heart flutter!

However, Zhang Shengde’s gaze towards Zhang Hao was a bit puzzled: was this kid’s mind a little too sharp?

“…………”

Note ①: Ton is a foreign word, derived from the English word “tun”. Originally, the book wanted to use “屯” (tun) to replace it, but after thinking about it, I decided to keep the daily habit for ease of reading.

Subsequent units of measurement will follow this example and will not be explained separately.

Chapter 6: Price War

The sea continued to churn. On the rocks where Zhang Hao had stood, Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye exchanged a silent look.

After a long while, Zhang Shengde spoke, “Don’t you think Hao’er has changed quite a bit?”

“Brother, you’re overthinking it. It’s normal for him to change. Besides, everything Hao’er thinks and does is for the family, and he’s not hiding anything. I think he’s just become smarter and more enlightened.”

Zhang Shengde slowly nodded. “I hope I am overthinking it.”

With that, Zhang Shengde looked at the distant, churning sea, the doubt in his eyes still lingering.

Zhang Shengye shrugged, saying casually, “Brother, if you ask me, it would be strange if he didn’t change after experiencing a soul curse and awakening on his own.

Hao’er being able to awaken from the soul curse on his own, I think this is a turning point for our family!”

Zhang Shengde looked at the sea, at the demonic beasts rolling within, and slowly changed the subject. “The eastern nations have monopolized the trade routes, placing the Qixia Kingdom in a completely passive position. If this continues, the danger of national collapse is imminent.”

Zhang Shengye also put away his smile, his expression slowly turning serious. “When the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken!”

“How’s your cultivation?”

“Early-stage Golden Core!” Zhang Shengye’s face bloomed with a smile again. He extended his palm, and a small flying sword danced nimbly within, like a swimming fish.

“Very good. Continue to pretend to be at the peak of Foundation Establishment. This time, we must make the Qian family pay the price!”

As he spoke, Zhang Shengde’s mind stirred. He gently raised his hand, and a flying sword emerged from the void.

Zhang Shengde caught the flying sword and lightly pressed the signet ring on his right thumb against it. A line of text immediately appeared on the flying sword:

The Qian family departs tomorrow morning.

Zhang Shengde smiled and turned to Zhang Shengye. “Let’s go, we’ll go to the county city tomorrow.”

…

“Knock, knock, knock…” The door was being pounded loudly.

Zhang Hao grumbled irritably, grabbed the blanket, covered his head, and lay down to continue sleeping.

So what if he was a cultivator? He could still sleep in!

“Young Master, wake up. We’re going to the county city today, departing after breakfast.” The person’s voice was loud, even a bit presumptuous.

Hearing this voice, Zhang Hao immediately thought of one person: Zhang Han.

Zhang Han was Zhang Hao’s older brother. However, the reason this older brother called Zhang Hao “Young Master” was because he wasn’t a blood-related brother.

It’s a long story… but let’s make it short.

Zhang Han was originally the only son of a family guard. Later, the guard died in battle, and Zhang Shengde raised him, adopting Zhang Shengde as his godfather. His cultivation talent completely outstripped ‘Zhang Hao’ by several streets. Zhang Han was only in his twenties, yet he had mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation; he was responsible for one-third of the family’s armed forces.

However, Zhang Han was very dutiful, so dutiful that it made Zhang Hao a bit awkward: Zhang Hao called Zhang Han ‘Brother,’ while Zhang Han called Zhang Hao ‘Young Master.’

Zhang Han was still knocking on the door. Zhang Hao sighed, shook his head a few times, and finally climbed out of bed.

Opening the door, Zhang Hao saw a burly figure. He looked to be about twenty years old, with a resolute expression; a domineering two-handed horse-chopping saber hung at his waist.

An aura of heroic dominance washed over him.

Zhang Hao rubbed his eyes. “Brother, how many times have I told you? Don’t call me Young Master.”

“Yes, Young Master.” Zhang Han turned around after saying that. “Hurry up and get ready, Father and Second Uncle are already busy. The Qian family left long ago.”

Zhang Hao: …

How stubborn can you be~~~

…

The morning sun had just risen, the sky filled with red clouds. The Zhang family’s team, bathed in the morning glow, headed towards the county city of Ninghe County.

The horses pulling the carts were all tall steeds with demonic beast bloodlines, their bodies sculpted with muscles, pulling carts laden with Mystic Iron at a gallop.

As for storage equipment… they were too expensive and too rare, and the space was small.

This time, the Zhang family had prepared a total of forty tonnes of seventy percent purity Mystic Iron, and thirty-five tonnes of eighty percent purity.

The carriage bumped along, the scenery on both sides receding rapidly. Zhang Hao estimated that they were going at least sixty kilometers per hour, and that was while dragging crude carts and heavy goods. The carts left deep ruts in the ground as they passed.

Zhang Hao was full of muttered complaints: Were these horses too powerful? If the cars produced in the future couldn’t even compare to horse-drawn carriages, wouldn’t that become a negative example?

Zhang Han, however, was examining the arrows in his hand. These were newly forged arrows, gleaming with a cold light.

Zhang Han smiled. “These arrows are enough to kill a prepared Foundation Establishment cultivator! If used properly, they can even cause damage to a Golden Core cultivator. Young Master…”

“Brother, is it so hard for you to call me ‘Little Brother’?” Zhang Hao stared directly at Zhang Han, not giving him any room to avoid.

Their eyes met. After a long while, Zhang Han opened his mouth and slowly uttered two words: “Li…ttle… Brother…”

Zhang Hao smiled and called out loudly, “Brother!”

The awkwardness on Zhang Han’s face gradually faded, a smile slowly emerging, until he was beaming.

It seemed as if a shackle had been broken. The aura around Zhang Han began to churn, the heavy pressure making it difficult for Zhang Hao to even breathe.

A moment later, Zhang Han opened his eyes, his smile even brighter. “Sorry, I accidentally broke through to late-stage Foundation Establishment.”

Zhang Hao: …Then be more careful in the future~~~

On the other side, Zhang Shengye looked at the two of them, a gentle smile on his face.

After a bumpy ride of more than an hour, around nine in the morning, they arrived at Ninghe County. Zhang Hao estimated that the entire journey was about one hundred and twenty to one hundred and thirty kilometers.

The city of Ninghe County was magnificent, with thick black stone walls over ninety meters high, their surfaces shimmering with formations. The city walls stretched endlessly on both sides, connecting with the mountains.

Beneath the tall city gates, people came and went, with thousands lining up to enter the city.

Zhang Shengde introduced, “Ninghe County City is five kilometers wide. The City Lord, Liu Jingming, is a peak Golden Core expert. It is said that he once defeated an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator in a one-on-one fight.”

After paying ten low-grade spirit stones for the city entry tax, the team headed straight for the cultivator market in Ninghe County.

The place was bustling with noise, and almost everyone in sight was a cultivator.

There were shops everywhere, selling magical treasures, magical artifacts, spiritual materials, spiritual medicines, pills, providing magical treasure repairs, formation services, mansion and cave dwelling design and construction, providing spiritual medicine cultivation, spiritual beast cultivation and sales, and even providing cultivator clothing fabrics, food, all kinds of ingredients, spiritual rice, and so on, everything one could wish for.

Occasionally, one could also see镖局 (bodyguard service) or mercenary storefronts.

Zhang Shengde led Zhang Hao on a tour of the market before heading straight for their main destination—one of the busiest places in the market, a spiritual material trading platform.

From afar, Zhang Shengde pointed to the most radiant person on the high platform and said, “Hao’er, the one shouting over there is the Qian family head, Qian Shaoxian. Next to him is his son, Qian Mingjue.”

Zhang Hao listened carefully. A cultivator’s keen senses allowed Zhang Hao to distinguish Qian Shaoxian’s voice amidst the mixed sounds:

“The Qian family’s Mystic Iron smelting technology has made a breakthrough. Both production and quality have seen a qualitative improvement.

To thank everyone for their support, we are lowering prices today as a reward.

Ten tonnes of Mystic Iron, ten percent off!

Ten tonnes, all ten percent off!

Each person can only buy up to two and a half kilograms, for today only!

Everyone, line up and draw lots! Sales start at 10 AM!”

The surrounding crowd surged. The price of Mystic Iron was almost transparent, with almost no room for price reductions. A ten percent discount was truly tempting.

A cold smile appeared on the corner of Zhang Shengde’s mouth. “Very good. Since the Qian family has taken the lead in lowering prices, we won’t be offending anyone by lowering them further.

Everyone, shout it out: Zhang family Mystic Iron, twenty percent off!”

Chapter 7: Welcome to the Tour

Zhang family guards’ slogans were neat and loud, quickly suppressing the noisy scene and overshadowing the Qian family’s brilliance.

For a time, countless gazes turned: Today is truly lively.

As soon as the market opened this morning, the Qian family jumped out and took the lead in launching a price reduction storm, igniting the market.

The competitors were furious. A ten percent discount was already at the break-even point. However, the vast number of cultivators were very excited.

However, just as everyone was boiling around the Qian family, the Zhang family came out and directly undermined them.

What is a ten percent discount?

“We sell at a twenty percent discount!”

“Twenty percent off? Isn’t that going to lose money!” Many cultivators began to discuss.

Mystic Iron is closely related to almost every cultivator, and everyone is relatively clear about the market of Mystic Iron. If the technology is slightly improved, a ten percent discount still has a little profit. But a twenty percent discount will definitely lose money!

Some cultivators said: Is the Zhang family going to fight the Qian family to the death? Retaliate against the Qian family’s previous actions?

Cultivators also gossip, and the cultivator activity circle is large, and information is well-connected. The friction between the Zhang family and the Qian family is almost well known.

But the Zhang family’s team did not stop at the trading table, but slowly moved forward until they reached a small building.

This is a three-story vermilion building, not luxurious, but the vermilion paint is a bit mottled. A huge plaque hangs on it: Zhang Family Mystic Iron.

The door has not yet been opened, but many people have gathered in front of the door.

There are those dressed plainly and those dressed gorgeously, there are handsome and suave talents, there are cold and enchanting peerless beauties, and there are pot-bellied middle-aged people—don’t think that cultivators are all handsome men and beautiful women.

From a distance, someone shouted: “Boss Zhang, long time no see. How much Mystic Iron did you bring today? We want it all! Can it be cheaper?”

Someone else shouted: “The Mystic Iron I bought last time seems to be of a slightly lower quality, which almost made us lose money. Old Zhang, we have to talk about this.”

“Yes, yes, Boss Zhang…”

“Don’t get lost, don’t nag here.”

“Who the hell are you talking about…”

“Huh? I’m talking about someone else, why are you making a sound?”

“…”

Zhang Hao looked at the lively scene in front of him, blinking his eyes in a somewhat dazed manner, it was so intense.

Zhang Shengde smiled at Zhang Hao: “Don’t take it to heart, they are just some bastards who try every means to lower the price. Come, let me introduce you.

This pot-bellied one, who looks broad-minded at first glance, is Zheng Changqiu from the Zheng family’s trading company in Nanyang County. Call him Uncle Zheng.

This one who is as thin as a bamboo pole… cough… with iron bones all over, is Mu Mingchen from the Mu family’s trading company in Anling County, call him Uncle Mu.

This one with a serious face, as if the heavens owe him something, is Ji Butong, the steward in charge of purchasing for the Nine Sun Sect, just call him Steward Ji.

This one with a rich look is Liu Xian from the ‘Cloud Eagle Trading Company’, call him Uncle Liu. The Cloud Eagle Trading Company is backed by the royal family, so walk around more often.

This one with a wise (old) face is from the Ninghe County City Lord, responsible for the purchasing of Ninghe County. Zhu Yuantang, you call him… Uncle Zhu.

This ice-snow-like, proud and frosty Ice Snow Fairy is Mei Qianyun from the Jade Snow Villa, you must call her Fairy Mei.

This one is…”

Zhang Shengde’s introduction was humorous, and the atmosphere was very active.

Zhang Hao greeted them one by one, and everyone was very enthusiastic, and they gave a little gift. But everyone was enthusiastic, but they didn’t mention a word about the Zhang family’s previous encounters, as if they didn’t know it at all.

While speaking, the guards had already carried the Mystic Iron into the house. Zhang Shengde suddenly waved his hand and rolled up a gust of wind, tearing off all the tarpaulins, revealing square Mystic Iron ingots, one and a half feet (half a meter) in size, a total of seventy-five pieces.

These Mystic Iron ingots have been finely polished, like a mirror, emitting a pure blue light, like huge gems.

Before Zhang Shengde could speak, everyone rushed up with a crash, exclaiming:

Compared to those ‘strangely shaped’ iron sheets after forging, the current iron ingots are square, shiny, and every edge is perfect and flawless, like exquisitely carved works of art. Such Mystic Iron raw materials undoubtedly subvert everyone’s concept.

Even the cold and beautiful Fairy Mei opened her cherry lips a little unladylike, shocked.

Zhang Shengde smiled and extended an invitation: “Feel free to visit.”

Everyone couldn’t wait to appraise the Mystic Iron ingots.

“Purity 75%, uniform texture!”

“Purity 84%, uniform texture!”

“All the Mystic Iron ingots are square, flawless, and there are no sand holes.”

“Perfect!”

After everyone finished the appraisal, they exclaimed again and again. They had never seen such “perfect” Mystic Iron raw materials.

After the appraisal, everyone suddenly fell silent in unison—facing these Mystic Iron, everyone suddenly didn’t know how to quote a price. Also, is the twenty percent discount that the Zhang family said before true?

Zhang Hao took the initiative to come forward; Zhang Hao’s status as a junior was particularly useful at this moment.

Coming to the center, Zhang Hao spoke: “This junior is being presumptuous.

As you seniors can see, after a long period of exploration, the Zhang family overcame all kinds of difficulties and finally achieved brilliant results.

From now on, the Zhang family will no longer retail, but only accept large-scale wholesale.

In order to facilitate large-scale transactions, we have formulated new standards. The weight of each piece of Mystic Iron is ‘one ton’.

One ton is equivalent to one thousand kilograms, two thousand jin.

Our wholesale methods and prices are:

“Fifty tons or more, twenty percent off the market price.

Ten tons or more, fifteen percent off the market price.

Less than ten tons, ten percent off the market price.

The minimum order quantity is one ton!

“If you seniors go directly to the Zhang family to pick up the goods, you will be given an additional one percent transportation discount.

This price is permanently valid, not just today.”

After Zhang Hao finished speaking, everyone immediately whispered. It was really too surprising, too many surprises.

Whether it was the price, the sales model, or the product quality, everyone was stunned.

The minimum order quantity is one ton. Mystic Iron with a purity of 75% has a market price of six low-grade spirit stones. The market price of one ton is twelve thousand low-grade spirit stones, even if it is ten percent off the market price, it is ten thousand eight hundred low-grade spirit stones, one hundred and eight medium-grade spirit stones.

This is a huge sum of money, and ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators may not be able to take it out.

Moreover, for these purchasers, they also face an important decision—not whether to buy or not, but how much to buy! More importantly, it is necessary to consider the relationship with the Zhang family.

As a trading company, family, sect, or even a government procurement officer, they have considerable power, and they also have keen eyes. The Zhang family’s changes made them keenly feel:

A great dragon has appeared in the Mystic Iron market!

Obviously, unlike the Qian family’s loss-making shouting, the Zhang family is probably really in control of an unprecedented technology!

So, is it to be a ‘dragon slayer’? Or a partner of the dragon?

The whispers gradually disappeared, and the atmosphere gradually became a little dull.

Zhang Shengde also became nervous. He knew very well the Zhang family’s situation—if it aroused the vigilance of the major forces, the Zhang family might be in danger; but if they could cooperate with the major forces and form an alliance of interests, the Zhang family would soar!

“One step away, either soaring to the sky or doomed forever.”

Zhang Shengde maintained a smile on the surface, but his mind was tense to the limit.

The atmosphere became more and more dull.

Just at this moment, there was a sudden commotion at the door, but Zhang Hao’s “old friend”, the Qian family’s patriarch, Qian Shaoxian, walked in with his head held high.

Before he arrived, Qian Shaoxian’s voice floated over: “I heard that Nephew has recovered, so I brought some gifts to congratulate him.”

Zhang Hao’s eyes suddenly narrowed, wanting to curse: Even in that world of information explosion, such shameless people are rare species.

Qian Shaoxian’s arrival happened to break the crisis of silence.

Zhang Shengde breathed a sigh of relief, and a bright smile bloomed on his face: He patted Zhang Hao’s shoulder: “Come, smile, and thank Uncle Qian.”

At the same time, Zhang Shengde transmitted his spiritual sense to Zhang Hao: The best counterattack against the enemy is not anger, but… a smile! To despise the enemy psychologically!

“Despise the enemy psychologically, and value the enemy strategically!” Zhang Hao’s mind flashed with such words, a bright smile appeared on his face, and he calmly walked towards Qian Shaoxian: “Thank you for your concern, Uncle Qian. Come, Uncle Qian, let me show you around.”

Chapter 8: Just Kidding

Before Qian Shaoxian could say anything, Zhang Hao ‘invited’ him towards the Mystic Iron. “Uncle Qian, look, this is a piece of Mystic Iron with a purity of eighty-five percent, weighing two thousand jin. Its market price is at least one hundred and forty thousand low-grade spirit stones, which is almost the gross profit of the Zhang family for the past three months.

This piece…”

Zhang Hao introduced three pieces in a row, and Qian Shaoxian’s expression rapidly collapsed. It only took a dozen or so breaths for him to go from laughing heartily at the entrance to now having a livid face.

Zhang Hao could even see the veins bulging on his jaw, and he faintly heard the sound of grinding teeth.

Zhang Hao continued unabated, pointing to another piece of Mystic Iron and saying, “This piece of Mystic Iron has a purity of eighty-six percent… Oops, look at me, I forgot that Uncle Qian’s family can’t produce this, my apologies, my apologies.

How about this, Uncle Qian, feel free to look around, don’t stand on ceremony. Please excuse me for a moment.”

With that, Zhang Hao prepared to leave Qian Shaoxian behind.

But at this moment, Qian Shaoxian suddenly stopped and grabbed Zhang Hao’s arm. “Nephew, wait a moment. Besides congratulating you on your recovery, I have another matter to discuss.

Oh dear, this is quite a troublesome matter. Everyone wants to know your family’s attitude.”

Zhang Hao was a little stunned for a moment. “Our attitude? What attitude?”

Not only Zhang Hao, but Zhang Shengde beside him also perked up his ears and narrowed his eyes. He knew that this guy’s arrival wouldn’t bring anything good.

Then he heard Qian Shaoxian reveal a chilling smile. “I heard that the Zhang family is planning to sell Mystic Iron at an eighty percent discount, and permanently so. This is cutting off everyone else’s livelihood!

Now, everyone is waiting at the entrance for the Zhang family to give an explanation.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Hao immediately walked towards the entrance. When he arrived, he saw hundreds of people blocking both ends of the street, making it impenetrable. However, everyone was silent, quietly watching the Zhang family’s shop.

Sometimes, silence is a deeper power than shouting, a kind of aura with a determination to die.

Zhang Shengde, Zheng Changqiu, Mei Qianyun, and others followed behind Zhang Hao, and after seeing such a scene, they looked at each other – the situation was not good.

Zhang Hao was stunned for a moment, then smiled. He turned back and gave his father a reassuring look, then leisurely stepped out of the door and into the center of the street.

Zhang Hao raised his head slightly and said loudly, “Everyone, the Zhang family has achieved a technological breakthrough through its own efforts. Do you have any objections to that?”

Zhang Hao’s voice was loud and even carried a questioning tone.

Zhang Hao’s attitude instantly ignited the entire crowd. Everyone didn’t expect a young kid to dare to ‘reprimand’ them in such a tone.

For a time, the crowd was in an uproar.

Zhang Hao stood in the center of the street with his hands behind his back, calmly scanning the surroundings.

“Dad!” Zhang Han watched nervously.

“Don’t move.” Zhang Shengde blocked Zhang Han, his eyes quietly watching Zhang Hao.

Not only Zhang Shengde, but also Zheng Changqiu, Mei Qianyun, and others were quietly watching Zhang Hao.

At this moment, Zhang Hao was so extraordinary.

Seeing that Zhang Hao didn’t respond, the noisy voices gradually lowered, and finally there was only a faint whisper.

“Finished speaking?” Zhang Hao scanned the crowd again, then suddenly smiled. “Then, I’ll speak.”

After a slight pause, Zhang Hao used his true energy, and his voice was vast. “Everyone, I only have two things to say.

First, to thank everyone for their care for the Zhang family over the years, the Zhang family has decided to make our smelting method public.”

“哗啦……” Zhang Hao’s words caused an uproar, and even Zhang Shengde was alarmed. What was this kid doing?

But Zheng Changqiu and others’ eyes lit up.

Amidst the surrounding uproar, Zhang Hao’s voice was still vast. “What the Zhang family will make public is the forging method for purifying Mystic Iron, at least eighty percent purity, and it will be… completely free!

In a quarter of an hour, the Zhang family will publicly demonstrate it at the trading platform. Everyone, go back and prepare.”

“哇……” Everyone was immediately excited.

“Alright, everyone, disperse. We’ll meet at the trading platform in a quarter of an hour.” Zhang Hao waved his hand, put his hands behind his back, raised his head, and prepared to walk back to the shop.

“Young Master Zhang, wait!” Someone immediately shouted, their tone and attitude having undergone a complete reversal. “Young Master Zhang, you said two things just now?”

“Oh, I’ll talk about that at the trading platform. Everyone, go back and prepare.”

Everyone was slightly stunned, then scattered with a bang.

Compared to the silence on the crowded street just now, the atmosphere at this time was full of joy.

The crowd quickly dispersed, leaving only the Zhang family, Zheng Changqiu and others, and Qian Shaoxian behind.

At this time, Zheng Changqiu suddenly reacted. “Zhang Hao, a quarter of an hour later, the time will only be ‘Si hour, two quarters’. But the Qian family is preparing to lower prices and promote sales at ‘Si hour, four quarters’, also at the trading platform.”

Zhang Hao blinked, and exclaimed, “Uncle Qian, look at me, I even forgot about this. How about this, I’ll have the guards notify everyone to wait until Uncle Qian’s promotion is over before we proceed.”

Qian Shaoxian’s face was already livid. Qian Shaoxian was sure that if he really did that, everyone would tear him apart.

These people were originally brought by him to make things difficult for the Zhang family, but he didn’t expect to be turned against him by this kid with just a few words.

Zheng Changqiu and others looked at Zhang Hao with a somewhat deep gaze. This kid had a clever mind and beautiful and decisive methods. This move had pushed the Qian family into a corner.

But then again, the Qian family was only reaping what they sowed, they deserved it.

Zheng Changqiu looked at Zhang Hao, but had to think about his relationship with the Zhang family.

In Zheng Changqiu’s view, people could be divided into three types:

“The first type is insects, who can be bullied, bullied at will, the more they are bullied, the more obedient they become; if they are not bullied, they become cheap.

The second type is snakes, who can be ‘oppressed’ a little, but cannot be ‘bullied’.

The third type is dragons, who cannot be touched or provoked; unless you are sure of killing them with one blow, it is better to greet them with a smile.

And now, Zheng Changqiu saw the shadow of a dragon on Zhang Hao.

That grand and majestic way of doing things, that decisive attitude, also prompted Zheng Changqiu to make a decision – it was not easy to be a dragon-slaying warrior, perhaps he should consider being a partner of the dragon.

Zhang Hao came to Zheng Changqiu and others in a dashing manner. “Everyone, have you made your selections?”

Liu Xian of the Cloud Eagle Trading Company, spoke. “Zhang Hao, the things are all good, and we are very satisfied. But… it’s too big, I might accidentally break my teeth.”

Zhang Hao smiled even more brilliantly. “Uncle Liu, you’re too modest, this little bit of stuff isn’t even enough to fill the gaps between your teeth, right? Oh… Uncle Liu wouldn’t be thinking of… an exclusive deal?”

Liu Xian laughed heartily, patted Zhang Hao on the shoulder, and said excitedly, “Oh dear nephew, Uncle Liu really has this idea. How about it, consider it?”

“Hmm…” Zhang Hao crossed his left arm over his chest and rested his chin on his right hand. “Thank you for Uncle Liu’s kindness, I’m flattered. Then, I wonder how much Uncle Liu can eat? Two thousand tons per month?”

“Pfft…” Liu Xian spat out a mouthful of old blood. Two thousand tons of Mystic Iron? What a joke!

“Two thousand tons is two million kilograms, this is Mystic Iron, the entire Qixia Kingdom’s monthly output is only about five million kilograms!

“Liu Xian opened his mouth, and finally asked a little dryly,”Nephew, you’re… just kidding, right?”

“Haha… Uncle Liu saw through me.” Zhang Hao smiled ‘embarrassedly’, but turned to look at Zheng Changqiu next to him. “Uncle Zheng, my dad said you have the biggest appetite, eating two thousand tons is no problem, right?”

Chapter 9: Counterattack from Desperation

Upon hearing Zhang Hao’s words, Zheng Changqiu’s face instantly darkened. “You little rascal, you don’t learn the good things. Look at this skinny guy like a bamboo pole; he’s the real bottomless pit, never full no matter how much he eats.”

Mu Mingchen’s mouth twitched. However, Mu Mingchen turned his head to look at Qian Shaoxian, who was grinding his teeth beside him, and snorted, “Fellow Daoist Qian, we are discussing trade secrets here. Would you mind excusing yourself?”

Trade secrets, my foot!

Qian Shaoxian’s face was already ashen. He forced a dry smile and walked silently towards the door.

Zhang Shengde’s cheerful voice rang out, “Hao’er, you have no tact at all. Why don’t you see your Uncle Qian off?”

“Uncle Qian, take care.” Zhang Hao chased him to the door, waving enthusiastically. As a result, Qian Shaoxian quickened his pace even more.

Once Qian Shaoxian left, Ji Butong, the Nine Sun Sect’s steward, spoke up, his tone very serious. “Zhang Hao, how much Mystic Iron can you produce each month now? With the current quality.”

“Two thousand tons!” Zhang Hao reiterated the number.

“Are you… serious?” Ji Butong was a little disbelieving, even a bit annoyed.

Zhang Hao said earnestly, “Steward Ji, I wouldn’t joke about something so important. We estimate that our production will reach two thousand tons in a month.”

Zhang Hao was calculating in his mind: Right now, they could produce thirty to forty tons a day. Once all the furnaces were modified, sixty to seventy tons a day would be easy. In fact, Zhang Hao had almost said ten thousand tons just now, but he was afraid of scaring them.

“Little rascal!” Zheng Changqiu glared at Zhang Hao. “The Zheng family can only take at most… five hundred tons a month!”

“Pfft…” Mu Mingchen chuckled. “I say, Old Zheng, aren’t you afraid of indigestion? Your Zheng family would be stuffed with just one hundred tons a month, right?”

Liu Xian of the Cloud Eagle Trading Company coolly stated, “Cloud Eagle Trading Company, eight hundred tons a month!”

Ji Butong of the Nine Sun Sect grew anxious. “We can take six hundred tons!”

Zhu Yuantang of Ninghe County finally spoke, his tone decisive. “Seven hundred tons!”

Mei Qianyun said coldly, “Everyone, the total volume is only two thousand tons for now. Should you reconsider?”

Zheng Changqiu thought for a moment. “Then four hundred and eighty tons.”

“Are you itching for a beating?” Mei Qianyun’s eyebrows shot up.

…

The atmosphere immediately livened up. In just a short while, everyone had accepted the new unit of measurement: tons.

Zhang Hao was secretly delighted. He had quietly and tentatively taken the first step into this world, successfully leaving his own footprint.

While everyone was getting excited, Zhang Shengde called Zhang Hao over with a cold face. “Your response just now was alright. But publicly revealing the technique, isn’t that… a bit inappropriate?”

“Dad, we can just reveal the water-quenching technique. This will not only thwart the Qian family’s plans, but also establish our position.”

“Position? How so?”

“Dad, facing the entire market, our family’s strength is ultimately weak. What if we could unite the vast majority of our peers?”

“Unite them?” Zhang Shengde’s eyes gradually brightened. “We can give it a try!”

An hour passed quickly. While Zheng Changqiu, Mei Qianyun, and the others were still arguing, Zhang Shengde interrupted them and invited everyone to go to the trading platform together.

When the group arrived at the trading platform, they found it even more lively.

The Qian family was still stubbornly clinging to the trading platform, insisting on their promotion. But everyone ignored them and had already started chasing them away.

Nearby, the guards of the county seat were yawning.

Zhang Hao frowned slightly at the suddenly appearing security guards. “Dad, these guards…”

“As long as no one gets killed. If there are losses due to fighting, compensate them afterwards.”

Zhang Hao nodded and led the way towards the trading platform.

Seeing Zhang Hao and the others arrive, everyone’s enthusiasm soared. Dozens of people rushed onto the trading platform, throwing the Qian family and all their goods off the stage.

After a short while, Qian Shaoxian could only stand outside the crowd, watching Zhang Hao with anger.

Zhang Hao, on the other hand, walked step by step onto the trading platform along the path cleared by the crowd.

The trading platform wasn’t high, only about one meter. But at this moment, Zhang Hao stood here, looking down at the masses for the first time.

Zhang Hao still didn’t speak, just quietly watched, his expression somewhat serious, with a hint of majesty.

Under Zhang Hao’s gaze, the noisy voices of the crowd gradually disappeared.

Zhang Hao smiled slightly, and the atmosphere instantly became lively:

“The Zhang family came in a hurry and didn’t prepare craftsmen, crude iron, forging tools, etc. We’ll have to trouble everyone.

Also, prepare some spirit spring water.”

“No problem, use our family’s!”

“Use ours!”

Everyone was very enthusiastic. Before long, more than a dozen craftsmen and five sets of forging tools appeared on the trading platform.

Zhang Hao’s expression turned serious. “Three people in a group, get ready.”

The craftsmen busied themselves skillfully. Without earth fire, they used flame formations and spirit stones instead. Although it was a bit extravagant, who cared?

The crude iron was quickly heated red-hot. As the first handful of spirit spring water was poured onto the blazing iron block, as the heavy hammer fell, as sparks like fireworks flew, everyone’s mouths opened wide.

During the forging process, the density of the sparks represented the efficiency of removing impurities.

“Control the amount of spirit spring water, not too much, as that will lower the temperature of the iron. But not too little either, as the effect won’t be enough.”

“Sprinkling water with pine branches, reed flowers, or tumbleweed will be more even.”

“The three of you rotate, taking turns to rest.”

“This flame temperature is too low, raise it higher. The iron block must be red-white.”

“Be careful not to let the iron block cool down; the forging process must not be interrupted.”

“Good, maintain this state until no more sparks fly.”

On the Mystic Iron trading platform, the sound of forging echoed continuously. Everyone watched intently, watching the flames roar, watching the water vapor roll, watching the sparks fly…

The craftsmen had already taken off their shirts, their bulging muscles rippling, their dark skin gleaming with sweat and the light of the flames, a picture of strength and fire slowly unfolding.

Whether it was magical artifacts used by Qi Refining stage cultivators or spiritual weapons used by Nascent Soul stage elders, the materials they required all needed to be burned in fierce fire and forged thousands of times.

Every hammer blow was imprinted with the blood, sweat, and wisdom of the craftsmen.

The prosperous age of cultivation was carried on the shoulders of these ordinary craftsmen.

Many cultivators who were watching the Mystic Iron forging scene for the first time were attracted and shocked by this picture of strength and fire. Some even had a sudden realization, their cultivation and realm quietly rising.

Afterwards, many people’s gazes focused on Zhang Hao, their gratitude overflowing.

Zhang Hao’s first public appearance was the focus of everyone’s attention!

Only the Qian family looked at Zhang Hao with murderous intent!

Previously, the Qian family had unscrupulously exchanged for the Zhang family’s forging technique, but it wasn’t very detailed. Now, Zhang Hao had completely revealed the Zhang family’s forging technique and even performed it live.

Watching the flying sparks, listening to the surrounding crowd’s exclamations, Qian Shaoxian vaguely felt that the blacksmith’s rising and falling hammer seemed to be hitting his heart: every hammer blow made his heart tremble.

The Qian family’s future seemed to be shattering little by little under the hammer!

“Damn it!” Qian Shaoxian was furious. “Zhang family, we’ll see!”

Standing on the trading platform, Zhang Hao slowly scanned the crowd, and when he passed Qian Shaoxian, he didn’t even pause.

In fact, Zhang Hao wanted to remain low-key and develop quietly. But it wouldn’t work; the situation didn’t allow it. The Qian family was already riding on his neck, so Zhang Hao could only fight back.

Since he couldn’t be low-key, then… let’s go crazy.

Chapter 10: Panache

The rhythmic and powerful hammering continued for over half an hour. Everyone watched intently, not wanting to miss a single detail.

Finally, the first group of artisans stopped. The Mystic Iron in their hands no longer sparked.

A gleaming iron plate with a faint cyan luster lay quietly on the anvil. The cyan glow was pure and elegant, as clear as the sky after a rain.

Zhang Hao smiled at the crowd and said, “Who would like to come up and appraise it…?”

Before he could finish, a Foundation Establishment cultivator shot onto the platform. He cupped his hands at Zhang Hao, then hurried forward to examine the iron. After a moment, he shouted in a slightly shrill voice, “Purity of eighty-nine percent!”

A clamor erupted immediately.

Zhang Hao narrowed his eyes. Such high purity? Didn’t this mean that with a little more effort, they could forge Mystic Iron with ninety percent purity?

Mystic Iron with a purity of ninety percent or higher could be used to refine magical treasures!

Why could the Zhang family only forge Mystic Iron with a purity of eighty-five percent at most using the same methods, while this first experiment here produced eighty-nine percent purity?!

The difference was too great to be accidental; there had to be some decisive factor involved.

So, what was it?

Zhang Hao scanned the area, his gaze quickly focusing on the flames. The flames here were fueled by spirit stones and formations, not by earth fire!

Zhang Shengde transmitted his voice: “Little Hao, what’s going on? How did you get such high-purity Mystic Iron?”

Zhang Hao was not yet at the Foundation Establishment stage and didn’t have spiritual sense, so he couldn’t transmit his voice. He could only smile at his father and shake his head slightly to indicate that everything was fine! Perhaps this would be a good thing.

Soon, the second group also stopped, their Mystic Iron having a purity of eighty-eight percent.

“Ah…” The crowd sighed, feeling a little disappointed that it hadn’t reached ninety percent!

Zhang Hao thought for a moment, then suddenly shouted to the remaining artisans, “Increase the flame temperature! Add another set of spirit stones! Also, replace the spirit spring with a higher grade one!”

Zhang Hao’s instructions were immediately carried out. Someone took out spirit stones, and the flame temperature rapidly increased. The flames, infused with spiritual energy, took on a rich golden color, with strands of dazzling bright blue within.

The new spirit spring was brought over, and the hammers fell once more, sparks flying again.

Below the trading platform, heavy breathing could be heard. Everyone’s eyes were wide, fixed on the remaining artisans.

Two quarters of an hour passed quietly. Finally, no more sparks flew, and the three groups stopped almost simultaneously.

This time, before Zhang Hao could speak, someone rushed forward, eager to make the appraisal.

“The third group has a purity of ninety-three percent!”

“The fourth group has a purity of ninety-two percent!”

“The fifth group has a purity of ninety-three percent!”

Everyone scrambled to personally appraise the Mystic Iron, creating a chaotic scene.

“Quiet!” Zhang Hao suddenly roared. “Everyone, line up to appraise!”

The crowd hesitated, but actually lined up obediently. At that moment, even the Foundation Establishment experts listened to the command of Zhang Hao, a mere Qi Refining stage seven teenager.

The crowd walked past the five anvils in an orderly fashion, personally appraising the Mystic Iron and exclaiming in surprise one after another.

This time, everyone saw clearly: Zhang Hao had used other people’s artisans, other people’s tools, and other people’s materials to forge Mystic Iron with a purity as high as ninety-three percent. This proved that the Zhang family was not hiding anything!

Another two quarters of an hour passed, and everyone stood back under the trading platform, leaving only Zhang Hao and the artisans on the platform.

Zhang Hao slowly opened his mouth and said, “Now, I will announce some decisions of the Zhang family. This is the second matter I mentioned earlier.

“From today onwards, the Zhang family will withdraw from the retail of Mystic Iron and switch entirely to the wholesale of Mystic Iron.

“To facilitate wholesale transactions, the Zhang family has created a new unit of measurement: the ton.

“One ton is two thousand jin.

“In other words, the minimum order quantity is two thousand jin. Please do not disturb us if you wish to purchase less than two thousand jin.

“Thank you.”

With that, Zhang Hao raised his head and chest, ready to walk off the trading platform.

“Wait, Young Master Zhang!” someone shouted. “We were instigated by petty people and caused trouble for the Zhang family. We sincerely apologize.”

Zhang Hao laughed and said, “It’s nothing. We can’t be as petty as those people, can we?”

The crowd burst into laughter.

Someone else asked, “Young Master Zhang, the Zhang family has made the Mystic Iron smelting technique public. Are there any requirements?”

The crowd instantly quieted down again, silently watching Zhang Hao.

Zhang Hao turned around, scanned the crowd, and said in a deep voice, “If you ask about requirements, there is indeed one. That is… I don’t know when it started, but everyone has become accustomed to competing with low prices.

“Low prices lead to poor quality, and poor quality leads to further price reductions.

“I hope that this vicious cycle will end today.

“I hope even more that the future of the Mystic Iron industry will be a competition of quality. We should do our best to provide the market with high-quality Mystic Iron.”

His words were powerful and resonated with everyone’s hearts.

The crowd fell silent for a moment.

“Let these five pieces of Mystic Iron remain on the trading platform as a warning.”

Zhang Hao stepped down from the trading platform, and joined Zhang Shengde and the others. Everyone consciously made way for them, watching the Zhang family leave.

After Zhang Hao and the others disappeared around the corner, the scene remained silent for a while. Suddenly, someone shouted, “Please ask the Qian family to leave this place. You are not welcome here!”

“Yes, please ask the Qian family to leave!”

“Leave!”

“Get out!”

“Get out of Ninghe County!”…

Qian Shaoxian’s face was as black as the bottom of a pot. It was all over!

The Qian family had exhausted all means to obtain the technique from the Zhang family, but now it was made public, and even improved upon, capable of smelting Mystic Iron with a purity of ninety-three percent.

In other words, everything the Qian family had done was in vain! Now, they were being driven out by the crowd, without even a foothold.

How could this be?

Qian Shaoxian led the Qian family back to their shop in a daze. Looking at the shop that had been smashed to pieces, his expression was wooden.

After a while, Qian Shaoxian suddenly roared, “Zhang family, we’ll see!”

…………

“Nephew, not bad!” Back at the shop, Zhang Hao was greeted with countless praises. Zheng Changqiu was the first to offer praise, but behind the praise, there was a hint of fear in Zheng Changqiu’s eyes:

The young man’s performance today made Zheng Changqiu a little frightened; he was definitely a monster. Especially Zhang Hao’s counterattack against the Qian family, made Zheng Changqiu feel a little apprehensive.

After thinking for a moment, Zheng Changqiu pointed to the seventy-five tons of Mystic Iron around them and asked, “Nephew, you see that we have been arguing here for a long time without any progress. Do you have any suggestions?”

Zhang Hao didn’t stand on ceremony. “Since Uncle Zheng asked, then I will make a fool of myself.

“Why don’t everyone buy one or two pieces first and think about it. In ten days, the Zhang family will host a banquet here to entertain everyone.”

“That’s how it should be!” Zhu Yuantang said, stepping forward to select two pieces of Mystic Iron, one with a purity of eighty-six percent and one with a purity of seventy-five percent, paying at a ninety percent discount. Because it was a large transaction, Zhu Yuantang paid directly with mid-grade spirit stones.

Afterward, everyone made their moves. Finally, Zhang Shengde left three pieces of Mystic Iron, no longer selling them, saying that they would be kept for display.

In the blink of an eye, the Zhang family earned one million spirit stones. Zhang Shengde’s eyes were a little dizzy: the reversals of the past few days had been too great.

After arranging for his subordinates to send the Mystic Iron away, Liu Xian of the Cloud Eagle Trading Company suddenly laughed and said, “Brother Zhang (Zhang Shengde), today is a day of ‘great joy’ for your Zhang family. You must treat us.

“I heard that the Nine Treasures Pavilion recently received a batch of rare treasures, which makes my mouth water.”

“Nine Treasures Pavilion? Yes, let’s go to the Nine Treasures Pavilion!”

Everyone became lively again.

“Alright, alright, Nine Treasures Pavilion!” Zhang Shengde laughed. “Let’s go!”

Chapter 11: Hearing of the Eastern Expedition Again

Nine Treasures Pavilion isn’t in the market district, but in the bustling city center, quite a distance away.”

The group chatted and laughed as they headed towards the city center; or rather, it would be more accurate to say they floated.

A hazy breeze lifted them about a foot off the ground, their postures elegant yet their speed of advance was quite fast. Zhang Hao followed behind his father, Zhang Shengde, quietly listening to their conversation.

Nine Treasures Pavilion is the most upscale restaurant in Ninghe County. The “Nine Treasures” broadly refers to ingredients from nine places: fields, rivers, underground (caves, etc.), deep mountains, lakes, seas, the sky, overseas, and blessed lands.

Fields and rivers provide common ingredients, mostly locally sourced, cultivated, or farmed.

Underground (caves, etc.), deep mountains, and lakes offer better ingredients, many requiring Foundation Establishment cultivators to hunt.

The seas and sky yield high-end ingredients, often requiring Golden Core cultivators to get involved.

Overseas refers to ingredients from outside the Fertile Earth Continent; in other words, imports.

Blessed lands are the most special. These blessed lands often contain rare ingredients with effects comparable to elixirs.

Nine Treasures Pavilion has nine floors, each corresponding to one of the ingredient sources.

Zhang Hao mused that behind even a small Nine Treasures Pavilion, there must be a vast network of connections. This Nine Treasures Pavilion was definitely not simple.

Nine Treasures Pavilion stood nine zhang tall, magnificent and resplendent. As soon as the group arrived, a dignified and beautiful maidservant came out to greet them.

“Pretty, isn’t she!” Zheng Changqiu whispered to Zhang Hao. “But be careful. A Golden Core expert once got handsy and had his cultivation crippled on the spot by the Pavilion’s manager.”

Zhang Hao was immediately shocked. “Thank you, Uncle Zheng.”

Zheng Changqiu chuckled. “But you can pursue her openly and honestly.”

Zhang Hao: …Hey, watch your image, Senior Zheng!

Zhu Yuantang, leading the way, took out a scarlet token and said to the maidservant, “Take us to the eighth floor.”

“Esteemed guests, this way please.” The maidservant led the way with a sweet smile.

Zhang Hao was quite surprised. They even have a membership system? What Zhu Yuantang took out was clearly a membership card or something similar.

It seemed this was indeed an interesting cultivation world.

Upon entering Nine Treasures Pavilion, Zhang Hao was astonished. The interior was grand and magnificent, each floor divided into two levels: private rooms above and a large hall below.

While passing through the third-floor hall, Zhang Hao actually saw Qian Shaoxian. Young Master Zhang Hao immediately gave a ‘friendly’ greeting and invitation, his voice a bit loud, attracting the attention of the entire floor.

Qian Shaoxian snorted angrily, his gaze towards Zhang Hao and Zhang Shengde filled with killing intent.

“I know the guy eating with Qian Shaoxian!” Ji Butong, the purchasing manager of the Nine Sun Sect, spoke up. “That’s Miao Feihu, the leader of the Flying Tiger Mercenary Group, a peak Golden Core cultivator, ruthless and merciless.

Qian Shaoxian is actually mixed up with this guy!”

Zhang Hao and Zhang Shengde exchanged a look.

Ji Butong’s words were a typical hint, deliberately explaining who Miao Feihu was, the meaning self-evident.

Once they reached the eighth floor and entered the private room, Zhu Yuantang casually asked, “Need any help?”

Zhang Shengde didn’t stand on ceremony. “We’re planning to go to Subtlety Temple tomorrow. If it’s convenient, how about we travel together?”

Zhu Yuantang immediately looked embarrassed. “That’s… a bit far. If it were in the city…”

Mu Mingchen smiled. “Let’s go together. I’m planning to return to my family tomorrow to discuss the Mystic Iron matter. Subtlety Temple is conveniently on the way.”

“That’s very kind of you.” Zhang Shengde quickly expressed his gratitude.

Delicious delicacies were brought up in a steady stream, with a maidservant specially assigned to explain each dish.

“Sea Cuttlefish Bone from the Emerald Sea, smoked with Purple Sun Grass for twelve hours. Not only is it delicious, but it also clears internal elixir toxins and nourishes the five internal organs.”

“Silver Ring Snake from Yu Gao Mountain, cooked with Flowing Emerald Mountain spirit spring water and snow lotus, has the effect of clearing the heart, reducing fire, and soothing the liver. The snake gall is especially potent.

Moreover, for Qi Refining cultivators, the snake gall’s effects are ten times that of a Lesser Spirit Origin Pill, and its medicinal properties are mild and without elixir toxins.”

“Purple Jade Ganoderma from伏龟 Mountain, steamed with snow mountain spirit spring water. It can repair internal injuries, nourish yin and yang, strengthen muscles and bones, and has good nourishing effects for fractures, hidden injuries, and meridian damage caused by overexertion.”

“‘Qi Fish’ from the Danyang Kingdom, a peak Foundation Establishment ingredient, cooked with Jade Snow Villa’s unique snow mountain spirit spring water, and a touch of earth milk spirit liquid.

After consumption, Foundation Establishment cultivators and below can form a ‘Marine Essence’ in their dantian, which can prevent one instance of cultivation deviation within a month.”

…

The maidservant’s voice was sweet, and her explanations were concise and clear, greatly broadening Zhang Hao’s horizons. The world of cultivation was so unique, even the food was special.

Zhang Hao ate, cultivated, and enjoyed the delicious food. As expected of Nine Treasures Pavilion, Zhang Hao wished he could eat his own tongue.

Not only that, but as Zhang Hao ate, his cultivation, which had just broken through to the seventh level, rapidly approached the seventh level limit, and it looked like he wouldn’t be able to suppress it.

“Here, nephew, eat this!”

Zheng Changqiu placed the silver ring snake’s gall in front of Zhang Hao. “This snake gall can dispel fire and can also be used as a Lesser Spirit Origin Pill. You’ve just broken through to the seventh level and still need to consolidate it. Breaking through to the eighth level now won’t do you any good.”

As the snake gall entered his stomach, the restless true essence throughout his body instantly calmed down, and Zhang Hao’s cultivation actually regressed from the peak of the seventh level all the way back to the middle stage of the seventh level. After a slight pause, it continued to decline, dropping to the early stage of the seventh level in one go.

But this true essence didn’t disappear into thin air, instead, it permeated his muscles, bones, and flesh, strengthening Zhang Hao’s foundation.

Zhang Hao was amazed. His cultivation seemed to have decreased, but Zhang Hao keenly felt that his combat power had actually increased, and his true energy was more condensed and flexible.

This was the effect of the Spirit Origin Pill. The Lesser Spirit Origin Pill was mainly for Qi Refining cultivators.

At the same time, Zhang Hao also sighed—cultivation, sure enough, can’t be separated from elixirs.

Mu Mingchen suddenly asked Zhang Hao, “Nephew, you’re eighteen this year, right?”

“Yes, Uncle Mu.”

“The same age as our Yingying.” Mu Mingchen’s words revealed a certain hint.

Upon hearing this, some people were thoughtful.

Zheng Changqiu raised his glass. “Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing? Drink, drink! I’ll drink first as a sign of respect.”

The atmosphere gradually warmed up, and Ji Butong of the Nine Sun Sect suddenly asked Zhu Yuantang, “Old Zhu, let me ask you something. I heard before that the country seems to be planning an ‘Eastern Expedition’. Is this true?”

Everyone’s movements instantly froze, and even Zhang Hao widened his eyes.

Was there going to be a war?

Zhu Yuantang clicked his tongue, looking a bit hesitant.

Mu Mingchen immediately said, “I’ve heard about it too. In our Anling County, people are already talking about it.”

“Yes, what exactly is going on?” Ji Butong also pressed.

Everyone’s eyes focused on Zhu Yuantang.

Zhu Yuantang put down his chopsticks and thought for a moment before saying, “Well, there’s nothing that can’t be said about this, it’s just a bit complicated.

In fact, it’s not just us who want to launch an Eastern Expedition. More than a dozen other countries, such as the Danyang Kingdom, the Jinyang Kingdom, and the Zhongshan Kingdom, also want to launch an Eastern Expedition.”

“As everyone knows, we countries located in the western part of the Fertile Earth Continent are rich in mineral resources, but we lack elixir resources. Almost all important medicinal materials need to be purchased from the East.

But the East is holding us by the neck, arbitrarily raising prices. An ordinary Qi Cultivation Pill costs twenty spirit stones here, but in the East, it’s only three or four spirit stones, or even less!

“And the Foundation Establishment Pill, which is crucial for cultivation, only costs one hundred spirit stones in the East, but here, it can sell for more than a thousand, and it’s often out of stock!

Our cultivation lifeline is controlled by the East.

Therefore, we have no choice but to fight.

It’s just… the situation isn’t optimistic, because the East has a monopoly on elixirs, and the number of Golden Core cultivators in the East is ten times that of ours!

The battle may fail. But if we don’t fight, we will surely decline!

The royal family is also hesitating now.”

Chapter 12: Sudden Rumors

The sudden mention of the Eastern Expedition made the atmosphere heavy.

In the past, the Western nations had organized many Eastern Expeditions, but most of them ended in failure. Even the occasional small victory was quickly countered by the Eastern nations.

Zhang Hao lowered his head, his heart growing even more determined: Rich mineral resources, coupled with a monopoly on trade routes and the shadow of war, are forcing me to embrace industrialization.

The meal lasted until evening. As it was about to end, another maid entered, “Reporting to all distinguished guests, there is a rumor being discussed downstairs. After careful consideration, Nine Treasures Restaurant believes it is necessary to inform you.”

“Please speak,” Zhang Shengde said.

The maid said, “Half an hour ago, rumors suddenly spread downstairs that the Abbot of Emerald Bamboo Peak, the Master of Subtlety Temple, Mingxu, was involved in the Qian family’s massacre a year ago.

Moreover, it is said that Daoist Mingxu obtained a treasure map from the Qian family, which is related to the legendary ‘Nine Immortal Mountains Overseas’.

Many people are preparing to go to Subtlety Temple tomorrow to demand an explanation.”

“What!” Everyone was surprised, especially Ji Butong, who stood up abruptly.

Ji Butong’s expression was complex, with a hint of anger flickering, “The Qian family was a family affiliated with the Nine Sun Sect. A year ago, they were suddenly massacred for unknown reasons, and the culprit could not be found. I will go to Subtlety Temple tomorrow!

Heh, as a sacred ground’s temple, it has been plagued by scandals recently!”

Zhang Hao pondered, “Why did the rumors appear at this time?”

The maid replied, “It started suddenly. Perhaps the source is not in Nine Treasures Restaurant.”

The group exchanged glances and stood up, saying that this matter needed to be investigated immediately.

…

By the time they returned to the shop, it was already night. Zhang Hao placed two large food boxes in front of Zhang Han, “Brother, these are for you.”

“Thank you,” Zhang Han took the food boxes and began to eat.

The delicacies from Nine Treasures Restaurant were undoubtedly delicious, but the price… was also unquestionable. It cost over twenty thousand spirit stones, with no discount! By the way, Zhang Hao also received a scarlet “VIP Token.”

However, after Zhang Shengde returned, he sat in the hall, seemingly waiting for someone. Zhang Hao was curious, but Zhang Shengde did not explain, only saying to wait.

Zhang Hao was bored, so he began to cultivate, taking advantage of the medicinal properties of the delicacies from Nine Treasures Restaurant.

Time quietly passed to midnight. Zhang Shengde suddenly said, “They’re here. Hao, make tea and welcome our distinguished guest!”

Having a guest in the middle of the night was one thing, but a distinguished guest?

As Zhang Hao prepared tea, Zhang Shengde slowly opened the door. A middle-aged man in a purple robe stood smiling at the door. He was a bit fat, and his smile was somewhat amiable.

But for some reason, seeing this person and this smile, a hint of coldness flashed through Zhang Hao’s heart. It was… a sense of danger!

After they sat down, Zhang Hao served tea. Zhang Shengde then said, “Hao, this is Bai Ye, the manager of Night Moon Pavilion. His surname is Bai, and his given name is Ye, the ‘night’ of nighttime. Call him Uncle Bai.”

“Zhang Hao greets Uncle Bai.”

Bai Ye smiled slightly, “I didn’t bring anything good for our first meeting. Take this. An invisibility talisman. Once activated, even ordinary Golden Core cultivators will have difficulty detecting you for half an hour.”

It was an ordinary-looking jade talisman, palm-sized, with mottled colors. Only the faint, powerful spiritual energy emanating from it shocked Zhang Hao.

Zhang Shengde was a little surprised, “Quickly thank Uncle Bai. This is a talisman treasure, which can be regarded as a one-time magical treasure! Because the requirements for using talisman treasures are low, they are even more valuable than top-tier magical artifacts!”

“Just a small thing, something I practice with,” Bai Ye said, taking the tea from Zhang Hao. He turned to Zhang Shengde and said, “Old Zhang, we’re all acquaintances, so I’ll get straight to the point. I want the remaining three tons of Mystic Iron. Give me a fair price.”

“Three tons in total, eighty-five percent discount, rounding down, a total of one hundred and fifty thousand low-grade spirit stones.”

“Okay, fair enough!” Bai Ye waved his hand outside without hesitation, and someone immediately entered.

Zhang Hao was startled. He hadn’t seen anyone outside just now, and there were ten of them! These guys seemed to appear out of thin air.

Not only that, but these guys did everything silently. They put down the spirit stones, lifted the Mystic Iron, and disappeared in a flash.

Zhang Hao’s eyes widened. It was like seeing a ghost!

Seeing this, Bai Ye smiled, “Didn’t your father tell you that Night Moon Pavilion is responsible for assassinations and intelligence?”

“Ah… I see!” Zhang Hao suddenly understood. No wonder! No wonder they came in the middle of the night and walked like ghosts…

Bai Ye seemed to enjoy Zhang Hao’s expression. He turned to Zhang Shengde and said, “Thanks. I have two pieces of news. Do you want to hear them?”

“Anything that Manager Bai specifically mentions must be heard!”

“The rumors that suddenly appeared during the day were spread by the Qian family. One of their goals in doing so is to ensure that you go to Subtlety Temple tomorrow, making it easier for them to ambush you!”

“I see!” Zhang Shengde realized. With this rumor and so many people ‘accompanying’ him, Zhang Shengde would definitely take the opportunity to go to Emerald Bamboo Peak tomorrow to seek justice.

Bai Ye smiled, “So, do you want to know where the Qian family is ambushing? Do you want to know their strength? Do you need to hire a shadow bodyguard for Zhang Hao?”

Zhang Shengde was speechless, “I knew there was no such thing as a free gift! I need to know all the information, and hire an experienced late-stage Golden Core shadow bodyguard for Zhang Hao!”

“Haha…” Bai Ye was quite pleased, “Thank you for your patronage. The price for the information is five hundred spirit stones.

The price for a late-stage Golden Core bodyguard is thirty spirit stones per hour. If there is combat, all consumption, etc., will be calculated at double the market price.”

“Deal.”

Bai Ye said to Zhang Hao with a smile, “The bodyguard has arrived, three feet behind you.”

Arrived? Zhang Hao’s eyes widened. It was empty all around.

Three feet behind him? Zhang Hao stared intently, looking for a long time before finally noticing a flaw. “What a brilliant stealth technique! I almost didn’t see it.”

This time it was Bai Ye’s turn to be surprised, “You saw it? How is that possible? Even Foundation Establishment cultivators would have difficulty detecting it!”

Zhang Hao pointed to the ground and said, “Look at the shadow on the ground. The light from the jade lamps on the wall is spreading, but a section of the shadow here looks like it has been cut off.”

This time, Zhang Shengde laughed loudly, “Old Bai, hand it over!”

Bai Ye smiled helplessly, but still readily took out three high-grade spirit stones from his pocket and handed them to Zhang Shengde. He then explained to Zhang Hao:

“There has long been a rule that anyone who discovers and points out our shortcomings will receive a reward of at least one high-grade spirit stone.”

So that’s how it is? Zhang Hao understood and looked at the edge of the shadow again: the edge of a normal shadow is blurred, with a gray transition, which is caused by the diffraction of light; but the shadow after invisibility does not have this.

But after thinking about it, Zhang Hao didn’t say anything. It’s better to keep this to himself!

Bai Ye left, and Zhang Hao saw the information Bai Ye had left behind:

Zhang Hao’s recovery and the Zhang family’s rise had made the Qian family desperate again. So they found Miao Feihu and the Flying Tiger Mercenary Group, preparing to ambush Zhang Hao and Zhang Shengde.

And in order to ensure that the Zhang family ‘definitely’ went to Subtlety Temple, the Qian family released the rumors.

In addition, Bai Ye had a speculation in the information: the reason why the Qian family was able to blackmail Subtlety Temple into cursing Zhang Hao in the first place was probably related to the current rumors.

Zhang Hao pondered, “The Qian family discovered Subtlety Temple’s weakness and blackmailed them into cursing me. But now, not only has the curse failed, but the Qian family is also in crisis, so the Qian family is furious and exposed Subtlety Temple’s misdeeds!

The Qian family is killing two birds with one stone!”

Zhang Shengde nodded, “The Qian family’s ambush is actually in Reed Flower Town! That’s really an unexpected place!”

Zhang Han took out a crude map and said, “Reed Flower Town is thirty kilometers east of the city. There is almost no terrain to use except for a patch of reeds, and it is under the city lord’s nose.

What is the Qian family doing?”

Zhang Hao thought for a moment and said, “Perhaps, this is the so-called ‘striking where they are unprepared’. Military strategy says: the best strategy is to attack the mind! Therefore, the ambush location does not necessarily have to focus on geographical advantages, but can also be psychological advantages!”

“Not bad!” Zhang Shengde looked at Zhang Hao with surprise again. After a slight pause, Zhang Shengde said, “Hao, I have a question I want to ask you.”

Zhang Hao’s heart skipped a beat.

Chapter 13: Father and Son’s Night Talk

The night was still. A tranquil and elegant serenade was composed of the varying insect chirps, punctuated by the occasional crisp bird song, injecting soul into the serenade and making the night vivid and lively.

However, Zhang Hao’s heart was in his throat!

Zhang Hao’s nerves were stretched to the limit, yet his face had to show a hint of anticipation, like a young man eager to impress his father.

Beside him, Zhang Han, who had been meditating, slowly opened his eyes, listening intently.

Zhang Shengde slowly began, “During the day, besides countering the Qian family with the public water forging technique, you also said you wanted to establish our family’s position and organize everyone. Can you elaborate on that?”

So, it’s about this…

Zhang Hao breathed a sigh of relief internally, but outwardly, he didn’t dare relax in the slightest.

“Father, the situation at the time forced me to make a quick decision. The reason everyone could be swayed by the Qian family was fundamentally due to profit.

As the saying goes, all the world’s hustle and bustle is for profit. In that situation, reasoning with everyone was pointless. Only by giving them tangible benefits could we quell their anger.”

Zhang Shengde nodded, his gaze towards Zhang Hao becoming even brighter.

Zhang Hao continued, “At the time, we had two choices. One was to restore the original price, but that would tarnish the family’s reputation and credibility, and it would also affect our plans. More importantly, it would allow the Qian family to succeed in isolating us and turning everyone against us.

So, we could only choose the second option, which was to give everyone our outdated technology. It also served to undermine the Qian family.

But we’re not fish on a chopping board, waiting to be slaughtered without fighting back. If they get our technology, they have to pay a price.”

“They didn’t pay anything!” Zhang Han said, puzzled.

“Yes, they did,” Zhang Shengde said. “What they paid was trust and respect. Moreover, they helped us drive out the Qian family, leaving them with no foothold!”

After a slight pause, Zhang Shengde looked at Zhang Hao again. “But there’s one more thing. Didn’t you say you wanted to organize everyone? You didn’t mention that at the trading platform.”

“Father, we can’t be the ones to bring it up! We have to wait for them to ask, or even beg us.

Now that they have new technology, it’s a time of inflated confidence.

But I believe everyone will soon come to us.”

“Oh? Tell me about it.”

“Earlier today, many people saw the method for refining Mystic Iron. Everyone has a clear understanding of the cost price of Mystic Iron. So, even if the quality of Mystic Iron improves, I’m afraid it will be difficult to raise the price.

Also, those families and businesses that wanted to get involved in Mystic Iron refining in the past but didn’t know the method are probably already busy.

These families and businesses are mostly wealthy, and they will further drive down the price of Mystic Iron.

I think, in at most half a month, the Mystic Iron market will undergo interesting changes.

The quality of Mystic Iron will improve, but the price won’t increase much. Moreover, the entry of a large number of new businesses will create chaos in the market.

At that time, everyone will call for market stability and unity.

And then, everyone will think of us.”

Zhang Shengde thought for a long time before nodding. “Not bad. What else? The technology we made public can forge Mystic Iron with ninety-three percent purity. If everyone invests without considering the cost, they might be able to forge Mystic Iron with ninety-five percent purity.”

“Isn’t that perfect!” Zhang Hao’s eyes showed a hint of triumph. “In ten days, we can directly sell Mystic Iron with over ninety percent purity. The profit margin for ninety percent purity is greater, allowing the family to reach a peak in the shortest amount of time.”

As he spoke, Zhang Hao’s expression became slightly serious. “Father, the Eastern Expedition could begin at any time. If the Eastern Expedition fails, the consequences are unpredictable.

So, I’m afraid there isn’t much time left for the family.

We must bring the family to a new height in the shortest amount of time.

The Western nations lack elixirs. But if we can provide the nation, and even the Western nations, with a large amount of high-purity Mystic Iron, we can maximize the chances of victory in the Eastern Expedition.

It can also guarantee the family’s position.

If we can provide the Western nations with a large amount of high-quality, low-price Mystic Iron, we will be honored guests of those nations!”

“But it could also lead to a catastrophe!” Zhang Han added coolly.

Zhang Hao nodded. “So, before that, we must unite the vast majority of our peers and form an alliance with shared interests.

If possible, we should also win over the forces behind Zheng Changqiu, Liu Xian, Mei Qianyun, and others we saw during the day.

We produce Mystic Iron, and they produce magical treasures. Let’s form a community of shared interests!”

Zhang Shengde slowly picked up his teacup, sipping it little by little, deep in thought.

…

The night was deep, but inside the City Lord’s mansion in Ninghe County, it was bustling with activity.

City Lord Liu Jingming sat to the side. Zhu Yuantang, who had met with Zhang Hao and the others during the day, was directing the blacksmiths who had been temporarily transferred from other departments, keeping everyone busy.

The clang of forging had continued for most of the night, but no one rested.

On Liu Jingming’s left were two pieces of Mystic Iron purchased from the Zhang family. The Mystic Iron had been finely polished, reflecting the surrounding light and shadows, making it beautiful.

On Liu Jingming’s right were more than a dozen palm-sized iron pieces, which had just been forged. He was also playing with a piece of Mystic Iron, which had a purity of ninety-four percent.

However, Liu Jingming’s mind was clearly not here, as he stared blankly at the roof.

Zhu Yuantang carefully glanced at Liu Jingming. This seemingly middle-aged City Lord, with his imposing aura, had already reached the early stage of Nascent Soul realm, but he had not made it public.

“Zhu Yuantang!” Liu Jingming suddenly spoke.

“Here!” Zhu Yuantang immediately stood up straight, as firm as he had been in the past.

That year, Liu Jingming was still a general, and Zhu Yuantang was a personal guard. They had gone through thick and thin together.

Unfortunately, Zhu Yuantang’s talent was limited, and his cultivation had only reached the early stage of Golden Core realm, with little lifespan left. Liu Jingming, on the other hand, had reached the early stage of Nascent Soul realm and had a long life ahead of him.

Liu Jingming gently said, “Do you think it’s better for us to forge Mystic Iron ourselves, or to buy it from the Zhang family?”

Zhu Yuantang said without hesitation, “I don’t agree with forging Mystic Iron ourselves, but I don’t necessarily agree with buying it from the Zhang family either.”

Liu Jingming became interested. “Oh… tell me about it.”

“If we forge it ourselves, we will have to add corresponding departments, with management, various craftsmen, and the purchase of various items, etc. And we can’t guarantee the quality.

In comparison, it’s better to buy from the market, where we can compare prices.

I believe no one would dare to play tricks on the City Lord!”

“Not bad. I’ll leave this matter to you.”

“Yes,” Zhu Yuantang responded.

“Also, tomorrow morning, you will represent the City Lord’s mansion and go to Subtlety Temple on Emerald Bamboo Peak to inquire about the situation and confirm the truth of the rumors.”

(Update is a bit late, too many ideas for the new book, not easy to write. Sorry.)

Chapter 14: Ambush at Reed Flower Town

After a night of fermentation, the Subtlety Temple, the overseas Nine Immortal Mountains, the tragic massacre of the Guan family, and more, had completely spread. Even the matter of Zhang Hao being afflicted by a soul curse at the Subtlety Temple was widely circulated.

The Abbot of Emerald Bamboo Peak’s Subtlety Temple, Mingxu, was a highly regarded disciple from the cultivation holy land, “Spirit Hidden Mountain, Xuanzhen Sect.” But recently, the Subtlety Temple had been plagued by scandals.

Some were filled with righteous indignation, never expecting the Subtlety Temple to be so unbearable, a complete waste of their eyes.

Others were excited about the overseas Nine Immortal Mountains, a place rumored to be inhabited by immortals!

More people, however, had a “watching the excitement” mentality: “How exciting~~~”

Everywhere, there were voices discussing going to the Subtlety Temple to borrow a map of the immortal mountains.

Standing at the city gate, Zhu Yuantang watched the scene and shook his head slightly. It was indeed lively enough.

“Good morning, Uncle Zhu.” A greeting interrupted Zhu Yuantang’s thoughts.

Zhu Yuantang turned his head and saw Zhang Hao, Zhang Shengde, and over a dozen Zhang family guards.

“Are you going to the Subtlety Temple?”

Zhang Shengde nodded, anger flashing across his face. “We’re going to get some answers about the curse!”

“It’s right to ask.” Zhu Yuantang nodded in agreement. “But I have a mission, so I’m afraid I can’t accompany you.

Oh, right, I had someone try out the water forging technique last night.”

Zhang Shengde laughed generously. “It’s our honor to have the City Lord’s attention.”

Zhu Yuantang’s face showed a sincere smile. “We worked all night, but ‘no matter what,’ we couldn’t reach ninety-five percent purity.

Therefore, the City Lord has decided that if the Zhang family can provide high-quality and inexpensive Mystic Iron, we will purchase it in large quantities.”

“Thank you. I guarantee we won’t disappoint the City Lord.”

Zhu Yuantang looked at the people around Zhang Shengde again. “You only brought a dozen people?”

Zhang Shengde smiled. “Quality is more important than quantity. We’re just going to seek justice, we wouldn’t dare attack the Subtlety Temple.”

“Then be careful, I’ll be going first.” Zhu Yuantang quickly left with his men.

Once Zhu Yuantang had left, Zhang Hao frowned slightly. “Dad, what did Zhu Yuantang mean by what he said just now?”

Zhang Shengde directly transmitted his voice. “Zhu Yuantang said they had already tested it, so they know the cost price of Mystic Iron; this is a warning not to overcharge us.

Reminding us that the purity ‘no matter what’ can’t reach ninety-five percent is a kind reminder. The purity of the Mystic Iron we sell for now should preferably not exceed ninety-five percent, preferably maintained below ninety-four percent.”

“Why would he show us goodwill?” Zhang Hao wondered. Someone who can be a purchasing agent should be a confidant of the City Lord; how could such a person show goodwill to outsiders?

Zhang Shengde pondered for a moment, then said uncertainly, “Perhaps, he doesn’t want to owe us a favor.

Perhaps, he’s testing us, too.”

…

Reed Flower Town, a flourishing small town nestled among the reeds.

A field of reeds rose and fell in the breeze, like green waves stretching to the horizon. The occasional trees were like green flowers blooming on a carpet.

Dotted among them were buildings painted in vermillion, with small paths, three or five at a time, winding and disappearing into the reeds, and the occasional flock of birds brought vitality to the reeds.

Deep within the reeds, two figures were discussing something; it was Miao Feihu and Qian Shaoxian. Around them stood many others, including Qian Shaoxian’s son, the Qian family’s young master: Qian Mingjue.

A small bird, carved like white jade, suddenly appeared on Miao Feihu’s shoulder. Only the bird’s beak and claws were coral red, making it very cute.

A small jade slip was tied to the bird’s leg.

“This is the ‘Swift Hawk’ from the East, whose speed exceeds that of a Golden Core stage flying sword?”

Miao Feihu nodded, took a small pill from his pocket and tossed it into the Swift Hawk’s mouth, then picked up the jade slip to read.

After a moment, Miao Feihu smiled.

“The Zhang family has set out, with only a dozen people.”

A murderous intent flashed across Qian Shaoxian’s face. “Capture Zhang Shengde and Zhang Hao alive, I want them to regret this!”

…

Starting from the East City Gate, Reed Flower Town was the only way to Emerald Bamboo Peak.

Cultivators passed by in twos and threes; some walked, each step covering several yards, others flew using spells, magical artifacts, or magical treasures, showing off their skills.

Zhang Hao even saw a flying “bamboo mat” with two people playing chess on it, and two young attendants burning incense and pouring tea beside them, carefree to the extreme.

But Zhang Hao was more concerned with the cultivation experts flying on swords.

Flying on a sword required at least the Golden Core stage. When flying, the ‘person and sword become one,’ free and at ease.

Cultivators control flying swords without using their hands; therefore, the flying sword may be in front, above, or below, generally a foot or so away from the cultivator.

The cultivator controls the flying sword, and the flying sword carries (or pulls) the cultivator forward.

Suddenly, Zhang Hao saw a freak: it was a flying sword that was a full thirty feet long, with a cultivator lying down reading a book below it. The flying sword blocked the sunlight, carrying the cultivator, and flew away with a whoosh.

Zhang Hao stared blankly at the departing figure, estimating its speed to be about one hundred kilometers per hour.

Zhang Shengde said, “That’s an early Golden Core stage cultivator, the speed is ordinary. But if he were escaping, the speed could increase two or three times, or even more.

Flying on a sword consumes a lot of energy, and an early Golden Core stage cultivator can generally fly for an hour.

But if they take pills, it’s hard to say.”

Zhang Hao nodded, silently memorizing it, knowing that his father was pointing out the common sense of the cultivation world.

In the past two days, Zhang Hao had also been constantly learning about the common sense, values, and so on of this world.

In the world of cultivation, the strong are respected. Although this world has countries, there are also existences that transcend countries. For example, the Xuanzhen Sect, one of the cultivation holy lands.

Even the Nine Sun Sect within the Qixia Kingdom is a typical example of listening to orders but not following them.

“But the Nine Sun Sect also understands the principle that when the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact. Therefore, in the event of an eastern expedition or an invasion, the Nine Sun Sect will also…”

Zhang Shengde suddenly stopped and scanned the surroundings with a sharp gaze. “Come out!”

“Clap, clap, clap…” Miao Feihu clapped his hands, walked out calmly, and gently pushed aside a reed flower blocking his path. “To be able to detect my presence, Fellow Daoist Zhang is definitely not the Golden Core middle stage that the outside world claims.

Let me guess, Fellow Daoist Zhang’s cultivation should be in the late Golden Core stage!”

While Miao Feihu was speaking, nearly two hundred people had surrounded them.

Two hundred people surrounding a dozen people naturally formed layers upon layers.

The cultivators passing by scattered in a panic.

Zhang Shengde’s expression was very calm. “Where’s Qian Shaoxian? Tell him to come out, I have something to say!”

“I’m here…”

“Buzz…” A buzzing sound interrupted Miao Feihu’s words, and a barrier rose, protecting the Zhang family and their guards within it.

Miao Feihu’s face turned cold. “A petty trick! Even if you raise a barrier, what can you do? You won’t be able to escape today!”

The encirclement split open a path, and Qian Shaoxian slowly walked over. Arriving near Zhang Hao, Qian Shaoxian ‘looked surprised’: “Oh dear, isn’t this the nephew who just recovered? We meet again. Is there anything you’d like to say this time?”

Zhang Hao shook his head slightly. “No.”

“That’s really too bad!”

“Yes, too bad. Because I never talk to dead people!”

Before his voice faded, countless arrows suddenly flew from outside the encirclement.

“Be careful… uh…” Miao Feihu looked at the arrow that pierced his thigh, stunned.

The arrow had actually pierced his protective treasure armor!

Chapter 15: I Quite Admire Him

The ambush and counter-ambush, the reversal of the situation, happened so quickly.

Qian Shaoxian shrieked, grabbing his son, Qian Mingjue, and crouching down. A magical treasure armor appeared on his body, its protective light shimmering. Arrows struck the light, weakening it layer by layer.

Qian Shaoxian turned his head and saw an unimaginable scene.

Arrows, everywhere.

And they were so sharp.

The mercenaries’ armor provided almost no protection. The arrows easily pierced their bodies. Some Foundation Establishment stage captains were pinned to the ground by the long bolts, struggling in agony.

Although this was a flourishing age of cultivation, magical treasure-level armor was still expensive. Most mercenaries only had magical tool-level armor.

As for Miao Feihu, the leader of the Flying Tiger Mercenary Group, he was in an even more miserable state. As the primary target and the first to be attacked, his poorly protected legs were riddled with special arrows.

Even a Golden Core stage expert couldn’t withstand a surprise attack.

At this critical moment, Zhang Shengde suddenly stepped out of the barrier, his flying sword like lightning, stabbing straight at Miao Feihu’s chest.

Miao Feihu roared, his staggering figure paused slightly, and he hastily threw out a shield. The shield spun rapidly, with a dark, shimmering light, firmly blocking Zhang Shengde’s attack.

Miao Feihu was about to flee.

Suddenly, a sharp whistle flew past, and a crossbow bolt as thick as an egg, shimmering with colorful light, slammed into Miao Feihu’s back. The heavy bolt, like a hammer, shattered Miao Feihu’s magical treasure armor.

Miao Feihu screamed and fell to the ground.

Zhang Shengde narrowed his eyes, his right hand forming a sword gesture and gently tracing a line. The flying sword bent like lightning, and a sharp, cold light flashed. Miao Feihu’s head rolled far away, his eyes filled with anger and disbelief.

Then, Zhang Shengde’s gaze turned to Qian Shaoxian.

Qian Shaoxian was hunched over, desperately trying to activate his armor. However, arrows continued to strike it, poking holes of all sizes in the dimming light. His magical treasure armor was gradually becoming overwhelmed.

Zhang Han, whose cultivation had reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment, held a magical treasure crossbow. As the bowstring trembled, meteors flew, and cultivators screamed as they fell to the ground.

The members of the Flying Tiger Mercenary Group and the Qian family fell, pierced by arrows in despair. Their armor was as fragile as eggshells!

This was a crushing victory from Mystic Iron, and the first appearance of “industrial power.”

Once precious high-purity Mystic Iron was now being used as a consumable!

It was just a pity that the first appearance of industrial power was not very glorious.

Blood stained the reeds red.

Qian Shaoxian’s face was pale: “There’s something wrong with your arrows!”

“Heh…” Zhang Shengde’s smile contained triumph and a chilling killing intent. Today, he couldn’t let Qian Shaoxian leave no matter what.

But at this moment, a stream of light suddenly shot out from Qian Shaoxian’s body, not towards Zhang Shengde, but towards the sky.

The light exploded, and nine dazzling streams of light circled in the sky.

Zhang Shengde’s expression instantly changed: “The Nine Sun Sect’s distress signal! How… how do you have it?”

Qian Shaoxian’s face was very ugly: “Let us go, and I swear I won’t cause you any more trouble, how about it?”

Zhang Shengde’s expression changed repeatedly. Suddenly, Zhang Shengde seemed to have made up his mind, and a murderous intent surged on his face.

“Cough, cough…” A coughing sound came from the side. Ji Butong of the Nine Sun Sect walked over leisurely. “Oh dear, did I miss something?

“Fellow cultivator Zhang, did you send the signal?”

Zhang Shengde smiled noncommittally: “What do you think?”

The smile on Ji Butong’s face disappeared, and his gaze towards Qian Shaoxian was not very friendly: “Fellow cultivator Qian, where did you get this signal from?”

Qian Shaoxian’s face was stern, and he was a little embarrassed: “Second Elder, Qing Qingzi.”

A hint of mockery appeared on Ji Butong’s face, “Then, what is the Second Elder’s secular name?”

“Hong Fei.”

“Daughter?” Ji Butong’s mockery contained a hint of disdain.

“Daughter!” Qian Shaoxian’s face was already ashen.

Ji Butong turned to look at Zhang Shengde: “Old Zhang, I’m sorry. This Qian Shaoxian does have some connection with the Nine Sun Sect. Give me some face, how about letting them go?”

“What if the Qian family makes things difficult for us again?”

Ji Butong turned to look at Qian Shaoxian: “Fellow cultivator Qian, look, can you give us a guarantee?”

Qian Shaoxian immediately swore that he would never ‘actively’ cause trouble for the Zhang family!

Zhang Shengde’s expression was not good, but facing the behemoth of the Nine Sun Sect, he could only nod.

Inside the barrier, Zhang Hao saw everything clearly.

This was a typical case of letting the tiger return to the mountain, and not killing the snake completely!

Zhang Hao lowered his head slightly and whispered to the person behind him: “Two heads, double the market price!”

“Four times! People from the Nine Sun Sect are very troublesome.” A cold voice entered Zhang Hao’s mind.

Zhang Hao nodded.

Immediately, Zhang Hao felt a sense of relaxation behind him, as if an invisible pressure had disappeared. Zhang Hao understood that this was the bodyguard he had hired from the Night Moon Pavilion, leaving.

In fact, the bodyguards of the Night Moon Pavilion were assassins, it just depended on how you used them.

After making his oath, Qian Shaoxian and Qian Mingjue left, looking very miserable. They came in a mighty manner, but only two of them were left when they left.

Ji Butong bowed to Zhang Shengde: “Thank you, fellow cultivator Zhang.

“By the way, the road ahead is not very peaceful, how about we travel together?”

You’re afraid that our Zhang family won’t be peaceful, and you’re staying to supervise us! Zhang Hao rolled his eyes, feeling a little smug in his heart—too bad, old Ji, you calculated everything, but you still missed something.

People walked out from the surrounding reeds. It was Zhang Han leading the Zhang family’s guards.

Ji Butong watched the Zhang family’s guards clean up the battlefield and the spoils of war, picked up an arrow from the ground, and a look of amazement flashed in his eyes: “Old Zhang, your family’s arrows are really extravagant, the arrowhead is even at the magical treasure level.”

As he spoke, Ji Butong stuffed several arrows into his storage ring. Zhang Hao’s face was full of black lines. Hey, pay attention to your image!

Zhang Han was dealing with the prisoners. Basically, they were executed on the spot, while interrogating them about the Flying Tiger Mercenary Group’s wealth.

Seeing that there was nothing he needed to help with here, Zhang Hao walked to Ji Butong’s side: “Greetings, Steward Ji, can I ask a question?”

“It’s about the Nine Sun Sect’s Second Elder, right?”

“Steward Ji is really amazing!”

“Haha, of course!” After laughing triumphantly for a while, Ji Butong finally sighed, “This Second Elder is very famous.

“The Second Elder is of the ‘Qing’ generation, which is higher than the current Nine Sun Sect’s Sect Leader; therefore, the Sect Leader cannot restrain him.

“The Second Elder cultivates the dual cultivation method and likes to take concubines. Therefore, whoever can offer a girl with excellent aptitude can receive guidance from the Second Elder.

“But… but the Second Elder said that in order to prevent things like forcibly seizing women from the people from happening, he only accepts those with a clean background. Now, everyone usually sends their daughters, sisters, etc.”

Zhang Hao was stunned for a long time, thought for a while, and then said slowly: “Steward Ji, listening to you say that, I kind of admire this Second Elder.”

“Hmm? Admire?” Ji Butong was stunned, and the look in his eyes towards Zhang Hao was very… strange.

Even the look in Zhang Shengde’s eyes towards Zhang Hao was full of strangeness.

Chapter 16: Emerald Bamboo Peak, Subtlety Temple

After Qian Shaoxian pulled Qian Mingjue away, he didn’t return to the county city. Instead, he accelerated towards Subtlety Temple.

The furious Qian Shaoxian naturally believed that the Qian family’s setbacks were entirely due to Subtlety Temple’s failure. Therefore, he would go to Subtlety Temple and personally expose their hypocrisy.

As he flew, Qian Shaoxian suddenly felt a chill rise from his back.

Danger!

Qian Shaoxian was, after all, a Golden Core expert. He pulled Qian Mingjue and rolled to the side, activating his protective armor and defenses.

“Whoosh…” A glint of cold light flashed past, narrowly missing Qian Shaoxian’s neck.

“Who is it!” Qian Shaoxian turned around abruptly.

He saw nothing. The space behind him was empty!

Qian Shaoxian released his Golden Core spiritual sense. Within a hundred meters, every detail was visible, yet he still saw nothing.

An assassin!

Qian Shaoxian took out a jade talisman from his chest. The talisman glowed with a precious light, and streams of light swirled around it.

Then, he slapped it onto Qian Mingjue’s chest.

“Father…” Qian Mingjue was shocked but didn’t have time to speak.

The jade talisman flashed with a precious light, and streams of light enveloped Qian Mingjue. Qian Mingjue instantly disappeared from the spot, transforming into a stream of light that flew towards the horizon, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Qian Shaoxian, who had activated the jade talisman, was now weak and pale.

“A ‘Teleportation Talisman’ that only Transformation God experts can refine!” A cold, hollow voice echoed in the air.

“Unexpected, isn’t it… uh…” Before Qian Shaoxian could finish speaking, the tip of a sword pierced through his dantian, then his heart, and finally protruded from his forehead.

The three strikes were completed almost instantly. Qian Shaoxian’s eyes were wide open as he fell to the ground.

A hazy figure appeared and took away Qian Shaoxian’s corpse.

The battle happened suddenly and ended quickly, leaving only a few drops of blood on the ground.

…

Zhang Hao looked at the strange expressions on his father’s and Ji Butong’s faces and shrugged helplessly. “I’m telling the truth. According to Steward Ji, I think the Second Elder is a bit different, but at least he has a bottom line, and he always delivers on his promises.

I don’t think such a person is a bad person. At most, he’s just a somewhat eccentric oddball.”

Ji Butong thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled. “Zhang Hao, I thank you on behalf of the Second Elder.”

As he spoke, Ji Butong actually bowed to Zhang Hao.

“Oh, Steward Ji, you mustn’t…”

Ji Butong stood up and patted Zhang Hao’s shoulder. “Believe it or not, this is the first time someone has spoken up for the Second Elder. For this alone, I thank you on behalf of the Nine Sun Sect.

As for the Qian family’s matter, I will report it to the Second Elder.”

Ji Butong was genuinely grateful. When everyone was cursing the Second Elder, when the entire Nine Sun Sect was ashamed because of him, Zhang Hao made a different assessment. And it sounded very fair.

With Zhang Hao’s words as a foundation, the atmosphere immediately livened up. Even the guards beside Ji Butong looked at Zhang Hao with smiles.

But this relaxed atmosphere lasted less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before it was shattered.

Hanging from a crooked nanmu tree by the roadside was Qian Shaoxian, already devoid of life. The wound on his forehead was so conspicuous. Clearly, he was dead as a doornail!

Ji Butong looked at Qian Shaoxian’s corpse, his eyes gradually filling with anger. “Hey, Fellow Daoist Zhang Shengde, wouldn’t you say this is a provocation against the Nine Sun Sect?

Qian Shaoxian had just stated that he had ties with the Nine Sun Sect, and he was immediately killed and hung on our path.

What… does… this… mean!”

Ji Butong stared directly at Zhang Shengde, clearly suspecting him. Ji Butong’s words were full of intense questioning and threatening undertones.

However, Zhang Shengde was also very surprised. “How is this possible…”

But the next moment, Zhang Shengde became angry. “Steward Ji, are you suspecting me?”

Ji Butong opened his mouth, but suddenly realized that Zhang Shengde had been under his surveillance the entire time and had no chance to commit the crime.

After the guards beside Ji Butong inspected the surroundings, they said, “Steward, there are no traces of Qian Mingjue. All of Qian Shaoxian’s belongings have disappeared.”

Ji Butong coldly examined Qian Shaoxian’s corpse and said coldly, “Killed with three strikes, clean and swift. Qian Shaoxian didn’t even have time to activate his protective armor.

Such methods are rare.”

At this moment, Zhang Hao felt a slight change in the wind behind him and immediately understood that his bodyguard had returned.

A thought entered Zhang Hao’s mind: “Qian Mingjue ran away. At the last moment, Qian Shaoxian used his life as the price to activate a teleportation talisman and send Qian Mingjue away.

A Golden Core middle stage head is worth fifty high-grade spirit stones. I don’t want four times the price.”

Zhang Hao didn’t speak or show any reaction because Ji Butong was still in front of him.

In the end, Ji Butong, with a livid face, used a small earth-element spell to bury Qian Shaoxian’s corpse in the ground.

Everyone continued to move forward, but the atmosphere was no longer the same as before.

They arrived silently at the foot of Emerald Bamboo Peak by noon.

They happened to see Zhu Yuantang leading a few people down the mountain. Zhu Yuantang simply cupped his hands at the crowd, wished them luck, and hurried past.

Watching Zhu Yuantang leave, Zhang Hao quietly looked at the mountain in front of him.

Emerald Bamboo Peak was a strange and prominent peak, with bamboo groves stretching from the foot of the mountain to the summit, reflecting the white clouds.

As far as the eye could see, there were common broadleaf bamboo, water bamboo, tall joint bamboo, and phoenix-tail bamboo, as well as more precious spirit bamboo, purple bamboo, fairy concubine bamboo, and small thunderclap bamboo, among others.

The foot of the mountain was crowded with people, roughly estimated to be no less than three thousand.

In front of the mountain gate, on the stone steps, two cultivators from Subtlety Temple sat cross-legged. Their Golden Core peak auras were displayed without restraint, and flying swords slowly moved in front of them, like spirit snakes searching for targets.

In front of the two cultivators, five corpses lay prostrate, three on the left and two on the right, blood flowing down more than ten stone steps.

The three thousand people were agitated, but no one dared to step onto the stone steps!

Ji Butong walked straight up to the mountain gate, took out the Nine Sun Sect’s identity plaque, and said, “Ji Butong of the Nine Sun Sect has come to inquire about the Guan family’s extermination.”

The cultivator on the left flicked his finger, and a tiny flying sword appeared. The cultivator said to the flying sword, “Ji Butong of the Nine Sun Sect has come to inquire about the Guan family’s matter.”

With that, he waved his hand gently, and the tiny flying sword flew up the mountain, disappearing in an instant.

Zhang Shengde patted Zhang Hao’s shoulder. “Be careful.”

With that, he strode forward. “Zhang Shengde has come to inquire about the curse on my son!”

The cultivator on the right glanced at Zhang Shengde. “The Temple Master has ordered that Fellow Daoist Zhang can bring your son directly inside. No one else is allowed to enter the mountain!”

Zhang Shengde cupped his hands, turned around, and pulled Zhang Hao forward. The bodyguard (assassin) who had been following Zhang Hao consciously did not follow.

“Flying is not allowed within Emerald Bamboo Peak,” Zhang Shengde’s voice echoed in Zhang Hao’s mind.

Zhang Hao nodded and followed Zhang Shengde into the mountain gate, walking up step by step.

The mountain was high, and the stone steps were long.

The mountain breeze brushed through the emerald bamboo, bringing rustling sounds. Amidst the vast bamboo groves, the chirping of birds and insects played a natural symphony.

Walking on these stone steps, the soul seemed to receive an unprecedented cleansing.

“I’d rather eat tasteless food than live without bamboo,” Zhang Hao murmured to himself.

“Good! What a ‘I’d rather eat tasteless food than live without bamboo’!” With a word of praise, a cultivator in a Daoist robe slowly walked down the stone steps.

He stepped on the stone steps, but seemed to be walking on clouds.

The simple blue robe was free of any worldly dust.

A faint smile graced his clear face.

Apart from a simple horsetail whisk in his hand, he had nothing else.

A sentence floated into Zhang Hao’s mind: He is like a true immortal in the clouds, untouched by worldly concerns.

He walked calmly, his blue robe fluttering, and came to Zhang Hao and Zhang Shengde, giving a Daoist salute. “The two benefactors have finally arrived.”

Chapter 17: World Map: The Comprehensive Earth Image

“The one who has come is none other than the Subtlety Temple Abbot, Daoist Mingxu.”

“A peerless expert said to have reached the late Nascent Soul stage.”

“Also one of the few publicly known experts in Qixia Kingdom.”

Zhang Shengde asked with anger and confusion, “Daoist, have you been waiting for us long?”

“Indeed, it’s been thirty-two days since the curse began,” Daoist Mingxu’s smile gradually turned into a sigh. “Let’s go. I know you have many questions. I hope the two benefactors will give me a chance to explain.”

“Please.”

Zhang Shengde’s expression was complex, but he still ascended the steps.

The three walked slowly, Zhang Hao thoughtful. The situation seemed different from what he had expected.

What exactly was going on?

Before long, a figure ran up from the foot of the mountain, it was Ji Butong.

Ji Butong caught up with the three, nodded to Zhang Shengde and Zhang Hao, and then followed silently.

Along the way, young Daoists would bow, and after the four passed, they would continue to sweep the spotless stone steps.

No matter how long the road, it always comes to an end. Listening to the elegant chirping of birds and insects, passing through the misty clouds, a two-story Taoist temple with a bluestone foundation, bamboo pillars, and purple bamboo tiles appeared before everyone.

Several gourd vines danced their plump leaves on the roof, and a few bees were busy among the tender yellow flowers. Three or five emerald green gourds swayed gently under the eaves.

Under the eaves hung a bluestone plaque with three large characters in vermillion lacquer: Subtlety Temple.

“Please,” Daoist Mingxu invited again.

The bamboo door slowly opened, revealing a spacious hall filled with low tables. In the very north of the hall hung a large character for “Quiet”.

On either side were calligraphic couplets, the right reading ‘Supreme good is like water’, the left reading ‘Great virtue carries all things’.

Directly below was a tea table, on which seemed to be a scroll, with a young attendant beside it burning incense and serving tea.

Daoist Mingxu came to the tea table in the north, knelt down, and bowed again, “Please be seated, all three of you.”

Zhang Shengde and Ji Butong exchanged glances and knelt behind the low tables in front of Daoist Mingxu; Zhang Hao followed behind his father.

The attendant came over and served clear tea. Zhang Hao habitually said thank you.

The attendant immediately gave him a bright smile.

After the attendant retreated, Daoist Mingxu spoke, “I know the three of you have many questions. To be honest, this poor Daoist made a mistake, and now I regret it immensely.”

“It’s a long story.”

“About fifty years ago, in Ninghe County, Qinghe Town, there was a ‘Xiao family’. I wonder if the three of you have ever heard of them?”

Fifty years ago, of course, had nothing to do with Zhang Hao.

But Zhang Shengde immediately said, “Fifty years ago, I was still in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. I remember the Xiao family was exterminated overnight. It was said to be because they obtained some treasure.”

Daoist Mingxu sighed leisurely, “I am the only survivor of the Xiao family; at that time, I was out playing and secretly ran away, unexpectedly escaping the calamity.”

“When I returned home in the morning, what I saw was…”

“I cried on my mother’s corpse, and I was very fortunate to be discovered by my master, who was traveling around, and brought back to the Xuanzhen Sect to raise me. In the blink of an eye, fifty years have passed.”

“In these fifty years, I have never forgotten the hatred of the extermination; finally, a few years ago, I discovered their traces and gradually found the Guan family!”

“I went to their door to inquire, but the Guan family was prepared to eliminate me completely; caught off guard, I was ambushed. If my foundation hadn’t been deep, I would have died long ago.”

“Therefore, for this unrepentant family, I can only act on behalf of Heaven and retrieve the items belonging to the Xiao family.”

Ji Butong asked, “Then, what are the items of the Xiao family?”

“The Comprehensive Earth Image! Which is what everyone calls the Nine Immortal Mountains Map from overseas. More specifically, the Nine Immortal Mountains overseas are just a part of the Comprehensive Earth Image.”

The Comprehensive Earth Image? Zhang Hao was immediately interested. It sounded like… a world map?

Without Zhang Hao saying anything, Daoist Mingxu waved his hand gently, and the scroll on the low table slowly flew up and unfurled, a painting about three chi wide and seven chi long, unfolded before Zhang Hao.

The scroll was generally yellowed, with black and cinnabar colors outlining dense terrain; especially the handwriting on it, many of which were superimposed on each other, making it impossible to read at all. Only on the far right of the scroll were three ancient seal characters: Comprehensive Earth Image.

But the next moment, as Daoist Mingxu injected true essence into the scroll, the painting actually slowly emerged as a three-dimensional phantom, rivers began to surge, the sea began to roar, and the mountains became vivid and lifelike.

A three-dimensional painting appeared, and the handwriting was completely separated.

Zhang Hao watched in stunned silence.

On the map, there were mainly seven continents;

“The one in the very center is called ‘Kunlun Continent’,”

“The one in the due east is called ‘Chen Earth Continent’,”

“The one in the southeast is called ‘Mao Earth Continent’,”

“The one in the southwest is called ‘Tao Earth Continent’,”

“The one in the west, slightly north, is called ‘Fertile Earth Continent’,”

“The one in the due north is called ‘Cheng Earth Continent’,”

“The one in the northeast, slightly north, is called ‘Yin Earth Continent’.”

The seven continents were of different sizes and distances, separated from each other by the sea.

And around the seven continents, in places that looked very far away, were nine islands, or rather, nine immortal mountains, namely: Thousand Star Mountain, Fanghu Mountain, Lianshi Mountain, Gushe Mountain, Zhong Mountain, Tianhao Mountain, Fengdu Mountain, Xuanwu Mountain, and Flower Fruit Mountain.

After the shock, Zhang Hao began to examine it: How much of this map is true? How much is imagined? How much is distorted?

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Daoist Mingxu spoke again, “This is the Comprehensive Earth Image, ‘Comprehensive’ means to cover everything without omission, ‘Earth’ means everything under the heavens, ‘Image’ means to examine all geography.”

“Thus, it is called: Comprehensive Earth Image.”

Zhang Hao carefully asked, “Daoist, is everything on this Comprehensive Earth Image… real?”

“At least the names of the seven continents, some mountains, rivers, and oceans are correct.”

In other words, apart from these names, the rest is uncertain~~~

“Moreover, correct names don’t mean correct locations!”

“Zhang Hao had a general understanding of this Comprehensive Earth Image.”

Unexpectedly, Daoist Mingxu asked in return, “Little friend Zhang, what do you think is the value of such a map that is almost a doodle?”

Zhang Hao was stunned, but then said decisively, “Priceless!”

“Priceless?” This time it was Daoist Mingxu’s turn to be stunned, “Why?”

“Because, compared to those ethereal legends and hearsay travelogues, this Comprehensive Earth Image at least provides us with some geographical information of reference value.”

“It is a key to help us understand this world.”

“For this alone, the value of the Comprehensive Earth Image is immeasurable.”

“Good!” Daoist Mingxu couldn’t help but praise, “Then, this Comprehensive Earth Image will be given to little friend.”

“Ah…” Zhang Hao was dumbfounded. Actually, it would be enough for me to copy this map. Really; if I take the original, will the Zhang family also be exterminated~~~

“Daoist Mingxu slowly rolled up the painting,”Don’t worry, before handing it over to you, I will solve the trouble. Just consider it a small apology.”

“Alas, how many lives have been lost for this crude map.”

Zhang Shengde finally couldn’t help but ask, “But what does this ‘Comprehensive Earth Image’ have to do with the curse?”

“When I exterminated the Guan family, a pair of eyes saw it completely. This person is Qian Shaoxian!”

“At that time, I was seriously injured and had to make a regrettable deal.”

“I promised Qian Shaoxian a condition and gave Qian Shaoxian my ‘Teleportation Talisman’. Qian Shaoxian then swore never to leak the secret, otherwise he would die by a sword piercing his body.”

Die by a sword piercing his body?

Zhang Hao suddenly felt his hair stand on end—can oaths really come true?

Also, did I directly cause Qian Shaoxian’s death? Or was it because Qian Shaoxian violated his oath?

What a tangled question!

“Even more, a terrifying question!”

Chapter 18: The Mathematical Classic, Key to the World

Qian Mingjue’s escape light carried him all the way west, actually flying straight back to the vicinity of Changshan Town.

Sitting on a mountain rock, Qian Mingjue’s dizzy head gradually cleared; the final scene froze in his mind.

Qian Mingjue clenched his hands, his shoulders twitching, trying hard not to cry.

Veins popped out on his neck, face, and arms, his anger making him look even more ferocious.

After a while, Qian Mingjue composed himself, quickly returned home, took the Qian family’s core thirty-plus members, packed up the wealth they could carry, and headed straight for the Nine Sun Sect.

“I’m going to seek refuge with my sister!”

When he said these words, the depths of Qian Mingjue’s eyes were filled with humiliation, anger, helplessness, and an unyielding hatred!

Behind him, the Qian family was in complete chaos.

…

Emerald Bamboo Peak, within Subtlety Temple.

Zhang Hao was still in shock and wild thoughts when Zhang Shengde spoke, “I have a question.”

“Please speak.”

“The Subtlety Temple Master’s conditions should be very precious, right? Qian Shaoxian actually only exchanged it for a curse; why didn’t he exchange it for something better?”

“I guided him.”

As soon as Mingxu said this, Zhang Shengde and Zhang Hao’s expressions turned even more unfriendly.

So you had your eye on us!

Mingxu’s tone was unhurried, “The conditions I initially promised Qian Shaoxian were also out of necessity; but after all, I swore an oath and couldn’t go back on it.

After that, Qian Shaoxian made several requests, but I rejected them with various reasons.

And so, Qian Shaoxian gradually lowered his demands until the very end.”

Zhang Shengde sneered, “What does this have to do with us?”

Mingxu smiled helplessly, “Benefactor Zhang, I am a Nascent Soul late-stage cultivator; your son was only at the Qi Refining fifth level at the time, right?”

“That’s right…”

“Then tell me, what are the chances of a Nascent Soul late-stage cultivator failing to cast a curse on a Qi Refining fifth-level cultivator?”

“This…” Zhang Shengde was speechless.

He had been too angry before, and hadn’t carefully considered many things.

Now that he thought about it, that was indeed the case!

How could a Nascent Soul late-stage expert possibly fail to cast a curse on a Qi Refining little guy!

Zhang Hao pressed, “But there’s an oath binding, so it couldn’t be fake, right?”

“Correct!” Mingxu nodded, “So I used a method that could both abide by the oath and preserve your life as much as possible.

This method is one of the Xuanzhen Sect’s secret techniques, the ‘Soul Burning Technique’ from the Zhu You arts!”

“Soul Burning Technique!” Ji Butong exclaimed in shock.

“You’ve heard of it?” Mingxu was curious.

“I saw it in the miscellaneous records of the Nine Sun Sect. It’s said that the Soul Burning Technique is a forbidden art, with the recipient having a ninety-nine percent chance of death.

But the Soul Burning Technique is a powerful secret art that can change one’s aptitude. It can fundamentally change a person’s aptitude, but at the cost of burning the soul.

After the procedure, the soul may collapse at any time, without even a chance for reincarnation.

But as long as one can awaken, their aptitude will undergo earth-shattering changes.

But in any case, the Soul Burning Technique will severely damage the soul.”

“But it’s different if you add a Soul Crystal.” Mingxu slowly raised his palm, and a seven-colored glazed gem appeared in his hand. This gem was exactly the same as the one Zhang Hao had seen before!

This isn’t a purification gem, not the kind that purifies soul curses!

It’s a Soul Crystal!

Zhang Shengde stuttered a little, “Soul Crystal, is it said to be the essence left behind after a Nascent Soul expert passes away?”

Zhang Hao stared at the Soul Crystal without moving; but deep down, Zhang Hao sighed in relief. If he hadn’t had the Soul Crystal, and he had woken up lively and offering advice, he would have been exposed.

“Thankfully, thankfully! But Soul Crystals are good stuff!”

Mingxu sighed, “Zhang Hao, according to the rules, being able to awaken from the Soul Burning Technique qualifies you to become a disciple of the Xuanzhen Sect.

Are you willing to be my disciple?”

Zhang Hao blinked stupidly: This is the legendary plot twist.

“What are you spacing out for!” Zhang Shengde said, exasperated, and quickly transmitted his voice to Zhang Hao, “Hurry up and become his disciple!”

This is a Nascent Soul late-stage expert, and from the sacred ground of the Xuanzhen Sect!

Zhang Hao also reacted, his face full of surprise, “Yes, I am willing!”

Although he hadn’t been in this world for long, the words ‘sacred ground’ were like thunder in his ears. Look at the foot of the mountain, more than three thousand people didn’t dare to cross the line.

Moreover, this opportunity is something he deserves!

Mingxu smiled, “According to the rules, I will first accept you as a nominal disciple.”

A nominal disciple is also good, Zhang Shengde transmitted his voice to Zhang Hao to go up and pay his respects.

The nominal disciple knelt and kowtowed three times.

Mingxu touched the top of Zhang Hao’s head, “Once a teacher, always a father, unchangeable for life. Whether for you, or for your teacher.

Get up.”

After Zhang Hao got up, Mingxu said slowly, “Zhang Hao, because the situation is slightly complicated this time, I need to return to the sect. This trip will take three to five months, or three to five years.

When I return, I will examine your actions before deciding whether to accept you as a true disciple and teach you cultivation techniques.”

That long? Zhang Hao blinked, I didn’t read much, don’t lie to me!

Mingxu paused slightly and said to the boy next to him, “Hui Zhu, take Zhang Hao to my study.”

He turned to Zhang Hao and said, “Zhang Hao, you can read anything in the study; they are all my personal collections over the years.”

“Yes, disciple takes his leave.”

Mingxu nodded, and said to the boy at the door, “Let the people from the foot of the mountain come up, limited to Golden Core stage.”

…

Zhang Hao followed the boy upstairs.

After leaving the main hall, Zhang Hao slowly opened his mouth, “How should I address this fellow apprentice?”

“Ah…” The boy jumped in fright, his little face flushed with nervousness, “I… I… am just a boy. My name is Zhang Huizhu, Senior Apprentice… just call me Huizhu.”

Looking at Zhang Huizhu’s flustered appearance, Zhang Hao was stunned instead.

Zhang Huizhu explained, “Senior Apprentice, I can only be considered an outer disciple. But Senior Apprentice is already an inner disciple. When Senior Apprentice becomes the Subtlety Temple Master’s official disciple, you will be an enviable true disciple.”

After Zhang Huizhu finished speaking, he ran upstairs, opened the study, and invited Zhang Hao in.

After Zhang Hao entered the study, Zhang Huizhu carefully closed the door and ran downstairs again.

“True disciple?” Zhang Hao shook his head and surveyed the study.

The study wasn’t big, with scrolls, jade slips, bamboo slips, and thread-bound books; there were quite a few types. But after a glance, he found that most of them were miscellaneous records. Thinking about it, cultivation techniques would obviously not be placed in such a place.

“Thirteen Chapters on Go, Spring Hall Qin Classic, Bamboo Forest Annals, Thirty-Six Incantations of the Heart-Clearing Spell, Essentials of a Hundred Herbs, Initial Explanation of Swordsmanship, Annotations on the Secrets of Qi Refining…”

Zhang Hao looked through them one by one; everything that could be included in a Nascent Soul cultivator’s private collection was a treasure.

But Zhang Hao was calm and cautious.

Letting him enter the study to read at will; who knows if this might be an “exam”.

Suddenly, Zhang Hao stopped and pulled out a thread-bound book from the bookshelf, with two large ancient characters written on it: Mathematical Classic.

Zhang Hao carefully opened it and quickly became engrossed in it.

The Mathematical Classic is the mathematics of this world; it uses mathematical methods to analyze several basic formations, instead of explaining them with the principles of the five elements generating and overcoming each other.

The Mathematical Classic is very thin, only thirty-odd pages, with slightly scribbled handwriting. It only analyzes five formations in total, but they happen to be the basic formations of the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth! Moreover, the Mathematical Classic already has numbers similar to modern mathematics, as well as some mathematical symbols!

A Mathematical Classic made Zhang Hao fond of it, even ecstatic, and he just stood there, reading it over and over again.

Compared to the mysterious theories of mutual generation and overcoming, Zhang Hao, a soul from another world, preferred mathematics.

What is the standard for dividing the scientific age and the traditional handicraft age?

It is using mathematics to do research!

Traditional handicrafts rely on experience for production, extracting technology in the long process of production; this is a process of doing things based on experience, often requiring the efforts and perfection of several generations.

But in the scientific age, humans use “mathematics” as a tool to directly hit the core of technology.

A few pieces of paper, a few days, may surpass the efforts of the past decades or even thousands of years.

If there really is a “key to unlock the secrets of heaven and earth” in the world, it must be mathematics.

The Mathematical Classic is very thin, but it opened the door to the world of cultivation for Zhang Hao. So this is what mathematics is like in this world; so formations can be calculated.

Chapter 19: Seed

“I’ve read it again and again,” Zhang Hao sighed. “It’s a pity I don’t know who the author is; it would be wonderful if I could visit him.”

“You can understand it?” A voice suddenly drifted from the side.

Zhang Hao yelped and jumped up. Only after seeing that it was his master, Mingxu, did he say, still shaken, “Master, do you know that you can scare someone to death?”

“That’s a novel saying.” Mingxu sat down beside him. “I obtained this book during my travels to the Continent of Seething Earth.”

Continent of Seething Earth? The ‘Map of the World’ appeared in Zhang Hao’s mind. The Continent of Seething Earth was located south of the Fertile Earth Continent. So, the Arithmetic Classic was an import.

“Does Master know who the author is?”

Mingxu shook his head slightly. “I obtained it by chance in a damaged seal. Let me think… Besides a skeleton, there were two other books. Right, these two.”

Mingxu tapped lightly, and two books flew to Zhang Hao. Zhang Hao caught them; they were Three Walls (a star chart) and Seal Interpretation.

However, upon opening the two books, he found that they each contained only a few pages of text, and the handwriting was even more潦草. The author had likely wanted to analyze the stars and seals using mathematical methods. But clearly, he had failed.

Zhang Hao closed his eyes, as if seeing a scene:

“A desperate wise man in a seal, accidentally discovered the tool of mathematics; hope burst forth from despair.

He used mathematical methods to analyze the basic formations of the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, and succeeded.

However, when he tried to use mathematical methods to analyze the seal, he met with failure.

The nascent mathematics was like a newborn sprout, full of vitality, yet fragile and delicate; while the traditional cultivation system was like a towering tree, blocking out the sun.

The giant tree blocked the sunlight from the sprout, and the sprout withered in the darkness.

However, the fragile sprout left behind a perfect seed, waiting for the day it could sprout again.”

Zhang Hao held up the three books and said solemnly, “Master, I want these three books.”

“Anything else?”

“Disciple doesn’t know what to choose.”

“Take a good look at these two.”

Zhang Hao took them; they were Thirty-Six Incantations of the Heart-Clearing Mantra and Annotations on the Essentials of Qi Refining.

…

The carriage creaked, but Zhang Hao lay on the soft blanket, studying the Arithmetic Classic. On Zhang Hao’s left hand was a storage ring, given to him by Mingxu.

The carriage was arranged by Ji Butong. After Zhang Hao became a nominal disciple of Mingxu, Ji Butong’s attitude immediately changed.

Tired of reading, Zhang Hao focused on the pages of the Arithmetic Classic. The paper was strong and durable; even though the book was very old, the pages were still relatively new.

“This is ‘Celestial Hemp Paper’, it’s very precious,” Ji Butong said. “Information recorded on jade slips isn’t intuitive and is easily lost.

Within the Nine Sun Sect, important documents are copied onto Celestial Hemp Paper.

As long as it’s properly preserved, Celestial Hemp Paper can last for thousands of years without decaying.”

“I see. Does the Nine Sun Sect sell this Celestial Hemp Paper?”

“This is one of our Nine Sun Sect’s specialties. Half of the Celestial Hemp Paper in the Qixia Kingdom comes from the Nine Sun Sect. If you want some, I can give you some.”

Zhang Hao thought for a moment. “I’ll be using a lot. What’s the price of Celestial Hemp Paper?”

“Well, ordinary Celestial Hemp Paper is two spirit stones a roll; the good stuff is ten spirit stones a roll. A roll of Celestial Hemp Paper is one zhang long and three chi wide.”

“Then I’ll pre-order ten rolls of each quality of Celestial Hemp Paper.”

…

At dusk, the carriage finally returned to the Ninghe County city.

After seeing Ji Butong off, Zhang Shengde immediately looked at Zhang Hao with burning eyes, making Zhang Hao feel rather strange. “Dad, what’s wrong?”

Zhang Shengde smiled faintly. “Qian Shaoxian was killed by you, right?”

A voice appeared behind Zhang Hao. “It’s a pity we didn’t catch Qian Mingjue. Qian Shaoxian gave up his life force and activated a teleportation talisman, sending Qian Mingjue away.”

Teleportation talisman, Zhang Hao nodded slightly, so that was it. That was what Qian Shaoxian had extorted from Mingxu.

After settling the bill, Zhang Shengde sent away the Night Moon Pavilion expert, suddenly laughed excitedly twice, and prepared to rest. He had been too excited these past two days; he hadn’t felt this triumphant in decades.

After laughing for a while, Zhang Han came over. “Foster father, this is information from home.”

Zhang Shengde put away his smile and looked at it. After a moment, his expression became serious.

“Qian Mingjue returned to the Qian family, taking only thirty or so people, and took all the wealth he could carry, and left.

So, what about the remaining people of the Qian family?”

“Not clear yet.”

Zhang Shengde looked at the sky. “The city gates haven’t closed yet, we’ll return immediately.”

A moment later, Zhang Hao became a kite. Zhang Han stayed behind to manage the store and would lead everyone back tomorrow, while Zhang Hao was dragged through the sky by Zhang Shengde.

Flying on a sword was certainly great, but being dragged along by someone else was a different experience.

What graceful like an immortal, what elegant demeanor, all went to hell. In less than half an hour, they flew back home from the county city, and Zhang Hao swallowed a bellyful of wind.

Zhang Shengde dropped Zhang Hao and went to discuss things with Zhang Shengye. Zhang Hao shrugged and went to busy himself with his own affairs.

Arriving at the mine, Zhang Hao went straight to Huang Mingshan.

“Young Master.” Huang Mingshan looked at Zhang Hao with excitement. Was it time to show what he could do?

Zhang Hao nodded. “Bring the ones I checked on the list.”

Zhang Hao didn’t completely adopt all the names Huang Mingshan had submitted, selecting only six in total. As a superior, one should appropriately display one’s authority. Besides, he didn’t need that many people for now.

After a while, Huang Mingshan brought six people over.

Zhang Hao looked at them. The seven people, including Huang Mingshan, were mostly covered in the grime of the mines. Looking closely, besides Huang Mingshan, who looked to be in his mid-twenties, the rest were mostly around twenty years old, and some were even younger than Zhang Hao.

“Line up according to age, and report your name, age, specialty, etc.”

Huang Mingshan was naturally the leader. “Huang Mingshan, 25 years old, fifth level of Qi Refining. Specialty… Specialty…”

Zhang Hao added, “Say something related to formations, weapon crafting, wind turbines, etc.”

“Then my specialty is familiarity with the structure of wind turbines. The wind turbine the Young Master saw was made by me.”

“Very good.” Zhang Hao nodded, expressing his approval and appreciation. “Next.”

“Chen Feng, 21 years old, fourth level of Qi Refining, has some understanding of formations; can repair some low-level magical artifacts.”

“Shi Donglai, 20 years old, fourth level of Qi Refining, has some understanding of runes.”

“Hou Shangzhuo, 20 years old, fifth level of Qi Refining, can make some low-level magical artifacts.”

“Liu Ming, 19 years old, fourth level of Qi Refining, knows a little about the application, adjustment, and maintenance of various magical artifacts.”

“Wang Xuefeng, 18 years old, fourth level of Qi Refining, can… can… a little about formations, is most familiar with the millstone, and can make simple adjustments.”

“Yu Yueyun, 17 years old, fourth level of Qi Refining, can craft weapons, mainly crafting small items. This… Young Master… Does this count as a specialty…”

“It does! And it’s very good!” Zhang Hao affirmed, and Yu Yueyun immediately became excited.

Zhang Hao scanned everyone and slowly said, “I know you’re all wondering why I’ve brought you here, and what we’re going to do.

It’s actually very simple, I want to try something.

If it succeeds, it will be like the current Mystic Iron smelting technology, able to change the Zhang family. Of course, it can also change you.

As long as we succeed, each person will receive a Foundation Establishment Pill!”

Foundation Establishment Pill! These three words instantly made the eyes of Huang Mingshan and the other six light up.

Next, of course, was the swearing oath. Since learning the “complex truth” of Qian Shaoxian’s death, Zhang Hao had become even more cautious about swearing oaths.

Zhang Hao had Huang Mingshan and the other seven swear to be loyal to him and to keep secrets—without his approval, they couldn’t even tell Zhang Shengde.

The craftsmen hesitated, but Zhang Hao put on an expression of indifference, as if they were getting a great deal.

In the end, the craftsmen still swore the oath.

“Very good!” Zhang Hao waved his hand and took out seven small porcelain bottles from his storage ring. “One bottle for each person, each bottle containing five Qi Cultivation Pills. Huang Mingshan, you distribute them.”

Huang Mingshan excitedly took the bottles, carefully distributed them to everyone, and finally kept one for himself.

“Thank you, Young Master.” Everyone’s voices were very uniform.

Zhang Hao nodded. “Put them away. Perform well in the future. Follow me.”

Arriving at the entrance of the smelting base, there was a cluster of buildings, including warehouses, canteens, accommodations, rest areas, guards, etc., and of course, Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye’s “offices.”

Zhang Hao occupied a newly built warehouse and put up his name—Zhang Hao.

The warehouse was very large, about three zhang in size, which was ten meters, approximately square.

“From now on, we will gather here every day at the beginning of chen hour (7:00 AM); we will rest every day at the end of you hour (7:00 PM). We will have half an hour to rest at noon.”

“Yes!” Everyone said in unison.

“Very good, then starting now, the first thing you need to do is learn…”

Learn, learn mathematics, learn to use mathematics to understand the world around you! This was undoubtedly a difficult task.

In this small, simple classroom, Zhang Hao took out the Arithmetic Classic, and starting from completely new numbers, from basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, personally educated and cultivated the seven people in front of him.

Zhang Hao didn’t engage in any public education, nor did he have time to ‘start from childhood’. He could only select younger, smarter, and more specialized craftsmen from his own family.

Zhang Hao had also learned about the list submitted by Huang Mingshan through Zhang Shengde. Zhang Shengde was in charge of the family’s smelting affairs and was relatively clear about the situation of the craftsmen, giving Zhang Hao a lot of advice.

Time passed day by day, and Zhang Hao taught them numbers, hours, minutes, seconds, temperature, speed, meters, centimeters, millimeters, cubes, spheres, and so on, one by one.

At first, the seven were a little worried, wondering what the Young Master had brought them here to do; but after a few days, the seven eagerly learned everything.

Cultivators had strong energy. These guys could meditate for an hour and guarantee a day of energy. To reward everyone’s learning attitude, Zhang Hao gritted his teeth and gave each person one Qi Cultivation Pill every day. This was the team he had selected, and he couldn’t damage their foundation.

There was an exam every day, and the best performer was rewarded with three spirit stones, the second place with one spirit stone. The third place… had no reward.

Six days passed in the blink of an eye. Zhang Hao stood on the podium, looking at the seven people below who were seriously reviewing, and a look of satisfaction flashed in his eyes. Cultivators were indeed different; in six days, they had almost mastered the basic knowledge.

Next, they would study, research, and think at the same time!

Zhang Hao clapped his hands. “Everyone, you have performed very well in the past six days. Tomorrow, we will have an important task. We will use mathematical methods to redesign a new wind turbine.

As long as this wind turbine design is successful, each person will be rewarded with a Foundation Establishment Pill!

Tomorrow, dress a little better. I hope that starting tomorrow, you will no longer define yourselves as ‘craftsmen’.”

Yu Yueyun was the most active. “Young Master, if not craftsmen, then what are we?”

“You need to find the answer yourselves!”

Chapter 20: This is ‘Power’

Qian Mingjue had been waiting at the foot of the Nine Sun Sect mountain for several days, sending generous gifts to the gatekeepers to pass on a message, but his sister still hadn’t appeared.

“Could she be dead?”

“Or did those people take the money and do nothing?”

Qian Mingjue grew increasingly anxious.

Just as Qian Mingjue was becoming paranoid, a slender and enchanting figure appeared at the Nine Sun Sect’s gate.

“Little sister!” Qian Mingjue moved like the wind, almost floating to the woman’s side.

However, the woman looked at Qian Mingjue calmly, with no joy or anger in her eyes, and said indifferently, “Brother, the Second Elder agreed to help. Go to this address. There’s a Mystic Iron mine there, but no earth fire.”

After handing the note to Qian Mingjue, the woman gracefully turned and disappeared into the Nine Sun Sect’s gate.

Qian Mingjue wanted to chase after her to ask more, but was stopped by the gatekeepers.

“Leave, or die!” The gatekeeper’s face was stern, and his eyes were full of contempt as he looked at Qian Mingjue.

Qian Mingjue’s expression changed several times before he finally turned and left. But Qian Mingjue’s eyes had become gloomy and cold.

…………

At this time, at the Zhang family, Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye were celebrating with wine.

“Brother, we’ve already produced a full one hundred tonnes of ninety-three percent pure Mystic Iron, and almost four hundred tonnes of lower purity. When are we sending it to the prefectural city?”

“I can already imagine everyone’s surprised expressions.”

Zhang Shengde thought for a moment, “Let’s stick to the previously agreed time and leave in three days.”

“Alright.” Zhang Shengye was a little disappointed, but the next moment he became excited again, “That little brat has been acting mysterious these past few days. I curiously checked with my spiritual sense and found he’s teaching some ‘Arithmetic Classic’, even neglecting his cultivation.”

“Perhaps it’s Mingxu’s arrangement. We don’t need to interfere, just watch.”

“I’m afraid this kid is not focusing on his proper job.”

…………

Early in the morning, Huang Mingshan put on silk clothes. Such a set of clothes cost more than five hundred iron coins, something Huang Mingshan couldn’t have imagined in the past.

His wife gently tidied him up beside him, helping Huang Mingshan tie his belt, and finally asked worriedly, “Husband, why did the young master…”

“A woman shouldn’t ask, I already swore an oath. Besides…”

“Besides what?”

“This money is enough to buy my life!” At this moment, Huang Mingshan didn’t have the cautiousness he showed in front of Zhang Hao. He strode out, “Madam, we don’t have the aptitude for cultivation, and our origins are humble, but I don’t want Bo’er to continue our life.

So, I don’t want to give up this chance to change our fate.

In case… if something really happens to me, the money we have at home now is enough for Bo’er to lay a solid foundation for cultivation, so he doesn’t have to be like you and me.

Moreover, if things go well today, the young master will reward a Foundation Establishment Pill!”

After Huang Mingshan left, the woman picked up the child still in swaddling clothes, looked at the more than five hundred spirit stones neatly placed on the bedside, and the ten bottles of Qi Cultivation Pills, and muttered to herself, “Huang Bo, you will definitely become a great man!”

With that, the woman broke open a Qi Cultivation Pill, dissolved it in water, and fed it to the infant little by little. After the infant swallowed all the Qi Cultivation Pills, the woman began to massage the infant, gently chanting an ordinary Daoist scripture. A faint spiritual light faintly emanated from the infant’s brow.

Huang Mingshan strode out of the house, looked up at the rising sun in the east, listening to the faint sound of waves from the sea, and firmly walked towards the mining and smelting base.

Entering the barrier, he felt the fiery atmosphere.

“Oh, dressed so formally!” A voice pulled Huang Mingshan back. Turning his head, he saw Zhang Shengye, and quickly bowed to greet him.

Zhang Shengye nodded, “Is there any happy event today?”

“The young master instructed me to dress better today.”

“Oh. Alright, go ahead.” Zhang Shengye walked away with his hands behind his back, continuing his patrol.

Recently, Zhang Shengye had become fond of patrolling, enjoying watching the craftsmen pour Mystic Iron ingots, and watching the Mystic Iron ingots being stacked into city walls.

The craftsmen shouted slogans, their enthusiasm high. Zhang Shengde had fulfilled his promise, doubling the salaries of all the craftsmen and providing generous rewards.

But Huang Mingshan didn’t care about these things. He quickly walked to the classroom, came to his desk, and began to review.

About a quarter of an hour later, Zhang Hao stepped into the classroom, “Everyone, after six days of learning, today is the moment of testing.”

The classroom quickly turned into a laboratory. Forging tables, flame formations, some high-purity Mystic Iron, and all kinds of tools were available.

Zhang Hao sat on the podium, watching everyone busy. When all the items were arranged neatly and in an orderly manner, he said, “Today, I’ll give you a topic, which is to use new methods to design a brand new fan that meets the Mystic Iron smelting process.

For the first design, I don’t ask for efficiency or appearance. I only ask for one thing, which is:

Throughout the entire design process, all the way to the final production and shaping, there must be a mathematical basis!

Even a corner on the fan must have data!”

After a slight pause, Zhang Hao clapped his hands, and guards outside the door came forward with scrolls. The guards placed the scrolls on Zhang Hao’s desk and left.

Zhang Hao also took out seven pure white porcelain bottles from his storage ring and placed them on the table, “These are seven high-grade Foundation Establishment Pills, worth fifteen hundred spirit stones!

If this matter is done well, these Foundation Establishment Pills are yours.

If it’s not done well, no one will get them.

Remember, you are a team, I only look at the final result, not individual performance.

Huang Mingshan, you are the team leader.”

The eyes of the seven people suddenly lit up.

Zhang Hao pointed to the scrolls on the table and said, “These are hemp paper, two spirit stones a roll. From now on, your designs, drawings, etc., must be done on hemp paper and archived.”

“Hiss…” The seven people gasped. Hemp paper, two spirit stones a roll, two thousand iron coins, could buy five hundred kilograms of coarse rice, almost equivalent to a normal family’s annual food supply.

Looking at the unfolded hemp paper, Huang Mingshan’s hands trembled a little, and he hesitated to put down the charcoal pencil.

Zhang Hao watched for a while and then left.

These six days were completely cramming, because time was tight.

The news of the “Eastern Expedition” was flying everywhere, and the shadow of war could fall at any time.

Fortunately, everyone was a cultivator, with excellent physical qualities and outstanding minds. After these days of learning and observation, Zhang Hao felt very good.

“What have you been busy with these days?” Zhang Shengde appeared silently beside Zhang Hao, scaring Zhang Hao so much that he almost jumped up.

“I’ll give Dad a surprise when it’s done.”

“Is that so?”

“I guarantee I won’t disappoint Dad! By the way, how is the Qian family doing?”

“Don’t worry, now all the mines in Changshan Town are ours. The Qian family’s craftsmen, etc., are also being screened.”

Time passed inadvertently to noon. Zhang Hao came to the classroom again, but saw everyone putting the tables together, drawing carefully, and there were occasional collisions of different opinions.

Three rolls of hemp paper had been cut to the required size, and drafts, design drawings, etc., were categorized. Several excellent design drawings were placed separately on the side.

Zhang Hao’s entry did not disturb them. After watching for a while, Zhang Hao left.

In the evening, the sound of forging began to ring in the room. They finally completed the design drawings and began production. During this period, they also constantly traveled to the smelting area, pouring some parts shells, etc.

Time gradually came to early morning.

Finally, a brand new fan appeared in the classroom.

Zhang Hao led Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye into this “warehouse” that had been closed for several days.

“What is this!” As soon as Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye came in, they were attracted by the metal objects on the ground.

“This is power! The power to change the world!” Zhang Hao smiled, smiling very brightly.

Chapter 21: Competition Mechanism

The air was dry and hot, filled with a large amount of dust, and the ground was covered with iron filings, but none of this could stop the burning gazes of the crowd.

The metal object in front of them was still rough on the surface, but it already had a preliminary streamlined design.

The object was gourd-shaped, about one meter in size, and made entirely of rough iron. A large hole (air inlet) was opened in the large belly at the back; two low-grade spirit stones were embedded in the base.

The “gourd” was composed of more than a dozen ‘parts’, which were riveted together.

Array patterns arranged from high-grade Mystic Iron were drawn from the two spirit stones and submerged into the inside of the gourd.

Huang Mingshan explained to Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye, “This is a blower, designed using a brand new mathematical method. This time, the blower not only uses the Wind Array, but also the Fire Array.

As the saying goes, ‘Fire borrows the power of the wind, and the wind increases the power of the fire.’ After the wind and fire cooperate with each other, the efficiency is increased by about four to five times.

In addition, after the combination of wind and fire, a vortex mode is formed inside the blower cavity, which can well reduce the internal temperature of the blower and ensure the safety of the blower.”

Zhang Hao walked around and asked, “What is the designed air volume and wind speed?”

“The designed air volume is ten cubic meters per minute, and the wind speed is ten meters per second.”

“What about the actual?”

“The actual situation has not been measured. Moreover, we don’t know how to measure it.” Huang Mingshan was a little embarrassed.

“If you don’t know how to measure it, go and study it. I don’t believe that you can produce a blower but can’t measure its air volume.” Zhang Hao didn’t try to force growth, and directly said how to measure it. In fact, measuring air volume is not a simple matter.

Measuring air volume requires temperature, pressure, density, and so on, and all of this is currently blank.

Everything needs to be developed from scratch, bit by bit.

Of course, in this process, Zhang Hao will appropriately provide some necessary guidance.

After a slight pause, Zhang Hao said again, “Start the blower and see what happens.”

Huang Mingshan skillfully pressed the spirit stones and activated the array. A stream of wind began to shoot out from the gourd mouth. It could be seen that the dust suspended in the air was blown and rolled, and the strong wind gradually swept through the entire room.

Zhang Hao put some paper scraps at the mouth of the gourd, roughly estimated the wind speed through the paper scraps, and finally nodded in satisfaction. “The wind speed is about nine meters, and the diameter of the air outlet is eight centimeters. The drawing matches the blower data by ninety percent. I consider you qualified.

Each of you take a bottle of Foundation Establishment Pills and go home to rest.

Take a day off tomorrow and think carefully about what you have learned these days.”

Huang Mingshan and others took the pills and quickly left. Soon, only Zhang Hao, Zhang Shengde, and Zhang Shengye were left.

Zhang Hao picked up the drawings that Huang Mingshan and others had sorted out and came to Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye, “Father, Second Uncle, this is the result of our efforts these days.”

Zhang Shengde walked around the blower, felt the consumption speed of the spirit stones, and was a little surprised, “These two spirit stones are enough to support this blower to run for two days.

And the air volume of this blower is much, much larger than the current blowers.”

“Yes. This is the power of ‘mathematics’.”

“Mathematics?” Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye asked in unison.

“It’s the Suanjing (Mathematical Classic) that I got from my master, Mingxu, but we have made some improvements and extensions.” After a slight pause, Zhang Hao handed the drawings to Zhang Shengde, “Father, this kind of blower is enough to replace the bellows.

The bellows occupies a large area, needs frequent maintenance, and requires a lot of manpower; moreover, the bellows can no longer meet our current production needs.

It’s time to make a change.”

Zhang Shengde weighed the drawings, thoughtfully, “How much does it cost to produce such a blower?”

Zhang Hao spread his hands, “It’s not certain yet, but all the materials used are readily available, and the cost price won’t be too high.”

Zhang Shengde thought for a while, and suddenly smiled, “How about this, Hao, the production of the blower will also be handed over to you. It just so happens that the family has recently absorbed some artisans from the Qian family, and there are plenty of people.”

“I don’t want the Qian family’s artisans, I want trustworthy and capable people from the family, preferably those who grew up in the family.”

“No problem!”

…………

Meanwhile, Huang Mingshan rushed home after leaving the mine. From a distance, he saw the faint silhouette in the window.

Knocking on the door, the couple looked at each other silently.

“I’m back.” Huang Mingshan said quietly.

“It’s good that you’re back.” A bright smile bloomed on his wife’s face, only the slightly red and swollen eyes showed that the woman had just cried.

At this time, the clothes on Huang Mingshan’s body were almost rags. After a day of hard work, especially having to personally smelt and forge at the end, Huang Mingshan seemed to have returned to the way he was a few days ago—coming home dark every day.

Entering the house, Huang Mingshan took out a porcelain bottle from his arms and said softly, “High-grade Foundation Establishment Pill!”

The wife was not moved by the Foundation Establishment Pill, but held Huang Mingshan’s hand.

Huang Mingshan’s hands were full of blisters and burns.

“It’s okay!” Huang Mingshan hugged his wife, “From today on, I can say with certainty that our destiny has changed. I misunderstood the young master before, we are participating in a great thing.”

“Yeah. Are you hungry? I saved some food.”

At midnight, a family of three quietly enjoyed the warmth.

…………

It was another early morning, and many artisans of the Zhang family were bustling around.

This morning, everyone was on vacation, because Zhang Hao, the young master of the Zhang family, was going to select some elites from the artisans.

This caused a huge response.

Zhang Hao himself may not be very clear, the seven people he had previously selected, including Huang Mingshan, had become living advertisements.

Instead of working, they learned new knowledge, and there were generous rewards every day.

This had long made everyone jealous.

Now, is it finally their turn?

“Quiet!” Zhang Hao shouted, and the scene was instantly silent.

“The selection rules this time are: age under twenty, cultivation reaching the fourth level of Qi Refining.

Those with a certain foundation in array formations and runes will be given priority.

Those with excellent forging skills will be given priority.

Those who are dexterous or have a special skill will report and be assessed separately.

Finally, fifty people will be selected based on merit.”

Before he finished speaking, many old artisans were dissatisfied.

“What are you arguing about!” Zhang Shengye controlled the scene, and suppressed the scene as soon as he spoke. “Did the recent salary increase make you forget yourselves?

You, come out!”

Zhang Shengye pointed out an artisan, who was a little trembling.

Zhang Hao recognized this person as one of the artisans who forged Mystic Iron in front of Zhang Hao at the beginning.

Zhang Shengye sternly reprimanded, “Zhou Da, I ask you, how much has your salary increased in the past ten days?”

“That… almost more than three times.”

“Then, how much contribution have you made to the family?”

“Uh… this…” Zhou Da’s face turned red with shame, and he couldn’t say a word.

Zhang Shengye snorted coldly, “Zhou Da, I’ve been paying attention to you for several days, you’ve been a little lazy recently! I tell you, if you don’t want to do it, go mining.”

Zhou Da didn’t dare to speak immediately. Although they were both artisans, the salary for mining was obviously lower, and the status was also lower. Those responsible for forging were skilled workers.

Zhang Hao quickly recruited fifty people, but Zhang Hao looked at everyone and said lightly, “Out of you fifty, only twenty can stay in the end! So, perform well.

Now start grouping, five people in a group, and elect your own group leader.

Time, one quarter!”

A quarter passed quickly, and eight groups appeared, and ten people were scattered, refusing to admit defeat to each other.

“You are eliminated.” Zhang Hao coldly announced the final judgment.

The ten people were stunned.

“I don’t like people who don’t know how to unite.” Zhang Hao said, scanning everyone, “You are just ordinary people, only by uniting can you go further.”

The ten people began to beg, but Zhang Hao did not let go.

When the ten people finally left, Zhang Hao said to the remaining people, “Come and look at the drawings, ask me if you don’t understand.

Tomorrow, Huang Mingshan and others will also come back and explain to you.

Starting tomorrow, you will start learning to build items according to the drawings, and only the best four groups can stay.

Remember, from now on, you are a group, a team, I want to see the achievements of the team, not the individual.”

Chapter 22: Streamlined Production

Zhang Hao used the ten people as a warning to the others. The remaining forty people, or rather, the eight groups, were extremely tense.

This was no joke! And once eliminated, there would be no chance to plead for mercy!

“Now there are eight groups left. That’s a fifty percent elimination rate!

“Groups are starting to be wary of each other, starting to compete. But within the competitive environment, the internal bonds of each group are becoming even closer.”

For a whole afternoon and half the evening, Zhang Hao was explaining things to everyone.

Everyone studied very seriously, and they had to be serious.

At noon, Zhang Hao gave everyone a pep talk, a simple sentence: “Do you want to change your destiny? Then seize this opportunity before you!”

Afterward, Zhang Hao set up a reward: the four groups that successfully broke through would each receive fifty spirit stones! This alone was enough to inspire everyone to work hard.

Early the next morning, Huang Mingshan and the others returned. After a day of rest, Huang Mingshan and his six companions were refreshed. Hearing that they were going to take on apprentices, they were all very excited.

In just a few days, they had gone from ordinary craftsmen to the family’s advanced “craftsmen,” and were vaguely entering the core of the family.

Time passed quietly, and it was morning before they knew it.

In the afternoon, the forty people widened their eyes. The final… began!

“Starting this afternoon, everyone will begin to build the fans according to the drawings.”

Around them, Zhang Shengde, Zhang Shengye, Zhang Hao, Huang Mingshan, and others acted as referees.

Zhang Shengye was responsible for providing everything. No matter what was needed, he could provide it immediately. To accompany Zhang Hao in this endeavor, he even neglected the production of Mystic Iron, even though tomorrow was the agreed delivery deadline.

Not only that, but there were also many craftsmen watching around, and some had even opened a betting pool, shouting for the teams they had bet on to win.

But the eight groups had completely entered their own worlds, looking at the drawings they had copied and starting to work busily.

The competition had no set time limit. Zhang Hao had made it clear that they were competing on the final product quality.

There were no restrictions on time.

The fan itself used only the most basic formations, so Qi Refining fourth level was sufficient.

Sparks began to fly, files, carving knives, chisels, and iron hammers danced, and the flames ignited by the fire formation burned fiercely. Sweat gradually flowed down everyone’s faces.

The eight groups each had different methods. Some started with the easy parts and then moved on to the difficult ones, some started with the difficult parts and then moved on to the easy ones, some went from front to back, and some went from bottom to top.

But what attracted Zhang Hao’s attention the most was that one group actually adopted a ‘preliminary division of labor’ production method. This so-called preliminary division of labor was the predecessor of assembly line production!

“Each person is only responsible for the part they are good at, and finally, they work together to form a finished product.”

However, streamlined production requires a high degree of cooperation. If the data for one part is wrong, the entire machine will not be able to be assembled!

“But just this division of labor is enough for Zhang Hao to think highly of them. As long as this group doesn’t go too far off track, Zhang Hao might make a special exception. Excellent talents need special treatment.”

Zhang Hao looked down at the list. The leader of this group was called Bai Xiaodong, a very ordinary name.

Bai Xiaodong’s group had those responsible for the outer shell only responsible for the outer shell; there were two responsible for arranging the formations, managing the wind formation and the fire formation respectively; there were also those specifically responsible for the flames and tools; and Bai Xiaodong coordinated the work of the four people and participated in each link as a mobile force, correcting deviations in the data of each party.

Zhang Hao was paying attention to Bai Xiaodong, and Zhang Shengye was also paying attention to Zhang Hao. “What are you looking at him for? Isn’t he just making trouble!”

Zhang Hao didn’t speak, but instead looked at Zhang Shengde.

Zhang Shengde watched for a while. “No, he’s not making trouble. He’s more like a link, completely integrating the group. This person is not simple!”

Zhang Shengye smiled awkwardly, but also began to pay attention. Soon he was also a little surprised that there was such a talent among the family’s craftsmen. Although the methods were still very raw, he could already see great potential.

The progress of Bai Xiaodong’s team was obviously faster than that of other teams.

As night deepened, Zhang Hao wanted to rest, but Zhang Shengye objected, saying not to think of cultivators as too fragile. Even low-level Qi Refining cultivators could match three, five, or even a dozen ordinary people.

“So, occasionally staying up late is good for your health~~~” Zhang Hao rolled his eyes.

Time gradually came to the second half of the night, and finally, a group completed their work. The first to complete their work was not Bai Xiaodong’s team, but Zhang Yueshan’s team.

Because Zhang Yueshan’s team was all at the fifth level of Qi Refining, a typical strong combination.

Zhang Yueshan looked at Zhang Hao expectantly, but Zhang Hao said that they should rest for a while and wait for everyone to finish forging.

What Zhang Hao needed was not only speed but also quality! And also a rigorous attitude!

Fortunately, the others were not too slow. Around the end of Chou hour (3 AM), all eight groups had completed their work.

Zhang Hao got up and came to the eight fans, checking them one by one.

All forty people were filled with tension.

Zhang Hao had made it clear before that he only needed twenty people.

Zhang Hao, along with Huang Mingshan and others, scored the eight fans, with the eight people circling the fans again and again.

Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye could not interrupt, because the current inspection was not only what the eyes could see but also required precise measurement.

Huang Mingshan and others used long silk floss to measure the wind force, used millimeter rulers to measure the fan’s size data, and also tested the consumption rate of spirit stones, and so on.

Afterward, Zhang Hao drew his sword and split the eight fans in half, checking the internal circuits and so on.

After a full half an hour, Zhang Hao finally gave his evaluation: “After a comprehensive evaluation, the following groups have won.

Zhao Baishi, Wang Xuhe, Li Mingfeng, He Zhengjie, these four groups have won.”

The four groups named cheered immediately. Two days of tension and anxiety had finally been exchanged for a ladder of progress.

The remaining four groups looked ashen.

And Zhang Yueshan, who had finished first, expressed dissatisfaction.

Zhang Hao said coldly, “You finished, but what about your quality? The worst of the eight fans is yours. I asked you to build according to the drawings, not to improvise!

“Do what the drawings say, even if it’s wrong!”

The victorious four groups happily received their rewards—fifty spirit stones per group, ten per person!

“Afterward, Zhang Hao announced a special exception for Bai Xiaodong’s team, but with no reward.”

This made the remaining three groups even more resentful.

“Their fan is a little worse, but their working method and attitude have won my appreciation. From beginning to end, they were not flustered.

“Alright, let’s all disperse. Everyone who participated in the competition today will rest for a day tomorrow. Don’t be discouraged if you weren’t selected, there will be many opportunities!

“Bai Xiaodong, you five stay behind.”

Chapter 23: What a Huge Planet

When only Bai Xiaodong and his four companions remained, Zhang Hao said casually, “Sit down.”

Bai Xiaoliang and the others sat down somewhat uneasily, not daring to sit fully, only perching on the edge of the stools.

Zhang Hao smiled. “Don’t be nervous. I just want to tell you that you’ve performed very well. Not only do I say so, but my father and my second uncle say so too.”

Bai Xiaoliang and the others looked up and saw Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye nodding.

The five were instantly excited. Such recognition was far more precious than those fifty spirit stones.

Zhang Hao patted the five on the shoulders. “Keep up the good work. Your production methods are excellent, and you must carry them forward.”

“Yes!” Bai Xiaoliang stood up excitedly.

Zhang Hao waved his hand, indicating they could leave.

After Bai Xiaoliang and the others left, Zhang Shengye looked at the Mystic Iron piled up almost like a city wall in the distance and suddenly sighed. “Little Hao, the family has a problem now.”

“What is it?”

“In the past ten short days, we’ve produced over eight hundred tons of Mystic Iron.”

“Mm!” Zhang Hao nodded calmly, thinking this was normal. Eight hundred tons in ten days was only thirty thousand tons a year. There was still quite a distance to go before reaching the standard of producing ten million or tens of millions of tons of steel annually.

Zhang Shengye continued, “The family only has thirty carriages, and can only transport about one hundred tons at most at a time.”

Huh? That was the problem?

Zhang Hao was stunned for a moment, but then became happy.

Why?

Although the horses in this world possessed demon beast bloodlines and were incredibly powerful, they were still just horses, with limited carrying capacity! Therefore, cars and other vehicles still had great potential for development.

The future was bright.

However, it seemed impossible to produce cars in the short term. So, what method could be used to upgrade transportation capacity now?

“This needs some careful thought!”

“For the time being,” Zhang Hao looked at the eight hundred tons of Mystic Iron in front of him and could only chuckle. “Second Uncle, how about we make a few more trips? Or rent some other carriages.”

“That’s all we can do for now.” Zhang Shengye nodded helplessly, but then looked at Zhang Hao with a half-smile. “Little Hao, I think you’ll come up with a solution, right?”

Zhang Hao’s heart skipped a beat. Did his smiling second uncle mean something else?

Zhang Hao could only force a smile. “I’ll do my best. Ah… Second Uncle, Father, I’ve been up all day. I’m going back to sleep.”

…

He rushed back to his room. Zhang Hao thought about his performance over the past few days and finally shook his head. Time waits for no one. He would have to continue to push himself in the near future.

Looking at the two books on the bookshelf, Three Walls and Seal Interpretation, Zhang Hao said softly but firmly, “I will definitely complete you.”

Then, Zhang Hao looked at the Map of the World hanging on the wall, lost in thought.

These days, Zhang Hao had been studying this “world map.” Mingxu had already made the map public to many Golden Core cultivators and allowed everyone to copy it. Therefore, Zhang Hao could possess this map without any worries.

The Map of the World was very old, and its origins were untraceable.

Looking at the almost graffiti-like lines, Zhang Hao initially had great doubts.

However, after repeated observations, Zhang Hao had to admit that the author of this map was very serious. Moreover, this was the only known world map.

Therefore, despite the fact that the Map of the World seemed full of errors, Zhang Hao still carefully analyzed it bit by bit, filtering out the information he needed:

In the center of the map were the seven known continents.

Around the map was the boundless ocean.

Further away was a chaotic void.

The seven continents were completely separated by the sea. The oceans between these continents were called the “Inner Sea.”

The oceans outside the continents were called the “Outer Sea.”

The legendary Nine Immortal Mountains were located in the Outer Sea.

This was a typical concept of a flat Earth with the continents at the center.

According to the information on the Map of the World:

Among the seven continents, the southwestern “Scorched Earth Continent” was named because “the sunlight is scorching, and flames erupt from the ground, making it uninhabitable.”

Scorched Earth Continent was a desolate place. It was extremely hot, with flames erupting from the ground, making it impossible for ordinary cultivators to survive.

Especially in the central part of Scorched Earth Continent, the map showed eight thousand li of Fire Mountain.

And the northernmost “Frozen Earth Continent” was named because “ten thousand li are frozen, the mountains are connected to the sea, and rivers and lakes cannot be distinguished.”

Frozen Earth Continent was a frigid place. Snow and ice never melted, and mountains and glaciers were indistinguishable from each other. Magnificent snow peaks stretched from the land all the way to the sea, to the edge of the chaotic void.

And the northeastern “Shadow Earth Continent” was named because “the sun is close to the ground, the light is dim and mysterious, stars appear in the daytime, like a dark night that never retreats, not visible to the world.”

Shadow Earth Continent was a dim world. Even at noon, the sunlight was dim, the sun seemed to stick to the surface of the earth and could not rise, and the land was forever shrouded in darkness.

Moreover, Shadow Earth Continent, like Frozen Earth Continent, was a frozen world.

Putting down the map, Zhang Hao pondered:

“This Frozen Earth Continent sounds like the Arctic, and the situation of Shadow Earth Continent is similar to the polar night in the Arctic. As for Scorched Earth Continent, it’s probably similar to… the equator?”

“If my guess is correct, then this world should be a planet.”

After thinking for a while, Zhang Hao rolled the bedding into a hemisphere, covered it with the Map of the World, and adjusted the direction:

“Put Shadow Earth Continent in the upper right quarter of the hemisphere; this is roughly similar to the Arctic Circle;

“And the center of Scorched Earth Continent, the eight thousand li of Fire Mountain, is close to the lower edge of the hemisphere, similar to the equator.”

Zhang Hao stepped back and looked at it:

“If Shadow Earth Continent is within the Arctic Circle and Scorched Earth Continent is on the equator, then it means that the vertical distance between the upper edge of Shadow Earth Continent and the middle of Scorched Earth Continent is similar to 1.4 times the radius of this planet.

It is said that Fertile Earth Continent is forty-six thousand li from east to west and thirty-eight thousand li from north to south.

Let’s not worry about whether these numbers are correct, or what the scale of this Map of the World is.

Just based on the current data, the Map of the World is about four and a half Fertile Earth Continent heights from north to south, which is about one hundred seventy thousand li, or about eighty-five thousand kilometers.

Based on this, the radius of this planet is approximately sixty thousand kilometers! This is similar to the size of Saturn!”

And the total area of the seven continents and the Inner Sea on the Map of the World is only equivalent to about a quarter to a third of the area north of this planet!”

After finishing his calculations, Zhang Hao exclaimed, “What a huge planet! But the gravity doesn’t seem to be very strong? I wonder if this world is special, or if the Map of the World is too inaccurate?”

“However, no matter how big the deviation is, this world is wonderful!”

…

The sky was dim, but the Zhang family was busy. It had been less than an hour since Zhang Hao went to rest.

However, Zhang Shengde, Zhang Shengye, and others had no sleepiness at all. Looking at the shining eight hundred tons of Mystic Iron, everyone shouted slogans and loaded it onto the carriages.

There were more than eighty carriages, large and small, temporarily rented from the town; plus the family’s original carriages, there were a total of one hundred thirteen carriages, all large four-wheeled vehicles.

In the midst of the busyness, a stream of light appeared in the eastern sky; the stream of light immediately aroused the vigilance of the Zhang family guards.

A moment later, the stream of light stopped in front of the Zhang family’s gate, revealing a figure.

The person shouted, “Feng Dongyuan, a guard of Liu Jingming, the governor of Ninghe County, requests an audience!”

Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye exchanged a glance, and Zhang Shengye immediately left to organize the family’s armed forces.

After waiting a while, when the family’s armed forces were presumably ready, Zhang Shengde rushed to the door ‘in a hurry’. “Oh dear, it’s General Feng. What wind has blown General Feng here?”

Feng Dongyuan smiled. “Zhang Family Head, congratulations. The governor just received information that Princess Wenxin will represent the royal family and visit the Zhang family. The Zhang family should not go anywhere today.”

“Ah…” Zhang Shengde was a little surprised. “Is it Princess Wenxin?”

“Of course! Farewell!”

“Wait, when will the princess arrive? Also, can you tell me why the princess is coming?”

“I am only responsible for delivering the message.” The voice quickly faded away. Feng Dongyuan came and went in a hurry, and his figure quickly disappeared into the hazy sky at dawn.

Chapter 24: Actions Speak Louder Than Words

“Knock, knock, knock…” The dull sound of knocking echoed in the quiet dawn.

Zhang Hao groaned in annoyance. “What is it? I just closed my eyes. Can’t a guy get some sleep?”

Zhang Han’s voice floated in, “Little brother, get up quickly! The princess is coming today. Dress up nicely, maybe you can become the emperor’s son-in-law.”

Zhang Hao rolled over, face down, and continued to sleep. “So what if it’s a princess? I don’t care.”

Princess? For a soul from another world, it wasn’t much of an attraction.

Generally speaking, marrying a princess meant walking on eggshells, unable to scold, hit, or offend her, and not being able to take concubines. Maybe you even had to help the princess find lovers! Who knew how many previous lovers the princess had had?

Zhang Hao thought of these princesses and decided: keep them at arm’s length.

He couldn’t give up the entire forest for one crooked tree.

Zhang Han outside the door was stunned. “Hey, little brother, it’s a princess! It’s said she’s the most beautiful princess in the western Fertile Earth Continent! Rumor has it her beauty, intelligence, and cultivation have amazed the royal families of many nations. Countless people have risked their lives just to catch a glimpse of her.”

“Don’t care, don’t care, don’t care! I want to sleep! If you bother me again, I’ll get angry!”

Zhang Han: …

Zhang Han left, and young master Zhang Hao prepared to continue sleeping.

However, only two or three minutes passed before heavy and forceful footsteps approached.

Bang! The door was kicked open.

“Get up!”

“Ouch… Dad, aren’t I getting dressed?” Zhang Hao hurriedly put on his clothes, looking at Zhang Shengde’s dark face, and couldn’t help but find a topic. “Dad, look, other families have maids, why don’t we?”

“Want maids? Don’t even think about it! Until your cultivation reaches the Foundation Establishment stage, focus on cultivating!”

Zhang Hao finished dressing and put on his shoes, coming to Zhang Shengde. “Dad, I’m ready.”

“Let’s go, I have something to discuss with you.”

As they walked, Zhang Shengde explained the situation.

Originally, they were planning to load the eight hundred tons of Mystic Iron onto carts today and transport it to the county city, but now Feng Dongyuan had delivered a message saying the princess was coming and that the Zhang family shouldn’t go anywhere.

But the problem was, the Zhang family had already made an appointment with Zheng Changqiu, Mu Mingchen, Ji Butong, Liu Xian, Zhu Yuantang, Mei Qianyun, and others to go to the county city today and make a deal.

“Dad, that Feng Dongyuan left after delivering the message, right?”

“Yes.”

“In other words, Dad let Feng Dongyuan deliver a message, but Feng Dongyuan didn’t hear it, right?”

“I didn’t say anything?”

“No, Dad did. It’s just that Feng Dongyuan didn’t hear it. Dad said: We have already made an appointment with the other families to go to the county city today.”

Zhang Shengde finally understood and smiled. “Right, I said it, but Feng Dongyuan didn’t hear it, he left too quickly. Ha…”

But after saying that, Zhang Shengde was still a little cautious. “Are we really not waiting for the princess?”

“Dad, why would the princess come to our house? Obviously, it’s because of the Mystic Iron! That means, in this matter, we have the initiative. So, we must seize the initiative.

Besides, we have already made an appointment with others.

As the saying goes, ‘A promise is a promise.’ Since we said it, we should try our best to do it. If the Zhang family wants to rise, it should start with keeping its word.”

“But doing so will anger the princess, right?”

“I don’t think so, at least not on the surface.

The princess came in person, possibly related to the Eastern Expedition, perhaps needing to express some generosity and benevolence. So, the more disobedient we are, the more magnanimous the princess will be.

Moreover, I am now a registered disciple of the Xuanzhen Sect!”

Zhang Shengde nodded. “Not bad. But this matter still needs to be reported to City Lord Liu Jingming separately.

Let’s go.”

As the morning sun just peeked over the horizon, the Zhang family’s team set off.

One hundred and thirteen carriages, carrying a total of three hundred tons of Mystic Iron. The four-wheeled carriages left deep ruts in the ground, and the horses pulling the carts snorted constantly, seemingly a bit emotional—it was too heavy.

The Zhang family’s guards constantly fed the horses some low-level pills to comfort these tall horses.

Zhang Hao was curious, and Zhang Han explained, “This is called ‘Grass Spirit Pill,’ not graded. It’s specially used to feed horses or raise low-level pets, spirit beasts, etc.

It’s made by boiling ordinary spirit rice, low-level spirit herbs, etc., with spirit spring water, cooling it, and rolling it into pills. The family’s grooms can make it.

Grass Spirit Pills can replenish the horses’ stamina and also soothe their emotions.”

Zhang Hao nodded.

Under the comfort of the Grass Spirit Pills, the horses carried the heavy goods and entered the county city, arriving at the market. By this time, it was already seven thirty in the morning, and many people had gathered in front of the Zhang family’s shop.

From far away, Zhang Hao heard Zheng Changqiu’s loud voice. “What did I tell you? I said the Zhang family would definitely come!”

Then he saw Zheng Changqiu’s particularly stout figure squeeze out of the crowd and rush to the carriage. “Zhang Hao, secretly tell Uncle Zheng, how much Mystic Iron did you prepare this time?”

“Not much, just a few hundred tons,” Zhang Hao said casually.

Zheng Changqiu rolled his eyes. “Then I guess it’s… two hundred tons?”

Zhang Hao smiled and didn’t say anything.

Zheng Changqiu kept going, “Nephew, I heard the princess is going to your place. Why did you come to the county city?”

“Didn’t we agree to meet at noon today? As for the princess’s side, of course we wouldn’t dare to neglect her. Later, my dad will go to the City Lord’s mansion to explain in person.

But Uncle Zheng, the princess’s whereabouts should be kept secret, how did you…”

“Haha, I’ll look at the Mystic Iron first.”

Zhang Hao looked at Zheng Changqiu’s back and curled his lips. But the Zhang family’s trustworthy behavior had invisibly gained everyone’s approval.

One piece of Mystic Iron after another was carried into the main hall by the guards, and the stone slabs on the ground cracked under the heavy Mystic Iron. Three hundred tons of Mystic Iron were stacked into a wall, leaving Zheng Changqiu and the others a little dumbfounded.

What dumbfounded them wasn’t just the quantity, but also the quality.

This time, the lowest purity of the Mystic Iron was eighty-six percent, and the highest purity was ninety-five percent. Among them, the ninety-three percent purity accounted for more than half.

“Gulp…” Zheng Changqiu and the others swallowed a mouthful of saliva. Damn it… they couldn’t afford it!

Even Liu Xian of the Cloud Eagle Trading Company, with his royal background, was stunned. “Mystic Iron with ninety-three percent purity costs at least forty middle-grade spirit stones per 500g. One ton costs at least eight hundred high-grade spirit stones!

Old Zhang, are you trying to rob us!

The spirit stones I brought this time aren’t even enough to buy one piece.”

Zhang Shengde smiled faintly. “I’ll go visit the City Lord first and return as soon as possible. Everyone, feel free to take a look.”

After Zhang Shengde left, Ji Butong looked at Zhang Hao. “Nephew, first of all, congratulations to the Zhang family for the further breakthrough in Mystic Iron smelting technology. This Mystic Iron is a joy to behold.”

“You flatter me,” Zhang Hao smiled happily.

Zhang Hao was happy, not only because of everyone’s praise, but also because he was a registered disciple of the Xuanzhen Sect, so he dared to “reveal his wealth,” and the Zhang family could develop wildly.

The identity of a registered disciple provided immeasurable help to Zhang Hao and the Zhang family.

Ji Butong, after finishing his praise, immediately raised the question. “Nephew, this Mystic Iron is very good, but it’s too expensive. We can’t even afford one piece.

What do you think we should do?”

Chapter 25: The Princess Summons

Inside the room, everyone shifted their gaze from the Mystic Iron to Zhang Hao.

Unknowingly, Zhang Hao had already stepped into the spotlight.

Although Zhang Shengde was the head of the Zhang family, everyone still looked towards this young man. Zhang Hao’s previous performance had left a deep impression on everyone.

Zhang Hao didn’t stand on ceremony. “I have an idea, though it’s just a rough one – credit sales.

This credit system will be different from the past.

First, it requires a fee of at least ten percent.

Second, it needs some collateral, a guarantor with sufficient status, and an oath.

Third, there are strict regulations for repayment, with a minimum amount due each month.

Fourth, the credit incurs interest.

Fifth, the price at the time of purchase remains stable, unaffected by market fluctuations.

That’s five points for now.”

After speaking, Zhang Hao sat down and wrote out the general outline he had just thought of.

If the Zhang family wanted to quickly promote Mystic Iron to the market, they couldn’t rely on cash flow; credit sales were essential.

There were money shops here, but they struggled to provide sufficient loans, and their systems were rigid, not fitting Zhang Hao’s vision.

Zhang Hao hoped for a financial system similar to a bank, but it didn’t exist here.

To establish a bank, the Zhang family didn’t yet have the qualifications or capital; most importantly, Zhang Hao didn’t fully understand the rules of this world.

So, for now, he could only start with credit sales.

With a further step in development, they could try to establish a bank.

Zhang Hao’s proposed solution immediately sparked everyone’s interest. After a short discussion, the meticulous Mei Qianyun was chosen as their representative to speak with Zhang Hao.

A faint, elegant fragrance wafted as Mei Qianyun gracefully sat before Zhang Hao, her rosy lips parting to speak softly, “Your proposal sounds good, and we generally agree. But we’d like to hear a more detailed plan.”

“Fairy Mei, it’s just a vague idea. How about this, I’ll discuss it with my father and give everyone a reply later?”

“And when will that be? We’ve already waited five days.”

“How about tonight?”

“Alright, it’s a deal!”

“It’s a deal!”

After speaking, Mei Qianyun didn’t leave. Instead, she joined the others in carefully inspecting the three hundred tons of Mystic Iron, and they began discussing how to divide it.

Zhang Hao shook his head slightly. “Esteemed seniors, the Zhang family has prepared a total of eight hundred tons of Mystic Iron this time. Another five hundred tons will arrive around noon.”

“How much?” Zheng Changqiu was so surprised he almost bit his tongue.

Not to mention others, even Ji Butong was stunned. Eight hundred tons of Mystic Iron capable of forging magical treasures was enough to shake the entire Mystic Iron market of the Qixia Kingdom.

Yes, the Qixia Kingdom’s monthly Mystic Iron production was about five million kilograms, or five thousand tons, but the vast majority of that Mystic Iron had a purity below seventy percent!

The Zhang family had provided eight hundred tons of Mystic Iron in just ten days, and it was of ultra-high purity. Didn’t this mean the Zhang family could provide about two thousand four hundred tons of Mystic Iron per month?

Zhang Hao sat quietly. Since gaining the identity of a nominal disciple of the Xuanzhen Sect, Zhang Hao could rest assured and act recklessly.

Surprised? This is just the beginning! You’ll continue to be surprised in the future.

About half an hour later, Zhang Shengde returned from the City Lord, his expression calm, indicating that nothing had happened.

However, Zhang Shengde was followed by someone.

“This is Feng Dongyuan, a personal guard of the City Lord.” Zhang Shengde introduced Zhang Hao. “The princess has arrived at the City Lord’s mansion. Go with Feng Dongyuan to pay your respects to the princess.”

Zhang Hao was immediately dumbfounded. Wait, what was going on?

“Want a hint?”

“The hint is coming right up.” Zhang Shengde’s voice echoed in Zhang Hao’s mind. “I don’t know why, but the City Lord insisted on seeing you. Don’t worry, it’s nothing.

The City Lord didn’t question us about our arrival in the prefectural city.

Instead, he asked about the curse, Mingxu, and other things.”

Zhang Hao wanted to know more, but Feng Dongyuan was already urging him. Zhu Yuantang, who was also wandering around here, was also called away.

Along the way, Feng Dongyuan kept a cold face, simply leading Zhang Hao and Zhu Yuantang forward.

Zhang Hao turned to look at Zhu Yuantang beside him. Zhu Yuantang shook his head helplessly; he didn’t understand what was wrong with Feng Dongyuan either.

It wasn’t until they reached the magnificent gate of the City Lord’s mansion that Feng Dongyuan stopped his spell and said coldly to Zhang Hao, “When you meet the City Lord and the princess, make sure you know how to be humble. Understand?”

Zhang Hao immediately understood: Someone probably had some ideas about the princess.

But on the surface, Zhang Hao nodded seriously in agreement and even offered a false thank you. Hmph, Feng Dongyuan, is it? Young master will remember this.

“A gentleman takes his revenge after ten years,” I just like that saying.

The City Lord’s mansion was heavily guarded. Even Feng Dongyuan had to verify his identity before being allowed to enter.

A wide, straight road paved with white stone stretched into the distance towards a majestic hall. On both sides, every five or six zhang (15-20 meters) there was a Xuanjia guard. These guards possessed a powerful aura, and a faint air of iron and blood emanated from them.

“Are these guards all at the Golden Core stage?” Zhang Hao asked Zhu Yuantang in a low voice.

Zhu Yuantang nodded without speaking.

Feng Dongyuan led the way, step by step, no longer flying. Zhang Hao could only follow closely, walking step by step towards the hall ahead.

At the end of the white road was a plaza paved with white stone. In the center of the plaza, on a foundation of bluestone, a grand hall rose from the ground. Vermilion pillars supported the three-zhang (ten meter) high building, with formations faintly visible and spiritual light swirling above.

The main gate of the hall, over one zhang (3.3 meters) high, was wide open, with eight golden-armored guards lined up on both sides, holding long spears. The seven-foot (2.3 meter) long spears, nearly one and a half times the height of a person, gleamed with cold light.

But Zhang Hao didn’t enter through the main gate. Instead, he followed Feng Dongyuan through a side door.

The hall was spacious, magnificent, and majestic. Above the entire hall was a complex spirit-gathering formation, with rolling spiritual energy falling from the sky, making the hall seem like a fairyland. A layer of spiritual mist one chi (33 cm) high rolled across the ground.

At the north end of the hall, there was a throne three chi (one meter) above the ground. On it, a domineering middle-aged man was looking down.

Feng Dongyuan stepped forward and bowed. “City Lord, Zhang Hao has been brought here.”

Zhu Yuantang also stepped forward to pay his respects.

Seeing this, Zhang Hao also stepped forward to greet the City Lord.

The City Lord nodded faintly. “You two may leave. Zhang Hao, stay.”

After a moment, only the City Lord and Zhang Hao remained in the empty hall.

Zhang Hao stood up straight, quietly looking at the City Lord, without speaking.

After a while, the City Lord smiled. “Indeed, a heroic young man. The recent changes in the Zhang family are due to you, aren’t they?”

“It’s just that the family has accumulated strength over time, and I merely discovered the key.”

“But the Zhang family’s recent actions are quite different from the past.”

“It’s just that I’ve figured some things out.”

“I’ll say you make sense.” City Lord Liu Jingming gradually withdrew his smile. “Did you know that the princess has specifically requested to see you?”

“Ah…”

Zhang Hao was truly surprised.

Could it be because he had become a nominal disciple of the Xuanzhen Sect? After thinking about it, only this identity could attract the princess’s attention.

No wonder Feng Dongyuan’s expression was so bad; it was the princess who personally requested to see him.

“Come with me.”

Following Liu Jingming to the back of the hall, they arrived at a garden. In the center of the flower-filled garden was a beautiful pavilion. Several female guards stood on either side of the pavilion.

Beaded curtains hung around the pavilion, and the melodious sound of a zither floated gently like spring water. A dozen butterflies danced around the pavilion.

Liu Jingming stopped in front of the pavilion, standing quietly.

Chapter 26: Initial Discussion on Navigation

Zhang Hao stood behind Liu Jingming, quietly observing the pavilion ahead.

Unfortunately, the beaded curtain was hazy, allowing only a vague glimpse of a woman in plain clothes sitting and playing the zither.

The melodious zither music carried a unique tranquility, gradually calming Zhang Hao’s somewhat restless heart.

“Ding dong…” Like a drop of water falling on autumn waves, a long, lingering vibrato ended the piece.

Zhang Hao sighed slightly, such beautiful music. But it had ended after all.

Liu Jingming then spoke, “Princess, Zhang Hao has arrived.”

A soft voice floated from the pavilion, light yet clear, “Young Master Zhang, I have been in Ninghe County for three days now. In these three days, the name I have heard the most is yours.”

Zhang Hao remained silent, unsure of the princess’s temperament. But he was secretly wary of her mentioning that she had been here for three days.

He was also puzzled as to why the princess had personally called him out; it seemed different from what he had previously guessed.

The butterflies, their dance interrupted by the cessation of the music, scattered and returned to the sea of flowers.

A gentle breeze blew, causing the beaded curtain to emit a crisp, tinkling sound.

After a moment, the princess spoke again softly, “The Zhang family has undergone significant changes recently, and you have been involved in all of them, haven’t you?”

Zhang Hao’s heart skipped a beat, and he immediately understood why the princess had singled him out.

It wasn’t because of his recent explosive performance, nor because he had become a nominal disciple of the Xuanzhen Sect, but because—he knew too much!

Yes, he knew too much. He had been very active recently, and had clearly participated in many of the family’s affairs.

But on the other hand, he was very young and seemed easy to deceive.

The princess wanted to inquire about the Zhang family’s situation, and had chosen Zhang Hao as her point of entry. And all the beautiful arrangements here in the pavilion were clearly intended to lower his guard.

‘I knew it, no princess is easy to deal with!’ Zhang Hao muttered to himself, tensing up.

In Zhang Hao’s eyes, the beautiful scene before him had transformed into a trap.

His mind racing, Zhang Hao carefully replied, “Involved in some parts.”

The princess did not continue to question him, but instead shifted the topic with a skillful maneuver. “Zhang Hao, are you aware that the nation is about to launch an eastern expedition?”

“I’ve heard of it.”

The princess sighed softly, her voice tinged with a pitiable weariness. “Zhang Hao, because of your publicly available water-quenching technique, the nation’s eastern expedition has been provided with more affordable and high-quality Mystic Iron.

I have come here this time, firstly, to express my gratitude to you.”

As her voice fell, a female guard beside the pavilion came before Zhang Hao, carrying a jade plate on which rested a delicate jade pendant, engraved with four ancient characters: Princess Wenxin.

Zhang Hao was stunned. What was this about?

He heard the princess continue, “A jade pendant, a small token of my gratitude. With this pendant, you can enter and exit the imperial palace, and of course, the City Lord’s mansion as well.”

Good stuff!

Zhang Hao immediately held it up with both hands, carefully placed it in his storage ring, and bowed in thanks, his face filled with excitement.

But in his heart, Zhang Hao was already on alert—the bait had been laid, now it was time to go fishing!

It was only him; if it were an ordinary young man, wouldn’t he be saying whatever he was asked at this point!

Sure enough, he heard the princess continue, “Secondly, I would like to know, how much Mystic Iron can the Zhang family provide at most, and what is the lowest price?”

Zhang Hao put on an excited expression, “In response to the princess, the Zhang family can temporarily provide two thousand tons of Mystic Iron per month. The lowest price is eighty percent of the market price.”

The princess’s tone rose slightly, “Two thousand tons? More than that! And the eighty percent price, that’s the Zhang family’s external quote, isn’t it!”

Zhang Hao ‘became anxious’: “But that’s the truth, we have no need to deceive anyone.”

“Is that so? Zhang Hao, if you lie again, I will banish you right now.”

“I dare not deceive Your Highness.” Zhang Hao shouted, “Two thousand tons is a safe number. That is to say, no matter what happens, we can guarantee a stable supply.

If we say more, but are unable to provide it, it would only delay the princess’s important affairs.”

“It’s a matter of national importance.”

“Yes, yes, yes, it’s a matter of national importance.”

“Then what about the price!”

Zhang Hao immediately put on a bitter face: “Your Highness, the price of Mystic Iron is transparent, we can compress the price to eighty percent, that is already the limit.”

The princess did not speak, but her bright eyes, through the beaded curtain, locked onto Zhang Hao.

Zhang Hao held his head high and looked straight ahead—actually wanting to see the princess’s face clearly; unfortunately, the princess was still wearing a veil~~~

The princess clearly noticed Young Master Zhang’s burning gaze and frowned slightly. “Zhang Hao, if the nation directly uses inferior broken spirit stones, pills, medicinal materials, etc. to exchange, can the price be lower?”

“If so, we might be able to be friends.”

“What is the price of the broken spirit stones, pills, etc. that Your Highness provides?”

“Market price.”

Zhang Hao immediately said, “Then let’s settle with spirit stones.”

The princess was immediately dumbfounded, the negotiation had failed!

In the past, she had always been successful in her endeavors, how could there be a problem today?

The princess was unwilling, “Zhang Hao, it is said that the rise and fall of the nation is the responsibility of every individual. Now that the nation’s eastern expedition is imminent, don’t you want to contribute to the nation?”

“Yes!” Zhang Hao answered without hesitation.

This was a matter of principle, and there was only one answer. Even if he knew it was a pit, Zhang Hao would jump into it without hesitation.

In fact, moral blackmail was the most detestable.

The princess smiled again, “But the nation is now a bit stretched.”

Zhang Hao immediately smiled: I was waiting for you to say that. You want to trap me, you’re still a bit short.

“Princess, I believe that the eastern expedition is a bottomless pit. Even if we can achieve temporary victory, it will only be that. The geographical location of the Qixia Kingdom determines that our path to the east is impassable.”

“If we don’t develop to the east, then where do we develop?” The princess’s voice carried suspicion and a hint of mockery.

“West!” Zhang Hao said decisively.

“West?” The princess asked suspiciously, making sure she had not misheard.

Beside them, City Lord Liu Jingming finally spoke, “Zhang Hao, what are you joking about? The west is the Death Green Sea!”

“That’s right!” Zhang Hao’s voice was loud and clear, “Princess, City Lord, how many years have we been on the eastern expedition? Has it ever changed our living environment?”

There was no answer.

Zhang Hao said it himself, “No! Since the existence of the nation, even in the generations before the Qixia Kingdom, we have been constantly on the eastern expedition; however, our living environment has become increasingly harsh.

The eastern nations, by controlling trade routes, have gradually drained our blood.

The experts in the east outnumber us tenfold.

The bloody facts clearly tell us that the eastern expedition is not feasible.

Since land is not an option, why not explore the ocean!”

Zhang Hao’s bold words undoubtedly moved the City Lord and the princess. At least emotionally.

But soon, the City Lord scolded Zhang Hao, “The west is the Death Green Sea. There is nothing there but danger.”

“No, I saw hope there! I saw abundant resources!”

“Absurd!” The City Lord’s face was already a little impatient.

Zhang Hao opened his mouth, wanting to explain. But after thinking about it, he suddenly stopped talking. You can’t tell a “native” that the earth is round, they can’t understand it, and he can’t explain it for the time being.

The princess spoke again, her voice turning cold, “Zhang Hao, you can go back first. I will consider what you said.”

Chapter 27: Credit Terms

Back in his shop, Zhang Hao plopped down, panting for breath.

The young master Zhang Hao was still shaken. His first meeting with the princess had been nothing but scheming and plotting.

Novels are all lies! They talk about encountering a princess and then weaving a beautiful legend. I’ll never believe them again.

Zhang Shengde smiled and said, “Well, did the City Lord give you a hard time?”

“The City Lord didn’t, but the princess wasn’t so easy to deal with.”

“The princess?” Zhang Shengde was surprised. The princess had already arrived?

“Yes. The princess said she’s been in Ninghe County for three days and knows a lot about us.”

Zhang Hao then recounted his meeting with the princess in detail, especially his suggestions for ocean exploration.

Zhang Shengde pondered. “It seems we’ve attracted the attention of the royal family. Xiao Hao, do you think we should hide our abilities or maintain the status quo?”

“I think we can take bigger steps!” Zhang Hao’s words were full of ambition. “Father, I still think we should accelerate our exploration of the sea.

Everyone says the Death Green Sea is dangerous and no one has ever explored it, but at least we haven’t failed yet.

In comparison, the Eastern Expedition seems promising, but has it ever achieved a real victory?”

Zhang Shengde frowned. “Xiao Hao, you’ve been observing the Death Green Sea these past few days, haven’t you? Do you think we can really survive in the Death Green Sea?

Let’s not even talk about the wind and waves or getting lost. The endless, powerful sea monsters alone are enough to make it a forbidden zone.”

Zhang Hao didn’t reply. There’s a saying that too much is as bad as too little. If I bring it up a little today, a little more tomorrow, and a little more the day after, maybe he’ll get the idea.

So Zhang Hao immediately changed the subject and talked about the credit issue.

Zhang Shengde nodded. “I agree with this. You finish the credit plan first. I’ll go home with your brother to bring the remaining Mystic Iron.”

Zhang Shengde and Zhang Han set off with their team. This time, they hired a full hundred carriages from the county city, creating a grand procession as they left the city.

Zhang Hao sat at the door, leaning against three hundred tons of Mystic Iron, and began to draft the “Credit Plan.”

People occasionally peeked out from the street. Sometimes they met Zhang Hao’s eyes and immediately offered a bright but somewhat awkward smile.

Zhang Hao curled his lip. He had a slight impression of these people. Many of them were the ones he had seen at the trading platform ten days ago.

And Zhang Hao vaguely guessed the reason why these people were “spying” here.

The reason was the publicly released Mystic Iron forging technology from ten days ago.

As Zhang Hao had predicted, the public release of the Mystic Iron forging technology gave those families and businesses who wanted to get involved in Mystic Iron forging but lacked the technology the opportunity they had been waiting for.

These newly joined businesses and families were mostly powerful and eager to expand the market, so they naturally adopted a low-price promotion strategy.

So, in the past ten days, the Mystic Iron market in Ninghe County had undergone interesting changes:

The quality of Mystic Iron continued to improve, but the price of Mystic Iron simply wouldn’t rise.

As a result, many small and medium-sized Mystic Iron businesses, families, and so on, despite obtaining the new technology, were unable to survive.

They obtained new technology but instead declined. This bizarre result made countless people rack their brains.

They couldn’t understand it!

Naturally, everyone thought of the Zhang family again, of Zhang Hao, of that spirited young man from ten days ago.

However, young master Zhang Hao remained calm and composed, offering a smile to everyone, and then… lowered his head to continue writing his “Credit Plan.”

The sun gradually climbed to its zenith. The passionate sun made the leaves shy and made people hide in the shade to yawn.

Although they were cultivators, that didn’t mean they liked to bask in the sun.

Except for those with a few special cultivation methods, who wouldn’t want to make themselves more comfortable?

The heavy sound of carriages creaking and groaning drifted over, the two hundred-plus carriages stretching to the end of the road, attracting a crowd of onlookers.

“Patriarch Zhang.”

“Fellow cultivator Zhang.”

…

Zhang Shengde looked at the enthusiastic people around him in confusion. What was going on?

Arriving at the shop and seeing Zhang Hao slumped on the table yawning, Zhang Shengde directed everyone to move the Mystic Iron into the house.

Eight hundred tons of Mystic Iron almost filled the entire first floor. Zhang Hao could only climb to the second floor, yawning, and fall asleep.

He hadn’t had a good rest since last night, and in between, he had been scheming with a princess who wanted to go fishing.

Zhang Hao fell asleep, but Zhang Shengde pulled the “Credit Plan” from under Zhang Hao’s arm and began to read it.

As he read, Zhang Shengde became somewhat shocked.

Perhaps the only flaw was that some of the clauses were too idealistic. Zhang Shengde sat down and reviewed them one by one.

Night quietly fell. More and more people gathered in front of the Zhang family’s shop. Everyone wanted to enter, but they didn’t dare.

“Hey, excuse me!” A shout broke the silence. Zheng Changqiu took the lead, pushing through the crowd and stepping into the Zhang family’s shop with curiosity and doubt.

Then, he was stunned.

He saw eight hundred tons of standard Mystic Iron filling the entire first floor, with only a passage about four feet wide leading to the stairs to the upper floor.

Zheng Changqiu walked up the stairs in a daze and saw Zhang Shengde and Zhang Hao discussing something, with Zhang Han meditating and cultivating beside them.

Seeing Zheng Changqiu arrive, Zhang Shengde stood up to greet him.

Before long, the others gradually arrived. Zhang Shengde pulled Zhang Hao over.

Zhang Hao didn’t stand on ceremony and went straight to the point, talking about the credit plan.

Soon, everyone was engaged in a heated discussion. The bargaining was extremely intense. Even Mei Qianyun, the fairy, rolled up her sleeves—a single decimal point error in the current terms could affect millions of spirit stones in the future!

Everyone was a purchasing agent and was very sensitive to numbers.

The intense discussion continued late into the night. Finally, even Bai Ye, the manager of Night Moon Pavilion, excitedly joined the discussion group.

When the first light of dawn appeared in the east, Zhang Hao finally exhaled a long breath of stale air. Everyone jointly signed the “Credit Terms.”

The terms stipulated:

First, at least one-tenth of the price of the goods must be paid; and once the transaction is concluded, it cannot be revoked.

Second, interest is calculated cumulatively, with the natural month as the unit of calculation. No interest is charged in the first month after the transaction is concluded; from the second month onwards, the monthly interest increases by one-thousandth, compounded.

Third, at least one-tenth of the total value plus the interest for the current month must be repaid each month, which means that the repayment must be completed within nine months.

Fourth, an important representative above the Golden Core stage must swear an oath and provide collateral. The estimated value of the collateral must be higher than the value of the goods. The collateral is temporarily jointly managed by the Zhang family and the pledger until the credit is repaid, and the pledger is responsible for security.

Once the credit cannot be repaid, the creditor has the right to dispose of the collateral.

Fifth, the price at the time of credit purchase is fixed and will not be changed regardless of whether the price rises or falls in the future.

Sixth, if payment must be made in kind, the creditor has the right to choose or refuse.

Seventh, these terms have broad applicability; in short, everyone who signs this today is within the scope of application, and everyone supervises each other. If you want to join this circle in the future, you must obtain the unanimous approval of everyone.

The remaining detailed clauses were densely packed with more than three hundred items, which could be described as meticulous.

One copy of the terms used an entire roll of hemp paper, which was filled with large and small characters written stroke by stroke.

After confirming that there were no problems, the “Credit Terms” were copied more than ten times, and the Zhang family’s guards were busy until noon.

Finally, everyone had a copy, with everyone’s joint signatures and seals. Even Zhu Yuantang brought the City Lord’s private seal.

The original document was kept in the Zhang family and framed.

Putting away the terms, Zheng Changqiu and the others smiled at each other.

And Zhang Hao smiled brightly.

This agreement was of extraordinary significance.

First, it greatly revitalized the wealth of all parties—some real estate was used as collateral to become liquid capital. This alone was of extraordinary significance.

Second, it formed an alliance of interests. Or rather, the prototype of an alliance of interests.

Finally, the Zhang family’s social status was greatly improved.

This point was of immeasurable value.

From now on, the Zhang family was no longer a small family!

Chapter 28: Beg Me

In the City Lord’s mansion, within a garden, inside a gazebo, a pair of delicate, jade-like hands gently unfurled a scroll of Tianma paper, a full ten feet long.

On the scroll, the four bold characters of “IOU Terms” were strikingly prominent.

The handwriting lacked any artistic flair, each stroke meticulously drawn, horizontal and vertical lines rigidly straight, creating a stiff and dull impression.

“Princess, this calligraphy isn’t pretty at all; it’s so rigid,” a maidservant whispered her opinion.

The Princess smiled. “That’s precisely the point. These are terms; they need to be clear and understandable, not beautiful. So, they can only be written like this.”

After reading the terms word by word, the Princess exclaimed in admiration, “Remarkable!”

Outside the gazebo, Liu Jingming, hearing this, inquired, “Has the Princess discerned something?”

“I see a genius-like concept, put into practice. How much Mystic Iron did the City Lord’s mansion purchase this time?”

“One hundred tons, with a total value exceeding fifty thousand high-grade spirit stones. The purity of the Mystic Iron procured this time is all above ninety percent, mostly ninety-three percent purity, with a small amount at ninety-five percent purity.”

The Princess frowned slightly. “That doesn’t seem right. If it’s all calculated at ninety-three percent purity, the market price should be around eighty thousand high-grade spirit stones. Even with a twenty percent discount, it shouldn’t be lower than sixty thousand high-grade spirit stones.”

“Princess, you may not be aware, but the price of Mystic Iron has been falling recently. Because the Zhang family disclosed the water-forging technique, many families, merchant guilds, and even large and small sects that previously wanted to produce Mystic Iron but lacked the technology have begun to mine and refine it. Moreover, the open technology has led to complete transparency in the cost of Mystic Iron. So, the price of Mystic Iron is falling sharply now. Even high-purity Mystic Iron has been affected.”

The Princess furrowed her elegant brows, her gaze becoming somewhat sharp. “Did the Zhang family deliberately cause this?”

“Probably not. At the time, the Zhang family was driven into a corner by the Qian family and had no choice.”

“Then who drafted these ‘IOU Terms’?”

“Zhu Yuantang said that Zhang Hao was almost entirely responsible.”

“Oh,” the Princess responded. “What do you think of these terms?”

“I think they are excellent. With these terms, we can obtain ten times the amount of Mystic Iron at the same cost as before; as long as we can quickly forge these Mystic Iron into weapons and magical treasures and sell them, we can earn substantial profits. Now that the Western nations are preparing to launch an eastern expedition, all countries except the Qixia Kingdom need a large number of weapons and magical treasures. So, we don’t have to worry about sales.”

…

After finishing lunch, Zhang Hao stretched luxuriously. The eight hundred tons of Mystic Iron that had filled the house yesterday were moved away in just half an hour.

In exchange, they received a large number of spirit stones, pills, and so on.

There were also some low-quality, fragmented spirit stones necessary for refining Mystic Iron; these fragmented spirit stones would be sent directly to Changshan Town, where the Zhang family was located.

Even with only paying one-tenth of the price upfront, the Zhang family still pocketed more than thirty thousand high-grade spirit stones, which is three hundred million low-grade spirit stones!

Zhang Shengde was already waving around his newfound wealth, buying up all the surrounding shops.

He was also purchasing a large quantity of pills and other items.

Zhang Hao was also calculating: the Zhang family, as it stood now, could no longer be considered a small family, but it also hadn’t completely shed the shadow of one.

This was because the Zhang family had not been able to simultaneously improve their cultivation strength.

Having wealth and influence without the corresponding power to protect it was very dangerous.

Therefore, Zhang Shengde needed to purchase a large number of pills as soon as possible to cultivate the family’s strength.

Although the prices of Western pills were very expensive and inflated, they still had to be bought.

In the afternoon, as Zhang Shengde returned with a pile of pills and the Zhang family’s team was preparing to pack up and leave, a representative of the people who had been lingering on the streets finally stepped forward. It was a young man in his twenties.

“Young Master Zhang, hello,” the man said, bowing and smiling obsequiously, his expression a mix of embarrassment, helplessness, and a last glimmer of hope.

Zhang Hao nodded indifferently. “What’s your name?”

“Gu Xuanjun, Gu as in taking care, Xuan as in Xuanyuan, and Jun as in gentleman.”

Zhang Hao nodded. The Gu family was similar to the Zhang family before.

“So, it’s Young Master Gu. Is there anything the Zhang family can help with?”

“This…” Gu Xuanjun’s face was a bit awkward, but he gritted his teeth and said, “Young Master Zhang, everyone is very grateful that the Zhang family disclosed the water-forging technique for Mystic Iron.”

“Ah, that. As the saying goes, ‘When poor, cultivate your own virtue in solitude; when prosperous, extend your benevolence to all.’ The Zhang family is merely doing its part to contribute to the cultivation world to the best of its ability. It’s only right.”

Zhang Hao’s words were not heavy, but they were spoken with such righteousness that they inspired respect.

That is, if Young Master Zhang, we could ignore that hint of smugness at the corner of your mouth?

However, Gu Xuanjun understood it this way: the Zhang family has the right to be proud, right? So, the embarrassed look on his face became even more intense. “This… that… Young Master Zhang, while the water-forging technique you disclosed is certainly good, it has also caused some negative impacts on the market.”

“Oh? Negative impacts?” Zhang Hao looked surprised. “I’m sorry, I haven’t been paying much attention to the outside world recently. Could you explain in detail?”

“Well… now the quality of Mystic Iron has improved, but the cost has also increased; however, the market price has actually decreased. Mystic Iron with a purity of less than seventy percent is already unsalable; and the price of Mystic Iron with a purity of more than ninety percent has also been affected.”

“Oh…” Zhang Hao looked surprised. “Is that so? Then what do you hope I or the Zhang family will do?”

“This… this…” Gu Xuanjun muttered for a long time, not knowing how to open his mouth. Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, “Could you please ask the Zhang family to come forward and invite everyone to sit down and discuss it together, to jointly agree on a price for Mystic Iron, etc.?”

A glint flashed in Zhang Hao’s eyes—the opportunity has finally come begging to me. However, the time is not yet ripe.

Zhang Hao’s face showed embarrassment. “Shouldn’t you be looking for the City Lord for this?”

“The City Lord doesn’t care about this.”

“Alright, then what do you want me to do? Tell everyone to raise the price of Mystic Iron back up?”

“Yes, yes. We don’t ask to restore the original price, at least leave a way out for us small and medium-sized families. Young Master Zhang, we really have no choice. Now, in the field of Mystic Iron refining, the Zhang family has the greatest influence. Please ask the Zhang family to come forward, at least invite everyone together to sit down and have a good discussion.”

Zhang Hao nodded. “I can’t make a decision on this matter. I’ll tell my father.”

“Okay, okay, thank you, Young Master Zhang.”

Zhang Hao stood up, looked at the eager eyes on the street, and nodded and smiled at everyone, immediately receiving a flurry of nods and flattering smiles in return.

Seeing this neat row of nods, Zhang Hao couldn’t help but laugh.

But when Zhang Hao turned his head, the smile on his face was even brighter. However, the previous smile was amiable, while the current smile was smug.

Hmph, more than ten days ago, you gathered here, forcing our Zhang family to hand over the technology.

More than ten days later, you gathered here again, but with the cheek to come and beg us.

However, the initiative is no longer in your hands!

Zhang Shengde had already heard the situation on the street and Gu Xuanjun’s words. Seeing Zhang Hao coming over, he directly asked, “Sure enough, they’ve come begging us. What’s your plan?”

Chapter 29: Stepping Towards the Door of Industry

Zhang Shengde was quite surprised that they actually came to him.

Zhang Hao said calmly, “The heat isn’t high enough yet; we need to keep the pressure on.

“Ask Father to step in and say that things are too rushed, and we’re not ready yet.

“In short, we need to give them hope, let them know clearly that we have the ability to solve this problem, and that we are willing to help them ‘without asking for anything in return’.

“But we also need to make them understand that it’s really inconvenient for us to come forward right now because we lack the ‘status’ to do so.”

Zhang Shengde nodded slightly.

These words were difficult to say, and Zhang Hao was afraid he wouldn’t be able to grasp the nuances, so he asked Zhang Shengde to step in. Moreover, in terms of status, Zhang Shengde was the representative of the Zhang family.

Zhang Shengde didn’t have as many concerns as Zhang Hao. He went to the door and shouted loudly, “Everyone, everyone, I deeply apologize for the problems you’re encountering. I didn’t expect things to turn out this way.

“In any case, this matter arose because of the Zhang family, and the Zhang family will be responsible for resolving it. We will definitely give everyone an explanation.

“But for the time being, I have no idea how to handle it.

“Please give me some time, okay?”

As soon as they heard Zhang Shengde say this, someone immediately became anxious, “Patriarch Zhang, I’m afraid we won’t be able to hold on for much longer! The expenses for feeding everyone are not small numbers!”

“Yes, yes. Patriarch Zhang, please, can’t you resolve it quickly?”

Everyone became agitated for a time, and their tone gradually became somewhat unkind.

Zhang Shengde frowned slightly. He suddenly agreed with Zhang Hao’s point of view—the heat wasn’t high enough. Is this how you ask for help?

Thinking of this, Zhang Shengde suddenly snorted coldly, “Everyone, when we publicly announced the water-powered forging technique, we made it very clear that we had no requirements.

“I also cannot use this to demand that other families, merchants, and so on make changes.

“Right now, I haven’t figured out what kind of status or what kind of reason I should use to discuss this with them.

“So, please give me some time.

“I have something else to attend to, so I’ll be leaving first.

“Farewell.”

With that, he turned and left. Someone wanted to chase after him, but was stopped by the guards.

Watching the Zhang family’s carriage gradually disappear into the distance, everyone’s agitated emotions gradually calmed down.

Afterward, someone suddenly slapped their thigh in annoyance, realizing that their tone of voice had been too agitated just now.

The carriage creaked as it left the market, left the county city, and headed towards Changshan Town, where the Zhang family was located. The convoy was surrounded by mercenaries hired by Zhang Shengde. This time, the Zhang family was transporting too many supplies and had to hire mercenaries.

Fortunately, the journey was safe. Zhang Hao returned home and immediately went to check on the progress of Huang Mingshan and the others.

Two days had passed, and what was presented to Zhang Hao was a gratifying result.

In just two days, under the supervision of Zhang Shengye, the guidance of Huang Mingshan and the other seven, and the efforts of the five production teams led by Zhao Baishi, Wang Xuhe, Li Mingfeng, He Zhengjie, and Bai Xiaodong, they had actually produced a full fifty windmills in one go!

And now, Huang Mingshan and the other seven were designing and calculating the second-generation windmill.

Zhang Hao sat on the platform, quietly watching Huang Mingshan and the seven others busily working.

The rational combination of mathematics and technology could barely be considered an introduction to science.

After a while, Huang Mingshan put down the work in his hands and reported to Zhang Hao that some problems had been discovered during the operation of the first-generation windmills. They had done detailed calculations and now needed to make improvements.

Zhang Hao nodded, encouraged and rewarded Huang Mingshan and the others, and then began the next stage of teaching.

Mathematics began to become complex. Multi-solution equations began to appear, algebra, geometry, and so on, as well as basic physics knowledge, new units, material density, and so on, were all laid out one by one.

At the same time, these new units were also spreading within the Zhang family.

Hours, meters, kilograms, density, various localized mathematical symbols, and so on, were gradually gaining recognition and promoting the Zhang family’s rapid advancement towards the threshold of industrialization; the door of technology was being opened bit by bit.

Among these, there were also a few short stories. In order to make some units more reasonable, Zhang Hao came up with many strange tricks.

Because an hour was only half of a shichen (two-hour period), it was called a ‘small’ hour. Then, he divided it into ‘minutes’ and ‘seconds’. Fortunately, the concepts of ‘minutes’ and ‘seconds’ already existed locally, but the measurements were different. Zhang Hao only needed to borrow them and standardize them.

When introducing the unit and concept of ‘meter’, Zhang Hao was eating rice, so he pointed to the rice and said: Let’s use ‘meter’ as the new unit; we can’t live without rice for three meals a day, ‘meter’ is really too important.

As for the concept of ‘kilogram’, it was also related to rice. Zhang Hao specially selected some large, plump spiritual rice, weighed one kilogram, and then asked everyone to count the rice grains; there were about a thousand grains. So, Zhang Hao said: One kilogram is one thousand rice grains. The word ‘grain’ is not very suitable, let’s use ‘gram’ to replace it, mainly because it has fewer strokes.

As for acceleration, pressure, and so on, they were not temporarily replaced with simplified symbols, but directly replaced with ‘meters/second squared’ and ‘grams/square meter’. They would be developed later as needed.

In short, because the footsteps of the Eastern Expedition were approaching, Zhang Hao had to try every means to accelerate the Zhang family’s industrial transformation, even if some methods sounded ridiculous.

Unconsciously, another five days passed, and the second-generation windmills were put into operation. The new windmills were smaller and more efficient.

When one windmill after another replaced the traditional bellows and craftsmen, Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye also felt the power of industry.

The Zhang family’s Mystic Iron smelting scale became more and more grand, and ordinary bellows could no longer meet the needs of smelting. With the completion of the second-generation windmills, the old bellows could no longer be seen on the Zhang family’s Mystic Iron smelting production line.

As for the first-generation windmills, they were gradually removed and then… thrown into the molten iron to be melted.

Technology would absolutely not be spread. At least for the time being, that was the case.

And in the process of windmill production, Bai Xiaodong, who had been specially approved, and his production team gradually shone brightly. The assembly line production method was finally born under Zhang Hao’s guidance.

Zhang Hao, Zhang Shengde, and Zhang Shengye personally supervised the first windmill production line being put into operation. Under the leadership of Bai Xiaodong, the production team, which had increased to thirty people, was working in an orderly manner, producing at a rate of four to five windmills per hour.

The brand-new assembly line production method gradually showed its powerful vitality.

However, the four teams of Zhao Baishi, Wang Xuhe, Li Mingfeng, and He Zhengjie were not willing to lag behind. They also began to study new production methods and so on under Zhang Hao’s guidance.

The idea and mechanism of competition gradually sprouted within the Zhang family.

Young people saw new hope. Under Zhang Hao’s deliberate guidance, everyone began to learn to observe the world with rational eyes and study everything around them.

An atmosphere of learning and research was brewing here.

Today, Zhang Hao once again took out the Suanjing and said to Huang Mingshan and the seven others: “Everyone, the second-generation windmills are running well. But we shouldn’t be satisfied with a windmill, a windmill that can only blow wind.

“I need a brand-new windmill, or it shouldn’t be called a windmill, but a machine that can output power.

“We want to use this machine to replace the people who grind flour, and even replace the people who work hard to mine. We want to use machines to replace those hard jobs and leave the easy jobs for everyone.”

In the distance, the craftsmen were shouting slogans and doing heavy work.

Mining, transportation, crushing, casting…

All of them required the craftsmen to put in heavy physical labor.

The eyes of Huang Mingshan and the seven others gradually brightened. They had found meaning!

Chapter 30: Eastern Expedition Donation

Night deepened, but Huang Mingshan and the others were still deep in thought.

In fact, Huang Mingshan and the others had realized that windmills alone could no longer meet the Zhang family’s Mystic Iron production needs.

A completely new machine was necessary.

But what that new power machine should be, Huang Mingshan and the others had no clue.

Zhang Hao wasn’t worried. It would take time to completely transform a group of cultivators accustomed to using magic to solve problems. Zhang Hao wasn’t planning to force this transformation.

A delicious late-night snack arrived, but Huang Mingshan and the others had no appetite.

As the night wore on, Huang Mingshan sighed, having made no progress.

“Let’s call it a night. Everyone takes a day off tomorrow.”

Zhang Hao left after speaking. He couldn’t be busy all the time; he couldn’t neglect his cultivation. This was, after all, a world of cultivation.

What Zhang Hao wanted were scientists with long lifespans, not those who would die in a few decades, taking endless regrets with them.

If the scientific giants of the other world could have lived longer, perhaps the world would be a different place.

Huang Mingshan returned home with his thoughts, only to see his wife playing with a pinwheel to amuse their son. The little guy clapped his hands and laughed excitedly.

Huang Mingshan stared at the pinwheel, a smile suddenly appearing on his face. He quickly walked towards his wife and child, picked up his son, and the family enjoyed a moment of happiness.

Huang Mingshan lifted his son high. Since they had an ample supply of Qi Replenishing Pills, the little guy’s complexion had completely changed. His body was becoming purer, his vital energy was surging, and the meridians within him were widening. The innate spiritual energy he brought from his mother’s womb was gradually growing stronger.

“Say ‘daddy’.”

“Ah ah…” Little Huang Bo couldn’t speak yet, but his eyes revealed affection and longing.

Putting his son down, Huang Mingshan picked up the pinwheel and blew on it.

…

The carriage sped along, Zhang Hao sat inside, listening to the cheerful birdsong and watching the morning mist drifting across the land. He yawned helplessly.

This morning, his elder brother, Zhang Han, had knocked on his door again.

In five days, the Zhang family had frantically produced another five hundred tons of Mystic Iron; more than two hundred carriages, like a long dragon, marched towards the county city.

Zhang Shengde hadn’t been idle these past few days either, constantly traveling around, seeking new sales channels for the Zhang family’s Mystic Iron.

Currently, three hundred tons of this five hundred tons of Mystic Iron had already been pre-ordered by various ‘trading companies’.

“The price of Mystic Iron in the Qixia Kingdom was already low, and recently it has dropped to rock bottom. So, many trading companies have taken an interest in Mystic Iron.

If they can transport the Mystic Iron to the Jinyang Kingdom in the east, they can earn a profit of over fifty percent! The net profit can reach over thirty percent.

If it’s sent to even more eastern countries, the profit could exceed one hundred percent!”

Zhang Hao nodded.

The Zhang family didn’t have its own trading company or trade routes yet. To sell the Mystic Iron as quickly as possible and exchange it for resources for the family’s development, they could only cooperate with trading companies.

The carriage bumped along, arriving at the county city and the market. At this time, the Zhang family’s ‘shop’ in the market was already a large mansion.

Last time, Zhang Shengde had bought all the shops around it. In five days, a surrounding wall had been built around the area.

Inside the walls, everything except the Zhang family’s original three-story building had been demolished; hundreds of artisans were busy at work.

The artisans were using various magical treasures to quickly cut stone slabs, stone materials, and wood, assembling and constructing.

In front of the small building, many people were already waiting.

From afar, Liu Xian of the Cloud Eagle Trading Company shouted, “Old Zhang, you’re late!”

“You guys came too early. It’s not even si ke (7:45~8:00 AM) yet.”

“Alright, alright, we were just too eager. Old Zhang, hurry up, we pre-ordered one hundred tons of Mystic Iron, get it over here quickly.”

Zhang Shengde snorted, “Pay off the previous debt first.”

“It’s all here.” Liu Xian waved his hand, and the carriages opened, revealing large boxes that quickly covered the ground.

“There are a total of twelve thousand high-grade spirit stones, one million four hundred thousand medium-grade spirit stones, and two million low-grade spirit stones, as they are inconvenient to transport. There are also two large boxes, a total of fifty thousand Qi Replenishing Pills; a small box, two thousand Foundation Establishment Pills; a box of two hundred small Spirit Origin Pills for Qi Refining stage cultivators, and a box of one hundred Spirit Origin Pills for Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.

In addition, there are about twenty thousand various pills necessary for cultivation.

All of this is just enough to cover the debt from five days ago.”

“What price are you calculating these pills at?”

Liu Xian chuckled, “We calculated it at ninety percent of the domestic pill price. I know that you also get this price when you purchase pills in bulk, or perhaps even a little higher.”

Zhang Shengde laughed, “Fellow cultivator Liu, you’re doing good business. You buy Mystic Iron from us at a low price, sell it at a high price in the Jinyang Kingdom, and then buy pills in the Jinyang Kingdom and sell them to us at a high price.”

“Are you going to take it or not?”

“Yes, why wouldn’t I?”

“Then what are you talking about!”

Zhang Shengde: …

After settling the debt, Liu Xian took out another cart of high-grade spirit stones to exchange for one hundred tons of pre-ordered Mystic Iron, and then left in a hurry with his team.

Unlike Zheng Changqiu and other families that produce magical treasures, the Cloud Eagle Trading Company mainly provides commercial circulation, the so-called left hand passing to the right.

Zhang Hao silently watched and learned. He could see that Zhang Shengde was transferring the Zhang family’s network of relationships and various business matters to him.

This network of relationships was vast and complex.

Afterward, Zhang Shengde took Zhang Hao to meet the person in charge of the ‘construction team’.

Before long, Zheng Changqiu, Zhu Yuantang, and others also arrived one after another, bringing spirit stones, pills, and news.

The princess had made a public appearance in the City Lord’s mansion and personally launched an ‘Eastern Expedition Donation’.

“Eastern Expedition Donation?” Zhang Hao muttered to himself, “The princess hasn’t left yet?”

Zhu Yuantang smiled, “The princess said she was curious about your Zhang family.

Previously, the Qixia Kingdom’s national monthly output of Mystic Iron was about five thousand tons, and the quality was uneven.

Now, your Zhang family can produce five hundred tons in five days, and three thousand tons in a month, all of high purity.

So, Zhang Hao, the princess is looking forward to meeting you again.”

But I’m not looking forward to it…

Zhang Hao curled his lips.

Meeting again, who knows what kind of trap this princess has prepared for him.

Speaking of which, he had the advantage in the last encounter, obtaining a jade pendant—although this jade pendant was likely just one of countless jade pendants the princess had given away.

Zhang Hao’s heart rose, “Uncle Zhu, did the princess say this herself?”

“Yes.”

Zhang Hao sighed, it seemed he had to go. After thinking for a moment, Zhang Hao asked in a low voice, “Uncle Zhu, may I ask you something? Does the princess have any hobbies? What does she like?”

“Uh… I’m not really sure. But I think the princess likes playing the zither…

Oh, right, the princess personally copied a copy of that ‘IOU’ the day before yesterday.

Also, she has repeatedly mentioned your so-called westward development.”

Zhang Hao was thoughtful. This princess seemed very concerned about politics and such.

Then Zhang Hao asked, “Are there any requirements for the donation?”

“There’s only one requirement, the more the better. Haha…

Whether it’s spirit stones or Mystic Iron, whether it’s magical treasures or pills, talismans, including spiritual rice, cloth, fur, and even cultivation methods, or even artisans, anything is acceptable.”

“Understood.” Zhang Hao said, looking at Zhang Shengde.

Before Zhang Hao could speak, Zhang Shengde smiled, “I’ll keep the remaining two hundred tons of Mystic Iron for you.”

However, before Zhang Hao could express his gratitude, Zhang Shengde’s voice transmission sounded in his mind: If you want to pursue the princess, Dad supports you, seize the opportunity; the country’s eastern expedition will definitely need a lot of Mystic Iron, we have this condition.

Zhang Hao: …

Chapter 31: Doesn’t Love Needlework, Loves the Long Spear

When Zhang Hao and Zhu Yuantang arrived, the main hall of the City Lord’s Mansion was already teeming with people.

A circle of black-armored guards surrounded the perimeter, and there were powerful crossbows and strong bows positioned at higher locations, enough to ensure the safety of the City Lord’s Mansion.

However, these things didn’t affect everyone’s enthusiasm.

The donation hadn’t officially started, and the princess hadn’t yet appeared, but everyone was already excitedly discussing.

Zhang Hao listened for a while and heard nothing but praise for the princess.

Some said the princess was as beautiful as an angel, some said she was incredibly talented, some said her cultivation was remarkable and no less than a man’s…

Zhang Hao curled his lip. Everything you’re saying is just hearsay, right? Let me tell you what I saw myself: the princess is very shrewd. Even City Lord Liu Jingming is respectful in front of her. Ordinary people probably aren’t qualified to evaluate this princess.

Zhang Hao followed Zhu Yuantang into the hall, where there were far fewer people, but each one possessed an extraordinary bearing.

Compared to the noise outside, everyone stood quietly, chatting in small groups of twos and threes.

Zhang Hao’s arrival, however, attracted some attention. From afar, Mu Mingchen waved to Zhang Hao.

“You’re here alone?” Mu Mingchen asked with some concern. In his view, Zhang Hao was lacking in both status and influence for such an important occasion.

Zhang Hao smiled. “Right now, I represent the Zhang family.”

“A fine young man,” said a middle-aged man next to Mu Mingchen. “Let me introduce myself, Mu Bingchuan.”

Mu Bingchuan? Who’s that? Zhang Hao looked puzzled.

The atmosphere became awkward.

You introduce yourself to someone,

You think you’re impressive,

“You assume they must know you, or at least have heard your name,”

“But… they just stare blankly.

Zhu Yuantang’s lips twitched, unable to suppress a smile.

Mu Mingchen quickly sent a telepathic message: Our family head.

Zhang Hao’s expression rapidly changed. The blank look quickly turned into ‘astonishment’ and ‘delight.’ “Uncle Mu, hello! I didn’t expect to meet you so soon. This morning while traveling, my father was saying how much he was looking forward to meeting Uncle Mu in person for a chat.”

“Really?”

“Of course!” Zhang Hao said with certainty.

A smile quickly bloomed on Mu Bingchuan’s face. “That’s wonderful! I’ve been wanting to visit too. It’s been so long since we last met, I’m feeling a bit nostalgic.”

And so, the two foxes, one large and one small, smiled at each other, feeling like they had met too late.

Zhu Yuantang nodded in greeting and walked towards the back of the City Lord’s Mansion.

Zhang Hao had only exchanged a few words with Mu Bingchuan and Mu Mingchen when City Lord Liu Jingming came out. “Everyone, please be quiet.”

His voice was powerful and resounding, and all the noise instantly disappeared, both inside and outside the hall.

All the doors of the main hall were opened, and from outside, one could directly see the City Lord’s throne at the north end of the hall.

Once everyone was quiet, Liu Jingming stood next to the throne and announced loudly, “The Princess has arrived!”

Zhang Hao also curiously widened his eyes. Although he had spoken to the princess before, they were separated by a beaded curtain, and he had only barely seen a blurry profile.

The first thing he saw was a fiery red figure!

Zhang Hao stared, today the princess was actually wearing a woman’s battle armor. A silver-white, gold-patterned long spear was slung across her back.

With each step, the armor made a crisp metallic clanging sound.

A white veil covered the princess’s face.

Everyone saw a general who looked as if she was about to go to the battlefield.

Zhang Hao was stunned.

The last time he saw the princess, she was sitting quietly in a pavilion, playing the zither, and her plain dress perfectly embodied the extreme of “beauty.”

But now, why was she in military attire?

That long spear was at least six or seven feet long, and gleamed with a cold light.

It wasn’t just Zhang Hao who was stunned, everyone was.

In the minds of countless people, a princess could be gentle, or spoiled, or enchanting, or even wanton…

But no one expected to see a princess in full military regalia today.

She didn’t even need a flying sword, she went straight for the long spear.

The princess walked quietly to the City Lord’s seat, suddenly drew the long spear from her back, and spun it in a spear flourish. A phantom image of a dragon appeared, letting out a silent roar.

Suddenly, the princess stopped her momentum and heavily slammed the butt of the spear on the ground.

“Boom…”

The earth shook, and the entire hall trembled.

But the princess and the long spear remained motionless, like a divine needle stabilizing the sea.

A wave of energy, accompanied by a tide of spiritual energy, spread outwards. The gentle spiritual mist on the floor of the hall stirred up ripples that spread outwards.

Zhang Hao felt a heavy pressure coming towards him, and he couldn’t even stand steadily.

Fortunately, Mu Bingchuan next to him gave him a hand, otherwise he would have made a fool of himself.

Once he regained his balance, Zhang Hao looked at the princess on the high platform with some trepidation.

Next to him, Mu Bingchuan took a deep breath. “Mid-stage Nascent Soul!”

Holy crap! Zhang Hao was shocked. He never imagined that the seemingly delicate princess he met last time was actually a mid-stage Nascent Soul expert!

Zhang Hao asked in a low voice, “Uncle Mu, how old is the princess?”

“It’s said she’s eighteen, definitely no more than twenty.”

Zhang Hao: … Comparing people is infuriating. This body of mine is also eighteen years old, but shamefully only at the seventh level of Qi Refining.

The spiritual mist at their feet continued to churn, and the princess finally spoke. Her voice was no longer sweet, but filled with a certain majesty:

“In your eyes, I see surprise!”

Everyone was silent. It was surprise, too much surprise.

The princess sighed softly. “From the time I was old enough to understand, I’ve been cultivating.

My father constantly told me that our country is in danger.

Therefore, I cannot play.

I cannot do what I want to do.

Even during my rest time, people are reciting Taoist scriptures.

It wasn’t until the beginning of this year, when I broke through to the mid-stage Nascent Soul, that I was finally able to learn the zither.

I like playing the zither. On my eighth birthday, my imperial sister-in-law gave me a zither score, ‘Wind Swaying Emerald Bamboo’.

I wiped it every day, but it wasn’t until this year that I opened the score for the first time.

I waited ten years to learn the zither.”

Her gentle voice made everyone hold their breath.

Even Zhang Hao couldn’t help but feel a little pity.

She had an enviable level of cultivation, but she paid a price that ordinary people couldn’t imagine.

Her gentle voice continued to drift:

“I don’t want this kind of life, but I have no choice. Just like the position of our Qixia Kingdom, we can only constantly launch eastern expeditions.

If we fail, we launch eastern expeditions.

If we win, we launch eastern expeditions!

Six days ago, someone told me that the eastern expedition is a bottomless pit, a path destined for failure.”

Zhang Hao touched his nose. Six days ago, that was him!

Then, Zhang Hao saw that the princess’s gaze seemed to sweep over him, and she continued, “In fact, the reason why we constantly launch eastern expeditions is because we have no other choice. We are at the end of the known world, and our trade routes are monopolized by the East.

Our eastern expeditions are not for victory.

But for:

Survival!

To live with dignity!

We want the eastern countries to know that we can be defeated, we can die in battle, but we will never accept humiliation.”

Chapter 32: Accompany Me to See the Sea

Inside the enormous City Lord’s mansion, silence reigned. The atmosphere was stifling, heavy, as if frozen in place.

Within this frozen atmosphere, a certain will seemed to be awakening.

Liu Jingming finally spoke, “It is said that there are four essential elements to cultivation: wealth, companionship, method, and environment; wealth being the most important.

And ‘wealth’ refers to cultivation resources in general.

However, the Eastern nations monopolize trade routes and unscrupulously control cultivation resources, making the path of cultivation in Qixia Kingdom extremely difficult.

Therefore, the nation has no choice but to launch another Eastern Expedition.

But the Eastern Expedition is extremely costly, and the national treasury can hardly sustain it. Thus, we have no choice but to ask for everyone’s help.

Whether it’s spirit stones, medicinal herbs, spiritual material, magical artifacts, magical treasures, pills, cloth, provisions, or guards, artisans, horses, carriages, etc., anything that can be used in the war will be accepted.”

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Hao immediately interjected, sounding somewhat impatient and very loud:

“The Zhang family donates two hundred tons of Mystic Iron. We can continue to donate five hundred tons of Mystic Iron to the nation every month thereafter.”

As his voice faded, the silent atmosphere of the hall was filled with emotions like surprise, embarrassment, and anger.

More than half a month had passed, and everyone had long accepted the new unit of ‘ton,’ so they naturally knew what five hundred tons of Mystic Iron meant and what its value was.

Originally, everyone was eager to contribute generously.

Even the princess and the City Lord were prepared to welcome the donations, as if they could already see the scene of everyone enthusiastically donating.

However, the idea was good, but a hammer was thrown into the works.

Zhang Hao’s two hundred tons of Mystic Iron and the subsequent five hundred tons per month made everyone a little hesitant. Then everyone realized that the little something they had prepared… was too insignificant to present.

Thus, Zhang Hao’s bold words echoed in the hall, on the plaza, and in everyone’s hearts; all other sounds disappeared.

Liu Jingming’s mouth twitched; he really didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

‘Are you here to disrupt things?’

But soon, Liu Jingming was even more dumbfounded. He saw Zhang Hao’s eyes fixed straight on the princess.

‘This silly boy!’

But Liu Jingming, as an observer, did not see the sparks already flying between Zhang Hao and the princess’s eyes.

What the princess saw was Zhang Hao’s provocative gaze. The two hundred tons of Mystic Iron and the subsequent five hundred tons per month were Zhang Hao’s provocation, his display of wealth.

It was also Zhang Hao’s pride!

‘Perhaps my cultivation is not high enough now, but what I can do for the nation far exceeds the contribution of a Nascent Soul cultivator!’

The princess looked at Zhang Hao for a while and smiled faintly, “Thank you for the Zhang family’s generous donation.”

“As long as Your Highness likes it.”

“…This… I like it very much!” The princess practically squeezed these five words out from between her teeth; in her heart, she was thinking: ‘If it weren’t inappropriate right now, I would beat you five hundred times, five hundred times!’

Zhang Hao immediately smiled, his smile bold with a hint of arrogance, “Then Zhang Hao will take his leave first and send the Mystic Iron over later.”

Liu Jingming immediately said to Zhu Yuantang beside him, “See Young Master Zhang out.”

Zhu Yuantang escorted Zhang Hao to the entrance of the City Lord’s mansion and finally asked, “Zhang Hao, are you trying to get the princess’s attention?”

“Why not?”

Zhang Hao laughed loudly as he left. Zhang Hao had some of his own ideas and plans, but they were obviously a little different from what everyone thought. However, making the best of a mistake wasn’t bad either; it was enough for him to know his own plans.

‘Just let everyone think that I’m pursuing the princess, a country bumpkin’s way of pursuing her.’

Zhang Hao stopped a carriage and quickly returned to his family’s shop, where he told Zhang Shengde everything. Zhang Shengde almost bit off his own tongue.

“You spendthrift!”

“Dad, can you let me explain?”

“Speak!”

“Dad, we are producing so much Mystic Iron now, earning so much wealth, but our family doesn’t have enough power to protect it.

It just so happens that the princess is raising funds, so we should attract the princess’s attention, attract City Lord Liu Jingming’s attention.

This five hundred tons of Mystic Iron per month is equivalent to paying protection fees to the nation.

In the short term, it can ensure the safety of our family.

And we should seize the time to cultivate our own strength as soon as possible.

Later, I will go to the City Lord to see if there is an opportunity to buy some advanced pills from the princess, preferably ones that can help Dad break through to the Nascent Soul stage as soon as possible.”

Yes, this was one of Zhang Hao’s plans, to attract the princess’s attention and then buy pills from her. Zhang Hao believed that the princess, at such a young age, could reach the Nascent Soul stage, definitely with the help of pills.

Zhang Shengde suddenly understood. “Your plan is very good. It’s Dad who misunderstood you.”

Zhang Hao smiled, shouting for the guards, driving the carriages, and dragging two hundred tons of Mystic Iron, heading mightily towards the City Lord’s mansion. Two hundred tons of Mystic Iron filled more than seventy carriages, and there were even guards clearing the way along the road.

Zhang Shengde watched Zhang Hao’s departing figure and gradually smiled.

After learning that Zhang Hao had survived the ‘Soul Burning Technique,’ Zhang Shengde naturally accepted Zhang Hao’s changes. As Zhang Shengye said, after experiencing the Soul Burning Technique, it would be a problem if there were no changes; changes were normal!

Therefore, what Zhang Shengde saw in Zhang Hao now was hope, the future of the Zhang family.

…

When Zhang Hao returned to the City Lord’s mansion again, he saw a lively scene.

After Zhang Hao’s frenzy, everyone had to appropriately raise their own prices.

They saw people lining up, each writing down the items they were donating and stamping them with their seals; and City Lord Liu Jingming thanked them one by one.

However, when Zhang Hao entered the City Lord’s mansion, he once again attracted everyone’s attention.

Their gazes were sharp.

Zhang Hao smiled and waved to the princess, who was still standing in front of the City Lord’s throne, and then had the guards unload the Mystic Iron and place it along the wall. The guards quickly left, and Zhang Hao stayed behind.

Two hundred pieces of Mystic Iron were lined up along the wall, forming a two-by-twenty-five-meter ‘mirror surface.’ The polished surface of the Mystic Iron reflected the entire plaza and hall, creating a spectacular sight.

Zhang Hao crossed his arms, leaned against the Mystic Iron, took out a book, and began to read. He was reading the Thirty-Six Secrets of the Heart-Clearing Mantra.

Gradually, Zhang Hao entered a state of self-forgetfulness.

With the understanding and comprehension of the Heart-Clearing Mantra, Zhang Hao entered a state of purity, cleanliness, and profoundness. In this state, he gained many insights into his own cultivation.

Zhang Hao really wanted to sit down now and enter seclusion once.

But a bit of metal clashing and a faint fragrance awakened Zhang Hao.

Opening his eyes, he saw that the princess was already close, and most of the people on the plaza had dispersed.

The princess passed by Zhang Hao, not looking sideways—but staring at the Mystic Iron in front.

Her slender jade hand gently touched it, and a faint spiritual light flashed from her fingertips. Only a faint voice was heard:

“Purity: ninety-three percent, ninety-four percent, ninety-three percent, ninety-two percent…”

The princess quickly checked all the Mystic Iron and was surprised to find that almost all of it had a purity of over ninety percent, with only a few pieces below ninety percent. And among them, more than half had a purity of over ninety-three percent.

Even if the princess was a little arrogant, she couldn’t help but be stunned at this time.

These Mystic Iron, even calculated at the Zhang family’s stated discount of twenty percent, were as high as one hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones, one billion low-grade spirit stones. Just calculated in terms of wealth, it had already reached ten percent of the military expenditure!

‘Shocked?’

‘But more than that, it’s shock! And doubt!’

‘What does the Zhang family want?’

The princess gradually walked to Zhang Hao’s side and looked directly at Zhang Hao.

Zhang Hao smiled faintly, “Princess, if you look at me like this, I’ll be embarrassed.”

“Pfft…” Liu Jingming couldn’t help it.

The princess’s spear trembled in her hand, looking like she wanted to stab a hole in Zhang Hao.

The female guard beside her glared at Zhang Hao.

Zhang Hao remained oblivious, with a faint smile, looking at the princess in military uniform before him.

After a while, the princess snorted coldly, “Zhang Hao, are you serious about developing westward?”

Zhang Hao put away his smile and answered seriously, “Yes!”

“Have you thought about it seriously?”

“Yes!”

“Have you observed the sea?”

“I grew up by the sea!”

The princess was silent for a while, then suddenly said, “Tomorrow, accompany me to see the sea.”

What? Say that again, I didn’t hear you clearly.

“We’ll leave tomorrow at noon.”

Chapter 33: Plans Can’t Keep Up With Changes

When Zhang Hao returned to the market, he found the Zhang family’s entrance even more bustling than the city lord’s plaza, packed tighter than sardines.

“What’s going on?” Zhang Hao asked, startled.

Someone nearby said, “It’s all because of the Mystic Iron. The price of Mystic Iron has been falling recently, affecting the currency.

“Before, about two iron coins could buy a catty of coarse rice. Now, it takes three, even four.

“So, everyone wants to ask the Zhang family for an explanation.”

Zhang Hao looked dumbfounded. Crap, the plan went wrong!

He had originally intended to use the falling price of Mystic Iron to encourage everyone to unite, so the Zhang family could take the opportunity to win over the public and create something like an association or guild.

He didn’t expect it to cause an economic crisis.

This was going to be bad!

“If a real economic crisis happens, this small Qixia Kingdom might not be able to handle it.”

Zhang Hao hadn’t really considered the issue of currency devaluation before, partly because the monetary system in this world was quite unique.

Here, currency wasn’t just a ‘symbol,’ but had genuine purchasing power. Whether it was Mystic Iron coins or spirit stones, they were cultivation resources themselves and had intrinsic value.

Also, Zhang Hao had been focusing on the Zhang family’s interests and hadn’t considered the ordinary people.

But now, he had to think about it.

Zhang Hao squeezed forward with difficulty, feeling the people’s anger.

This was probably the world’s first economic crisis, or rather, the eve of one.

The rapid advancement of Mystic Iron technology was causing the ‘Mystic Iron coin’ to depreciate rapidly.

And those who used ‘Mystic Iron coins’ were mostly ordinary people, usually those below the sixth level of Qi Refining. Those with a little more capital used spirit stones for transactions.

But ordinary people were the majority. Despite this being a prosperous age of cultivation, ordinary people still accounted for over ninety-five percent of the population. Changes in the Mystic Iron market directly affected the lives of the masses.

But was this siege too sudden, too intense?

Zhang Hao smelled a conspiracy.

He finally squeezed to the front of the gate and saw the people in front holding various magical implements, many of which were tools, confronting the Zhang family’s guards.

Zhang Hao saw several guards about to call out to him, quickly lowered his head, and rushed through the gate. It would be bad if the rioters caught him.

“Huff, huff…” Rushing through the gate, Zhang Hao gasped for breath. It had been a close call, almost ruined by the enthusiastic guards at the last moment. If he had been discovered, he would have been beaten black and blue.

“Young Master…” Several guards approached sheepishly.

“Alright, what’s going on?”

“We’re not really sure. We only know that not long after you left, people started appearing at the gate. Then more and more gathered. They said we stole their wealth.”

Zhang Hao nodded thoughtfully. It had erupted so quickly, there was obviously someone pulling the strings. But this mastermind was clever, precisely targeting the weak point in the Zhang family’s series of changes.

The power of the people was strong, and they were also the easiest to be misled and exploited.

Zhang Hao found Zhang Shengde looking worried. The sudden economic crisis was clearly beyond Zhang Shengde’s comprehension.

Seeing Zhang Hao, Zhang Shengde smiled wryly, “Scared?”

“It’s alright. This matter looks troublesome, but it really doesn’t need to be taken to heart.”

“Oh?”

Zhang Hao smiled confidently, “They won’t make trouble for long! They’re all ordinary people. Instead of continuing to cause trouble, they should hurry up and work to support their families. Reality will bring them back to their senses.

“Besides, with so many people causing trouble, the city lord’s mansion won’t ignore it. We just sent two hundred tons of Mystic Iron.

“With the Eastern Expedition imminent, we can help the country, while these ordinary people are hindering the national plan. The choice is obvious.”

In fact, the army arrived in less than half an hour, and Feng Dongyuan even came to apologize in person.

Zhang Hao leaned against the door, watching the crowd disperse helplessly, shaking his head slightly, a faint, ambiguous smile on his face. It seemed like helplessness, yet also mockery, like pity, yet also coldness.

Society always had to move forward, and those unwilling to advance would be ruthlessly crushed by the general trend of history.

The advancement of Mystic Iron technology would inevitably lead to the devaluation of ‘Mystic Iron coins,’ which was unavoidable.

This could only be considered a small economic crisis for now; such a small economic crisis was far from shaking the foundations of this world.

Moreover, for cultivation experts, spirit stones, pills, and the like were the real “high-level currency.”

There were ways to eliminate the impact, but it required the state to step in.

But Zhang Hao was more concerned with who was behind all this! This person had to be found!

“Go to the Night Moon Pavilion to buy information.” Zhang Shengde pointed out a clear path to Zhang Hao.

“Little brother has been running around a lot, let me go.” Zhang Han went and returned in a short while. “The Night Moon Pavilion doesn’t have any news yet. But they said it will be delivered within twenty-four hours. The price will be discussed then.”

…………

The next morning, Zhang Hao was awakened by the noise outside. He opened the door and saw the courtyard, which was still under construction, was crowded again.

This time it wasn’t ordinary people, but well-dressed individuals.

But these people were even noisier than three thousand ducks.

Zhang Shengde stood on the steps, with a hint of displeasure on his face.

Zhang Hao understood after listening for a while. It was still those desperate small and medium-sized families and merchants.

The situation was laughable.

They had been instigated by the Qian family to force Zhang Hao to reveal the water forging technique.

They had excitedly obtained the free technology.

However, their joy didn’t last long. They discovered that things weren’t as they had imagined.

More large families and merchants suddenly intervened in the Mystic Iron industry. These large families and merchants, with their strong capital and low prices, entered the Mystic Iron market like tigers descending the mountain, shattering the entire market.

As a result, the small and medium-sized families and merchants who had obtained the new technology were in even more trouble!

Seven days ago, some representatives of the small and medium-sized families and merchants had asked the Zhang family to step in, but Zhang Hao and Zhang Shengde had suppressed it.

Now, they were back.

However, they hadn’t learned “humility.”

Seven days had passed, and they had “figured out” that the Zhang family was the culprit. So, today they had come to demand an explanation!

Seeing this situation, Zhang Hao shook his head helplessly. At the same time, the little pity in his heart gradually faded.

Zhang Hao was now basically certain that yesterday’s farce with the ordinary people was inseparable from these people.

Although a cornered dog will jump over a wall.

But after jumping over the wall, a dog is still a dog!

Zhang Hao came to his father and whispered, “Father, these people aren’t worth helping!”

Zhang Shengde shook his head, “We have to help. They are almost desperate now. Desperate people will do many crazy things.”

“I’m afraid if we help them once and again, they’ll become dependent on us.”

“No, just send them to the army.” Zhang Shengde suddenly revealed a cold smile, “Isn’t the country going to launch the Eastern Expedition? These people can just be conscripted!”

Zhang Hao suddenly realized that his father also had a ruthless side.

But Zhang Hao thought for a moment and shook his head, “Father, sending them to the army… isn’t that easy to do, right?”

“It will cost a lot of favors. Maybe we’ll have to use the goodwill from your donation this time. But rather than let them cause trouble, it’s better to send them to the battlefield!”

Zhang Hao nodded affirmatively, “Father, I have a method that might be simpler and more effective.”

Chapter 34: You Will Lose Me

“What is Zhang Hao’s method?”

“Simply put, it’s: mergers and acquisitions!”

The most correct method of commercial development isn’t to leave your opponents with no place to bury their dead, but rather for the big fish to eat the small fish—to merge with your opponents, or even related industries, to increase your own size! To turn former business partners into subordinates.

Of course, this merger isn’t blind.

The Zhang family is currently in a period of expansion, and it needs a large number of artisans, guards, sales channels, and much more.

If we develop bit by bit ourselves, it will be very difficult. But if we merge reasonably, we can quickly strengthen the family.

However, because these families and merchants are making too much noise, Zhang Hao isn’t planning to ‘be a good person’.

So, Zhang Hao finally said, “We need to drive down the price! Drive it down hard! And we want to merge completely, including their artisans, technology, mineral resources, sales channels, and so on.

But we won’t assume any of their debts!

If we can control a large number of artisans, Mystic Iron resources, sales channels, etc., then… the entire Ninghe County will tremble under our hands!”

“Leave this to me!” Zhang Shengde’s eyes burst out with brilliant light.

After Zhang Hao’s simple explanation, Zhang Shengde immediately had more plans in mind. “Perhaps, we can put pressure on the market while negotiating and driving down prices with these small and medium-sized families and merchants.”

Zhang Hao nodded. “Originally, I wanted to unite everyone to form a Mystic Iron Alliance and develop together. But since they don’t know how to repent, there’s no need to consider them.

Father, the idea of a Mystic Iron Alliance can’t be abandoned, as it relates to the future development of the family.”

“Then I’ll go find those large merchants and families.”

“No, we’ll wait, wait for them to beg us!” Zhang Hao had a slight smile on his lips. “Once the mergers are complete, we can expand our production scale again. At that time, the price of Mystic Iron will further decrease.

However, this time we should appropriately release some information to let everyone know what they should do.”

“I’ll arrange it,” Zhang Shengde said confidently.

As they were talking, a guard at the door suddenly reported, “Master, someone just delivered a letter, saying it’s from the Night Moon Pavilion.”

Zhang Shengde took the letter but didn’t open it directly. Instead, he turned and went into the house, manipulated a flying sword to open the envelope, and only unfolded it to read after confirming there was no danger.

The letter contained information about yesterday’s public disturbance. As expected, it was the work of several small and medium-sized families and merchants, and the representatives of these families were at the scene.

The end of the letter gave the price. Because this intelligence was a separate investigation, it was a bit expensive, one thousand eight hundred spirit stones, which would be directly deducted from the previous credit purchase of Mystic Iron.

Zhang Shengde rubbed his hands lightly, and the letter turned into ashes. In the ashes, Zhang Shengde sneered, “Very good, now there are no scruples about taking action.”

Coming out of the house, facing the angry people in the courtyard, Zhang Shengde began his performance:

“I deeply regret this kind of thing, but the Zhang family isn’t an irresponsible family. Therefore, we will invest heavily and fully acquire several families or merchants, settling with spirit stones. I will wait here for three days, and everyone has three days to consider.”

As soon as Zhang Shengde said this, a burst of exclamations arose.

Immediately someone asked, how many families is the Zhang family planning to acquire?

Zhang Shengde said: “For the time being, the Zhang family can take out thirty thousand high-grade spirit stones. As for how many families can be acquired, it’s uncertain.”

Thirty thousand high-grade spirit stones, this is a typical case of fishing, where there are more wolves than meat.

Zhang Hao watched silently. He might have some unique ideas, but in terms of methods, he was still a bit away from Zhang Shengde.

In a few words, Zhang Shengde created a sense of urgency for the various families and merchants: three days, thirty thousand high-grade spirit stones.

This was forcing everyone to make a decision as soon as possible.

In an instant, the crowd who had previously been collectively targeting the Zhang family began to calculate their own plans.

“A heap of loose sand! They won’t amount to anything!” Zhang Hao commented silently, his voice only audible to Zhang Shengde.

Zhang Shengde nodded. “That’s why it’s fortunate that the previous idea of combining them to form a Mystic Iron Alliance didn’t go through.

If we want to form a Mystic Iron Alliance, we still need to find those large merchants and families.

Just in time, we can use this opportunity to put some pressure on these families and merchants.”

…………

Before noon, Zhang Hao had long brought the family’s team to wait in front of the City Lord’s mansion.

Then, the princess’s female guard came out and said that the princess was cultivating and hadn’t woken up yet, so they should wait.

Zhang Hao: …

Sure enough, success is no accident. A young Nascent Soul stage expert didn’t fall from the sky. It seems that he can’t sleep in late in the future either.

Zhang Hao stood quietly at the city gate under the scorching sun for more than an hour.

People came and went, but Zhang Hao greeted everyone with a smile, whether he knew them or not.

Zhang Hao didn’t sit down because he wanted to show his sincerity.

When he hadn’t grown up yet, he had to learn to be polite (humble).

Around two quarters past the hour of Wei (1:30 PM), the female guard came out again. Seeing that Zhang Hao was still standing in place, without even moving his feet, her tone softened a bit. “The princess is about to come out.

Later, you lead the way in front, and the rest of the people follow behind the team.”

“Thank you, Sister.”

“Hmph!” The female guard glared at Zhang Hao but didn’t get angry.

Zhang Hao was a little smug. This female guard was probably no less than fifty years old. Although cultivation had delayed her aging, the vicissitudes of her eyes couldn’t be concealed.

Did this “Sister” make her find her lost youth~~~

A moment later, the main gate of the City Lord’s mansion opened wide. The first to appear were two rows of black-armored warriors with long spears, filled with murderous intent. Seeing these people, Zhang Hao suddenly shuddered. He seemed to see a group of demons crawling out of hell. On the gleaming long spears, there seemed to be the wails of the dead.

Behind them was a simple and heavy carriage, with four chestnut-red, tall horses holding their heads high, stomping with proud steps, advancing slowly and steadily. The horses’ hooves stepped on the stone slabs, like muffled sounds of stone drums, and Zhang Hao faintly felt the ground trembling under his feet.

These strong horses were obviously not comparable to the Zhang family’s ordinary horses.

Behind the carriage shaft, a male and a female guard sat with swords in their laps, their eyes slightly narrowed, seemingly ready to burst out and kill at any moment.

In the center was a hunched old man, driving the four fiery horses as if half-asleep. The four fiery horses moved side by side, without the slightest disorder.

Behind them were again two pairs of black-armored warriors with long spears.

The female guard, who had just been called “Sister” by Zhang Hao, led Zhang Hao to the side of the carriage, where guards led over two strong horses.

Zhang Hao sat on the strong horse with trepidation, but the feared show of power didn’t happen.

“Let’s go,” the princess’s faint voice came from the carriage, but it could be heard clearly within a hundred meters.

The team slowly left the county city. Once on the road, the princess suddenly asked Zhang Hao:

“Zhang Hao, I’m a little curious about the Zhang family’s Mystic Iron production method.”

“Oh,” Zhang Hao responded, and then there was no further explanation.

The princess waited for a while, frowning slightly. “Don’t you want to say something?”

“It’s the Zhang family’s honor to make Your Highness curious.”

“What if I want to see it?”

“Then you will lose me,” Zhang Hao said casually.

But as soon as he finished speaking, his heart began to twitch: Oh no, this flirtatious habit, why did it act up at this time?

Chapter 35: The Ship is Too Small

What should you do after saying the wrong thing?

“Generally speaking, of course, you should apologize quickly.

But there’s another way to handle it: play dumb; or be self-righteous and put on an air of knowing it all.”

So, Zhang Hao held his head high, looking arrogant—I feel great, I’m proud of myself.

Many eyes focused on Zhang Hao, then shook their heads inwardly—another arrogant guy.

The princess, upon hearing Zhang Hao’s words, laughed, but there wasn’t much amusement in her laughter. “Zhang Hao, do you think the Zhang family’s help to the country is significant?”

“At least for now, I’m the only one with a different perspective on the Death Green Sea.”

“Then you’d better plan carefully. When we get to the sea, if you can’t give me a satisfactory answer, I’ll throw you in to feed the fish.”

Did she have to be so ruthless?

Zhang Hao secretly wiped away a cold sweat. “Did I meet a fake princess? Why do others meet gentle, kind, understanding, and delicate princesses, while I meet a female tyrant?”

Zhang Hao stopped talking and obediently led the way.

The team moved slowly. Around four PM, the team finally arrived at Changshan Town. The town head, like an old hen, led a string of people to greet them.

The princess said to the female guard beside her, “Yinglan, tell the people in front that Changshan Town is very nice, but I can’t stay long. We appreciate their kindness.”

The female guard immediately went forward and dismissed the town head and the others. Zhang Hao led the team to continue forward.

Before long, they arrived at the Zhang family.

But the princess’s team didn’t stop. Instead, they continued along the road, approaching the sea.

In a few steps, they saw the Zhang family’s mine and smelting base. Above the huge barrier, more than a dozen ‘smoke columns’ jutted out. These smoke columns were reddish-brown, and a pungent smell wafted in the wind.

The prosperity of early industry was directly proportional to its pollution.

The princess seemed unconcerned, even curious. She lightly stepped out of the carriage and stood by the roadside to watch.

Today, the princess was dressed in casual clothes, simple yet highlighting her slender figure. Unfortunately, she still wore a veil.

The princess looked at the Zhang family’s barrier, especially the rolling smoke columns above, and said softly, “Indeed extraordinary.”

Zhang Hao didn’t speak, just smiled. He was afraid the princess would really want to go in and take a look. The current Mystic Iron smelting was related to the Zhang family’s future and, more importantly, to Zhang Hao’s future. He couldn’t risk leaking any secrets.

Fortunately, the princess watched for a while and didn’t make any excessive demands.

She walked towards the sea. “Zhang Hao, let’s go to the sea and take a look.”

The road ahead was impassable for carriages, so they had to walk.

Climbing the half-remaining hill and standing on the cliff, they saw the churning Death Green Sea. The other half of the hill had turned into reefs in the sea, with reefs constantly breaking and sinking into the sea.

The waves rolled on, day after day, year after year, the seawater a strange, ghostly green. The rolling waves and layers of white foam stretched to the end of the world.

On the sea, huge marine beasts appeared from time to time. Some marine beasts noticed the people on the mountain peaks by the shore, but most were uninterested—too small, not enough to fill a gap between their teeth.

The princess looked at the sea in front of her. “Zhang Hao, you say this is the country’s hope?”

“It is!”

“What a joke!” The princess snorted coldly. “Those sea beasts, do you see them?”

“Of course.”

“What do you think of their strength?”

“They should be no less than Nascent Soul stage!”

“You have some sense.” The princess’s tone was still full of doubt, and she spoke a little more. “Do you think we can go far on such a sea? I’m afraid we’d be surrounded by endless marine beasts as soon as we set sail!

“Even Nascent Soul stage experts would find it difficult to move an inch.”

Zhang Hao stood on the rock, letting the sea breeze blow his clothes, his tone leisurely and proud. “Princess, please forgive my bluntness, but over the years, has the country really not explored the sea at all?”

“We have explored it, and we once wanted to extract resources from the Death Green Sea. But in the end, we angered the marine beasts, and the country lost several Nascent Soul stage experts. In the end, we had to stop.”

“Then has the country never built ships and sailed out to sea?”

“We built treasure ships. We once poured the strength of the entire nation into building treasure ships over thirty zhang long, made of precious ‘Snow Mountain Spirit Sandalwood,’ reaching the strength of high-grade magical treasures.

But within moments of launching, they were torn apart by swarming marine beasts. More than three hundred people were buried at sea.”

Zhang Hao shook his head slightly. “The ship was too small!”

“What!” The princess was a little angry.

Zhang Hao stopped at the right time and began his speech. “Has the princess ever considered building ships hundreds of zhang long, or even longer?”

“That’s impossible! To sail on the sea, we can only use precious spirit wood to build ships. But spirit wood is scarce and difficult to process. Thirty zhang is already the limit.”

“What if we use Mystic Iron?”

“Hmm?”

“Use Mystic Iron!” Zhang Hao emphasized again. “Princess, the Zhang family can now produce at least two thousand tons of Mystic Iron per month. Let me calculate roughly.

If we use Mystic Iron with ninety-three percent purity to build a sea ship, the ship’s defense will reach the level of a high-grade magical treasure, not just a magical artifact.

Two thousand tons of Mystic Iron is enough to build an iron ship fifty zhang long.

The Zhang family’s Mystic Iron production in three months is enough to build a ship one hundred zhang long.

That will be a floating land on the sea, an indestructible fortress! Even if the sea rolls and the waves rise, it cannot be shaken in the slightest.

The ship’s walls will be one chi thick, ten times the thickness of an ordinary shield; its defensive ability will be dozens of times that of an ordinary magical treasure shield.

The ship will have powerful ballistae that can kill Nascent Soul stage sea beasts.

If there are Nascent Soul stage experts on board, it will be foolproof.”

As Zhang Hao spoke, he seemed to be immersed in the magnificence of the Age of Exploration.

A hundred-zhang sea ship is just the beginning! In the future, we will build even larger sea ships. Let steel ships cut through the sea and explore the unknown world!

However, the princess expressed doubt. “Even if there is enough Mystic Iron, have you thought about whether such a ship can really float?

Even if it can float, how will it move?

Also, how can we build such a huge ship?

Mystic Iron is not equal to a magical treasure. To become a magical treasure, it needs special forging. I can’t think of any way to forge such a huge sea ship into a magical treasure. That’s not realistic!

In fact, Mystic Iron that hasn’t been specially forged is not as strong as the black iron used for ordinary farm tools.”

In fact, the princess was a little shocked when she first heard Zhang Hao’s words. But soon, she began to doubt.

The ideal is very full, but reality… I’m afraid it can’t accommodate such an ideal.

Zhang Hao gradually calmed down. “Your Highness, Princess, this may be difficult, but should we stop moving forward just because of difficulties?

I won’t comment on the Eastern Expedition.

But I don’t believe the sea is really impossible to navigate!”

“Are you questioning the Eastern Expedition?”

“Yes!” Zhang Hao looked directly at the princess, speaking decisively. “The Qixia Kingdom is located in the far west. Even if this Eastern Expedition is victorious, the benefits will only go to those countries to the east of us, not us!

Because we are in the far west!

We are at the end of the world!

We are on the edge of civilization!

On land, we have no successful ‘space’!

Therefore, the result of the Eastern Expedition is only one:

That is, endless repetition of helplessness and failure!

History has already proven this.”

“Are you questioning the country?”

“Does the princess think this is a question or a fact?”

Chapter 36: An Unreasonable Request

The waves rolled, and the sea breeze hunted.

On the hill, by the cliff, Zhang Hao and the princess looked at each other.

The wind ruffled the princess’s clothes, outlining her slender figure.

The veil rippled slightly, and at close range, one could vaguely see the face behind it. In the blurred outline, one could see a straight, delicate nose and particularly slender eyebrows.

This was not the kind of delicate, sweet, and petite face, but a spirited and heroic countenance.

This was not a gentle and docile young woman!

“This is a princess who has grown up in crisis.”

At the same time, the princess was also observing Zhang Hao.

Originally, the princess’s impression of Zhang Hao was just a passerby, or rather, a passerby with some ability—a little better than Passerby B.

There were plenty of people who wanted to pursue her, and Zhang Hao wasn’t even on the list.

Eighteen years old, with a Qi Refining stage seventh level cultivation, might be good for ordinary people; but for the sons of aristocratic families, it was a bit lacking.

Generally speaking, the sons of aristocratic families could obtain resources from a young age that ordinary people could not imagine. At the very least, by the age of eighteen, they should have an early or even mid-Foundation Establishment stage cultivation.

Therefore, the princess’s first impression of Zhang Hao was, to put it mildly, very poor.

But now, looking at the spirited young man in front of her, the princess gradually changed her mind.

Exploring the sea sounded a bit absurd, but looking at the young man’s firm face and affirmative eyes, the princess somewhat agreed.

At least Zhang Hao’s last words resonated with the princess:

Exploring the sea might not succeed, but the Eastern Expedition was certain to fail.

Zhang Hao’s sentence, “There is no room for success,” caused a great shock to the princess. This simple sentence perfectly explained the Qixia Kingdom’s history of defeat in recent years.

In fact, the princess herself knew very well that the Eastern Expedition was not for victory, but for survival!

But no one didn’t yearn for victory.

Facing Zhang Hao’s almost provocative gaze, the princess was not angry.

Suddenly, the princess turned her head and looked at the distant sea. A faint sigh came from her mouth.

Beside her, several female guards looked surprised. This was the first time the princess had been at a disadvantage in a battle of wills with someone.

After a while, the princess suddenly asked, “Zhang Hao, even if we can go to sea, where can we go? Are we really going to search for the legendary Nine Immortal Mountains?”

Zhang Hao did not answer, but asked, “Has the princess read Kuo Di Xiang?”

“I have. There is a transcribed copy in the City Lord’s Mansion. Recently, Kuo Di Xiang and the ‘Nine Immortal Mountains Overseas’ have been the talk of the town.”

“Then does the princess think that if we go south from here, can we reach the Continent of Billowing Earth through the Death Green Sea?”

The princess gradually regained her composure: “If Kuo Di Xiang is correct, then the distance from here to the Continent of Billowing Earth will be more than five thousand kilometers.

The sea monsters near the coast are already so powerful. In the deep sea, I’m afraid they are even more terrifying.

To drift five thousand kilometers across the Death Green Sea, which is full of sea monsters, how much confidence do you have?”

Zhang Hao stared at the princess’s profile and said, word by word, “Your Highness, we have no choice!”

The princess was silent again. After a long while, she said faintly, “Alright, I will report your thoughts to my father. I can only pass on the message, I have no decision-making power.”

Unconsciously, the princess no longer referred to herself as “This Princess.”

Zhang Hao immediately showed joy on his face: “Thank you, Princess, for listening to these absurd remarks.”

“You know it’s absurd?” A slight smile finally appeared on the princess’s face, seemingly a bit playful.

Zhang Hao chuckled: “Common people laugh it off when they hear it. Wise people will surely gain something from it.”

“You’re praising yourself.”

“Princess, I have an unreasonable request.”

“Since it’s an unreasonable request, don’t say it.”

“…”

Seeing Zhang Hao’s blank expression, the princess laughed softly: “Alright, I’ll give you a chance, speak.”

“Two requests. First, I want to search for shipbuilding craftsmen and related personnel. Second, I want to buy some high-level pills from the princess, such as those that help Golden Core cultivators break through to the Nascent Soul stage.”

“You really have an unreasonable request. I have pills. One ton of ninety-six percent purity Mystic Iron for one pill; I can exchange at most ten pills for you.

As for craftsmen, I’ll ask for you after I return to the palace.

Shipbuilding craftsmen are not easy to find.”

“Wait, Princess, we can currently only produce ninety-five percent purity Mystic Iron.”

“Do you think I believe that?”

“…”

“Just consider it my unreasonable request.

I’ll wait in the City Lord’s Mansion for three days. Within three days, use ten tons of ninety-six percent Mystic Iron to exchange for ten ‘Nascent Soul Transformation Pills’. I won’t wait beyond that!”

With that, the princess turned and left, walking away with a free and easy manner.

Zhang Hao looked at the mighty departing team and grinned. He would be busy again tonight.

The princess seemed to have really come to see the sea and did not stay in Changshan Town. By the time Zhang Shengye got the news and wanted to come out to greet her, the princess had already left Changshan Town.

“Little Hao, you, how could you not invite the princess to come in and sit down when she came!” Zhang Shengye looked like he hated that iron couldn’t become steel.

The princess even accompanied you to see the sea, couldn’t you have shown some courtesy?

Zhang Hao smiled helplessly: “Second Uncle, I dare not invite her. I’m afraid that after the princess comes in, our family’s secrets will all be gone.”

Zhang Shengye: …

Then, Zhang Hao told him about the transaction with the princess.

Zhang Shengye was temporarily noncommittal about the matter of navigation; but he was extremely surprised by the Nascent Soul Transformation Pill.

“Can you really exchange for Nascent Soul Transformation Pills?”

“Second Uncle, ten tons of ninety-six percent Mystic Iron, just to exchange for ten pills, what’s with that expression?”

Zhang Shengye shook his head: “Little Hao, you have to think like this.

Generally speaking, one Nascent Soul Transformation Pill is enough for a talented Golden Core peak cultivator to enter the Nascent Soul stage.

Two Nascent Soul Transformation Pills can allow an ordinary or aging Golden Core peak cultivator to enter the Nascent Soul stage.

Four to five Nascent Soul Transformation Pills can allow a late-stage Golden Core cultivator to enter the Nascent Soul stage in a very short time.

So, ten Nascent Soul Transformation Pills can usually be seen as five potential Nascent Soul stage experts.”

“Wealth can be calculated, but the value of a Nascent Soul stage expert cannot be calculated.

At least, Nascent Soul stage experts can plunder wealth.

Therefore, Nascent Soul Transformation Pills have always been priceless.

Countless Golden Core peak cultivators, especially those who are aging, are willing to sell everything they own, and even use any means necessary, for a Nascent Soul Transformation Pill!

Moreover, Nascent Soul Transformation Pills are difficult to refine, have a very low success rate, and the spiritual herbs are hard to find; Nascent Soul experts also involve the balance of various forces.

Therefore, the Nascent Soul Transformation Pills that can truly circulate in the market are very few, and are mostly sold by auction.”

Zhang Hao suddenly understood. Although it seemed like he was buying them at a high price, these Nascent Soul Transformation Pills could be sold for even more!

Some commodities are destined not to have a ‘regular’ price. Their “actual value” has little to do with “cost,” and is directly linked to the application environment, application field, and actual effect.

“In this case, we still got a good deal?”

“Yes.”

“Then why is the princess helping us?”

“Perhaps, the princess also wants to see your navigation plan.” After a slight pause, Zhang Shengye carefully asked, “Little Hao, is your navigation… reliable?”

“Second Uncle, I’ll show you something.”

“No, let’s get the high-purity Mystic Iron out first. Let’s get the Nascent Soul Transformation Pills that don’t belong to us into our hands first!”

Chapter 37: Industry and Capital

The earth fire roared, the molten iron in the smelting furnace churned.

However, after three consecutive batches of molten iron were cast, the purity of the Mystic Iron was only around 95%. Perhaps it was slightly higher; judging from the intensity of the identification light, it might reach above 95.5%, but definitely not 96%.

To go one step further when you’re already at the top sounds good, but taking that next step is incredibly difficult! When you’re already at the limit, how can you possibly advance further?

Zhang Shengye frowned slightly. “Let all the family’s artisans forge and refine it. We should be able to get ten tons of Mystic Iron in three days.”

Zhang Hao shook his head. “Second Uncle, I think what the Princess wants isn’t just ten tons of Mystic Iron. What she really wants to see is our capability.

If we can’t even produce 96% purity Mystic Iron, how can we convince the Princess that we can build large ships, ships that can cross the Death Green Sea!”

Zhang Shengye nodded thoughtfully.

Beside them, Huang Mingshan carefully said, “Young Master, if we replace the earth fire with spirit stones and formations, and use low-grade spirit stones instead of inferior broken spirit stones, I wonder if we can improve the purity?

I believe a significant portion of the impurities in the Mystic Iron come from the inferior broken spirit stones!”

Zhang Hao’s eyes lit up. “How could I have forgotten that?”

In reality, Zhang Hao hadn’t forgotten; he was deliberately not mentioning it. He wanted to cultivate Huang Mingshan and the others, to help them develop the awareness to actively think, summarize, learn, accumulate, and improve.

During the work process just now, Zhang Hao had mentioned the scene of the market’s public water forging technique multiple times.

The modification began quickly, and Huang Mingshan and the others immediately began calculating approximate data.

“The purity of broken spirit stones varies. The average spirit Qi content is about 18% of low-grade spirit stones. With the interference of impurities, the effective spirit Qi of broken spirit stones is only about 15% of low-grade spirit stones.”

“Crush the spirit stones to increase the effective contact area with the ore.”

“After crushing the selected ore, wash it again with water to increase the purity of the iron ore.”

“Use bamboo charcoal instead of wood charcoal to further reduce the impurity content.”

“Although the air volume of one blower is sufficient, it’s not uniform. It’s recommended to use four blowers working simultaneously, with the air volume controlled at about one-quarter each.”

“Use low-grade spirit stones to set up a flame formation. The temperature of the flame formation is calculated using the formulas in the Suanjing, and controlled above 2700 degrees Celsius.”

“That’s right, the air blown by the blowers must first be preheated by the flame formation before being introduced into the molten iron to prevent the molten iron from cooling down.”

“There’s a lot of dust here. Isolate the smelting process with formations; the air from the blowers needs to be filtered. For now, use cotton as a filter layer.”

Huang Mingshan, Bai Xiaodong, and the others busied themselves, and Zhang Hao watched from the side, smiling faintly.

Now, the Zhang family had initially broken away from the traditional handicraft model. In the production process, everyone began to pay attention to measurement and calculation, using mathematical methods to summarize everything.

Although the measurement technology was not perfect and the data was not accurate enough, technology had finally sprouted and was growing vigorously.

What made Zhang Hao most happy was everyone’s working method, no longer relying on accumulated experience, but starting directly from theory.

Air preheating, filtering, uniform air supply, crushing of ore and spirit stones, paying attention to controlling impurities from raw materials, and so on; all of this already possessed the awareness of scientific production.

This was a qualitative leap.

They worked busily until late at night, and a “refining workshop” appeared.

This was a room ten meters square, with four blowers surrounding a smelting furnace. The ore powder and low-grade spirit stone powder that had been water-washed and dried, along with carefully selected bamboo charcoal powder, were heated in the smelting furnace.

Below, the flames stimulated by spirit stones presented a purplish-golden color. In this small space, the rolling heat waves made Zhang Shengye feel uncomfortable. Zhang Hao and the others in the Qi Refining stage were drenched in sweat.

But no one complained!

Everyone devoted themselves to this unprecedented research and production with unprecedented spirit.

Rolling brown smoke billowed from above the smelting furnace, and then was drawn away by the blowers and discharged to the outside.

Above the Zhang family’s smelting base, more than a dozen brown smoke columns rose into the sky. In the early stages of industrial development, the ability to pollute the environment was directly proportional to industrial capacity and technological progress!

“The world is so big, I want to go… pollute it a little~~~”

Time quietly came to dawn, and the first batch of brand-new molten iron finally stopped producing smoke. But the artisans did not immediately cast it, but continued to heat and wait.

Because there was an extra step next - precipitation!

The air volume began to slow down, gradually almost disappearing.

A spirit gathering formation was placed at the air inlet of the blower, slowly inputting a trace amount of spirit Qi into the molten iron through the blower.

After about one and a half hours, or more than two hours, when the sun rose, Huang Mingshan ordered the casting of iron ingots.

Now, the Zhang family’s smelting furnace was very large, and one furnace of molten iron could cast more than three tons of iron ingots.

Still half a meter square iron ingots.

Zhang Shengye couldn’t wait for the iron ingots to cool down automatically. He took a little from the molten iron, cooled it down with magic, and identified it. After a moment, Zhang Shengye’s mouth opened wide:

“Purity 97%~~~”

His voice trembled. It was a success, a huge success!

Zhang Hao was very calm, and turned to start rewarding. This time the reward was very generous. There were only fifty people, including the artisans, but Zhang Hao rewarded one hundred thousand spirit stones in one go! An average of two thousand per person.

Two thousand spirit stones were equivalent to two million iron coins!

Although iron coins have depreciated a bit now, it is the low-purity Mystic Iron coins that have depreciated.

Here in the Zhang family, artisans can exchange one spirit stone for three thousand low-purity Mystic Iron coins.

That’s how capricious they were!

“Our old Zhang family doesn’t lack Mystic Iron.”

Because Mystic Iron smelting is difficult, Mystic Iron is both a cultivation resource and has its own currency attributes, so the state encourages private minting of currency.

As the Zhang family made the water forging technique public, the Mystic Iron market began to become unstable, and the low-end currency system based on Mystic Iron coins was severely impacted.

But the Princess didn’t mention this last time, so Zhang Hao naturally wouldn’t ask for trouble.

The true greatness of wisdom lies in - waiting for others to ask before you speak; only in this way can others know, oh, you are the smart one. Or, it is taken out as a bargaining chip.

Moreover, the depreciation of Mystic Iron coins is of great benefit to the Zhang family. Now, the Zhang family is frantically minting coins to purchase food, broken spirit stones, wood and charcoal, cloth, horses, etc.; even including fields, mines, etc.

Why did the Princess say that she would use broken spirit stones and other raw materials to exchange for the Zhang family’s Mystic Iron, why did Zhang Hao refuse? It was not only because the Princess insisted on the ‘market price’, but also because the Zhang family could mint their own coins, averaging only half the market price!

In Mystic Iron smelting, the biggest cost comes from ‘broken spirit stones’. Although broken spirit stones are inferior spirit stones, they are still spirit stones. They are still very marketable for setting up formations, cultivating spiritual herbs, smelting, and so on.

Now, the Zhang family uses its own coin minting method to purchase broken spirit stones, compressing the Zhang family’s broken spirit stone costs by about half in one go.

And the Zhang family’s purchase volume is very large, which can further reduce prices.

The initial stage of capital expansion is savage and crude. The Zhang family is also inevitable.

…………

At noon, the three iron ingots finally cooled down, but the artisans had already begun smelting the second batch of iron ingots.

The purity of the first batch was 97%; starting with the second batch, the requirements were appropriately lowered, and finally controlled at 96%.

Zhang Hao leaned against the door, a smile on his tired face.

Technology, finally blossomed;

The door to industry is slowly opening.

Chapter 38: Can’t We Talk Nicely?

Inside the cultivation chamber, Zhang Hao looked at the Foundation Establishment Pills in his hand – a full ten of them. These were pills worth fifteen thousand spirit stones, all of the highest quality.

According to the Annotations on the Secrets of Qi Refining he received from Mingxu, Foundation Establishment Pills weren’t just for breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

In fact, they were a super ‘Essence Cultivation Pill’ that could fortify the foundation and cultivate the origin, and also compress true Qi to an extreme degree.

The correct way to use Foundation Establishment Pills was to consume one with each breakthrough in the Qi Refining stage until Foundation Establishment was successful.

Obviously, this was an extremely extravagant method. Not to mention the Qixia Kingdom, even in the eastern countries, not many people could afford such a practice.

But it had to be said, that’s how the Xuanzhen Sect did things.

Zhang Hao had missed several opportunities to take Foundation Establishment Pills in the past, but it didn’t matter, it wasn’t too late. Now, he would take a few more and compress his true Qi as much as possible.

This process was difficult because it was a ‘remedial measure.’ But in order to go further in the future, Zhang Hao could only grit his teeth and persevere.

“I compress… I compress…”

Zhang Hao circulated the technique for compressing true essence within his body. This was recorded in the Annotations on the Secrets of Qi Refining. If one wanted to go far, the foundation had to be solid and broad. In fact, this technique for compressing true essence was also an internal technique of the Xuanzhen Sect, but because it was a basic technique, even nominal disciples could use it.

Gradually, Zhang Hao’s true Qi at the seventh level of Qi Refining began to show some characteristics of true essence. A faint spiritual light also appeared around Zhang Hao, a light that was usually only seen in those at the Foundation Establishment stage.

Time had no meaning in cultivation, and before he knew it, a day had passed.

A clear and melodious sound of a jade chime came, awakening Zhang Hao from his cultivation. The sound of the jade chime was clear and pleasant, and would not lead to cultivation deviation.

Zhang Han arrived, “Little brother, ten tons of Mystic Iron are ready. Let’s set off as soon as possible.”

Zhang Hao finished his cultivation and went with Zhang Han to the smelting area, where he saw ten pieces of Mystic Iron, polished like mirrors, were ready.

Zhang Shengye personally inspected them. These ten pieces of Mystic Iron could be exchanged for ten Nascent Soul pills, which were the Zhang family’s hope, so he had to be careful.

Zhang Hao was about to casually move them away, but Zhang Shengye sternly reprimanded him, saying that there couldn’t be even the slightest bump.

‘In the end, they’re all going to be cut and smelted,’ Zhang Hao disagreed.

“Try muttering again and see what happens.”

Zhang Hao rolled his eyes. Ten Nascent Soul pills had made his usually carefree Second Uncle a little unreasonable. However, Zhang Hao became even more assertive and loaded the initial batch of three tons of 97% purity onto the carriage as well.

Since he was going to show his strength, he might as well show it properly, so that he could get more attention.

The team set off, but the Zhang family was extremely tense.

At this time, Zhang Shengde was in the prefectural city, in charge of the acquisition.

Zhang Shengye needed to stay in the family, he couldn’t leave even half a step.

Therefore, the task of escorting the Mystic Iron fell on Zhang Han, who had already reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment.

Well, the highest cultivation in the team was someone called “Dugu Junjie,” a man who looked a little over twenty years old, but had already reached the mid-stage of Golden Core.

Zhang Hao was curious, Dugu Junjie wasn’t cultivated by the family, but was caught by Second Uncle Zhang Shengye from somewhere this morning.

Speaking of which, as cultivation families, most would recruit some talented teenagers and children from the descendants of family craftsmen or from the families of some well-known commoners near the family, and cultivate them with all their strength.

These people were reliable, loyal, and almost never betrayed the family.

Recently, the Zhang family had purchased a large number of pills from the market, and many core family members had benefited from it.

However, Zhang Hao had never heard of the name ‘Dugu Junjie’ before.

Not only was Zhang Hao curious, even Zhang Han was curious.

But Dugu Junjie was calm and collected, sitting in the carriage yawning, looking lazy.

Along the way, they did discover someone following them, but fortunately, nothing happened and they arrived safely in the prefectural city.

Zhang Hao breathed a sigh of relief and led the team straight to the City Lord’s mansion.

Arriving at the City Lord’s mansion, he showed the jade pendant that the princess had given him last time, and they were indeed allowed to pass directly. The convoy went all the way to the square in front of the main hall, and at this time, the princess had already come upon hearing the news.

Today’s princess was wearing a plain dress, elegant and noble. Her face was still covered with a veil, but her slightly hurried steps revealed her eagerness.

Ten tons of 96% purity Mystic Iron was of great significance to the princess.

Mystic Iron of 96% purity could already be used to forge high-grade magical treasures, and it was also a scarce resource. And now there were a full ten tons!

With ten tons of ultra-high purity Mystic Iron, the princess was already planning its application – it could be used to create super-large war instruments, such as a giant crossbow that could shoot down Nascent Soul cultivators with one arrow.

But when the carriage was opened, the princess was surprised to find that there were thirteen pieces.

“So much?”

Zhang Hao’s smile was a little mischievous, pointing to the ten pieces of Mystic Iron in the back carriage, he said to the guards, “Move these ten pieces down.”

Then, turning to the princess, he said, “Your Highness, these are ten pieces of 96% Mystic Iron, a total of ten tons, please appraise them.”

The princess naturally didn’t need to do it herself. A maid went over to appraise them and quickly said to the princess, “Princess, the quality is very good, the purity is about 96.5%.”

“Oh? Can you even appraise to the decimal point?” Zhang Hao was a little surprised.

“This is a little trick of the royal family.” The princess squinted her eyes and looked at the three pieces of Mystic Iron in the front carriage, “What about these three pieces of Mystic Iron?”

“This isn’t 96%.” Zhang Hao ‘hurriedly’ changed the subject, “Princess, the Mystic Iron has been delivered, the pills…”

“I’m asking you, what about these three pieces of Mystic Iron!” The princess was a little domineering.

“Can’t we talk nicely?” Zhang Hao stretched out his hand, “There’s an order to transactions. The Mystic Iron has already been delivered, does the princess want to go back on her word?”

“Impudent!” Beside her, the female guard scolded, and the sword at her waist was铿然 drawn out… halfway.

The princess shook her head slightly, pressed down the female guard’s hand, and took out a jade bottle from her storage ring, “Here you go!”

Zhang Hao took it and put it directly into his storage ring without even looking at it.

“Aren’t you going to check it?” The princess was a little surprised.

“I trust the princess!” Zhang Hao gave a timely compliment.

In fact, Zhang Hao trusted himself more. He believed that the princess wouldn’t dare to lose a potential stock like the Zhang family!

But these words sounded good, and the princess nodded, her tone much better: “Now can you talk about these Mystic Iron?”

“97% purity.”

“Mm!” The princess’s figure instantly became hazy, and she actually passed Zhang Hao and came to the side of the carriage, reaching out her slender hand to personally appraise it.

After a moment, she said in surprise: “97.4% purity!”

But then, the princess waved her hand and said to the City Lord’s mansion guards beside her: “Come, move these three pieces of Mystic Iron down!”

Zhang Hao was immediately dumbfounded. Can’t we be so direct? So, Zhang Hao coughed lightly to remind her.

The princess turned her head slightly to look at Zhang Hao: “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. I will pay for all three pieces of Mystic Iron with pills above the Foundation Establishment stage.”

“Oh, this… thank you so much. Haha…”

Pills of the Foundation Establishment stage and above were not easy to buy. Pills were consumables and essential for cultivation. In the Qixia Kingdom, the transaction price of pills was often higher than the market price.

There was nothing to do about it, the pill market was a true seller’s market, that’s how capricious it was.

The princess snorted softly, “Come with me, I have something to say to you.”

The princess walked forward, while Zhang Hao handed the pills to Zhang Han, “Brother, send them to Father.”

Turning his head, Zhang Hao followed the princess to the back.

Zhang Han took the pills, stunned for a long time, and then smiled meaningfully, leading the team away.

(If I don’t beg for votes, you won’t vote, right? Should we have a good talk? (▽))

Chapter 39: Monetary Crisis

Zhang Hao followed the princess to the pavilion where they had last met. The princess walked into the pavilion.

Naturally, Zhang Hao followed.

Unexpectedly, two female guards suddenly turned around and stood in front of the pavilion, extending their arms to block Zhang Hao.

One of them, Hu Yinglan, said coldly, “Please stop!”

Zhang Hao helplessly touched his nose but had to stop.

Oh well, even City Lord Liu Jingming stood outside last time, so it’s not a big deal for me to stand here. The young master Zhang could only comfort his wounded heart in this way.

The princess slowly sat down and spoke softly, her slightly magnetic and husky voice spreading like clear ripples, “Young Master Zhang, I have two pieces of news, one good and one bad. Which do you want to hear?”

Zhang Hao smiled happily, “Your Highness, what a coincidence, I also have two pieces of news here, one good and one bad.”

Princess: …I’ve never seen anyone so cheeky~~~

The princess helplessly put down her hands, which were about to play the zither, feeling a little helpless, “Alright, you go first.”

“Then does the princess want to hear the good news first, or…”

“I told you to speak!”

Such a bad temper…

Zhang Hao rolled his eyes, “The good news is that the Zhang family will donate Mystic Iron to the country every month from now on, all with a purity of over ninety percent.”

The princess nodded, this was indeed good news, and joy flashed in her eyes. But at the same time, she also felt a bit of vigilance in her heart—the good news is very good, so the bad news…

“The bad news is that, due to the progress of Mystic Iron smelting technology, the Mystic Iron currency, which has been popular among the people for thousands of years, has begun to depreciate.

If it continues to depreciate, the currency will be in danger of collapsing; a ‘monetary crisis’ unprecedented in history is on the verge of breaking out!”

“Monetary crisis?” the princess repeated, seemingly not understanding.

Well, although the princess is somewhat assertive and understands some politics and military affairs, she is, after all, an eighteen-year-old girl; she usually spends almost all her time cultivating, so where would she have the time to care about and learn other things, especially this unfamiliar concept in this world.

Zhang Hao began to explain, but he didn’t explain it very clearly. On the one hand, of course, he was hiding his abilities, and on the other hand, it was not easy to explain. For this world, this was an unfamiliar concept, especially linking the monetary crisis with the country’s comprehensive national strength.

Zhang Hao wasted a lot of words before the princess vaguely understood that this currency problem, which seemed to be only related to ordinary people, had actually affected the foundation of the country.

If the lives of ordinary people are affected, they will inevitably have complaints against the country. There is no doubt about this.

And currency depreciation and a decline in living standards will further affect the enthusiasm of the people for production.

Although the world of cultivation seems to be dominated by the strong, and everyone usually only pays attention to the strong; mining, smelting, planting, breeding, weaving, construction, etc., are all done by ordinary people.

Ordinary people are water, and cultivation experts are boats. Usually, you see the boat but not the water; but if the water dries up, the boat will run aground.

The princess thought for a long time, and her expression gradually became serious, “I understand roughly. But how to solve it?”

“I haven’t figured it out yet,” Zhang Hao said with a wry smile.

You’re teasing me, aren’t you~~~ The princess’s face quickly darkened.

Through the veil and beaded curtain, the two looked at each other—in fact, Zhang Hao couldn’t see the princess’s eyes at all, but he could feel the princess’s current state.

In fact, Zhang Hao has many ways to solve it; but why should I say it!

Moreover, seeing the problem is already a bit monstrous; if I propose a solution, hehe… such a monstrous person is not reassuring!

After a while, the princess was moved by Young Master Zhang’s ‘innocent wry smile’ and finally snorted softly, “I’ll trust you this once for now.”

“Thank you for your Highness’s trust. Then I wonder what the news from the princess is…”

“The good news is that no matter how much Mystic Iron the Zhang family produces in the future, the country will want it. The country will settle with elixirs, spirit stones, etc.

There are also some cultivation methods, various books, etc. If you need them, you can also estimate the price.

The country will purchase Mystic Iron at eighty percent of the lowest market price. Moreover, even if the price of Mystic Iron rises in the future, the country’s purchase price will not increase.

And the price of elixirs will be based on the market price.

But the country will guarantee the quality of the elixirs.”

Zhang Hao nodded, this was acceptable. Just guaranteeing the quality of the elixirs is enough. You must know that the quality of elixirs on the market is really strange and varied.

The quality of elixirs is definitely a metaphysical problem~~~

Anyway, it’s a seller’s market, so, yes, it’s very capricious.

The Zhang family’s Mystic Iron production is now exploding, and it is clear that relying solely on ordinary families and commercial firms will not be able to digest it. The country’s purchase is also a win-win situation.

Most importantly, when the country relies heavily on the Zhang family’s Mystic Iron, the Zhang family’s social status will naturally change.

Also, because of the depreciation of the Mystic Iron currency, the Zhang family can now reduce the cost of Mystic Iron to one-third of what it used to be.

In other words, even if it is sold at eighty percent of the market price, plus the current market price has decreased, the Zhang family still has a profit of more than one hundred percent.

And large-scale transactions with the country will also receive the protection of the country. Other families, etc., will have to be careful if they want to move against the Zhang family.

For the country, the Zhang family’s Mystic Iron is large in quantity, high in quality, and lowest in price, and it is also convenient to transport, making it a good strategic material.

In this eve of the upcoming Eastern Expedition, the appearance of the Zhang family has allowed the country’s military strength to increase by several times out of thin air.

Sufficient Mystic Iron means sufficient weapons and magical treasures, and the warriors can arm themselves to the teeth.

However, Zhang Hao pricked up his ears. The good news is good, but he doesn’t know what the bad news is.

“The bad news is that I mentioned the matter of navigation to my imperial father. But… my imperial father was very indifferent.”

Zhang Hao was not surprised, it was an expected thing. “If His Majesty opposes it, our Zhang family can try it ourselves. As long as there are shipbuilders.”

“You have to find the shipbuilders yourself.”

Huh? Zhang Hao immediately heard the implication.

When watching the sea earlier, the princess also said she would try; now, she directly refused.

Zhang Hao frowned slightly, he vaguely felt that the princess might have been scolded?

A princess is so concerned about state affairs, um um~~~ very likely yo…

In that case, then I can’t say the solution to the monetary crisis even more.

Zhang Hao thanked the princess for her help and bid farewell. After arriving at the gate of the City Lord’s Mansion, Zhang Hao couldn’t help but sigh.

Great navigation, ah, great navigation, why is it so difficult!

Thinking about it, the people here still live on land. What they see is the crisis of the Death Green Sea and the boundless ocean. In their minds, beyond the outer sea is a chaotic place, an unknown world.

In comparison, although the Eastern Expedition ‘seems’ impossible to win, at least it is a known world!

Zhang Hao shook his head, hailed a carriage, and headed towards the market.

But what Zhang Hao didn’t know was that after he left, in the pavilion, the princess angrily tore up the Map of the World in her hand!

She stood in the pavilion, looking west into the distance.

Zhang Hao’s words kept echoing in her mind, like a brand, indelible:

On land, the Qixia Kingdom has no room for victory!

The geographical environment forces the Qixia Kingdom to advance towards the sea.

However, she is just a princess, in the eyes of her imperial father and court officials, an eighteen-year-old girl who only knows how to cultivate.

In the reply from her imperial father, she saw reprimands, and even regarded her suggestions as wishful thinking.

After standing for a long time, the princess still gritted her teeth and wrote another letter. This time, she wrote about the ‘monetary crisis’.

After the letter was sent, the princess left with her team. She will go to the next place to continue ‘raising funds’.

Chapter 40: Merger and Acquisition Turmoil

(The reading reference map for this book has been sent to the QQ group: Great Industrial Age of Cultivation, number: 799,049,799. Or the WeChat discussion group: Great Industrial Age of Cultivation.)

In the marketplace, the Zhang family’s new store is basically completed. It should now be called the “Zhang Residence.”

Covering an area of more than two hundred meters square, in this marketplace where every inch of land is precious, it’s beyond extravagant. From afar, you can see several vermilion buildings rising from the ground, with busy craftsmen putting on the finishing touches.

But what caught Zhang Hao’s attention even more was the street in front of the entrance, which was once again crowded with people.

This time, however, the main entrance of the Zhang family had a passage left open, one zhang wide, enough for carriages to pass through.

Zhang Hao followed the passage to the entrance and was greeted by a sea of flattering smiles.

“What’s going on?” Zhang Hao asked the guard at the entrance.

“Aren’t they all here hoping we’ll offer a good price!” The guard curled his lip. “Master said we’re willing to settle with ninety-five percent purity Mystic Iron, and everyone came running.”

Zhang Hao nodded thoughtfully.

The previously publicized Water Forging Technique had been verified by the Zhang family themselves, yielding two results:

If the Zhang family’s new Mystic Iron is used as the raw material for forging, Mystic Iron of very high purity can be obtained, for example, above ninety-six percent.

If crude iron is used as the raw material for forging, the purity of Mystic Iron is difficult to reach ninety-four percent. Moreover, a large number of spirit stones must be used to fuel the flames, high-grade spirit springs must be used, the forging time must be longer, and more craftsmen are needed, making the cost very high.

Because of this reason, the Mystic Iron sold by the Zhang family deliberately contains impurities; these impurities, which come from inferior broken spirit stones, have been integrated with the Mystic Iron and are difficult to purify.

Therefore, although the Zhang family’s Water Forging Technique has spread, Mystic Iron with a purity of over ninety percent is still not common on the market, and the price has not changed much.

As for Mystic Iron with a purity of over ninety-three percent, or even ninety-four percent, the demand still exceeds supply, and the price is inflated.

Now that the Zhang family is willing to settle with ninety-five percent purity Mystic Iron, everyone is immediately excited.

This is much more “valuable” than spirit stones.

In the Qixia Kingdom, in Ninghe County, one jin of ninety-five percent purity Mystic Iron costs at least sixty medium-grade spirit stones; outside Ninghe County, the price can increase by more than ten percent; if you leave the Qixia Kingdom, the price may double!

If a large amount of high-purity Mystic Iron is sold by auction, it can only be higher.

Some commodities have a higher unit price the more there are! Because they are scarce, because they are important, they must be hoarded!

In other words, as long as you have high-purity Mystic Iron in your hand, you can get at least a one hundred percent profit with a simple resale; what’s more, the Zhang family also promises that the price of Mystic Iron will be calculated at eighty percent of the market price, and it will be the lowest market price.

So, everyone is a little excited.

Even some families and merchant firms that can barely survive want to sell their Mystic Iron smelting operations. A resale is “at least” a one hundred percent profit!

The gross profit of Mystic Iron smelting is about ten percent, and the net profit is halved.

Now, as long as you sell the family’s Mystic Iron smelting division, you can immediately get at least a one hundred percent profit, roughly estimated to be at least the profit of the next ten years.

With this wealth, what can’t you do!

After figuring this out, Zhang Hao shook his head helplessly. He suddenly didn’t know how to evaluate it.

Originally, Zhang Hao wanted to form a Mystic Iron alliance with these small and medium-sized families, and everyone would control Mystic Iron together.

As long as the Mystic Iron alliance is established, and you don’t court death, wealth and the like will not be a problem.

But, by some twist of fate, these guys are actually going to sell their Mystic Iron divisions!

Zhang Hao suddenly felt a little dispirited. This young master finally had a moment of conscience, why don’t you give me a chance to show it!

When he arrived at the main hall, he saw Zhang Han, Dugu Junjie, and others on high alert, not receiving any guests.

Zhang Han said directly, “Little brother, keep your voice down. Father just took a Nascent Soul Pill and needs at least a quarter of an hour to absorb the medicinal power.”

Zhang Hao nodded, but came to the door and said to the many “spendthrifts” who came to “sell their industries”:

“Greetings, everyone. Thank you all for your trust in the Zhang family.”

“Young Master Zhang, how long do we have to wait!” Someone was impatient.

Today is already the second day, and no family has made a deal yet, so everyone is a little anxious.

“Please be quiet, everyone.” Zhang Hao shouted, “Wait at most half an hour, and we will start the acquisition. The specific situation is as follows.”

Everyone instantly quieted down.

Only Zhang Hao’s voice was floating.

“What the Zhang family wants to acquire is a complete Mystic Iron smelting division.

Including mines, smelting bases, craftsmen and their families, sales channels, raw material procurement channels, etc.

If you only want to sell part of it, the Zhang family will not consider it for the time being.”

As soon as Zhang Hao finished speaking, it caused an uproar. Many representatives were immediately unhappy. Why didn’t you say so earlier! Also, is it fun to tease us?

Zhang Hao smiled and said nothing. This is a buyer’s market, and I make the rules!

Everyone made a fuss for a while, and seeing that Zhang Hao didn’t speak, they gradually calmed down. However, a dissatisfied atmosphere was floating in the air.

Zhang Hao turned a blind eye. Since I gave you a good opportunity and you won’t seize it, and you’re still playing the trick of crying, making a fuss, and threatening suicide, then let’s do business.

Time passed quietly, and Zhang Shengde finally emerged from seclusion.

Zhang Shengde didn’t seem to have changed, but a heavy pressure spread from his body.

This kind of aura reminded Zhang Hao of the aura during the princess’s fundraising, is this the aura of a Nascent Soul?

“Golden Core peak, after consolidating, you may be able to break through to the Nascent Soul stage. You did a good job.” Zhang Shengde transmitted his voice to Zhang Hao and gently patted Zhang Hao’s shoulder.

The door slowly opened, and everyone poured into the courtyard.

Zhang Shengde now had confidence, and accepted the suggestion Zhang Hao had just mentioned. We will not acquire piecemeal, we want to acquire a complete Mystic Iron smelting base, even including craftsmen and their families.

Unless the Zhang family has the ability after the acquisition, they will consider others.

Many people were dissatisfied, but it was useless; because the initiative was not in their hands.

Finally, someone began to give in, and they came to discuss.

Zhang Shengde promised on the spot to settle entirely with ninety-five percent purity Mystic Iron.

The first family quickly submitted their own situation and swore to the heavens that it was absolutely true.

Zhang Shengde promised on the spot a full ten tons of ninety-five percent Mystic Iron, which even here in Ninghe County, had a market value of up to one million two hundred thousand medium-grade spirit stones. This price far exceeded the other party’s expectations.

The Zhang family will complete the payment within three days; and within these three days, the Zhang family will also send people to receive and verify.

With the first, there is the second.

The second promised to complete the payment within seven days.

Before long, the Zhang family had promised eighty tons of ninety-five percent purity Mystic Iron. Then, the acquisition was temporarily suspended.

“Why!” The people behind were unhappy.

Zhang Shengde shook his head slightly: “Everyone, the Zhang family can only produce two to three tons of ninety-five percent Mystic Iron every day. Eighty tons is already a bit much.

Next month, after this batch of transactions is completed, we will continue to acquire.”

The families and merchant firms that had completed the transaction left excitedly. In this situation, grabbing it is making money. By next month, they will have exchanged the Mystic Iron in their hands for other commodities.

Moreover, whether there will be another acquisition is another matter. The Zhang family cannot acquire it indefinitely.

The remaining people were dissatisfied, but the Zhang family’s door slowly closed.

Chapter 41: Mystic Iron Alliance

After much clamor, the crowd finally dispersed, albeit reluctantly, and the Zhang family’s mansion continued its renovations.

Once everyone had left, Zhang Shengde immediately sent invitations to the major Mystic Iron smelting families and trading firms.

Since a Mystic Iron alliance couldn’t be formed with the small and medium-sized families, the only option was to join forces with the large ones.

Originally, Zhang Hao had planned to wait for the Mystic Iron technology to spread further, forcing these large families to seek the Zhang family’s help.

However, recent events had rapidly elevated the Zhang family’s status, especially with their connection to the princess and the acquisition of Nascent Soul Pills, along with his own improved cultivation. Zhang Shengde decided not to wait any longer.

The Zhang family was now qualified to take the initiative.

After making the arrangements, Zhang Shengde turned and patted Dugu Junjie on the shoulder. “Work hard. Once you reach the peak of the Golden Core stage, the family will definitely prepare a Nascent Soul Pill for you!”

Dugu Junjie was overjoyed and quickly expressed his gratitude.

Then, Zhang Shengde patted Zhang Hao’s shoulder again, affirming, “You’ve done well.”

Indeed, very well. The ten Nascent Soul Pills were of extraordinary significance to the Zhang family. Zhang Shengde was confident that he could officially break through to the Nascent Soul stage in about a month. At that point, the Zhang family would truly be qualified to become a large family.

As they were speaking, a guard reported that Feng Dongyuan from the City Lord’s府 had arrived.

Feng Dongyuan was in a great hurry, wearing a stern face. After a few simple pleasantries, he said he was delivering the princess’s reward and left a small box before departing.

Zhang Shengde hurriedly chased to the door to see him off, but the man had already disappeared.

The Zhang family head was speechless. “Hao, did you offend him?”

Zhang Hao sighed helplessly. “I don’t know!”

“Oh… Find an opportunity to invite him over. He doesn’t seem like a petty person; he’s worth befriending.”

With that, Zhang Shengde looked at the box, about two feet in size, sealed with wax and bearing the City Lord’s seal.

Opening the box, he found twenty porcelain bottles of various sizes inside.

“Four bottles, four hundred pills, of Lesser Spirit Essence Pills for Qi Refining stage cultivators to solidify their foundation.”

“Four bottles, four hundred pills, of Spirit Essence Pills for Foundation Establishment stage cultivators to solidify their foundation.”

“Two large bottles, one thousand pills, of Purple Essence Pills for Golden Core stage cultivators.”

“Two bottles, two hundred pills, of Purple Spirit Pills for Golden Core stage cultivators to nourish their souls and stimulate their nascent spirit.”

“One bottle, one hundred pills, of Refined Essence Pills for Golden Core stage cultivators to solidify their foundation.”

“One bottle, one hundred pills, of Dragon Tiger Pills for Nascent Soul stage cultivators.”

“And six bottles, six hundred pills, of Heart Protecting Pills to strengthen meridians and aid breakthroughs, as well as various detoxification pills.”

Zhang Shengde was astonished. The Zhang family’s supply of high-end pills for the foreseeable future had been replenished in one go. At least, the pills needed for the cultivation of himself, Zhang Hao, Zhang Shengye, and Zhang Han were sufficient.

This was definitely a true stroke of luck. It was questionable whether these pills could even be bought individually.

Especially the Purple Spirit Pills, which nourish the soul and stimulate the nascent spirit in the Golden Core stage, were crucial for breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage!

Zhang Shengde thought for a moment and first gave Dugu Junjie ten Purple Essence Pills, two Purple Spirit Pills, and two Refined Essence Pills. “The family has relied heavily on you over the years, sir.”

Dugu Junjie hesitated for a moment before accepting them. “If not for the family head’s assistance back then, I would have been a pile of bones, possibly without even a burial place.

However, these pills are indeed what I need, so I will shamelessly accept them.”

Zhang Shengde smiled. “Without you, sir, there would be no Zhang family as it is today.”

Zhang Hao watched from the side… Sure enough, there was something going on!

Turning his head, Zhang Shengde said to Zhang Hao, “The Zhang family only acquired the Water Forging Technique because I unintentionally saved Dugu Junjie back then.”

Zhang Hao immediately had a question. “Dad, didn’t you say that the family’s Mystic Iron smelting technology only improved recently, which is why the Qian family is jumping over the wall in desperation?”

“I was hiding our strength. Before, the family’s power wasn’t sufficient, and I was worried about those who were hunting Dugu Junjie, so I could only observe and wait in secret.

This wait lasted for twenty years.”

Zhang Hao smiled knowingly. “In other words, after waiting for twenty years, and seeing that there were no more problems, Dad was ready to reveal the full Water Forging Technique. But unexpectedly, a sudden change occurred, and the Qian family jumped over the wall in desperation.”

Zhang Shengde snorted. Speaking of which, this matter was really… quite frustrating.

Before long, representatives from various major families and trading firms arrived one after another.

Among the invited families and trading firms, many had only recently risen to prominence with the Water Forging Technique.

Everyone greeted each other with forced smiles, as they were all competitors. But no one made a fuss; they didn’t know what the Zhang family had suddenly gathered them for.

In their hearts, they were still somewhat uneasy.

Zhang Hao stood at the door, partly to welcome and show respect, and partly to take the opportunity to get to know and observe everyone—he would be dealing with these people in the future.

“This old man is Zhou Bo.” Zhou Bo handed over his invitation with a stern face, and Zhang Hao registered it with a straight face as well.

Behind him was a smiling face. “Nephew, can you tell me what you’re planning to do? Oh, look at me, Uncle Li Yousheng. This is my daughter, Li Yuanyuan, I brought her along to gain some experience.”

Li Yousheng was very enthusiastic, even using both hands to hand over the invitation to Zhang Hao.

Zhang Hao quickly bowed slightly and accepted it with both hands, revealing a bright smile. “Hello, Uncle Li. Gathering everyone here is a good thing. There’s a big deal to discuss with everyone.”

“Oh, I see.” Li Yousheng was even more enthusiastic, turning to his daughter and saying, “Yuanyuan, Dad will go in first. You stay here and help Young Master Zhang.”

Zhang Hao: …

Li Yuanyuan blushed and remained at the door, unsure of whether to leave, stand, or sit.

For a moment, she twisted the corner of her clothes, standing at the door, at a loss; her beautiful eyes looked at Zhang Hao one moment and at the ground the next.

Zhang Hao quickly spoke up. “Let me reintroduce myself. My name is Zhang Hao, and I’m eighteen years old.”

“Li Yuanyuan, nineteen years old.”

“So, you’re a senior sister. Senior Sister, please help me organize the information here.”

“Mm…” Li Yuanyuan responded softly, lowering her head and reorganizing the information on the table next to her.

Actually… there wasn’t much information, just a few invitation cards for the time being.

People continued to arrive, some enthusiastic, some indifferent, some excited, some worried…

And the people ‘helping’ to organize the information increased from Li Yuanyuan to Gongsun Xuan, the young master of the Longyun Trading Firm, Liang Chuhe, the young master of the Liang family, and Bai Liya, the young mistress of the Baima Trading Firm.

Finally, Li Yuanyuan spoke up. “Junior Brother, everyone on the list has arrived.”

Zhang Hao turned his head to thank her and instructed the guards to close the gate. Only then did he lead Li Yuanyuan and the other three to the main hall.

But the atmosphere inside the hall was a bit strange.

Zhang Shengde sat in the center, meditating with his eyes closed. The dozen or so representatives around him were talking to each other, making various guesses.

In particular, the Zhang family had just acquired the Mystic Iron portions of several small families, making the atmosphere somewhat oppressive and heavy.

And Zhang Shengde seemed to be deliberately creating this atmosphere, not saying a word.

It wasn’t until Zhang Hao entered that Zhang Shengde finally spoke. “Everyone, I apologize for inviting you all here so abruptly, but there is an important matter that I would like to discuss with you.”

After a slight pause, Zhang Shengde went straight to the point. “Recently, the Mystic Iron market prices have been chaotic, seriously affecting our common interests.

Therefore, I have an idea: we should unite and work together to control the Mystic Iron market to ensure our common interests!

We will work together to maintain the stability of the Mystic Iron market in Ninghe County.

And set an example for the entire nation!”

The eyes of the crowd instantly lit up, and their breathing became rapid.

Chapter 42: Foundation

This was an unprecedented meeting, and the representatives present were full of enthusiasm.

Even Zhou Bo, who harbored grievances against the Zhang family, became active. No one would turn away from profit.

Large families and merchant houses represented by Zhou Bo were originally doing quite well, but the public disclosure of the water forging technique had damaged their interests, and the losses were significant.

Today, they had initially intended to question the Zhang family.

However, upon hearing that Zhang Shengde was planning to establish a Mystic Iron Alliance, they were immediately tempted.

Everyone was smart enough that only a slight hint was needed.

The meeting continued until midnight, and finally, everyone formulated the basic outline.

The name of the alliance was determined to be the “Mystic Iron Public Association and Technology Exchange Conference,” abbreviated as the ‘Mystic Iron Guild.’

Guild Chairman: Zhang Shengde.

Guild Vice Chairman: Zhou Bo of the Zhou family – considered a representative of the established families and merchant houses.

Guild Organization Department Minister: Gongsun Longyun of the Dragon Transport Merchant House – responsible for coordinating internal members of the guild and reviewing new members.

Guild Administration Department Minister: Liang Siguan of the Liang family – responsible for resolving various troubles between the guild and the state, and the prefectural city, essentially the government public relations department.

Guild Marketing Department Minister: Bai Yunxian of the White Horse Merchant House – responsible for market issues, including Mystic Iron prices, Mystic Iron transactions, and even Mystic Iron coin issues.

In major matters, the five high-level members would vote; if three members opposed, the resolution would be invalidated.

However, at critical moments, Zhang Shengde possessed a ‘veto power’; the veto power could only be used once a year.

With the five high-level positions settled, the various ‘Chief Managers’ and ‘Managers’ below, who were responsible for specific affairs, were quickly preliminarily determined.

Finally, based on the positions they held, everyone injected different amounts of funds into the guild – membership fees.

The Zhang family invested three thousand high-grade spirit stones, the Zhou family invested two thousand; Gongsun Yunlong, Liang Siguan, and Bai Yunxian each invested one thousand, and the remaining members invested between one hundred and one thousand.

These were counted as the guild’s public fund, totaling ten thousand high-grade spirit stones, which was one hundred million low-grade spirit stones.

Seeing the guild formally established, Zhang Hao smiled. This was something he had facilitated single-handedly.

Most importantly, the establishment of the guild represented the rise of the Zhang family, and even more so, it represented that Zhang Hao had finally taken root in this world and had a foundation.

Speaking of which, Zhang Hao had also provided many “terms” for the guild, such as: Chairman, Minister, Administration, Marketing; but the word ‘Manager’ was not adopted; everyone was more accustomed to the word “Steward.”

Steward, the person directly responsible for things, what a straightforward term.

But no matter what, an unprecedented alliance appeared on the land of the Qixia Kingdom, in this flourishing age of cultivation.

To meet the needs of future expansion, the name “Qixia Kingdom” was not added before the guild’s name.

As for the guild’s headquarters, they planned to purchase land in the prefectural city to build it separately. The temporary office would be temporarily located in the Zhang residence.

Late at night, as the meeting was about to end, Zhou Bo suddenly spoke, “Fellow Daoist Zhang, I have a piece of information, I don’t know if it’s true or false. I heard that some small families are dissatisfied with the Zhang family’s actions and are preparing to ambush Fellow Daoist Zhang and his party when they leave the prefectural city and return to Changshan Town.

I heard that there seem to be experts from abroad as well.”

The pleasant atmosphere suddenly became tense.

But Zhang Shengde understood Zhou Bo’s meaning: “Then, I also apply for the first action of the guild’s establishment.”

“Agreed.”

“Agreed.”

Everyone agreed.

Although this was helping the Zhang family solve a problem, wasn’t it also an opportunity to show off?

A newly established guild, an unprecedented guild, needed an unprecedented debut. This opportunity was excellent!

In this world of cultivation, the best debut is force!

Or rather, battle, or even slaughter!

…………

On a low hill, Gu Xuanjun squinted his eyes and looked into the distance. A small spell in front of him, like a telescope, brought the distant target closer.

A small communication flying sword floated over, bringing new information. The Zhang family’s team had already left the city gate, including Zhang Shengde, Zhang Hao, Zhang Han, as well as twenty carriages and more than one hundred guards.

“As expected!” A fierce look flashed in Gu Xuanjun’s eyes; then he glanced at the opposite hill; the opposite hill was also properly ambushed.

Since Zhang Hao and the Zhang family rejected the Gu family’s request last time, Gu Xuanjun, the young master of the Gu family, had other ideas. After careful operation, he found some external forces – to put it bluntly, it was treason.

In addition, he also united a considerable number of small and medium-sized families, merchant houses, etc. that had suffered losses, and everyone was preparing to wipe out the high-level members of the Zhang family in one fell swoop; if they could obtain the Zhang family’s current Mystic Iron smelting secrets, that would be even better.

About a quarter of an hour later, the Zhang family’s team appeared at the end of the road.

However, due to the influence of water vapor and dust suspended in the air, the distant image was a bit hazy.

Gu Xuanjun narrowed his eyes, “They’re here! Prepare!”

Communication flying swords shuttled back and forth, and both hills moved at the same time.

A total of more than three hundred experts were ambushed on both sides, at least all of them were Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.

Two Golden Core peak experts from abroad were in charge.

Time passed little by little, and the Zhang family’s team got closer and closer; Gu Xuanjun’s palms had begun to sweat.

This was the first time he had done such a thing, but the Gu family had no way out. Since they had already contacted foreign countries, they could only persevere to the end. As long as they succeeded and obtained the Zhang family’s new technology, they could settle abroad.

Experts from foreign countries had promised: they would definitely help the Gu family become a large family!

The array disks buried underground were already in a state of activation. As long as a spell was cast, they could be activated.

Seeing that the Zhang family’s team was about to enter the ambush circle, Gu Xuanjun’s fingers bent slightly, preparing to activate the formation at any time.

But at this moment, the Zhang family’s team suddenly stopped; Zhang Shengde looked at the hills on both sides and sent people to investigate.

Gu Xuanjun frowned, but decisively said: “Do it!”

More than three hundred experts rushed down from the hills in an instant, flying swords shot out like lightning, erupting with full force.

Two Golden Core peak experts were in charge.

However, the most unexpected change appeared.

A barrier rose, temporarily blocking the attack of the flying swords.

At the same time, the Zhang family’s twenty carriages suddenly tore off the curtains, revealing rows of ferocious ballistae inside!

“Whoosh…”

A sharp sound flew past, and a stream of light streaked past Gu Xuanjun’s ear.

Puchi…

A muffled sound came, and a bolt the size of an egg instantly penetrated the stone wall and disappeared; leaving behind a hole the thickness of an arm.

Cold sweat instantly flowed from Gu Xuanjun’s brow.

What sharp arrows.

However, the next moment, his eyes widened. He saw that the experts who rushed the most fiercely in front were shot down like wild chickens, and some unlucky ones were directly nailed to the ground, crawling on all fours.

These crossbow bolts were six feet long, like spears. Not to mention Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, even ordinary Golden Core stage cultivators could not block them. Solid magical treasure-level armor was directly pierced.

Screams instantly rang out.

At this time, the Zhang family’s ‘guards’ suddenly tore off their disguises, and one after another, late-stage Foundation Establishment, and even Golden Core stage experts appeared on the scene.

“Not good, it’s leaked!” Gu Xuanjun’s heart instantly sank into the abyss.

More than two hundred prepared experts, plus a total of forty ballistae on the vehicles, easily crushed the ambush.

“Awoo…” Gu Xuanjun roared, wanting the foreign Golden Core peak experts to help.

But at this time, the two Golden Core peak experts lowered their heads, looking at the tip of the sword protruding from their abdomen. This sword directly pierced through their dantian and penetrated their Golden Core!

“A lifetime of cultivation, turned into flowing water.”

They turned their heads with difficulty and saw a shadow drifting away.

This was an assassin from the Night Moon Pavilion!

End of Volume One

Chapter 43: A Stunning Debut

“Thump!” Gu Xuanjun was kicked to the ground by a guard, prostrating himself before Zhang Shengde.

“How could this be? How could this be!” Gu Xuanjun roared, unable to believe it, unwilling to accept it!

“Didn’t expect we’d meet again. What a coincidence,” Zhang Hao replied with a smile. From beginning to end, Zhang Hao remained seated in the carriage, not moving an inch.

Zhang Hao remembered this Gu Xuanjun (Chapter 28). Back then, Gu Xuanjun was elected by everyone as their representative to request assistance from the Zhang family. But Zhang Hao refused.

After that, things went a little beyond Zhang Hao’s expectations—ambushes and assassinations followed.

Thinking about it, Zhang Hao felt a lingering fear: if he hadn’t organized the guild this time, if it weren’t for Zhou Bo’s information, the Zhang family would have been in real danger.

Fortunately, none of that happened!

The ones who killed Gu Xuanjun’s two Golden Core Peak experts were assassins from the Night Moon Pavilion.

Moreover, they were Nascent Soul stage assassins.

These Nascent Soul stage assassins were hired as a precaution.

As the saying goes, better safe than sorry. What if there were Nascent Soul experts in this ambush? That would be a disaster.

Hiring Nascent Soul assassins required a certain status, not to mention the exorbitant price: starting at five hundred high-grade spirit stones; if successful, the price would double—meaning, at least one thousand high-grade spirit stones would have to be paid.

To prevent any accidents, the Zhang family, or rather, the “Mystic Iron Guild,” hired two Nascent Soul assassins in one go, spending a total of three thousand high-grade spirit stones.

The result was perfect. Gu Xuanjun’s two Golden Core Peak experts were crippled before they could even make a move, becoming excellent prisoners and interrogation subjects.

The cost of hiring the assassins was temporarily paid by the newly established Mystic Iron Guild; the Zhang family would reimburse these expenses later when the bill came.

This wasn’t redundant; it was establishing a system, setting an example, showing how the guild takes care of its members.

This time it was the Zhang family. What if it was another family next time? What if that family couldn’t afford such a high price all at once?

That’s when the power of the guild would be demonstrated.

For the guild, the assassination attempt by Gu Xuanjun and others was like “sending charcoal in snowy weather.” They just happened to need to establish their authority, gain fame, and set an example, and these people delivered themselves right to their doorstep.

They didn’t come sooner, they didn’t come later, but they came at this exact moment. Their timing was impeccable!

Cleaning up the battlefield, the spoils belonged to the guild. But this time, the crossbows came from the Zhang family, so the Mystic Iron Guild also needed to pay the Zhang family a suitable reward.

As for the surviving prisoners, the guild would interrogate them together and then hand them over to the City Lord.

When the Zhang family and their party returned safely to Changshan Town, news of the Mystic Iron Guild had already spread throughout the county.

Several major families and merchants used their influence and channels, coupled with this victory, to make the Mystic Iron Guild famous for a time.

And the fact that the Gu family, along with several small and medium-sized families and merchants, were colluding with foreign powers enraged Liu Jingming, who directly used thunderous methods to conscript the core members of these families and merchants into the army, while the secondary members were punished with hard labor.

The entire Ninghe County was shaken.

And in this upheaval, the newly established Mystic Iron Guild seized the opportunity to exert its strength.

At Zhang Hao’s suggestion, the Mystic Iron Guild made its first move, its first public appearance, stabilizing and unifying the price of Mystic Iron, and beginning to slowly raise the price.

The appearance and actions of the Mystic Iron Guild also had a great impact on Ninghe County.

Countless families and merchants related to Mystic Iron applied to join the Mystic Iron Guild.

To this, the Mystic Iron Guild was very generous. As long as they passed the review, agreed to the terms of the Mystic Iron Guild, and signed the agreement, they could join.

In just a few days, more than a hundred families, merchants, and others within the scope of Ninghe County joined the Mystic Iron Guild.

In just five days, the Mystic Iron Guild miraculously and forcefully controlled the entire Mystic Iron market of Ninghe County!

…

“Mystic Iron Guild?” Liu Jingming looked at the investigation report in his hand, his expression complex and a little tired.

What’s been happening lately?

City Lord Liu Jingming rubbed his temples. Too many things had happened in less than a month.

It started with the Qian family; the Zhang family seemed to be the victim.

Then the Zhang family launched a counterattack, strangling the Qian family in one go and publicizing the Water Forging Technique. After that, things spiraled out of control.

The publication of the Water Forging Technique didn’t bring cheers, but rather wails of misery.

The price of Mystic Iron began to fall, and the market was in chaos.

The Zhang family wasn’t content with that. Mystic Iron began to be wholesaled by the “ton,” at eighty percent of the market price. In the end, even credit terms were introduced.

In the middle of all this, there was also the princess’s Eastern Expedition donation, and the betrayal of the Gu family and several other small and medium-sized families and merchants, which made things even more chaotic.

And now, even the unprecedented ‘Mystic Iron Guild’ has emerged.

This Mystic Iron Guild gave everyone a huge surprise as soon as it appeared, attracting the pursuit of many Mystic Iron families.

Even many families and merchants who weren’t in the Mystic Iron industry wanted to squeeze into the Mystic Iron Guild.

Its debut was stunning! The Mystic Iron Guild forcefully controlled the Mystic Iron market in Ninghe County!

The somewhat lifeless Ninghe County suddenly boiled over. It was like a pot of cold water that boiled without being heated, which made City Lord Liu Jingming feel a little overwhelmed.

City Lord Liu felt that this was wrong, but when he wanted to deal with it, he was shocked to find how thorny the matter was!

Although this is a world of cultivation, not everything can be solved by force. For example, right now, he had to talk to the parties involved!

Feng Dongyuan reluctantly took the City Lord’s order and went to the Zhang residence in the market.

Before the Mystic Iron Guild’s base was successfully built, the guild was temporarily located in the Zhang residence. Of course, rent had to be paid.

Feng Dongyuan met Liang Siguan, the Minister of the Administrative Department of the guild; at this time, Liang Siguan was screening the newly joined families, merchants, and so on.

Feng Dongyuan got straight to the point: “The City Lord wants to see Zhang Shengde.”

Liang Siguan smiled helplessly: “I’m the only one left in the guild right now. The Chairman won’t be back until tomorrow.”

“Then find a way to notify Zhang Shengde. The City Lord wants to see him now.”

Liang Siguan was even more helpless: “The guild has just been established and is not very complete. I really have no way to notify the Chairman from here.”

Flying sword communication wasn’t something that could be used casually. To send a message to Zhang Shengde, you had to use the flying sword left by Zhang Shengde, so that the flying sword would track Zhang Shengde’s aura. Moreover, there was a certain distance limit.

Feng Dongyuan thought for a moment: “Then you go see the City Lord.”

“Alright!” Liang Siguan didn’t hesitate.

Arriving at the City Lord’s mansion, Liang Siguan saw the City Lord with a dark expression.

But Liang Siguan wasn’t afraid. As the patriarch of a large family, Liang Siguan was already a Golden Core Peak expert and had seen a lot. So when they met, Liang Siguan offered a smile—a smile with confidence and complacency hidden deep within.

The City Lord looked at him with unfriendly eyes: “Liang Siguan, have you been making a lot of noise lately?”

Liang Siguan’s expression became solemn: “Reporting to the City Lord, we couldn’t bear to see the chaos in the Mystic Iron market of Ninghe County, and we couldn’t bear to see the depreciation of the Mystic Iron coins in Ninghe County’s hands.

For the sake of Ninghe County’s interests, we had to stand up.”

“Oh…” Liu Jingming looked at Liang Siguan with a smile that wasn’t a smile, “Is that so? You didn’t think about your own interests at all?”

Liang Siguan looked directly at Liu Jingming, righteously: “Shouldn’t we?”

Liu Jingming was choked by this rhetorical question and couldn’t speak.

Yes, shouldn’t they?

“But, should you be talking to me, the City Lord, like this!”

Liu Jingming snorted: “When Zhang Shengde comes tomorrow, have him come to the City Lord’s mansion!”

Chapter 44: Undercurrent

This was destined to be a sleepless night.

After Liang Siguan left, Liu Jingming gazed at the sky, lost in thought. It wasn’t until the moon had risen high in the east that he finally sighed.

He had to admit that what Liang Siguan said today was all correct.

But that “shouldn’t it be” attitude made the City Lord feel inexplicably angry – shouldn’t you be a little more humble in front of me!

Don’t treat the City Lord like he’s nobody!

However, City Lord Liu placed this anger on Zhang Shengde’s head. Who told the Zhang family to be so active recently, and Zhang Shengde to be the chairman of this Mystic Iron Guild.

…………

That night, Zhang Hao was also looking up at the sky.

Zhang Hao lay on a hillside near the sea, a blade of grass in his mouth, his eyes leisurely watching the brilliant starry sky.

Only today did Zhang Hao have the mood to carefully observe this starry sky. Before, Zhang Hao had to look down to find a foothold and establish himself.

Cultivation, technological transformation, guiding industrial development, and also finding a way out for the Zhang family, worrying about the Qixia Kingdom, and paying attention to the Eastern Expedition…

Fortunately, things were finally on the right track. With the establishment of the guild, Zhang Hao already had the capital to gain a foothold in this world.

So, tonight, Zhang Hao finally had the mood to take a good look at the starry sky here. And to think about his future, and the future of this world.

There was a moon here too, but it was no longer the same moon. The moon and sun in this world were obviously different in size, not as magical as in the other world.

The starry sky in this world was also full of stars; there was also a North Star here, but it was obviously not the same North Star; the starry sky here also had the Three Enclosures and Twenty-Eight Mansions, but it could only be said that the rules for dividing the starry sky were similar, and the stars were no longer the stars of the past.

This was an unfamiliar world.

But at least, this was not a so-called flat world, nor a dimensional world.

Moreover, this world could break the limitations of natural lifespan!

A smile gradually appeared on Zhang Hao’s lips.

In his previous world, even with extremely advanced medical care, one hundred years old was a barrier. But in this world, as long as one cultivated to the Nascent Soul stage, one could have a lifespan of thousands of years.

Lifespan was crucial for technological development.

Because of the limitations of lifespan, the legacy of so many great and unparalleled scientists was left with no one to inherit.

Because of the limitations of lifespan, humanity had to be confined to Earth. In the process of exploring the solar system, what limited humanity’s footsteps was not spacecraft technology, not cost, not radiation, not weightlessness, but… lifespan!

Lifespan had become the biggest bottleneck hindering the technological development of the other world, and also the biggest shortcoming of the technological age.

People had to spend twenty years or even longer studying, and during this time society continued to progress, and new knowledge continued to emerge.

When an excellent, research-capable talent graduated, they were already in their thirties. Then they only had less than twenty years of peak research time.

During this time, they also had to eat, sleep, rest, take care of their families, and possibly deal with illnesses. Roughly calculated, a person had at most seven or eight years of research time, or even less.

This was a heartbreaking number.

Lifespan severely restricted the technological development of the other world.

But in this world, lifespan would not be a shortcoming. Moreover, cultivators not only had long lifespans, but their minds were also more powerful.

Even though Zhang Hao was only at the seventh level of Qi Refining, his mind was very clear, and he already had some ability to remember everything he saw.

Looking at the bright starry sky, Zhang Hao’s heart was full of fantasies. Perhaps it wouldn’t be long before he could touch space!

I want to go and see what the space of this world is like! Is the space of the cultivation world also empty? Will there be cosmic monsters like in science fiction novels and movies?

Under extreme relaxation, Zhang Hao’s mind gradually merged into the starry sky.

The Minor Circulatory Orbit Technique began to operate spontaneously.

The circulatory orbit, the circulatory orbit, imitated the operation of the stars; this was the most suitable technique for Zhang Hao. Because Zhang Hao knew how these stars operated – not geocentrism! Nor the so-called flat-earth theory!

The circulatory orbit was a vast universe. It had no boundaries.

Strands of starlight fell from the sky, strands of starlight that others could not see, injected into Zhang Hao’s body. Zhang Hao’s true essence seemed to become thicker and brighter, faintly resembling the… Milky Way in the sky!

Gradually, Zhang Hao entered a state of selflessness.

He just lay there quietly, but with each breath, he stirred up the surrounding spiritual energy.

Zhang Shengye quietly appeared, looking at the scene in front of him with some shock.

He couldn’t see the starlight, because the starlight was too subtle; he could see a cloud of spiritual energy swirling around Zhang Hao, the mixed spiritual energy was swept away, and only the purest spiritual energy would enter Zhang Hao’s body.

With each breath, he inhaled pure spiritual energy and exhaled the impure true essence from his body.

“Enlightenment!” Zhang Shengde quietly appeared.

Then, the two brothers quietly guarded him.

The night was quiet, the waves rolled, and the salty, cool sea breeze swept gently; the bright starry sky, with faint starlight scattered.

“Tonight’s starry sky seems particularly clear.” Zhang Shengye murmured softly.

…………

At this time, in the capital of the Qixia Kingdom, there were figures of troops mobilizing everywhere. The illuminating spells converged into rivers of light, flowing inside and outside the capital.

At this time, the capital seemed to be a heart, a heart of war; what was in the heart was not blood, but the flames of war.

The legions were like torrents, and from time to time, the aura of Nascent Soul experts was revealed in the legions.

Some ferocious and huge war machines were dragged by some strong horses with horns on their heads. These strong horses were true demon horses, capable of easily dragging behemoths weighing dozens of tons.

Decades of accumulation, awakened in one morning; a magnificent aura stirred in the air. There was also a kind of unwillingness, a kind of anger brewing.

The army was silent, it was a silent anger, the kind of anger that would erupt on the battlefield.

In the palace, the lights were equally brilliant, and the emperor looked down on the hundreds of officials and generals in the main hall; everyone returned his gaze with firm eyes.

After everyone had finished reporting, a vice minister came to report that the princess had returned, and had brought back countless supplies.

The emperor’s expression immediately turned unhappy; the atmosphere in the hall instantly solidified.

Before long, the princess, dressed in dignified princess court attire, came to pay her respects. Of course, it was impossible to wear a veil at this time.

However, before the princess could speak, the emperor spoke, but with a stern rebuke:

“I told you to go out and relax, is this how you relax!

Using the identity of a princess to solicit donations in Ninghe County and Anling County.

Who gave you the right!”

The princess’s originally excited expression instantly froze.

She just wanted to do her part for the country, but why did she receive a reprimand?

She brought back nearly thirty percent of the country’s treasury in wealth and supplies, she went to various places to inspire the people’s patriotism, and received a wide response. But why did she receive her father’s rebuke?

She was very strong, reaching the mid-Nascent Soul stage at the age of eighteen.

She also understood the crisis facing the country, so when she left the capital for the first time, she wanted to do her part for the country and for her father.

Was she wrong?

Her eyes suddenly became a little wet.

This was, after all, just an eighteen-year-old girl, a girl who longed for her father’s approval.

Biting her lower lip hard, the princess tried to speak in a calm voice: “Father, daughter has two important things to say…”

Beside her, the crown prince spoke: “Little sister, the court is not a place for you to come. We are discussing national affairs.

You must be tired, go back and rest.

Wouldn’t it be better to talk to Father alone later?”

The princess suddenly turned her head and saw her elder brother’s gloomy gaze: No matter how excellent you are, you are just a princess, don’t come to the court to get in the way!

(Note: After comprehensive consideration, for the sake of the overall plot, the lifespan setting of the cultivators in this book will be relatively stingy (.).)

Chapter 45: Flat-Earth Geocentrism

(On the day of release: Twelve updates!)

“In the palace hall, the princess’s words were interrupted by the crown prince.

The crown prince was fully armed, looking tall and spirited, ready to depart for the battlefield at any moment.

The princess looked at the crown prince and said in as calm a tone as possible, “Brother, is it that even matters beneficial to the country cannot be discussed here?”

The crown prince frowned, unsure how to respond for a moment.

The Emperor sighed, “Speak your mind.”

“Thank you, Father.” The princess paused slightly and said loudly, “First is the matter of currency. I mentioned it in my letter before, but I didn’t explain it clearly.

Due to the public release of water-forging techniques and the advancement of Mystic Iron smelting technology, the production and quality of Mystic Iron have increased, directly leading to the devaluation of Mystic Iron coins.

Ninghe County is particularly affected, with the devaluation of Mystic Iron coins reaching as high as fifty percent!”

“The lives of ordinary people have been severely affected, and there are many complaints.

It is foreseeable that as the Mystic Iron smelting technology spreads, it will soon affect the entire country.

We must take measures in advance.”

As soon as the princess finished speaking, the court became restless.

Currency devaluation? This was definitely a relatively unfamiliar issue, but it sounded like a serious problem.

The Prime Minister was the first to speak, “Your Highness, Princess, could you please explain in detail?”

The princess herself only had a vague understanding, but at this moment, she repeated Zhang Hao’s original explanation:

Ordinary people are like flowing water, and wealth is an important component of that water; if wealth evaporates and the water flow dries up, the country, this ‘ship,’ may run aground or hit reefs.

The Prime Minister was not the princess; with his rich political experience, he immediately sensed a clear crisis from this information. His expression changed drastically, “Princess, the currency crisis should not be underestimated. Does the princess have a solution?”

“Not yet. I’ve been thinking about it all the way here, but I haven’t found a perfect solution.”

The Emperor’s expression was calm, but he asked, “What is the second matter?”

“Father, the second matter is the Eastern Expedition. Father, although the people are generally enthusiastic, they still doubt the victory of the Eastern Expedition.

In my opinion, we do not actually have the conditions for victory. We are in a…”

“Enough!” The Emperor suddenly roared, “We will surely win! We have been preparing for this Eastern Expedition for over fifty years.

Hu Yinglan!”

“Here.”

The princess’s guard, Hu Yinglan, quickly walked into the court.

The Emperor roared and bellowed, “Take the princess down to rest. Without my permission, she is not to leave the Princess Residence.”

After a slight pause, he continued to roar, “Where is the princess’s tutor!”

A female official stepped forward, “The princess’s tutor, Ouyang Qingque, is here.”

“Ouyang Qingque, accompany the princess back to the residence and continue to supervise the princess’s studies and cultivation. Without my permission, you are not to leave the princess’s side.”

“Yes.”

Ouyang Qingque responded and turned to look at the princess, “Princess, please.”

The surrounding civil and military officials also looked at the princess with unfriendly eyes.

The princess pursed her lips tightly, stubbornly looking at her father, the crown prince, and the officials, and turned to leave without saying a word.

She suddenly understood that this court could no longer tolerate voices of failure. Even if everyone knew in their hearts that there would be no victory, they still shouted victory.

Today, if an ordinary general dared to speak ill of victory, his head would probably have been chopped off!

Knowing that there would be no victory, yet still deceiving themselves and shouting victory.

And because everyone understood that victory was impossible, they glared at the princess who dared to speak the truth—we are all speaking against our conscience, why do you dare to speak the truth!

Walking step by step back to the Princess Residence, the princess suddenly turned to look at Ouyang Qingque, her voice filled with concern for the country, “Teacher, how much hope do you think there is for victory in the Eastern Expedition?”

Ouyang Qingque said, “Princess, starting tomorrow, we will study the ‘Cultivation, Caution, and Prudence’ sections of Lessons for Women.

The princess has come of age and can no longer say whatever she wants, as she did in the past.”

The princess’s eyes suddenly flared with anger as she glared at Ouyang Qingque.

Ouyang Qingque said quietly, “This morning, the state of Jinyang sent a note stating that the crown prince of Jinyang wishes to marry Your Highness as his crown princess.”

The princess’s steps suddenly froze.

After a long while, she sighed deeply and stepped heavily into the Princess Residence.

…

The sky gradually brightened, and Zhang Hao opened his eyes to the sound of birdsong.

“Ah…” Zhang Hao stretched a long, long, long stretch, feeling refreshed all over. Suddenly, he felt an irrepressible surge of power in his chest and immediately let out a long howl.

The loud howl resounded in the sea breeze, overwhelming the sound of the waves and startling countless birds.

The howl lasted for a long time, nearly five minutes.

After the howl, the power within his body seemed to be activated, and a torrent of energy roared like a long river. Zhang Hao had the feeling that he could destroy a mountain with one punch.

Zhang Hao looked at his hands and feet in confusion. What was going on?

He stomped his foot, and the rocks shattered, causing the small hill to tremble slightly.

“Huh? Am I dreaming?”

“No!” Zhang Shengye said from the side, “Little Hao, congratulations, you slept your way to the peak of the Qi Refining stage.”

“Ah…” Zhang Hao opened his mouth, what was going on?

Zhang Han came over to explain. Zhang Hao gradually understood.

Perhaps, last night, he completely relaxed and looked up at the stars with some feeling, unintentionally entering a state of enlightenment.

“So, I accidentally went from the seventh level of Qi Refining to the tenth level, the Great Perfection stage?” Zhang Hao was still a little dazed.

Zhang Han nodded seriously, “So, little brother, you must be careful next time.”

Zhang Hao: … Brother, you’re a sly one too!

Zhang Shengde smiled happily, “Little Hao, don’t rush to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage recently. You need to consolidate your foundation first.”

“When can I break through then?” Zhang Hao was full of desire for the Foundation Establishment stage. Only by reaching the Foundation Establishment stage could he begin to experience the wonders of the cultivation world.

“Generally speaking, you have to suppress your cultivation until you can’t suppress it anymore, then choose a natural breakthrough.”

“Oh.” Zhang Hao was still a little dazed. This surprise came too suddenly.

Zhang Shengye spoke, “Little Hao, didn’t you say you wanted to show Second Uncle something?”

“Ah… oh, right.” Zhang Hao had not yet woken up from the joy of enlightenment and walked straight to his room.

Arriving at the room, Zhang Hao’s eyes lit up, as if he had arrived in his own world. He took out the Kuodixiang map and covered it with a newly made wooden ball, and began to explain his “discovery.”

Finally, Zhang Hao even drew the curtains and released a small fireball to float in the air, representing the sun.

Under the light of the fireball, the ‘crude globe’ showed different lighting conditions.

“This is the Continent of Flowing Earth, the closest to the sun, so it’s the hottest. And the northernmost Continent of Hidden Earth has almost no sunlight. And from the Continent of Hidden Earth, the sun is just on the horizon.”

Zhang Hao’s explanation lasted for a full hour.

The other three members of the Zhang family were stunned.

After a while, Zhang Han stammered, “Little brother, are you saying that we live on a ‘ball’?”

“Yes!” Zhang Hao said decisively.

“Then, according to your theory, wouldn’t the people living in the southern hemisphere all fall off?”

Zhang Hao: …

So you think that the people in the northern hemisphere are on the ‘top’ of the ball, so they don’t fall off.

But Zhang Shengye expressed doubt, “Little Hao, it doesn’t have to be a sphere to create the phenomenon you’re talking about. A flat surface will do too.

Look.”

Zhang Shengye spread the Kuodixiang map flat on the table and released a small fireball, floating above the Continent of Flowing Earth; the Continent of Flowing Earth was the brightest, while the area around the Kuodixiang map gradually became dark.

Zhang Hao opened his mouth.

Zhang Shengye’s performance was not over yet. He controlled the fireball to rotate vertically around the Kuodixiang map on the table. “Look, the sun, moon, and stars all revolve around the earth like this, what do you think?

Because the world is flat, we can stand firmly!”

Chapter 46: Prime Mover

Zhang Shengye was having a great time, manipulating a fireball and spinning it around the table.

“If the world were flat, and the sun revolved around the Earth, then the sun would be very close to the eastern and western edges of the Earth when it just rises and sets.

That’s why we have the morning glow and the evening sunset clouds. Because at that time, the sun is closest to the Earth, and the Earth is ‘burning’.”

Zhang Hao: …

I actually can’t refute that.

Finally, Zhang Shengye looked at Zhang Hao triumphantly: “Little brat, I know you’ve been feeling particularly clever lately, but the Earth being a sphere is just absurd.”

Then, Zhang Shengye grabbed Zhang Hao and flew to the roof, pointing into the distance and saying, “Look, as far as you can see, is the Earth curved?

If the Earth were a sphere, when we look at houses in the distance, we should only see the roofs, not the entire house.

Alright, stop messing around.”

Zhang Shengye flew away, leaving Zhang Hao in disarray in the wind.

What Zhang Shengye said made a lot of sense. But Zhang Shengye didn’t consider this: the world is vast, and humans are tiny, insignificant even. Using the concept of limits, the limited portion of the Earth that the human eye can see is indeed flat!

“As for things further away, they are obscured by the air, dust, water vapor, and so on.

Because this planet is too big, it hinders people’s exploration of the Earth.

Indeed, if this world weren’t so large, cultivators would have discovered the truth long ago.”

“This is really… interesting!” Zhang Hao sighed helplessly, ultimately not uttering the curse word. After a moment of silence, he flew down from the roof to greet his mother.

Zhang’s mother was a typical stay-at-home woman, rarely showing her face; she spent most of her time cultivating. She was under pressure.

Zhang Shengde was already at the peak of the Golden Core stage and would soon be at the Nascent Soul stage, which meant a lifespan of thousands of years.

She was afraid that when Zhang Shengde was in high spirits, she would be old.

Therefore, Zhang Hao rarely saw this mother. She spent most of her time cultivating.

Zhang Hao quickly greeted her and then left.

Arriving at the door, he watched his father’s departing trade caravan and sighed leisurely.

The world of cultivation also has the worries of lifespan.

Returning to his bedroom, he cultivated for a while, swallowed a Small Spirit Essence Pill to suppress his cultivation and consolidate his foundation, and then Zhang Hao went to the smelting base.

More precisely, the ‘classroom’ of the smelting base.

Huang Mingshan and the others had completed a brand-new machine today, a machine that could output power.

This was a machine with a ‘rotor’. Its rotor had four rows of fan blades in the front and back, totaling sixteen, surrounded by wind formations.

The wind formation generated wind power, which in turn drove the rotor to rotate.

The power was not small; two low-grade spirit stones could generate about the power of an ordinary healthy horse; but two spirit stones could only last for less than an hour.

Zhang Hao nodded, very satisfied with this breakthrough progress. Although this machine was crude, the bearings were not ball bearings but hand-polished iron rings plus butter, and there was no consideration for fluid dynamics, aerodynamics, blade design, etc.

But this was still of extraordinary significance.

This was the first ‘mechanical prime mover’.

Previous windmills could only blow wind and could do nothing but blow wind.

But now, it was a real machine that could output power.

Zhang Hao gave the chief designer Huang Mingshan a generous reward: ten Small Spirit Essence Pills!

“Small Spirit Essence Pills are no less valuable than Foundation Establishment Pills; as pills that can purify the true Qi of Qi Refining stage cultivators and consolidate their foundation, the market demand is very high, and the price is comparable to Foundation Establishment Pills.”

As for the other six people, Zhang Hao also rewarded them with one or two Small Spirit Essence Pills according to their respective contributions.

Huang Mingshan trembled a little. He didn’t expect that simply copying the effect of a windmill and creating a machine with almost no practical value would result in a reward even greater than the one he received for producing windmills!

Zhang Hao didn’t care about everyone’s reaction, but instead began to ‘cheat’. He began to guide everyone on how to design internal blade rotors.

Cheating is not the same as forcing growth; the necessary research and failures are still essential. Just like cultivation, the foundation must be solid!

“This is a huge project. Internal blade rotor machines have a wide range of applications in another world.

Aero engines are one of the peaks; steam turbines and gas turbines that drive generators are also one of the peaks; the most powerful mechanical power in the era of giant ships and cannons came from steam turbines.

Even the most powerful nuclear-powered aircraft carriers still use steam turbines as the core device of their energy. Gas turbines convert the heat energy (superheated and high-pressure steam) from the nuclear island into mechanical kinetic energy that drives the generator to rotate.

Also, many industrial-grade tens of thousands of tons and millions of tons of compressors, high-pressure pumps, etc., also use internal blade rotors.

Zhang Hao didn’t expect that Huang Mingshan and others would take the lead in opening the door to industry from this direction.

So Zhang Hao was very surprised and excited.

Huang Mingshan and others, who received the rewards, were also equally excited, and everyone devoted themselves to learning and research with twelve points of enthusiasm. Time quietly slipped away, but everyone felt no fatigue—Nourishing Essence Pills were supplied in batches.

Under Zhang Hao’s guidance, the blades began to change little by little.

The rotor began to become slender, and the blades became dense and delicate.

The machine’s casing also began to change. High-pressure cylinders, medium-pressure cylinders, and low-pressure cylinders appeared.

The wind formation and the fire formation were used in combination, and the flame heated the air, and the high-temperature and high-pressure air rushed through the blades.

The cultivators’ abilities greatly improved the efficiency of design and production.

Mathematics, physics, and other knowledge have also been developed. Knowledge progresses in research and practice.

Unconsciously, several days had passed…

…………

While Zhang Hao was starting to improve the machine, Zhang Shengde was summoned by the City Lord.

After meeting, the City Lord directly asked with a stern face: “Zhang Shengde, you’ve done something big!”

This intimidating opening didn’t scare Old Zhang—he had just been startled by his son’s ‘spherical world’ this morning.

So Old Zhang leisurely said: “City Lord, as the saying goes, everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the nation. I couldn’t bear the chaos in the Mystic Iron market, nor the suffering of ordinary people. The Zhang family only did what it could.

I am deeply honored that such a small matter can catch the City Lord’s attention.”

City Lord: Was I praising you just now? What’s wrong with your ears?

However, as the saying goes, one doesn’t hit a smiling face. Seeing Zhang Shengde’s humility, the City Lord’s vanity was satisfied. A smile immediately bloomed on his face.

“Clan Head Zhang, I am very curious about this Mystic Iron Guild. How did you think of this?”

Zhang Shengde’s expression was serious and solemn: “City Lord, in recent years, although we have been producing Mystic Iron, we do not have the pricing power.

Ultimately, it is because we are not united. The other party can negotiate prices with each family one by one.

Therefore, we must unite together, we must take the initiative in pricing.

We will also be committed to the advancement of Mystic Iron technology and will provide the country with more high-quality and inexpensive Mystic Iron!

In addition, the guild has many functions, which can stabilize the price of Mystic Iron, control the devaluation of Mystic Iron coins, and benefit ordinary people and small and medium-sized families and businesses.

It can also uniformly allocate resources to further reduce the production cost of Mystic Iron.

Most importantly, we can unite and say ‘no’ to foreign countries!”

Chapter 47: How Much For Your Family?

After a few days, the headquarters of the ‘Mystic Iron Guild’ was basically completed. The efficiency of cultivators is indeed extraordinary.

The biggest highlight of the Mystic Iron Guild headquarters is the spacious front yard. The courtyard, roughly four hundred meters in diameter, is filled with Mystic Iron sales display stands.

In fact, this is similar to a trade fair, which of course came from Zhang Hao’s idea, or more precisely, Zhang Hao was responsible for it.

Various Mystic Iron producing families rent sales areas here by the ‘square zhang’ and then build their own stands.

According to each member’s ‘level’ within the guild, every member of the Mystic Iron Guild has a basic free area, ranging from ‘one square zhang’ to fifteen square zhang.

After dividing the entire yard into passages and functional areas, the remaining space is divided into standard blocks, each one square zhang, for everyone to rent as they see fit.

The fees generated from the rentals are used as the Mystic Iron Guild’s public funds.

And so, the Mystic Iron Guild opened its doors and started receiving guests…

“…………

A team of carriages creaked into the city of Ninghe County. Mu Mingchen sat in the carriage, half-asleep.

Behind them, a snow-white steed galloped up and slowly stopped beside Mu Mingchen’s carriage. On the horse was a young woman in tight-fitting clothes.

The young woman hesitated for a moment before speaking, “Uncle, is that Zhang Hao really as monstrous as you say?”

Mu Mingchen didn’t even open his eyes, saying a little helplessly, “Yingying, you’ve been asking this all the way here. You’ll know when you meet him.”

“Hmph, since returning from Ninghe County last time, you and Father have been talking about that Zhang Hao every day, no less than ten times a day.”

“Hmm…” Mu Mingchen responded lazily, continuing to doze off.

“Uncle, Uncle, don’t sleep. By the way, I’ve always wondered, our family is clearly from Anling County, why are we participating in the donation drive in Ninghe County?”

“Because the princess is the one organizing the donation drive in Ninghe County!” Mu Mingchen suddenly opened his eyes, his eyes brightened, his drowsy expression instantly disappeared, and his tone became loud:

“Yingying, a donation drive by the princess is a favor. Such opportunities must be seized. If our family encounters any trouble in the future, mentioning this donation can at least buy the family an opportunity!”

“Oh? So, there were far more than just people from Ninghe County participating in the donation drive?”

“Haha, my Yingying is so smart, able to infer three things from one.”

“Hmph, I can hear the sarcasm in Uncle’s words.”

“Haha…” Mu Mingchen laughed and began to doze off again.

It wasn’t until the carriage stopped and a guard reported, “We’ve arrived at the Zhang residence,” that Mu Mingchen got out of the carriage. Looking at the now magnificent Zhang residence, he sighed softly. In just a few days, the previously semi-dilapidated ‘Zhang Family Shop’ had become a vast mansion covering more than sixty zhang (two hundred meters in diameter).

Buying such a large property in this market filled with shops is enough to show the Zhang family’s extraordinary status.

Unfortunately, Mu Mingchen came to the wrong place today.

“The master has gone to the Mystic Iron Guild, he’s not here,” the guard at the entrance of the Zhang residence replied proudly.

Mu Mingchen was slightly stunned. The Mystic Iron Guild started operating so quickly?

After inquiring about the location of the Mystic Iron Guild, the convoy continued its journey. After another half an hour, they finally arrived at the Mystic Iron Guild.

The place was already overcrowded. The entrance of the Mystic Iron Guild was packed with people. The convoy stretched to the end of the street.

“Hey, Old Mu! You really brought your family’s little girl!” Someone greeted from the roadside.

Mu Mingchen didn’t even open his eyes, he knew who it was. “I say, Old Zheng, it’s good for young people to come out and see the world.”

After a slight pause, Mu Mingchen said to Mu Yingying, “Yingying, this is Zheng Changqiu from the Zheng family, you can call him Uncle Zheng.”

“Hello, Uncle Zheng,” Mu Yingying jumped off the horse and gracefully bowed to Zheng Changqiu, who was leaning on the carriage.

Zheng Changqiu nodded with a smile, “Good little girl. Every time we meet, Mu Mingchen praises you endlessly, truly a beauty that puts the moon to shame and flowers to blush.”

“Thank you for the compliment, Uncle Zheng,” Mu Yingying smiled without showing her teeth, but still had a touch of girlish charm and liveliness.

Zheng Changqiu produced a piece of jade pendant, “Here, this is for you. It’s top-quality warm jade from Mount Mingquan in the northern Zhongshan Kingdom, it has beauty-enhancing effects.”

“Wow… Thank you, Uncle Zheng,” Mu Yingying happily accepted the gift.

Mu Mingchen chuckled, “I say, Old Zheng, you really have a lot of gifts on you, you never seem to run out.”

“If you call me Uncle Zheng, I’ll give you one too.”

“Get lost!”

“Haha…”

The team moved forward with difficulty. After about fifteen minutes, Mu Mingchen entered the Mystic Iron Guild. Then, he was stunned.

All he saw was the courtyard filled with display stands of various sizes, but all neatly arranged. People flowed through the passages, and occasionally someone would stop to inquire about prices.

Mu Mingchen and Zheng Changqiu walked in slowly together.

Surprise after surprise rang out, and the expressions on their faces gradually became serious.

Here, the price of Mystic Iron was more transparent, but this was not a good thing, because the prices of all the Mystic Iron on site were almost the same.

The prices for Mystic Iron of the same quality were almost identical.

Moreover, it was impossible to bargain individually here.

Most importantly, the price of Mystic Iron had increased! Previously, the price had once approached eighty-five percent of the original price, but now, the price had risen back to ninety percent.

This was definitely not a good sign. But Mu Mingchen, Zheng Changqiu, and other purchasing agents were powerless.

Unity is strength!

“This is the power of the collective,” Zheng Changqiu sighed. “The Zhang family is going to make a big splash this time.”

Mu Mingchen didn’t speak, but looked around and saw the most dazzling display sign in the distance, with the two large characters “Zhang Family” written on it. Below was a line of smaller text: “Twenty Percent Discount for Wholesale.”

“Let’s go, let’s go take a look at the Zhang family,” Mu Mingchen led the way, squeezing to the Zhang family’s area, only to find that it was already packed with people. Especially on a small, open two-story pavilion, Zhang Shengde and Zhang Hao were in intense discussions with some representatives.

Mu Mingchen condensed his true essence in his ears and gradually heard some voices. They weren’t discussing Mystic Iron, but discussing family acquisitions. In the words, there were vague mentions of ‘shipbuilding craftsmen’ and other terms.

Is the Zhang family going to build ships? Mu Mingchen was curious. Coincidentally, the Mu family also had a small shipbuilding workshop, so he thought he would go up and take a look.

Squeezing to the bottom of the second floor, he saw several neatly dressed and capable young people blocking his way. “Greetings, seniors, the people upstairs are discussing matters related to ships.

If seniors wish to purchase Mystic Iron, please go to the counter in front. The Zhang family has standard discounts and purchase procedures.”

Mu Mingchen was immediately curious, “Is your Zhang family going to build ships?”

“This is the family’s decision, this junior is not clear.”

“Alright, go up and say that Mu Mingchen has come to visit. Also, we also have a shipbuilding workshop, we can talk.”

“Okay, please wait a moment.”

The young man ran down shortly after, “Sorry for neglecting such distinguished guests, please.”

Mu Mingchen, Zheng Changqiu, and Mu Yingying came to the second floor. Zhang Shengde also brought Zhang Hao over to greet them.

“This is the head of the Zhang family, call him Uncle Zhang.”

“Hello, Uncle Zhang,” Mu Yingying bowed gracefully.

“This is Zhang Hao, you should call him older brother. Eh… Zhang Hao, you’re already at the peak of the Qi Refining stage?”

Zhang Hao was smug, “Greetings, Uncle Mu, Uncle Zheng, younger sister. I just accidentally had an epiphany a few days ago.”

“Oh…” Mu Mingchen nodded, “Be careful next time.”

Zhang Hao: …

“Haha…” Mu Mingchen laughed triumphantly, “Not bad, not bad, truly a heroic young man. Come, let me introduce you, this is our family’s little princess, Mu Yingying.”

“Hello, older brother,” Mu Yingying’s bright smile had a hint of shyness, and her eyes kept glancing at Zhang Hao.

“Please sit, please sit,” Zhang Shengye invited everyone to sit down, and apologized, saying that there were still negotiations to be conducted. He left Zhang Hao to entertain the guests.

As Zhang Hao poured tea, Mu Mingchen asked, “Little Hao, is your family going to build ships?”

“We have some ideas. We’re currently looking to recruit some shipbuilding craftsmen. It would be even better if we could acquire a complete shipbuilding workshop.”

Mu Mingchen nodded, “I see. Our Mu family has a not-so-small shipbuilding workshop.”

“Then I wonder if this workshop is willing to be sold as a whole? What is the price?”

Mu Yingying looked at Zhang Hao with a hint of disgust: First impression, not very good…

“How can you be like this, talking business as soon as you meet! And wanting to acquire part of someone else’s family!”

Chapter 48: Forceful and Willful

Mu Mingchen looked directly at Zhang Hao, genuinely surprised by the young man’s directness.

“Little Hao, our family’s shipbuilding workshop is currently quite profitable, so we’re not planning to sell it.”

Zhang Hao shook his head. “Since Uncle Mu mentioned profitability, I have a somewhat immature suggestion.

If Uncle Mu were to sell the shipbuilding workshop, he would immediately obtain the profits of the next ten years, or even more.

Using this wealth to expand the family, increase the family’s armed forces, and so on, would all be good choices.

As far as I know, the shipbuilding workshop’s profitability hasn’t been ideal in recent years.

I’ve heard it said: It’s better to sail ships than to build them.”

“I’ve done some research, and even the smallest shipbuilding workshop requires hundreds of acres of land and over two hundred workers. It takes two years for a ship to go from felling trees, air-drying the wood, splitting planks, to finally taking shape.

The costs are enormous, the output is extremely low, and the competition is fierce.

Compared to that, it would be better to sell it and use the wealth to do something else.

What do you think, Uncle Zheng?”

Zheng Changqiu held his teacup and said slowly, “Good tea. You talk about your business, don’t mind me.”

Mu Yingying was slightly displeased. “Cousin, how can you be like this? You just met and you’re already trying to acquire someone else’s family business.”

Zhang Hao smiled slightly. “Time waits for no one. The nation’s eastern expedition army is said to number over one million, and some have already entered the eastern Kingdom of Jinyang. The western nations’ armies are also beginning to converge.

A great war is about to begin, and I’m thinking of everyone’s well-being.

If you could recover the profits of the next ten years in one go, and then use that wealth to buy cultivation resources like pills…

Uncle Mu, don’t you think that would be a good deal?”

Mu Mingchen didn’t speak. He held his teacup, quietly sipping, lost in thought.

The last eastern expedition was about sixty years ago. It ended in a disastrous defeat, with one million soldiers lost. The eastern nations launched a retaliatory monopoly, causing the price of pills in the western nations to skyrocket several times over in just six months.

The impact has continued… until now!

Compared to the western nations, the eastern nations don’t even need to send troops. They can slowly bleed the western nations dry by simply disrupting trade routes.

Mu Mingchen sighed softly. “Nephew, do you think we still can’t win?”

Zhang Hao smiled, noncommittal. Discussing the possibility of defeat in war was just asking for trouble.

However, Mu Mingchen ‘understood’ Zhang Hao’s attitude – if I don’t say we’ll win, then the only option left is defeat.

Mu Mingchen put down his teacup and looked at Zhang Hao. “Nephew, in the current situation, selling the shipbuilding workshop and so on would indeed be beneficial for us. But why does the Zhang family want to acquire it?”

“We have money.” Zhang Hao smiled, his teeth gleaming white.

With money, you can be willful!

“Pfft…” Zheng Changqiu spat out a mouthful of tea.

Mu Yingying’s eyes widened, looking at Zhang Hao in disbelief. What kind of answer was that?

Zhang Hao’s expression turned serious. “Uncle Mu, this is what we’re thinking.

The Zhang family’s current monthly output of Mystic Iron, especially Mystic Iron with ninety percent purity, is several times that of the entire nation.

It’s impossible to sell all of this Mystic Iron! That’s why the Zhang family made a promise of five hundred tons per month during the princess’s fundraising.

But on the other hand, families like Uncle Mu’s urgently need Mystic Iron to arm their families, so that we can be prepared for any unforeseen circumstances.

If the Zhang family focuses on smelting Mystic Iron, and families like Uncle Mu’s focus on forging magical treasures, we can jointly build a solid rear base.

What do you think, Uncle Mu?”

“That makes a lot of sense! If it were just that, I would agree. But… you still haven’t said why the Zhang family wants the shipbuilding workshop?”

“We have to recoup some of the costs, after all. Or is Uncle Mu willing to sell other industries? Or perhaps, can you come up with other wealth to buy a large amount of Mystic Iron?”

Mu Mingchen frowned slightly. He knew Zhang Hao wasn’t telling the whole truth, but this was already tempting enough. “Let me think about it first.”

“Then Uncle Mu should hurry. The Zhang family has already pre-sold eight hundred tons of Mystic Iron, all of it ninety-three percent purity, Mystic Iron that can be used to forge mid-grade magical treasures!”

Mu Mingchen was still thinking.

Mu Yingying suddenly spoke. “Five hundred tons of ninety-five percent purity Mystic Iron, and the Mu family’s shipbuilding workshop, including all the craftsmen, technology, and data, will be yours!”

Zhang Hao looked at the suddenly assertive girl in surprise. At this moment, Mu Yingying’s face seemed to have lost some of its childishness and gained some decisiveness.

“Yingying…” Mu Mingchen was extremely surprised.

Mu Yingying shook her head. “Third Uncle, I’m in charge of the shipbuilding workshop now, I have the right to speak.”

After a slight pause, Mu Yingying said to Zhang Hao, “Cousin, the Mu family’s shipbuilding workshop covers three hundred acres and has a total of five hundred and thirty-three craftsmen, including over thirty top craftsmen. The craftsmen and their families total over three thousand people.

The Mu family’s shipbuilding workshop has a history of over a hundred years, with a solid foundation. We can build ships up to fifty zhang long.

In the entire Anling County, the Mu family’s shipbuilding workshop is one of the best.”

“Wooden ships?” Zhang Hao thought for a moment and asked, “Have you ever built ‘treasure ships’, such as treasure ships made of ‘Snow Mountain Spirit Sandalwood’?”

Zhang Hao learned about Snow Mountain Spirit Sandalwood and the name ‘treasure ship’ from the princess.

Mu Yingying didn’t hesitate. “We have experience in making ordinary treasure ships with ordinary spirit bamboo, spirit pine, and so on. Such treasure ships can sail steadily on rivers and lakes during storms!”

“Good, deal!” Zhang Hao agreed immediately.

Beside them, Mu Mingchen and Zheng Changqiu exchanged glances.

They were getting old. These two young people had reached such a huge deal so quickly.

According to the current market price, five hundred tons of ninety-five percent Mystic Iron would cost no less than six hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones. However, the Mu family’s century-old shipbuilding workshop was also worth that price.

Afterwards, Zhang Hao and Mu Yingying swore oaths to each other, ensuring that there was no deception.

Then, Mu Mingchen stood up. “Old Zheng, I’m leaving now. It seems the task of purchasing Mystic Iron has been completed.”

Zheng Changqiu: …

Watching Mu Mingchen, Mu Yingying, and Zhang Shengde say goodbye and leave, Zheng Changqiu couldn’t sit still any longer. What Zhang Hao had said earlier had also moved Zheng Changqiu.

“Nephew, besides shipbuilding workshops, what else are you acquiring?”

“Workshops and trading companies that refine magical treasures, we need them all. And the prices are excellent. But Uncle Zheng should hurry, we just promised another five hundred tons of high-purity Mystic Iron, that’s half a month’s worth of production.

Right now, time waits for no one.”

Zheng Changqiu took a deep breath. “I represent the Zheng family in selling a small magical treasure workshop. A total of one hundred and fifty people, plus about seven hundred family members. The workshop includes five Foundation Establishment cultivators, and can create ordinary mid-grade magical treasures.

The magical treasure designs include knives, spears, swords, halberds, bows, crossbows, armor, and so on, very comprehensive.

This workshop has thirty years of experience, with a wealth of accumulated knowledge, and comes with all the data jade scrolls.

In total… eight hundred tons of ninety-five percent Mystic Iron.”

Zhang Hao shook his head. “Uncle Zheng, you’re not being honest. Such a magical treasure workshop isn’t exactly everywhere, but even a small trading company has that kind of capability. And we would only need one hundred tons of ninety-three percent Mystic Iron to acquire such a small trading company.”

Zheng Changqiu frowned immediately. “Then the Mu family’s asking price for the shipbuilding workshop is clearly not worth it!”

“Because, it was Mu Yingying who made the offer, a very beautiful girl. What do you think, Uncle Zheng?”

Zheng Changqiu almost spat out a mouthful of old blood.

This old man hates playboy sons the most!

“Wait, hold on, Mu Mingchen specifically brought Mu Yingying this time, these two families aren’t planning to~~~

“Collude for their own benefit!”

Chapter 49:

(First day of release update bill: 13 updates. Thank you for your support.)

In front of the Marshal’s camp in the Qixia Kingdom’s capital, General Wu Fanghai of the骠骑 (Piaoqi) Cavalry stood quietly, watching the endless stream of supplies being delivered.

These were all donated by the princess. The convoy stretched for miles, and included many artisans.

Although the princess had been reprimanded, there was no reason to reject these donated supplies.

They amounted to fully thirty percent of the national treasury!

“With these supplies, our chances of victory will increase by another ten percent!” Wu Fanghai murmured to himself, a vibrant smile on his face.

Beside him, the Prime Minister asked in a low voice, “Old Wu, what did you think our original chances of winning were?”

“Seventy percent, I’d say.”

“Tell the truth!”

“Half, maybe.”

The Prime Minister was dissatisfied. “Old Wu, it’s just the two of us here. Are you trying to be funny?”

“Alright, alright… about twenty percent!” General Wu’s face fell, his ‘vibrant smile’ vanishing without a trace, as if he had collapsed in an instant.

A twenty percent chance of winning, increased by ten percent, was still only thirty percent. A so-called thirty percent chance of winning was a veiled way of saying “seventy percent chance of defeat!”

The Prime Minister sighed deeply. “Bring all the boys back.”

“I’ll do my best!”

As he spoke, he saw a convoy of carriages creaking past, leaving particularly noticeable ruts in the ground. The strong horses pulling the carriages were panting heavily, their tempers clearly on the verge of exploding.

General Wu was immediately curious. “What are those carriages carrying?”

“It’s Mystic Iron, more than five hundred tons of Mystic Iron,” the Prime Minister blurted out.

“Five hundred… tons? How much?”

“Uh…” The Prime Minister then realized, “This is a new unit of measurement that appeared in Ninghe County. Apparently, there’s a Zhang family there who said that using ‘stone’ and ‘鈞 (jun)’ was too small, so they invented a new unit.

One ton is equal to two thousand shijin, or one thousand dajin.

Five hundred tons of Mystic Iron is five hundred thousand kg. Enough to give every soldier in a million-strong army a flying sword.”

“Five hundred thousand kg!” General Wu’s voice rose a little. “Let me see!”

The tarpaulin was pulled off, and General Wu’s eyes were instantly drawn to the Mystic Iron from the Zhang family…

The Prime Minister immediately began to explain.

Half an hour later,

General Wu took a deep breath. “This old man must personally make a trip to the Zhang family!”

Upon hearing this, the Prime Minister was stunned. “You wouldn’t be thinking of going to the Zhang family and trying to get Mystic Iron out of them with nothing but sweet talk, would you?”

“None of your business!”

After instructing his generals on relevant matters, General Wu flew directly towards Ninghe County.

…

As night deepened, Zhang Hao and his father, Zhang Shengde, were still busy after a long day.

As of today, the Zhang family had acquired three shipbuilding workshops of various sizes, absorbing a total of over one thousand three hundred artisans and more than five thousand family members.

The Zhang family’s acquisition activities had finally come to a temporary halt.

Over this period, the Zhang family had acquired several small families that smelted Mystic Iron, small trading firms that sold Mystic Iron, and several mines.

They had almost reached the Zhang family’s temporary limit.

The prototype of a large family was now initially formed.

The subsequent screening, oath-taking, and arrangement of personnel were all proceeding in an orderly manner.

Zhang Shengde consumed a Essence Replenishing Pill and began to consolidate his cultivation, striving to break through to the Nascent Soul stage as soon as possible, so as to support this rapidly expanding family.

Zhang Hao and Zhang Han were outside providing protection.

As for Dugu Junjie, he represented the Zhang family and went to various places to take over shipbuilding workshops, artisans, and so on.

As the night gradually reached midnight, Zhang Hao felt a little sleepy and couldn’t help but yawn.

He hadn’t been able to rest properly for the past few days. Zhang Hao had participated in almost all of the family’s affairs, and Zhang Shengde had gradually handed over some matters to Zhang Hao to handle.

“Little brother, go to sleep,” Zhang Han said.

“It’s okay, I just had a little mental lapse~~~”

“…”

Suddenly, a guard came running over. “Young Master, Second Young Master, City Lord Liu Jingming is here to visit!”

“Hmm?” Zhang Hao and Zhang Han stood up instantly, their eyes gleaming.

A visit in the middle of the night? What could be the purpose?

And he was even politely waiting at the door.

Zhang Hao immediately made a decision. “Brother, you take people to protect Father’s cultivation. I’ll go take a look.”

“Be careful.”

“Got it.”

Zhang Hao quickly walked to the door. As soon as he went out, he saw the City Lord, and the person beside the City Lord.

That person was impossible for Zhang Hao to ignore. He looked very ordinary, but he seemed to overshadow City Lord Liu Jingming’s brilliance. Gradually, Zhang Hao’s eyes were only on this person, and Liu Jingming ceased to exist.

He was of average build, but he had a majestic aura. His gray hair and slightly aged face told the story of the years.

After a moment of愣 (leng), Zhang Hao stepped forward to greet him.

The City Lord smiled. “You’re startled, aren’t you? Let me introduce you. This is General Wu Fanghai of the骠骑 (Piaoqi) Cavalry, and also the commander of the million-strong army in this eastern expedition.”

Wasn’t this the Commander-in-Chief of the entire nation’s armed forces?!

Zhang Hao was even more surprised. The Commander-in-Chief of the entire nation’s armed forces, arriving at his door in the middle of the night, what was he planning to do?

Zhang Hao became vigilant and welcomed the two into the living room. He personally served tea before cautiously opening his mouth. “My father is currently in seclusion. May I ask what brings the General and City Lord here so late at night?”

The City Lord looked a little embarrassed and turned to look at Wu Fanghai.

Wu Fanghai generously opened his mouth. “I’ve come for the Mystic Iron! I heard that the Zhang family is willing to donate five hundred tons of ninety-three percent purity Mystic Iron every month, is that right?”

“Yes!”

“Then may this old man ask, why?”

Why? Zhang Hao looked at Wu Fanghai, who possessed a majestic aura, his mind racing.

What kind of person was this Wu Fanghai before him? What kind of answer did he want to get? Should I speak with lofty righteousness, or should I be specific and pragmatic?

An invisible pressure weighed down on Zhang Hao’s body and mind.

Looking at Wu Fanghai, in a haze, Zhang Hao seemed to see a high mountain, as if he was seeing the sea.

A high mountain to look up to, a boundless sea!

“This person is filled with righteousness!”

Zhang Hao was certain. Facing such a person, don’t just say empty and grandiose words, but don’t be too realistic either – you still need to embellish it appropriately.

He sat up straight, his expression serious, looking directly into Wu Fanghai’s eyes, his aura soaring. “I don’t understand any great principles, but I know the principle of ‘if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold.’

If the country exists, the family exists!

If the country is destroyed, the family will be destroyed!

General, if you have any requests, the Zhang family will do everything in its power.

Of course, it’s not realistic to say that we don’t want anything in return. If possible, I hope that the Zhang family can receive the General’s protection!”

The atmosphere suddenly froze.

Zhang Hao righteously demanded compensation.

City Lord Liu Jingming seemed to be seeing Zhang Hao for the first time. He didn’t expect that the young man before him could sit up straight, look directly into General Wu Fanghai’s eyes, and say such powerful words, word by word.

Even he himself couldn’t help but lower his head when facing Wu Fanghai.

Wu Fanghai looked into Zhang Hao’s eyes, as if he saw Zhang Hao’s heart. He finally nodded slowly, because he could see that these were the words from Zhang Hao’s heart, or rather, the cry from his heart.

No one likes to see their country weak.

Zhang Hao understood this principle even more: if you are weak, you will be bullied!

In the world of the strong, weakness is a sin!

Wu Fanghai slowly opened his mouth. “How much Mystic Iron can the Zhang family produce in the next two months?”

Zhang Hao’s words were still powerful and forceful. “If the raw materials are sufficient, guaranteeing the supply of ore and low-grade spirit stones, the Zhang family can provide the General with five thousand tons of Mystic Iron with a purity of over ninety-five percent within two months.

I only ask, dare the General want it?”

Dare he want it?

Dare he want it?

Chapter 50: National Situation

(Bill, 14th update.)

Liu Jingming opened his mouth, but suddenly found he had lost the courage to speak.

The old man and the young man before him were deciding the fate of this country with their every word and action.

Five thousand tons of ninety-five percent pure Mystic Iron. The Zhang family could produce the entire Qixia Kingdom’s annual supply of high-grade Mystic Iron in two months.

And now, this young man was asking Wu Fanghai if he ‘dared’ to take it.

Yes, dared to take it.

Five thousand tons of ninety-five percent pure Mystic Iron was almost equivalent to two to three times the wealth of the national treasury!

But behind these five thousand tons of Mystic Iron was a hidden meaning: you must provide protection for the Zhang family.

This was a silent transaction, a wordless confrontation.

The old man and the young man stared at each other in silence.

A majestic aura spread from Wu Fanghai.

Aura was a mysterious thing, a manifestation of mental power.

Liu Jingming felt a heaviness in his neck, and couldn’t help but lower his head little by little.

But opposite him, Zhang Hao stood motionless, looking directly at Wu Fanghai.

Outside the open door, Zhang Han and the awakened Zhang Shengde waited quietly. They were anxious and worried, but dared not step into the room.

“Haha…” Wu Fanghai suddenly burst into laughter, his laughter loud and clear, shaking the windows.

After a while, Wu Fanghai stopped and looked at Zhang Hao: “Then, how about I adopt you as my foster son?”

Zhang Hao was unpretentious and immediately bowed: “Zhang Hao greets foster father.”

Wu Fanghai stroked his beard, squinting his eyes: “Just bowing isn’t enough, is it?”

Zhang Hao straightened up and said, word by word: “Within two months, I will personally escort five thousand tons of Mystic Iron to the Imperial Capital to see my foster father. At that time, I hope to pay my respects to my foster father in front of a million soldiers!”

“Are you threatening me?” Wu Fanghai’s eyes narrowed, a cold light already flashing within.

Beside him, sweat trickled down the backs of City Lord Liu Jingming, Zhang Shengde, and Zhang Han.

Zhang Hao said calmly: “Five thousand tons of Mystic Iron!”

Wu Fanghai’s face darkened: “Say it again!”

Zhang Hao adjusted his posture, stretched out his right hand, his five fingers straight, and said, word by word: “Five thousand tons, Mystic Iron!”

The young master Zhang had a smile on his face, calm and confident, his voice loud and clear.

On the road to courting death, young master Zhang had taken a significant step!

“Bang!” Wu Fanghai slammed the table and stood up!

Young master Zhang said leisurely: “Is the General angry? I was just carrying out the General’s orders.”

Wu Fanghai almost spat out a mouthful of blood.

Beside him, Liu Jingming was dumbfounded: To be fair, Zhang Hao wasn’t wrong…

In fact, Zhang Hao’s hidden meaning was very clear: We are just a transaction, don’t talk about useless things!

Wu Fanghai stood, his face changing for a long time, and finally laughed loudly: “Good! Very good!

Then I give you a second order: within sixty days, produce five thousand tons of ninety-five percent pure Mystic Iron and deliver it to the Imperial Capital.

If you cannot complete the task, I will definitely execute you in front of the army to uphold military law!”

Zhang Hao was very straightforward: “No problem, the Zhang family is responsible for smelting the Mystic Iron and transportation. But safety is the responsibility of my foster father.”

“Don’t worry, in these two months, if anyone dares to cause trouble for the Zhang family, I will slaughter their entire family! But the Zhang family should also behave themselves.”

Before he finished speaking, a vast killing intent spread out. Liu Jingming, who was beside him, bore the brunt of it, and his vision went black.

As an old general, Wu Fanghai was by no means a soft-hearted person; indirectly, hundreds of thousands, if not a million, had died at his hands. His killing intent was as vast and rampant as an ocean.

While Liu Jingming was still in shock, Zhang Hao once again made a request: “Also, I hope the country can provide the ore and spirit stones for smelting Mystic Iron for free. The Zhang family does not yet have the ability to provide so many raw materials.”

Wu Fanghai turned to look at Liu Jingming: “Liu Jingming, you will provide the ore and spirit stones needed by the Zhang family!”

Liu Jingming immediately had objections, and he tried to raise his head and said: “General, I am also willing to serve the country. But this matter requires an imperial decree from His Majesty. Please forgive me, General.”

“There will be one tomorrow.” The old general was very domineering and confident.

Zhang Hao smiled, then suddenly slumped down, sweating profusely. Only now did he realize that his head was dizzy. Just now, he was really risking his life.

When Wu Fanghai saw this, he immediately laughed: “What, scared now?”

“Thank you for foster father’s generosity. I was presumptuous just now.”

“Generosity? Hehe, that won’t do. Military orders are like mountains, not to be changed easily.

Within sixty days, if you can complete the conditions, I will formally acknowledge your identity in front of a million soldiers.

If not, I will execute you in front of a million soldiers as a sacrifice to the flag!”

Zhang Hao: …

Okay, I’ll take a deep breath, and then another. It’s just five thousand tons of Mystic Iron, I can produce ten thousand tons for you in two months, do you believe it? Let you feel the power of industry.

After calming down, Zhang Hao spoke again: “Foster father, I would like to know the general situation of the Eastern countries.”

“Oh? Why?”

“Only by knowing yourself and your enemy can you find your place and understand what you should do.”

Wu Fanghai’s gaze towards Zhang Hao gradually filled with amazement. “Alright, I’ll tell you about it.”

After saying that, he turned to Liu Jingming beside him and said: “City Lord Liu, thank you for tonight. You should go back and rest first, you should receive His Majesty’s decree tomorrow.”

“Then this junior will take his leave.” After City Lord Liu finished speaking, he glanced at Zhang Hao, his eyes a little ‘resentful’. Zhang Hao had become Wu Fanghai’s foster son, and in terms of seniority, he could be considered a brother to City Lord Liu…

Zhang Shengde saw the City Lord off, while Zhang Han closed the door and quietly left.

In the huge hall, only Zhang Hao and Wu Fanghai remained.

Wu Fanghai took out a map from his storage ring and began to explain directly.

The Qixia Kingdom is located on the westernmost side of the Fertile Earth Continent, about five thousand Li in circumference.

To the north is the Zhou Shan Kingdom, named for its many islands; but the Zhou Shan Kingdom is more than six thousand five hundred Li in circumference.

To the north of the Zhou Shan Kingdom is the Yan Yun Kingdom, eight thousand Li in circumference, and to the northeast is the Zhongshan Kingdom, five thousand Li in circumference.

To the east of the Qixia Kingdom is the Jin Yang Kingdom, seven thousand Li in circumference; to the southeast is the Dan Yang Kingdom, six thousand Li in circumference.

Among the countries, the Zhongshan Kingdom is the weakest; with many mountains and inconvenient transportation, large and small families and sects are everywhere, and central control is weak.

The second weakest is the Qixia Kingdom. Compared to the Zhongshan Kingdom, the Qixia Kingdom has stronger central authority, but the foundation of the country is insufficient.

In terms of civilian power, the Zhongshan Kingdom is stronger than the Qixia Kingdom; but in terms of national power, the Qixia Kingdom is stronger than the Zhongshan Kingdom.

The Zhou Shan Kingdom and the Dan Yang Kingdom are about the same, mediocre.

The Yan Yun Kingdom is the most unique.

Located in the northern grasslands, it has some nomadic characteristics and is extremely aggressive. Its legions are mainly cavalry.

The cavalry of the Yan Yun Kingdom are both loved and hated.

During eastern expeditions, they can often create brilliant results; but when the war is unfavorable, they will run away, completely ignoring their comrades behind them.

Also, in the years without eastern expeditions, the Yan Yun Kingdom often invades the Zhou Shan Kingdom and the Zhongshan Kingdom, borrowing things from its neighbors.

And when invading its two neighbors, the Zhou Shan Kingdom and the Zhongshan Kingdom, it is not very merciful!

Finally, there is the Jin Yang Kingdom. This is the most powerful country among the Western countries, and every eastern expedition is led by the Jin Yang Kingdom.

To the east of the Jin Yang Kingdom is the target of everyone’s eastern expedition: the Taihua Kingdom and the Canglan Kingdom.

The Taihua Kingdom is in the north, inland, nine thousand Li in circumference;

The Canglan Kingdom is in the south, eight thousand five hundred Li in circumference.

The six-nation allied forces of Yan Yun, Zhongshan, Zhou Shan, Qixia, Jin Yang, and Dan Yang are often bloodied and battered under the armies of the Taihua and Canglan Kingdoms.

Wu Fanghai’s finger traced over the Taihua Kingdom and the Canglan Kingdom, and he sighed: “Our six countries have two to three times the area and more than twice the population of the Taihua and Canglan Kingdoms, but the number of experts above the Foundation Establishment stage is less than thirty percent of theirs!

The reason why the two countries are so strong is entirely due to their unique geographical location.

And this is related to what we usually call the trade route.

It is this trade route that has gradually drained our marrow!”

Zhang Hao immediately widened his eyes.

(The supplementary reading map for this book has been updated. Please go to the QQ group: 799,049,799, or search for “The Great Industrial Age of Cultivation” on WeChat to download it.

Below is an innovative, text-based map of nine countries. Different symbols represent the approximate range of different countries.)

“Death~~..Yan Yun.￥￥Qingyun￥

“Death~~..**##Zhongshan#%Taihua%

“Green~~Zhou Shan@@%Taihua%%

“Sea~Qixia,@Jin Yang@$Canglan

“Sea~~~~/Dan Yang//Canglan

Chapter 51: Trade Route

“Trade route” – just two simple words, yet they are filled with the heart-wrenching pain of the western nations, including the Qixia Kingdom.

The easiest way to understand the trade route is to look at a map.

The Qixia Kingdom is located in the far west. To the east is its neighbor, the Jinyang Kingdom, the most powerful of the western nations.

Bordering the Jinyang Kingdom to the ‘east’ are two countries: the Taihua Kingdom to the north and the Canglan Kingdom to the south.

Actually, geographically speaking, the Taihua and Canglan Kingdoms also belong to the western countries of the Fertile Earth Continent, or rather, the west-central region.

However, the location of these two countries is crucial, even divinely favored, as they precisely control the trade routes of the western and northwestern countries of the Fertile Earth Continent.

The Taihua Kingdom is a landlocked country, while the Canglan Kingdom is close to the sea – an inland sea, the Emerald Sea.

The coast of the Canglan Kingdom spans the Death Green Sea and the Emerald Sea.

Moreover, only a small portion of the eastern coast is within the Emerald Sea. But on this small stretch of coast lies the Canglan Kingdom’s only seaport, also the westernmost seaport of the Emerald Sea:

“Hidden Dragon Port.”

West of Hidden Dragon Port is the Death Green Sea; to the east is the Emerald Sea.

The Death Green Sea and the Emerald Sea have different colors, and the boundary line is like a winding dragon.

Hidden Dragon Port is like the head of a divine dragon, dividing the sea into east and west.

Compared to the dangerous open sea – the Death Green Sea – the Emerald Sea is an inland sea, a territory of humans where marine demons dare not run rampant. Therefore, there is developed shipping here.

The ships here do not need to be “treasure ships”; ordinary wooden ships are sufficient. As a result, there are many fleets, large and small.

Ships from the east of the Fertile Earth Continent, and even from the Billowing Earth Continent and the Kunlun Continent, can directly reach the Canglan Kingdom and countries east of the Canglan Kingdom, such as the Langya Kingdom.

Cultivation resources such as elixirs and medicinal herbs are then transported from the Canglan Kingdom or the Langya Kingdom, via land routes, to the western, northwestern, and northern countries of the Fertile Earth Continent.

However, the Taihua and Canglan Kingdoms, one in the north and one in the south, are like iron chains, firmly locking down the trade routes of the western and northwestern countries.

This trade route connecting the sea and land is the so-called ‘trade route.’

But when the trade route leads to the western and northwestern parts of the Fertile Earth Continent, it must pass through the Canglan Kingdom or the Taihua Kingdom.

Needless to say, the two countries ruthlessly monopolize the trade route!

By monopolizing the trade route and controlling the prices of cultivation resources such as elixirs and medicinal herbs, the two countries can obtain billions of spirit stones, massive amounts of Mystic Iron, red copper, refined gold, and other spiritual material, as well as medicinal herbs unique to the west and northwest, from the western and northwestern countries of the Fertile Earth Continent every year, thus strengthening themselves without leaving their seats.

This has created an extremely developed cultivation environment in both countries. This cultivation environment constantly attracts geniuses from all directions, making the two countries even stronger.

The two countries control nearly a quarter of the resources of the Fertile Earth Continent, and their strength is self-evident.

In the west-central part of the Fertile Earth Continent, these are two well-deserved powers.

The western countries hate the greed of the two countries; while the Langya Kingdom and others further east are greedy for the wealth of the two countries and fear their power.

However, the Taihua and Canglan Kingdoms collude with each other and work together to conquer the world. They resist the eastern expeditions of the western countries and suppress the eastern countries with force.

“Even in the entire Fertile Earth Continent, the two countries are well-deserved powers! And what we are about to conquer is these two countries!”

By the end, Wu Fanghai’s face was as solemn as ice.

Zhang Hao was silent.

When the princess raised donations earlier, she said that the eastern expedition was not for victory but for survival.

Now Zhang Hao suddenly understood more – no one does not yearn for victory. The reason for saying ‘not for victory’ is because the princess also knows very well that the gap is too large, and there is no possibility of victory at all!

“And the so-called survival is just a lingering existence.”

The trade route is like a noose, tightly around the necks of the western countries. All the western countries can do is to survive longer – but ultimately, they cannot escape destruction!

Zhang Hao’s gaze swept across the map and suddenly discovered a vast territory east of the Taihua and Canglan Kingdoms, north of the Langya Kingdom, labeled “Shaoze Kingdom.”

Based on the scale of Wu Fanghai’s map, this Shaoze Kingdom is probably fifteen thousand kilometers wide!

Zhang Hao pointed to the Shaoze Kingdom: “Foster father, this Shaoze Kingdom should be quite strong, right? Can we contact the Shaoze Kingdom and other eastern countries to attack the Taihua and Canglan Kingdoms from both sides?”

“Do you think the enemy hasn’t thought of that?” Wu Fanghai shook his head. “You’ve also seen how vast this Shaoze Kingdom is. Therefore, everyone is afraid of this country.

Now, the surrounding countries are interfering in the internal affairs of the Shaoze Kingdom by supporting different princes to start uprisings. Therefore, the current Shaoze Kingdom seems powerful, but it is actually extremely weak.

The latest news shows that the Shaoze Kingdom has split into two major camps, east and west. Each camp has multiple princes, even large families and sects, establishing their own regimes.

Within the current Shaoze Kingdom, there are at least fifteen first-class separatist forces. There are hundreds of other forces, large and small.”

“So, the Shaoze Kingdom is now a piece of fat, and the surrounding countries all want to take a bite.”

“The reason we chose to launch the eastern expedition now is because we received news that the Taihua and Canglan Kingdoms have invested a large amount of military force into the Shaoze Kingdom.

This is an opportunity for us.

And the Langya Kingdom in the east, and even forces within the Shaoze Kingdom, will help us hold back these armies.”

Zhang Hao took a deep breath. The situation was more chaotic and severe than he had imagined.

Wu Fanghai continued to explain:

“Between the Zhongshan Kingdom and the Taihua Kingdom, there is a mountain range, the Great Snow Mountain.”

“East of the Jinyang Kingdom, there is also a large mountain range, Autumn Wind Ridge. The part bordering the northern Taihua Kingdom is called ‘North Autumn Wind Ridge’; the part bordering the Canglan Kingdom is called ‘South Autumn Wind Ridge.’”

“The Great Snow Mountain and Autumn Wind Ridge are difficult for birds to cross; but there are many valleys between the peaks that can be traversed. Many valleys are more than ten kilometers wide, enough for millions of troops to pass through.”

Zhang Hao immediately had a question: “Foster father, no matter how high the mountains are, they can’t stop cultivators, right? Can’t we send experts to cross the peaks and launch surprise attacks?”

“The north-south mountain ranges are more than ten thousand kilometers long, it’s impossible that there are no gaps, right!”

Wu Fanghai nodded: “It’s good that you can think of this. But war is not that simple.”

Wu Fanghai’s expression gradually became serious. He seemed to intend to cultivate Zhang Hao. Although Zhang Hao had somewhat threatened him earlier, as a general, he liked such tough guys.

Zhang Hao’s performance showed Wu Fanghai a young man with courage and potential.

Moreover, Zhang Hao now has the realm of the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, and the true essence in his body is pure and powerful, quite extraordinary.

He was old, repeated battles, repeated injuries, had seriously depleted his life.

Although the Nascent Soul stage has thousands of years of life, it is just a beautiful number to listen to. Which cultivator can avoid fighting, injuries, stimulating potential, and extreme cultivation, all of which are depleting life.

Now, he urgently needs to find a successor, a shoulder that can carry this country, a spine that can support the sky for this land.

He has cultivated several talents, but isn’t the more the merrier?

Now, he thinks Zhang Hao is very good.

Chapter 52: The First Technical Exchange Meeting

(Bill: 15 more updates.)

Wu Fanghai was very patient, explaining things in detail and pointing out the key points, intentionally cultivating Zhang Hao’s war wisdom.

Zhang Hao also studied diligently. He understood that the ways of fighting in the cultivation world, especially in large armies, were by no means simple.

Wu Fanghai used several classic wars as examples to give Zhang Hao the most intuitive understanding of the Eastern Expedition:

“It is said that the Taihua Kingdom and the Canglan Kingdom are very cunning.

Why is that?

Because they never take the initiative to attack!

“As long as they control the trade routes, they can gradually suck the marrow out of the Western countries, perhaps draining massive amounts of resources; when the time is ripe, they will effortlessly obtain the vast lands of the West.

Therefore, they deployed defenses along the Great Snow Mountain and Autumn Wind Ridge. Over thousands of years, they have truly made this line of defense impenetrable. All kinds of formations and outposts stretch endlessly.

The two countries also encourage civilian forces to go to the Great Snow Mountain and Autumn Wind Ridge to train as much as possible when cultivating their descendants.

They also relocated many commoners, large and small families, etc., to cultivate fields, raise livestock, and mine at the foot of the mountains.

With all kinds of arrangements, there are almost no loopholes in the border line.

The Western countries also sent experts to sneak attacks, but after thousands of experts crossed the mountains, they encountered the encirclement of tens of thousands of enemy troops. Several sneak attacks resulted in heavy losses, and they had to give up.

Wu Fanghai sighed, “In war, one thing remains unchanged forever: use your strengths to attack the enemy’s weaknesses!

So, what are our strengths in the West?

“It’s the large amount of Mystic Iron resources!

We can use Mystic Iron to create huge and sharp war machines. These war machines only need Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators to control, but they can cause fatal damage to Golden Core and even Nascent Soul cultivators.”

“Therefore, we must launch large-scale army operations.

Use our experts to hold back the enemy’s experts; create opportunities for a large number of grassroots soldiers to win.

This is our way of war.

This is also the most effective way of war that the Western countries have summarized over thousands of years.

Victory needs to be created by grassroots soldiers.”

…………

Zhang Hao stood in front of the map for a whole night, until dawn before he put away the map and returned it to Wu Fanghai.

Such military maps are state secrets.

After Wu Fanghai left, Zhang Shengde finally breathed a sigh of relief, but tightly grabbed Zhang Hao’s shoulder, “You’re crazy. Five thousand tons of ninety-five percent Mystic Iron in two months, and it has to be delivered to the Imperial Capital. This…”

“Also, we promised others a lot of Mystic Iron before, more than a thousand tons!”

Zhang Hao smiled easily: “Dad, if I say that we can produce ten thousand tons of Mystic Iron in two months, do you believe it?”

“Really?”

“Of course! But we need sufficient raw materials. I’m afraid what the City Lord provides is not enough.”

“No problem. We can obtain raw materials through the Mystic Iron Guild.”

Zhang Hao nodded, thought for a moment, and said: “Dad, the guild has a function, which is technical exchange. I think we should strike while the iron is hot and do a technical exchange to consolidate the Zhang family’s position.”

Zhang Shengde pondered: “Then what technology are we going to make public this time?”

“Ore crushing, spirit stone crushing, water separation and other production ‘methods’. Don’t disclose the real technology. For example, we can’t talk about blowing air into molten iron.”

Zhang Shengde thought for a while, nodded in agreement, and handed it over to Zhang Hao to be responsible for.

With the experience of publicly demonstrating water forging last time, this time Zhang Hao did the experiment himself first and figured out the situation.

…………

At dawn, City Lord Liu Jingming was awakened. The Emperor’s decree really came: fully cooperate with the Zhang family in smelting Mystic Iron, and supervise the Zhang family. If there is any misconduct, you can deal with it at your discretion.

…………

In the early morning, the gate of the Mystic Iron Guild was tightly closed, and people who came to purchase Mystic Iron were turned away.

Speaking of which, since the establishment of the Mystic Iron Guild, although the price has risen slightly, the quality has improved a lot, and the market has returned to order. For the time being, it is a win-win situation.

Moreover, the price of Mystic Iron in Ninghe County is still the lowest.

Good quality and low price, buyers are endless.

But this morning, the gate of the Mystic Iron Guild was tightly closed, and more than a dozen Foundation Establishment experts were guarding the gate.

Only members of the Mystic Iron Guild can enter; all others are refused entry.

“What’s wrong?” Liu Xian of the Cloud Eagle Trading Company looked dumbfounded.

The Mystic Iron purchased on credit from the Zhang family some time ago was about to run out, so he came to purchase more; unexpectedly, he was turned away.

“Sorry, sorry, can you please come back tomorrow, senior? We have something internal today that needs to be rectified. I’m very sorry for the inconvenience caused to you, senior.” Gongsun Xuan, the young master of the Dragon Transport Trading Company, came up to apologize with a smile.

“What’s the matter?”

“It’s our internal matter.” Gongsun Xuan continued to smile.

“Okay.” Liu Xian left helplessly.

At this time, inside the Mystic Iron Guild, inside the barrier, there was a crowd of people.

Today, the Zhang family will hold the first technical exchange meeting since the establishment of the Mystic Iron Guild; all members of the Mystic Iron Guild can participate. There is only one point, this is an internal technical exchange meeting, and no secrets can be leaked to the outside world, and an oath must be made.

“Quiet.” Liang Siguan, the Minister of Organization, shouted loudly on the high platform, “Let us welcome the representative of the Zhang family, Zhang Hao!

“Today, Zhang Hao will show us some of the Zhang family’s Mystic Iron smelting techniques.”

Everyone applauded, Zhang Hao walked onto the high platform step by step, cupped his hands in return, and spoke eloquently:

“One of the purposes of establishing the Mystic Iron Guild is to promote the progress of Mystic Iron technology. And if technology wants to progress, there must be exchanges.

So today, I will show you the Zhang family’s latest Mystic Iron smelting methods.

For example, how to directly smelt Mystic Iron with a purity of more than sixty percent without forging!”

Whoosh!

“Everyone’s eyes suddenly lit up!

“Although water forging is good, it still requires forging, and the craftsmen are very hard.

In fact, everyone has a lot of speculation about the Zhang family’s Mystic Iron smelting technology.

Unexpectedly, the Zhang family was going to take the initiative to make it public.

Zhang Hao was very straightforward. After saying that, he smiled again: “Then, please watch carefully.”

The Zhang family’s craftsmen came onto the stage, and some small smelting equipment was quickly set up. The smelting furnace was only a foot in size—or it would be more appropriate to call it a large crucible.

The craftsmen were methodical, and Zhang Hao was responsible for explaining.

“We believe that there are three main sources of impurities in Mystic Iron. In addition to the ‘iron’ that everyone usually thinks of, there are impurities from the ore itself and impurities from inferior broken spirit stones.

So, if we can find a way to remove the impurities from the iron ore and the impurities from the broken spirit stones in advance, we can directly obtain high-purity crude iron.”

“First, we choose the best quality ore.”

“Second, the iron ore must be crushed, preferably into fine powder.”

“Third, water separation, or flotation. During water separation, stir vigorously. The stone powder is lighter and will be carried away by the water flow; what remains is what we call ‘iron ore concentrate powder’, or simply ‘iron concentrate powder’.”

Pay attention to the strength and amount of water during stirring.

If the stirring is too light and the amount of water is too small, the effect will not be ideal.

If the stirring is too heavy and the amount of water is too much, it may bring unnecessary losses.”

“After water separation, it needs to be precipitated and dried.”

“Then comes the spirit stone. In order to smelt high-purity Mystic Iron, we use spirit stones instead of non-inferior broken spirit stones. The spirit stones also need to be crushed.”

“Finally, there is charcoal. Ordinary charcoal contains a high amount of impurities. We use bamboo charcoal instead of charcoal.”

“And then there’s the flame. We use flames stimulated by spirit stones instead of earth fire.”

After saying that, Zhang Hao stood aside, and the craftsmen were busy nervously.

Below was quiet, everyone’s eyes were bright, and their breathing slowed down, for fear of disturbing the craftsmen.

For a time, inside the barrier, there was only the sound of craftsmen working.

Unknowingly, more than two hours passed, and the boiling molten iron was poured into thin iron sheets. After cooling, it was distributed to everyone.

Suddenly there was a burst of exclamations.

“Sixty-one percent!”

“It really directly smelted sixty percent crude iron!”

Zhang Hao stood on the high platform, for the second time, with this perspective, looking down at everyone.

Chapter 53: Patent

Exclamations of surprise rose and fell.

Everyone was beyond words to express their astonishment and delight.

In the past, the freshly smelted ‘crude iron’ only had about ten percent Mystic Iron content.

To obtain high-purity Mystic Iron, they had to repeatedly forge it. The hardship involved was beyond description.

But now, it came out of the furnace with sixty percent purity.

Breathing, heavy breathing, rose and fell.

But everyone’s eyes were as bright as candles.

Zhang Hao slowly walked to the center of the platform. “This is a technical exchange meeting. Feel free to speak your mind, whatever questions you may have.”

Immediately, someone spoke up, “Young Master Zhang…”

“It’s Executive!” Zhang Hao emphasized with a steady expression. “This is the Mystic Iron Guild, and I am currently serving as the Chief Executive for technical matters.”

“Yes, Executive Zhang.”

A wave of good-natured laughter immediately rippled through the crowd.

“Please speak,” Zhang Hao said with a faint smile, displaying a composure beyond his years.

“Executive Zhang, I would like to ask, the cost of doing this must be very high, right? I wonder if Young Master Zhang has calculated it?”

Zhang Hao nodded. “If you look at it in isolation, the cost is certainly high. But if you look at it comprehensively, it’s very low.

After our rigorous calculations, when producing sixty percent purity Mystic Iron on a large scale, the cost is only eighty percent of what it used to be!”

“Most importantly, the efficiency; the efficiency has increased… two hundred times!”

Hua…

The crowd erupted in an uproar.

A twenty percent reduction in cost meant a two hundred percent increase in net profit margin. Coupled with the two hundred-fold increase in efficiency, everyone felt their hearts about to leap out of their chests.

In the past, the price of Mystic Iron was transparent, and everyone only had an average gross profit of ten percent – the net profit was even lower. With the public release of water-based forging, the profit margin was further squeezed.

Now, the twenty percent reduction in cost could be regarded as ‘net profit’!

People asked questions one after another, and Zhang Hao answered them calmly.

Finally, even the Vice Chairman Zhou Bo asked respectfully, “Executive Zhang, I have one more question. The Zhang family is making these crucial technologies public, I wonder… are there any requirements?”

Everyone’s eyes focused on Zhang Hao again.

Zhang Hao slowly extended the index finger of his right hand. “I have a proposal, which I call ‘patent’.”

Everyone quietly looked at Zhang Hao, waiting for further explanation.

Zhang Hao paced slowly, speaking eloquently, “In the past, we have always been secretive about our own treasures, and no technology was ever shared. What was the result?

“For thousands of years, our Mystic Iron smelting technology has been gradually declining.

All of this is caused by being secretive about our own treasures.

Why be secretive about our own treasures?”

Faced with Zhang Hao’s question, everyone fell silent.

The Zhang family had shared technology twice in a row and single-handedly promoted the Mystic Iron Guild, bringing everyone huge benefits.

However, Mystic Iron smelting technology was the foundation of a family; who would dare to leak it casually!

Zhang Hao continued, “In fact, sharing leads to progress. The Zhang family has proven this with two instances of sharing. Do you all agree?”

Naturally, no one objected.

But no one voiced their agreement either…

If I agree with you, does that mean I have to share our technology too?

Everyone had their own little calculations.

Zhang Hao’s gaze slowly swept over the crowd. Whether they were Foundation Establishment stage or Golden Core stage cultivators, they all averted their eyes, not daring to meet Zhang Hao’s gaze.

Zhang Hao’s voice became even more forceful. “In response to this situation, I have pondered for a long time and decided to introduce a new system, the patent system.

The patent system will be implemented within the Mystic Iron Guild to create benefits for everyone.

Take the technologies we are making public today, which include the water-based separation method and powder metallurgy.

If you want to use these two technologies, you will have to pay a patent fee.

The patent fee is not a one-time payment.

Rather, it is based on the quantity produced.

For example, the prices for these two technologies:

I am setting the price for the water-based separation method at one Mystic Iron coin per kilogram.

I am setting the price for powder metallurgy at two Mystic Iron coins per kilogram.

As long as you use these technologies, regardless of whether the product meets the standards, you will need to pay three Mystic Iron coins in patent fees for every kilogram of Mystic Iron you sell. If you sell one tonne, you will need to pay three low-grade spirit stones in Mystic Iron fees.

Assuming you use both of these technologies and your total monthly Mystic Iron sales volume is two thousand tonnes, then everyone will need to pay a total of six thousand low-grade spirit stones.”

As Zhang Hao’s voice fell, a wave of whispers immediately broke out.

After a long while, someone finally asked a question.

Zhang Hao answered them one by one.

“You can set the patent fee yourself, but it needs to be reviewed by the Guild before it can be implemented, to ensure everyone’s common interests.”

“Patent fees are calculated based on sales volume; if you don’t sell it and use it yourself, it doesn’t count.”

“As long as you use the technology, regardless of the product quality or selling price, we will charge patent fees according to the set price.”

“For convenience and uniformity, within the Guild, our patent fees will be collected directly in spirit stones, and we will not accept elixirs or other items.”

“The patent’s validity period is tentatively set at fifty years. If the patent hinders the development of technology, we will have a public discussion. For families whose interests are harmed, the Guild will allocate funds from the Guild’s fund to provide compensation.”

“The purpose of proposing patents is to promote development. For the time being, the patent system will only be implemented within the Guild. All patents are the common property of the Guild, and no one may disclose them by any means.

The Guild reserves the right to pursue anyone who leaks technology.”

“Once you leave the Guild, the Guild will also revoke the patent authorization.”

Questions rose one after another, but Zhang Hao responded calmly.

Even Zhang Shengde next to him was stunned – because Zhang Hao had never mentioned the patent matter to him before.

The question-and-answer session continued until noon before gradually coming to an end.

“Junior Brother, I have a few questions.” Li Yuanyuan from the Li family slowly spoke. The girl was a little shy, and her face was a little flushed.

“Senior Sister, please speak.”

“What if the technologies disclosed by two families are the same?”

Zhang Hao smiled. This was the crux of the matter, and this was where the “fangs” of the patent lay!

“Patents have uniqueness!” Zhang Hao said, word by word. “The first to register will have all the rights and interests of the patent.”

It was to force you to quickly hand over your technology! If you were late, then I could only apologize. Your technology would no longer legally belong to you!

“Is patent registration in the name of the family or in the name of an individual?”

“This can be freely chosen. There are no requirements.”

“Can two or more families, or multiple people, jointly hold the same patent?”

“Yes. But everyone needs to negotiate internally. Once the registration is successful, it will be difficult to change.”

“What if someone obtains a patent by unscrupulous means?”

Zhang Hao’s expression immediately became serious. “The Guild will uphold justice and make impartial judgments!”

“Thank you, Junior Brother. I’m done asking.” Li Yuanyuan bowed gracefully before sitting down.

Zhang Hao looked around. “Are there any more questions?”

After waiting for a while, no one asked any questions. Zhang Hao spoke again, “Since there are no more questions, then let’s vote by show of hands on whether to implement the patent system.

Those who agree, please raise your hand.

Each member has one vote, and only one person from a family needs to raise their hand.”

With that, Zhang Hao raised his own hand.

Zhang Shengde’s mouth twitched – this kid was becoming more and more dictatorial.

However, I like it.

Because Zhang Shengde, as the Chairman, was indeed not suitable to express his opinion by raising his hand.

Below the stage, Li Yuanyuan bit her lower lip and raised her father’s hand.

Li Yousheng’s mouth twitched, but in the end, he still firmly raised his hand.

With leaders taking the initiative, more and more people followed. Soon, more than half of the people raised their hands.

Zhang Hao smiled. “Eighty-seven votes in favor, anyone else?”

“Good, one hundred and twenty-five votes, passed unanimously. The Mystic Iron Guild will officially implement the patent system today.

Next, we will discuss the details of the patent system together.

Before that, on behalf of the Zhang family, I would like to formally declare that we will abandon the patent we just mentioned. The water-based separation method and powder metallurgy technology are the common property of the Guild, and any Guild member can use them for free.”

Everyone was stunned.

Gradually, sparse applause appeared.

Then, applause like ocean waves rang out.

Chapter 54: Whirling Machinery

The unprecedented patent conference continued until late at night.

As the meeting concluded, everyone offered their sincerest gratitude to the Zhang family.

The patent proposal facilitated the exchange of technology and promoted progress within the Mystic Iron Guild.

Zhang Hao’s decision to relinquish his patents laid a broad foundation for the nascent patent system.

For the better part of the next day, everyone took turns on stage to share their technical knowledge. Afterward, among the many presenters, the members jointly selected the sixth high-level executive of the Mystic Iron Guild:

“The Minister of the Patent Department of the Mystic Iron Guild, Feng Tai, from the Feng family.”

On the day of its establishment, the Patent Department registered over two hundred patents and also formulated the first patent law. Of course, the current scope of patent implementation is limited to the Mystic Iron Guild.

Surrounded by the crowd, Zhang Hao and Zhang Shengde boarded a carriage and returned to the Zhang residence.

Along the way, Zhang Hao glanced at the patent list in his hand and smiled faintly.

Currently, many of the patents on this list are jointly owned by two or more families.

There are also many patented technologies that conflict with each other.

Of course, there are also some patented technologies that are already outdated as soon as they are registered, and there are quite a few of them.

All of this indicates that a technological competition has begun within the Mystic Iron Guild.

Good patented technology is priced as high as one hundred Mystic Iron coins, while inferior technology is priced as low as 0.5 Mystic Iron coins.

Everyone first swore to keep the technology secret, and then claimed the patented technology. After the Mystic Iron is sold, the patent fee is paid once a month at the beginning of each month.

The Mystic Iron Guild takes one-tenth of the patent fee as a handling fee, etc.; the remaining ninety percent is returned to the family or individual to whom the patent belongs.

“Wait another ten or twenty days, and once everyone has integrated the new technologies, the Mystic Iron market in Ninghe County will become even more interesting! Technological progress will inevitably trigger another revolution in the Mystic Iron market!” Zhang Hao murmured to himself.

Zhang Shengde smiled and said nothing.

…

The next morning, when Liu Xian and others stepped into the gate of the Mystic Iron Guild, they were surprised to find that:

“All the shops had hung up ‘Clearance Sale’ signs; and the larger the purchase, the greater the discount.”

What happened?

Liu Xian found several acquaintances to ask, but they just smiled and didn’t say anything.

But seeing the bright smiles on everyone’s faces, Liu Xian had even more questions.

It wasn’t until the afternoon that the matter of ‘patents’ spread.

Technology cannot be made public, but the matter of ‘patents’ can be. The guild even openly engraved the world’s first patent law on the wall, and there was a constant stream of people coming to consult it.

…

While turmoil was brewing within the Mystic Iron Guild, Zhang Hao had returned to the family’s smelting base, and a brand-new transformation was also beginning within the Zhang family.

What was now displayed in front of Zhang Shengde was a complete ‘steam turbine’.

It was really a steam turbine, using geothermal heat to heat water vapor to drive the turbine.

Zhang Hao also looked at the steam turbine in front of him, his eyes filled with excitement.

In Zhang Hao’s eyes, this machine was still crude, but undeniably, it already possessed the essence of technology.

Due to technical limitations, there are currently two major technical difficulties that have not been resolved with the steam turbine.

One is the bearing problem. Regarding the bearing problem, there are no ball bearings for the time being, so we can only use refining methods to temporarily refine a few pairs of particularly hard slip rings as a temporary application.

The second is that the water supply-steam system of the current steam turbine is open-loop rather than closed-loop. As such, the steam pressure and efficiency will be very low.

Its water supply and steam system are also very simple. A water tank placed at a height of more than ten meters draws water through several array-style water pumps.

Then, under the action of gravity, the water flows along the pipeline and enters the ‘heater’ above the Earth Fire. These are a dozen curved, parallel pipes where the water turns into high-pressure steam.

As Zhang Hao personally opened the valve of the steam passage, the crazy water vapor rushed through the steam turbine blades, bringing a burst of hissing sounds; because the steam pipeline was an open-loop design, the noise was particularly loud.

The steam rushed through the steam turbine crazily, and finally extended along the crude pipe to the outside of the Zhang family’s barrier, and was directly discharged.

The steam turbine began to rotate slowly; gradually, a roaring sound came.

There was a roaring sound because the rotor was unbalanced.

There was no way, this machine was all handmade, and it was already commendable that it could barely turn. Even so, almost all of the Zhang family’s refiners were mobilized.

Driven by the steam turbine, the heavy millstone began to rotate and accelerate.

In order to increase the speed, several craftsmen went up to help push it.

After about a minute, the millstone had begun to spin rapidly. In the past, this was the heaviest work, especially because of the expansion of the Zhang family’s production, the craftsmen responsible for the millstone were exhausted.

Now it has been replaced by machinery.

The craftsmen happily watched the automatically rotating millstone and let out sincere cheers.

Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye also opened their mouths slightly in disbelief.

In the past, it would take several craftsmen, or even cattle and horses, to drive this huge millstone; now, except for the water-pumping machine which used two low-grade spirit stones, no other power was used—the Earth Fire was selectively ignored by them.

The steam turbine drives a huge metal wheel (connecting rod wheel) that is the same size as the millstone; a vertical shaft is erected vertically on the outer edge of the wheel, and a connecting rod is connected to the shaft; the connecting rod is then connected to the vertical shaft on the millstone.

As the steam turbine continues to accelerate, the speed of the millstone also increases.

“Pour the ore!” Huang Mingshan shouted loudly.

Cart after cart of ore was poured into the millstone; the millstone hardly slowed down, and the ore was quickly crushed into fine sand.

This efficiency is almost dozens of times that of the past!

Even greater cheers erupted.

The machine was spinning rapidly, and the roaring sound was so pleasant to hear.

Huang Mingshan and others were immersed in it, and Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye were also immersed in it. Zhang Hao was even more immersed in it.

After a while, Zhang Hao took a deep breath to calm himself down. “What problems should we start solving next?

Hmm, it’s the bearings!”

“But to produce bearings, we need machine tools.”

The research and development and production of bearings require machine tools to assist.

Don’t look at how ordinary bearings are, they are the pearl technology of the early stage of industry, and their processing technology and processing accuracy far exceed those of ordinary parts.

Because with bearings, the reliability and efficiency of the machine can be guaranteed! Moreover, the technology for processing bearings is not simple at all, and requires considerable experience and technical accumulation.

While everyone was still immersed in the rapidly rotating machine, Zhang Hao was already thinking about future plans.

The most critical step in industrialization is the birth of machine tools.

With machine tools, there will be ‘machines producing machines’.

Now that there is a mechanical prime mover, it is time to start researching machine tools.

Beside him, Zhang Shengye suddenly shouted: “Little brat, produce a few more of these machines!”

Zhang Hao immediately called Huang Mingshan over: “Huang Mingshan, give the blueprints to Bai Xiaodong and the others and let them build them according to the drawings.”

“Okay!” Huang Mingshan dragged Bai Xiaodong and turned to run back to the classroom—well, it should be called the research room from now on.

Chapter 55: Three Hundred Tons of Mystic Iron Per Day

The millstone spun rapidly, the power of machinery driving the Zhang family ever closer to the gates of industry; industrialization seemed to be just a step away.

Zhao Baishi, Wang Xuhe, Li Mingfeng, He Zhengjie, and Bai Xiaodong, the five team leaders, began competing with each other, armed with brand new blueprints.

In the manufacturing of ventilators, Bai Xiaodong’s team took the lead with their assembly line technology. But the other teams were not to be outdone, each developing their own unique production techniques.

Five steam turbines were being built simultaneously; normally, this would be completely unnecessary, but Zhang Hao insisted on it. Because he was racing against time!

He was racing not only against the construction time, but also against the time it took to cultivate talent.

As the saying goes, practice makes perfect; to cultivate talent, you need practical skills.

And Zhang Hao had already begun the next stage of research with Huang Mingshan and the others.

“Bearings?” Huang Mingshan and the others pondered.

Zhang Hao picked up an early prototype of the impeller machine and pointed to the main shaft, saying, “See here?”

There was already a noticeable indentation on the main shaft, caused by friction.

Huang Mingshan nodded, “Young Master, this is very common in carriages. I’ve observed many carriages, and their main shafts all have varying degrees of wear. This is difficult to solve with magic.

The common method now is to use low-grade Mystic Iron to refine a pair of slip rings, and fill the slip rings with tallow.”

Zhang Hao also nodded, “That’s right, this method works for carriages, but it’s not enough for machines. Because the wheels of a carriage rotate at most two hundred times per minute, or three hundred at most.

But our steam turbine is already rotating at five hundred revolutions per minute.

And the speed will continue to increase in the future.

At ultra-high speeds, slip rings are no longer up to the task.

I have an idea about this.”

“Based on practical experience, we know that a circle has the least resistance when moving forward. So, is there a way to add a ‘circle’ between the main shaft and the shaft seat?”

As he spoke, Zhang Hao inserted round chopsticks between the main shaft and the shaft seat.

This was the prototype of a roller bearing.

A new research project began.

To grind the rollers, they had to try to research machine tools; to research machine tools, they had to research small, spirit stone-powered engines.

After that, gears, guide rails, rotating shafts, cutting tools, fixtures, reducers, and other components appeared one after another; especially screws, which also came into being.

Just two days later, the first crude machine tool appeared. Its bearings were still slip rings, but it already had some basic functions. The machine tool’s cutting tools were temporarily made using the method of refining magical treasures, so their hardness was very good.

Mystic Iron cylinders were ground out, and then precisely cut into one-centimeter-long cylinders.

The cylinders were placed into shaft rings that were also machined.

To ensure the stability of the rollers, a bearing cage was added, made of thin iron sheets stamped out – needless to say, a crude stamping machine was also born.

Also born were mold technologies and so on.

After another two days of tireless effort, and hundreds of explorations, the first bearing was finally tested.

The main shaft was inserted into the bearing, and then fixed to the shaft seat; a three hundred jin iron ring was worn on the center of the main shaft. Huang Mingshan used force to rotate the iron ball, and the main shaft rotated wildly.

There was no harsh friction sound, no creaking sound, it just rotated silently, quickly, with almost no deceleration!

“It rotated for more than half an hour before the main shaft slowly stopped.

Everyone looked at each other, and then burst into狂热cheers.

Zhang Hao stood on the podium of the new research room, quietly looking at the several machine tools on the floor of the research room.

Stamping machines, grinders, milling machines, cutting machine tools, drilling machines, and even machines for processing screws and nuts.

A complete industrial foundation had finally appeared.

Zhang Hao clapped his hands, and someone immediately came in. Generous rewards were placed in front of everyone.

“Each person, one hundred high-grade spirit stones!”

One hundred high-grade spirit stones were equivalent to one million low-grade spirit stones.

Everyone was stunned.

Huang Mingshan took the spirit stones, his hands trembling. He had never thought that one day he would be able to obtain such great wealth.

One hundred high-grade spirit stones, this was wealth that many Foundation Establishment cultivators could not hope to achieve! Even many Golden Core cultivators might not have such wealth!

Zhang Hao slowly looked over, a satisfied smile on his lips.

This was exactly what he wanted.

What I give you will definitely be what you need, and far exceed your expectations!

Clapping his hands again, Zhang Hao said loudly, “Are you shocked by this little bit of wealth?”

Huang Mingshan and the others slowly raised their heads, their eyes gradually clearing, but the look in their eyes towards Zhang Hao became even more狂热.

“Next, I’m giving everyone a task, which is to install bearings on all the current steam turbines!”

With heavy rewards… there is bound to be efficiency.

Huang Mingshan and the others, who had not rested well since starting to research steam turbines, hastily swallowed a few Qi Cultivation Pills and threw themselves into production practice.

The technology was out, but there were still many problems to solve in order to apply the technology to practice.

Walking out of the research room, Zhang Hao climbed to a high platform and quietly looked at the magnificent smelting base in front of him.

The current smelting base had completely changed.

Several long conveyor belts continuously transported ore from outside the smelting base, directly into the millstones.

A full six steam turbines were roaring, six millstones were spinning madly, ore, spirit stones, and even bamboo charcoal were crushed, and directly sent to the smelting furnace via conveyor belts.

The conveyor belt machines were small, spirit stone-powered turbines; this was the spread and application of machine tool technology.

All the former small smelting furnaces had disappeared; replaced by six large smelting furnaces. Pulley mechanisms were used to operate these heavy smelting furnaces.

Next to each smelting furnace, there were eight ventilators blowing air.

Below the smelting furnace, flames stimulated by spirit stones flickered with golden light.

As he watched, he saw the craftsmen suddenly move around one of the smelting furnaces. They pulled iron cables, using pulleys to control the smelting furnace to pour out molten iron.

The molten iron was bright red with golden hues, flashing with the light of wealth.

Watching the molten iron splash, pouring one mold after another, Zhang Hao was a little mesmerized.

It wasn’t until Zhang Shengye arrived that he woke Zhang Hao up, “Little Hao, magnificent, isn’t it.”

“Second Uncle, shouldn’t I be asking you that.”

“Haha… Yesterday, we paid for the Mystic Iron from the acquired workshops. Dugu Junjie is leading all the craftsmen from the prefectural city. They should arrive in the afternoon.”

Zhang Hao’s eyes immediately flashed with light: Shipbuilding! Large ships built with Mystic Iron! Large ships that can break through the Death Green Sea!

Zhang Shengye continued, “Little Hao, do you know how much Mystic Iron we produced yesterday?”

“Two hundred tons?”

“No, three hundred tons! Three hundred tons of Mystic Iron with a maximum purity of ninety-six percent!” Zhang Shengye’s tone was full of emotion.

In just over a month, the Zhang family had undergone earth-shattering changes. These changes were beyond Zhang Shengye’s wildest dreams.

Three hundred tons per day, ten thousand tons per month is not a dream!

“Only after a furnace of molten iron was poured, Zhang Shengye spoke again,”Your father is about to transform into a Nascent Soul!”

“What?” Zhang Hao was stunned.

“Your father is about to break through to the Nascent Soul realm today. From today onwards, our family will also have a Nascent Soul expert!”

Chapter 56: Minor Heavenly Tribulation

The entire Zhang family was on high alert. All the guards were mobilized, patrolling without rest.

The family’s defensive barrier was set up in three layers, costing over thirty thousand high-grade spirit stones. The magical treasures used for the formation numbered in the hundreds.

The Zhang family had spent most of its liquid assets in one go.

In addition, there were experts sent by the City Lord and others.

The experts sent by the City Lord were mainly responsible for the Zhang family’s safety, ensuring the smooth production of Mystic Iron, and also to supervise the Zhang family. But now, these experts dispatched by the City Lord had also become Zhang Shengde’s temporary protectors.

The Nascent Soul stage was extremely important; it was the equivalent of a pillar of the nation.

Moreover, breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage was also the most vulnerable time for a cultivator. A slight carelessness could lead to the destruction of their core and death.

The process of “shattering the core and forming the infant” was like dancing on the edge of a knife.

Cultivators were powerful, but the path of cultivation was full of dangers.

Also, this was the best opportunity for an ambush.

Every few years, experts were ambushed and killed during the Nascent Soul transformation process.

The attackers included not only enemies and rivals, but also spies from foreign countries, who did not want to see the Qixia Kingdom grow stronger.

Even families around the Zhang family, who had no past connection, might come to attack—because once Zhang Shengde successfully formed his Nascent Soul, the Zhang family would inevitably expand, and the interests of the surrounding families would inevitably be damaged!

“The world of cultivation is never a peaceful world.”

City Lord Liu Jingming had actually arrived in person.

Zhang Hao stepped forward to greet him.

Liu Jingming waved his hand: “Don’t waste time with formalities, focus on guarding the area. We’ll celebrate properly after the breakthrough.”

“Yes,” Zhang Hao replied, bowing.

At this moment, Liu Jingming’s personal arrival was enough to make Zhang Hao grateful.

Then Zhang Hao turned his head and looked into the distance.

There, mountains of ore were piled up.

These ores were sent by Liu Jingming, mobilizing the entire Ninghe County’s resources. They were all high-quality ores.

To smelt five thousand tons of Mystic Iron, the Zhang family needed at least one hundred thousand tons of Mystic Iron ore. How much was one hundred thousand tons of ore? The stacking density of broken iron ore was about 2.5 tons per cubic meter, so one hundred thousand tons was forty thousand cubic meters.

Just piled up there, there were more than forty ‘hills’ over ten meters high.

To excavate and transport these ores, Liu Jingming mobilized all the troops and guards of Ninghe County, and at great cost, hired a large number of families and merchant houses.

Withdrawing his gaze, Zhang Hao quietly looked at the room in front. Inside the room, his father was breaking through.

His mother also came out, and Zhang Hao went over to pay his respects.

“He will definitely succeed, right?” His mother’s voice trembled slightly.

“He definitely will,” Zhang Hao said firmly, holding his mother’s cold hand.

Now, his father had at least eight Nascent Soul pills. If eight Nascent Soul pills were not enough to succeed… then it could only be said to be fate.

In the sky higher than the white clouds, mottled colors gradually appeared, and the colors filled the entire sky. This was a large amount of spiritual energy gathering, and the sunlight was scattered by the spiritual energy, resulting in brilliant colors.

Spiritual energy itself had no color.

Gradually, the colors in the sky began to appear in an inverted cone, funnel shape; the central part began to fall, gradually descending towards Zhang Shengde’s room.

A majestic force pressed down, and in a daze, Zhang Hao seemed to see the sky falling.

As the rich spiritual energy gathered, subtle lightning appeared in the sky.

Gradually, the lightning increased, and streaks of lightning, like spiritual snakes, twisted in the colorful funnel, filled with unspeakable terror.

“It’s a minor heavenly tribulation! A minor heavenly tribulation has actually appeared! How could there be a minor heavenly tribulation!” His mother’s hands were even colder.

Zhang Hao’s eyes also sharpened. A minor heavenly tribulation had appeared during the Golden Core’s transformation into a Nascent Soul!

“But a minor heavenly tribulation doesn’t always appear.”

It was said that the chance of it appearing was only one in three.

In everyone’s legends, only those who had done things that were harmful to nature and reason would have a minor heavenly tribulation descend. It was Heaven opening its eyes!

“That is to say, the appearance of lightning during Zhang Shengde’s Nascent Soul transformation is ominous.”

More importantly, lightning was indeed deadly.

Under the minor heavenly tribulation, there was a nine in ten chance of death!

Zhang Shengye’s mouth gradually opened, and suddenly he shouted madly: “Brother, brother, stop, stop it!”

“It’s useless!” Liu Jingming’s face was serious. “Now he has already shattered his core and begun to transform his infant. He can’t hear anything. Either he successfully transforms his infant, or… he dies and his Dao vanishes! There won’t be a third option.”

“What third option?” Zhang Hao asked curiously.

Liu Jingming explained: “Generally, if the shattering of the core and transformation of the infant fails, the cultivation will regress to the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage. But there is no danger to life. And because the foundation is still there, he can quickly return to the peak of the Golden Core stage.”

Zhang Hao watched as the lightning in the sky gradually descended, took a deep breath, and didn’t have time to think carefully. He immediately ordered: “All guards, insert the swords in your hands into the roof, stand them up!”

“Why?” Zhang Shengye asked.

“I’ll explain later.” Before Zhang Hao finished speaking, he moved like the wind and disappeared. Zhang Hao went directly to the smelting base and shouted:

“Everyone, stop what you’re doing, and bring out all the iron rods, iron bars, iron crowbars, etc., that are more than three meters long. The longer the better. Dismantle the conveyor belts, take out the supports.

Quick!

“First, two hundred people!

“Bring all the iron chains too!”

While everyone was still stunned, Zhang Hao pulled out his sword and directly cut a conveyor belt, grabbed a support weighing several hundred kilograms and five meters long, and ran outside.

More than three hundred people acted, picked up the iron rods, iron bars, etc., around them and rushed out. The longest was a ten-meter-long iron rod used to stir molten iron, which was carried by three workers.

Many people dragged iron chains, rattling behind them.

At this time, Zhang Hao looked at the lightning in the sky, which was less than a hundred zhang from the ground.

At this time, the lightning was more numerous and crazier. They were entangled, slowly falling like the sky, as if carrying out a death sentence countdown.

“Quick!” Zhang Hao’s voice was hoarse.

Everyone followed Zhang Hao all the way back to the inner residence. Zhang Hao forcefully pushed aside the guards and directed the workers to erect the iron bars and put the iron chains on the house.

After a while, outside the secret room where Zhang Shengde was in seclusion, dozens of iron rods were erected, the highest of which was ten meters high, straight into the door, swords pointing to the sky.

Iron chains crossed the roof and dragged to the ground on both sides.

Zhang Hao shouted again: “Bury the iron chains underground!”

The workers were already obedient to Zhang Hao and quickly completed the task.

“Retreat, everyone retreat, at least ten zhang away!”

Everyone retreated madly, leaving only the lonely secret room in the center; the roof of the secret room was covered with hundreds of swords, and more than a dozen iron chains were evenly placed on it. Around the house, there were dozens of large and small iron rods erected.

In the sky, the lightning continued to fall, the thunder rumbled, deafening, and the earth was shaking under the thunder.

Even City Lord Liu Jingming was pale at this time. “Under such lightning… it’s almost impossible to live… cough cough. Zhang Hao, what’s the point of doing this?”

Zhang Shengye also looked at Zhang Hao nervously.

Zhang’s mother was pale, staring blankly at Zhang Hao, as if treating Zhang Hao as her last straw.

Zhang Hao was also extremely nervous: “I’m not sure either, let’s see what happens first.”

As the lightning continued to fall, everyone’s breathing became more and more rapid; when the lightning was about thirty meters from the ground, everyone’s breathing… disappeared.

Too nervous.

Chapter 57: Nascent Soul

(Bill: 17 more)

The heavenly tribulation descended slowly, like a millstone, like a judgment, the lightning becoming increasingly frantic.

The same thought arose in everyone’s mind: a catastrophe!

The atmosphere was tense to the extreme.

Suddenly, a change occurred.

One of the lowest bolts of lightning suddenly veered off course and struck the highest iron rod.

“Crack!” A crisp sound, as if the sky had shattered, exploded. The lightning instantly struck the iron rod, and a dense array of electric sparks spiraled, undulated, and fell down the rod, burrowing into the ground.

Bang!

With a bang, the ground near the iron rod shattered, revealing a pit about a foot deep and three feet wide, with scorched earth flying in all directions.

“Hoo…” A collective sigh of relief arose.

Zhang Hao, even more so, patted his chest hard, a faint smile appearing on his tense face.

Success!

Zhang Hao was still unsure if this lightning was the so-called “heavenly tribulation,” but at least it was still electricity, and there was still an undeniable connection between it and the iron rods.

With the first bolt of lightning “defecting,” the remaining lightning seemed to find a breakthrough, rushing towards the highest iron rod in a frenzy.

As a result, the thick iron rod turned red and melted at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Pfft…

A puddle of molten iron fell to the ground, and smoke and faint flames rose from the ground.

In the sky, the lightning quickly found new targets, and more iron rods found the spark of love…

Thus, a spectacular scene unfolded.

Bolts of lightning rushed mindlessly towards the nearest iron rods, and the iron rods guided the frenzied lightning into the ground, blasting away layers of soil.

However, a large amount of spiritual energy entered the house unhindered.

At first, Zhang Hao watched in shock, but after a while, he gradually noticed something:

The spiritual energy that initially converged from all directions was mixed, with the colorful hues mixed and disordered.

But after being struck by lightning, the spiritual energy became pure and clear, and strands of colorful light were like continuous threads.

“So, lightning is definitely not a heavenly tribulation. It’s a kind of opportunity!” Zhang Hao finally explained to Zhang Shengye, Liu Jingming, his mother, and everyone else.

This matter had to be explained clearly, otherwise, everyone would spread rumors:

That Zhang Shengde had a minor heavenly tribulation when forming his Nascent Soul, implying that he must have done something outrageous behind everyone’s back!

Therefore, if this matter was not explained clearly, the Zhang family’s reputation would be ruined, and they would inevitably be condemned by everyone, which would be troublesome.

But after Zhang Hao’s explanation, things changed—this heavenly tribulation seemed to be a reward.

Not to mention others, even City Lord Liu Jingming swallowed hard when he saw the refined spiritual energy.

Seeing this, Zhang Hao became nervous again: No, I have to find a way to divert Liu Jingming’s attention.

With a turn of his eyes, Zhang Hao thought of a question. “City Lord Liu, may I ask you a question?”

The young master Zhang had an innocent smile on his face, creating a diligent and eager-to-learn appearance.

“Oh… what question?”

“It’s about spiritual energy. There is spiritual energy in spirit stones, and it is very abundant. There is also spiritual energy in the world, but it is relatively sparse. Why do people absorb the spiritual energy of the world when cultivating, instead of absorbing spirit stones?”

“Ah, haha… you really asked the right person. Most people really can’t figure this out.”

Zhang Hao nodded. He had also asked his father, but his father couldn’t explain it either. He only knew that cultivation should be done without using spirit stones as much as possible—but using spirit stones to restore cultivation or replenish losses was fine.

Zhang Hao asked again.

Liu Jingming explained in detail: “Simply put, the spiritual energy of the world is alive. The spiritual energy in spirit stones is dead!

The spiritual energy of the world is free and lively, full of vitality. Some even say that the spiritual energy of the world contains the laws of heaven and earth.

The spiritual energy in spirit stones is lazy and lifeless. Using such spiritual energy for cultivation will inevitably have an impact.

Therefore, you cannot ‘directly’ use spirit stones for cultivation.

The correct way to use spirit stones is to set up a spirit gathering array to gather the spiritual energy of the world for cultivation.”

“I see!” Zhang Hao suddenly understood. “Besides not being able to be used directly for cultivation, are there any other things to pay attention to regarding spirit stones?”

City Lord Liu turned to look at Zhang Hao: “Aren’t you a nominal disciple of the Profound Truth Sect? You can go to Subtlety Temple on Emerald Bamboo Peak to ask these questions?”

“With a wise man by my side, why seek far and wide!” Zhang Hao said this with a serious and earnest expression.

Liu Jingming laughed loudly. Looking at the scene of lightning and thunder in front of him, yet the secret room was unharmed, a strange glint flashed in the depths of his eyes.

After pondering for a moment, Liu Jingming said faintly: “Besides cultivation, there’s nothing else.”

Zhang Hao thanked him.

Liu Jingming’s eyes were fixed on the front, as if he wanted to completely remember the scene before him.

The lightning gradually disappeared, and the iron rods erected around the house were mostly melted and distorted; only the iron cables laid on the roof remained intact.

Finally, the vortex in the sky trembled and dissipated.

A loud and clear roar burst out from the house, vast and continuous like a wave.

Liu Jingming shouted loudly: “Congratulations, Fellow Daoist, on entering the Nascent Soul stage. From now on, the sea is wide for fish to leap, and the sky is high for birds to fly, a vast world for you to roam freely.”

The door slowly opened, and Zhang Shengde walked out slowly, his steps steady and powerful.

But the next moment, Old Zhang was stunned. What was going on in the yard?

Having finally reached the Nascent Soul realm that countless cultivators dreamed of, Old Zhang naturally wanted to act like an expert.

However, seeing the chaotic yard at this moment, Old Zhang was stunned.

He couldn’t act like an expert, but instead looked dumbfounded.

I just had a small breakthrough, why did someone come to make trouble?

But it didn’t seem like it. Seeing the way everyone around him wanted to laugh but didn’t dare to, Zhang Shengde finally reacted.

He snorted softly, “Xiao Hao, what’s going on?”

Zhang Hao let go of his mother’s hand and stepped forward to explain.

“You’re saying, I almost got struck by lightning?” Zhang Shengde’s mouth was wide open, and he looked around at the dilapidated scene again, even more surprised.

I didn’t do anything outrageous!

At the crucial moment, of course, Zhang Hao stepped forward. “Dad, I think the saying of a minor heavenly tribulation may be wrong.

On the contrary, I think the appearance of a minor heavenly tribulation is actually an opportunity, but this opportunity is a bit dangerous.”

Liu Jingming spoke: “I think so too. The greater the danger, the greater the reward. Fellow Daoist’s foundation now is probably far beyond that of ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators.”

“Oh… is that so…” Old Zhang was still in a daze.

Liu Jingming stretched out his right hand, and a ball of true essence swirled in his palm. The true essence had a faint colorful luster in the sunlight, crystal clear.

Zhang Shengde also stretched out his right hand, and a ball of true essence appeared in his palm.

The two’s true essence instantly showed a difference in quality.

Zhang Shengde’s true essence was clearer and purer, and strands of colorful light were like threads, actually continuous.

In comparison, Liu Jingming’s true essence was slightly chaotic.

“Hoo…” Liu Jingming withdrew his true essence, feeling somewhat sighing and envious, but in the end, he still expressed his congratulations.

Zhang Shengde also expressed his gratitude: “Thank you for the City Lord’s help. I didn’t expect the City Lord to already be a Nascent Soul cultivator.”

Liu Jingming exchanged a few polite words, then suddenly turned to look around: “Today’s matter, no one is allowed to speak of it. Come, let’s swear an oath one by one.”

The minor heavenly tribulation was actually an opportunity, this matter had to be covered up; especially since Zhang Hao could actually ‘resolve’ the heavenly tribulation, this was crucial!

Chapter 58: Oh No, We’ve Severed a Vein of the Earth!

“In the northwest of Qixia Kingdom, in Wuyang County, Shahe Town, there’s a newly established trading company – the Jade Dragon Trading Company.

This trading company appeared recently, but forcefully seized control of a local Mystic Iron mine from those who refused to comply, leaving several local families and trading companies who had ideas about it sighing in resignation. That’s because the Nine Sun Sect’s shadow looms behind it.

The Jade Dragon Trading Company was established by Qian Mingjue.

Relying on the influence of the Nine Sun Sect, the Jade Dragon Trading Company already has considerable power.

However, Qian Mingjue has been sighing these past few days.

Once, he believed that as long as he focused on development, he would surely have a chance to avenge himself. However, the Zhang family’s speed of development has left Qian Mingjue feeling somewhat powerless, even desperate!

Moreover, Qian Mingjue harbors resentment, even hatred, towards the Nine Sun Sect. His sister’s cold attitude and the ridicule from the Nine Sun Sect disciples have left even deeper scars on Qian Mingjue’s already wounded heart.

But now, he has no choice but to rely on the Nine Sun Sect’s reputation to develop locally. Even the Mystic Iron from the ‘Jade Dragon Trading Company’ is mostly sold to the Nine Sun Sect.

This makes Qian Mingjue deeply taste the flavor of ‘humiliation’.

Especially recently, with the news that Zhang Shengde has reached the Nascent Soul stage and Zhang Hao has been adopted by General of the Flying Cavalry Wu Fanghai as his foster father, Qian Mingjue’s heart has been deeply stung.

Qian Mingjue suddenly realized how powerless he was!

Revenge… has become a dream, a pipe dream.

The Zhang family has been developing too fast recently, and it’s getting faster and faster. Especially with the Zhang family’s recent super-sized move – to refine five thousand tons of Mystic Iron with ninety-five percent purity for the nation!

This matter has caused a huge sensation. You must know that in order to refine these five thousand tons of Mystic Iron, Ninghe County has frantically mined over one hundred thousand tons of ore.

Also, because refining high-purity Mystic Iron requires low-grade spirit stones, not inferior broken spirit stones, Ninghe County has frantically collected over five thousand tons of low-grade spirit stones.

A standard spirit stone, after being cut, is about one inch in size and weighs about two liang. Five thousand tons of low-grade spirit stones is almost equivalent to twenty-five million spirit stones. Ninghe County’s wealth accumulated over more than ten years has been exhausted in one fell swoop.

With such a large amount of resources gathered, it’s naturally impossible to keep it a secret. Moreover, Wu Fanghai and Liu Jingming don’t seem to want to keep it a secret either.

And this has brought Qian Mingjue suffocating pressure.

“The Zhang family is getting stronger and stronger. Can I still get revenge?”

Qian Mingjue grabbed the railing with both hands, his teeth clenched. His current cultivation is only at the peak of the Qi Refining stage, only one step away from Foundation Establishment. But even if he reached Foundation Establishment, what could he do!

The gap is too big! So big that it’s despairing!

Qian Mingjue was roaring helplessly in his heart.

Suddenly, footsteps came.

Qian Mingjue was furious: “Didn’t I tell you all not to disturb me! Get out!”

“Heh heh… Young Master Qian may not have much ability, but his temper is quite something!” The person didn’t care, gently pushed open the door, and walked in.

Qian Mingjue suddenly turned around: “Who are you!”

This person, dressed in black robes, was not anyone he recognized; moreover, his accent was not local.

“Let me introduce myself, Zhuang Yunwen, from the Canglan Kingdom, my cultivation is just barely at the peak of the Golden Core stage.”

“What do you want to do!” Qian Mingjue’s heart jumped to his throat.

The people of the Canglan Kingdom are now shouting for an eastern expedition throughout the country, and one of the targets of the eastern expedition is the Qixia Kingdom.

Zhuang Yunwen sat down on his own: “Is this how Young Master Qian treats guests?”

“What kind of guest is this?”

“How about someone who can help you get revenge?”

“I will not cooperate with people from the Canglan Kingdom!”

Zhuang Yunwen continued unhurriedly: “How about someone who can help you wash away your humiliation?”

“I…” Qian Mingjue opened his mouth, but suddenly couldn’t say anything.

A hint of confidence appeared on Zhuang Yunwen’s face: “Young Master Qian, in fact, I have been secretly observing you for more than ten days.”

Qian Mingjue took a deep breath and gradually regained his composure: “Why choose me? I’m just a small Qi Refining cultivator, and I don’t think I can help you much.”

“No, no, no, you forgot, you still have the identity of a Nine Sun Sect disciple.

Moreover, the value of your identity as the young master of the Qian family far exceeds your imagination.”

“What value is there?”

“Fame, the ‘fame’ of having a justified reason! Do you know that Zhang Shengde of the Zhang family recently reached the Nascent Soul stage?”

“Of course I know! I know it very well! But what can I do! What can I do!” Qian Mingjue was already a little crazy.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry. An interesting thing happened during this period. During Zhang Shengde’s Golden Core transformation into a Nascent Soul, a minor heavenly tribulation actually appeared.

So I think, the Zhang family must have done something that harms heaven and reason.

For example, the reason why the Zhang family is so strong now must be because they obtained something from the Qian family by unscrupulous means.”

“No…” Qian Mingjue’s eyes flickered a little, he was still struggling on the edge of despair.

Seeing Qian Mingjue like this, the corners of Zhuang Yunwen’s mouth curled up slightly: “No, there is! As long as you insist that there is, then there is!”

“This…”

Zhuang Yunwen didn’t give Qian Mingjue a chance to speak: “Do you want to avenge yourself and wash away your humiliation? This is your only chance! If you miss this opportunity, the Zhang family will soar into the sky. When the Zhang family delivers the five thousand tons of Mystic Iron to Wu Fanghai, the Zhang family will become a new favorite in Qixia Kingdom in one fell swoop.

At that time, you won’t even need the Zhang family to speak; others will take the initiative to help in order to curry favor with the Zhang family.

I’ve heard that there are many people in this Shahe Town who are dissatisfied with you.”

Qian Mingjue’s expression finally changed.

Zhuang Yunwen continued: “Do you want to wash away your humiliation? The humiliation from the Nine Sun Sect, it’s not easy to bear, right?

I give you a promise, I, Zhuang Yunwen, swear to heaven, no matter what means you use, as long as you can restrain the Zhang family, or even ruin this five thousand tons of Mystic Iron, I will take you to the Canglan Kingdom and give you noble status.

If you can obtain the Zhang family’s Mystic Iron technology, I will take you to see the Great Emperor.

The Zhang family’s technology is enough for you to be granted the title of Earl.

An Earl has a fief!

As long as you go to the Canglan Kingdom, plus the Zhang family’s technology, develop for a hundred years, you can look down on the Nine Sun Sect!”

Qian Mingjue’s eyes gradually turned red. He was now completely attracted by all kinds of benefits; but forgot to consider ‘reasonableness’.

Profit makes people crazy. Hatred blinds the mind.

At this time, Qian Mingjue was driven by profit and spurred by hatred, and his mind had begun to lose control.

And Zhuang Yunwen’s ‘swearing’ made Qian Mingjue feel much more at ease.

A moment later, Qian Mingjue swore an oath.

“Very good!” Zhuang Yunwen nodded with a smile, “I have already had people spread rumors. You set off back to Ninghe County now, someone there will contact you.

Remember, don’t mess things up. Otherwise, you won’t even have the chance to be a dog!”

“I… un… der… stand!!!” Qian Mingjue roared in a low voice.

…………

After sending off City Lord Liu Jingming, the Zhang family celebrated lively for several days.

After the celebration ended, Zhang Hao was immediately dragged to the study by his father Zhang Shengde and ‘interrogated’: What is the story between this minor heavenly tribulation and the iron rod, you explain it to me clearly.

Zhang Hao wasted a lot of saliva and explained it in detail several times before finally leaving this terrifying study trembling.

“I find that the most tiring thing is to explain what technology is to people who have no concept of technology; especially since many things can’t be said clearly!

Playing the lute to a cow, at most there is no response.

But explaining technology to people can get you beaten.

If you don’t say it well, you will be burned alive like Copernicus.”

Zhang Hao was still sighing when Huang Mingshan suddenly floated over wrapped in magic, panicked, his face pale: “Young Master, Young Master, it’s bad, we’ve severed a vein of the earth, the earth is bleeding!

The chief steward (Zhang Shengye) asks the Young Master to go over quickly.”

Chapter 59: A Treasure from the Earth

(A reader asked why I owe so many chapters. As mentioned before, I promised an extra update on the first day of release for every one thousand recommendation tickets or five donations. Please understand that I’m trying to avoid updating too much during the new book period.

Regarding the donation of five thousand tons of Mystic Iron, this has drained Ninghe County’s wealth, and it’s a big pit. Since you asked, I’ll point it out.

Moreover, five thousand tons of Mystic Iron, from a national or industrial perspective, isn’t too abrupt, especially since it’s paving the way for future voyages.

As for the army issue, the setting here is a cultivation world, and ordinary people are useless on the battlefield. The number of experts is limited.

Finally, thank you for your support and suggestions.)

“……”

“We’ve broken a ley line?”

Zhang Hao looked dumbfounded.

As a modern person, he didn’t quite believe in the existence of ley lines. With so many mines and tunnel projects, if ley lines existed, they would have been discovered long ago.

Following Huang Mingshan outside, the first thing Zhang Hao saw was thousands of people marching towards the Zhang family in a mighty procession.

Seeing Dugu Junjie leading the way, Zhang Hao immediately smiled.

The shipwrights had finally arrived.

It wasn’t easy to relocate these people.

Although they had been ‘sold,’ the artisans were still people with their own ideas. Moreover, artisans weren’t slaves; they had plenty of freedom. It took a lot of effort to bring these people over.

First, their wounded hearts had to be soothed.

But Dugu Junjie handled things beautifully. He reasoned with them, tempted them with benefits, and then added the Zhang family’s current influence and appropriate threats. This convinced most of the artisans to come. Those who really didn’t want to come had to be abandoned.

From afar, Dugu Junjie greeted Zhang Hao. He knew that these artisans were actually being purchased by Zhang Hao.

Zhang Hao greeted him first, then inquired about the situation.

“Three shipbuilding workshops, a total of eight hundred and fifty-three artisans, including fifty-two top artisans, one hundred and twenty-seven master craftsmen, four hundred and eighteen journeymen, and the remaining two hundred and fifty-six apprentices.

In addition, there are four thousand and seventy-one family members.”

“What about the technical documents?”

“They’re all here. Pulled three carriages, a total of five hundred and thirty-nine volumes of data. Whether useful or not, I brought them all.”

“Good work. First, arrange for these people to settle down and take good care of them, especially paying attention to the children to see if any are sick or weak. If they are, use Vitality Pills to save them.

Also, distribute one Vitality Pill to everyone under the age of ten, to be taken under the supervision of their parents.”

“Ah…” Dugu Junjie blinked. One Vitality Pill costs twenty spirit stones. In fact, with the Western nations preparing to invade, the price is increasing. Vitality Pills on the market now cost thirty spirit stones.

Using such expensive Vitality Pills to save a common artisan’s child didn’t seem cost-effective.

Thirty spirit stones could hire three decent artisans.

Zhang Hao didn’t explain further and quickly left, urged on by Huang Mingshan.

Dugu Junjie watched Zhang Hao’s back, finally shaking his head helplessly. This young master was young but already showing extraordinary qualities. Just like now, he only gave orders without explaining.

Or perhaps, he disdained to explain.

Dugu Junjie shrugged. Fine, since you don’t care about Vitality Pills, then I’ll use them liberally!

In fact, after a long journey, the adults were fine, but the children were starting to droop, and some were already getting sick.

Although this was a cultivation world, it didn’t mean there was no sickness. In fact, many illnesses in the cultivation world were even more deadly.

The Zhang family wasn’t short of Vitality Pills. Previously, many families had used Vitality Pills as currency to pay for Mystic Iron. Dugu Junjie directly requested a box of one thousand Vitality Pills. Then, every child under the age of ten, or those who were sick, received one pill each, to be dissolved in water and taken little by little under the supervision of their parents.

One thousand Vitality Pills, now worth over thirty thousand spirit stones on the market.

But during the distribution process, Dugu Junjie gradually understood that a simple Vitality Pill bought the endless gratitude of the artisans.

In the end, only eight hundred Vitality Pills were used, but it earned the sincerity of everyone present.

Saying is never as good as doing. A Vitality Pill represented confidence in the promise of travel.

Looking at everyone’s heartfelt smiles, Dugu Junjie fell into thought:

“It seems like I was also bought by Zhang Shengde using similar methods… and I seemed pretty happy about it~~~”

“…………

Meanwhile, Zhang Hao followed Huang Mingshan all the way to the mining site, where he saw his anxious Second Uncle Zhang Shengye from afar.

His father, Zhang Shengde, also arrived in a hurry, his brow furrowed.

The Zhang family had already started using machines for mining, but now the machines had stopped.

Two iron cables with iron buckets hung diagonally deep into the mine.

Although City Lord Liu Jingming had already sent one hundred thousand tons of ore, the Zhang family was still mining on their own.

Many artisans were gathered around the mine, whispering to each other. Most of them had a faint worry on their faces.

Amidst shouts of “Young Master,” Zhang Hao came closer and saw that deep inside the mine, illuminated by several jade lamps, there was a dim, reddish liquid shimmering.

Looking closely, the liquid was a brownish-red, almost black. It really looked like dried blood. But the color was inevitably distorted under the lamplight.

In the air, besides the slightly unpleasant smell of ore dust, there was also a faint pungent smell and an oily smell.

The pungent and oily smells mixed together, and Zhang Hao’s eyes lit up.

Could this thing be…

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Hao asked his Second Uncle, “Second Uncle, has this thing been dangerous since it was discovered?”

“No. But it seems to be poisonous. A few artisans were splashed with it just now, and their whole bodies have become swollen and red.”

“Where are those artisans? What about their clothes?” Zhang Hao asked urgently.

“Over there.” Zhang Shengye pointed to the side.

Zhang Hao walked over and found several artisans frantically washing their bodies. Large patches of redness and swelling had appeared on their skin, and their hair was matted together. The viscous and pungent liquid was difficult to wash off, and a layer of oil floated on the water.

The small spell ‘Immaculate Art,’ commonly used by cultivators, seemed ineffective against this liquid.

The artisans had taken off their clothes, and the clothes were thrown to the side.

“Have they taken detoxification pills?” Zhang Hao asked the artisan in charge next to him.

“Young Master, they took them, but they didn’t work.”

Zhang Hao thought for a moment, “Use Vitality Pills. Three pills each.”

With three Vitality Pills down the hatch, the artisans’ conditions were brought under control. The redness and swelling on their bodies disappeared at a visible rate.

Zhang Hao had a good idea of what was happening. This should be some kind of allergy, not poisoning. Vitality Pills replenish Qi, not detoxify.

Using a wooden stick, he picked up the clothes next to him. The clothes were covered in a brownish-red, slightly transparent liquid. The clothes were wet from being soaked in water.

Zhang Hao carefully released a small fireball and roasted the clothes for a moment. The wet clothes caught fire, and the flames quickly grew larger. The flames were dark red, black smoke billowed, and the pungent smell became stronger.

Zhang Hao watched and smiled.

This wasn’t the blood of some dragon vein; this was the blood of industry!

“This is oil!”

“This is a treasure from the earth!”

“Brownish-red oil is rare, but after all, these are two different worlds, so differences are normal.”

But soon, Zhang Hao’s smile gradually disappeared and became serious. Because the color of the flames gradually turned golden, and a wave of heat rushed towards him.

This situation was very similar to using spirit stones and fire formations to stimulate flames.

Could it be that this oil contained spiritual energy, and the spiritual energy was ignited? It seemed to be directly ignited!

Zhang Hao pondered, “If spiritual energy is directly ignited, then why isn’t the surrounding air burning? After all, the surrounding air has a lot of spiritual energy.”

Or rather, does the oil contain something that reacts with spiritual energy? Only this could explain it.

The burning spiritual energy released even more intense heat and energy.

“Xiao Hao!” Zhang Shengde interrupted Zhang Hao’s reverie.

Zhang Hao turned to look at his father’s worried eyes and smiled, “Dad, this thing isn’t the blood of a dragon vein, but another treasure! Look, it can provide high temperatures.

We’ve been researching steam turbines recently. This thing might become a new energy source for steam turbines! It can drive steam turbines like geothermal energy, and it can be as flexible as spirit stones, but cheaper than spirit stones!”

Zhang Shengde was stunned, “Don’t change so much, explain it clearly.”

Zhang Hao continued, “Dad, within the Qixia Kingdom, where else has this so-called blood of the ley line been discovered? Put those places…

Buy them all!”

Chapter 60: Purely a Misunderstanding

(Bill: Eighteen updates)

“Oil!

Oil!

Still oil!”

Zhang Hao was dreaming of oil. He couldn’t calm down at all.

What does oil mean?

“Too much. It can’t be explained in a few words.”

Because of the discovery and utilization of oil, there was an industrialized society and the birth of modern civilization!

“And now, the Zhang family has discovered oil beneath their feet!”

Now that they had Mystic Iron, powered machinery, and now oil, the excitement in Zhang Hao’s heart was beyond words.

However, Zhang Hao was too excited. His mind was filled with oil, machinery, and battleships, causing ripples in his mental state.

In cultivation, ‘tranquility’ is very important. But Zhang Hao had been thinking wildly for two consecutive days. Coupled with the great surprise of discovering oil, his mental state gradually became unbalanced.

Originally, he had suddenly reached the peak of the Qi Refining stage during an epiphany, and his foundation was already a little unstable. Now that his mental state was gradually becoming unbalanced, the true essence in his body began to stir restlessly.

“Something’s wrong!” Zhang Hao was shocked. He finally realized it at the last moment and quickly sat down cross-legged, took a Lesser Spirit Essence Pill, and prepared to suppress his cultivation.

But after a moment, Zhang Hao’s expression changed.

His cultivation was already unstable. Taking a Lesser Spirit Essence Pill to compress his true essence at this time was truly adding fuel to the fire.

At this time, with his true essence agitated, he shouldn’t be cultivating, but should completely relax and cultivate his mind.

The effect of the Lesser Spirit Essence Pill stimulated the true essence, making it even more unstable.

Zhang Hao looked bitter. He was only a hair’s breadth away from cultivation deviation! The agitation of the true essence made his meridians swell faintly, and his body felt sore, numb, itchy, and painful. This feeling was really unbearable.

He didn’t dare to cultivate anymore. He took a few deep breaths to calm his mind and prepared to recite the Heart-Clearing Mantra.

At this time, someone came to deliver a message: “Young Master, the Master invites you to the living room. Guests have arrived from the Imperial Capital.”

Zhang Hao barely suppressed the restless true essence and asked, “What kind of guests?”

“Not very clear. But it seems some were sent by the princess, some by the prime minister, some by the great general, and some seem to be from the Jinyang Kingdom. City Lord Liu Jingming is also there.”

Zhang Hao was stunned. What was happening? So many people coming?

Suppressing the agitated true essence, Zhang Hao walked very carefully, like an old grandmother recovering from a serious illness, afraid of taking too big a step and stimulating the true essence.

He carefully arrived at the main hall and saw many guards outside, some in black armor and some in golden armor.

Zhang Hao was familiar with the black armor; he had seen it in the princess’s team. It should be the common attire of the Qixia Kingdom. But he had never seen golden armor before; could it be from the Jinyang Kingdom?

“Relaxed laughter came from the hall, sounding very friendly.

Zhang Hao stepped into the hall. Before he could speak, Zhang Shengde stood up and laughed loudly, “Come, let me introduce you to everyone. This is my son, Zhang Hao.”

Zhang Hao turned his head and saw that there were five other people in the room.

Besides the familiar City Lord Liu Jingming and the princess’s guard Hu Yinglan, he didn’t recognize the other three. Of these three, two looked to be in their twenties, and one looked to be about forty years old.

Liu Jingming spoke, “Zhang Hao, let me introduce you. This is Wei Zirong, the Junior Tutor of the Crown Prince from the Jinyang Kingdom.”

Zhang Hao looked over. This Wei Zirong was about forty years old, with a refined air and a gentle smile, looking very approachable. Moreover, he was the Crown Prince’s Junior Tutor, the future Imperial Tutor. Such a person couldn’t be simply evaluated by official rank.

Zhang Hao stepped forward to greet him. Wei Zirong nodded with a smile and praised, “Indeed, seeing is believing. I heard of Young Master Zhang’s great name in your Imperial Capital long ago. You are truly a talented person.”

“Really? Mr. Wei could see my extraordinary qualities at a glance?”

Wei Zirong: …You really are a talent!

Zhang Shengde’s face darkened, and the others wanted to laugh but held it back.

Liu Jingming’s face was also a little distorted. He endured it and continued to introduce, “This is Ouyang Chu, the son of the Prime Minister.”

“Young Master Ouyang,” Zhang Hao cupped his fist in greeting.

Ouyang Chu’s face was still a little flushed from holding back his laughter, and he said with a twitch at the corner of his mouth, “Young Master Zhang, I’ve heard so much about you.”

Zhang Hao smiled, “Young Master Ouyang has really heard of my name?”

Ouyang Chu said seriously, “Yes, even His Majesty has heard of your great name. Young Master Zhang, everyone says you want to use Mystic Iron to pursue the princess.”

At the end, a hint of teasing smile appeared on Ouyang Chu’s face.

Wait, pursue the princess? Zhang Hao looked dumbfounded. He was only wary of the princess. She even wanted to throw him into the sea to feed the fish. He kept his distance from such an aggressive princess.

Liu Jingming smiled faintly and continued to introduce, “This is Shu Bannan, a personal guard of General Wu and one of General Wu’s disciples.”

So this was a senior brother?

Zhang Hao’s expression became serious. He suppressed the churning inner energy in his meridians and was about to pay his respects seriously.

Unexpectedly, Shu Bannan jumped away, “Young Master Zhang, you’re going to kill me. I’m just a guard. The City Lord is just being polite.”

Zhang Hao said very seriously, “There is no order of precedence in learning; those who have attained are first.

Senior Brother Shu!”

Shu Bannan, who was still dodging, had no choice but to cup his fist in return, “Junior Brother Zhang.”

Then, the two smiled at each other.

But with this commotion, the true essence in Zhang Hao’s body began to boil, and it looked like he couldn’t suppress it anymore.

Beside him, City Lord Liu Jingming continued to smile. Zhang Hao’s performance was very good.

And Wei Zirong, who came from the Jinyang Kingdom, narrowed his eyes slightly after hearing Zhang Hao’s words, ‘There is no order of precedence in learning; those who have attained are first’: This kid, was he pretending to be stupid just now?

“After Zhang Hao got up, Liu Jingming continued to introduce,”This one should be very familiar, the guard beside the princess, Hu Yinglan.”

Zhang Hao immediately put on a sweet smile, “Hello, Sister.”

Hu Yinglan kept a straight face and didn’t make any expression; but a hint of joy still flashed in her eyes.

Ouyang Chu silently gave Zhang Hao a thumbs up—your skin is thick enough; you really are a talent! This young master admits defeat!

But before Zhang Hao could speak again, Hu Yinglan suddenly spoke, her tone very unfamiliar, “Zhang Hao, I have three purposes for coming today.

First, to congratulate the Zhang family on having a Nascent Soul cultivator. And to present a small gift, two Immaculate Pills.”

Immaculate Pills? Hearing this name, Zhang Shengde’s eyes lit up.

The human body has impurities; this is a common problem for mortals. Only the legendary immortals have immaculate bodies.

Immaculate, pure and flawless, is a perfect state of cultivation. And the Immaculate Pill can allow people to briefly experience this feeling. This is crucial for the cultivation of cultivators above the Nascent Soul stage.

One Immaculate Pill is worth more than ten Nascent Formation Pills!

Moreover, Immaculate Pills are truly priceless and generally not sold to outsiders.

Zhang Hao thought for a moment, but still took the jade box with both hands and thanked the princess. But this action made Zhang Hao’s face look bad—the true essence in his body was about to go out of control.

This was a sign of impending cultivation deviation.

He should immediately sit down cross-legged, cultivate his mind, and recite the Heart-Clearing Mantra. But obviously, this wasn’t realistic.

Hu Yinglan continued, “Secondly, to bring the princess’s original words—‘Develop with peace of mind. I believe the Zhang family will definitely achieve something. This princess has already spoken to my teacher, Ouyang Qingque, and will give the Zhang family some care.’

Ouyang Qingque is the Prime Minister’s younger sister and Ouyang Chu’s aunt.”

Zhang Hao nodded slightly and also looked at Ouyang Chu, seeing a bright smile.

“Third, after this Eastern Expedition, the Crown Prince of the Jinyang Kingdom will marry the princess and make her the Crown Princess. In the future, the princess will be the Empress of the Jinyang Kingdom.

Zhang Hao, I know the princess appreciates you, but in the future, please forget about the princess. It’s good for the princess, and it’s good for you.”

What?

Zhang Hao was shocked! The princess was the only one who temporarily supported the Age of Exploration!

“Under the excitement, Zhang Hao could no longer suppress the restless true essence in his body.

The true essence was about to become chaotic.

At this moment, a wisp of oceanic essence about to dissipate in his dantian suddenly surged upwards, breaking through the restless true essence, wrapping most of the restless true essence and a large mass of dirty blood, and spewing it out of Zhang Hao’s mouth. (Oceanic essence, see Chapter 11)

“With a mouthful of dirty blood spewed out, Zhang Hao’s restless true essence instantly calmed down. Although most of the oceanic essence had dissipated, it still saved Zhang Hao from the crisis of cultivation deviation.

But the way others looked at Zhang Hao was… wrong.

Especially Hu Yinglan. Most of Zhang Hao’s dirty blood splattered on Hu Yinglan’s chest.

But Hu Yinglan wasn’t angry. The look in her eyes towards Zhang Hao was only… pity.

Chapter 61: Rumors

A mouthful of blood sprayed out, and everyone’s gaze towards Zhang Hao changed in an instant, mostly containing a bit of pity.

Hu Yinglan looked at the blood staining her clothes, but instead of getting angry, she sighed, “Zhang Hao, I will convey your deep affection for the princess. But the princess’s marriage is not something she can decide for herself.

Royal marriages are the inescapable and only destiny of all princesses.”

Zhang Hao, looking pale, nodded and said to those around him, “Father, City Lord, Senior Brother, Young Master Ouyang, Mr. Wei, I’ll take my leave first.”

He then cupped his fist towards Hu Yinglan and strode out of the house.

Zhang Hao felt regret. The princess was the only high-ranking official he had contacted who had ideas about the Age of Exploration.

Facing the vast and dangerous Death Green Sea, relying solely on the Zhang family’s strength was like trying to put out a fire with a cup of water. Only by leveraging the power of the nation could a route of hope be opened on this dangerous Death Green Sea.

But now, the plan had just begun and had already suffered several setbacks!

“If the princess won’t work, there’s a second option, and that’s… the Guild!” Zhang Hao gritted his teeth inwardly.

Returning to his room, Zhang Hao immediately went into secluded cultivation. After such a disturbance, Zhang Hao faintly felt himself touching the threshold of the Foundation Establishment stage.

But remembering what his father had said, and after opening the Annotations on the Essentials of Qi Refining given to him by his cheap master Mingxu, he looked at the Foundation Establishment section and immediately began to compress his true essence.

He took the Lesser Spirit Yuan Pill and Foundation Establishment Pill together, suppressing his true essence and realm.

He would only break through to the Foundation Establishment stage when he could no longer suppress it.

A Foundation Establishment stage breakthrough like this would have a solid foundation; whether it was the quality or quantity of true essence, or combat power, it would be ten times that of an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Ordinary cultivators struggled to find even one Foundation Establishment Pill when breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage, wanting to break through as quickly as possible.

But Zhang Hao was different. He ate Foundation Establishment Pills and Lesser Spirit Yuan Pills like candy… The gap was widened from the very beginning.

…

Meanwhile, back in the living room, after Zhang Hao left, everyone looked at each other.

After a while, Wei Zirong, the Junior Tutor of the Crown Prince of Jinyang Kingdom, coughed twice and said somewhat awkwardly to Zhang Shengde, whose face was dark, “Zhang Family Head, the reason I came this time is to ask if the Zhang family’s Mystic Iron smelting technology is for sale?”

“You can’t afford it!” Zhang Shengde’s face was unpleasant, and his tone was even worse.

In Zhang Shengde’s eyes, his son had just vomited blood, and this guy was still chattering on about something. Also, the princess was getting married, right? Was his son not qualified enough? The Zhang family’s current Mystic Iron production was comparable to the entire country’s; was that qualification enough!

But Wei Zirong had no choice; he had a mission. Although Zhang Shengde’s words were hard to swallow, he still continued with a smile, “I was being reckless. Then, if we were to purchase on a large scale…”

“The Zhang family has clearly marked prices; Mr. Wei shouldn’t be unaware, right? If you want to make a donation, then please don’t mention it. The Zhang family is a pillar of the Qixia Kingdom and has no obligation or responsibility to donate to the Jinyang Kingdom!”

Wei Zirong gritted his teeth, but still forced a smile on his face. “No, no, no, Zhang Family Head, you misunderstand. I just want to purchase directly from the Zhang family.

As you know, the price of Mystic Iron will increase by at least twenty percent once it reaches our Jinyang Kingdom.”

“That has nothing to do with me. We are not responsible for the price of Mystic Iron after it is sold, unless there is a quality issue.”

“That’s why we want to purchase directly from the Zhang family.” Wei Zirong wanted to kill someone, but at this moment, he had to keep smiling.

Zhang Shengde continued to shake his head. “All of the Zhang family’s and Ninghe County’s Mystic Iron is sold through the Guild. If you want to purchase it, go to the Guild.

But whether you are qualified to purchase it is not up to me. Your country should issue a formal note to our Emperor and obtain the permission of the City Lord of Ninghe County.

As long as you show that you have obtained these two permissions, the Zhang family is happy to do business with friends from all directions.”

Beside him, City Lord Liu Jingming smiled happily—Old Zhang, you handled that well. When we get back, let’s have a good celebration.

Wei Zirong’s face turned black. Today’s matter… was a complete failure.

He really didn’t expect Zhang Shengde to be so cunning!

Zhang Shengde turned to look at Ouyang Chu and Shu Bannan.

Shu Bannan immediately bowed. “The Great General asked me to come and see if anything went wrong.”

Zhang Shengde immediately expressed his gratitude to Wu Fanghai and Shu Bannan.

Ouyang Chu then said, “My father is quite concerned about the Zhang family, but he can’t leave, so he asked me to come and see. If the Zhang family has any difficulties, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

Zhang Shengde quickly expressed his gratitude. “Thank you for the Prime Minister’s concern, and thanks to the City Lord’s care, we are doing well.”

Liu Jingming immediately smiled. Those were nice words to hear~

In reality, Ouyang Chu was testing the Zhang family, seeing if they had any potential for political co-option; while Zhang Shengde was saying: I don’t care about the court; our Zhang family is just a small family in Ninghe County, and we are directly responsible to the City Lord.

The Prime Minister and such are too far away from us.

So Ouyang Chu’s expression wasn’t very bright. He returned a simple greeting and stood to the side.

Seeing this, Liu Jingming quickly offered his farewells.

The group came and went in a hurry; after seeing them off, Zhang Shengde immediately went to Zhang Hao’s room, but saw that the door was tightly closed, with guards on alert beside it.

“Master, the young master is cultivating. He is no longer in any serious danger,” a guard immediately reported.

Zhang Shengde nodded, waited outside for a while, silently sensed the situation inside the room with his spiritual sense, and then left with a smile.

Coming to the outside of the courtyard, Zhang Shengde looked at the shipbuilders and others who had initially settled down, and a sense of emotion welled up in his heart—Son, forget about the princess. Let’s work together on this Age of Exploration plan, father and son.

…

Zhang Hao cultivated for two days straight, but not long after he opened his eyes, he saw Zhang Han rushing over, his tone hurried.

“Little brother, little brother, something bad has happened! Rumors have suddenly sprung up all over Ninghe County. Everyone is saying that father encountered a minor heavenly tribulation when he was undergoing his tribulation, and that it must be because our family has done something that goes against heaven’s will.

That remnant of the Qian family, Qian Mingjue, has also jumped out, saying that our Zhang family used unscrupulous means to force the Qian family away and obtained a new smelting technology from the Qian family, and even heaven can’t stand it anymore.

Now the storm is getting worse and worse, and the situation is serious. Many commoners are also making trouble, saying that the devaluation of the Mystic Iron coins is the Zhang family’s doing, and there are even rumors of ‘Zhang the Skinflint’ spreading.

The chief disciple of the Nine Sun Sect’s master, Yun Juezi, has also come on behalf of the Nine Sun Sect and is currently a guest at the City Lord’s mansion.

City Lord’s guard Feng Dongyuan has already arrived at the door, asking us to go over.”

Zhang Hao calmly stood at the door, thought for a moment, and said, “This matter is definitely not simple… It looks like the Qian family’s remnants are causing trouble, but for the Qian family’s remnants to jump out so hastily is simply courting death; it doesn’t make sense.

My sworn brother, Great General Wu, said that anyone who causes trouble now will have their entire family killed!”

As he spoke, Zhang Hao’s eyes turned cold. “Who gave the Qian family’s remnants this courage!”

“Could it be the Nine Sun Sect? Wanting to get our technology?” Zhang Han said.

Zhang Hao shook his head. “If the Nine Sun Sect wanted to cause trouble, they wouldn’t have waited until now; they would have done it a month ago. Now that the Eastern Expedition is about to begin, and I’ve also been adopted by Great General Wu, and the Zhang family is undertaking the task of providing five thousand tons of Mystic Iron; the Nine Sun Sect wouldn’t be so irrational.”

Zhang Han’s expression gradually darkened. “In that case, it can only be a foreign power?”

Zhang Hao nodded. “It’s very likely that spies from the Canglan Kingdom or the Taihua Kingdom, or others, gave Qian Mingjue some kind of promise!”

Chapter 62: Yun Juezi

(Bill: 19 updates)

(Explanation: Earlier it was said that the country was six thousand li square, which can be seen as six thousand by six thousand square li. Not six thousand square li total. Thanks for everyone’s feedback.)

Zhang Shengde had to stay at the Zhang family to prevent accidents, so Zhang Hao could only go alone.

Feng Dongyuan grabbed Zhang Hao, stepped on the white clouds, and flew into the sky with a whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, without considering Zhang Hao’s feelings at all.

Feng Dongyuan, as always, had a cold face, expressing his feelings with practical actions.

The cold wind kept pouring into Zhang Hao’s collar, and Zhang Hao helplessly added a small true essence shield to himself, cautiously opening his mouth, “General Feng, Zhang Hao has always had a question, do you have any misunderstandings about the Zhang family?”

“No, I was born with a cold face!”

Zhang Hao rolled his eyes at this answer, “Then does General Feng have any suggestions for the Zhang family?”

“No, your family is developing very well.”

Zhang Hao sighed deeply: “Do you like the princess?”

Shua… The flying cloud began to drift, rolling twice in the sky, and Zhang Hao felt dizzy.

Fortunately, the flying cloud quickly stabilized, and Feng Dongyuan also calmed down. His tone was faint, with a bit of unspeakable bitterness and sarcasm: “I heard you vomited blood?”

Zhang Hao… Can we not mention this?

“Are you okay?” Feng Dongyuan’s voice was surprisingly gentle, showing concern for others.

You’ve all misunderstood! Zhang Hao was struggling inwardly, but this matter… Okay, since you all think so, then let it be. It’s not bad to let others understand a wrong version of himself.

Thinking of this, Zhang Hao sighed leisurely: “Unfortunately, with my status, I would be satisfied just to see the princess from afar.”

Feng Dongyuan was silent for a while before saying, “At least the princess went to see the sea with you.”

A ridiculous rage suddenly rose in Zhang Hao’s heart: Damn it, just because of this? Can’t you be a little more promising! Okay, I won’t argue with you, you love-struck fool.

Zhang Hao sighed and stopped talking.

Feng Dongyuan took Zhang Hao to Ninghe County in one breath. When passing the city wall, he stopped to show the token; he continued to fly to the gate of the City Lord’s Mansion before pressing down the cloud and walking in step by step.

When Zhang Hao met the City Lord, Liu Jingming was talking to a man who looked about thirty years old.

Seeing Zhang Hao coming, Liu Jingming immediately greeted him happily: “Zhang Hao, come, let me introduce you. This is Yun Juezi, the chief disciple of the Nine Sun Sect.”

Then he turned to Yun Juezi and said, “This is Zhang Hao, he is a genius of our Ninghe County.”

Before Zhang Hao could speak, Yun Juezi stood up and took the initiative to say: “I have heard of you for a long time. Before coming to the City Lord’s Mansion, I went to the guild. Everyone said that the establishment of the guild and the proposal of patents are all thanks to ‘Steward Zhang’.”

Steward Zhang? Zhang Hao narrowed his eyes. Is this going to be handled officially?

Zhang Hao quickly saluted: “Daoist is too kind, I just made a few suggestions, which everyone has jointly improved.”

Liu Jingming quickly smoothed things over, “Alright, alright. Zhang Hao, Yun Juezi is here just to ask a question on behalf of the Nine Sun Sect: How true is the rumor?

If the Zhang family really obtained some kind of technology from the Qian family by unscrupulous means, then the Nine Sun Sect will uphold justice on behalf of Qian Mingjue.

If Qian Mingjue is talking nonsense, then the Nine Sun Sect will clean up its ranks and restore the Zhang family’s innocence.”

So that’s it! Zhang Hao breathed a sigh of relief. If the Nine Sun Sect could come forward, it would save the Zhang family a lot of trouble.

Zhang Hao immediately recounted the Qian family’s unscrupulous demands for the Zhang family’s water forging technique, and finally said: “Even our publicly available water forging technique was obtained by the Qian family by unscrupulous means. It is naturally impossible for us to have obtained our other technologies from the Qian family.”

Yun Juezi nodded: “Understood.”

Suddenly, Yun Juezi stood up and took out a scroll of “edict” from his wide sleeves, “Hereby announce the Nine Sun Sect Leader’s edict, expelling Qian Mingjue from today onwards. The Nine Sun Sect has no further relationship with Qian Mingjue.”

Zhang Hao frowned. Just announcing the sect leader’s edict? Isn’t there any more action?

Yun Juezi saw Zhang Hao frowning and smiled embarrassedly: “Sorry, because Qian Mingjue was not originally a disciple of the Nine Sun Sect. His relationship… tsk… is all due to the Second Elder’s romantic debts. In short, Qian Mingjue has no direct relationship with the Nine Sun Sect, and we have no reason to take action. All we can do is clear our relationship.

The mastermind behind this matter is not simple.”

“Oh, Daoist Yun Juezi thinks there is a mastermind behind this matter?”

“If you didn’t think of that, then I would be too disappointed.”

The two looked at each other. After a long time, Zhang Hao smiled: “That’s what I thought too. How dare a remnant of the Qian family cause trouble at this time? Who gave him the courage!

Originally, I thought it was… cough, cough…”

Yun Juezi snorted: “Don’t worry, the Nine Sun Sect will not hold back at this critical moment. We are also investigating this mastermind, but the other party is hiding very deeply.

So we don’t plan to move Qian Mingjue for the time being, we want to play the long game and catch a big fish. Therefore, we also hope to discuss it with the Zhang family.”

“I agree on behalf of the Zhang family!” Zhang Hao did not hesitate. Enemies in the open are not scary, the scariest thing is the poisonous snake hidden in the dark.

The City Lord also stated that he would do his best to dig out this third hand hidden in the darkness.

The three parties reached an agreement, and the atmosphere became lively.

After chatting for a while, the atmosphere picked up, and Yun Juezi suddenly said: “Brother Zhang, my secular name is Zhou Jue, my father is Zhou Shuhai of Xinglintang. I have something I want to ask Brother Zhang.”

Xinglintang, Zhou Shuhai?

Zhang Hao blinked, who is that?

“Sorry, I haven’t been in this world for very long, and I usually only pay attention to my own little world. I really don’t pay much attention to other places.”

Fortunately, Liu Jingming reacted quickly, immediately “surprised”: “Xinglintang? Is that the largest gathering place of folk alchemists in Xingchang County? Zhou Shuhai, is he the number one alchemist in this Xinglintang?”

Zhang Hao suddenly realized that this Yun Juezi had such an extraordinary background.

Zhang Hao gave Liu Jingming a grateful look, and was greeted by Yun Juezi’s teasing eyes. You are so ignorant that you haven’t even heard of Xinglintang and Zhou Shuhai.

A little bit of not very comprehensive information emerged from Zhang Hao’s mind; this should be the memory of the former body:

Xingchang County, located in the southeast of the Qixia Kingdom, bordering the Jinyang Kingdom and the Danyang Kingdom, is the number one county for foreign exchanges in the Qixia Kingdom. Seventy percent of the trade routes between the Qixia Kingdom and the East pass through here.

Xinglintang is one of the most influential folk organizations in Xingchang County. Many high-end elixirs in the Qixia Kingdom flow out from here. However, Xinglintang is very low-key, and ordinary people rarely hear about it; but among experts and aristocratic families, it is like thunder.

If you haven’t heard of it, then it can only be said… you are a country bumpkin.

Zhang Hao’s expression did not change. He has heard of it now.

Therefore, Zhang Hao sent a bright smile to Yun Juezi, that is Zhou Jue, without any apology.

Yun Juezi smiled and asked: “Zhang Hao, I want to ask, can the Zhang family now produce Mystic Iron with a purity of more than ninety-nine percent?”

Chapter 63: A Deceptive Maneuver

Mu Yingying followed Mu Mingchen around the guild, her eyes wide with shock.

Since selling the shipbuilding workshop, Mu Yingying had been learning at Mu Mingchen’s side. However, she had been feeling a bit tired recently, because the Mystic Iron market was changing too rapidly.

With the spread of water forging, the Mystic Iron market was fluctuating not just in the Qixia Kingdom, but in other countries as well.

But the biggest impact was still in the Qixia Kingdom, and especially in Ninghe County.

In particular, after the Ninghe County Mystic Iron Guild appeared, the price of Mystic Iron and the Mystic Iron market were brought under control. The Mystic Iron purchasers from all over could no longer privately drive down prices.

Some said, “Then we’ll just go to other counties to purchase Mystic Iron. It’s not like Ninghe County has a monopoly on it.”

But the problem was—the price in Ninghe County was still the cheapest, and the quality was really good!

“Putting everything else aside, those ingots with their sharp edges just look pleasing.”

The large ones weighed a ton, and the small ones weighed a couple of hundred grams. But all the ingots were square and neat, without the strange shapes that came from forging in the past. This kind of Mystic Iron was also convenient for transportation.

“Most importantly, the Mystic Iron we refine comes out with this purity. You can buy it and continue to forge it. Other Mystic Iron can’t do that. And our prices are even cheaper.”

The manager of a small family spoke eloquently, making Mu Yingying’s heart flutter.

The manager continued excitedly, “Let me tell you, not counting the Zhang family, yesterday alone we sold about five hundred tons of Mystic Iron. Our family sold more than sixty tons!”

“That much?” Mu Yingying was a little surprised. Five hundred tons a day, that’s fifteen thousand tons a month! A Mystic Iron Guild in Ninghe County could actually supply three hundred percent of the Qixia Kingdom’s Mystic Iron needs!

“Actually, most of this Mystic Iron, apart from some supplied to the Qixia Kingdom internally, is transported to the surrounding countries. More precisely, to the other five western countries. Everyone is frantically preparing for war.”

After walking around, Mu Yingying stopped in front of the stone wall engraved with patent clauses, utterly shocked.

“Surprised?” A faint, beautiful voice floated over, along with a subtle fragrance.

“Fairy Mei is here.” Mu Mingchen quickly greeted, “Since signing the credit terms last time, I haven’t seen Fairy Mei again. I’ve really been longing for your presence.”

“Hmph, easy to say!” Mei Qianyun snorted lightly, “If you really wanted to, you could go to Jade Snow Villa.”

“Haha… Then I’ll definitely visit shamelessly next time.” Mu Mingchen said, then told Mu Yingying, “Yingying, greet Fairy Mei.”

“Greetings, Fairy Mei.” Mu Yingying respectfully greeted.

Mei Qianyun helped Mu Yingying up, smiling gently, “This little girl is good. Don’t learn from some old geezer, with his glib tongue.”

Mu Mingchen touched his nose.

Mu Yingying, however, was quick-witted and quickly changed the subject, “Did Fairy Mei also come to see this patent clause?”

“Yes.” Mei Qianyun nodded slightly, “This patent clause is a stroke of genius. Only a dozen days after the patent was created, the Mystic Iron Guild has already undergone earth-shattering changes.

I think the Jade Snow Villa can also learn from it.”

Mu Mingchen shook his head, “I don’t think it will be very ideal. This kind of patent method is not suitable for families, sects, and other internal organizations; it is suitable for family consortiums and the like. Like this Mystic Iron Guild.

If the country could also adopt it…”

“That’s not realistic!” Mei Qianyun directly denied, changing the subject, “Fellow Daoist Mu, can I ask you something?”

“Fairy, please speak.”

“Then I’ll be presumptuous. We have an idea to unite the families, businesses, and other organizations in the magical treasures forging field and establish a guild as well. I wonder what you think?”

Mu Mingchen was shocked.

As Mei Qianyun was speaking, a huge commotion came from outside the door, like endless waves.

Mu Mingchen retracted the words that were about to come out of his mouth, “What happened outside?”

Coming to the gate, they saw thousands of people besieging the Mystic Iron Guild.

To be precise, most of the people were attacking with various tools, while the guards of the Mystic Iron Guild were defending.

Most of the people were cultivators below the sixth level of Qi Refining, or even the fifth level; many of the guards were Foundation Establishment stage cultivators. Temporarily defending was no problem, but so many people causing trouble was a first.

Mei Qianyun opened her spiritual sense. Within the range of her spiritual sense, there were only angry people.

The people were shouting the Zhang family’s name, constantly cursing; they were even insulting the Mystic Iron Guild.

Mei Qianyun listened carefully and gradually frowned: In the end, it was still a problem with Mystic Iron; the advancement of Mystic Iron production technology led to the continuous devaluation of Mystic Iron coins.

First, the Zhang family publicly released water forging, causing the price of Mystic Iron coins to decline; later, although the Mystic Iron Guild appeared and raised the price of Mystic Iron a bit, the value of ordinary low-grade Mystic Iron did not change much—and Mystic Iron coins were made of low-grade Mystic Iron.

In the past few days, the Mystic Iron Guild’s technology has improved again, causing the value of sixty percent purity Mystic Iron to fall again, and the value of Mystic Iron coins, of course, has also fallen.

This made the ordinary people unhappy! This was really a case of sitting at home and having disaster fall from the sky—we didn’t do anything, and the money is worthless, devalued by as much as thirty percent!

“And now the most serious problem is—even if it’s devalued, this Mystic Iron market is still unstable, and people’s confidence in the currency is beginning to waver.”

Mei Qianyun and Mu Mingchen exchanged glances. The two of them might not fully understand the market significance of currency, but from a high-level perspective, they also knew this was a big deal:

“This is troublesome!”

Mu Mingchen clicked his tongue, “If this matter isn’t handled well, we can forget about the eastern expedition. I’m afraid there will be internal strife!”

Mei Qianyun thought for a while, “I don’t think this matter is simple. When have the people ever been so united?!”

Mu Mingchen looked at the soldiers rushing over from all directions and frowned slightly.

…………

In the City Lord’s mansion, Zhang Hao and Zhou Jue (Yun Juezi) were talking.

Zhang Hao was very emotional. What is called a “noble family” was vividly reflected in Zhou Jue. He himself was the young master of ‘Apricot Grove Hall’, and now he was also the chief disciple of the Nine Sun Sect’s leader.

In a sense, Zhou Jue’s identity was comparable to that of a crown prince!

“Wait, can the Great Navigation Plan get a new opportunity from Zhou Jue?”

Zhang Hao was thoughtful.

Because of these thoughts, when he heard Zhou Jue asking whether the Zhang family could produce ninety-nine percent purity Mystic Iron, Zhang Hao immediately said, “I need five days to answer this question!”

Zhou Jue was slightly stunned when he heard Zhang Hao’s answer, and then laughed heartily, “This is the most sincere answer I’ve ever heard! Then I’ll wait… ten days!”

Zhang Hao asked, “I wonder how much Brother Zhou needs? May I ask what it’s for? Are there any special requirements?”

“It’s for making an alchemy furnace. The quantity is, of course, the more the better. Special requirements… I don’t think so.”

Zhang Hao immediately showed his professional side, “Since it’s for alchemy, then some impurities can’t be contained in it, right? For example, sulfur, arsenic, cinnabar?”

Sulfur is the element sulfur; arsenic contains the elements sulfur and arsenic; cinnabar is mainly the element mercury. In order to make it easier for the other party to understand, Zhang Hao used common substances to refer to these elements.

Hearing Zhang Hao ask this, Zhou Jue put away his smile, “I didn’t expect that Brother Zhang even knows this. The Zhang family’s Mystic Iron smelting technology is something to look forward to. Then I wonder how long Brother Zhang needs to answer about this kind of Mystic Iron?”

The relationship between the two sides was getting closer and closer, Zhang Hao thought about it…

But at this moment, a guard rushed in, supporting a person covered in blood and shouting, “City Lord, something bad has happened, someone is besieging the Zhang family, we can’t hold them back!”

Zhang Hao stood up with a whoosh, his face changing drastically.

City Lord Liu Jingming gritted his teeth, “What a deceptive maneuver! So their target is the Zhang family! Feng Dongyuan, immediately lead the inner guards to set off, be sure to ensure the safety of the Zhang family, especially to ensure that the technology is not leaked!”

“Yes!” Feng Dongyuan did not hesitate.

After a while, Liu Jingming said to Zhang Hao, “Zhang Hao, you wait here, I’ll go take a look.”

Zhang Hao thanked him. His cultivation was not high now, and he couldn’t help much even if he went back.

Liu Jingming was about to leave, Zhou Jue got up, “I’ll go take a look too, it’s been a long time since I’ve done anything.”

Chapter 64: A Battle of Cultivators

Liu Jingming and Zhou Jue moved with lightning speed, Zhang Hao held by Zhou Jue on her flying sword.

Zhang Hao was speechless. It really was a case of comparing people to death. This Zhou Jue was actually a mid-stage Nascent Soul expert, even a level higher than Liu Jingming.

First, there was a mid-stage Nascent Soul princess, and now there was Zhou Jue, also mid-stage Nascent Soul. Zhang Hao was beyond complaining.

However, he wasn’t in the mood to complain right now.

Originally, Zhang Hao hadn’t planned to leave. He wanted to hire some manpower from the Night Moon Pavilion. But Zhou Jue had dragged him away, saying, “If the enemy can come silently, there shouldn’t be too many of them. I’m enough. Right now, time is of the essence.”

The speed of a Nascent Soul cultivator flying on a sword was at least three hundred kilometers per hour. It only took about ten minutes to reach Changshan Town.

From afar, Zhang Hao could hear shouts, screams, and the clash of weapons.

In the high sky, Zhang Shengde was fighting desperately against a black-clad figure. Although Zhang Shengde was retreating steadily, he was holding the black-clad figure back.

But there were still several black-clad experts besieging the smelting base.

In front of the smelting base, Zhang Shengye, his chest covered in blood, was shouting hoarsely. The Zhang family, relying on their considerable wealth, had set up an array barrier, protecting the smelting base firmly.

But at this moment, large sections of the defensive barrier had collapsed. He could see overturned smelting furnaces, dead and injured craftsmen, and some craftsmen screaming and writhing as the high-temperature molten iron directly melted their limbs.

Steam engines exploded, and high-temperature steam scalded dozens of craftsmen.

But the battle outside continued, and no one went to rescue them.

When the masked men in black saw the City Lord and Zhou Jue flying over, they immediately shouted.

Zhang Shengde roared, and the flying sword in his hand suddenly burst out with a ten-zhang-long cold light, sweeping wildly. But the opponent curled up, and a shield appeared on the surface of his body.

The sword light struck the shield, erupting in a dazzling light. The opponent took the opportunity to retreat back into the ranks of the black-clad figures.

Zhang Shengye shouted, “Release!”

A rain of arrows, flashing with the luster of magical treasures, flew overwhelmingly, and many black-clad figures screamed as they were pierced by the arrows.

A ring of crossbows was the only means of deterrence the Zhang family temporarily possessed. These crossbows, which utilized pulleys and bearings, could pose a fatal threat to Golden Core experts.

The town head, with the town’s few guards, was standing by – better than nothing.

Nearby, the newly settled shipwrights, led by a middle-aged man, firmly guarded half of the smelting area’s barrier. Seven or eight hundred shipwrights and their families were clumsily confronting dozens of black-clad assassins, and many craftsmen had already fallen.

Zhang Han led more than two hundred Zhang family elites, charging left and right. But the black-clad figures were few in number, yet each was an expert. Zhang Han wielded his extended horse-chopping saber wildly, but was blocked by an expert using a long staff.

Behind the many black-clad figures, one held a blood-red mirror. At this moment, the mirror suddenly erupted with a blood-red sword light, which instantly struck Zhang Shengde, who was in a weakened state after his earlier burst of power.

The sword light directly pierced Zhang Shengde’s chest.

Zhang Shengde screamed and fell from the sky.

“You dare!” Liu Jingming roared. Thousands of meters away, the flying sword in his hand transformed into lightning and flew out. The battle-hardened Liu Jingming controlled the flying sword, making several turns, and then suddenly reversed direction.

The expert with the mirror didn’t even have time to dodge before his head flew into the air.

The flying sword turned nimbly and was about to snatch the mirror.

Unexpectedly, the black-clad figures below suddenly formed a formation, and a hazy blood-colored light rose into the air, actually trapping Liu Jingming’s flying sword.

The expert who had been repelled by Zhang Shengde earlier suddenly jumped up and grabbed at Liu Jingming’s flying sword.

“Hmph!” Zhou Jue snorted coldly, “Go!”

A jade talisman flew out and, with a crackling sound, transformed into a dazzling lightning bolt. The lightning instantly struck the black-clad figure, who screamed and rolled away.

Liu Jingming seized the opportunity to recall his flying sword, which immediately flew around, and half of the black-clad figures who had just formed the formation immediately fell.

But the black-clad figures’ offensive against the Zhang family did not slow down. It even became more frantic.

Suddenly, in front of Zhang Shengye, several black-clad figures burst forth. These hidden Golden Core experts finally revealed their ferocity at the last moment.

One person directly crossed the giant crossbows and arrived in front of Zhang Shengye, grabbing him.

But before this person could rejoice, a flying sword sliced off his head. Zhou Jue slowly landed, and with her flying sword moving horizontally and vertically, she blocked the black-clad figures’ offensive and took out a pill for Zhang Shengye to swallow.

“Thank you,” Zhang Shengye squeezed out a difficult smile.

“Second Uncle,” Zhang Hao followed Zhou Jue down and helped Zhang Shengye to sit down.

“Go see your father.”

Zhang Hao immediately said, “City Lord has already gone over. His injuries are stable.”

“Ah…” Zhang Shengye sat down, grimacing. His chest was almost torn apart, but the bleeding had stopped.

“Careless!” Zhang Shengye sighed again and continued to direct the battle.

With the addition of the City Lord and Zhou Jue, two experts, the black-clad figures’ arrogance was finally suppressed. But with fewer people, they were stretched thin.

After about ten minutes, Feng Dongyuan arrived with a large number of City Lord’s Mansion guards, and the situation finally stabilized.

The more than one hundred guards led by Feng Dongyuan were all Golden Core cultivators. After these guards arrived, they did not immediately launch an attack, but formed an array.

An array that Zhang Hao didn’t understand formed, and then hundreds of sword lights erupted, forming a crazy storm of blades.

A storm of blades, three zhang thick and more than thirty zhang long, swept across like a whip, and the black-clad figures screamed as they were twisted into pieces, their blood splattering across the sky.

After the storm of blades passed, the number of black-clad figures was reduced by one-tenth.

The morale of the black-clad figures finally began to decline rapidly.

A second storm of blades was brewing…

Hidden in the dark, Zhuang Yunwen, a spy from the Canglan Kingdom, took a deep breath and muttered to himself, “Failure is at hand. I didn’t expect even Zhou Jue to come. Miscalculation!

But I can’t give up just like that!

I have to think of a way, think of a way. This is the only chance!”

As he spoke, Zhuang Yunwen saw the staggering Zhang Shengde.

At this moment, Zhang Hao and Zhang Shengye were together, protected by Zhou Jue in front.

Liu Jingming stood high in the sky, overlooking the entire battlefield.

Zhang Han and Dugu Junjie each led a team in battle, or rather, slaughtering the black-clad figures.

The staggering Zhang Shengde seemed to be unnoticed for a moment.

Zhuang Yunwen’s heart stirred: With my peak Golden Core strength, I should be able to subdue the seriously injured Zhang Shengde!

Zhuang Yunwen carefully concealed himself, quietly approaching, getting closer and closer. Now was the time…

Whoosh… A flying sword pierced Zhuang Yunwen’s chest. He looked up and saw Zhang Shengde’s blood-stained smile, a smile with indescribable mockery, “You really jumped out! A Nascent Soul cultivator is still a Nascent Soul cultivator. Although my body is injured, my spiritual sense isn’t!”

Zhuang Yunwen endured the severe pain and retreated madly, but an iron rod struck him from behind.

Bang~~~

Zhuang Yunwen’s eyes rolled back, and he collapsed to the ground.

Behind him, a Zhang family guard dropped the iron rod and helped Zhang Shengde forward.

Another guard sealed Zhuang Yunwen’s cultivation and tied him up, dragging him away.

Chapter 65: Military Orders are Like Mountains

“(Bill: 21 more chapters.)”

Outside the imperial capital of the Qixia Kingdom, Grand General Wu Fanghai gently placed the intelligence report in his hand, sighed, and asked Shu Bannan beside him, “How long will it take for the Zhang family to restore production?”

“They say it will take at least five days.”

“Were they able to extract any useful information during the interrogation?”

Shu Bannan flipped through another piece of information: “Yes, Zhou Jue personally conducted the interrogation. A man named Zhuang Yunwen from the Canglan Kingdom orchestrated the attack, seeking to obtain the smelting technology from the Zhang family.

Fortunately, the technology was not leaked.”

Wu Fanghai breathed a sigh of relief: “What about the extent of the damage?”

“Half of the smelting equipment was severely damaged, and over one hundred artisans were killed or injured, nearly one-tenth of the core artisans. Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye were seriously injured. Zhang Hao and Zhang Han are holding things together for now.”

Wu Fanghai thought for a moment, took a deep breath, and said in a serious tone, “Tell Zhang Hao that military orders are like mountains; sixty days means sixty days, regardless of what misfortunes they encounter.

However, in my personal capacity, send ten ‘Mind Nourishing Pills’ to the Zhang family, and wish Zhang Shengde a speedy recovery.”

“Mind Nourishing Pills?” Shu Bannan was shocked. “General, the Mind Nourishing Pills were given to you by His Majesty to regulate your body and stabilize your Nascent Soul. Zhang Shengde has only just broken through to the Nascent Soul stage and doesn’t even have a nascent soul yet. These Mind Nourishing Pills… are a bit… wasteful…”

“I told you to go, so go! Why are you talking so much nonsense!” Wu Fanghai was a bit hot-tempered.

But after venting his anger, Wu Fanghai sighed again: “If you want the horse to run fast, you have to feed it well. The ten Mind Nourishing Pills are what the Zhang family deserves.”

“But General, what about you?”

“Hehe, I still have plenty of pills on me.”

Shu Bannan thought for a moment and said, “Then giving the Zhang family three pills should be enough. These Mind Nourishing Pills are even more precious than Immaculate Pills.”

“Oh… then three it is.”

After Shu Bannan left, Wu Fanghai looked to the east and sighed softly, muttering to himself, “Attacking the Zhang family, so the Canglan Kingdom is taking the initiative. Does this mean that the Eastern nations are no longer passively defending?

Or is it that our great progress in Mystic Iron technology has aroused their vigilance?

“If the Eastern nations were to launch a preemptive strike…”

Thinking of this, Wu Fanghai immediately ordered the entire army to enter a state of emergency preparedness. At the same time, he informed the Emperor of his analysis and notified their ally, the Jinyang Kingdom.

…………

A day had passed. Zhang Hao stood on a mine, quietly watching the artisans working below.

The smelting base was almost completely destroyed, and most of the smelting equipment could not be restored. The air still lingered with the smell of burning.

The flowing molten iron had taken the lives of dozens of artisans and crippled dozens more. The attack itself led to the death and injury of many artisans.

The Zhang family’s production had suffered severe damage.

Steam turbines collapsed, rotors were damaged, and steam pipes were twisted and broken. Pulley blocks were scattered all over the ground. The industrial system that had been frantically built up over the past month had suffered a near-devastating blow.

His father, Zhang Shengde, was seriously injured, and his second uncle, Zhang Shengye, was still recovering. Now, Zhang Hao was the only one who could make decisions for the Zhang family.

The artisans were clearing the wreckage with anger and sorrow.

“Young Master.” A middle-aged man came over, interrupting Zhang Hao’s thoughts.

Zhang Hao looked over. The man was called Wang Dake, a seemingly honest middle-aged man. But it was this honest man who had organized the shipbuilding artisans and their families, armed with simple weapons, to protect half of the production base. If it weren’t for Wang Dake, the Zhang family’s technology would have been leaked.

However, the artisans also paid the price of more than thirty deaths and over two hundred injuries, most of which were serious.

Some artisans with only the fifth or sixth level of Qi Refining, armed with simple weapons, faced the vicious and well-prepared warriors head-on, fighting to the death without retreating. Their courage was admirable.

Zhang Hao promoted Wang Dake to be the head of the shipbuilding artisans, responsible for treating the wounded and comforting the families of the deceased.

Zhang Hao looked at Wang Dake and sighed softly: “How is it?”

“Thirty-seven deaths, seventy-six seriously injured and disabled, one hundred and five seriously injured but recoverable, and thirty-three with minor injuries. Of the remaining five hundred and forty-four participants, almost everyone was injured.”

Zhang Hao took a deep breath. “All participants, regardless of whether they were injured or killed, will receive three Qi Replenishing Pills each. In the case of death, the pills will be received by their direct relatives or spouse.

Those with minor injuries will receive two more Qi Replenishing Pills; those with moderate injuries will receive five pills; those with serious injuries will receive ten pills; and those who are disabled… will receive twenty pills!

“For those who died, their direct relatives or spouse can receive one Foundation Establishment Pill. If they don’t want the Foundation Establishment Pill, they can exchange it for fifty Qi Replenishing Pills.

If anyone doesn’t want Qi Replenishing Pills and needs spirit stones, calculate it at thirty spirit stones per Qi Replenishing Pill.

In addition, tell everyone that the Zhang family will bear the burden of supporting the lives of the disabled or the families of the war dead. We will never let anyone suffer.”

“Thank you, thank you, Young Master. I thank you for your benevolence on behalf of everyone!” Wang Dake bowed to the ground.

Zhang Hao helped Wang Dake up: “I should be thanking you. If you hadn’t appeared, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Logically speaking, you could have completely stood by and watched. Why did you take action?”

Wang Dake looked at Zhang Hao and said seriously: “Young Master, as artisans, we are at the bottom of society, just like ordinary farmers.

Our income is not high, and we hardly receive any respect.

But you didn’t hesitate to give us a box of Qi Replenishing Pills to treat our illnesses. That was the first time I saw Qi Replenishing Pills.

We don’t understand any great principles, but we know what gratitude is.”

Looking at Wang Dake’s eyes, Zhang Hao suddenly felt a lump in his throat. He patted Wang Dake on the shoulder: “Wang Dake, go and get busy. There are even more important things waiting for you in the future.”

After Wang Dake left, Zhang Hao said to Huang Mingshan beside him: “Compile the statistics of the artisans’ deaths and injuries, and the compensation standards will be based on what I just said.

Also, those steam turbines, fans, smelting furnaces, etc., restore what can be restored, and build new ones if they can’t be restored. Strive to restore production as soon as possible.”

Zhang Hao looked for a long time, making sure that everything was arranged, and then came to the living room of the residential area.

City Lord Liu Jingming had already left, but Feng Dongyuan had stayed, and Zhou Jue was also there.

Zhang Hao went up to thank them. At this moment, Zhang Hao was the acting head of the Zhang family.

Zhou Jue smiled and accepted the thanks.

Feng Dongyuan’s face was no longer so arrogant, and he comforted Zhang Hao a few words. After confirming that there were no problems, he got up to leave, escorting all the prisoners away.

“That’s right!” As he reached the door, Feng Dongyuan stopped. “That Qian Mingjue has run away and is still missing.”

Zhang Hao smiled: “Just a little mouse. Don’t worry.”

After Feng Dongyuan left, Zhang Hao looked at Zhou Jue with a bit of wariness.

The interrogation of this incident had been cleared up, and the person in charge of the interrogation was Zhou Jue. Zhuang Yunwen’s mouth was so tight, but Zhou Jue had pried it open, revealing countless shocking information.

Zhuang Yunwen was actually a spy from the Canglan Kingdom and had been lurking for more than ten years, colluding with several families and merchant houses. He used these merchant houses and families to bring a small number of experts from the Canglan Kingdom in piecemeal fashion.

Qian Mingjue was pushed to the forefront by Zhuang Yunwen to attract everyone’s attention, while Zhuang Yunwen secretly gathered strength, preparing to launch a direct attack on the Zhang family.

Those who attacked the Zhang family this time included experts from the Canglan Kingdom, as well as those contributed by various families and merchant houses.

However, although Zhang Shengde had just achieved Nascent Soul, his foundation was strong and he was completely unharmed by the heavenly tribulation, which was beyond Zhuang Yunwen’s expectations. In addition, the outbreak of Wang Dake and other shipbuilding artisans ultimately led to the failure of the plan.

But according to Zhuang Yunwen’s confession, these families and merchant houses did not know that he was from the Canglan Kingdom, and only thought that he was from the Jinyang Kingdom.

This Zhuang Yunwen was definitely a seasoned spy. Zhou Jue was even able to pry open his mouth. While Zhang Hao was curious, he also felt wary.

Facing Zhang Hao’s gaze, Zhou Jue smiled freely: “What’s wrong? Is there something on me?”

Zhang Hao shook his head: “I’m very curious. Zhuang Yunwen should be a suicide soldier, right? How did you pry open his mouth? I see that he is mentally normal and should not have been subjected to severe torture?”

Chapter 66: The Unpredictability of Warfare

Facing Zhang Hao’s inquiry, Zhou Jue smiled with confidence and composure, “This is simple. Since they are death warriors, we can’t threaten them with death; that’s exactly what they expect.

“But what if we let them live? And live well?

“They’d have maids at their beck and call, guards at their side, and even receive titles from His Majesty, becoming high-ranking officials with luxurious mansions and beautiful consorts. What do you think would happen to their families?”

Zhang Hao thought for a moment, then shuddered. “Their families and friends would be slaughtered!”

Zhou Jue nodded. “So, we made a deal. I guaranteed he would die, and die miserably; in return, he would tell me everything.”

Zhang Hao suddenly didn’t know how to describe his feelings. Zhuang Yunwen actually betrayed information so that he could ‘die miserably’!

Zhou Jue also dropped his smile, replaced by a sigh. “He has parents, a wife and children, friends he can confide in. So, he has to die, and the more miserable his death, the safer his family and friends will be, and they might even receive extra care.”

Zhang Hao was silent for a while, then said softly, “He’s a true man. It’s a pity he’s an enemy.”

“Yes, a pity.” After a slight pause, Zhou Jue continued, “Zhang Hao, with so much happening, don’t rush my matter. It’s been so many years; a few more days won’t make a difference.”

Zhang Hao stubbornly shook his head. “I said five days, and it will be five days. If I really can’t finish, I’ll do my best.”

Zhou Jue looked at Zhang Hao intently for a long time, then nodded solemnly. “Good!”

Integrity and trustworthiness are fundamental to business. If the Zhang family wants to rise, they must achieve this. There is no compromise on this point.

And clearly, Zhang Hao’s persistence had earned Zhou Jue’s approval.

So, Zhou Jue immediately decided to stay at the Zhang family’s place. Anyway, one day had already passed; there were still four days left. It would pass in the blink of an eye while meditating.

Zhang Hao continued to work, busy until the next morning, when he had finally made preliminary preparations. Zhang Hao planned to give an inspiring speech.

But someone reported that General of the Vanguard Wu Fanghai had sent someone.

After meeting, Shu Bannan first presented a Mind Nourishing Pill and conveyed Wu Fanghai’s regards. Finally, he said sternly, “Junior Brother, the General said, military orders are like mountains. The order for five thousand tons of Mystic Iron in sixty days will not be changed in the slightest!”

Before Zhang Hao could speak, the surrounding craftsmen were already protesting.

Zhang Hao waved his hand, suppressing the crowd’s anger, and said firmly to Shu Bannan, “Senior Brother, please tell my adoptive father that I guarantee completion. If I fail, I will offer my head to my adoptive father!”

Shu Bannan was stunned for a moment, then patted Zhang Hao’s shoulder. “Your temper is just like the General’s… exactly the same. Is there anything you need?”

“Yes. The Zhang family can’t withstand a second setback, and I don’t want there to be a second one.”

“I will convey this message. Time is short; I’ll take my leave.”

After Zhang Hao saw Shu Bannan off, he turned back to look at the angry craftsmen and shouted, “Are you angry?”

The crowd immediately erupted in noise.

After a long time, Zhang Hao suppressed the crowd’s anger and spoke again. “Since you are angry, you should work even harder to produce.

“It’s not the General of the Vanguard who is attacking us, but the enemies from the Canglan Kingdom!

“What does this mean? It means the enemy fears us, fears our production capacity. So we must use practical actions to tell the enemy that we cannot be defeated!

“The more they fear us, the more Mystic Iron we must produce.

“Use Mystic Iron to arm our troops!

“We may not directly participate in the war, but we must contribute to this Eastern Expedition.

“For every pound of Mystic Iron we produce, the frontline soldiers will have one more flying sword, one more arrowhead, and be able to kill one more enemy!”

The angry emotions gradually disappeared, replaced by firm gazes.

Everyone stopped talking, silently turning around, lowering their heads, and working!

The sound of slogans rang out, the sound of forging rang out, and the roar of machines rang out.

The first batch of machine tools was fortunate enough to have escaped damage.

Bai Xiaodong led many technicians to start the machine tools, using assembly line production to produce new steam turbines, new millstones, transmission belts, pulleys, bearings…

And Zhang Hao led Huang Mingshan and others to begin researching… high-purity Mystic Iron.

Originally, they should have been researching oil, but now there was simply no time.

Huang Mingshan was the first to suggest, “Young Master, if we use the best iron concentrate powder and high-grade spirit stone powder, we might be able to refine high-purity Mystic Iron. Even if it doesn’t meet the standards, we can still use water forging to refine it.”

Zhang Hao smiled. “Huang Mingshan, I hope you can forget about water forging.”

“Ah…”

Zhang Hao said seriously, “For so long, I think you can feel that what we are exploring is a way to directly solve problems with technology, instead of using traditional methods for secondary processing.

“I don’t object to secondary processing, but I don’t approve of it. I hope everyone can pursue higher efficiency and better technology from the bottom of their hearts.

“Unless we really have no other choice, we will use water forging.”

Huang Mingshan didn’t speak. Liu Ming, the youngest of the seven, spoke up. “Young Master, I have an idea. Whether it’s low-grade spirit stones or high-grade spirit stones, they all contain impurities, and the impurities in spirit stones are very difficult to remove. So, can we directly not use spirit stones, but use spirit gathering arrays?

“We gather spiritual energy through spirit gathering arrays and then inject it into the smelting furnace along with the air?”

Everyone immediately began to discuss, and some even suggested that they could stop using bamboo charcoal and directly heat charcoal to produce some kind of gas. Heating water can produce steam; could heating charcoal have a similar phenomenon?

As soon as Zhang Hao heard this, his eyes lit up. Although the idea of heating charcoal to extract ‘steam’ was a bit naive, incomplete combustion of charcoal could produce carbon monoxide!

Zhang Hao wouldn’t force growth, but if there were brilliant ideas, Zhang Hao would give guidance!

The best way to guide is… practice!

Practice makes perfect!

If carbon monoxide could replace charcoal, and spirit gathering arrays could replace spirit stones, it should be possible to directly smelt ultra-high purity Mystic Iron!

Spirit gathering arrays were easy to handle; everyone had plenty of experience.

But the experiment of heating charcoal in complete isolation from air naturally failed at first.

A closed iron gourd was used to heat the charcoal, with only one small outlet. Everyone tried hard for a long time but didn’t get the desired effect.

Zhang Hao quietly opened a cheat: what if a small hole was opened on the side of the gourd and a small amount of air was introduced?

This was a dangerous experiment, but before sufficient chemical theory was formed, this was the only thing that could be done.

Anyway, everyone was a cultivator; an explosion… wouldn’t kill them~~~

Huang Mingshan and others skillfully added defenses to themselves and began to experiment. Then, after careful debugging, a faint blue flame finally appeared at the mouth of the gourd.

The flame was so weak, its light dim, and it disappeared after flickering a few times. But it gave Huang Mingshan and others a great shock.

“It really… can be done!”

Zhang Hao smiled without saying a word. He was thinking about how to start the experiment of testing air composition. He remembered that the best method was limewater?

While Zhang Hao was thinking, Zhang Han came in, his face tense. “Little brother, something bad has happened. Just now, information came from the City Lord’s Mansion that the Taihua Kingdom and the Canglan Kingdom in the east have taken the initiative to attack, with a total of one million elite troops.

“The current news is that the Jinyang Kingdom’s defense line has collapsed, and one hundred thousand troops have been annihilated.

“And this was already news from a day ago.”

Chapter 67: Blitzkrieg

Upon receiving the news of the Eastern nations’ proactive attack, Zhang Hao was stunned, his mind reeling with countless thoughts.

His adoptive father, Wu Fanghai, had said: The Eastern nations have never attacked first, never. But this time, the Eastern nations had actually launched a preemptive strike, and with a “million elite troops” no less.

Zhang Hao wouldn’t doubt Wu Fanghai’s words, which could only mean one thing: the Eastern nations had changed their tactics!

“Or perhaps,” Zhang Hao mused, “the Eastern nations believe it’s harvest time?”

Zhang Hao was startled by his own thought, but if it were true, the situation would indeed be dire.

With his father and second uncle in seclusion, Zhang Hao could only make a trip to the City Lord’s mansion himself. Of course, before leaving, Zhang Hao instructed Huang Mingshan and the others to conduct experiments with quicklime and water, and to try to measure the proportion of air volume reduction after combustion.

The more tense the situation, the less the scientific experiments could be delayed.

Zhang Hao spurred his horse into a gallop, and in about forty-five minutes, he had sped to the prefectural city.

After entering the city gate, Zhang Hao hesitated. Should he go to the City Lord’s mansion first, or to the Guild?

After a moment’s thought, Zhang Hao gritted his teeth and headed straight for the Guild.

Along the way, Zhang Hao noticed that the way people looked at him seemed… very gossipy?

Well, Zhang Hao didn’t have time to consider these things and went straight to the Guild.

When he arrived at the Guild, he saw everyone gathered together, the noise incessant. Clearly, the news had already spread, and everyone looked rather tense.

Before Zhang Hao could even speak after entering, someone called out to him, saying that the Vice Chairman and the four department heads were already waiting.

Although Zhang Hao was only a steward of the Guild, no one ignored him. With Zhang Shengde absent, Zhang Hao had implicitly become Zhang Shengde’s representative.

Entering the room, he saw Vice Chairman Zhou Bo, Head of Administration Liang Siguan, Head of Organization Gongsun Yunlong, Head of Marketing Bai Yunxian, and Head of Patents Feng Tai were already present.

Only Zhang Shengde was missing.

Everyone warmly greeted Zhang Hao to sit down, and moreover, next to Zhou Bo.

Zhang Hao sat down, and Zhou Bo spoke directly, “Nephew, how is the family situation?”

“Thank you for your concern, Uncle Zhou. They are fine and expected to recover in three to five days.”

“That’s good. Then, are you aware of the Eastern nations’ proactive attack?”

“This nephew only received the communication from the City Lord’s mansion and came as quickly as possible. Please, Uncle and everyone, inform me of the specific situation.”

Zhou Bo sighed. “The situation is not optimistic. The Eastern nations claim to have a million troops, all above the Foundation Establishment stage.

The million-strong army is all flying on magical treasures, advancing at least one hundred fifty to two hundred fifty kilometers a day, and sometimes five hundred kilometers. The Jinyang Kingdom cannot stop them at all.

Now, they are heading straight for the Jinyang Kingdom’s capital, Anqing. The Jinyang Kingdom… is in imminent danger!”

Blitzkrieg! The word instantly appeared in Zhang Hao’s mind.

Zhang Hao didn’t answer immediately, thinking for a moment before saying, “Don’t we already have some elite troops from our Eastern nations arriving in the Jinyang Kingdom? If we can’t intercept them, can’t we at least slow them down?”

“We don’t know about that. We don’t understand military matters, so we won’t speak rashly about them. What we need to discuss now is how our Mystic Iron Guild should act in this war.”

Zhang Hao immediately understood: everyone understood the principle of “if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold,” but they also had their own agendas. However, Zhang Hao didn’t directly give the answer, but instead asked everyone what their thoughts were.

Zhou Bo said that the Guild should contribute and donate to the nation.

But Bai Yunxian said: This could be a bottomless pit. What if it bankrupts us in the end?

Liang Siguan immediately agreed: A small donation is fine, but we also have a large family to support, and we can’t donate for the long term.

Feng Tai, the newly appointed head, coolly said: The technology must be kept secret.

Finally, Gongsun Yunlong sighed leisurely: I also have patriotic feelings and am willing to donate. But donations are not a long-term solution. We need a long-term plan, which is healthy development.

After everyone had spoken, Zhang Hao finally opened his mouth: “I have a suggestion. How about we sell Mystic Iron to the nation on credit? The credit standard can refer to the ‘Credit Terms’ previously formulated by the Zhang family. We can extend the repayment period.

In addition, we accept the nation’s repayment in kind or through tax compensation.”

As soon as Zhang Hao’s proposal came out, everyone’s eyes lit up. Although the details were not yet available, the general direction had been determined. Zhang Hao finally got up and headed to the City Lord’s mansion.

Inside the City Lord’s mansion, the atmosphere was tense, and all the soldiers were fully armed. Zhang Hao waited in front of the City Lord’s mansion for about ten minutes before being allowed to enter.

When Zhang Hao saw the City Lord, Liu Jingming looked anxious. When he saw Zhang Hao, his tone was not good. “You better bring me good news. Otherwise, leave now. I don’t have time to play with a child.”

A child?

Zhang Hao was speechless. Okay, I understand your current mood, so I won’t argue with you. Zhang Hao immediately told him the decision of the Mystic Iron Guild.

Liu Jingming immediately stopped pacing and came to Zhang Hao in a daze, looking directly into Zhang Hao’s eyes: “Are you telling the truth? How much Mystic Iron can the Mystic Iron Guild support now?”

Zhang Hao looked into Liu Jingming’s eyes and said, “While ensuring the normal operation of the Mystic Iron Guild, we can extract two hundred tons of Mystic Iron per day. The quality can only be guaranteed to be above sixty percent for the time being.

As for the credit terms, the City Lord needs to send someone to discuss them with the Mystic Iron Guild.”

“Good, good, good, I’ll go myself.” Liu Jingming hurriedly prepared to leave.

Seeing this, Zhang Hao couldn’t help but ask, “City Lord, is the situation very critical now?”

“Critical… no, no, no, not at all. I’m just concerned about the national situation~~~”

Zhang Hao stood at the door, looking at Liu Jingming without speaking.

Liu Jingming gradually calmed down and sighed. “I just received new intelligence. The Eastern nations have a total of three hundred thousand elite troops, claiming to be a million elite troops, all in the Foundation Establishment stage.

Lan Jianwu, the Pillar General of the Taihua Kingdom, and Sima Tao, the Pillar General of the Canglan Kingdom, personally lead the troops. Both of them are experts in the late Nascent Soul stage.

Oh, the position of Pillar General is equivalent to our General of the Flying Cavalry.

Three hundred thousand soldiers, at least in the Foundation Establishment stage, the unprepared Jinyang Kingdom cannot stop them at all!

Now the army is less than five hundred kilometers away from the Jinyang Kingdom’s capital, Anqing. According to the previous speed of advance, they will be under the city in at most two days, no more than three days!

And once the Jinyang Kingdom falls, the six Eastern nations will be a mess!

Most importantly, we don’t have time to support them now!”

Zhang Hao frowned. The situation was unexpectedly serious.

The core of the blitzkrieg is to deprive the enemy of the opportunity to react. However, the blitzkrieg also has its weaknesses: logistics!

Forgoing modesty, Zhang Hao said directly: “City Lord, I have a suggestion. The immediate task is to buy time at any cost.

I believe that the Jinyang Kingdom should now abandon the capital and turn the capital into a cage to trap the enemy here.

Then we will send troops to block the enemy’s retreat.

Finally, mobilize the people of the Jinyang Kingdom, mobilize the local advantages, and use human wave tactics to trap the enemy’s elite here.

Although the Eastern nations caught us off guard this time, they also exposed their weaknesses to us.

This is an opportunity!

If used well, our Eastern Expedition may achieve unprecedented brilliant results!”

Chapter 68: I Don’t Know

The City Lord listened to Zhang Hao’s suggestion, remained silent for a moment, and a faint smile appeared on his worried face, like a ray of sunlight breaking through dark clouds, full of hope.

He patted Zhang Hao’s shoulder forcefully, “I suddenly understand why General Wu thinks so highly of you. I will immediately pass your suggestion on to General Wu.”

Zhang Hao naturally had to be modest, “It’s just a naive suggestion. To truly implement it, we still need someone as experienced as the City Lord.”

“Haha…” The City Lord laughed, but after a moment, his expression turned serious again, “Zhang Hao, I have some news to tell you.”

“What is it?” Zhang Hao’s heart jumped.

“You’re famous. Now everyone knows that after hearing about the princess’s matter, you vomited blood. Some even say that after vomiting blood, you fell into a coma.”

Zhang Hao: …

All the way until he left the City Lord’s mansion, Zhang Hao’s face was dark. Who the hell was so gossipy that such information spread all over the streets? No wonder the people along the way looked at him so strangely when he entered the city.

Damn it, wouldn’t he be losing face all over the place in the future?

Zhang Hao returned to the guild with Zhu Yuantang. Zhu Yuantang would represent the City Lord’s mansion in the negotiations, and the preliminary results of the negotiations would be presented to the Emperor.

The Zhang family already had mature credit terms, and Zhu Yuantang himself had participated in the discussions. The new credit terms were quickly drafted, mainly adding clauses for tax mortgage.

Before receiving the Emperor’s reply, they could only draft it. Afterwards, Zhang Hao hurriedly returned to the family. There were still too many things to be busy with at home.

The situation was so critical that Zhang Hao had to strengthen the Zhang family as soon as possible. To put it bluntly, as long as the Zhang family was strong enough, even if the Qixia Kingdom was destroyed, the Zhang family could negotiate terms with the Taihua Kingdom or the Canglan Kingdom and continue to survive.

Since the era of kingdoms, this area of the Qixia Kingdom had experienced several changes. However, there were a few families and sects that had remained prosperous.

For example, the Ouyang family, where the Prime Minister was from, regardless of how the dynasty changed, the new country could not do without their support.

This was the power of a family, a power completely different from that of a country.

Even if the Emperor hated the Ouyang family and the Nine Sun Sect, he still had to greet them with a smile.

In this world of cultivation, it was said to be ‘family, country, and world’. Family comes first, then the country. This order would not be wrong.

Zhou Jue hadn’t left yet. When Zhang Hao returned, Zhang Shengde was discussing cultivation issues with Zhou Jue. Compared to the knowledgeable Zhou Jue, Zhang Shengde could only ask for advice.

Zhou Jue himself was the young master of the Xinglin Hall and the chief disciple of the Nine Sun Sect. The words ‘family learning’ were not enough to describe him. Zhang Shengde, on the other hand, came from a self-taught background.

Zhou Jue spoke eloquently, but he didn’t hide anything. Except for matters involving the core of the sect and family, he answered everything he was asked.

Zhang Hao came over to pay his respects and hurriedly returned to the smelting base.

Zhang Hao vaguely understood Zhou Jue’s intentions: talking about cultivation didn’t cost Zhou Jue anything, but it could win over the Zhang family.

Just Zhang Hao’s identity as a nominal disciple of the Xuanzhen Sect was extraordinary. What’s more, the Zhang family’s Mystic Iron smelting ability was enough for Zhou Jue to offer a smile.

And if the Zhang family wanted to truly climb onto Zhou Jue’s high branch, the best way was to produce high-purity Mystic Iron.

In the exchange between families, profit came first.

When Zhang Hao arrived at the simple laboratory, he was surprised to find that Huang Mingshan and others were already experimenting with slaked lime.

Seeing Zhang Hao, Huang Mingshan excitedly shouted, “Young Master, we found that after injecting the air after combustion into slaked lime, the volume shrinks by about a quarter.”

In other words, the oxygen content in the air of this world was around 25%?

Zhang Hao looked at Huang Mingshan’s experiments. The beakers and other equipment were made of translucent quartz stone. Glass… wasn’t available for the time being, and Zhang Hao didn’t want to produce glass just yet.

It wouldn’t be too late to produce glass after the Zhang family was truly stable and could fully protect their wealth. For now, having quartz and other materials for experiments was enough. Anyway, there were special magical tools for polishing, and with magic, polishing these tools wasn’t troublesome.

Under Zhang Hao’s supervision, Huang Mingshan did another experiment.

The upper layer of the flask was directly sealed with a small spell, and then a piece of hot charcoal was inserted. After waiting for a long time and confirming that the charcoal hadn’t changed, the flask was poured into the lime water.

They saw the lime water rising little by little, eventually occupying about a quarter of the volume.

And the lime water also became cloudy.

This was a very simple experiment, but this simple experiment could open the door to chemistry.

Zhang Hao didn’t speak, but picked up a hollow quartz tube and blew into the lime water. He saw the lime water also beginning to become cloudy.

“This…” Huang Mingshan and others were surprised.

Zhang Hao smiled, “I’ve been wondering if there is a reaction similar to combustion in our bodies? Okay, let’s discuss this issue later. What we need to do now is to obtain high-purity Mystic Iron.

Let’s do an in-depth experiment. What will happen if we insert a red-hot iron bar into the flask?”

The experiment began, and they saw obvious rust appearing on the surface of the iron bar, and the seal at the mouth of the bottle began to dent.

Until the iron bar no longer changed, the flask was inverted in the lime water.

This time, the lime water instantly rose to a quarter of the position, and the lime water didn’t become cloudy.

Huang Mingshan seemed to be lost in thought, “There is a certain component in the air that can burn with charcoal and also cause iron to rust. Burning with charcoal produces a certain amount of gas that can make lime water cloudy. After reacting with iron, it produces solid rust, and this part of the gas disappears directly.

And what we breathe seems to be this part of the gas.”

Zhang Hao nodded with a smile.

Huang Mingshan was encouraged and pondered, “Could this be the spiritual energy of the world?”

“Pfft…” Zhang Hao spat out a mouthful of tea. This transition was too big.

Huang Mingshan was a little embarrassed, “Young Master, isn’t it spiritual energy?”

Zhang Hao covered his head, “If this is spiritual energy, then why do we have to add spirit stone powder when smelting Mystic Iron!”

“Oh, oh, oh…” Huang Mingshan also realized his mistake.

Chen Feng next to him suddenly said, “Is it the legendary life force?”

“Life force can make iron rust?!” Zhang Hao rolled his eyes, but he patiently let everyone think.

This was the process of breaking out of the cocoon, and this process couldn’t be forced.

Liu Ming next to him jumped up, “I know, it’s combustion element!”

Zhang Hao continued to shake his head, “If this is combustion element, then what is the gas with a light blue flame that we produced when calcining charcoal blocks earlier?”

Huang Mingshan scratched his head and suddenly asked Zhang Hao, “Does Young Master know?”

Zhang Hao smiled, but his words were firm, “I don’t know!”

“But I know that your guesses are wrong, because there are other explanations.

There is only one truth, and there is only one answer.

You must find that only answer!”

(The text says that the red-hot iron bar rusts, not burns. But thanks to the careful readers.)

Chapter 69: An Unexpected Surprise

Huang Mingshan had a dream where his head was held underwater, unable to breathe.

He struggled, but still couldn’t get a breath of air. The feeling of impending death jolted him awake with a shout, and he abruptly opened his eyes.

Then,

He saw his son, straddling his neck… peeing!

The little rascal was laughing gleefully.

Huang Mingshan was about to explode in anger, but suddenly froze.

He carefully picked up his happily giggling son and sat down. After using several spells to clean up the mess, he threw back the covers and stood up.

His wife got up, helplessly picked up their younger son, and affectionately pinched the little guy’s nose. “Naughty!”

“Giggles…” The little one giggled excitedly, seemingly proud of himself.

After soothing the little guy, his wife came to Huang Mingshan’s side and cautiously asked, “What are you thinking about?”

Huang Mingshan smiled. “I’ve got it! I’ve got it!”

“Got what?”

“The thing at the lab. You go back to sleep, I’m going to the lab.” Huang Mingshan splashed some water on his face, grabbed his clothes, and rushed out.

His wife watched Huang Mingshan’s retreating figure, shaking her head with a happy smile.

She turned to look at their wealthy home, at the spirit stones scattered on the floor and the pills in the cabinets, smiled again, and began to massage the energetic little one, feeding him Qi Replenishing Pills.

While massaging him, she said, “Little rascal, your dad works so hard, and you’re still causing trouble.”

…

Meanwhile, Huang Mingshan rushed to the lab like a whirlwind, quickly found paper and pen, and wrote four large characters on the paper: Gaseous Nutrients!

After admiring his work for a long time, Huang Mingshan began his research, working until dawn when Zhang Hao and the others arrived.

Huang Mingshan excitedly told Zhang Hao, “Young Master, I’ve found the truth! I’ve found it!”

Zhang Hao took the paper with “Gaseous Nutrients” written on it and looked at Huang Mingshan with some surprise. “Tell me about it.”

“Last night, I had a dream where I couldn’t breathe, and when I woke up, my little son was sitting on my neck, peeing…”

“Pfft…”

“Haha…”

Laughter erupted around them.

Zhang Hao immediately snorted coldly. “Anyone who doesn’t want to listen can leave now. The door isn’t locked!”

Everyone immediately stopped laughing.

Huang Mingshan chuckled sheepishly and continued, “After I woke up, I was going to get angry, but suddenly I thought, we usually eat to absorb nutrients from food. We cultivate to absorb spiritual energy. So, when we breathe, aren’t we also absorbing some kind of nutrient from the air?

“This nutrient is very active. It can burn, it can make iron rust, and it provides us with breath!

“But it’s not particularly active. It needs certain conditions to work.

“I just did an experiment where I sealed myself in a small, airtight, sealed space, and I breathed heavily. Gradually, I felt the surrounding air change, becoming turbid, and the nutrients in the air gradually disappeared. My breathing became more and more rapid, but I couldn’t provide my body with what it needed.

“In the end, I even started to hallucinate, my heart raced, my body felt weak, my mind was confused, and I couldn’t even dispel the spell.

“Fortunately, the spell failed at that moment.”

Zhang Hao’s expression turned serious. “Huang Mingshan, in the future, you are not to conduct such research alone!”

“Yes.”

Zhang Hao got up and patted Huang Mingshan on the shoulder. “I know that everyone is now touching a strange world, the essence of the world. Everyone is eager to understand the essence of the world.

“But this research cannot be accomplished overnight.

“As the saying goes, haste makes waste.

“To explore the world, we need methods and brains, not impatience.”

Huang Mingshan took a few deep breaths, gradually calmed down, and his mind became clearer. After thinking for a while, he said calmly and humbly, “Young Master, my discovery just now can only be considered an ordinary phenomenon, and it doesn’t explain ‘why’.”

“Good that you realize it.” Zhang Hao nodded in satisfaction, and while speaking, he wrote the two characters “Oxygen” next to “Gaseous Nutrients.”

“The pronunciation of ‘氧’ is ‘yang’, which sounds like ‘养’ (nurture). I invented this new character as a completely new proper noun to forever commemorate today’s discovery.

“Huang Mingshan, keep this calligraphy safe. Perhaps in a few decades or centuries, it will become a symbol of a new human civilization. From this moment on, we begin to explore the essence of the world!”

“Yes!” Huang Mingshan took the calligraphy with both hands, his voice loud and his hands trembling with excitement.

Centuries? He could wait!

Since joining this research group, Huang Mingshan’s cultivation had soared to the sixth level of Qi Refining in just over a month. Now, Huang Mingshan had no doubt that he would become a Nascent Soul master in the future, enjoying a thousand years of life.

Perhaps his cultivation aptitude wasn’t good, and his foundation wasn’t well-laid, but… his research talent seemed to be very awesome, and the rewards from the Young Master were very generous. He already had more than a dozen Foundation Establishment Pills!

Research continued.

The core of the current research was not to study air composition, combustion processes, etc., but to study the production of ultra-high purity Mystic Iron.

The accidental discovery of oxygen could only be described as an unexpected surprise, a super surprise.

But the road of research was not easy. Everyone tried to directly separate Mystic Iron and iron from iron ore, but in the ore state, both Mystic Iron and iron existed as rust.

In an environment with spiritual energy, Mystic Iron did not rust; but without spiritual energy, Mystic Iron would still rust!

As night approached again, Liu Ming suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He thinly spread the selected iron essence powder and bamboo charcoal, storing them separately, and then sealed and heated them together.

This time, a miracle occurred.

The bamboo charcoal gradually disappeared, while the iron essence powder gradually shed its rust and revealed a metallic luster. Because the temperature was too high, the reduced iron directly melted and was then poured into a small smelting furnace (a large crucible), and air rich in spiritual energy was introduced to stir and remove slag.

After working until the second half of the night, an iron ingot weighing only 1.7 kilograms appeared.

Compared to other Mystic Iron, this Mystic Iron had a faint layer of spiritual energy on its surface, like a layer of mist on the surface of ice, undulating slightly, beautiful and mysterious.

Zhang Hao hadn’t learned appraisal techniques yet, but looking at the unique appearance of the Mystic Iron, Zhang Hao left without saying a word, taking the Mystic Iron with him.

His father and second uncle were still recovering, so Zhang Hao directly knocked on Zhou Jue’s door.

After entering, without regard for Zhou Jue still wearing his pajamas, Zhang Hao directly placed the Mystic Iron on the table, acting extremely domineering. “Appraise it!”

Zhou Jue rushed to the table like a whirlwind, looking at the Mystic Iron that could ‘freely breathe’ spiritual energy, his eyes trembling. He took a long time to prepare, and the fingers that activated his unique appraisal technique emitted a colorful spiritual light. After a long time, he said tremblingly:

“Purity as high as 99.2%! No sulfur, realgar, cinnabar, or other toxic components. Hiss… how did you do it!”

After waiting for a while, there was no response.

Turning his head, he saw that Zhang Hao had already fallen asleep on the table.

Zhou Jue was stunned for a moment, then filled with respect. He didn’t disturb Zhang Hao, but quietly sat down next to him, picked up the Mystic Iron, and began to examine it.

With this examination, Zhou Jue made an incredible discovery!

Chapter 70: Extremely Urgent

(Revised per readers’ requests)

Zhou Jue looked at the Mystic Iron before him, completely devoid of any signs of forging.

It couldn’t be ruled out that Zhang Hao had melted it down and recast it, but that possibility was very low because there was absolutely no need.

The Mystic Iron in his hand was still slightly warm, clearly freshly smelted.

He used a flying sword to cut off a small piece of Mystic Iron and used Nascent Soul stage True Fire to refine it. A faint wisp of black smoke appeared on the surface of the Mystic Iron – this was a trace of impurities. This further demonstrated that the Mystic Iron had not been forged – Mystic Iron that had been forged and purified could not be purified again.

Zhou Jue muttered to himself, “The Zhang family can directly produce Mystic Iron with ninety-nine percent purity and without toxic impurities, hmm… I’ll have to have a good talk with Zhang Hao when he wakes up.”

With that, Zhou Jue stared at the Mystic Iron, lost in thought.

Zhang Hao had said he would give him an answer in five days, but in reality, it only took three. Within these three days, Zhang Hao had also taken a trip to the prefectural city.

Considering that Zhang Hao had become a nominal disciple of the Xuanzhen Sect and had also been adopted by Wu Fanghai as his foster father, Zhou Jue had to seriously consider his relationship with the Zhang family.

…

At this moment, the royal court of the Qixia Kingdom was far from peaceful.

The sudden and proactive attacks by the two eastern nations had not only stunned the Jinyang Kingdom but also the Qixia Kingdom.

Wu Fanghai roared furiously in the main hall, “The Jinyang Kingdom is a bunch of pigs! I warned them before that the situation was not right and to prevent the East from attacking proactively, but is this how they prepared? One hundred thousand border troops wiped out!”

“General Wu, please calm down,” Grand Censor Han Yue said. “Your anger now is of no use. It’s better to think about how to deal with this changing situation.

The East has launched a proactive attack; I’m afraid we don’t have much time left.”

Wu Fanghai huffed, “How to deal with it? How else can we deal with it! The most effective method is to counterattack.

The East has crossed our joint forces on the eastern border of the Jinyang Kingdom, and the main force of the joint forces is intact. Now, we should immediately, at all costs, attack the Qiufeng Ridge checkpoint and force the enemy to retreat!”

The Crown Prince spoke, “But the Jinyang Kingdom is asking us to support the Jinyang Kingdom’s capital and launch a decisive battle there.”

Wu Fanghai was still fuming, “That’s simply impossible!

Your Highness, our army is mainly composed of Qi Refining stage seven and above, accounting for about eighty percent of the army. The remaining twenty percent are Foundation Establishment stage cultivators; only a few are Golden Core or Nascent Soul stage.

The army’s movement speed is very slow.

In comparison, the legions from the East are all Foundation Establishment stage cultivators; they can fly in the sky and move quickly.

If we proactively attack these enemy troops, it would be using our weaknesses to attack their strengths, and the consequences are unpredictable.

At best, we won’t be able to catch up with the enemy and the army will be exhausted. At worst, we will be defeated one by one, ambushed, harassed, and suffer losses and disgrace.”

The Crown Prince was dissatisfied, “Then we can draw out the Foundation Establishment stage cultivators from the army!”

Wu Fanghai looked at the Crown Prince and sighed deeply, “Your Highness, I’m afraid that’s exactly what the enemy wants us to do. If we draw out the elite troops from the army, the remaining army will be vulnerable. If the East sends troops again, the consequences… are unimaginable!”

“This won’t work, that won’t work, what do we need you generals for!” the Crown Prince snapped.

Wu Fanghai didn’t speak but looked at the Emperor, who had been silent all along.

The Emperor finally spoke, “Wu Fanghai, I know your strategy ‘may’ be correct, but the capital of the Jinyang Kingdom must be protected.

The capital is a symbol of a nation.

If the capital is captured, the Jinyang Kingdom will fall apart.

Once the Jinyang Kingdom collapses, the situation in the West will not be optimistic.”

Wu Fanghai explained, “Your Majesty, I still believe that the most effective way is to attack a checkpoint of either the Taihua Kingdom or the Canglan Kingdom with all our strength.

Attacking just one is enough, which will trigger internal conflicts and a sense of urgency within the Eastern assault legion, forcing them to retreat.

As long as our actions are swift enough and our attacks are fierce enough, we can completely cut off one of the countries’ retreat routes and gain the initiative in the war.”

The Emperor still frowned, hesitant. In fact, he was currently thinking about the Jinyang Kingdom’s recent continuous small actions and its delusion of unifying the West.

So the Emperor thought: The West still has enough strength now; in comparison, the Jinyang Kingdom is the ‘immediate concern’; perhaps, this is a good opportunity to weaken the Jinyang Kingdom!

Wu Fanghai and the other generals were anxious; the time left for them was running out. The situation demanded that the West must make a decision as soon as possible, immediately, and right away, and there was only one chance!

Just then, a palace guard reported that Wu Fanghai’s personal guard, Shu Bannan, was requesting an audience.

After the Emperor nodded, Shu Bannan entered the hall, first paying respects to the Emperor, then walking quickly to Wu Fanghai, saying it was information from Zhang Hao, and handed a jade slip to Wu Fanghai.

After reading it, Wu Fanghai glared at Shu Bannan, “Why did you only send it now!”

“This… I always wanted to wait for the General to dismiss court,” Shu Bannan said with a sheepish smile.

“Get out of here,” Wu Fanghai was a little angry.

Shu Bannan smiled sheepishly, paid respects to the Emperor again, and left the hall.

Wu Fanghai then stepped forward, “Your Majesty, just now my adopted son Zhang Hao sent two messages…”

Before he could finish speaking, another palace guard reported that Liu Jingming had sent new information.

Liu Jingming submitted a memorial, which the guard held up to the Emperor. A vice-minister in front of the Emperor received it, confirmed there were no problems, and then presented it to the Emperor.

The Emperor glanced at Wu Fanghai, “Continue.”

Wu Fanghai reported, while the Emperor looked down at the memorial, multitasking.

Wu Fanghai spoke about Zhang Hao’s strategy. Zhang Hao’s strategy was very simple, and Liu Jingming polished it before handing it to Shu Bannan. After seeing it, Wu Fanghai polished it again, making it a strategy with definite military value.

After explaining in detail, Wu Fanghai gave the conclusion, “Abandon Anqing, the capital of the Jinyang Kingdom, and set it up as bait and a trap, luring the enemy in and then closing the door to beat the dog.

In addition, cut off the enemy’s retreat route, use the local advantages to constantly harass the enemy, making them uneasy; then issue a reward, and then mobilize the power of the people to eliminate the enemy’s army in the vast territory of the Jinyang Kingdom.”

At this time, the Emperor also finished reading Liu Jingming’s memorial, which was about the Mystic Iron Guild’s proposal for “credit support.”

The Emperor looked up at Wu Fanghai and nodded, “This plan sounds good, then pass it on to the Jinyang Kingdom.”

Wu Fanghai was overjoyed that His Majesty had finally made the right decision. But before Wu Fanghai’s face could show joy, he heard the Emperor continue, “However, in terms of the army, we still have to send experts to support the capital of the Jinyang Kingdom. Using the capital of the Jinyang Kingdom as bait and a trap is not allowed.”

Wu Fanghai opened his mouth. He really wanted to open His Majesty’s skull to see if there was a pile of paste inside! If Anqing is not abandoned, the Jinyang Kingdom cannot turn passivity into initiative, and the war situation is still not optimistic.

We have already lost the first move, and if we want to regain the initiative, we must have the courage and decisiveness of a gecko shedding its tail.

But the Emperor did not give Wu Fanghai a chance to speak, directly ordered Wu Fanghai to lead the remaining legions to set off, and drove Wu Fanghai out.

Wu Fanghai stood outside the hall, sighed to the sky, but was helpless.

Chapter 71: Let Me Tell You a Story

(Sorry, everyone had a lot of opinions on the last chapter. An explanation is provided in the middle of this chapter.)

Inside the palace hall, the Emperor had the attendant read aloud the deferred payment terms presented by Liu Jingming and asked for everyone’s opinion.

“Outrageous!” Censor-in-chief Han Yue immediately flew into a rage. “So calculating and unfilial!”

Immediately, a chorus of condemnation echoed through the court.

Prime Minister Ouyang Si slowly opened his mouth, “Censor-in-chief, what do you think the Mystic Iron Guild should do?”

“Of course, donate it unconditionally!”

“Is that so? I heard that the spirit stones in the Censor-in-chief’s house are piled up like mountains, pills are scattered all over the floor, and you also have your own Mystic Iron business. I wonder how the Censor-in-chief plans to support the country?

“Previously, the Zhang family promised to donate five thousand tons of Mystic Iron with ninety-five percent purity within the next two months!”

“The Zhang family is the Zhang family, and the Mystic Iron Guild is the Mystic Iron Guild. The two cannot be confused.”

The Prime Minister narrowed his eyes. “I’m asking, what is the Han family prepared to do?”

The atmosphere in the court instantly froze.

Prime Minister Ouyang Si’s questioning cornered Censor-in-chief Han Yue. It could be said that Han Yue brought it upon himself.

But Han Yue quickly stated that they had already made donations, including craftsmen, family guards, food, spirit stones, and so on, and that many members of his family were serving in the military.

The Mystic Iron Guild, on the other hand, was a private commercial organization that had made no contribution to the country. What was wrong with asking them to donate something? Shouldn’t they?

The Prime Minister was immediately a little angry. “Han Yue, now is not the time to act impulsively! The Mystic Iron Guild’s proposal is very fair.”

The Prime Minister’s side also began to speak out, accusing Han Yue of being a bootlicker.

One said: The deferred payment terms are good because they solve the country’s financial problems, actively support the Eastern Expedition, and ensure the people’s support.

Another said: The deferred payment terms are great. With them, the country can take it to the next level, and perhaps even reverse the situation.

Yet another said: The deferred payment terms are wonderful. They truly solve the urgent needs and have universal applicability.

But there were also wise men who said: These deferred payment terms also have two sides. If used excessively, they will drag down the country and should be used with caution.

After a long argument in the court, the Emperor finally spoke. “Ouyang Si!”

“Your subject is here!” Prime Minister Ouyang Si stepped forward.

“Go to the Mystic Iron Guild yourself and discuss the issue of deferred payments as soon as possible. You can give the Mystic Iron Guild some benefits, but you must not harm the interests of the country.”

“Yes.”

…

In the Princess’s residence, in a pavilion, the Princess quietly listened to her servants report on the situation in the palace hall. Finally, she sighed faintly, but said nothing more, just quietly looked to the east, her eyes filled with deep sorrow.

Hu Yinglan said softly, “Your Highness, it’s already past eleven PM, you should rest.”

The Princess sighed again and shook her head slightly. “Tell me, why doesn’t Father use good strategies when he clearly has them? I don’t believe Father can’t see it!”

Hu Yinglan said softly, “This subordinate does not know.”

The Princess glanced at Hu Yinglan and shook her head again. “They are all smart people, but unfortunately, they are all petty smart!”

With that, she turned and was about to leave the pavilion.

When Hu Yinglan heard this, she bit her lip and said, “This subordinate thinks, does His Majesty want to take this opportunity to weaken the Jinyang Kingdom?

Recently, the Jinyang Kingdom has not been very peaceful. Before the new year, they even said they wanted to unify the western countries.”

The Princess stopped and said without turning her head, “If you were commanding the troops, what would you do?”

“Adopt General Biaoqi’s strategy.”

“What about the Jinyang Kingdom?”

“After confirming that we can win, it’s not too late to let them off the hook.”

The Princess shook her head. “So, you are just a guard. How can you guarantee that the Jinyang Kingdom will not preserve its strength?”

“Ah…”

The Princess’s voice suddenly turned cold. “The best way is to force the Jinyang Kingdom into a dead end from the very beginning! So they have no way to hide their strength!

Since the Jinyang Kingdom has the idea of unifying the West, it must have hidden considerable strength.”

“Ah… Your Highness, you and the Crown Prince of the Jinyang Kingdom…”

“He is not worthy!”

…

As dawn gradually broke, Zhang Hao stretched hard. When he turned his head, he saw Zhou Jue’s gentle smile.

“Awake?” Zhou Jue smiled elegantly.

Zhang Hao looked around and rubbed his eyes embarrassedly. “Sorry, did I disturb your rest?”

“No, I want to thank you for producing Mystic Iron with a purity of up to ninety-nine point two percent in such a short period of time, and it meets our standards for refining cauldrons.”

“Ninety-nine point two percent?” Zhang Hao repeated. Although he had guessed in his heart, he had not personally identified it, so he was still unsure.

Zhou Jue nodded solemnly. “That’s right, ninety-nine point two percent! And no harmful impurities can be identified at all! This is even better than the Mystic Iron purchased from the East.”

“Really? That’s great. I wonder how much of this Mystic Iron Xinglin Hall and the Nine Sun Sect need?”

“What is the Zhang family’s production capacity?”

Zhang Hao waved his hand and stood up proudly. “Brother Zhou has already seen the Zhang family’s Mystic Iron production capacity. Give us some time, and producing a dozen tons of this ninety-nine percent purity Mystic Iron a month should not be a problem.”

Zhang Hao was being very conservative. In fact, Zhang Hao had completely mastered the new production technology, and producing ten tons a day was not a problem. But it was better to hide his strength a little.

Ninety-nine percent Mystic Iron can already be used to make spiritual weapons, which are a higher level than magical treasures.

Mystic Iron with a purity of ninety-eight percent is worth ninety to one hundred middle-grade spirit stones per five hundred grams in the Qixia Kingdom. As for the value of ninety-nine percent Mystic Iron, it is directly ten times higher, and priced in high-grade spirit stones.

The difficulty of purifying Mystic Iron increases geometrically with the increase in purity. Because traditional smelting methods result in too many difficult-to-remove impurities in Mystic Iron. This also leads to higher prices for high-purity Mystic Iron.

As far as Zhang Hao knew, the value of Mystic Iron with a purity of ninety-nine percent was comparable to rare spiritual materials such as Starsteel and Astralsteel.

The most important thing is that there is a lot of Mystic Iron, which can be used to do many things; while there is too little Starsteel and other materials, which are difficult to use on a large scale.

Quantity is sometimes really important!

Zhou Jue looked at Zhang Hao for a long time, but did not speak directly. Instead, he started talking about something else. “Let me tell you a story.”

Zhang Hao consciously pulled over a stool and sat down.

“A long time ago, there was no Xinglin Hall in Xingchang County. At that time, Xingchang County was also very ordinary, and people could only helplessly watch the price of pills being manipulated by the outside world. Many people were ruined and could not afford pills for cultivation.

Until a young man appeared.

The young man witnessed the reality and was determined to refine pills. But refining pills was not easy.

The young man had nothing. Even the basic cultivation techniques were ordinary techniques purchased from small vendors.”

Zhou Jue’s voice was leisurely, and Zhang Hao’s mind gradually calmed down. He seemed to see a young man with lofty aspirations and a heart for the world, but who was frustrated, struggling on the road to his dream.

Zhou Jue continued, “The young man thought of a trick, which was to draw on the strengths of everyone.

The young man said that the Qixia Kingdom actually has a second type of pill refining inheritance. In addition to the concentrated inheritance of the royal family, aristocratic families, and sects, there is also a scattered pill refining inheritance among the people.

“A wise man once said: ‘If the rites are lost, seek them in the countryside.’ This means that if the rites and music of the upper class are destroyed, go to the countryside to find them, and there must be some inheritance among the people.

The inheritance of cultivation is the same.

The inheritance of pill refining is also the same.

However, the inheritance among the people is fragmented, mixed, uneven, difficult to distinguish between true and false, and many people cherish their own things.

The young man asked the coachman how to make Grass Spirit Pills, and learned how to make Hemostatic Powder from rural doctors.

For a method of making inferior Qi Replenishing Pills, the young man knelt in the heavy snow for seven days.

For a method of making ordinary Foundation Establishment Pills, he worked as a servant for three months.

In order to learn, he vowed to give back to everyone in the future.”

Zhou Jue’s tone was leisurely, and Zhang Hao felt as if he was there.

Chapter 72: Apricot Grove Hall

(Another update!)

“For decades, he persisted, the boy became a young man, and his cultivation reached the Foundation Establishment stage, earning him the recognition of many.

He settled down on an ordinary hill in Xingchang County, Oxherding Hill, and began to study what he had learned, write books, and treat illnesses.

If the person he saved was a poor commoner, he would not accept money, only asking the person to plant an apricot tree on the mountain.

However, this good fortune did not last long. In just half a year, he discovered that the Foundation Establishment Pills he refined were actually poisonous. Many cultivators who took the Foundation Establishment Pills began to experience severe pill toxins.

In mild cases, their true essence became unstable, and their cultivation became difficult to continue; in slightly more severe cases, their meridians became blocked; and in even more severe cases, their meridians and acupoints began to atrophy, and many went mad.

The crowd denounced him.

To quell the public’s anger, he followed the rules of the cultivation world and inflicted three self-stabs. This is the so-called ‘three knives and six holes’.

Later, after repeated research, he discovered that the problem lay in the alchemy furnace.

More precisely, in the material of the alchemy furnace.

Inferior alchemy furnaces contaminated the pills.

He had to buy expensive spiritual material specifically for alchemy. But he was short on funds and could not afford expensive red copper, refined gold, etc., so he could only look for relatively cheap Mystic Iron.

However, high-purity, non-toxic Mystic Iron suitable for making alchemy furnaces was always controlled by the East. One catty of ninety-nine percent pure Mystic Iron from Eastern merchants cost a sky-high price of one hundred to five hundred high-grade spirit stones!”

“Pfft… Five hundred high-grade spirit stones!” Zhang Hao was stunned. Five hundred high-grade spirit stones is five million low-grade spirit stones! That’s one thousand tons of spirit stones, enough to pile up a small mountain!

Zhou Jue sighed leisurely, “This kind of Mystic Iron for alchemy is said to come from Kunlun Continent, and even the Canglan Kingdom and Taihua Kingdom cannot produce it.

The cheapest is one hundred high-grade spirit stones, and the best is five hundred. A fixed price, with no room for bargaining.”

After listening to Zhou Jue’s little story, Zhang Hao was very distressed. He suddenly realized that his earlier statement that he could produce more than ten tons of Mystic Iron for alchemy in a month was a bit shocking.

I was already being careful~~~

“However,” Zhou Jue continued his story, “to refine even the smallest, simplest alchemy furnace, you need ten catties of Mystic Iron. That would cost one thousand high-grade spirit stones.

He couldn’t afford it.

At this time, the surrounding people came, some bringing three or five low-grade spirit stones, others bringing a dozen. Each person didn’t give much, but in just three days, they gathered a fortune of more than one thousand high-grade spirit stones.

After that, he spent a month building a brand new alchemy furnace. From then on, there were no more incidents of pill toxins.

But this good fortune did not last long. The alchemy furnace had problems.

After a long time of refining pills and roasting, the alchemy furnace was no longer pure. It had to be replaced.”

“Wait, I heard that good alchemy furnaces can be used forever, right?” Zhang Hao interrupted Zhou Bo’s story.

“That’s an alchemy furnace made of refined gold. Generally speaking, an alchemy furnace made of Mystic Iron can be used for one year, at most three years. One made of red copper can be used for more than ten years. One made of mithril can be used for about fifty years. One made of refined gold can be passed down.”

“I see. Thank you.”

Zhou Jue nodded and continued the story: “Fortunately, he already had a reputation at this time, and he also had some savings. He began to travel and study. He communicated with all parties, even spending a lot of money to borrow books from the Nine Sun Sect and various families.

He traveled all over the Qixia Kingdom, he went to the eastern Canglan Kingdom and Taihua Kingdom, and even more eastern countries.

He traveled for more than fifty years, returning to Oxherding Hill at the peak of the Golden Core stage.

It was summer, and at this time, Oxherding Hill was already full of apricot trees, the whole mountain was fragrant with apricots, and many children were playing in the forest.

For more than fifty years, the surrounding people used the money from selling apricots to build a modest Taoist temple, named:

‘Apricot Grove Hall.’

From that moment on, Oxherding Hill had Apricot Grove Hall, and Qixia Kingdom had Apricot Grove Hall.

He is my father, Zhou Shuhai.

From that day on, my father settled in Oxherding Hill, and a few years later married a female disciple of the Nine Sun Sect. Up to today, a hundred years have passed in a hurry.

Now, my father provides free support to anyone who is interested in alchemy.

Every year, many people come to Apricot Grove Hall, some from Western countries, and even more from the East.

There are hundreds of alchemy masters living in Apricot Grove Hall. It is already the largest alchemy holy land in Qixia Kingdom, and even the entire West.

However, my father knows that ‘a famous person’s door is full of gossip’, so he deliberately keeps a low profile, so that he can concentrate on alchemy.”

Zhang Hao listened with awe. Although he had not yet met this Zhou Shuhai, he already felt a sense of admiration.

The reason why this world can continue to progress is because there are always people who are silently dedicating themselves and considering the entire group.

With a faint sigh, Zhou Jue turned to look at Zhang Hao: “Junior Brother, do you know that if you refine Qi Replenishing Pills, even with the most ordinary alchemy furnace, calculating twenty furnaces a day, one hundred pills per furnace on average, and one thousand days in three years, the cost of the alchemy furnace allocated to each Qi Replenishing Pill is five low-grade spirit stones.

If you add the failure rate, the spirit stones for igniting the fire, the medicinal materials, etc., the cost of one Qi Replenishing Pill is as high as fifteen low-grade spirit stones or more. If you add the alchemist’s income and consumption, the cost price is as high as sixteen spirit stones!”

Zhang Hao exclaimed: “I heard that the price of Qi Replenishing Pills in Eastern countries is only three or two spirit stones.”

“Yes, there are even some for one spirit stone.” Zhou Jue’s face was angry, “But we have no choice. We lack medicinal materials, and we also lack Mystic Iron for alchemy. Everything can only be purchased from the East; and the Canglan Kingdom and Taihua Kingdom have monopolized the trade routes.

We can only stretch our necks and be slaughtered!”

Zhang Hao did not answer immediately, but thought for a while before asking: “How much Mystic Iron for alchemy does Apricot Grove Hall need in a year?”

“For those with a purity of 99.1% to 99.3%, we need five hundred ordinary furnaces every year. The furnaces vary in size, but it’s about twenty-five hundred ‘shi’, close to ten tons.

For those with a purity of 99.3% to 99.5%, we need one hundred furnaces, about two tons.

For those with a purity higher than 99.5%, we need more than twenty, about zero point four tons.

Every year, we have to spend more than three million high-grade spirit stones to purchase Mystic Iron for alchemy.

If you add the medicinal materials, just Apricot Grove Hall alone loses as much as ten million high-grade spirit stones every year.

Now, sixty percent of the spirit stone mines in Xingchang County… are exhausted; the rest are mostly over-exploited.

It is estimated that in at most one hundred years, we will have no spirit stones available!

At that time, the Western countries may no longer be able to cultivate a cultivator above the Foundation Establishment stage!”

Zhang Hao was shocked by these astronomical figures. Compared to these, the achievements that the Zhang family has made now are really insignificant.

After a while, Zhang Hao asked: “How much Mystic Iron for alchemy does the whole country, and even the entire Western countries, need every year?”

Chapter 73: Prime Minister, You’re in the Wrong Seat

(Bill: 22 Updates)

“In response to Zhang Hao’s inquiry, Zhou Jue thought for a moment and said, “The Qixia Kingdom alone needs at least eighty tons of Mystic Iron annually for alchemy. The entire Western Six Nations require no less than three hundred and fifty tons per year.”

Zhang Hao was silent for a long time, then suddenly spoke, “From now on, the Zhang family will supply the Western nations with Mystic Iron for alchemy. The price… the price…”

Zhou Jue perked up his ears.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Hao made a sudden turn, “By the way, what’s the price of Mystic Iron for alchemy in the Canglan Kingdom?”

Zhou Jue almost bit his tongue. I waited so long, and you ask me this? But after thinking about it, he still said, “Uncertain. It’s said to be twenty to thirty high-grade spirit stones.”

Zhang Hao nodded. “Then, the Zhang family’s price is: fifteen high-grade spirit stones per 500g for 99.0% purity! For every 0.1% increase in purity, the price increases by two high-grade spirit stones.”

Zhou Jue was overjoyed, but on the surface, he looked worried, “Make it cheaper, the price is still too high.”

The two argued for a long time, and Zhang Hao lowered the price to ten high-grade spirit stones.

In the end, Zhou Jue actually bowed to Zhang Hao.

Zhang Hao accepted it calmly. Although the cost of smelting such high-purity Mystic Iron wasn’t high, the technology was valuable! Most importantly, it broke the Eastern monopoly and prevented the outflow of spirit stones, which was of great significance.

We have achieved self-sufficiency and can even export!

Afterward, Zhang Hao put forward his two requirements:

“First, regarding the price of Mystic Iron, this is only the internal price for the Qixia Kingdom. Selling it to the other five Western nations should be slightly more expensive, and there should also be a limit.

For quantities exceeding the limit, and for sales to the East, the price must be increased, but it should still be cheaper than what comes from the Kunlun Continent.

Zhou Jue’s help is needed to control this price—everyone makes money together.” Zhang Hao was well aware that the Zhang family’s strength was a bit weak.

Second, Zhang Hao was very interested in the appraisal technique that could identify decimal points. The princess had previously demonstrated that powerful appraisal technique, but Zhang Hao was too embarrassed to ask. Now, however, he felt justified in asking.

Zhou Jue was also straightforward, directly gifting the appraisal technique to Zhang Hao. As for the price issue, he said he needed to go back and discuss it with the Nine Sun Sect Master and even his father, Zhou Shuhai. The round trip would probably take ten days.

As Zhou Jue finished speaking and was about to leave in a hurry, Zhang Hao shouted, “Brother, wait, I have another question.”

“What is it?” Zhou Jue’s figure continued to float towards the sky, his sleeves fluttering, like a person in the clouds.

“I want to ask, why can Mystic Iron be used to refine magical artifacts when its purity reaches above 99%? What’s the reason?”

“This, take it.” Zhou Jue hurriedly threw out a jade slip, which zoomed to the white clouds, and then he disappeared.

Zhang Hao caught the jade slip and looked at the sky speechlessly.

Zhang Hao had been struggling with the question of magical artifacts for a long time, but the people around him couldn’t give him an answer. Knowledge was only in the hands of a few.

The jade slip contained a wealth of information, even including some methods for refining magical artifacts.

“So generous…”

“Whoosh…” The sound of wind came from above, and Zhou Jue was back. He shouted from the roof, “Don’t lose that jade slip, give it back to me when I return.”

With that, he zoomed away again.

Zhang Hao: …

His image, his image! He just threw the image of the Nine Sun Sect’s chief disciple and the Zhou family’s young master into the ditch.

Zhang Hao watched Zhou Jue’s figure disappear completely before continuing to read the jade slip, finding the information he needed.

It turned out that the higher the purity of Mystic Iron, the stronger its ability to conduct spiritual energy. As the conductivity increased, it would exhibit some unique properties.

Especially when the purity of Mystic Iron was as high as 99% or more, spiritual energy could pass through almost unimpeded, perfectly withstanding the true essence, spells, and divine powers of experts, and it also had a certain ability to gather spiritual energy.

“In other words, it’s a superconductor! And it has a slight magnetism…”

“As for this appraisal technique… it actually requires true essence and spiritual sense, but Qi Refining cultivators only have true qi; I do have a bit of spiritual sense, but it’s not enough.”

Zhang Hao helplessly put down the jade slip for the appraisal technique, preparing to hand it over to his father, second uncle, and eldest brother.

Well, his father and second uncle were still recovering, so he could only trouble Zhang Han for now.

Zhang Han spent more than two hours mastering the new appraisal technique and began to participate in the new research—ultra-high purity Mystic Iron.

Huang Mingshan and the others were extremely serious, with a sense of mission on their faces.

Zhang Han watched curiously from the side, unable to understand the new smelting method.

“Why are these iron powder and carbon powder separated? How do they react?”

“Why only introduce a small amount of air?”

“Shouldn’t spirit stone powder be added during the smelting of Mystic Iron?”

…

Zhang Hao was speechless, but Huang Mingshan explained excitedly.

As a result, there were even more questions.

“Oxygen? What kind of gas is this?”

“Am I also rusting inside?”

…

Zhang Hao rolled his eyes speechlessly: No, you’re not rusting inside, your brain is short-circuiting…

After being busy for half a day, Zhang Shengye walked over gracefully. Although his face was pale, it didn’t hide his demeanor.

Upon meeting, he said directly, “Little Hao, you have a lot of face. The Prime Minister has arrived and is already at the guild. He’s waiting for you now. Feng Dongyuan is already waiting in the living room.”

Zhang Hao was immediately surprised, “The Prime Minister came in person? This… Second Uncle, did we… play this too big?”

“I thought you were quite bold, why are you scared now?”

“I heard that Prime Ministers all have seven apertures and an exquisite heart. Dealing with these people requires being extra careful. But I’m just an ordinary person, if I grow another eye on my heart, I’ll lose my life…”

Zhang Shengye: …

Zhang Hao had been the one to initiate the credit terms, so he had no choice but to go.

Feng Dongyuan returned to his cold-faced state. Upon seeing Zhang Hao, he grabbed him without a word and flew away. No matter what Zhang Hao said along the way, he didn’t slow down.

By the time Zhang Hao arrived at the guild gate, his legs were weak and his face was pale. Feng Dongyuan revealed a smug smile, “Go in, the City Lord is also there.”

City Lord Liu Jingming and Prime Minister Ouyang Si sat upright in the north, looking down condescendingly; a typical case of the guest bullying the host.

Zhou Bo and the others in the guild sat in the south, looking a little submissive.

Zhang Hao frowned slightly when he saw this scene and asked, “Which one is the Prime Minister?”

“This old man is!” The Prime Minister looked to be middle-aged, but referred to himself as “this old man.” However, one couldn’t judge the lifespan of cultivators by their appearance, so calling himself “this old man” wasn’t a problem.

Zhang Hao looked at the other party, nodded seriously, and said domineeringly, “Greetings, Prime Minister, you’re in the wrong seat!”

The atmosphere instantly froze.

Liu Jingming tensed up, truly shocked by Zhang Hao’s words.

Zhou Bo and the others were also stunned. Young Master Zhang, you’re so domineering!

Prime Minister Ouyang Si narrowed his eyes, his gaze like a knife piercing Zhang Hao’s heart. But Zhang Hao held his head high, looking directly at the Prime Minister without backing down.

In the air, there seemed to be invisible swords clashing.

After a while, Prime Minister laughed loudly, “What a young man. Then tell me, where should this old man sit?”

“Of course, in the seat a guest should sit.” After a slight pause, Zhang Hao continued, “Let’s talk this afternoon. Let us first welcome the Prime Minister and wash away the dust at noon, and introduce the Mystic Iron Guild.”

Chapter 74: War Magical Treasures

“Lowering your head after being assertive allows both sides to save face. Zhang Hao’s handling was a bit rough, but he’s already showing signs of being extraordinary.”

Liu Jingming nodded, Zhou Bo and others expressed their appreciation, and the Prime Minister could only nod as well.

Taking advantage of the luncheon, Zhou Bo immediately arranged for people to rearrange the seating.

This time, Zhang Hao offered a suggestion: following the traditional seating arrangement, no matter how it’s done, it wouldn’t be quite right; one side would always be higher, the other lower; one above, the other below. So Zhang Hao had an idea: “Let’s sit facing each other east to west.”

“We’ll be on the east side since we’re the hosts.”

That’s how the luncheon was arranged, and both sides were very satisfied.

During the luncheon, Zhou Bo spoke eloquently, explaining the history of the Mystic Iron Guild, its responsibilities, and so on, especially highlighting the guild’s contribution to stabilizing currency value; finally, he emphasized the patent system that the guild was most proud of.

Prime Minister Ouyang Si was initially somewhat unimpressed, but gradually, he gained a deep understanding of the Mystic Iron Guild and praised it repeatedly.

With a basic understanding between the two sides, and the shared concern for the country, negotiations became much easier.

However, when it came to financial matters, “easier” was limited.

The Mystic Iron Guild stated: “We can only extract two hundred tons of Mystic Iron per day; as for the quality, it depends on the sales situation on that day.”

The Prime Minister stated: “For the next month, all of it will be supplied to the military.”

The Mystic Iron Guild stated: “We can offer a year of interest-free credit.”

The Prime Minister stated: “You should sell it at eighty percent of the market price.”

The Mystic Iron Guild stated: “We require tax breaks.”

The Prime Minister stated: “Paying taxes according to the law is your duty and responsibility; even interest is subject to taxation.”

The two sides engaged in a war of words. Zhou Bo and others were self-taught when it came to these matters of interest. When it comes to interests, every ounce must be carefully calculated.

Seeing that there was nothing for him to do, Zhang Hao left; as soon as he left the room, someone handed Zhang Hao a love letter… cough, cough, a message: “Executive Zhang, there’s a Miss Mu Yingying waiting for you at the gate; she’s been waiting for half the day.”

Zhang Hao looked up at the already reddening sunset, then at the gossiping eyes of the guild guards, shrugged, and went to the gate.

A beautiful but luxurious carriage was parked at the gate, the guards and coachman stood motionless like statues; only the two white horses pulling the carriage were restlessly moving around.

Zhang Hao came to the front of the carriage and softly called out: “Junior Sister, Zhang Hao is late, please forgive me.”

“You have nothing to be forgiven for; it is I who am disturbing you.”

Listening to the somewhat sour tone, Zhang Hao quickly apologized and took the initiative to change the subject: “Junior Sister, it is I who have been negligent. May I have an opportunity to atone for my sins?”

“I just came to see the sunset; I’ll leave after watching the sunset.”

Zhang Hao was even more certain that this Mu Yingying was indeed angry. She likes to watch the sunset, right? Then let her watch the sunset; that’s fine too. By the way, Zhang Hao searched his mind for a few jokes.

“…I may not be the most beautiful, I may not be the smartest… My name is Wei Bihui.”

“An emperor wanted to make a new set of clothes, these new clothes had to be able to measure the loyalty of his subjects… As a result, a few ignorant children said that the emperor wasn’t wearing anything, but they were taken away by the adults.”

“What would a seven-tenths cooked steak say to a three-tenths cooked steak?”

Mu Yingying finally laughed and said, “It would say, ‘We’re just right, aren’t we?’”

“Yes, we’re just right.” Zhang Hao repeated seriously.

Mu Yingying was stunned for a moment, then spat lightly, “You just like to bully people! Hmph, we want to imitate the Mystic Iron Guild and establish a refining guild. But we always feel like we’re missing something, so I wanted to ask for your guidance, Senior Brother.”

“I’ll do my best.”

Zhang Hao took a horse and followed behind Mu Yingying, walking forward; along the way, Zhang Hao had a plan in mind: now that the Zhang family has accumulated a wealth of resources, perhaps it’s time to get involved in the refining industry!

Could the refining guild be the Zhang family’s next opportunity for development?

The two walked slowly, and it wasn’t until the sun fell to the top of the city that they arrived at Nine Treasures Pavilion.

Nine Treasures Pavilion was still as lively as ever, but when Zhang Hao arrived at the door, the maids at the door shouted in unison: “Welcome, Young Master Zhang.”

At that moment, a sense of satisfaction arose spontaneously. I’m finally not a nameless, faceless supporting character.

As soon as he stepped into Nine Treasures Pavilion, the manager greeted him with a bright smile and personally invited Zhang Hao and Mu Yingying to the eighth floor.

Standing on the eighth floor, Zhang Hao looked at the tightly closed door of the ninth floor and was a little puzzled: “The ninth floor doesn’t seem to have ever been opened?”

The manager immediately replied: “Because we haven’t prepared all the dishes for the ninth floor yet. Please forgive us, Young Master Zhang.”

Zhang Hao nodded, but didn’t believe it at all in his heart. But the manager’s words were beautiful. The ninth floor must be used to welcome true VIPs. For example, the Crown Prince, Nine Sun Sect elders, and the like.

The private room was actually the same one as last time, and Zheng Changqiu, Mu Mingchen, Mei Qianyun, Ji Butong, Liu Xian, and others that Zhang Hao knew were all there. In addition, there were many new faces.

Zheng Changqiu was very enthusiastic and introduced Zhang Hao to everyone one by one.

“The head manager of Cloud Eagle Trading Company, Liu Guang. A Nascent Soul stage expert.”

“The eldest young master of the Mu family, Mu Pengcheng. Twenty years old, Foundation Establishment middle stage.”

…

After going around in a circle, he finally returned to Zheng Changqiu’s seat and pointed to the person next to him, introducing: “Zheng Shaojie, the eldest young master of the Zheng family, nineteen years old, Foundation Establishment middle stage.”

Zhang Hao greeted everyone one by one, without losing etiquette.

After getting acquainted, Ji Butong went straight to the point: “Nephew, we’re all family here, so I’ll be frank.”

Zhang Hao nodded in agreement. But he had other thoughts in his mind: we’re at most acquaintances, don’t just randomly call us ‘family’.

Ji Butong talked about their plan to build a refining guild: they had discussed it well at the beginning, but they always felt like they were missing something, but they couldn’t say what it was.

In short, everyone gathered together, but they couldn’t find the kind of tacit understanding that the Mystic Iron Guild had.

After listening, Zhang Hao said unceremoniously: “Executive Ji, I think I understand what’s missing.

First, let’s talk about the Mystic Iron Guild. The establishment of the Mystic Iron Guild had a prerequisite.

The Mystic Iron market was chaotic, everyone’s interests were damaged, and everyone urgently needed to make effective changes. Coincidentally, the Zhang family had enough reputation because they made the water forging technique public. That’s how the Mystic Iron Guild came to be.

In other words, everyone gathered together with a common purpose.

May I ask, what is the common purpose of everyone gathering together?”

Mu Yingying thought for a moment and said: “Our common purpose is to strengthen and streamline the domestic magical treasures refining industry.”

Zhang Hao shook his head: “Junior Sister, I think that a guild is just a big family, and everyone is a family member.

This family must have an internal core, not an external one.”

Mu Yingying frowned slightly: “May I ask, Senior Brother, what is the core of the Mystic Iron Guild?”

“Mystic Iron smelting! More specifically, it’s the technology of smelting Mystic Iron. In the past, we kept the technology of smelting Mystic Iron to ourselves; now, we make it public internally, and everyone has made significant progress. I think everyone here should have a deep understanding of this.”

Everyone nodded; they had personally witnessed the rise and development of the Mystic Iron Guild.

But what is the core of the refining guild?

Zheng Shaojie pondered deeply: “Our technologies are different, and our refining products are also very different; I can’t think of a common point for a while!”

Mu Yingying’s eyes suddenly lit up: “I’ve got it, there is one thing that can accommodate all the differences. That is: War magical treasures!”

War magical treasures? Everyone’s eyes lit up instantly.

Zhang Hao also became energetic. Although he had heard the words “War magical treasures” many times, and had also heard about the power of War magical treasures, he had never seen such a powerful war machine with his own eyes.

Chapter 75: Magical Treasures, War Machines

(Billions of words of updates. Starting tonight, I’ll sleep less~)

Everyone looked at Mu Yingying, whose eyes were becoming increasingly bright, filled with confidence and a domineering air:

“We can only learn from the Mystic Iron Guild’s model, but we can’t replicate it. Because the Mystic Iron Guild only has one product: Mystic Iron! All their technology is focused on that single product.

This is the Mystic Iron Guild’s inherent advantage.

But we’re different. We process Mystic Iron into various items, including life artifacts, farming tools, artisan tools, magical treasures, and so on.

Our technologies are scattered and difficult, even impossible, to unify.

Therefore, I believe we shouldn’t start with technology but directly with products!”

“War magical treasures are a great product. A single war magical treasure can contain dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of magical treasures or artifacts.

We can use our best technologies to create the best war magical treasure components.

Finally, we combine all the components into a powerful war magical treasure!

And in the process of creating war magical treasures, we gradually make some of our technologies public and learn from the Mystic Iron Guild’s patent rules, establishing our own patent system.”

After Mu Yingying finished speaking, everyone was silent for a moment, then bright applause erupted.

Even Zhang Hao looked at Mu Yingying with amazement.

Remarkable, truly remarkable. Mu Yingying could be said to have pioneered a completely new trend. There was a hint of technology being used as shares.

It could be said that Mu Yingying’s decision greatly promoted technological progress in the Qixia Kingdom.

At that moment, Zhang Hao’s gaze towards Mu Yingying changed slightly.

Unlike himself, Mu Yingying could achieve this; she truly possessed wisdom!

Seeming to notice Zhang Hao’s surprised gaze, Mu Yingying suddenly winked at Zhang Hao mischievously, very playfully.

Hmph, this young lady isn’t bad either!

With Mu Yingying’s suggestion, everyone’s minds were opened, and they quickly organized a preliminary set of rules and regulations.

Zhang Hao was very eager to learn, not hiding his ignorance at all, directly asking everyone: What exactly are war magical treasures? We previously only smelted Mystic Iron and had only heard of war magical treasures, never seen them.

“Let me explain!” Mu Pengcheng said. Being overshadowed by his younger sister put a lot of pressure on the young master, so it was time to show off.

“Junior Brother, to explain clearly what ‘war magical treasures’ are, we need to start with ordinary artifacts, magical treasures, and spiritual artifacts.”

“We’re used to the terms artifact, magical treasure, and spiritual treasure, but we don’t really understand why these three terms are used. We simply consider them three levels of cultivation magical treasures.

But in reality, artifacts, magical treasures, spiritual treasures, and even talisman treasures, are forms of cultivation tools, not levels.

An artifact isn’t necessarily bad, and a magical treasure isn’t necessarily powerful.

The key to an artifact is ‘magic.’ Simply put, it’s an item that possesses ‘magical power.’ Usually, artifacts are indeed lower-level. But that doesn’t mean artifacts are necessarily bad.

If a magical treasure is imbued with a Nascent Soul stage spell, its function might even surpass a magical treasure.

The most significant difference between artifacts, magical treasures, and spiritual treasures is that artifacts can’t be as flexible and versatile as magical treasures, able to enlarge and shrink.

For example, the Princess’s spear is an artifact, not a magical treasure. But the spear’s combat capability even surpasses a spiritual treasure.”

“Compared to magical treasures, artifacts are simpler and faster to refine, and they can be replenished in large quantities.

And the usage requirements are simple. They don’t require long periods of refinement. Once you’re familiar with them, you can unleash peak combat power. If an artifact is damaged, it won’t harm your spiritual consciousness.

Therefore, artifacts are widely used in the military. The attack power of some powerful artifacts is no weaker than what we usually call spiritual artifacts.”

“As for magical treasures and spiritual treasures, the key is the word ‘treasure.’ Magical treasures can be freely retracted and released, even stored inside the body.

I wonder if Junior Brother has heard of the name ‘Sword Concealment Technique’?”

Zhang Hao shook his head.

“The Sword Concealment Technique is the earliest recorded method of refining magical treasures. Almost all methods of refining magical treasures now evolved from the Sword Concealment Technique.

After the Foundation Establishment stage, cultivators can use the Sword Concealment Technique to open an acupoint in their body specifically for storing swords, specifically flying swords.

The flying sword will also have corresponding formations, which we usually call ‘magical treasure formations.’ In reality, it’s a spatial formation that works with the Sword Concealment Technique and resonates with the acupoint space opened by the Sword Concealment Technique.

Usually, people use the ‘Chengjiang acupoint’ located below the tongue to cultivate the Sword Concealment Technique.

Other magical treasures are the same principle as flying swords.”

“Then there are spiritual treasures. The biggest characteristic of spiritual treasures is that ‘the treasure has a spirit and can be controlled like an arm.’ It’s hard to understand without experiencing it personally, so I can’t explain it clearly.”

“Now, let’s talk about war magical treasures. What we talked about before, whether it’s artifacts, magical treasures, or spiritual treasures, are mostly singular. Even if there are sets, they’re mostly monotonous.

But war magical treasures are a kind of machine composed of multiple artifacts or magical treasures.

Some massive war magical treasures are unimaginably complex.

For example, the Canglan Kingdom has a checkpoint on South Autumn Wind Ridge called ‘Azure Sky Pass.’ Azure Sky Pass is named because there is an ‘Azure Sky Pavilion’ there.

The Azure Sky Pavilion is thirty zhang square and eighteen zhang high. It is said that it uses over fourteen thousand artifacts, each comparable to a high-grade magical treasure.

It’s a fortress-level war magical treasure. It can fly in the sky, and even Nascent Soul cultivators can’t stop it.”

A flying fortress, one hundred meters square and nearly sixty meters high, appeared in Zhang Hao’s mind. The fortress swooped down, and tens of thousands of soldiers turned to dust.

A flying, super-large shopping mall! But it’s all filled with military supplies!

“Huff…” Zhang Hao took a deep breath. He suddenly realized that he understood too little about this world. And the Zhang family was indeed a “small family” before, with too little information.

Mu Pengcheng continued, “The most famous war magical treasure in our Qixia Kingdom is the ‘Spirit Turtle Fortress.’

It is said that the Spirit Turtle Fortress is composed of more than two thousand magical treasure-level artifacts, is more than five zhang square, and has a strong barrier in the sky. It consumes tens of thousands of high-grade spirit stones every hour.

The Spirit Turtle Fortress has four magic-formed legs like pillars supporting the sky, allowing it to move slowly.

Soldiers inside can launch crossbow bolts, magical spells, and other attacks to annihilate the enemy.

As far as I know, we currently have six Spirit Turtle Fortresses.”

Zhang Hao’s heart was stirred just by listening. He couldn’t help but ask, “Are there smaller war magical treasures?”

“There are many. For example, some powerful ballistae on the battlefield can also be considered war magical treasures.”

“Thank you, Brother. Zhang Hao has learned a lot and benefited greatly.”

Mu Pengcheng was very proud: “It’s a small matter. If Junior Brother has any questions, feel free to ask.”

Zhang Hao thought for a moment and suddenly said, “I, representing the Zhang family, apply to join this Refinement Guild and jointly build the Refinement Guild.”

“Oh…” Mei Qianyun suddenly spoke, very surprised, “Young Master Zhang, we have all seen the Zhang family’s ability to smelt Mystic Iron. But the Refinement Guild tests refinement techniques. I wonder what techniques the Zhang family has to offer?”

Zhang Hao smiled: “How about this, let’s temporarily disperse for today.

Three days later, we’ll bring our respective technologies, magical treasures, etc., and meet again.

At that time, everyone will discuss again and determine whether the Zhang family is qualified to join the Refinement Guild.”

Everyone thought about it and agreed, deciding to meet three days later at the Zhang family’s residence in the market.

After that, everyone started chatting about everything and nothing.

Chapter 76: A Dragon is Watching You

In the evening, Zhang Hao returned to the Zhang family compound, carrying several thick books and a few jade slips. This was the intelligence he had purchased from the Night Moon Pavilion, all about War magical treasures.

The Night Moon Pavilion lived up to its reputation as a powerful intelligence and assassination organization; its ability to gather intelligence and information was indeed formidable.

War magical treasures were born for war, some for defense, but mostly for slaughter. From ordinary ballistae to whirling blade arrays and massive fortresses, everything was available.

War magical treasures showed Zhang Hao a machine world unique to the cultivation world!

“This is a magical world, a strange world, and a powerful and cruel world. This world also has its own unique machines, but they are entirely born for war!”

Zhang Hao felt unprecedented pressure.

Unable to sleep, Zhang Hao came to the courtyard and looked up at the bright moon in the sky, inadvertently thinking of his former world.

After the excitement of transmigrating, a faint homesickness finally surfaced.

This was truly being alone and a stranger in a foreign land!

An unspeakable loneliness and exhaustion emerged in his heart.

Looking at the bright moon, Zhang Hao did not dare to speak, but could only shout in his heart: “Then, I will transform this world into something familiar!”

…

The morning sun gradually rose.

In the Zhang family’s refining base, the sound of machinery roared steadily and powerfully. The ground beneath one’s feet trembled faintly, that was the power of machines.

In just a few days, the Zhang family had restored its production capacity of two hundred tons of Mystic Iron per day; the power of industry roared in this small refining base, accumulating the power to change the world.

Glancing at the petroleum sample beside him, Zhang Hao sighed; he didn’t have time to start refining it right now.

The immediate priorities were three important things: the military’s five thousand tons of Mystic Iron, Zhou Jue’s Mystic Iron for alchemy, and the Alchemist Association.

At this moment, Zhang Hao also had a strong idea in his mind – he wanted to go to the battlefield and see!

Go to the battlefield of the Jinyang Kingdom, to see what War magical treasures were all about, to see how War magical treasures operated. To see what the structure of War magical treasures was like? What were the principles? What was the level of technology? Could he learn from it?

Only by experiencing it firsthand would he understand what kind of existence it was.

Zhang Hao’s heart felt like hundreds of kittens were scratching at it, and the itchiness was beyond description.

But at the same time, Zhang Hao was also clear that with his current situation, even causing trouble on the battlefield was beyond his capabilities.

For the time being, the only opportunity seemed to be to produce all the Mystic Iron as soon as possible, and then personally escort the Mystic Iron to the battlefield, so that he could get his foster father’s protection.

Zhang Hao took a few deep breaths, suppressing the impatience in his heart; but… he was still itching to go!

After taking a turn around the refining base, checking everyone’s progress, and giving some guidance to Bai Xiaodong and others on production, Zhang Hao came to the seaside.

The vast sea was as it always was. The boundless waves washed the coast for thousands of years, making a rumbling sound, and the waves crashed on the rocks, loosening them.

This nameless coastline had been eroded into cliffs by the sea. Under the cliffs, on some reefs, some unfamiliar marine beasts were lazily sunbathing. The morning sun gave these marine beasts a soft luster.

A marine beast similar to a seal, but covered in scales, saw Zhang Hao. It opened its mouth, yawned, and lay on the reef to continue yawning, not at all interested in Zhang Hao, this two-legged life form from the land.

A dark shadow appeared on the distant sea, gradually approaching the reef.

Zhang Hao waved his hand, but there was no response.

Suddenly, a horned dragon-snake, more than a meter thick and of unknown length, sprang out from under the sea and pounced on the lazy ‘seal’ on the reef.

Compared to a dragon, a dragon-snake has no claws.

But the seal seemed unmoved, still lazy.

Suddenly, hundreds of seals sprang out from the sea beside it, and they neatly bit onto the dragon-snake’s body.

At this moment, the seal that had been lazily sunbathing suddenly jumped up, and its tail, like a whip, slammed heavily on the dragon-snake’s head, knocking out a mouthful of poisonous teeth.

Zhang Hao: …

In two or three breaths, a dragon-snake more than twenty meters long floated to the surface; the dragon-snake was still struggling to death, its tail swept and broke several reefs, but it could not escape its fate.

A crystal-clear demon core was taken out of the dragon-snake’s head and swallowed by the seal that had been sunbathing. The rest of the seals divided up the dragon-snake’s body, leaving only bones and scales.

The seals left leisurely, but the sea turned red, and a patch of red fish appeared, and they began to scramble for the remains left by the seals.

When the small fish left, a patch of jellyfish floated on the sea, and they washed away the remaining blood in the sea, and were about to leave quietly.

Unexpectedly, a big mouth appeared and swallowed most of the jellyfish in one bite; a scallop more than thirty meters wide flashed and began to sink.

Submarine weeds like spears pierced out again, but they could not pierce the scallop’s shell, and the scallop sank leisurely and disappeared.

The morning sun became brighter and brighter, and the sea returned to tranquility, with only the endless rolling of the waves, but no marine beasts could be seen. But the thrilling scene just now echoed in Zhang Hao’s mind.

That seal alone must be extraordinarily intelligent.

Opening a life channel in the Death Green Sea was a long and arduous task!

While thinking, a struggle came from the distance, and the waves rustled.

Zhang Hao was curious and turned around a rock, and saw his Second Uncle… fishing!

Zhang Shengye was lying diagonally on a rock, holding a fishing rod as thick as an egg in both hands. Spiritual light flowed on the fishing rod, forming its own aura, which was obviously extraordinary.

Seeing this fishing rod, Zhang Hao was speechless: “Second Uncle, you made a fishing rod out of ninety-nine percent pure Mystic Iron?”

“Yes, this is strong enough. Okay, don’t make noise, the fish is hooked, a big one!”

Zhang Hao walked closer, looked at the fishing rod, and felt heartbroken: This fishing rod must weigh at least ten kilograms, which is at least two hundred high-grade spirit stones.

“Second Uncle, although we are developing well now, but…”

“Shh… Look at this fish, this is a ‘grouper (yi)’, a Foundation Building stage peak grouper. Do you know how much a grouper is worth?

The last time you ate a plate of grouper at the Nine Treasures Pavilion, it was only one hundred to one hundred fifty grams of meat, and it cost more than one thousand five hundred spirit stones. And this grouper is more than twenty-five kilograms, calculated at sixteen taels per catty, this one is worth at least thirty high-grade spirit stones!

As long as you catch ten groupers, you can get your money back.

Moreover, the sea is so rich, in addition to groupers, there are dragon-snakes, Wen Yao fish, and so on.”

Zhang Hao said leisurely: “Second Uncle, the accounts can’t be calculated like this. The price at the Nine Treasures Pavilion…”

“Little brat, I’m the elder, right.”

“…”

“Look, now both me and your father are injured and need a lot of supplements. We can’t afford to eat at the Nine Treasures Pavilion, so I can only fish myself with injuries. Don’t even come over to help.”

Zhang Hao shrugged and was about to step forward to see what the grouper looked like, but suddenly exclaimed: “Second Uncle, there’s a dragon watching you over there!”

“Where… Holy crap!” Zhang Shengye jumped up with a cry, and the expensive fishing rod also fell into the sea.

Below, a dragon almost ten meters long leisurely swallowed the grouper and also collected the fishing rod. Then, a cloud of turbid demon energy appeared under its body, and it slowly flew up.

Chapter 77: Human Power Has Limits

“Run!” Zhang Shengye grabbed Zhang Hao, a flying sword appeared under his feet, and with a whoosh, they shot into the sky, using up all his energy to fly over three hundred meters high.

Turning his head, he saw the dragon leisurely retreat back into the sea, calmly holding the fishing rod, disappearing into the vast ocean. At the last moment, it even seemed to glance back at Zhang Hao and Zhang Shengye, its eyes conveying an emotion called ‘contempt’.

Zhang Shengye wiped away a cold sweat: “That was close!”

“I think that dragon was just greedy for the fishing rod and had no interest in us at all.”

“……”

“Second Uncle, what realm is that dragon probably in?”

“It should be in the Golden Core stage, otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to escape. Moreover, marine demon beasts have huge bodies and thick skin, and their close combat power can even rival human Nascent Soul stage cultivators.”

Zhang Hao nodded, then suddenly said mischievously, “Second Uncle, you won’t have any sushi to eat tonight.”

“Little brat, I was originally going to give it to you, afraid you’d suffer Qi deviation again. What are you gloating about? Haha…”

This Second Uncle of mine is getting more and more mischievous~~~

Returning to the seaside, Zhang Hao looked at the churning sea, his expression gradually becoming serious.

“Little brat, what did you come here for?” Zhang Shengye asked from the side.

Zhang Hao’s gaze remained fixed on the sea, and he said slowly, “I’m observing, thinking about what method we can use to open a life channel on the sea!”

Zhang Shengye put away his smile, his expression also becoming serious: “I’ve been thinking about this for a while too. Today’s fishing was also to think about this issue.

But… you’ve seen the danger of the Death Green Sea.

Little brat, I’m afraid this road to the west is really impassable!”

“That kind of dragon is just the most ordinary demon beast in the sea.”

Zhang Hao shook his head slightly: “Second Uncle, I’ve thought of a method.”

“Oh?”

“Second Uncle, human power has its limits. Therefore, if we want to rely on human power to cross the sea, even a ship full of Nascent Soul stage experts won’t be able to do it.”

Zhang Shengye nodded: “Yes, even the legendary God Transformation stage cultivators have times when they are exhausted.”

Zhang Hao continued, “But what if we can use the power of machinery?”

“The power of machinery?” Zhang Shengye’s mind suddenly flashed back to the situation in the smelting base. It could be said that the power of machinery had been initially demonstrated in the smelting base.

If such mechanical power were to be dozens of times stronger… it seemed unrealistic? Zhang Shengye expressed his doubts, “Little brat, the situation in the smelting base is very good, but those machines are also very fragile. A Foundation Establishment stage cultivator can easily destroy them.”

Zhang Hao nodded, “But now there is an opportunity.

The Zheng family of Nanyang County, the Mu family of Anling County, the Nine Sun Sect, the Cloud Eagle Trading Company, the Jade Snow Villa, and other large and small families and trading companies from the Qixia Kingdom, numbering over a hundred, want to imitate the Mystic Iron Guild and establish an Artifact Refining Guild.

I want to join!

Second Uncle, we already have a good foundation and can try to get into the artifact refining industry. And the Artifact Refining Guild will be our best opportunity.”

After Zhang Shengye asked Zhang Hao some details, he nodded slowly: “Once the Artifact Refining Guild is established, it will inevitably form a relatively closed and monopolistic environment, just like the Mystic Iron Guild. It will be extremely difficult for outsiders to enter this industry again!

Right now, it is indeed an opportunity.

But what do we use to knock on the door of the Artifact Refining Guild?

We only have some ordinary artifact refining techniques at home.”

Zhang Hao hesitated for a moment, and said, “Steam turbine, bearings, machine tools!”

“No way!” Zhang Shengye objected without even thinking.

“We have no choice, Second Uncle.” Zhang Hao sighed, “This is our only chance. But this decision is too big, so I want to hear Second Uncle’s opinion.”

Zhang Shengye looked at the churning sea, his mood also churning. But after all, he was the number two figure in the family, and he gradually found a way: “Bearings then. Steam turbines and machine tools must never be leaked.”

“But just a bearing, won’t it be a little too simple?”

“Then move our family’s crossbow bed over! The crossbow bed that our family built using new bearings and pulleys should be comparable to ordinary War magical treasures!”

Zhang Hao was silent for a long time again, then suddenly changed the subject: “Second Uncle, I want to go to the battlefield of the Jinyang Kingdom to see what War magical treasures are really like and how they operate!”

The waves rolled, the sea breeze howled, and Zhang Shengye also did not answer immediately. Zhang Shengye understood that Zhang Hao was asking himself: How to go safely.

Zhang Shengye’s first reaction was to stop Zhang Hao from going. But after thinking about it, he didn’t say anything.

After a long while, Zhang Shengye took a deep breath, “As a nominal disciple of the Xuanzhen Sect, you should go back to Emerald Bamboo Peak.”

Emerald Bamboo Peak?

Zhang Hao’s eyes lit up immediately. That’s right, he almost forgot that he was still a nominal disciple of the Xuanzhen Sect!

“…………

Returning home at noon, after first seeing his father and visiting his mother who was working hard to cultivate, Zhang Hao returned to his room and began… to suppress his cultivation.

Cultivation emphasizes ‘stillness’, but recently Zhang Hao has had too many things to do, and his state of mind has fluctuated again. The true essence that had been suppressed began to surge towards the Foundation Establishment stage again.

“I don’t believe I can’t suppress it!”

At this time, the true qi in Zhang Hao’s body had already begun to show a ‘fogging’ phenomenon.

The Qi Refining stage cultivates true qi, while the Foundation Establishment stage cultivates true essence. If true qi is a “gas” state, then true essence is a ‘liquid’ state.

Of course, this is just a metaphor, and the reality is much more complicated.

True essence is more advanced than true qi! True essence is not a simple compression of true qi, but also a qualitative change.

No matter how powerful the Qi Refining stage is, it cannot get rid of the limitations of the mortal body and life itself; while the Foundation Establishment stage extends its life for the first time and changes its own destiny for the first time.

From the Qi Refining stage to the Foundation Establishment stage is a qualitative change, and it is also a transition from a mortal to a cultivator.

Only after the Foundation Establishment stage can one truly be called a cultivator, or a cultivator.

True qi is innate, it’s just a matter of how much; the so-called person lives on a breath, which is a breath of true qi. It’s just that ordinary people have very little and it is turbid.

True essence is obtained through cultivation and is the mark of a cultivator. The appearance of true essence represents that kind of unyielding spirit and the belief to borrow five hundred more years from the heavens!

Now, the true qi in Zhang Hao’s body is transforming into true essence.

Having finally stabilized his cultivation again, Zhang Hao opened “Annotations on the Essentials of Qi Refining”, which contained annotations by Mingxu:

Generally, cultivators only start compressing true essence after entering the Foundation Establishment stage; not to mention that this is already a step late, the most important and troublesome thing is that this will bring the roots of ‘mortals’ to the cultivator stage.

The correct approach is to complete the conversion of true essence in the Qi Refining stage, completely cut off everything of ‘mortals’, and enter the Foundation Establishment stage cleanly.

In this way, the true essence will be washed again during the process of crossing the Foundation Establishment stage, making it more pure.

This is the meaning of suppressing cultivation.

This step can divide cultivators into “excellent” and “ordinary” two levels.

Putting down “Annotations on the Essentials of Qi Refining”, Zhang Hao sighed, this is the meaning of apprenticeship, and this is the importance of inheritance.

Without such a book of “Annotations”, he would have entered the Foundation Establishment stage confusedly. The road ahead would inevitably be extremely bumpy.

The cultivation holy land is indeed well-deserved.

Most importantly: my luck seems to be pretty good!

Chapter 78: A Startling Success

(Bill: Chapter 24)

Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and the Zhang family’s new residence in the market was bustling with activity once more. Zhang Shengye personally greeted everyone.

Come to think of it, the Zhang family hadn’t used this residence much since it was built.

First, it was borrowed by the Mystic Iron Guild, and now it was being borrowed by the Weapon Refinement Guild—or rather, the “soon-to-be” Weapon Refinement Guild.

Early in the morning, the place was already swarming with people. Guards from various families and merchant houses completely sealed off the surrounding area, arousing considerable curiosity.

Carriages drove into the courtyard one after another, while a barrier rose above the courtyard, completely blocking outside eyes.

After arriving in the courtyard, everyone silently took a position and took out the items from their carriages or storage rings.

Because storage equipment was expensive, rare, and had limited space, it could only hold small, precious items. Transporting large quantities of goods still relied on carriages.

However, most people’s attention was focused on the Zhang family’s items.

The Zhang family had set out three groups of items, all of which were unfamiliar.

The first group looked like ballistae, but the design… was a bit strange, even exaggerated.

The second group was a pile of Mystic Iron circles of various sizes, which looked very complex, and no one knew what they were for.

The third group was a set of tools, arranged neatly and orderly, but no one could understand them.

At this time, Zhang Hao was also looking at the items brought by everyone. People displayed exquisitely crafted flying swords, battle knives, crossbows, hidden weapons, spears, talismans, armor, shields, iron chains, mirrors, gourds, array flags, thunder hammers, jewelry, and accessories.

Most families had a lot of the same items.

Thinking about it, the magical treasures commonly used by cultivators were just a few types. There weren’t many who played too far outside the box.

Zheng Changqiu walked around and finally stopped in front of Zhang Hao: “Nephew, why don’t you start by introducing your items? I can’t understand any of them.”

Everyone agreed.

Zheng Changqiu pointed to the strange and exaggerated ballista and said, “Why don’t we start with this one?”

Everyone’s eyes focused on the Zhang family’s ballista.

The ballista in front of them had an extremely exaggerated design, almost two zhang wide, with a total of three pairs, or six, crossbow arms as thick as an adult’s arm. Unlike ordinary crossbow arms, these crossbow arms were actually forged from Mystic Iron and had a slight wavy shape.

At the ends of the crossbow arms were some round wheels. Bowstrings were hung on the wheels. Under each pair of crossbow arm wheels, there were three bowstrings instead of just one.

The bowstrings were also different, actually made of thin strands of Mystic Iron wire twisted together.

A total of nine bowstrings were neatly and orderly inserted into a slider. In front of the slider was a guide slot as thick as an arm.

Also, this ballista didn’t have the usual winch.

Zhang Hao didn’t stand on ceremony, but he didn’t introduce it immediately. Instead, he came to the ballista and gently cranked a half-meter-sized wheel—very easily.

Compared to the ballista and the common winch, this wheel was indeed very small.

But as Zhang Hao quickly cranked it, a heavy creaking sound could be heard. The slider moved backward, and then the crossbow arms bent rapidly. The arm-thick crossbow arms bent backward, and the Mystic Iron wire twisted into iron cables became taut. The slider moved backward quickly.

The creaking, buzzing, and cracking sounds became deeper and deeper, and everyone’s expressions changed slightly, feeling the power of this steel monster. They all moved away from the front of the ballista.

Finally, with a click, the slider locked onto a protruding catch.

Zhang Hao instructed two guards to pull out a three-zhang-long ‘super crossbow bolt’ as thick as an arm from under the ballista.

This crossbow bolt weighed almost four hundred kilograms. The two guards easily placed this ‘crossbow bolt’ on the guide slot, with the tail locked on the slider.

This crossbow bolt was also extremely extraordinary. In addition to the dense array patterns on the surface, there were also two deep spiral grooves, extending from the tip to the tail. The ‘crossbow bolt’ had no fletching or anything like that.

Seeing such a strange crossbow bolt, everyone suspected: wouldn’t this thing tumble in mid-air? That would be a joke.

Zheng Changqiu was also curious: “This crossbow bolt has armor-piercing arrays and restriction-breaking arrays, which are a bit rough. But what are these two spiral grooves for?

Also, without fletching, won’t it tumble?”

“Then please watch carefully, Uncle Zheng!” Zhang Hao said with confidence.

About one hundred meters ahead, more than one thousand coarse iron ingots were placed. These were not smelted by the Zhang family themselves—it was too far and inconvenient to transport—but were custom-made from the surrounding Mystic Iron smelting families.

These Mystic Iron ingots were stacked together and tied with iron cables.

Zhang Hao completed aiming through the sight, and then forcefully moved the arm-length trigger.

The slider that had been fixed suddenly moved.

“Buzz…”

With a buzzing sound, the air seemed to be trembling. The movement of the crossbow firing even made the ground tremble slightly.

Everyone only saw the crossbow arms suddenly rebound, and the crossbow bolt flew out like a bolt of lightning.

As the crossbow bolt flew, there was only a faint hissing sound in the air.

“Bang!” A muffled sound came, and the coarse iron ingots in the distance suddenly exploded, and the iron cables were broken. In the very center, there was a string of candied haws!

The Mystic Iron arrow directly pierced through four iron ingots and finally entered the fifth iron ingot.

“Hiss…” Everyone gasped. The physical defense capability of five iron ingots definitely exceeded the defense capability of a Nascent Soul cultivator. Of course, Nascent Soul cultivators were fast and could dodge, but on the battlefield, who knew where a cold arrow would come from?

Most importantly, such a powerful ballista could completely chip away at the most solid city walls!

Everyone looked at the ballista and then ran over to check the crossbow bolt and iron ingots, finally confirming that they were not seeing things.

At this time, everyone began to observe the Zhang family’s ballista design with great interest. Compared with the traditional ballista design, the Zhang family’s ballista was so different.

First of all, the crossbow arms had wavy patterns. Secondly, the bowstrings were made of very thin Mystic Iron wire twisted together. The Mystic Iron wire was as thin as hair. How did the Zhang family do it?

The entire crossbow arm and bowstrings were all made of Mystic Iron with a purity of more than ninety percent. Just these alone were nearly a ton of Mystic Iron.

The remaining structure mostly used coarse iron, as well as some I-beams, angle steel, and other things that everyone was unfamiliar with. However, the internal mechanical structure of the ballista was wrapped up and could not be seen.

Everything was so unfamiliar, but the power was undeniable.

Most importantly, such a powerful ballista was easy to operate. Except for the process of loading the crossbow bolt and transferring the ballista, the rest could be completed by one person. And the crossbow bolt could actually be made by oneself.

Everyone was a weapon refiner. In this prosperous age of cultivation, weapon refinement was not just about refining magical treasures, but also included military equipment. Therefore, they immediately saw the great value of this ballista.

Everyone’s expressions were a bit surprised and even more shocked. They once thought that the Zhang family was just a Mystic Iron smelting family, but they didn’t expect the Zhang family to give everyone a shocking answer.

After a series of swallowing sounds, Zheng Changqiu began to ask carefully: “This… Nephew, can you explain what the principle behind this ballista is?”

Chapter 79: Standard

The crowd looked at Zhang Hao, then glanced at Zhang Shengye beside him. Asking about the principles behind someone else’s weapon was a bit much, but they were truly stunned.

Especially those crossbow bolts, which flew straight without fletching, defying their understanding.

Zhang Hao smiled and said, “Uncle Zheng, this… I’m afraid I can’t disclose that for now. Please forgive me.”

Disappointment flickered in their eyes.

Zheng Changqiu chuckled apologetically.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Hao continued, “When we discuss it later, the Zhang family will definitely tell everyone everything.”

The crowd’s eyes lit up, but then they exchanged wary glances.

The implication of Zhang Hao’s words was clear: unless the Zhang family became a member of the Artificers’ Guild, they wouldn’t show their hand!

Zhang Hao and Zhang Shengye were willing to bring out their family’s best crossbow to use as a stepping stone.

Zheng Changqiu laughed heartily, then looked at the various large and small complex iron rings beside him and asked, “What are these?”

“Ah… these are bearings!”

“Bearings?” Zheng Changqiu picked one up and examined it, his eyes filled with surprise. “They really are bearings, but they have almost no resistance!”

“Nephew, is there anything special about these bearings?”

Zhang Hao smiled and said, “Our family’s artisans came up with these when they were bored.

Compared to those crude sliding bearings, these roller bearings have almost no noticeable resistance.

Most importantly, these bearings are relatively easy to replace. If a bearing breaks, you don’t need a major overhaul, just replace it with a new one.”

Everyone picked up a bearing to examine, and their expressions gradually became serious. Only by careful observation could they discover that these small bearings were far from simple.

Zhang Hao watched with a smile.

Don’t underestimate this small component!

Without bearings, there would be no industrialized machinery with high-speed, stable rotation, and no powerful industrial nations.

Bearings are the joints of industry!

And in this world, bearings have many applications now: vehicles, crossbows, city wall drawbridges, and so on.

If the crossbow was the Zhang family’s stepping stone to enter the Artificers’ Guild, then the bearing was the Zhang family’s important product to sell to the Artificers’ Guild. It would be the Zhang family’s flagship product in the future, selling far and wide!

Producing bearings without machine tools is almost impossible. It’s not impossible to grind them by hand, but it would definitely make the artisans question their lives.

However, Zhang Hao also understood not to underestimate the wisdom of this world; simple machine tools weren’t complex and might be invented soon.

But before everyone invented machine tools, it would be enough for the Zhang family to earn a huge fortune relying on bearings. By then, the Zhang family could play the price war and ruthlessly suppress their competitors!

For now, everyone looked at these precision bearings in amazement.

Finally, someone said, “This bearing technology alone is enough for the Zhang family to become a member of the Artificers’ Guild.”

The discussion continued.

After a long while, Zhang Hao took the initiative to interrupt the discussion, pointed to the third set of items, and announced loudly, “This is the Zhang family’s gift to the Artificers’ Guild.”

Everyone looked at the neatly arranged items, somewhat puzzled. Judging by Zhang Hao’s tone, these seemed to be remarkable things. But why did they look like ordinary items?

Someone went over to examine them. “Mystic Iron with a purity of sixty-two percent? Young Master Zhang, are you sure this is a gift for the Artificers’ Guild?”

Zhang Hao gave the person a disdainful look and said loudly, “This gift is called: Standard!”

Zhang Hao looked around and began to explain directly.

“Many people doubt how the Zhang family can produce several thousand tons of Mystic Iron in a month! Today, I’ll tell you one reason: Standard!”

“What is standard?”

Zhang Hao didn’t speak, but directly disassembled several identical bearings on the spot, scattering the bases, rollers, cages, and screws all over the ground. Then, Zhang Hao randomly selected parts and slowly reassembled the bearings.

Gently pushing the bearing in front of everyone, Zhang Hao said quietly, “This is standard!”

Everyone’s eyes froze. Sometimes, a single action is worth a thousand words.

Everyone’s forging was done individually, and the concept of standard was completely absent. They were too busy keeping secrets. Even within some families, the standards for magical treasures and War magical treasures were different!

Zheng Changqiu was a practical man. He squatted down, picked up a screwdriver from the ground, and began to disassemble and assemble the bearing. He disassembled it carefully, observing each part closely.

With Zheng Changqiu as an example, even Mu Yingying and Mei Qianyun glanced at each other and began to disassemble and assemble the bearings.

Everyone compared each roller, each screw…

Unknowingly, it was noon. Zhang Hao clapped his hands, and the Zhang family’s cooks immediately brought a simple lunch.

Everyone ate a few bites and continued to disassemble and assemble the bearings. By mid-afternoon, even the fairy-like Mei Qianyun had grease stains on her sleeves.

Then, Zhang Hao remained silent. He had a guard spread a piece of paper on a wooden board, and he picked up a pen from the table and began to draw.

“This is called a ‘meter ruler’. For refined production, we use a smaller and simpler unit than ‘zhang’ and ‘chi’. Within the Zhang family, we call it ‘meter’ and ‘centimeter’.

The traditional units of ‘zhang’ and ‘chi’ are relatively chaotic and large, which is not conducive to refined production.”

“This is a compass. With a compass, I can easily draw countless identical circles.”

“This is a protractor. We divide the circumference into three hundred and sixty degrees, and each degree is temporarily divided into sixty minutes.”

“This is a clock. We divide it into hours, one hour into sixty minutes, and one minute into sixty seconds. The standard for dividing the circumference is based on the clock.”

“This is a thermometer. We set the temperature of ice water as zero degrees, and the temperature of boiling water at sea level as one hundred degrees, dividing the interval into one hundred equal parts. Then, based on this standard, we extend it upwards or downwards.

With a thermometer, we can visually represent the temperature.”

“This is a scale, this is a balance… We adopted a new unit: kilogram, one kilogram is one kilogram…”

…

It was a wonderful performance. Zhang Hao spoke for more than an hour, and finally even proposed ‘combined units’.

For example: acceleration, pressure, etc.

But Zhang Hao only touched on all the combined units, without explaining their meaning. But he left a seed, an introduction.

Finally, Zhang Hao concluded, “Since we are going to build War magical treasures together, standards are very important. Only with unified standards can the various magical treasures and War magical treasures be perfectly matched.

This ‘standard’ is the Zhang family’s gift to the Artificers’ Guild!”

Applause started sporadically, but soon became loud and continuous like waves.

A fine sword for a hero; ‘standard’ is the ‘fine sword’ that these Artificers’ Guilds need, and its value is far beyond what wealth can measure.

The birth of standards also made everyone vaguely see a different world!

In the applause, Ji Butong of the Nine Sun Sect shouted, “I agree that the Zhang family should join the Artificers’ Guild!”

Chapter 80: Using You as an Example

After the Zhang family demonstrated its capabilities, everyone expressed their approval for the Zhang family joining the Artificers Guild.

Indeed, the Zhang family wasn’t an artificing family in the past, and it might not be considered one now. However, the Zhang family possessed something that the artificing families couldn’t refuse.

After the Zhang family, it was the turn of the other families.

Everyone commented on each family one by one, offering their evaluations.

This evaluation process continued until the evening.

During dinner, no one idled; they began discussing the structure of the Artificers Guild, especially the positions of each family.

But as they talked, they started arguing. There were too many issues involved.

Zhang Hao listened quietly without interjecting; Zhang Shengye was responsible for participating in the discussions.

Zhang Shengde was already the chairman of the Mystic Iron Guild, so Zhang Shengye could only be the person in charge of participating in the Artificers Guild.

Zhang Hao was starting to feel drowsy listening to everyone saying, “Our family is the most outstanding, so the chairman, vice-chairman, and the like should be ours.”

They argued until late at night without reaching any consensus.

So everyone decided: let’s call a truce for tonight and continue tomorrow!

Before dawn the next day, the Zhang family’s courtyard became lively. One by one, people couldn’t sleep and began moving around, actually starting to play the game of alliances.

Someone visited Zhang Hao, expressing that if the Zhang family could support them in becoming the chairman, they would help the Zhang family obtain an important position in the Artificers Guild.

Zhang Hao immediately smiled apologetically, “I’m sorry, could you introduce yourself? As you know, our Zhang family is new to the field of artificing and has limited knowledge. Please forgive us.”

Seeing Zhang Hao’s humble attitude, the other party immediately said proudly, “Han family, Han Fei.”

“Han family?”

Who is that? Zhang Hao looked at the other party with a serious expression—look at my confused eyes.

You just say “Han family,” how am I supposed to know who you are? Within the Qixia Kingdom, there aren’t just a few Han-named families with some scale; there are at least seven or eight.

So when everyone introduces themselves, they usually say: the family from such-and-such county.

If the family is even smaller, like the Zhang family used to be, they would say: the Zhang family from Changsha Town, Ninghe County.

Then everyone would understand: “Oh, it’s you. Nice to meet you.”

At this time, even if others still don’t know exactly who you are, they at least have an impression: in the area of Changsha Town, Ninghe County, there is a Zhang family that is good at smelting Mystic Iron and has quite a big mouth.

So, right now, Zhang Hao still doesn’t know who this Han family is, being so awesome.

Seeing Zhang Hao’s dazed expression, Han Fei reluctantly continued, “Han Yue, the Censor-in-Chief, is the head of the family.”

Damn!

At this moment, Zhang Hao understood that they indeed had the capital to be arrogant. He immediately said, “Nice to meet you!”

Han Fei said with a dark face, “Young Master Zhang, if the Zhang family can recommend our Han family for the position of chairman, we would be extremely grateful and will definitely repay you handsomely!”

Hearing this, Zhang Hao said seriously, “Actually, our Zhang family also wants that chairman position.”

Han Fei: …

I thought of many replies, but I never expected it to be this one; kid, can’t you be a little more tactful?

However, the next moment, Zhang Hao said leisurely, “I heard that Censor Han stated in court that the Mystic Iron Guild should donate rather than sell on credit, right?”

Han Fei’s heart tightened, “This… I don’t know about matters in court.”

“Ask the people of the Mystic Iron Guild; is there anyone who doesn’t know!” Zhang Hao said, his expression gradually turning cold, “I believe that a selfish family like the Han family should not join the Artificers Guild!”

Han Fei was furious and suddenly stood up, his Golden Core stage peak aura pressing down on Zhang Hao, “Say that again!”

“I’m a very agreeable person. Since you asked me to say it again, then I’ll say it again. Listen carefully: The Han family is selfish and disregards national interests. I will suggest that everyone refuse the Han family’s membership in the Artificers Guild!

“Did you hear clearly?

“Do you want me to repeat it again?”

Han Fei pointed at Zhang Hao, a murderous intent already appearing on his face.

But Zhang Hao faced him calmly, “Steward Han, I investigated the Han family before, and I found that the Han family’s reputation isn’t very good! Alright, it’s late at night, and I need to rest.

“Please leave.”

Han Fei’s eyes flashed with a fierce light, but Zhang Hao didn’t care at all. Dare to make a move?

In the room next door, Zhang Shengye was ready and would come to the rescue at any time.

In the end, Han Fei still left, but at the moment he stepped out of the door, he still looked back at Zhang Hao, his eyes revealing a strong threat.

After Han Fei left, Zhang Shengye burst into the room, “Little brat, you’re crazy!”

“Second Uncle, they’re already riding on our necks, why be polite? Does he really think we don’t know anything about what happens in court?

“Besides, the Artificers Guild wants to be established, it must establish its authority. Using this Han family to establish authority is very good.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make Han Fei jump out on his own and bring trouble on himself!”

…

The sky gradually brightened. After a simple breakfast, everyone gathered again and started arguing again.

Although everyone was moving around early in the morning, the atmosphere at the negotiating table showed that everyone had probably forgotten the agreement they made in the morning.

Han Fei, while fighting for the Han family’s interests, looked at Zhang Hao with an annoyed expression, his eyes containing warnings, anger, and murderous intent.

Zhang Hao didn’t care at all.

Zhang Shengye didn’t say anything at the side either.

In short, the Zhang family was very quiet.

But seeing that it was almost noon and everyone still hadn’t argued out a clear plan, Zhang Hao finally spoke.

Zhang Hao stood up directly and shouted loudly, “Everyone, it’s not very meaningful for us to argue like this. I have a suggestion, would everyone like to hear it?”

Mei Qianyun put down her sleeves, returning to her fairy-like appearance, and smiled gently, “Tell us.”

“Before, at the Nine Treasures Pavilion, I said that the Artificers Guild should be a big family, and this family should have a core, and everyone should unite around this core.

“Now I ask, what is the core of everyone’s argument here?”

Everyone quieted down in an instant, looking at each other, but couldn’t say anything for a moment.

Zhang Hao continued, “Then, I have a suggestion. Let’s learn from the Mystic Iron Guild and directly use technology as a common core.

“Each of our families will contribute one or several technologies, and then we will rate them based on the contribution of each family.

“Finally, according to the score, we will select the chairman, vice-chairman, department heads, and so on of the guild.

“What does everyone think?”

A look of triumph flashed in Han Fei’s eyes, and he immediately spoke, “I don’t agree. We agreed before that everyone would jointly refine magical treasures and combine them into War magical treasures. Not contribute technology!

“Besides, based on what!”

A faint mockery flashed in Zhang Hao’s eyes. Speaking requires using your brain. Hearing that Han Fei opposed as he had expected, a trace of coldness flashed in Zhang Hao’s eyes.

Zhang Hao had long understood that a stingy family, coupled with his previous stimulation, would definitely make him jump out.

So, it’s time to show the knife!

Zhang Hao slowly opened his mouth and said something shocking, “I have another suggestion: refuse the Han family’s membership in the Artificers Guild!”

These words were like a thunderbolt. Everyone turned their heads in surprise, looking at Zhang Hao, their eyes flashing with three words: Why!

Chapter 81: The Artisans’ Guild

Faced with everyone’s gazes, Zhang Hao remained calm, even wearing a faint smile.

“Everyone, I know you’re surprised. Please allow me to explain one by one.”

“First, may I ask, what is the purpose of establishing our guild?”

Everyone was momentarily stunned.

Zhang Hao said directly, “It’s progress! The purpose of establishing our guild is progress.”

“But how can we progress?”

“By being secretive and guarding our own knowledge?”

“No, the Mystic Iron Guild is our best example. If we want to progress, we must communicate and everyone needs to contribute together.”

“Therefore, the guild itself should be open and united.”

“If everyone only wants to take and is unwilling to make any contributions, then the Artisans’ Guild will only exist in name. As such, it will be difficult to last long.”

Everyone thought about it and felt that what he said made a lot of sense.

But Han Fei firmly opposed, “I think the Zhang family is just considering its own interests.”

Zhang Hao did not directly answer Han Fei’s question, but instead spoke of other things, “Everyone, do you want a guild that is a disorganized mess, or do you need a guild that can stand shoulder to shoulder, back to back, and progress hand in hand?”

“What needs to be said, we have already said. What needs to be discussed, we have already discussed.”

“I believe everyone already has an answer in their hearts.”

Zhang Hao paused slightly, then turned to look at Han Fei, and smiled lightly again, “As for the Han family, I think it’s better not to participate in the guild. The Han family has clearly stated that they do not agree with the guild’s development model.”

Sweat had already appeared on Han Fei’s brow. He had finally figured it out. Zhang Hao was using him as a warning to others, establishing his authority!

Just as Han Fei was thinking, Zheng Changqiu spoke, “I agree with what Zhang Hao said. At the same time, for the Han family, who has clearly expressed opposition, I also think it’s better not to join the guild.”

Unlike what Han Fei thought, Zheng Changqiu was thinking: the establishment of the guild also requires establishing authority! Most importantly, everyone had argued so fiercely before, they needed an outlet, a target to vent their anger on!

Coincidentally, the Han family had walked right into it.

Moreover, the Han family’s reputation was not very good, which was itself the Han family’s disadvantage.

Everyone expressed that the Han family should not come; and in this process of jointly rejecting the Han family, everyone actually had a feeling of ‘fighting side by side’.

Han Fei finally left in anger.

Zhang Hao continued to offer suggestions. If you want to make technology public, you must first sign patent clauses, so as to ensure everyone’s common interests.

The patent clauses directly borrowed from the Mystic Iron Guild, but some modifications were also made.

After the patent clauses were determined, everyone swore to abide by them. Then, Zhang Hao was the first to take the stage and begin explaining his family’s technology.

Everyone came to the Zhang family’s ballista, and Zhang Hao personally directed people to disassemble it while explaining.

Pulley system, gear transmission, reduction gearbox…

Compared to traditional technology, Zhang Hao gave almost every technology a set of more precise ‘data’.

This was an unprecedented technical explanation meeting. As each piece of data was given, Zhang Hao directly unfolded a roll of hemp paper and began to draw on it.

And the tools and units used were the “standards” that Zhang Hao had mentioned before.

Everyone was silent. The sky gradually darkened, but everyone consciously used spells to illuminate, revealing every detail.

One sheet after another, Zhang Hao spent a full three “hours” to describe the ballista’s pictures. Although it may have been a bit rushed and not exquisite, Zhang Hao showed everyone a different world.

A world where mathematics and technology are combined!

“This, is the door to science!”

The guards hung up the hemp paper, and everyone carefully stepped forward to observe, marveling endlessly.

Zhang Hao watched quietly, but in his heart, he was sketching the future: only by making these things public can everyone progress faster!

Zhang Hao vaguely had a plan – perhaps, the future Artisans’ Guild will become one of the most steadfast backers of the Great Navigation Project.

The Great Navigation Project is by no means something that the Zhang family can support alone. It requires talent, countless talents, it requires funds, countless funds; and it requires a broad social foundation, unimaginable manpower, material resources, and financial resources!

At the very least, if the Zhang family needs something in the future, they can bring the drawings over, and the Artisans’ Guild can copy them.

After a long while, Zheng Changqiu exclaimed, “This is the standard, I understand, this is the standard. The Zhang family has brought us an incredible gift.”

“However, the Han family has also obtained the standard now!”

“It doesn’t matter!” Zhang Hao smiled, “Starting tomorrow, we will immediately take the initiative to promote the standard, in the name of the guild, and jointly promote it to the entire country, and even the world.”

“Ah… why?” Everyone was puzzled.

Zhang Hao looked to the east, his tone leisurely, “War is not only on the battlefield, but also in the mind! We must send out our own voice to this world!”

“The standard is a yardstick, a yardstick that allows us to measure and understand the world.”

“Now we want to tell everyone, every country, that this new standard was set by us!”

“Well said! We must send out our own voice to this world!” Mu Yingying looked at Zhang Hao’s figure, her eyes flashing with brilliant light.

After that, everyone introduced their own technologies and then gave a comprehensive score. It was already dawn.

The Zhang family won second place; Zhang Shengye was honored as the vice chairman of the guild!

The first place was from the Nine Sun Sect. The Nine Sun Sect disclosed a large number of artifact forging formations, and even the refining methods of various magical treasures, etc., which was unmatched.

And the representative of the Nine Sun Sect in the Artisans’ Guild was determined to be: Zhou Jue, the chief disciple of the sect leader. But Zhou Jue had not yet arrived, and Ji Butong was temporarily speaking on behalf of the Nine Sun Sect.

However, the newly established Artisans’ Guild only had a chairman and vice chairman, and the rest could not be discussed for the time being – we’ll talk about it tomorrow.

After staying up all night, after dawn, the Artisans’ Guild announced its official establishment to the public. This was the second guild in the Qixia Kingdom; and compared to the Mystic Iron Guild, which focuses on products, the Artisans’ Guild naturally focuses on technology.

On the day of its establishment, the Artisans’ Guild had registered more than six hundred patents!

Everyone selected some patents according to the needs of their respective families.

After breakfast, the Artisans’ Guild began… promoting the standard!

At this time, the Artisans’ Guild did not have an office address yet, and was still temporarily renting the Zhang family’s mansion, but it was here that the world’s first ‘standard’ was released.

The Zhang family’s mansion was originally in the market, with a large number of people. In addition, the Artisans’ Guild’s affairs had been making a lot of noise these days, which had already attracted a lot of attention.

Therefore, as soon as the “standard” was released, it attracted widespread attention.

Under the Zhang family’s basic standards, the standards released by the Artisans’ Guild were much richer.

These included more than thirty standards, including formations, runes, spirit stones, spiritual energy, material purity, hours, minutes, and seconds, speed, mass (kilograms), meters, temperature, volume, density, and so on; and new numbers.

Ji Butong, because he was temporarily acting as the chairman, shouted hoarsely at the door, “Everyone be quiet, be quiet, this is just a preliminary standard, and we will continue to revise it later to make it more practical.”

“If you have any suggestions, please feel free to put them forward.”

“What is the meaning of the standard?” A handsome figure strode out of the crowd and came to Ji Butong.

Ji Butong concentrated, this person’s dress was simple, but he was imposing, faintly carrying a sense of freedom, like a person in the clouds; although he had a smile on his face, he also faintly had an unspeakable arrogance.

As the purchasing agent of the Nine Sun Sect, Ji Butong had a good eye, and immediately carefully asked, “May I ask the friend’s honorable name?”

The visitor cupped his fist impeccably, “Feng Zhiling, an enforcement disciple of the Mysterious Truth Sect, greets the friend.”

Chapter 82: Enforcer Disciple

Ji Butong’s heart clenched the moment he heard that the visitor was an enforcer disciple from the Xuanchen Sect.

As someone familiar with sects like the Nine Sun Sect, Ji Butong understood exactly what an enforcer disciple signified – where there were enforcer disciples, good things rarely followed.

The Xuanchen Sect, an enforcer disciple… here for Zhang Hao?!

But Ji Butong maintained his composure. He slowly calmed himself, bowed to the visitor again, and replied, “The meaning of ‘standard’ is akin to a ruler.

A ruler measures length; a standard measures the world, allowing us to understand it more easily.

These words came from Zhang Hao, and he is the one who proposed this standard.”

“Oh…” Feng Zhiling’s interest was piqued. “It seems my junior brother is quite remarkable. Is Zhang Hao here?”

“Yes, I’ll take you in.”

Ji Butong cupped his hands to those around him, entrusting the matter to others, and personally led Feng Zhiling inside.

After a few steps, Feng Zhiling chuckled. “You’re nervous?”

“Yes!” Ji Butong answered without hesitation. “Zhang Hao is now an important member of the Mystic Iron Guild. Moreover, you must be a Nascent Soul cultivator, correct?”

“Good eye.” Feng Zhiling laughed heartily. “Rest assured, I’m here for Zhang Hao for a good reason. The reason I came down the mountain is… because… haha…”

What exactly is the reason?

Ji Butong turned his head and suddenly noticed a hint of silliness about Feng Zhiling, slowly rising to the surface…

“Could I be mistaken?”

He blinked hard. No, this guy was really giggling, and with a smug look on his face!

Did the world just collapse? A disciple from the sacred ground, with this kind of personality?

The character shift was too sudden!

Ji Butong, quick-witted as he was, saw Feng Zhiling’s silly grin and realized he wasn’t here to cause trouble. He immediately signaled a nearby guard to inform Zhang Hao, doing him a favor.

By the time Ji Butong accompanied Feng Zhiling to Zhang Hao’s location, Zhang Hao was already waiting in front of his door; Zhang Shengye was also present.

From afar, Zhang Shengye looked somewhat flustered, as if he wanted to kneel.

Zhang Hao stepped in front of Zhang Shengye, looked at Feng Zhiling, and bowed. “I am Zhang Hao. How should I address you?”

Feng Zhiling remained silent, his expression turning serious as he sized up Zhang Hao for a while before slowly saying, “Just call me Senior Brother.

My name is Feng Zhiling, Feng as in wind, Zhiling as in soaring ambition.”

Zhang Hao bowed again. “Zhang Hao greets Senior Brother Feng. Please, come inside, Senior Brother.”

Feng Zhiling turned to Ji Butong. “Thank you for showing me the way, Fellow Daoist.”

“Not at all.” Ji Butong smiled and took his leave.

Zhang Hao invited Feng Zhiling into the hall. Zhang Shengye hesitated for a moment, then decided not to follow.

Zhang Hao waited for Feng Zhiling to sit down, poured tea, and then carefully asked, “Senior Brother Feng, I don’t know how my master is…”

“He’s fine. It’s just that he slightly tarnished the reputation of the Xuanchen Sect, so the Sect Leader punished him with a year of confinement.”

Zhang Hao: …

No wonder he said it would be three months at the earliest, three years at the latest when he left. So Master already knew he was going to be confined!

A ridiculous anger suddenly welled up in Zhang Hao’s heart – you’re about to be confined, why are you even taking in disciples! But then he thought, well, the lifespan of a Nascent Soul cultivator is so long, a year of confinement… it’s nothing!

So Young Master Zhang immediately expressed his concern for his master.

“It’s nothing, just an explanation to the outside world.” Feng Zhiling said casually. “Martial Uncle asked me to bring you some things.

There are cultivation methods, pills, magical treasures, Xuanchen Sect disciple robes, a disciple identity jade pendant, and some other treasures.”

As he spoke, Feng Zhiling pulled out a storage ring. Compared to the one Mingxu gave Zhang Hao before, this ring was even more exquisite and grand.

Zhang Hao was excited and stood up to receive it with both hands.

Unexpectedly, Feng Zhiling suddenly smiled, very smugly. He slowly retracted his hand and put the storage ring back into his sleeve. “Tsk tsk… don’t be so impatient. To become a disciple of the Xuanchen Sect, you must pass a test.

For the next year, until Martial Uncle comes out of confinement, I will be by your side, observing your every word and action. And I will guide you on some of the Xuanchen Sect’s rules and etiquette.

The test is divided into three stages.

The first stage is one month. Assessing benevolence and filial piety. If you pass, you will receive the storage ring and all the items, except for the identity jade pendant.

The second stage is three months. Assessing your words, actions, diligence, and eagerness to learn. If you pass, you will receive the identity jade pendant and officially become a nominal disciple of the Xuanchen Sect.

The third stage is one year. A period of observation. If you pass, you will become Martial Uncle’s official disciple. Official disciples are true disciples.

The Xuanchen Sect has three levels of disciples: outer disciples, inner disciples, and true disciples.

Junior Brother, work hard!”

Then why did you take out the storage ring now?

Zhang Hao really wanted to roll his eyes, but he resisted and earnestly said, “I will definitely not disappoint Senior Brother.”

“Good, you seem very spirited. But you know, it’s almost noon, time for lunch. I heard the Nine Treasures Pavilion is very good…”

Zhang Hao blinked. It wasn’t even ten in the morning yet; even those who slept in hadn’t had breakfast yet.

But Zhang Hao readily agreed: “Let’s go, let’s book the Nine Treasures Pavilion!”

Putting aside everything else, considering that this guy would be following him around for the next year, he had to treat him; this was a bodyguard! And a Nascent Soul one at that – Ji Butong had just sent a guard to inform him.

The only downside was that it was a man, but he could endure it.

Zhang Hao first assured his second uncle, Zhang Shengye, that everything was fine, then got into the most luxurious carriage and slowly made his way to the Nine Treasures Pavilion. After about twenty minutes, they finally arrived.

Along the way, Zhang Hao asked his cheap senior brother about the Xuanchen Sect, while also observing Feng Zhiling. Gradually, Zhang Hao realized that this guy… seemed a bit unreliable.

Most importantly, this guy seemed a bit… narcissistic!

As the carriage stopped, the maids at the entrance of the Nine Treasures Pavilion immediately came forward to greet Zhang Hao.

Zhang Hao quickly dodged and pointed to Feng Zhiling. “This is a true disciple from the sacred Xuanchen Sect, a Nascent Soul expert. You all quickly pay your respects.”

The maids were stunned, then quickly put on their brightest smiles and bowed gracefully.

Zhang Hao’s move made Feng Zhiling very happy. He nodded proudly, strode through the gate with his head held high, and casually tossed out dozens of high-grade spirit stones, causing the maids to squeal and scramble for them.

“Haha…” Feng Zhiling laughed loudly. “It’s good to be down the mountain. Junior Brother, lead the way!”

Zhang Hao: … What a quick personality collapse.

Without Zhang Hao leading the way, the manager of the Nine Treasures Pavilion trotted over and bowed as he led the way. They passed through the eighth floor and arrived at the ninth floor.

Seeing this, Zhang Hao couldn’t help but say, “Oh, Manager, are the dishes on the ninth floor all prepared?”

“Haha, Young Master Zhang doesn’t know, but Young Master Feng has been looking forward to the Nine Treasures Pavilion for a while now. The ingredients were delivered yesterday.”

Zhang Hao: …

Looking at Feng Zhiling again, Zhang Hao’s eyes were a bit strange – so, you’re a foodie!

Feng Zhiling couldn’t wait to ask, “Where’s the Flood Dragon I ordered?”

“We caught two Flood Dragons this time and cooked them overnight, preparing a Double Dragon Feast. We’ve been waiting for Young Master Feng to grace us with your presence.”

“Good! Quick, quick, I’m drooling just thinking about Flood Dragons.”

The door slowly opened, and an indescribable fragrance wafted out.

Zhang Hao couldn’t describe the fragrance either – mellow, rich, and refreshing; just smelling it made his body feel lighter. Taking a deep breath, he felt a bit of turbid energy dissipate from his body.

Feng Zhiling’s eyes lit up, and a hint of saliva appeared at the corner of his mouth. “The Double Dragon Feast, I’ve heard of it for a long time!”

Inside the vast ninth floor, there was only a round table about two zhang in diameter, on which lay two Flood Dragons, arranged in a “double dragons playing with a pearl” formation. In the middle of the Flood Dragons, dozens of kinds of seafood were neatly arranged.

But wait, why was there a fishing rod next to one of the Flood Dragons? And this fishing rod looked vaguely familiar? Zhang Hao’s mouth twitched. It couldn’t be that coincidental, could it?

Before Zhang Hao could ask, Feng Zhiling inquired, “Why is there a fishing rod on the Double Dragon Feast?”

The manager smiled. “One of the Flood Dragons we caught this time was a bit peculiar. When we caught it, it was learning to fish like humans, holding a fishing rod with its two front paws. We found it curious, so after preparing the Double Dragon Feast, we put the fishing rod back.

The fishing rod has been identified as being made of Mystic Iron with a purity of 99.2%, with no traces of weapon refinement.

If Young Master Feng likes it, you can refine it into a spirit treasure-level fishing rod, specifically for catching Flood Dragons.”

Feng Zhiling laughed heartily. “Not bad, not bad. Junior Brother, come, it’s a Double Dragon Feast, I’m treating! Uh… you go settle the bill first.”

Zhang Hao: …

Chapter 83: When Young Masters Meet

Zhang Hao sat at the dining table, surrounded by maids moving with practiced grace.

“The best part of the Flood Dragon isn’t the liver, but the tendons,” Feng Zhiling said, taking matters into his own hands. He used his flying sword to slice open the Flood Dragon’s back and extract a tendon.

“Dragon tendons are a treasure. They strengthen muscles, increase flexibility and recovery, and improve the resilience of the internal organs, repairing hidden injuries.

Most importantly, dragon tendons can repair and strengthen meridians. Junior Brother, you need to compress your true essence, which puts immense pressure on your meridians. Eating more dragon tendons will be beneficial.

However, Junior Brother, you’re only at the Qi Refining stage, so one foot of dragon tendon is enough. I’ll be happy to take care of the rest.”

“…”

“Junior Brother, the dragon skin is also a treasure. In fact, the essence of a dragon lies in its tendons and skin. Dragon skin is particularly sensitive to spiritual energy.

Eating dragon skin can enhance your sensitivity to spiritual energy.”

“And these Flood Dragon horns have the effect of strengthening bones and replenishing essence and blood.”

Feng Zhiling ate while explaining, showing his familiarity with the dishes.

But Zhang Hao was internally weeping blood. This Double Dragon Feast cost a full twelve thousand high-grade spirit stones! That’s one hundred and twenty million low-grade spirit stones, equivalent to one hundred and twenty billion Mystic Iron coins!

So much wealth, turned into a table of delicacies. Most importantly, Zhang Hao and Feng Zhiling could only eat so much.

Fortunately, Feng Zhiling had some conscience. While eating, he helped Zhang Hao suppress his cultivation and refine his true essence.

Finally, Feng Zhiling picked out a fist-sized dragon pearl, crystal clear. “Here, Junior Brother, eat this. I’ll help you refine it later.”

Zhang Hao looked at the fist-sized dragon pearl, a little hesitant. He couldn’t swallow that.

Without waiting, Feng Zhiling rubbed his hands together, and the dragon pearl transformed into a stream of crystal-clear liquid, pouring into Zhang Hao’s mouth.

An unimaginably powerful force surged through his body. In an instant, Zhang Hao felt his internal organs being damaged. This powerful energy, faintly carrying the Flood Dragon’s hatred and untamed nature, seemed to want to destroy everything within Zhang Hao.

But the next moment, an even larger and more powerful force poured into Zhang Hao’s body, and the restless energy was directly suppressed. The dragon pearl’s power was completely crushed and transformed into pure energy.

This energy didn’t enter his true essence but gradually seeped into Zhang Hao’s limbs, bones, internal organs, meridians, and brain.

In a daze, Zhang Hao gradually fell asleep.

Or rather, he entered a state of profound cultivation.

It was the first time Zhang Hao had dreamed since he began cultivating. He dreamed of transforming into a Flood Dragon, galloping in the sea and playing among the clouds. In his dream, he was powerful; gales and waves were nothing to him, and mountains and seas couldn’t stop his progress.

Time was immeasurable in the dream. After who knows how long, Zhang Hao slowly opened his eyes and saw that he was surrounded by Zhang family guards, and Zhang Shengye was also there.

On the table in front, the two Flood Dragons were reduced to bones. But there were still a dozen guards gnawing on the bones, happily.

“Five days!” Zhang Shengye said. “You’ve been cultivating for five days. How do you feel?”

Five days? Zhang Hao pondered. Sure enough, cultivation knows no time. It’s no wonder cultivators have long lifespans—otherwise, they’d die without even realizing it during cultivation.

Feeling the condition of his body, Zhang Hao only felt full of energy, as if he could tear the sky with a wave of his hand.

His true essence within his body roared like a long river, completely compressed into true essence.

Powerful, several times more powerful!

“Do you feel powerful?” Feng Zhiling walked over with a smile. “But that’s an illusion. Spend these next few days consolidating your state of mind, and you should be able to attempt Foundation Establishment.”

Zhang Hao stood up and thanked Feng Zhiling.

Feng Zhiling patted Zhang Hao’s shoulder. “Don’t bother with thanks. A single action is better than a thousand words. I’ve treated you this time, when are you going to treat me?”

“What did you say, Senior Brother? I didn’t hear you clearly.”

Feng Zhiling: …

After packing up, Zhang Hao and his group returned to Changshan Town.

After arranging Feng Zhiling’s accommodation, Feng Zhiling pulled Zhang Hao aside. “Here, this is for you!”

He threw a storage ring to Zhang Hao.

Zhang Hao looked at Feng Zhiling. What about a month?

“I think you’re not bad, so I’m giving it to you early. But keep this to yourself, don’t go around talking about it. Otherwise, your cultivation techniques might be taken back.”

Okay, Zhang Hao was basically certain that this guy was unreliable. As a law enforcement disciple, he disregarded sect rules. Hmm, he could be bribed more often in the future.

Back in his room, Zhang Hao opened the storage ring, looking excitedly at the items inside.

Two scrolls of cultivation techniques. One scroll was the Profound Truth Sect’s technique, “Purple Sun Skill.” The name was ordinary, but Zhang Hao didn’t dare to underestimate it because the beginning had familiar handwriting, notes from Mingxu:

“Purple Sun Skill” is the Profound Truth Sect’s entry-level technique, but it’s also the foundation of all techniques. Even the sect leader needs to cultivate this technique.

The other scroll was “Lesser Circulation Skill (Profound Truth Sect Refined Edition).” The opening also had Mingxu’s notes:

There are many versions of “Lesser Circulation Skill” in the world. The Profound Truth Sect’s “Lesser Circulation Skill” has been carefully proofread. You were originally cultivating this, and you can continue to cultivate it. As long as you cultivate to the Nascent Soul stage, you will still be valued by the sect.

After reading the brief introductions of the two cultivation techniques and looking at Mingxu’s meticulous annotations, Zhang Hao vaguely understood—a master is not just a teacher! Once a teacher, always a father, is not just a saying.

Zhang Hao glanced at the “Purple Sun Skill” and threw it aside. Zhang Hao didn’t cherish this Profound Truth Sect technique that countless people yearned for.

Then, he picked up the “Lesser Circulation Skill.” Zhang Hao favored the “Lesser Circulation Skill” more because he knew what the universe was all about!

Look, the “Purple Sun Skill” cultivates the purple qi of dawn and the artistic conception of the rising sun, but the “Lesser Circulation Skill” cultivates the stars in the sky—each star is a sun!

“See, the ‘Lesser Circulation Skill’ has more potential.”

Zhang Hao vaguely felt that this “Lesser Circulation Skill” was extraordinary.

He took out other items from the storage ring: talismans, talisman treasures, magical treasures, pills, clothes, cultivation notes…

Zhang Hao carefully and excitedly sorted them.

However, before long, a guard rushed in. “Young Master, something bad has happened! Zhou Jue has returned and is confronting True Person Feng.”

What’s going on? Zhang Hao was puzzled but quickly went to the front yard.

He saw Zhou Jue and Feng Zhiling confronting each other like roosters.

Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye were standing beside them, looking helpless.

Zhang Hao went directly to Zhou Jue, first welcoming him, and then said, “Let me introduce the two Senior Brothers…”

“No need!” Feng Zhiling waved his hand. “We introduced ourselves earlier. This guy is arrogant, wanting to be my brother and spar with me. Who does he think he is!”

“Heh…” Zhou Jue sneered. “Some people always have an inflated sense of self-importance, thinking they’re superior. They have no self-awareness. And a Profound Truth Sect disciple? I think he’s a fake!”

After hearing this, Zhang Hao understood and sighed speechlessly: Damn it, two young masters!

One is a Profound Truth Sect law enforcement disciple, who seems to have an extraordinary background;

The other is a Nine Sun Sect’s disciple, who is also the young master of Apricot Grove Hall;

Anyway, they both think they’re something special!

When these two guys meet, the result is predictable!

Chapter 84: The Rampaging Flood Dragon

Feng Zhiling, upon hearing Zhou Jue’s words, snorted coldly, “Am I the one who thinks I’m superior? I don’t think so! Someone was just talking down their nose at me!”

Zhou Jue retorted, unwilling to be outdone, “Wasn’t someone ignoring me first?”

“I was thinking, why did you have to bother me!”

“You were blocking my path!”

“Which eye did you see that with? Tell me, and I’ll help you clean it out!”

As they spoke, their tempers flared.

Zhang Hao was getting a headache. What could he do when two fools with extraordinary backgrounds and cultivation levels clashed?

“Forget about breaking them up. If I went up there with my small frame, I might become a meat patty.

Moreover, with these two, unless there was a clear winner, even if temporary, they would definitely continue to make a scene!

Zhang Hao’s eyes darted around, and he finally thought of a solution. He shouted, interrupting their war of words, “Senior Brothers, we are all people of status. Arguing like this will only make others laugh at us.”

The two glanced around and then at each other.

“Hmph!”

They simultaneously turned their heads to one side.

Zhang Hao felt his head throb. “Senior Brothers, I have a suggestion. How about we go fishing by the sea? We can determine the winner based on the catch, how about that?”

Feng Zhiling smiled upon hearing this. “That’s a good idea!”

He had just obtained a fishing rod, made of 99.2% purity Mystic Iron. During the few days Zhang Hao had been cultivating, Feng Zhiling had already refined the fishing rod, giving it some initial magical treasures abilities—such as shrinking and enlarging.

Zhou Jue snorted. “I don’t have a fishing rod!”

“I’ll provide it!” Zhang Hao patted his chest. “Senior Brother Zhou, how about a fishing rod made of 99.2% purity Mystic Iron?”

“Puh…” Zhou Jue almost choked on his own saliva. “Say that again?”

Before Zhang Hao could speak, Feng Zhiling took out an “extra-long chopstick” from his storage space. The chopstick quickly enlarged, becoming a fishing rod.

A faint seven-colored treasure light flowed on the fishing rod. Feng Zhiling gently stroked the fishing rod. “Someone talks big, but can’t even produce a fishing rod. Blowing smoke, aren’t we!”

Zhou Jue gritted his teeth and said to Zhang Hao, “Make me a fishing rod like that. I’ll buy it!”

Feng Zhiling clicked his tongue. “People of status don’t need to buy, someone will send it to them. People without status can’t even buy it if they want to!”

Could you just shut up!

Zhang Hao sighed. Speaking of which, wasn’t that table of Double Dragon Feast his treat? And this fishing rod was also swiped by Feng Zhiling. But Senior Brother Feng, although you are a person of status, your skin is also ‘extremely’ thick!

Helpless, Zhang Hao could only say that Senior Brother Zhou had also been busy for the Zhang family, and the Zhang family could afford to give him a fishing rod.

But after being provoked by Feng Zhiling, Zhou Jue couldn’t accept it for free. In the end, Zhou Jue took out a “Three-Cycle Foundation Establishment Pill” as a gift to Zhang Hao.

“Three-Cycle Foundation Establishment Pill? What’s that?” Young Master Zhang Hao looked puzzled. Judging from Zhou Jue’s expression, this thing must be very, very valuable.

This time, even Feng Zhiling was a little shocked. “Three-Cycle Foundation Establishment Pill? Does this thing really exist?”

Zhou Jue chuckled. “Someone of noble status hasn’t even seen a Foundation Establishment Pill. Truly… ignorant!”

Zhang Hao rolled his eyes speechlessly. He was caught in the crossfire!

Fortunately, Zhou Jue turned to Zhang Hao and explained, “A Three-Cycle Foundation Establishment Pill can be simply understood as: a super Foundation Establishment Pill that has been refined three times.

Because the Three-Cycle Foundation Establishment Pill has to undergo three refinements, the medicinal materials must be thousand-year-old herbs. Such herbs can already be used to refine Nascent Soul stage pills.

When refining the Three-Cycle Foundation Establishment Pill, the first batch of pills must exceed eighty-one, which only a Pill Refining Grandmaster can achieve. Then, the best eighty-one pills are selected, and every nine pills are refined into one.

Finally, after nine cycles, it is refined into one pill again.

At this time, the Foundation Establishment Pill has the efficacy of a Nascent Soul stage pill and is extremely pure, but cultivators at the peak of Qi Refining stage can take it.

Such a Foundation Establishment Pill can completely push anyone at the peak of Qi Refining stage to the Foundation Establishment stage in one go. Regardless of their aptitude!”

Zhang Hao immediately understood: a super-charged Foundation Establishment Pill!

But at this moment, Feng Zhiling’s voice transmission came into Zhang Hao’s mind: “Junior Brother, are you surprised? I knew this guy had good stuff. This Three-Cycle Foundation Establishment Pill is just right for you.

The true essence in your body has been completely compressed into true essence, and ordinary Foundation Establishment Pills are useless. With this Three-Cycle Foundation Establishment Pill, when you break through, your true essence will be further compressed, laying an unparalleled foundation.

Becoming a Transformation God is hard to say, but becoming a Nascent Soul is guaranteed!”

Nascent Soul guaranteed? Zhang Hao was really trembling with surprise. Nascent Soul stage, that’s a thousand years of life!

Yes, Zhang Hao valued lifespan more than cultivation. With a long life, he could see the miracles created by technology!

“What will the world be like in a thousand years?

…………

The next morning, the three of them came to the seaside.

The sea was still turbulent, the waves crashing against the cliffs, and occasionally, loose rocks could be seen collapsing, creating imperceptible splashes in the waves.

However, today, Zhang Hao was the referee. Feng Zhiling and Zhou Jue were responsible for fishing, and both of them held fishing rods made of 99.2% Mystic Iron.

This was probably the most expensive fishing competition in history, and the fishing location was the Death Green Sea.

Under the morning sun, some marine beasts were lazily sunbathing on the reefs in the sea. Zhang Hao saw the group of seals again, and they were playing in the sea.

Zhang Hao enjoyed this environment. But suddenly, dark clouds rolled in over the sea. These clouds did not appear from the sky, but rose from the sea surface. A cloud almost the size of a small town rose from the sea.

“Roar…” With a dragon’s roar, more than a dozen flood dragons could be seen rolling in the clouds.

At the same time, Zhang Hao felt the true essence in his body suddenly jump, faintly out of control, as if it wanted to break through his body and fly away.

“What’s going on?” Zhang Hao hadn’t figured it out yet.

Feng Zhiling stood up and put away his fishing rod. “Junior Brother, miscalculation. The flood dragon essence in our bodies hasn’t been completely absorbed, and it has aroused the flood dragons’ anger!”

“Ah…” Zhang Hao was shocked.

Eating flood dragon meat and then coming to the seaside to fish was a good way to die!

But Feng Zhiling was not flustered. He turned to Zhou Jue, who had also put away his fishing rod and stood up, and smiled, “Want to compete?”

“Good!”

With that, the two guys summoned their flying swords, staring intently at the flood dragons in front of them.

Seeing this, Zhang Hao turned around and ran.

These two guys were having fun, but it was too dangerous for him to stay here. Also, Zhang Hao wanted to go home and prepare for any unexpected events.

Dozens of flood dragons, and that was just what he could see now. If a flood dragon disaster occurred, wouldn’t the Zhang family, located by the sea, be razed to the ground?

Zhang Hao had not gone far when he heard the sea roar like thunder behind him, and the earth trembled.

Turning his head, he saw a small hill collapsing, and waves tens of meters high crashing onto the cliffs. The muddy seawater poured down the hillside, sweeping up soil and vegetation.

“Run!” Zhang Hao moved like the wind, disappearing like a wisp of smoke.

Chapter 85: Cloud Piercing Crossbow

Zhang Hao ran home in one breath, and immediately called out his father and second uncle.

Zhang Shengde flew into the high sky and his expression changed drastically.

The Zhang family residence was only three to five kilometers away from the sea. From the sky above, one could directly see everything on the sea. But in the distance, dark clouds billowed, and countless Flood Dragons roared.

Zhang Shengde ordered Zhang Shengye to prepare for battle, while he flew directly forward, preparing to support Feng Zhiling and Zhou Jue. Although his serious injuries had only recovered six or seven tenths, he had to take action.

If the guests were fighting, and he stood by idly, it would bring shame to the Zhang family.

The entire Zhang family became clamorous.

Faced with the billowing dark clouds, faced with the countless Flood Dragons whose numbers could not be seen, the Zhang family could only deploy their most powerful weapon – the ballista.

These powerful weapons used to defend the Zhang family, the Zhang family dragged out more than two hundred in one go.

One ballista after another was placed on carriages, and they sped towards the seaside.

At the seaside, a super battle that Zhang Hao had never seen before erupted.

As the saying goes, clouds follow the dragon. These Flood Dragons also had a bit of dragon aura. Hundreds of meters of dark clouds rolled over the coast ahead, and countless Flood Dragons shuttled through them.

The Flood Dragons roared, and the dark clouds continued to spread. The rolling dark clouds faintly emitted the roar of sea waves, and the rocks shattered under the dark clouds.

One Flood Dragon after another shuttled out of the dark clouds, sometimes ambushing, sometimes窜 back into the dark clouds, disappearing without a trace. They had some of the charm of a divine dragon, appearing and disappearing unpredictably.

Zhang Shengde, Feng Zhiling, and Zhou Jue fought side by side.

Faced with such a group of Flood Dragons, they were not flustered; their bodies were protected by magical treasures, talismans, and so on, and the Flood Dragons could not do anything to them for a while.

The flying swords in the hands of the three flew out from time to time, and each time they could make the Flood Dragons wail.

Perhaps the Flood Dragons were very powerful, but the human cultivators had brought their weapons to the extreme. Every sword strike would draw blood.

Suddenly, Feng Zhiling erupted, and the flying sword suddenly became larger, even longer than a Flood Dragon. Lightning surrounded the flying sword, and it slashed down fiercely.

With a wail, the head of a Flood Dragon was directly chopped off.

A Flood Dragon corpse, three zhang long, smashed to the ground, and rubble flew.

The Flood Dragons were angry, but the angry Flood Dragons did not know that when they were angry and when they attacked frantically, they gradually lost their advantage.

Zhang Shengde and the other two almost simultaneously took out talismans, and a chaotic cyan wind suddenly swirled in the sky.

The chaotic cyan wind disturbed the Flood Dragons’ offensive. The Flood Dragons under the cyan wind were confused for a while.

At this moment, three flying swords were as nimble as swallows, directly inserted from the jaws of the Flood Dragons, piercing through the skull.

In a flash, seven Flood Dragons fell; Feng Zhiling attacked the fastest, and actually斩落 three.

At this time, the ballistae finally arrived in twos and threes. One ballista after another, without even being unloaded from the carriages, were simply aimed and fired frantically at the dark clouds in the sky. The ballistae had already been loaded on the way.

The Flood Dragons were entangled in the sky, and did not pay too much attention to the ballistae on the ground.

Because, they didn’t quite recognize the ballistae.

Because, they flew very high, hundreds of meters high.

Even more because none of the people on the ground were Nascent Soul stage cultivators.

However, the Flood Dragons miscalculated.

The Nascent Soul stage cultivators who had grown up step by step through a long period of cultivation were certainly powerful; but the killing machines manufactured through ingenious design and calculation were no less impressive!

The Zhang family’s crossbow bolts had no tail feathers, which made the bolts faster.

There were two deep grooves on the crossbow bolts, almost twisted into twists. After the crossbow bolts窜 into the air, they began to rotate, using rotation to maintain stability; and the rotation itself increased the penetration of the crossbow bolts.

One sharp scream after another pierced the sky, and the crossbow bolts turned into lightning, tearing through the air.

The crossbow bolts were made of rough iron, but the arrowheads of the crossbow bolts were all covered with a layer of Mystic Iron exceeding ninety percent, possessing destructive power exceeding magical treasures. On the arrowheads, there were also armor-breaking formations and restriction-breaking formations.

Armor-breaking formations could攻坚. Restriction-breaking formations were specifically aimed at barriers and the like.

The Flood Dragons had scales on the surface of their bodies, and the scales had their own layer of true essence shields – which should be called demon essence shields.

But under these crossbow bolts, several unlucky Flood Dragons were directly shot through.

By the time the Flood Dragons reacted, as many as ten Flood Dragons had been shot through.

Perhaps, the Flood Dragons were very powerful, and even if their bodies were shot through, they could still fly and fight; but they were slowed down!

And the Nascent Soul stage experts in the sky would not let go of such an opportunity.

Flying swords were like灵蛇, winding in the void,斬落 those injured and sluggish Flood Dragons one by one!

Feng Zhiling suddenly let out a long roar. He retracted his flying sword and actually held a long sword, personally killing his way over.

Feng Zhiling could even grab a flying crossbow bolt with one hand, throw it like a spear, and扎穿 one Flood Dragon after another.

“Ang…” From behind the dark clouds, came a desolate dragon roar; all the Flood Dragons immediately hid in the dark clouds, and the dark clouds began to retreat.

Seeing this, Zhang Hao shouted: “All ballistae, aim at the sea at a sixty-degree angle, prepare to fire in unison.

Ready: three, two, one. Fire!”

Buzz…

A trembling hum was emitted in the air, that was the sound of bowstrings, the sound of crossbow arms, and even more the sound of crossbow bolts穿透 the air.

But seeing a片 crossbow bolts flying out frantically; more than one hundred crossbow bolts fired in unison, faintly creating a momentum of dark clouds covering the top.

Spells were certainly good, but the effect caused by more than one hundred ballistae firing in unison even exceeded that of spells.

Only the sound of噗嗤 was heard in the dark clouds, and there were countless roars and wails.

More than a dozen Flood Dragons fell from the high sky again, about to fall into the sea. In the sea, countless marine monsters showed their heads, preparing to welcome the delicacies from the sky.

But Feng Zhiling laughed loudly, and a fishing rod suddenly appeared in his hand; the fishing rod was waved, and the fishing hook flew out dozens of meters, constantly吊起 the corpses of the Flood Dragons, and throwing them on the land.

Dissatisfied roars came from the marine monsters below, and they roared at Feng Zhiling.

Feng Zhiling finished钓 all the corpses of the Flood Dragons, but did not stop; standing in mid-air, he coldly snorted, and甩 the fishing rod into the sea. The fishing hook flew out a hundred meters away, directly勾起 a seal that was叫的正欢.

This seal was five or six meters long, but the hook directly投透过 its neck and吊上了 into the air.

Feng Zhiling甩 his arm, and the seal was摔 on the shore, dying.

The remaining marine monsters scattered in a panic.

At this time, the Flood Dragons’ dark clouds also rolled away, disappearing under the rolling waves before the second launch of the crossbow bolts.

The sea rolled, and all traces in the ocean quickly disappeared.

But on the land, it was a mess – on a relatively flat ground, more than forty Flood Dragons were stacked on top of each other, and some that were not dead were still wailing. Blood soaked the ground, and some ants and so on came out to enjoy a rare feast.

Zhang Shengde flew over, and with a wave of his flying sword, he completely ended the lives of all the Flood Dragons, as well as the life of that unlucky seal.

The Zhang family’s guards began to use spells to freeze these prey, and even the blood was taken away. Even the soil沾染 with blood was all铲 away – it could be used as flower fertilizer, or sprinkled in the fields where spiritual rice was planted.

Feng Zhiling slowly fell from the sky, looking a little embarrassed, and his face was a little pale; the short and fierce battle consumed a lot of energy.

He came to a ballista,用力拍打 the crossbow arm, and praised: “What a powerful Cloud Piercing Crossbow! I have only heard of the name of the Cloud Piercing Crossbow before, this is the first time I have seen the real thing!”

Zhang Hao smiled嘿嘿: “Thank you, Senior Brother, for naming it.”

Chapter 86: Trade Route Crisis

“After the battle, naturally, it’s time to divide the spoils.”

There were a total of forty-six Flood Dragons, each with varying levels of strength.

But Zhang Hao, relying on his memory, divided the Flood Dragons into three portions: one for Feng Zhiling, one for Zhou Jue, and the last for the Zhang family.

Whoever killed it, it belonged to them.

As for those heavily injured by crossbow bolts and then finished off, everyone would share equally.

Overall, the Zhang family took a slight loss, but Zhang Hao didn’t care. If it weren’t for Feng Zhiling and Zhou Jue’s assistance, Zhang Hao might not have been able to escape.

Therefore, the Zhang family received eighteen Flood Dragons, Feng Zhiling eighteen, and Zhou Jue ten. Feng Zhiling also got an extra seal.

Judging by the number of prey, Zhou Jue was at a disadvantage.

Feng Zhiling chuckled, “Eighteen Flood Dragons! Tsk, tsk… Eighteen Flood Dragons! Tsk, tsk…”

“Enough!” Zhou Jue couldn’t bear it any longer. “I admit you won this time, okay?”

“What? I’m just counting my spoils. Does it bother you?”

Zhou Jue: …Damn it, if I keep arguing with this guy, I’ll become an idiot too.

Turning his head, Zhou Jue said to Zhang Hao, “Brother, can your family handle these Flood Dragons?”

Zhang Hao looked at his father and second uncle, who were both looking worried, and shrugged helplessly: “No!”

Eighteen Flood Dragons were an incredible fortune. But that was only if you could utilize them.

For demonic beasts like Flood Dragons, there were three main ways to utilize them: cooking, alchemy, and crafting.

Cooking goes without saying, the Nine Treasures Pavilion is the representative.

Alchemy involved refining the Flood Dragon’s blood, horns, organs, dragon pearl (demon core), and other parts with medicinal value into pills. One Flood Dragon was enough to refine dozens of different pills.

Then there was crafting. The Flood Dragon’s horns, scales, skin, bones, and so on were all excellent materials for crafting. Especially the dragon tendon, which was the first choice for bow-type magical treasures and bowstring materials!

But the Zhang family didn’t have the ability to handle any of this.

To put it bluntly, the Zhang family was just an iron-refining family.

And under Zhang Hao’s guidance, the Zhang family was moving towards industrialization and had no time for other things.

Zhou Jue thought for a moment and carefully opened his mouth: “Then, brother, what do you think about handing over all the Flood Dragons to the Xinglin Hall? The Zhang family can get half of the final profits?”

Feng Zhiling directly and exaggeratedly said: “Half? Why don’t you just rob them?”

Zhou Jue was about to retort, but after looking at Zhang Hao beside him, he could only explain: “Alchemy is not simple. Let’s not even talk about the pill formulas and alchemists. Just the auxiliary medicinal materials alone are a significant expense.

With half the profits, we can only earn a small amount for our hard work!”

“Xinglin Hall is not bad.

If it were the Nine Sun Sect, most of the pills would be consumed internally, and the rewards you would get would be even lower.”

Feng Zhiling thought for a moment and chuckled: “Oh, I forgot, alchemy also requires auxiliary medicinal materials. Junior Brother, half the share is very reasonable.”

Zhou Jue: …Your skin is so thick, it can block flying swords!

But Feng Zhiling paused slightly and said: “But I think the Zhang family doesn’t lack money, but lacks pills. So, Junior Brother, I suggest you refine all the Flood Dragons into pills, and then pay Xinglin Hall some spirit stones or Mystic Iron specifically for alchemy, that would be enough.”

Zhang Hao was tempted, and Zhang Shengde also nodded.

But Zhou Jue pondered for a while, then sighed: “Brother, pills… we have to keep some back. The situation… is a bit complicated.”

Feng Zhiling immediately objected: “We’re giving you face by asking you to refine pills. If not, I’ll take these Flood Dragons back to the Profound Truth Sect, we can also refine pills!”

This time, Zhou Jue didn’t argue, he sighed again: “Brother, the eastern trade route… is almost cut off! Now the eastern Canglan Kingdom and Taihua Kingdom have joined forces to block the trade route, and the prices of all important medicinal materials have directly increased tenfold, or even more.

Brother, we are running out of spiritual medicine!”

Zhang Hao was a little skeptical, “Don’t we have any medicinal materials in our country or the western countries? That’s impossible!”

“Our internal supply can only provide two to three tenths at most.

And now that the war has broken out, the consumption rate of medicinal materials is almost three times that of the past.

So, the situation is not optimistic.”

Feng Zhiling chuckled: “So, you have your eyes on these few Flood Dragons?

I say, a few Flood Dragons may be a lot for a family, but for a country, for the entire Western Six Nations, it’s not even a drop in the bucket!”

Zhou Jue didn’t speak.

Zhang Hao didn’t say anything immediately, hesitated for a while, and then asked: “If we lack pills, what will happen?”

This question sounded a bit naive, but Zhou Jue answered seriously. “The wounded soldiers on the battlefield will not receive prompt and effective treatment, and the exhausted experts will not be able to recover quickly; the war will become exhausting.

Also, our country’s cultivation will lag far behind the East, and the fallen soldiers will not be adequately replenished.

At this rate, our country will be exhausted in at most a century!

If the East continues to invade and wage war, the situation will be even worse.”

After listening, Zhang Hao smiled: “In other words, no matter what, we should have ten years, right?”

Zhou Jue shook his head: “If there is any serious war mistake, there may be a danger of national subjugation in an instant!”

Zhang Hao turned to look at the Flood Dragons on the ground: “Brother, these few Flood Dragons won’t help.”

“I understand. But if we can accumulate little by little, at least we can preserve some vitality for the country.”

This time, Zhang Hao directly opposed: “How long can pills squeezed from the teeth last! Brother, the most important thing now is to open up new sources of income!”

“The trade route has been blocked!” Zhou Jue’s tone was a little excited, and a little angry, and a considerable part of the anger was directed at Zhang Hao.

However, Zhang Hao pointed to the Flood Dragons on the ground: “This is opening up new sources of income!”

“You mean, we should attack the Death Green Sea?”

Zhang Hao nodded.

“That’s impossible!” Zhou Jue shook his head frantically, “We have thought about the Death Green Sea before. But a large number of killings aroused the fury of the demonic beasts.”

Zhang Hao frowned slightly. The princess had also said that the country had once wanted to develop the Death Green Sea, but it had suffered a frenzied counterattack from the marine demonic beasts.

Now that Zhou Jue also said this, Zhang Hao became a little wary.

However, this matter was still not urgent, and the Zhang family had not fully developed yet.

Looking at the Flood Dragons on the ground, Zhang Hao said: “How about this, all the Flood Dragons of the Zhang family will be used for alchemy. After the pills are made, the Zhang family will take half, and the rest will be used as a reward.”

“Okay!” Zhou Jue immediately agreed.

Zhang Hao immediately ordered people to start simply processing the Flood Dragons. The parts of the Flood Dragons that could be used for alchemy, including the horns, organs, dragon brain, dragon pearl, essence blood, bone marrow, etc., were collected separately.

However, the muscles, skin armor, bones, etc., which had little value for alchemy, would be handled by the Zhang family themselves.

At the very least, Zhang Hao could sell them to the Crafting Guild!

Feng Zhiling chuckled beside him, “I’m not going to use my eighteen Flood Dragons for alchemy, I’m going to roast them and eat them.”

“Hmph!” Zhou Jue didn’t speak, just snorted.

Zhang Hao quickly changed the subject and asked about other things—this time Zhou Jue was going back to ask about the Mystic Iron specifically for alchemy.

Chapter 87: Foundation Establishment

“I should have told you about the Mystic Iron yesterday, but Feng Zhiling delayed it until now.”

Hearing Zhang Hao’s question, Zhou Jue immediately apologized. He had been so infuriated by that bastard Feng Zhiling that he’d gotten confused. He quickly explained, “Both the Nine Sun Sect and Apricot Grove Hall are very pleased that the Zhang family can provide Mystic Iron specifically for alchemy.

There’s just one thing… that…”

As he spoke, Zhou Jue’s tone became hesitant.

Zhang Hao’s eyes narrowed. “What is it?”

“Well… this Mystic Iron, specifically for alchemy, is not only used to forge alchemy furnaces, but it’s also an important spiritual material for refining spiritual artifacts.

As you know, we… if we were to refine spiritual artifacts… then… we’d need a lot. So, could you perhaps lower the price a bit?”

Zhang Hao laughed upon hearing this. “I see you’re beating around the bush, Brother Zhou. Is there anything else? Just say it all!”

Zhou Jue’s face flushed slightly. “Well… if you sell such high-purity Mystic Iron to outsiders, with the Zhang family’s strength… I’m afraid it will be difficult to protect it.

You see, whether it’s Apricot Grove Hall or the Nine Sun Sect, we can help…”

Zhang Hao immediately understood. They weren’t offering to help; they wanted to get involved and take a share of the profits!

But Zhang Hao wasn’t some naive young master who knew nothing. He came from another world and knew some of the so-called “rules.”

Taking everything for yourself is a major taboo!

In fact, Zhang Hao had already intended to cooperate. The Zhang family was still too small, and Zhang Hao wanted the family to develop faster. Therefore, cooperation was necessary.

As the saying goes, cooperation leads to win-win situations.

However, there was one condition: how much did the Nine Sun Sect and Apricot Grove Hall want?

Before Zhang Hao could speak, Feng Zhiling sneered, “Oh, you’re already getting it cheap, and you’re still not satisfied? You want another bite!

Aren’t you afraid of bursting your stomachs!”

“What’s it to you!” Zhou Jue exploded. He felt a bit guilty towards Zhang Hao, but he wouldn’t be polite to this bastard who kept making sarcastic remarks.

Feng Zhiling also scoffed, “What’s it to me? He’s my junior brother, he’s an inner disciple of the Profound Truth Sect! And I’m a disciplinary disciple of the Profound Truth Sect. Tell me, can I interfere or not!”

“This…” Zhou Jue was momentarily stumped.

Zhang Hao covered his head speechlessly. This cheap senior brother of his had good intentions, but his timing was terrible.

Shaking his head helplessly, Zhang Hao said to Feng Zhiling, “Senior Brother, this requires careful consideration. Can I talk to Zhou Jue first?”

Hearing Zhang Hao’s words, Feng Zhiling nodded thoughtfully; but in the end, he glared at Zhou Jue.

Zhang Hao turned his head, his face serious. He looked at Zhou Jue and said calmly, “Brother Zhou, let’s talk.”

Pulling up chairs, the two began negotiating in the warehouse.

Nearby, Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye, though not physically present, were all ears.

Feng Zhiling dragged a chair over, leaned against the wall, and stared at Zhou Jue, putting immense pressure on him.

One of the reasons Zhou Jue hadn’t spoken yesterday was that he hadn’t expected Zhang Hao to have Feng Zhiling by his side, and to have truly become a registered disciple of the Profound Truth Sect.

Fortunately, Zhang Hao seemed willing to negotiate. At least, that’s how it appeared.

Sitting down, Zhang Hao said calmly, but with a hint of dominance, “Speak!”

The way he said it had a bit of an interrogation feel to it. From the very beginning of the negotiation, Zhang Hao had gained the upper hand in terms of momentum.

Zhou Jue tried to sit up straight, but his words were still a bit embarrassed. “The Nine Sun Sect wants to purchase all of the Zhang family’s Mystic Iron at your previous quoted price.”

“Heh…” Zhang Hao laughed. “What about Apricot Grove Hall?”

“Apricot Grove Hall… is prepared to cooperate with the Zhang family, jointly selling the Mystic Iron and splitting the profits equally.”

Hearing this, Zhang Hao actually nodded. “I understand. How about this, I’ll consider it first.”

“Ah…” Zhou Jue was a little stunned. Even he felt that these conditions were… too exploitative, but Zhang Hao actually said he would consider it?

“Are you serious?”

Most importantly, Zhang Hao said he would ‘consider it.’ Zhou Jue had many more things to say, but he couldn’t bring himself to say them.

In the silence, the Zhang family’s guards packed up the dragon blood, dragon horns, and other parts that could be used for alchemy; and they tied up Zhou Jue’s ten Flood Dragons.

Zhou Jue opened his mouth, but in the end, he didn’t say anything and left with his things.

After Zhou Jue left, Feng Zhiling couldn’t help but say, “Junior Brother, they’re clearly taking advantage of you. You’re still considering it?”

Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye also looked at Zhang Hao.

The Zhang family’s many guards also looked at Zhang Hao.

Everyone had been very angry earlier, but because Zhang Hao hadn’t spoken, everyone had endured it. But now, everyone needed an explanation.

Looking at everyone, Zhang Hao smiled. “Senior Brother, don’t worry. This consideration may take a year, or it may take ten years. The Nine Sun Sect and Apricot Grove Hall are existences within the Qixia Kingdom that can rival the royal family. Directly rejecting them would make things awkward for everyone.”

So that’s how it was; everyone finally understood.

Immediately, a guard spoke up, and everyone began to criticize the Nine Sun Sect and Apricot Grove Hall for not knowing what was good for them.

Feng Zhiling also said, “Junior Brother, I’ll take a trip to Emerald Bamboo Peak tomorrow. We’ll put this Mystic Iron business on Emerald Bamboo Peak, and I’ll see who dares to interfere!”

Zhang Hao said, “Senior Brother, business is all about alliances. If we go to Emerald Bamboo Peak…”

“No, no, no!” Feng Zhiling directly interrupted Zhang Hao. “Junior Brother, you haven’t realized it yet, you’re now an inner disciple of the Profound Truth Sect.

Moreover, Mystic Iron specifically for alchemy is always in short supply. Why do you care about these things!

Whoever dares to cause trouble, I’ll wipe out their entire family!”

Zhang Hao was stunned, but gradually his eyes brightened.

That’s right, he was now an inner disciple of the Profound Truth Sect!

The past Zhang Hao had always been influenced by the thoughts of another world, and because the Zhang family wasn’t strong enough, Zhang Hao had always been cautious.

But after Feng Zhiling’s reminder, Zhang Hao suddenly realized—yes, this was a cultivation world where the strong were respected. Although he wasn’t strong, he now had a good sect!

So, in terms of status, he was now also a strong person!

As soon as this thought changed, Zhang Hao felt a burst of clarity throughout his body. The acupoints in his body suddenly opened, and the true essence within him began to undergo some kind of wonderful transformation.

This state was very mysterious, vaguely seeming to merge with the heavens and earth. Countless spiritual energies were washing over his body; life seemed to be sublimating.

This feeling was intoxicating!

Seeing this, Feng Zhiling shouted, “Third-Grade Foundation Establishment Pill!”

Zhang Hao suddenly woke up and took out the Third-Grade Foundation Establishment Pill from his storage ring, swallowing it in one gulp.

A powerful, vast, yet gentle and continuous energy poured into Zhang Hao’s body.

This was the Third-Grade Foundation Establishment Pill, possessing the medicinal properties of a Nascent Soul stage pill, yet suitable for those at the peak of Qi Refining to consume.

This kind of feverishly high-level pill was no less valuable than a Nascent Soul Transformation Pill.

The enormous medicinal effect, almost equivalent to that of a Nascent Soul Transformation Pill, was forcibly compressed into a Foundation Establishment Pill.

The effect was beyond imagination!

The powerful, yet continuous medicinal force washed over Zhang Hao’s body, completely clearing away the impurities and promoting the integration of spiritual energy with the body, consolidating the foundation, and expanding the meridians and acupoints.

The vast spiritual energy between heaven and earth poured into Zhang Hao’s body.

All around, the crowd widened their mouths in surprise. Zhang Hao was only establishing his foundation, but a faint, seven-colored vortex actually appeared above his head.

Although it was small, only about a foot in size.

But that was a miracle only seen when a Golden Core transformed into a Nascent Soul, a symbol of extremely dense spiritual energy.

This time, even Feng Zhiling widened his eyes in surprise. “Monster!”

(Third update, asking for votes, asking for support (*￣︶￣))

Chapter 88: War Losses

It wasn’t until dawn the next day that Zhang Hao slowly opened his eyes.

The first thing he saw was a circle of bright, and somewhat dazed, eyes.

Zhang Han’s head appeared in front of Zhang Hao. “Little brother, congratulations. Here, try punching me.”

“Huh?” Zhang Hao was taken aback, but remembering that Zhang Han’s cultivation had already reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment, he immediately gathered all his strength and punched Zhang Han in the chest.

The true essence within his body roared out like a surging river.

“Boom!”

With a loud bang, Zhang Han grunted and flew straight out, crashing through the wall and leaving a hole about four feet across.

After flying out of the house, Zhang Han flew another two meters before falling to the ground, clutching his chest and coughing violently.

Zhang Hao: …

He looked at his fist, then at the hole in the wall, then back at his fist.

Zhang Hao suddenly turned his head and looked at a Foundation Establishment stage guard next to him.

Before Zhang Hao could speak, the guard immediately made a strategic retreat, darting behind another person.

“Haha…” Feng Zhiling burst out laughing. “Junior brother, congratulations! You actually achieved ‘Perfect Foundation Establishment’!”

“Perfect Foundation Establishment? What the heck? There are so many intricacies to Foundation Establishment?”

“Isn’t that obvious!” Feng Zhiling rolled his eyes. “Foundation Establishment is the first step for mortals to shed their mortal bodies and enter the path of cultivation. The quality of this step directly determines the future.

The so-called Perfect Foundation Establishment is a complete transformation.

After Foundation Establishment, there is no trace of true qi in the body, all of it is transformed into true essence. And the true essence is pure.

The body possesses spirituality; without deliberate cultivation, your body can absorb spiritual energy.

And…”

As he spoke, a strange smile appeared on Feng Zhiling’s face. “Your blood can now be used to refine pills. An ordinary person who drinks a mouthful of your blood will be immune to all diseases. Be careful when you walk, or a big bad wolf might jump out and carry you away!”

Zhang Hao: … Damn it, isn’t this Tang Sanzang’s flesh~~~

“Is it really that scary?”

Zhang Shengde spoke up. “Should we keep this a secret?”

Feng Zhiling became serious for once, looking around. “Come on, swear one by one to keep it a secret. I’m just afraid that the eastern countries will find out and assassinate him in secret.”

After a flurry of activity until dawn, Zhang Hao took out a flying sword from his storage ring. This was a flying sword from the Profound Truth Sect, forged with Mystic Iron of ninety-two percent purity, considered a decent magical treasure.

However, Zhang Hao glanced at it and threw the flying sword back. He turned to Huang Mingshan and said, “Old Huang, I’ll give you a task: refine Mystic Iron to a purity infinitely close to one hundred percent.”

It’s hard to go from luxury to frugality. Since he could produce ultra-high purity Mystic Iron, he naturally had to pursue something better.

Turning his head, Zhang Hao looked at Feng Zhiling with a flattering expression. “Senior brother, you can refine magical treasures, right? I think senior brother’s fishing rod is pretty good.”

“What do you want!” Feng Zhiling was very wary.

“How about helping junior brother refine a flying sword? Use the Mystic Iron for refining pills, and it’s best if it can reach the level of a spiritual artifact.”

“No way!”

Zhang Hao wore an innocent expression. “We are fellow disciples, aren’t we?”

“No way!”

“Okay, I know senior brother is not an easily swayed person. Then what if I use fifty kilograms of ninety-nine point two percent purity Mystic Iron as a reward?”

“Oh… haha, how can I be so embarrassed… Isn’t it just refining a flying sword for someone in the Foundation Establishment stage? A small matter, a small matter…”

Zhang Hao looked at the pale light of dawn in the east, speechless. Is this really an enforcement disciple of the Profound Truth Sect?

After breakfast, Zhang Hao got busy. After Foundation Establishment, there were still many things to do.

He had to consolidate his cultivation, learn Foundation Establishment stage cultivation methods, learn some spells, and learn the methods of refining magical treasures…

For cultivation methods, Zhang Hao chose “Small Circulatory Cycle Method (Profound Truth Sect Refined Edition),” with Feng Zhiling responsible for explaining it. Although this guy seemed unreliable, he was very serious when doing things:

““Heaven and earth are mysterious and yellow, the beginning of the cycle; the sun and moon wax and wane, the stars are bright; spring comes and summer goes, the cycle has its own circulation…”

““Man exists between heaven and earth, observing the opening and closing of yin and yang, planning the beginning and end of all things…””

The Profound Truth Sect’s “Small Circulatory Cycle Method” was more complete, but also more difficult to understand. Without someone to explain it and point out the key points, it would be difficult for outsiders to cultivate.

There were also many statements in the cultivation method that could easily lead to errors, and only those who had received true instruction knew how to interpret them correctly.

Feng Zhiling’s explanations were profound yet easy to understand, and with the annotations of his master Mingxu, Zhang Hao gradually became immersed in it.

Because he had experienced an epiphany before, and the epiphany was about the cycle of stars, coupled with his astronomical knowledge from another world, Zhang Hao’s understanding of the “Small Circulatory Cycle Method” far surpassed his peers.

Feng Zhiling had only explained it twice when he discovered that Zhang Hao had actually begun cultivating.

“Monster! Is the Soul Burning Technique really that powerful?”

…

The sky gradually brightened, but the court of the Qixia Kingdom was solemn and heavy.

The war that had broken out in the Jinyang Kingdom had fallen into a quagmire.

The Emperor frowned, regretting his decision, but due to the face of an emperor, he had to continue down the wrong path.

The attack from the east was unexpectedly powerful, and the Jinyang Kingdom was on the verge of collapse.

In the center of the court, a sand table was placed for the first time, and the Minister of War was sweating profusely as he explained the situation on the front lines:

““The three hundred thousand elites of the Taihua Kingdom and the Canglan Kingdom are divided into two routes.

Sima Tao, the Supreme Pillar General of the Canglan Kingdom, leads one hundred and fifty thousand troops in the south; Lan Jianwu, the Supreme Pillar General of the Taihua Kingdom, leads one hundred and fifty thousand troops in the north.

The two sides form a pincer movement, jointly restraining the Jinyang Kingdom’s capital, Anqing, preventing the Anqing garrison from acting rashly.

Currently, most of the Jinyang Kingdom’s elites are gathered in the capital, and most are gathered at the border, leaving the country empty.

Three days ago, the Taihua Kingdom sent troops again from the north, and the Canglan Kingdom sent troops again from the south, restraining the Western countries’ reinforcements.

The Jinyang Kingdom is in imminent danger.””

“Where is Wu Fanghai!” The Emperor’s tone was angry.

“General Wu Fanghai, the General of the Flying Cavalry, divided his legion into two. He personally led fifty thousand elites above the Foundation Establishment stage, rushing to Anqing. The remaining four hundred and fifty thousand troops, led by Deputy General Su Jianzhong, are advancing towards the eastern border of the Jinyang Kingdom.

Two days ago, the army encountered an attack by Sima Tao’s army from the Canglan Kingdom. Su Jianzhong was seriously injured, and of the four hundred and fifty thousand troops, less than… less than three hundred thousand remain!

“Most of the supplies have been lost, and almost all of the War magical treasures have been seized by Sima Tao.””

The Emperor looked at the sand table, his face displeased. “How could the army, passing through the north of Anqing, be attacked by Sima Tao, who is located in the south of Anqing!”

Because we were defending against Lan Jianwu in the north, but we didn’t expect Sima Tao in the south to launch a surprise attack!

“The Minister of War said cautiously,”We did not expect Sima Tao to suddenly leave an empty camp and launch a three-hundred-Li raid overnight.””

The Emperor was furious. “Where is Wu Fanghai!”

“Wu Fanghai has met with the Emperor of the Jinyang Kingdom and has been ordered to guard the west of Anqing City.”

The Emperor breathed rapidly, all of this was caused by himself. But an emperor is an emperor, and he wanted to find a scapegoat – the emperor’s prestige had to be maintained.

Naturally, there was no shortage of ‘insightful’ people in the court. The Censor-in-chief, Han Yue, stepped forward. “Your Majesty, the most urgent task is to order Su Jianzhong to atone for his sins and preserve the remaining troops.

In addition, supplies can be requested from the Jinyang Kingdom. And the missing War magical treasures must be replenished as soon as possible!”

The Prime Minister, Ouyang Si, stepped forward. “The national treasury is now empty, and spiritual material such as Mystic Iron has been almost completely exhausted. To collect enough Mystic Iron will take at least a month.”

Han Yue said loudly, “Now that the War magical treasures have fallen into enemy hands, the army is in imminent danger!

But speaking of Mystic Iron, I think the Zhang family of Ninghe County can solve our problem!

“Even the task of creating War magical treasures, the Zhang family can solve!”

At the end, a hint of ruthlessness flashed in Han Yue’s eyes.

Chapter 89: Imperial Decree

On the eve of the establishment of the Refinement Guild, Zhang Hao stepped forward and made an example of the Han family, naturally offending them.

Now that the opportunity arose, Han Yue naturally “thought of” the Zhang family.

In the imperial court, however, everyone was somewhat puzzled. How could a small Zhang family solve the empire’s urgent crisis?

“Faced with everyone’s doubts, Han Yue explained,”Your Majesty, this is how it is.

Previously, General of the Flying Cavalry Wu Fanghai adopted Zhang Hao as his foster son, and Zhang Hao promised to provide Wu Fanghai with five thousand tons of Mystic Iron with a purity of over 95% within two months.”

The Emperor nodded; Wu Fanghai had told him about this.

Han Yue continued, “Now that more than ten days have passed, I think the Zhang family should have prepared at least one thousand tons of Mystic Iron.

One thousand tons of Mystic Iron with a purity of over 95% should be enough to solve the immediate crisis.”

The Emperor nodded. “Five thousand tons in two months; now that ten days have passed, they should indeed have prepared one thousand tons. But you say the Zhang family can also solve the problem of War magical treasures?”

“From what I understand, the Zhang family doesn’t seem to have any refinement capabilities, does it?”

“Your Majesty, that was in the past. Now, led by the Zhang family, a second guild, the Refinement Guild, has been established in Ninghe County! The first plan of the Refinement Guild is to create War magical treasures.”

As he spoke, Han Yue recounted the situation at the time, naturally adding embellishments. For example, the Refinement Guild was clearly jointly initiated by other families, but now Han Yue claimed that it was led by the Zhang family, especially highlighting Zhang Hao’s role.

Moreover, Han Yue went to great lengths to tout the Refinement Guild as “very powerful,” gathering hundreds of large and small refinement families, etc., whose production capacity might even exceed that of the country.

Hearing Han Yue’s words, the Emperor was moved.

But the Prime Minister raised a very practical question: “Your Majesty, although everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the nation, we ultimately do not have an appropriate and powerful reason to directly urge the Zhang family and the Refinement Guild to act.”

“That’s simple!” Han Yue excitedly said, “Please issue an official decree, formally conferring titles upon the Mystic Iron Guild and the Refinement Guild. You can reward and confer titles upon the Zhang family for what they have done.

In this way, Your Majesty can entrust the Zhang family, the Mystic Iron Guild, and the Refinement Guild with ‘important tasks.’”

The Prime Minister frowned slightly upon hearing this. Doing so was a bit excessive.

But with the nation in distress, and with no one speaking for the Zhang family, the Mystic Iron Guild, and the Refinement Guild in the imperial court, the matter was settled.

Afterward, everyone began to discuss what kind of reward to give the Zhang family, and what kind of reward to give the newly emerged Mystic Iron Guild and Refinement Guild.

Although Han Yue disliked the Zhang family, the empire also had to save face and couldn’t be too shabby; at least, it had to look good on the surface.

…………

The Zhang family was still immersed in joy.

Zhang Hao successfully established his foundation, and Zhang Shengde immediately ordered that everyone be rewarded with a high-grade spirit stone – which was also a hush money.

Zhang Hao had also begun a new cultivation.

For example, Zhang Hao had finally learned the appraisal technique he had been dreaming of.

With a finger pointing at the Mystic Iron, true energy flowed within it, and a faint spiritual sense could “see” a wonderful phenomenon:

The true energy advanced section by section, eventually dissipating. Based on the number of sections advanced, the purity of the Mystic Iron could be determined. The more sections, the higher the purity. How to control the “sections” and how to accurately determine the purity of the Mystic Iron required a wealth of experience.

But even so, Zhang Hao was pleasantly surprised.

“It really is a wonderful world!”

However, what excited Zhang Hao even more was that Huang Mingshan and others were refining ultra-high purity Mystic Iron.

Under the initial guidance of science and technology, Huang Mingshan and others had begun to grasp the concepts of oxygen, oxidation, complete combustion, and incomplete combustion.

Huang Mingshan and others selected the best ore, extracted the ore powder, and began the first step of smelting, eliminating the impurities inherent in the ore.

Then, in an environment isolated from spiritual energy, they oxidized the smelted Mystic Iron, using oxidation to “completely crush” the Mystic Iron into fine iron rust powder.

Then, they spread the iron rust powder evenly, forming a very thin layer, and reduced it again with charcoal. Then, they introduced high-temperature air containing spiritual energy to oxidize the iron, leaving behind pure Mystic Iron.

After that, they added lime, stirred, and so on.

After working hard for three or four days, they finally produced a piece of Mystic Iron that was as blue and bright as a gemstone.

Zhang Shengye, who was waiting beside them, couldn’t wait to snatch it over for appraisal. After a moment, he frowned. “Purity… seems to be one hundred percent? This purity seems to exceed the range of our family’s appraisal technique~”

Zhang Hao smiled, took the Mystic Iron out of the smelting base, and found Feng Zhiling to help with the appraisal.

After appraising it, Feng Zhiling exclaimed in surprise, “Purity 99.8%! How did you do it!”

Zhang Hao smiled, without explaining, and only asked, “Senior Brother, is this piece of Mystic Iron enough to refine a flying sword?”

“Not enough, not enough!” Feng Zhiling chuckled. “Don’t forget, you promised me fifty kilograms!”

As he spoke, Feng Zhiling stuffed the piece of Mystic Iron into his storage ring.

Zhang Hao: …

Damn it, I’ve never seen someone so shameless! Would it kill you to be a little reserved?

Sure enough, there are oddballs everywhere.

Zhang Hao returned to the laboratory with a dark face and said to Huang Mingshan, “The purity of the Mystic Iron just now was good, reaching 99.8%.”

Huang Mingshan and others immediately cheered. They had created another miracle.

Zhang Hao distributed the prepared rewards, encouraged everyone, and finally snorted coldly, “Is that all it takes to satisfy you? Is there no room for improvement?

Replace all the tools with high-purity Mystic Iron to prevent secondary contamination. Then, go through all the processes again and come back!”

Although Huang Mingshan and others were a bit arrogant, their character was still good. They truly “rose from humble beginnings,” and the hardships of the past had left them with valuable wealth – conscientiousness! No complaints!

“Replace all the tools and re-optimize the process.”

Zhang Hao waited beside them with some excitement. Would Mystic Iron with a purity of three nines appear this time? The so-called three nines were 99.9%.

What would be the effect of reaching 99.9% purity?

Inadvertently, Zhang Hao’s thoughts wandered. He remembered an article from another world that said that the purity of magnesium in space could reach 140%, involving mass superposition effects, etc. This was a truly surreal material.

‘I wonder if the purity of Mystic Iron can also exceed 100%?’ Zhang Hao began to ‘daydream’.

Until the sound of footsteps awakened Zhang Hao.

It was Zhang Han. Several days had passed, and Zhang Han’s complexion was still a bit pale. When Zhang Hao saw him, he felt a little embarrassed and couldn’t help but ask a few words of concern.

Zhang Han said with a dark face, “I’m fine. Someone from the imperial court has come, bringing His Majesty’s decree for you.”

“Decree?” Zhang Hao frowned. What was that?

The sudden arrival of the decree gave Zhang Hao a bad feeling.

Arriving at the reception hall of the residence, he saw Ouyang Chu standing in the north of the hall. At this time, Ouyang Chu was wearing a gorgeous court dress, holding an imperial decree in his hands, with a solemn expression.

As soon as Zhang Hao entered the door, Ouyang Chu shouted, “Zhang Hao, receive the decree!”

Receive the decree? How to receive it? Zhang Hao looked blank.

“Cup your fist in the other hand, just stand there and don’t say anything.” Zhang Shengde’s voice rang in Zhang Hao’s mind.

Zhang Hao did as he was told, and Ouyang Chu slowly unfolded the imperial decree. “By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the nation. Zhang Hao, in the face of national distress, established the Mystic Iron Guild and the Refinement Guild, which greatly benefits the country. I am very pleased, and hereby confer upon Zhang Hao the title of Baron, and bestow the sword ‘Azure Cloud’. Respect this.”

Next to him, imperial guards from the palace held vermilion lacquered trays, one containing a lacquered crown, brocade robe, jade pendant, cloud boots, and embroidered belt; the other containing a long sword adorned with precious jade.

“Zhang Hao thanks the Emperor for his grace.” Zhang Hao stretched out his hands and accepted the imperial decree. Although he felt that this imperial decree was a bit strange, from today onwards, he was also a baron, a noble, albeit the lowest level of nobility.

However, Ouyang Chu did not move his feet. He took out another imperial decree!

This imperial decree was much simpler.

Zhang Hao’s pupils constricted.

Was the good show about to begin?!

(Requesting recommendation tickets, recommendation tickets, recommendation tickets, rolling around for recommendation tickets)

Chapter 90: Presumptuous

Ouyang Chu slowly opened the second ‘imperial decree’: “Zhang Hao, receive the Emperor’s oral edict.”

“Zhang Hao, I heard that you promised Wu Fanghai to provide five thousand tons of Mystic Iron within sixty days. Fifteen days have now passed. Can you first provide one thousand tons of Mystic Iron to the nation to relieve the immediate crisis?

“Also, I heard that the Artificers Guild is forging War magical treasures. Use this one thousand tons of Mystic Iron to forge War magical treasures.”

After Ouyang Chu finished speaking, he prepared to place the imperial edict in Zhang Hao’s hands. “Congratulations, from now on, you are a noble. And you have also obtained an important task from His Majesty. Your future is boundless!”

However, Zhang Hao suddenly took a step back, actually refusing to accept the imperial edict.

Ouyang Chu was immediately stunned.

How dare you! Although the imperial edict is not a formal decree, how dare you refuse it?

Zhang Hao said to Ouyang Chu with a serious expression: “The military order I received was: deliver five thousand tons of Mystic Iron to the Imperial Capital within sixty days. Failure to do so will result in execution!

“Please tell His Majesty that Zhang Hao will do his best to deliver five thousand tons of Mystic Iron within sixty days!”

Ouyang Chu was immediately stunned. The situation was indeed a bit beyond expectations.

“Pfft…” A ‘guard’ behind him sneered, “Zhang Hao, how dare you! Your military pledge is with Wu Fanghai. This is now His Majesty’s oral edict. Where do you place His Majesty?”

These words were truly malicious!

Zhang Hao’s face immediately turned cold. He took a closer look. Oh, an old acquaintance, Han Fei!

Wasn’t this the guy who was caught by Zhang Hao and made an example of before the establishment of the Artificers Guild?

Zhang Hao’s mind raced. He roughly understood—the Han family must be behind this imperial edict.

Zhang Hao suppressed the anger and killing intent in his heart and calmly looked at Ouyang Chu. “Young Master Ouyang, is this guard a noble?”

Ouyang Chu didn’t think much of it. “No.”

Zhang Hao nodded and suddenly said to Feng Zhiling, “Senior Brother, I need you to do me a favor. Drag this guy out.”

“What do you want to do!” Ouyang Chu finally reacted.

But Feng Zhiling didn’t care about that. He directly pushed Ouyang Chu aside, grabbed Han Fei, sealed his cultivation, and threw him at Zhang Hao’s feet.

Zhang Hao drew the ‘Azure Cloud Sword’ he had just obtained. The sword light was chilling.

“What do you want to do!” Han Fei shouted, his scalp tingling.

Zhang Hao made a sword gesture with his left hand and gently brushed the sword’s body, faintly feeling the powerful force within the sword. This sword was not a magical treasure, but its power far exceeded magical treasures.

The sword was forged from Mystic Iron, and the blade faintly carried a cold aura. The sword’s body was clear, with interwoven array patterns and forging marks. The words “Azure Cloud” were engraved on the sword.

“Good sword!” Zhang Hao lightly flicked the sword’s body, and the sword emitted a clear dragon’s roar.

Ouyang Chu swallowed hard. “Zhang Hao, you… need to calm down.”

Zhang Hao smiled. “A commoner dares to slander a noble. He deserves to die!”

Before his voice faded, the sword quickly fell, slashing towards Han Fei’s neck.

Han Fei screamed incessantly. “No… Zhang Hao, you can’t kill me! I am a member of the Han family. If you kill me, the Han family will not let your Zhang family off!”

Zhang Hao flicked his wrist, and the tip of the sword grazed Han Fei’s face. A little blood seeped out, causing Han Fei to tremble in fear.

Seeing Han Fei like this, Zhang Hao smiled even more brightly. “Then I’ll ask a few questions. If you answer them well, I won’t kill you.

“First, tell me what your Han family has been doing recently?”

“Nothing, we haven’t done anything.”

“Oh…” Zhang Hao nodded. “In other words, when the nation is in crisis, your Han family is actually standing by and watching. Truly… deserving of death!

“Could it be that your Han family has secretly sided with someone?”

“No, no, no, I mean the Han family hasn’t done anything to the Zhang family.”

“No, no, no, that’s not what I want to hear. Alas, this is a precious sword bestowed by His Majesty. It’s indeed sharp!” Zhang Hao’s sword constantly danced in front of Han Fei, occasionally ‘accidentally’ cutting Han Fei’s face.

Han Fei’s heart was about to jump out. Using a sword bestowed by His Majesty to kill someone, this… Zhang Hao, you really dare to do it!

But it must be admitted that if Zhang Hao did this, it would definitely end without any consequences.

“I’ll give you one more chance. The last chance!”

Han Fei trembled. “After I returned from the Artificers Guild last time, the family head, Han Yue, said that he must make the Zhang family pay the price. Then he said that the best way is to use His Majesty to make the Zhang family have no power to resist…”

Han Fei, who had always been pampered, had never encountered such a situation. For a moment, he was frightened by Zhang Hao’s thunderous methods and said whatever came to mind.

Ouyang Chu’s face became even darker.

Zhang Hao smiled, put away his sword, and kicked Han Fei in front of Ouyang Chu. “Young Master Ouyang, this guy is slandering His Majesty.”

“I heard it.” Ouyang Chu’s face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He turned his head and said to the guards around him, “Take Han Fei down and await His Majesty’s judgment!”

He carefully put away the imperial edict, casually cupped his hands at Zhang Hao, “Farewell!”

After speaking, he left in disgrace with his team.

Zhang Hao watched the other party leave, his face turning cold. “What a Han family!”

Zhang Shengye sighed. “Little Hao, this matter… is troublesome. I just received a message from the Artificers Guild. His Majesty has officially recognized the Artificers Guild and bestowed a golden plaque. He has also ordered the Artificers Guild to forge War magical treasures.”

Zhang Shengde also sighed. “His Majesty has also recognized the Mystic Iron Guild and bestowed a golden plaque. He has also ordered the Mystic Iron Guild to provide two thousand tons of Mystic Iron within the next ten days. As for the cost of the Mystic Iron, the nation will temporarily owe it, and there is no indication of when the debt will be repaid.”

Zhang Hao took a deep breath to calm himself down. The trouble had finally come. As expected.

When the Zhang family began to produce Mystic Iron in large quantities, Zhang Hao took the opportunity of the princess’s fundraising to promise to send five hundred tons every month. This was a way to cut losses and protect himself, so he received some care from Liu Jingming and gained space for the Zhang family’s development.

Later, when the Mystic Iron Guild and the Artificers Guild were established, Zhang Hao thought that the nation would definitely not turn a blind eye.

But the guilds were not the Zhang family. Zhang Hao could not make decisions alone, and actions were inevitably slow. In addition, with the entanglement of various interests, Zhang Hao promoted patent clauses and a credit system, but he still could not match the speed of the nation’s actions.

This matter was also very tricky. If not handled properly, the Zhang family would also be implicated.

Also, this time, the Emperor actually bypassed his father and directly recognized himself. This was obviously abnormal. He didn’t know what the Emperor was up to!

Did he think he was easy to bully!

Just as he was thinking, Feng Zhiling suddenly took out the Profound Truth Sect’s token for nominal disciples and handed it to Zhang Hao. “Junior Brother, take this.

“From now on, you are an inner disciple of the Profound Truth Sect. Let’s see who dares to reach out indiscriminately!”

“This…” Zhang Hao took the jade pendant, feeling a little excited. This senior brother was thick-skinned and occasionally made mistakes, but he was very reliable at critical moments.

“What you did just now was very good. If people bully you, even if it’s the Emperor, you have to kick them back hard! Is the Emperor so great? When the Emperor of the Longlin Kingdom ascends the throne, he still needs our Profound Truth Sect to recognize him!”

“Thank you, Senior Brother.”

Hanging the Azure Cloud Sword on his left waist and the identity jade pendant on his right waist, Zhang Hao laughed a few times. “Dad, Second Uncle, I’m going to the Mystic Iron Guild. As for the Artificers Guild, just leave it to Zhou Jue.

“Zhou Jue is not only the chief disciple of the Nine Sun Sect, but also the son of the Apricot Grove Hall.

“This time, I will let the Han family know what it means to be: overestimating one’s capabilities!”

Zhang Shengde was a little worried. “The nation is now…”

“Dad, don’t worry. I can still distinguish between public and private. I won’t ‘falsely’ use public resources for private gain.

“But I will… can ‘borrow’ public resources for private gain!”

Chapter 91: The Joint-Stock System

(This chapter was hard to write, I spent over an hour revising it. o(╥﹏╥)o)

Standing before the Mystic Iron Guild’s gate, Zhang Hao smiled as he gazed at the brand new, golden signboard.

He murmured, “Father, perhaps we should properly thank the Han family this time. I was still wondering how to get His Majesty’s approval.”

Zhang Shengde chuckled, not finding it particularly important.

Zhang Hao, receiving no response and seeing his father’s indifferent smile, could only offer a wry smile.

Although this world has nations, the influence of cultivation means that the power of central authority is only so-so. Here, powerful families, sects, experts, and so on can contend with the central government.

Within the various great families, fiefdoms, and around sects, national laws are often ineffective.

Hence the saying, “The nation has national laws, the family has family rules,” and the system that goes with it—to put it bluntly, national laws cannot govern the internal affairs and sphere of influence of large families, merchant houses, or sects!

Therefore, people’s understanding of the so-called ‘official’ concept is not profound enough.

In a politically stable country, the ‘official’ side is more trustworthy to the average person!

Entering the hall of the Mystic Iron Guild, he saw everyone discussing animatedly, most with angry expressions.

Seeing Zhang Shengde, the chairman, arrive, they swarmed around him, all declaring:

“We cannot accept this!”

“Demanding two thousand tons in ten days, with no repayment period, is daylight robbery!”

“If this matter cannot be resolved, we are prepared to withdraw from the Mystic Iron Guild!”

“Yes, we are supposed to advance together, not be bullied together!”

…

Amidst the collective outrage, Zhang Shengde listened carefully to everyone’s complaints before smiling and sitting down in the chairman’s seat, waving his hand at the crowd: “Please, everyone, hear me out.”

Once the crowd had calmed down, Zhang Shengde continued, “Actually, I was also angry when I heard about this matter. However, as the saying goes, misfortune may be a blessing in disguise. I’ve been considering it all the way here, and this might be an opportunity for us!”

“Oh? What opportunity?” Vice-Chairman Zhou Bo asked.

“An opportunity for expansion!” Zhang Shengde’s eyes gleamed, and when his gaze swept over Zhang Hao, there was a hint of pride in his eyes. “Has everyone noticed recently that our space is becoming insufficient?

I’m not just talking about the Mystic Iron Guild, but also the land used by various families, merchant houses, and even the mines.

It’s only been about fifty days since the Mystic Iron Guild was established. In fifty days, our production capacity has increased more than tenfold. But our land hasn’t increased, and the development space for our families has already been affected.

It’s already like this now. What about the future?

So, does everyone want to expand our land?”

The crowd immediately became interested. But they also expressed doubts, saying it wouldn’t be easy. In fact, the nation and the various families have already formed a kind of balance, even a tacit understanding, and this balance and understanding are not easy to break.

It could even be said that this balance and understanding constitute the current Qixia Kingdom. If this balance is broken, no one knows what will happen next.

Faced with everyone’s questions, Zhang Shengde smiled: “What if there was a way to maintain the tacit understanding while also securing sufficient rights and benefits for everyone?”

“What method?” Everyone was intrigued.

Zhang Shengde slowly said: “Establish a shared, joint-stock, comprehensive smelting base. Or, in short: a joint-stock factory.”

Joint-stock system? What is that?

Zhang Shengde explained directly: “The so-called shared means that everyone jointly invests and jointly builds a comprehensive, large-scale Mystic Iron smelting base.

And during the construction process, based on everyone’s contributions, investments, etc., you will each hold different shares of the smelting base.

After the smelting base becomes profitable, dividends will be distributed according to the number of shares held.

If you no longer want the shares in your hands in the future, you can also sell them; for now, we only support internal transactions.

In addition, the internal acquisition price is guaranteed not to be lower than the original investment; if it is lower, the Zhang family will make up the difference out of our own pockets.

If you want more shares in the future, you can also make additional investments.”

Thus, a discussion on the joint-stock system began within the Mystic Iron Guild.

Zhang Hao watched from the side, wearing a smile.

Yes, the Zhang family is not yet strong enough, but the Zhang family can unite a portion of the people to strengthen its influence! And incidentally, introduce the joint-stock system.

Your Han family may be good, but you will definitely suffer a crushing defeat in the face of this kind of group!

Most importantly, once the joint-stock system is established, it will represent Zhang Hao officially opening up the situation:

Industry will officially step onto the stage of history; the old wheels of history will be kicked into a ditch; in the future, new wheels will be put on, speeding along the highway.

The family-style workshop production model will be rapidly eliminated; the factory production model will change the world with a staggering rise!

Like the patent system, the joint-stock system was discussed for an entire night. And when the discussion became most intense, especially when discussing many difficult issues, Zhang Hao had to personally step forward.

Intentionally or unintentionally, the Young Master Zhang showed off again.

Finally, under Zhang Hao’s leadership, everyone signed the letter of intent and swore an oath.

…………

Meanwhile, Ouyang Chu, after returning to the Imperial Capital, reported all the details to the Emperor, and incidentally dragged Han Fei out as well.

The Emperor looked at Han Fei, frowned slightly, and revealed a murderous intent. He didn’t expect the Han family’s suggestion to be mixed with selfish motives and hidden malicious intentions.

With a cold snort, he said to those around him: “Drag him out and hand him over to the Ministry of Justice for interrogation, and execute him tomorrow.”

Han Fei was already dumbfounded. He was dragged out by the Imperial Guards like a wooden chicken; only after leaving the main hall did he scream and beg for mercy, saying that everything was instructed by Han Yue!

In the hall, cold sweat trickled down Han Yue’s nose, and drops of cold sweat fell to the ground, making a faint pattering sound that was clearly audible in the deathly silent court.

He really wanted to eat Han Fei alive right now, but he had to face the Emperor’s anger.

But Han Yue is Han Yue. After a moment’s thought, he pushed all the blame onto Han Fei, saying that it was Han Fei who acted on his own initiative and that he was unaware of it, and finally begged His Majesty to see clearly.

The Emperor looked at Han Yue’s “regretful face and sincere apology” and pursed his lips tightly. He really wanted to roar: Exterminate his nine generations.

But he couldn’t do that. The Han family is also a very influential family within the Qixia Kingdom.

In this world of cultivation, it is “the royal family and the great aristocratic families, sects, etc., who jointly govern the world.” Of course, this is a nice way of saying it; the real way of saying it is: the royal family has to compromise with the great aristocratic families, sects, etc.

Therefore, although he knew that Han Yue was full of lies, the Emperor had to grit his teeth and squeeze out a smile in the end: “Whether it is ability or contribution to the Empire, I have seen it and remembered it in my heart, my dear Han.

Seeing that you don’t look well, go back and rest for ten days first, and deal with the affairs of your family.”

Han Yue quickly thanked him and retreated from the ceremony step by step.

The Emperor’s words made Han Yue’s heart palpitate - seen in his eyes, remembered in his heart!

But Han Yue, who was used to being strong, did not reflect, but instead remembered this anger on the Zhang family.

After leaving the main hall, Han Yue squeezed out a sentence from between his teeth: “Zhang family, we’re not done!”

Chapter 92: You Didn’t Ask Me

The atmosphere in the imperial court was somewhat oppressive.

The Emperor’s eyes flashed like lightning as he scanned the assembled officials and generals.

In truth, the Emperor knew the nature of each person quite well. But the empire could not do without these people.

The Emperor felt a shameful anger in his heart. Because he was so eager to shirk responsibility and concerned about the war on the front lines, he had carelessly been used by Han Yue.

But then again, the Zhang family was no saint either—at least, that’s how the Emperor saw it. My imperial decree—how dare a mere family like yours refuse it?

Alas, a simple matter had become exceedingly thorny and complex after Han Yue and the Zhang family passed the buck.

The Emperor thought for a moment and had no choice but to cast an angry, perhaps even pleading, gaze toward the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister steeled himself and stepped forward. “Your Majesty, I have a few humble suggestions.”

“Speak!”

“Yes. First, regarding the military pledge, we can send an envoy to inquire with Grand General Wu Fanghai. With a Nascent Soul cultivator flying, a round trip will only take two days.

Furthermore, regarding the purchase of Mystic Iron or War magical treasures from the Mystic Iron Guild and the Weapon Forging Guild, I would like to personally travel to Ninghe County to discuss the terms they would accept.

I will do everything in my power to achieve a price that satisfies Your Majesty.”

What was a price that would satisfy His Majesty?

“The national treasury is empty!”

So, when saying these words, the Prime Minister had no confidence in himself. But at this moment, he had to bite the bullet and talk nonsense.

When the carriage reaches the mountain, there should be a road… right?

Also, at this moment, the Prime Minister thought of Zhang Hao. He always felt that this young man was extraordinary. Perhaps Zhang Hao could find a transaction method that would satisfy both parties.

Only then did the Emperor nod and hastily announce the adjournment of the court.

As he left the main hall and was about to enter the imperial study, the Emperor suddenly stopped. He suddenly remembered Princess Liu XinYu.

The Emperor had not directly contacted Zhang Hao or the Zhang family, and he was quite unfamiliar with the guilds and such. He was also somewhat disappointed and distrustful of his ministers.

But at this moment, the Emperor suddenly remembered that the princess seemed to have had contact with Zhang Hao and should have some understanding of the Zhang family.

The Emperor pondered for a moment before stepping into the imperial study and saying to the guard beside him, “Go and invite the princess over.”

…

Inside the Mystic Iron Guild, Zhang Hao looked at the ‘Equity Guidance Opinion’ in front of him and smiled happily.

Speaking of which, the reason things went so smoothly was thanks to the Han family. If not for the immense pressure brought by the Han family, Zhang Hao would have had to put in a lot of effort to pass the equity opinion.

And now, everything was ready except for the east wind, and he was just waiting for the imperial court to send a second envoy.

Thinking of this, Zhang Hao touched the jade pendant at his waist, which was the identity pendant of a Profound Truth Sect disciple. If not for this jade pendant, Zhang Hao would not have dared to act so recklessly. But with this jade pendant, Zhang Hao could act recklessly with peace of mind!

“One up, one down, worlds apart.”

What’s more, Zhang Hao had also recognized Wu Fanghai as his adoptive father, so he had both the local magistrate and the current administrator on his side.

After everyone signed, Zhang Hao happily put it away. The triumphant Zhang Hao lightly hummed a song—but it was clearly not from this world.

“Younger Brother, you sing so well,” Li Yuanyuan said softly, her face flushed and biting her lower lip.

“Ah… oh… just humming casually. I have something to do, I’ll go first.” Saying that, Zhang Hao fled.

Li Yuanyuan’s eyes dimmed slightly as she said gently, “Where are you going?”

“That… well… I’m going to the Weapon Forging Guild first.”

“Oh…” Li Yuanyuan’s eyes gradually dimmed a little more. She knew that Mu Yingying was also at the Weapon Forging Guild.

Zhang Hao rubbed his forehead in distress. As expected, the grace of a beauty was the hardest to bear.

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Hao suddenly said, “Older Sister, there are still many loopholes in this equity opinion. If Older Sister has time, could you collect everyone’s opinions and enrich it?”

Li Yuanyuan’s eyes immediately lit up. “Sure, I have time.”

“Then I’ll have to trouble Older Sister.” Zhang Hao said as he quickly walked outside.

Actually… until now, Zhang Hao’s heart was still a little erratic, and he was not yet prepared. What Zhang Hao was thinking about most right now was development, development, development!

“In this strange world, Zhang Hao has always felt insecure!”

Arriving at the Weapon Forging Guild, he saw that Zhou Jue had already arrived.

This was the first time the chairman of the Weapon Forging Guild had come to the guild, and he had encountered such a thorny problem.

After seeing Zhang Hao, Zhou Jue didn’t mention the Mystic Iron matter. After greeting him warmly, he asked how things were going at the Mystic Iron Guild.

Zhang Hao was not polite and said directly, “I came for this matter. Currently, the Mystic Iron Guild has established a new proposal called ‘Equity Guidance Opinion’. This is a copy.”

Zhou Jue took it and looked at it, his eyes immediately shining. “Good, what a wonderful Equity Guidance Opinion! With the Equity Guidance Opinion, we can completely unite internally and face the outside world together!

I will call everyone together to discuss it.”

The Weapon Forging Guild and the Mystic Iron Guild were completely different.

The Mystic Iron Guild only had one product—Mystic Iron. But the products of the Weapon Forging Guild were colorful and diverse. Therefore, the discussion of the Equity Guidance Opinion fell into a quagmire from the start.

Zhang Hao was drowsy on the side. He had argued all night at the Mystic Iron Guild yesterday, and his energy was somewhat insufficient. Moreover, after recently establishing his foundation, he was frantically learning all kinds of knowledge, cultivation methods, spells, etc., and he was really feeling overwhelmed.

A faint fragrance wafted over, and he saw Mu Yingying gently placing a cup of spiritual tea in front of Zhang Hao.

Seeing Zhang Hao look over, Mu Yingying smiled generously. “Brother, this is the Mu family’s Cloud Mist Tea, grown on the banks of the Snow Mountain Spiritual Spring. It has a clear and long-lasting fragrance and has the effect of nourishing the heart, calming the mind, and refreshing the spirit.”

Zhang Hao thanked her and dazedly took the teacup, but he touched Mu Yingying’s soft fingers. Zhang Hao didn’t feel anything, but Mu Yingying’s face turned red, and she retracted her hand like a deer, fleeing to her seat.

Beside her, Mu Pengcheng watched his little sister’s performance with a smile. And the look in his eyes as he looked at Zhang Hao was wary and scrutinizing.

“Cough cough!” Zhou Jue endured the urge to slam the table and looked at the Vice Chairman Zhang Shengye, who was sitting there calmly. “Vice Chairman, do you have anything to say?”

Zhang Shengye glanced at Zhang Hao, but Zhang Hao was holding the fragrant tea, leisurely and carefree, and didn’t see Zhang Shengye’s pleading eyes at all. This Cloud Mist Tea was indeed good. After a sip of Cloud Mist Tea, his spirit was refreshed by a third.

This little brat! Zhang Shengye was helpless. “Little Hao!”

“Ah…” Zhang Hao was still a little confused.

But suppressed laughter rang out around him. This “Little Hao” made the atmosphere lively.

Only after Zhang Hao reacted did his face turn dark. Second Uncle, this is not the time to act foolishly!

Zhang Shengye smiled ingratiatingly. “What are your thoughts on this Equity Guidance Opinion?”

“I have some!” Young Master Zhang said straightforwardly.

“You have some, why didn’t you say so!”

“No one asked me.” Young Master Zhang said matter-of-factly.

In fact, Zhang Hao was very clear: if you eagerly say something before others ask, it will reduce your weight; it is the right attitude to wait until others ask, or even beg, before speaking!

Zhou Jue rubbed his forehead, suppressing the urge to go berserk. “Younger Brother, can you please tell us now?”

Chapter 93: Inspection

Zhang Hao chuckled, looking at the circle of unfriendly gazes around him.

He set down his fragrant tea and said slowly, yet with a hint of arrogance, “In my opinion, the products of the Mystic Iron Guild, though numerous, can be divided into two main parts.

“The first part includes things like flying swords, shields, and talismans, which are all common items. There might be slight differences between families, but not significant.

“The second part consists of some unusual weapons, magical treasures with unique functions, talismans, and array flags.

“We can jointly invest and establish factories to produce flying swords, shields, and talismans.

“As for special weapons, magical treasures, and talismans, each family can continue to produce them independently.”

Zhou Jue nodded, but still asked, “What is the point of unified production of flying swords, shields, and talismans?”

Zhang Hao’s expression turned serious. “Unified production allows us to gather the technological advantages of each family, avoid duplication and waste, and achieve large-scale, centralized production.

“Based on the Zhang family’s experience in large-scale Mystic Iron smelting, large-scale production results in lower costs and higher quality.

“Therefore, the profit is higher!”

Zhou Jue thought for a moment, then shook his head. “I’m sorry, I’ve never seen large-scale production before. Um… please forgive my boldness, but it seems that only the Zhang family has achieved large-scale production. I wonder, would it be possible for us to visit?”

Zhou Jue was using his position for personal gain!

Everyone’s eyes lit up.

In fact, everyone was very curious about the Zhang family, but they were too embarrassed to ask.

The Zhang family now dared to boast that they could provide five thousand tons of Mystic Iron with ninety-five percent purity to the nation every two months. The Mystic Iron production capacity of the Zhang family alone was equal to the total output of the entire country in the past.

Therefore, everyone was very curious about the Zhang family’s production base.

Zhang Shengye frowned, but said nothing, instead looking at Zhang Hao.

Zhang Hao glanced at his second uncle, then sat back in his chair, picked up his fragrant tea, and pondered.

The hall was silent for a moment, with only the sound of Zhang Hao sipping his tea.

After a while, Zhang Hao slowly exhaled. “A visit is possible.”

It really was possible!

Several people couldn’t help but stand up in excitement.

“However, you must agree to several conditions.”

Zhou Jue couldn’t wait, his words filled with excitement. “Please tell us, Brother.”

What Zhou Jue wanted to see most was how the Zhang family produced Mystic Iron specifically for alchemy.

Zhang Hao put down his tea, sat up straight, and scanned the crowd before slowly raising his right index finger. “First, visitors must completely obey the Zhang family’s arrangements. Otherwise, there will be no forgiveness!”

His words were calm, but filled with killing intent. Zhang Hao was now qualified to say these words. And Feng Zhiling was still a guest in the Zhang family, and had the ability to carry it out.

The crowd did not speak, but Zhang Hao did not need them to.

You only have to agree to the conditions I set. If you don’t agree, then don’t go.

Zhang Hao continued, raising his second finger. “Second, the cultivation level of visitors must not exceed the peak of the Golden Core stage. The Zhang family’s capabilities are limited, please forgive us.”

As he said this, Zhang Hao glanced at Zhou Jue with a hidden meaning. Zhou Jue’s previous conditions had made Zhang Hao very wary. Now he wanted to visit? No way!

As expected, Zhou Jue’s expression changed.

But the other major families and representatives didn’t react much.

Zhang Hao paused slightly, then raised three fingers. “Third, no more than twenty visitors each time. Only after the first group returns to the county city can the next group depart. Visitors are limited to guild members, with a maximum of five people allowed from each family, merchant house, etc.”

Then, he raised four fingers. “Everyone must swear that everything they see must not be spread. Keep it to yourself.”

“That’s all. Does anyone have any questions?”

Mu Yingying was the first to speak. “I have one. If the cultivation level of the visitors is below the Golden Core stage, can there be more?”

Zhang Hao nodded. “That’s possible. One Golden Core stage cultivator, or ten Foundation Establishment stage cultivators and below.”

“Then I have no more.”

Zhou Jue’s expression was the worst. But seeing that no one else objected, he could only grit his teeth and nod. But he had a lot of opinions in his heart.

Zhang Hao then said apologetically to Zhou Jue, “If Brother is interested, I will invite you to visit separately another day.”

Zhou Jue’s expression improved a lot.

Afterwards, Zhang Hao and Zhang Shengye bid farewell, and agreed that they would invite the first group to visit tomorrow; tonight, the Zhang family had to go back and prepare.

Once they left the Mystic Iron Guild, Zhang Shengye finally couldn’t help but ask, “Little Hao, how could you agree to let them visit? Also, this visit will definitely affect us, and many things will have to be suspended.”

Zhang Hao looked at the bustling street and smiled. “Second Uncle, let’s talk about it when we get back tonight.”

They went to the Mystic Iron Guild to pick up Zhang Shengde, and with the guards, the group quickly returned home.

Once home, Zhang Shengde dragged Zhang Hao directly to the study, and together with Zhang Shengye, they looked at Zhang Hao with scrutinizing eyes.

Zhang Hao was very honest, standing without sitting down, and began to explain, “Dad, Second Uncle, the appearance of the Han family is a signal. That is, our family’s secrets, I’m afraid we won’t be able to keep them for too long.

“Dad said before that the most taboo thing is to hog all the good stuff. The Zhang family’s changes have already caused envy.

“Although for various reasons, mainly because I became a disciple of the Profound Truth Sect, everyone doesn’t dare to act rashly. And no one dares to be the first to stick their neck out.

“But greed will eventually break through reason.

“The Zhang family is too small, but possesses enormous wealth; now, it can even smelt Mystic Iron specifically for alchemy.

“Zhou Jue’s previous conditions were also a warning. The Nine Sun Sect, I’m afraid, can’t sit still anymore.”

After Zhang Hao finished speaking, Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye slowly calmed down; soon, worried expressions began to appear on their faces.

Zhang Shengde hesitated for a moment, then asked, “What are you going to do?”

“It’s very simple, gather a group of people, and let everyone form a community of shared interests. And with technology as the core, and factories as the carrier, create a new type of group that can compete with families and sects.

“And the Zhang family must control the right to speak in this group!”

Zhang Shengde stared at Zhang Hao, and after hearing Zhang Hao’s words, Zhang Shengde was shocked—what a huge ambition!

Zhang Hao didn’t seem to notice, and continued, “In addition, there is another point. The development and progress of technology requires exchange and application. Our technology needs a broader application market.

“Merely producing Mystic Iron is already hindering the Zhang family’s development.

“Next, the Zhang family will sell standard instruments such as bearings, steam turbines, profiles, and high-precision measuring tools to the public.”

Zhang Shengye had an objection. “Our family doesn’t have much technology now, and we’ll have less if we make some of it public.”

Zhang Hao shook his head. “Second Uncle, what I need is a family that can forge ahead and constantly explore, not a family that is content with the status quo and stands still.

“This world is always changing and progressing. The only constant is ‘change’ itself.

“If the Zhang family wants to rise, it must actively embrace change, and even lead change.

“And to do these things, some sacrifices are inevitable.

“Growth always comes at a price.

“If a sapling wants to grow into a towering tree, it will inevitably have to prune its branches and replace old leaves. Only dead wood cherishes every leaf.”

Zhang Shengde frowned and thought for a long time before gradually understanding the meaning of Zhang Hao’s words.

Suddenly, Zhang Shengde smiled. “Little Hao, I’ll leave the family to you from now on. Dad is going to focus on cultivation and strive to reach the middle stage of the Nascent Soul realm as soon as possible.”

This decision was a bit sudden, and Zhang Hao was stunned for a while. Only then did he suddenly feel an invisible and heavy pressure on his shoulders.

Zhang Hao nodded seriously. “I will do my best. If there is anything I do wrong, please Dad and Second Uncle correct me directly.”

“Of course.” Zhang Shengde and Zhang Shengye said in unison.

“Now there is one thing that I need to trouble Dad to do personally. Go to the Mystic Iron Guild and tell everyone that the Zhang family is preparing to open for visits.”

Chapter 94: Astonishment

It was a very busy night for the Zhang family.

Several changes were made to the smelting base. The research area where Huang Mingshan and others were located, as well as the machine tool processing and production area where Bai Xiaodong and others were, were enveloped in opaque barriers.

In the Mystic Iron smelting area, all the blowers that directly blasted air into the molten iron were also removed. This was the Zhang family’s secret and could not be exposed.

What Zhang Hao wanted to reveal this time was very clear: industrialized production! Scaled production! Standardized production!

What was to be revealed was a completely new mode of production. This in itself was a technology, a technology of production.

Without the step of blowing air into the molten iron, the purity of the molten iron immediately dropped from over ninety-five percent to just over sixty percent.

The molten iron was no longer directly cast into iron ingots, but into iron bars about the thickness of an arm.

The iron bars needed to be forged. But it was not workers who did the forging, but machines.

Some small steam turbines drove eccentric wheels, which in turn drove iron hammers through connecting rods, achieving mechanized forging.

The mechanical forging was very fast, reaching an ultra-high forging speed of ten times per second, and it never tired.

Moreover, mechanical forging was more powerful, forging ten kilograms at a time, far exceeding the one kilogram of a craftsman.

The craftsmen only needed to be responsible for heating the iron bars, controlling the clutch, adjusting the hammer handle, and sprinkling water.

The forged iron bars would be remelted and cast into standard iron ingots.

Bai Xiaodong and others worked overnight, and by dawn, they had made twenty sets of forging machines, adding to the original, for a total of more than thirty sets.

The number was not large, but it was enough for a demonstration.

According to the Zhang family’s new unit of time, around seven o’clock, the first group of people arrived. Ten members each from the Mystic Iron Guild and the Weapon Refining Guild, all high-level members of both sides. Zhou Bo walked at the front.

From afar, everyone saw thick smoke and white mist rising above the Zhang family’s smelting base, drifting towards the sea, a spectacular sight.

Zhang Shengde personally came out to greet them, leading the group towards the smelting base.

Suddenly, Zhou Bo turned his head. At the entrance of the smelting base was a pavilion, and in the pavilion, a man was… eating hot pot!

Feng Zhiling was very domineering, setting up a banquet directly in the pavilion at the entrance of the smelting base, drinking alone.

The rich and mellow aroma drifted far away, making people salivate.

On the table was a hot pot, with high-grade spirit stones burning underneath, the golden flames rolling. The hot pot was made of Mystic Iron with a purity of ninety-nine point two percent, and under the burning of the spirit fire, faint satin-like precious light flowed.

As for the ‘seasoning’ in the hot pot, most of it was top-grade medicinal herbs. A dragon pearl rolled in the soup, making the smoke above the soup change unpredictably like a mirage; sometimes turning into mountain mists, sometimes turning into sea waves, or some blurred light and shadows flickering.

On the table was a very domineering, skinned Flood Dragon head, and next to it were plates of dragon liver, dragon heart, dragon tendons, and so on.

Feng Zhiling took a sip of wine and then dipped a few slices of Flood Dragon meat. The guards around him kept swallowing their saliva.

Zhou Bo couldn’t help but approach; everyone was attracted by Feng Zhiling.

Zhang Hao was speechless: Hey, everyone, you are here today to see a new mode of production, not to see some foodie squandering treasures.

Feng Zhiling looked up at the crowd and waved his hand casually, “Go, go, go, if anyone dares to snatch, be careful I’ll beat you until you can’t take care of yourself!”

Ji Butong looked at this guy, his mouth twitching—the first time they met, he felt that this guy was unreliable, and sure enough. This was not just unreliable, it was simply absurd!

But thinking that the other party was a disciple of the Profound Truth Sect, Ji Butong said nothing.

Zhang Hao waited for a while before leading everyone inside the smelting base.

“Wow…” A burst of exclamations.

At just one glance, everyone was stunned. What they saw was a completely unfamiliar, subversive, and steel-powered smelting base.

First of all, there were the roaring machines, and then everything seemed extraordinarily large.

The smelting furnaces were more than ten times larger than ordinary ones, and the millstones used to crush ore and spirit stones were almost three meters in diameter. Driving the millstones were not craftsmen, cattle, horses, or demonic beasts, but an unfamiliar machine.

Conveyor belts extended from the mine to above the millstones, bringing a stream of ore; conveyor belts also extended from below the millstones, entering the water selection area.

The wet ore powder coming out of the water selection area passed over the earth fire, directly drying it, and sending it into the smelting furnace.

There were also the forging machines. Seeing the machine’s forging speed of ten times per second, and hearing the series of “dong, dong, dong” sounds, everyone opened their mouths in surprise, unable to speak.

Before coming, everyone thought that the Zhang family would have some extraordinary performance; but they did not expect that the performance would be so extraordinary!

Moreover, it was very obvious that the Zhang family was hiding some tricks.

Looking at the two opaque barriers in the distance, everyone wanted to rush in and take a look, to see what the Zhang family was hiding.

What was revealed was already so shocking, what would be hidden?

Unfortunately, Zhang Shengde was leading the way, and everyone could only follow Zhang Shengde’s footsteps. If they dared to act without permission, they would definitely die!

Zhang Shengde’s flying sword kept circling, constantly reminding everyone—this was not a place to mess around.

Finally, Zhang Shengde led everyone to the steam turbine and proudly introduced it.

“This is the power we have newly discovered, the power of steam.

Using the power of steam can drive machines. Compared to spirit stones, the application cost of steam power can be almost ignored. Only the cost of casting the machine itself is higher.”

“See these curved pipes set up above the earth fire? Water flows down from a high place and is heated into high-temperature and high-pressure steam in the pipes.

The steam in these pipes is far above one hundred degrees Celsius. Roughly measured, it is about one hundred and sixty degrees Celsius.

This steam rushes into the steam turbine, driving the steam turbine to rotate.

And the steam turbine drives the machine to rotate.

We call this ‘mechanized operation’, to distinguish it from traditional manual operation.

The current Zhang family has initially achieved mechanized operation.

Compared to manual operation, mechanized operation can work around the clock without rest and always maintain extremely high work efficiency.

In the past, one hundred craftsmen, working hard for a day, could only produce about four hundred kilograms of Mystic Iron, and the purity could not be guaranteed.

But now, one hundred craftsmen can easily produce eighty tons of Mystic Iron in a day, with a purity of over ninety percent.”

“All these changes are because we have a new power source. The steam turbine!

The power of this steam turbine is roughly equivalent to the limit power of the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm.”

Everyone looked in the direction of Zhang Shengde’s finger. The steam turbine was generally gourd-shaped, but had three chambers, large, medium, and small. The appearance was rough, and bolts as thick as arms fixed the upper and lower shells, and then through clumsy iron frames and heavy iron seats, it stood steadily on the solid rock.

There was a circle of iron fences around the outside, with the words: High Temperature Danger.

After Zhou Bo and others were allowed, they entered the fence area and gently touched the steam turbine shell. The hot shell did not hurt the Golden Core stage cultivators, but it made them marvel.

This kind of machine could actually convert the high temperature of the earth fire into mechanical power. This machine that ‘can move without spiritual energy’ broke their understanding.

“Not only is spiritual energy energy, but high temperature is also a kind of energy.” Zhang Shengde explained, he himself had deep feelings.

Whenever he stood next to the steam turbine and felt its power, Zhang Shengde couldn’t help but sigh. Without using spiritual energy, just boiling water, it could produce such majestic power.

The power of the steam turbine was already comparable to the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm. What if it continues to develop?

Chapter 95: It’s Over

A little over an hour later, the crowd reluctantly left the Zhang family’s production base.

Once outside the barrier, feeling the damp and slightly cool sea breeze, Zhou Bo finally spoke, “Chairman Zhang… can we buy your steam turbines?”

Zhang Shengde smiled, “Since we brought everyone to see them, of course we’re selling them. Otherwise, what would we be showing you? But the price… isn’t cheap.”

“Then… what’s the price?”

“We have different technologies. The cheapest is twenty million spirit stones.

The best one currently, the one you all just saw, is worth eighty million spirit stones.”

Zhou Bo breathed a sigh of relief, “That’s between two thousand and eight thousand high-grade spirit stones. A bit expensive, but still affordable.”

Zhang Shengde smiled, “But the steam turbine can’t be used alone. It also needs a steam pipeline system and a power transmission system.

The steam pipeline system starts at five million spirit stones, and requires terrestrial fire. If there’s no terrestrial fire and you need spirit stones, it needs to be designed separately.

The power transmission system starts at three million spirit stones.

And both the steam pipeline system and the power transmission system require on-site surveying to determine the price.

A comprehensive survey costs at least fifty thousand spirit stones.

Here, this is the price list. Everyone can take it back and have a look.

We guarantee we won’t rip off our friends!”

“This… is a bit too expensive, isn’t it?” Everyone expressed their dissatisfaction. Is the Zhang family obsessed with money?

Zhang Shengde smiled faintly, “Everyone, just take a look first.”

…

Over the next two days, the Zhang family arranged for about two hundred and thirty people to visit. The main members of the Mystic Iron Guild and the Weapon Refining Guild had almost all come.

Both the Mystic Iron Guild and the Weapon Refining Guild were preparing to build factories, and it looked like an unprecedented large purchase was about to land on the Zhang family.

But at this critical moment, the Prime Minister of the Qixia Kingdom once again descended upon the Mystic Iron Guild and specifically requested to see Zhang Hao.

Zhang Hao had no choice but to pause his cultivation and, along with his unreliable senior brother Feng Zhiling, slowly strolled to the Mystic Iron Guild, where they met Prime Minister Ouyang Si in the main hall.

But this time, before Zhang Hao could speak, Ouyang Si actually smiled, very friendly, and took the initiative to reach out to greet him, “Young Master Zhang, how have you been?”

Zhang Hao was choked by this sudden familiarity. He hesitated for a moment, then also reached out, but waved it around randomly, “Hi, we meet again.”

Pfft…

A burst of laughter erupted around them, many people bent over laughing, and some were even hiccuping from laughter.

Zhang Hao looked around with a dark face, a little speechless. Was it really that funny? It was just a greeting.

Ouyang Si’s face turned a little dark, and he was also a little amused. He coughed a few times before saying, “This time, I also have a request from Her Highness the Princess.”

“Oh.” Zhang Hao responded very calmly, and incidentally greeted everyone around him with a cupped fist salute, then sat down in his seat. As for Feng Zhiling, he didn’t enter the hall, but wandered around inside the guild.

Ouyang Si was a little confused by Zhang Hao’s calm reaction. Wasn’t it said that Zhang Hao vomited blood after hearing about the Princess’s engagement to the Crown Prince of the Jinyang Kingdom? Why is he so calm now?

Could it be… he’s already given up?

This is not good. I was planning to use the Princess’s name to provoke Zhang Hao.

Frowning, Ouyang Si didn’t give up and emphasized again, “Zhang Hao, it’s a request from the Princess. Aren’t you going to listen?”

“Oh, go ahead,” Zhang Hao said, looking very indifferent, as if he was looking at a passerby and listening to gossip.

It’s over. He’s really given up. Ouyang Si gritted his teeth and still said, “The Princess asks: Zhang Hao, you said you wanted to develop westward. How much is the Zhang family preparing now?”

Zhang Hao immediately cupped his fist, “Please convey this to the Prime Minister. The Zhang family is now fully supporting the Eastern Expedition, smelting Mystic Iron, and dare not slack off in the slightest. Therefore, there are no preparations for the westward development.”

In Zhang Hao’s view, since the Princess was preparing to go to the Jinyang Kingdom, then she shouldn’t know about the great navigation.

Moreover, without the Princess, Zhang Hao had also created the Mystic Iron Guild and the Weapon Refining Guild himself, and now he had the Profound Truth Sect as a backer, so he felt that the future was bright.

Ouyang Si, listening to Zhang Hao lying through his teeth, finally sighed helplessly—It’s over. It seems he’s really given up.

Ouyang Si didn’t believe for a second that the Zhang family was fully supporting the Eastern Expedition.

Your Zhang family has been quite active recently. You’ve even created Mystic Iron specifically for alchemy, shaking the upper echelons of the entire Qixia Kingdom. You’ve also created the Mystic Iron Guild and the Weapon Refining Guild, and you even have the mind to fight dragons by the sea, and you’ve acquired many large shipbuilding workshops and craftsmen, technology, etc.

Recently, Zhang Shengde also achieved Nascent Soul, and is preparing to build factories.

I haven’t seen your family being very nervous.

But seeing Zhang Hao say this, Ouyang Si could only sigh, assuming that Zhang Hao was completely heartbroken and had completely given up.

Thinking like this, Ouyang Si changed the topic and talked about the main purpose of today.

Ouyang Si took out a jade slip, casually added a small levitation spell, and floated it to Zhang Hao, “This is a letter to you from your adoptive father, General of the Vanguard Wu Fanghai.”

Zhang Hao immediately sat up straight, took it with both hands, first carefully checked it to make sure there were no problems, and then carefully probed into it with his spiritual sense, seeing Wu Fanghai’s figure.

The image recorded in the jade slip was a little blurry and abstract, directly imprinted with the Nascent Soul; but Wu Fanghai’s voice was very clear.

“Zhang Hao, the battle situation has changed somewhat. We were ambushed and lost a large number of War magical treasures. We are now in urgent need of Mystic Iron to replenish.

Take out as much Mystic Iron as you have on hand now. As long as you can take out five thousand tons within sixty days, you will have completed the order.”

Zhang Hao watched this recording three times before putting down the jade slip. It could be seen that there was anxiety in Wu Fanghai’s voice, obviously the battle situation ahead was not good.

This made Zhang Hao a little worried. The strength of the Eastern countries was beyond doubt. If the Jinyang Kingdom was defeated, the Qixia Kingdom might be in danger of being destroyed.

But this also made Zhang Hao even more determined: he must go to the battlefield to see, this time not only to see the War magical treasures, but also to see the war situation.

After thinking for a while, Zhang Hao said to Ouyang Si, “I have received my adoptive father’s information. Within three days, the Zhang family will prepare about one thousand five hundred tons of Mystic Iron.

It’s just that so hastily, the Zhang family’s transportation capacity is insufficient.”

“I’ll figure out a way for that.” Ouyang Si breathed a sigh of relief. With the Zhang family’s one thousand five hundred tons of ninety-five percent purity Mystic Iron to replenish, the situation should be stabilized.

As for the transportation problem, it was not a big problem. As long as the City Lord’s Mansion gave the order, not to mention one thousand five hundred tons, even fifteen thousand tons could be sent to the front line. If necessary, civilians could be requisitioned.

Then Ouyang Si looked around, “Is Fellow Daoist Zhang Shengde not here?”

Zhou Bo spoke, “The Chairman is in seclusion. The guild is temporarily managed by me. Zhang Hao can make decisions on some matters involving the Zhang family.”

“Oh?” Ouyang Si looked at Zhang Hao in surprise.

Zhang Hao cupped his fist, “So that Prime Minister Ouyang knows, three days ago, I officially took over the family affairs.”

Ouyang Si exclaimed, “Heroes have emerged from youths since ancient times!”

“Thank you for your praise, Senior.” Zhang Hao was neither humble nor arrogant.

Ouyang Si nodded in admiration, “Since that’s the case, then I’ll say it.

Regarding His Majesty’s previous decree, ordering the Mystic Iron Guild to support two thousand tons of Mystic Iron within ten days, how is your discussion going? There are only six days left now!”

At the end, a hint of sternness appeared on Ouyang Si’s face.

Chapter 96: Chaotic Magnetic Mountain

Faced with Ouyang Si’s ‘questioning,’ Zhou Bo smiled calmly, “Mystic Iron, we have been preparing!”

Zhou Bo started by seizing the moral high ground, leaving the other party unable to find fault.

The sternness on Ouyang Si’s face faded slightly.

However, a hint of assertiveness appeared on Zhou Bo’s face, “However, we have a few points of misunderstanding regarding His Majesty’s decree.”

Saying ‘misunderstanding’ was actually disagreement and opposition, but put in a euphemistic way.

Completely expected, Ouyang Si asked directly without hesitation, “Which ones?”

“This decree only asks for two thousand tons of Mystic Iron, but doesn’t specify the purity.”

“Sixty percent is sufficient.”

Zhou Bo and the others breathed a sigh of relief. If it was just Mystic Iron with sixty percent purity, they felt no pressure at all.

Since the Zhang family publicized the new technology, everyone could directly produce sixty percent Mystic Iron, increasing production more than tenfold. With large-scale production, the cost was also reduced to less than two-thirds of the traditional method.

But no pressure didn’t mean giving it away for free.

So Zhou Bo stated again, “We can fully supply sixty percent Mystic Iron. But the previous decree didn’t seem to mention the repayment period for the credit?”

Ouyang Si hesitated a little, “The country is currently quite difficult.”

“That’s why we’re allowing credit!”

“It’s still unknown when the war will end.”

“That’s why we need credit.” Zhou Bo had a bit of Zhang Hao’s rogue charm. I only have this one sentence!

Ouyang Si’s face darkened, “The national treasury is very tight right now, and the future situation is uncertain!”

This was about to lay it all out on the table—the national treasury has no money, give us some suggestions!

Zhou Bo smiled, this was what he was waiting for! We knew the national treasury was empty, and this is our opportunity!

Zhou Bo took out a letter of intent, not an equity agreement, but a ‘petition’ from within the Mystic Iron Guild.

“What is this?” Ouyang Si had a bad feeling.

Zhou Bo said righteously, “Prime Minister Ouyang, our guild generally believes that even if the national treasury is empty, we cannot cut off the country’s supply of Mystic Iron.”

You’re that nice? Ouyang Si looked at Zhou Bo with suspicion.

Zhou Bo leisurely said, “But producing so much Mystic Iron requires a large amount of production materials. Whether it’s ore, spirit stones, or even charcoal, etc.”

Ouyang Si reluctantly nodded. This was a fact, Mystic Iron didn’t just fall from the sky.

Zhou Bo continued, “So we have a proposal: the Mystic Iron Guild wants the ‘Chaotic Magnetic Mountain’ south of Ninghe County, and the area within fifty kilometers of the Chaotic Magnetic Mountain.”

Want a mine?

Ouyang Si was a little surprised.

Last time Ouyang Si negotiated with the Mystic Iron Guild, the Mystic Iron Guild proposed: support two hundred tons of Mystic Iron every day, and the country would compensate with ‘future tax revenue’ or in-kind compensation.

But now the country wanted two thousand tons, and everyone refused. If it continued like this, everyone would break up, and you wouldn’t even get the two hundred tons a day.

So Ouyang Si was a little unsure about this negotiation.

Now hearing that the Mystic Iron Guild wanted a mine, Ouyang Si’s mind became active. But Ouyang Si didn’t know much about this Chaotic Magnetic Mountain.

After confirming that the Mystic Iron Guild only wanted the Chaotic Magnetic Mountain, Ouyang Si temporarily excused himself and went to the city lord’s mansion to ask Liu Jingming.

“They only want the Chaotic Magnetic Mountain?” Liu Jingming was very surprised after hearing this, “There are no other conditions?”

Ouyang Si was also a little puzzled, “Just this. They said that as long as the Chaotic Magnetic Mountain and the surrounding fifty kilometers are assigned to the Mystic Iron Guild, the Mystic Iron Guild will not only give two thousand tons of Mystic Iron for free.

The fees for the previous two hundred tons per day until the end of the Eastern Expedition will also be written off.

The only condition is that they need one hundred years of tax exemption.

What kind of place is this Chaotic Magnetic Mountain?”

Liu Jingming thought for a moment, “Let me take you to see it.”

Liu Jingming took Ouyang Si all the way south, flying for about twenty minutes, and the two saw a range of black mountains. These mountains were not high, but they were all black, and didn’t look like a good place.

When they got closer, they found that the place was full of jagged rocks, with no grass growing. At the foot of the mountain, there were also streams of red earth fire flowing.

Several intermittent, turbid rivers meandered through the gullies, some flowing directly into the earth fire, rising into a turbid cloud of mist.

“A desolate and barren land?” Ouyang Si was extremely surprised.

“It can be said to be a desolate and barren land, but it can also be said to be a treasure mountain.” Liu Jingming waved his hand, “This Chaotic Magnetic Mountain is all Mystic Iron ore.”

“So much!” Ouyang Si was so surprised that he couldn’t speak. As far as the eye could see, they were all pitch-black mountain peaks. If this was all Mystic Iron ore, how much would there be!

“But wait;

Since this place is all Mystic Iron ore, why hasn’t anyone mined it?”

That’s right, this place was deserted.

Although the Qixia Kingdom was rich in Mystic Iron ore, it wasn’t everywhere. There was no reason to let go of such a vast mine.

Liu Jingming said slowly, “There are many reasons. This is a desolate and barren land. If you mine here, then food and so on cannot be grown, and all of it must be purchased from outside.

The Mystic Iron industry has transparent prices, and the net profit is not high. If all the food has to be purchased from outside, it will be a huge expense.

In addition, it is remote, and transportation costs cannot be ignored.

The environment here is harsh, the spiritual energy is particularly thin, cultivation is a problem, and even the craftsmen are unwilling to come.

Especially the surface ore is very poor, and you have to dig very deep to ‘possibly’ find better ore.

I once sent people to mine it, but after digging more than thirty zhang (hundred meters), they only dug up ordinary ore.”

“I see!” Ouyang Si suddenly understood, but then frowned: “Since this place is so bad, why did the Mystic Iron Guild choose it?”

Liu Jingming’s face changed slightly, and he hesitated for a while before saying, “I heard Zhu Yuantang say that the Mystic Iron Guild believes that the country does not have the ability to repay, and is worried that the country will default.

Instead of that, it is better to ask for a mine. But in Ninghe County, this is the only mine left without an owner.”

“Oh…” Ouyang Si responded, but didn’t quite believe it.

He had met Zhang Hao, met Zhou Bo, and met everyone in the Mystic Iron Guild.

On these people’s faces, Ouyang Si saw radiant smiles!

Obviously, things were definitely not as simple as they seemed.

Ouyang Si was very clear about one thing: these families might make some contributions to the country, but they would definitely not pay so much.

Supporting two hundred tons of Mystic Iron every day; if the war lasted for a year, then the Mystic Iron Guild would have to pay seventy-five thousand tons of Mystic Iron!

Ouyang Si dared to swear: the Mystic Iron Guild would never be so generous!

Thinking of this, Ouyang Si said suspiciously: “Does the Mystic Iron Guild have a way to mine this mine?”

Liu Jingming smiled: “If the Mystic Iron Guild really has the ability to develop this mine, what’s the harm in giving it to them!”

Ouyang Si was stunned for a moment, looking at the almost endless Chaotic Magnetic Mountain in front of him, and nodded thoughtfully after a while: “You’re right, what’s the harm in giving them this place.

But a hundred years of tax exemption is too long, ten years is more like it.”

Chapter 97: Speaking with Numbers

As evening approached and the Mystic Iron Guild was about to close, Ouyang Si returned once more.

The hall was brightly lit. After sitting down, Ouyang Si got straight to the point: “You want Chaotic Magnetic Mountain, that’s fine, but Chaotic Magnetic Mountain is the largest Mystic Iron mine in Ninghe County, one of the best in the country. Your demands are excessive.”

Zhang Hao produced a document. “Prime Minister Ouyang, it’s true that Chaotic Magnetic Mountain is one of the largest Mystic Iron mines in the country. But I wonder, have you personally surveyed Chaotic Magnetic Mountain?”

“I just returned.”

“Then may I ask, how many families are mining at Chaotic Magnetic Mountain?”

Ouyang Si was the Prime Minister; how could he fall into Zhang Hao’s verbal trap? Therefore, he stated directly, “Whether or not families are mining has no necessary connection to your desire for Chaotic Magnetic Mountain.”

“No, it’s connected, very connected! Today, I want to have a discussion with Prime Minister Ouyang using actual data.”

Zhang Hao gently pushed the document, and it floated to Ouyang Si. “Prime Minister Ouyang, this is our on-site survey.

If calculated using general smelting methods, smelting one ton of sixty percent purity Mystic Iron at Chaotic Magnetic Mountain, based on current market prices, would result in a loss of one hundred spirit stones.”

“Lose one hundred spirit stones? Impossible!” Ouyang Si refused to believe it.

Zhang Hao smiled. “Smelting one ton of sixty percent purity Mystic Iron using general methods requires:

One hundred kilograms of low-grade, broken spirit stones, worth ten spirit stones.

Approximately fifteen tons of ore, requiring ten strong workers to work for a day, with a minimum wage of two spirit stones.

The crushing, sifting, and smelting process requires fifty artisans to work for a day, with a minimum wage of twenty spirit stones.

Mystic Iron needs to be forged. Fifteen tons of ore can produce six to seven tons of crude iron, with a Mystic Iron content of about ten percent.

If heated with ground fire, three skilled artisans can only refine half a kilogram of sixty percent purity Mystic Iron per hour.

Considering that the artisans will get tired, three artisans can forge two and a half kilograms of Mystic Iron per day.

To forge six or seven tons of crude iron to sixty percent purity Mystic Iron, it would take at least twelve hundred artisans working hard for a day, with a minimum wage of five hundred spirit stones.

Thus, it would require one thousand two hundred and sixty people working with all their might to produce one ton of Mystic Iron in a day. The above costs alone amount to five hundred and thirty-two spirit stones.

In addition, transportation, cooking, cleaning, etc., require more than sixty people. Even if calculated at the lowest wage, it would require twelve spirit stones.

A total of one thousand three hundred and twelve artisans also need to eat and drink. Even if calculated at five Mystic Iron coins per meal per person, it would cost twenty spirit stones for food per day.

These already amount to a cost of five hundred and sixty-four spirit stones.”

“If mining and smelting at Chaotic Magnetic Mountain, the transportation cost of one hundred kilograms of broken spirit stones is one spirit stone. The cost of transporting one ton of Mystic Iron is at least two spirit stones.

The spiritual energy at Chaotic Magnetic Mountain is thin and chaotic, making cultivation difficult. Therefore, to get the artisans to work, a spirit gathering array must be set up.

Moreover, because the spiritual energy at Chaotic Magnetic Mountain is thin, the efficiency of the spirit gathering array is extremely low. Preliminary calculations show that to meet the minimum cultivation requirements of one thousand three hundred and twelve people, it would consume at least one hundred spirit stones per day.”

“That’s six hundred and sixty-seven spirit stones already.”

“Furthermore, the quality of the ore on the surface of Chaotic Magnetic Mountain is not high, and the cost of mining deep ore is extremely high, expected to increase by fifty percent or even more. The mining cost will increase by ten spirit stones.”

“One thousand three hundred and twelve artisans doing physical labor, calculated at one kilogram of food per person per meal, is one point three tons, three point six tons a day; including baskets, crates, and hampers, the transportation volume is at least four tons. The transportation cost of food is at least seven spirit stones.”

“Just the above requires a total of six hundred and eighty-four spirit stones. This is the lowest calculation. In actual production, a ten percent increase is normal. Not to mention management costs, production losses, artisan injuries, etc.

If it rains, the transportation cost will even double.”

Prime Minister Ouyang Si was dumbfounded. This was the first time someone had negotiated with him like this, listing all the data.

As soon as Zhang Hao finished speaking, Ouyang Si immediately said, “Even if the cost increases by ten percent, it’s only seven hundred and fifty-three spirit stones.”

“But we haven’t calculated construction costs, road repair costs. To smelt Mystic Iron, there must be a site, tools, transportation vehicles, and waste disposal. And management costs haven’t been calculated.

Doing business also requires entertaining guests.

And artisan injuries, etc.”

“There’s also tax, one in twenty, which is a considerable expense.”

“Finally, there’s the current price of Mystic Iron. The wholesale price of sixty percent purity Mystic Iron has dropped to nine hundred spirit stones.”

“Based on our actual calculations and surveys, developing Chaotic Magnetic Mountain with general smelting methods will result in a loss of one hundred spirit stones for every ton of sixty percent purity Mystic Iron sold!”

Ouyang Si looked at the thin piece of paper in his hand, suddenly feeling it weighed a ton. Looking at the definite data on it, even with thousands of words and countless flowery phrases in his heart, he couldn’t say a word.

In the face of these dry numbers, the once beautiful chapters and gorgeous rhetoric paled in comparison.

Facts speak louder than words!

And what these numbers showed was an undeniable fact.

Actually, not to mention Ouyang Si, even the Mystic Iron Guild members looked at Zhang Hao with surprise. So, this is how negotiations can be done.

Ouyang Si took a few deep breaths, looking at Zhang Hao with burning eyes. “If that’s the case, why does the Mystic Iron Guild still want Chaotic Magnetic Mountain?”

Young Master Zhang said righteously, “The imperial decree says, ‘Every man is responsible for the fate of his country.’ The Mystic Iron Guild should do everything in its power to support the country!”

I’d be a fool to believe you!

Ouyang Si decided not to talk to this little fox. He turned to Zhou Bo. “Vice Chairman Zhou…”

“What Zhang Hao said is what we want to say!” Zhou Bo said straightforwardly, directly interrupting Ouyang Si’s words.

Ouyang Si looked around and found that everyone had the same expression.

After thinking for a moment, Ouyang Si lowered his stance. “Nephew, tell Uncle Ouyang, why are you doing this?”

Zhang Hao resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Uncle Ouyang, this is what we’re thinking. First, get the mine. Then slowly study it.

There are always more solutions than problems, aren’t there?”

“There are always more solutions than problems?” Ouyang Si nodded silently. “Alright, I generally agree to your proposal, but your proposal is still a bit excessive.

Nephew, how about this: Chaotic Magnetic Mountain and the surrounding twenty li, plus twenty years of tax exemption. How’s that?”

“Good!” Zhang Hao agreed readily, very decisively. “Since ‘Uncle Ouyang’ has spoken, this nephew has no objections.”

Chaotic Magnetic Mountain itself is twenty li in circumference, plus the surrounding twenty li ring-shaped area, which is sixty li in circumference, thirty kilometers in circumference. The area is about seven hundred square kilometers, the area of a large town.

Ouyang Si clicked his tongue. This little slippery fellow. This ‘Uncle Ouyang’ wasn’t called for nothing. But it must be said that Ouyang Si was beginning to admire Zhang Hao.

Since ancient times, heroes… bah, bah, since ancient times, little foxes have come from young people!

As for Zhang Hao, Zhang Hao was a little smug inside: From now on, the Zhang family would at least have someone in the court who could speak up for them.

If situations like Han Yue’s attempt to do wrong were to occur again, Ouyang Si could at least speak for the Zhang family fairly, instead of remaining silent and aloof as in the past.

Chapter 98: A Chance Encounter

Having reached an agreement, both sides finalized the details, reviewed them several times, and then signed and sealed the document together. Ouyang Si immediately dispatched a guard to deliver it back to the Imperial Capital for the Emperor’s seal. Only after the Emperor stamped it would the agreement take effect.

There was also a letter for the princess, explaining Zhang Hao’s “resignation” from the project.

This delay stretched until noon, and the group, exhausted from the night’s work, held a grand luncheon.

During the luncheon, Ouyang Si, unwilling to give up, probed indirectly. However, everyone merely smiled and maintained the same stance they had taken during the negotiations. When it came to their own interests, everyone was consciously tight-lipped.

After the luncheon, Ouyang Si rested briefly before setting off for the Weapon Refining Guild.

The trip had three objectives: the Zhang family, the Mystic Iron Guild, and the Weapon Refining Guild.

The Zhang family was the simplest, only requiring Wu Fanghai’s permission. The Mystic Iron Guild was more difficult; Ouyang Si hadn’t known how to negotiate before arriving, and he lacked confidence.

Fortunately, it was finally resolved.

Looking back, although the Mystic Iron Guild had demanded the Chaotic Magnetic Mountain, at least they hadn’t been difficult, unreasonable, or greedy. Overall, Ouyang Si had a good impression of the Mystic Iron Guild.

At least when the nation needed it, the Mystic Iron Guild had indeed contributed significantly.

As for the Chaotic Magnetic Mountain, it was just a white elephant for the country. If the Mystic Iron Guild could profit from it, that was their skill.

However, just a few years later, Ouyang Si would be filled with regret for today’s decision!

But now, Ouyang Si was most worried about the Weapon Refining Guild.

…

The carriage bearing the City Lord’s Mansion insignia creaked along, seemingly reluctant to reach its destination, perhaps aware of Ouyang Si’s worries, or perhaps giving him time to think.

The national treasury was currently empty; continuing to incur debt might not be appropriate.

Especially since the chairman of the Weapon Refining Guild was Zhou Jue. Zhou Jue was young, yet already at the mid-stage of Nascent Soul cultivation, his talent no less than the princess’.

Most importantly, Zhou Jue had a powerful background: the young master of Apricot Grove Hall and the chief disciple of the Nine Sun Sect!

In terms of background, Zhou Jue was almost equivalent to the crown prince!

Therefore, illegitimate means were out of the question.

And the Weapon Refining Guild wasn’t like the Mystic Iron Guild, which needed mines. The Weapon Refining Guild didn’t want just any mine!

If the Weapon Refining Guild wanted a mine, it would have to be a spirit stone mine. But spirit stone mines had to be controlled by the state.

Unlike Mystic Iron, which required smelting, spirit stones were money as soon as they were mined.

His head aching from thinking, Ouyang Si still couldn’t find a breakthrough.

“It seems I can only try to make contact and see what the Weapon Refining Guild needs.”

Sighing, Ouyang Si picked up the document that Zhang Hao had given him during the previous negotiations. Looking at the detailed data on it, Ouyang Si was filled with emotion.

Having been in politics for so many years, Ouyang Si had never been so speechless as he was this time.

“Speaking with numbers, facts speak louder than words!” Ouyang Si muttered to himself, recalling what Zhang Hao had said to him at the luncheon.

The carriage slowly came to a stop.

“Arrived?” Ouyang Si asked, looking up.

The guard immediately replied, “Reporting, sir, there’s still some distance. But we’ve encountered the Zhang family’s carriage.”

“The Zhang family? Zhang Hao?”

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Hao’s voice was heard, “Zhang Hao greets Uncle Ouyang.”

Ouyang Si lifted the curtain and saw Zhang Hao’s bright smile.

Ouyang Si quickly surveyed the surroundings, his mind racing.

Judging by Zhang Hao’s carriage, he had come from a small path.

Was it just a coincidence that they had met?

Or had he been waiting here all along?

After last night’s confrontation, Ouyang Si had already recognized Zhang Hao as a little fox, and he dared not underestimate him.

Ouyang Si was overthinking things and didn’t speak for a moment.

Zhang Hao could only continue, “I didn’t expect that Zhang Hao would take a shortcut and run into Uncle Ouyang again.”

Ouyang Si’s mind was still pondering Zhang Hao’s purpose, and he subconsciously asked, “Where are you going, nephew?”

“Home.”

“Oh, then I’ll be going first.” Ouyang Si dropped the curtain, ready to “flee.”

Zhang Hao laughed, “Uncle Ouyang, the Weapon Refining Guild is currently renting space in our house.”

Ouyang Si: …

“Let me lead the way for Uncle Ouyang.”

With that, Zhang Hao instructed the carriage driver to “lead the way.”

Ouyang Si opened his mouth, wanting to shout, “You don’t need to lead the way, I know the direction!”

But alas, Ouyang Si’s face turned red, and he had to say, “Then thank you very much, nephew.”

As a result, in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they arrived at the Zhang residence. Zhang Hao personally helped Ouyang Si lift the curtain and warmly invited him to get out of the carriage.

Zhou Jue, along with the members of the Weapon Refining Guild, came to greet him, making for a grand scene.

But in Ouyang Si’s eyes, it felt like a subtle display of power.

So many people coming out to greet him, their eyes fixed on him, felt somewhat threatening.

The introductions alone took half an hour. Ouyang Si, suppressing the urge to hit someone, forced a smile and got to know everyone.

As a result, everyone stood under the scorching sun at two in the afternoon for over half an hour.

Although most cultivators weren’t afraid of the heat, still… Zhou Jue, what the hell do you mean by this!

This was simply a different kind of cold shoulder!

Just as Zhou Jue was introducing Zhang Hao, Ouyang Si quickly said, “There’s no need to introduce Zhang Hao.”

“No, no, no.” Zhou Jue shook his head, “Let me formally introduce him. Zhang Hao, the head of the ‘Technical Standards Department’ of the Weapon Refining Guild, is one of the five department heads within the Weapon Refining Guild.

At the same time, Zhang Hao is also one of the important representatives in this negotiation.”

Damn it…

Ouyang Si’s hair stood on end when he heard this. So this little fox was going to continue negotiating with him!

After introducing Zhang Hao, Zhou Jue finally invited Ouyang Si inside.

By this time, Ouyang Si’s face had turned somewhat dark. It was now clear that he had willingly entered a large net.

But Ouyang Si was fearless, and he walked ahead with his head held high.

Once they were seated in the hall, Ouyang Si spoke directly and forcefully, “Zhou Jue, I have two purposes for coming here today.

First, congratulations on the establishment of the Weapon Refining Guild, becoming the largest weapon refining organization in the country, and receiving His Majesty’s decree, making outstanding contributions to the development of the nation.”

Zhou Jue nodded with a smile, a hint of indifference in his eyes.

Making outstanding contributions to the country? It seemed that the Weapon Refining Guild had only just been established and had only released a ‘standard’, to which the outside world had barely reacted.

As expected of a prime minister, look at his ability to lie through his teeth.

However, ‘the largest weapon refining organization in the country’ sounded pretty good, but he felt that there was a trap in those words…

Ouyang Si paused slightly and continued, “Secondly, the country urgently needs a large number of War magical treasures to replenish its supplies, and the sooner the better. And the Weapon Refining Guild, as the largest weapon refining organization in the country, should be able to save the country from danger.

I… beg you!”

With that, Ouyang Si actually stood up, cupped his hands, and bowed to everyone.

He had really come to beg.

Everyone was dumbfounded.

You’re playing dirty!

We were still preparing for a ‘heart-to-heart talk,’ but you’ve already surrendered.

Everyone was at a loss for a moment.

Not to mention others, even Zhang Hao was stunned. He had prepared a bellyful of words, but he couldn’t say a single one.

Hey, straighten your back, we can’t accept such a great gift!

(Suddenly discovered that everyone is really practical. If you don’t ask for votes, you don’t vote. Come on, shout with me: Vote~~)

Chapter 99: Starry Sky Refined Gold 1

The main hall fell silent in an instant. Everyone stared blankly at Ouyang Si, utterly bewildered.

Talk about unexpected!

Everyone had considered countless possibilities, but no one had anticipated this.

This was a classic case of playing dirty, yet it left everyone speechless.

But then again, to be able to play dirty reasonably in a negotiation was a skill!

A true skill.

The scene seemed to freeze. No one spoke, and Ouyang Si didn’t rise, remaining in a bowing posture with his hands clasped.

It was indeed a humble request, impeccable in its sincerity.

Gradually, people began to turn their heads, looking around and exchanging glances, but no one spoke. Even their breathing became cautious, afraid to make a sound, some even holding their breath altogether.

Zhou Jue turned to look at Zhang Hao, whose eyes were glazed over.

Damn it, now was the time to step up!

As for Ouyang Si, though his head was lowered, he used his Nascent Soul spiritual sense to observe his surroundings clearly.

In truth, Ouyang Si had no other choice. But even with this method, as the Prime Minister, he couldn’t completely debase himself.

The Weapon Refining Guild and the Mystic Iron Guild were vastly different.

The influence of weapon refining families far exceeded that of Mystic Iron smelting families.

The Mystic Iron smelting industry was now open to anyone – ever since the Zhang family revealed the water forging technique, the barrier to entry had completely disappeared.

But the weapon refining families each possessed “core technologies.”

One was a raw material supplier, the other a high-tech product manufacturer. Their influence was naturally not on the same level.

The Weapon Refining Guild’s reach was so extensive that it touched almost half of the Qixia Kingdom. Not to mention, Zhou Jue’s identity naturally brought in the Nine Sun Sect and Apricot Grove Hall.

From Zhang Hao’s perspective, the Weapon Refining Guild was strong. Zhang Hao constantly pushed for cooperation between the Mystic Iron Guild and the Weapon Refining Guild, with one of the most important goals being to “unite a segment of society to become the Zhang family’s support, thereby ensuring the Zhang family’s safety.”

So, from the Zhang family’s perspective, the Weapon Refining Guild was a success. It even managed to drive out the Han family, who had been causing trouble in the imperial court, making the Weapon Refining Guild internally “pure.”

But from Ouyang Si’s perspective, he saw a Weapon Refining Guild covered in thorns – a hedgehog, while Ouyang Si was hardly a tiger!

Coupled with the empty national treasury, the tense war situation, and the Emperor’s lack of promises, Ouyang Si could only resort to this.

After a long while, Zhou Jue finally sighed and said somewhat dryly, “Prime Minister Ouyang, how about we discuss this internally first?”

Having made such a sacrifice, Ouyang Si naturally wouldn’t let go. He shook his head, “The war situation is precarious, delays could lead to unforeseen complications.

Please, the Weapon Refining Guild, act as quickly as possible! The sooner, the better!”

Zhou Jue frowned, still feeling dizzy. He knew he wasn’t in a good state to negotiate. But Ouyang Si clearly wasn’t willing to let go.

“Uncle Ouyang!” Zhang Hao spoke up.

Zhou Jue immediately cast a grateful glance.

Ouyang Si and the others turned to look at Zhang Hao.

Zhang Hao slowly said, “I also agree with Uncle Ouyang’s statement. However, the Guild also has some difficulties, and I hope Uncle Ouyang understands.

Although the current Weapon Refining Guild appears large, it was only recently established, and nothing is prepared. To have production capabilities, we need some time.

Secondly, we don’t have designs for War magical treasures, nor do we know what kind of War magical treasures the country needs, let alone our own production capabilities.

Therefore, we cannot give any definite answer at this time.”

Ouyang Si frowned. He really didn’t want to talk to Zhang Hao, but he had to. And what Zhang Hao said was true.

After thinking for a moment, Ouyang Si said, “We can give you the design for the ‘Spirit Turtle Fortress,’ and even send craftsmen to guide you. But the design for the Spirit Turtle Fortress cannot be leaked, and the products can only be supplied to the country.”

Zhang Hao immediately shook his head, “Then we won’t produce the Spirit Turtle Fortress.”

“You…” Ouyang Si was immediately infuriated by Zhang Hao. He knew he shouldn’t negotiate with this little rascal.

Zhang Hao slowly said, “The Weapon Refining Guild is newly established and has nothing.

If our first product cannot be profitable,

If we cannot bring hope and confidence to everyone immediately,

If we are restricted from the start,

Then, before long, the Weapon Refining Guild may fall apart.

Uncle Ouyang, the country is in trouble, and we are willing to help, but we must act according to our capabilities. If a Weapon Refining Guild with unlimited potential withers before it can grow, it would be the greatest irresponsibility to the country.

Uncle Ouyang, what do you say?”

Ouyang Si quietly looked at Zhang Hao, and finally nodded reluctantly.

It must be admitted that both the Mystic Iron Guild and the Weapon Refining Guild had a bright future. If they developed, they might become two major pillars of the empire.

Perhaps some would say, wouldn’t they become too powerful to control?

But Ouyang Si thought even further – the Nine Sun Sect and Apricot Grove Hall were examples of being too powerful to control, but they were also important pillars of the Qixia Kingdom. Without the Nine Sun Sect and Apricot Grove Hall, it was hard to say what the Qixia Kingdom would be like now.

In a time of national crisis, Ouyang Si first considered the country’s survival, and then central power.

If the country no longer existed, then central power would be a joke.

But that was the principle, yet this was a negotiation.

Ouyang Si carefully weighed his words and slowly said, “What you say makes sense, nephew, but there must be a sense of priority. The war is raging, and there is no time to delay.”

Zhang Hao didn’t speak, turning to look at Zhou Jue: Hey, I’ve saved the day, it’s your turn now.

Zhou Jue smiled lightly, nodded, and said, “Prime Minister Ouyang, now it’s a matter of mutual benefit or mutual harm. The country needs War magical treasures, and we need development.

I have an idea, how about the country directly send craftsmen to guide us in producing War magical treasures?

We will definitely produce the most War magical treasures in the shortest amount of time!”

This was openly asking for technology.

Ouyang Si frowned.

Zhou Jue continued, his tone somewhat heavy, “In addition, to refine magical treasures and the like, we need a special spiritual material.”

“You want Starry Sky Refined Gold?” Ouyang Si’s eyes sharpened.

“Yes!” Zhou Jue said firmly, “Starry Sky Refined Gold is an indispensable material for refining magical treasures. And most of the Starry Sky Refined Gold in the Qixia Kingdom is in the hands of the royal family.”

Zhang Hao’s ears perked up. Starry Sky Refined Gold, a term he didn’t remember, sounded very precious.

Ouyang Si considered for a while before saying, “I have very little authority. Is twenty kilograms enough?”

“One hundred kilograms!” Zhou Jue said decisively, “I guarantee that at least half of this Starry Sky Refined Gold will be used on War magical treasures needed by the country.”

Chapter 100: National Procurement Contract

“What is Starry Sky Refined Gold?” Zhang Hao perked up his ears.

Zhou Jue personally asked for it, and only wanted one hundred kilograms; while Ouyang Si, a prime minister, could only promise twenty kilograms.

How precious must this stuff be? Enough to make two people with such extraordinary status argue over such a small amount?

While Zhang Hao was lost in thought, Ouyang Si and Zhou Jue were already arguing.

One said, “One hundred kilograms is the limit, no less.”

The other said, “Twenty kilograms at most.”

One said, “Weapon refining cannot do without Starry Sky Refined Gold.”

The other said, “You are refining War magical treasures, not magical treasures.”

“But many of the tools used to manufacture War magical treasures are magical treasure-grade!” Zhou Jue burst out, “I know the country is in a difficult situation right now. We didn’t ask for pills, nor spirit stones, and we’re not taking advantage of the situation. We just want a little Starry Sky Refined Gold.

Only one hundred kilograms!

“Only one hundred kilograms!”

Ouyang Si fell silent, and after a long while, slowly said, “The preciousness and importance of Starry Sky Refined Gold need not be said. But Starry Sky Refined Gold is truly rare.

The country’s annual production is just over five hundred kilograms. The amount that can be saved each year is negligible. The national treasury only has about fifty or sixty kilograms right now.

You want one hundred kilograms of Starry Sky Refined Gold; I really cannot promise that.”

“Then we’ll take fifty kilograms!”

“Twenty-five kilograms at most. The country needs to keep some in reserve.”

Zhou Jue thought for a moment and nodded, “Alright, twenty-five kilograms it is. But let’s get one thing straight, Starry Sky Refined Gold is an indispensable spiritual material for refining magical treasures. And we need to refine War magical treasures, which requires all kinds of magical treasure-level tools.

So, with twenty-five kilograms of Starry Sky Refined Gold… we cannot guarantee the progress of weapon refining.”

Ouyang Si frowned, his face showing anger, “Can’t you take out the tools from your respective families to use first?”

Zhou Jue shook his head, “Prime Minister Ouyang, I respect you very much. But there are some things you may not be clear about.

The standards of each of our families are different. Even for something as simple as a ‘foot,’ the longest and shortest can differ by nearly one-tenth!

If we take out the tools from our families, whether the various parts produced can be assembled in the end is a problem.

Therefore, we need to create completely new tools according to a new standard; then each family and craftsman must produce according to the new standard.

As the saying goes, ‘A craftsman must sharpen his tools if he wants to do his work well.’ I am asking for Starry Sky Refined Gold in order to manufacture better tools.”

Ouyang Si gritted his teeth and said, “I will report to His Majesty. I will also try my best to help you get some Starry Sky Refined Gold.”

“Then I thank Prime Minister Ouyang.” Zhou Jue really got up to thank him, his bowed face almost touching the table, returning Ouyang Si’s bow from earlier.

Ouyang Si composed himself, his face serious, “The Zhang family and the Mystic Iron Guild are about to send three thousand five hundred tons of Mystic Iron. I demand that it be forged into War magical treasures as soon as possible.”

Zhou Jue said again, “We need the country to provide design drawings for the War magical treasures, etc.”

“Alright!” Ouyang Si nodded through gritted teeth.

“Then what price is the country prepared to pay for forging these War magical treasures?”

Ouyang Si flared up, “Didn’t we just say that the country is sending craftsmen to guide you in the production of Spirit Turtle Fortresses, and the design drawings for the Spirit Turtle Fortresses have also been given to you. What else do you want?”

“Isn’t it right that the country should send craftsmen to guide us and provide design drawings for us to produce War magical treasures like Spirit Turtle Fortresses?”

Ouyang Si rubbed his brow, knowing that this negotiation would not be easy. The only bargaining chip the country could offer was the pitiful slogan: “The rise and fall of the nation is the responsibility of every citizen!”

Helpless, Ouyang Si had to say, “Alright, what else do you want? Tell me and I’ll listen.”

“No, no, no, our country is in a time of crisis, we can’t just think about what we want. Please tell us, Prime Minister Ouyang, what can the country provide now?”

Ouyang Si looked at Zhou Jue, not speaking for a long time. These young people these days are all little foxes.

Suddenly, Ouyang Si turned to look at Zhang Hao, who had been silent beside him. “Nephew, your performance during the negotiations at the Mystic Iron Guild was amazing. I wonder if you have any opinions?”

“Ah… I’m sorry, Uncle Ouyang, I was distracted just now and didn’t hear what everyone was talking about. This Mu family’s Cloud Mist Tea is truly good tea.”

Ouyang Si: …

Because the preconditions were unfavorable, Ouyang Si was now at a great disadvantage.

But Ouyang Si had no choice but to take a deep breath, suppress the anger in his heart, and very calmly repeat the matter again, finally asking Zhang Hao, “Nephew, Uncle is at his wit’s end now. Do you have any suggestions?”

Zhang Hao thought, alright, pushing a prime minister to this point is about enough.

He exchanged glances with Zhou Jue and the others, and everyone nodded slightly.

Zhang Hao finally spoke, “Since Uncle Ouyang asks, I will make a fool of myself. I have a not-so-mature idea, one that will neither put Uncle in a difficult position nor dissatisfy the guild.

That is, a national procurement plan.”

“Oh… tell me about it?”

“Roughly speaking, it means that in the future, for all national procurement, as long as the Weapon Refining Guild has it, the country must give priority to purchasing from the Weapon Refining Guild. Only when the Weapon Refining Guild cannot provide it can the country purchase from elsewhere.”

As soon as Zhang Hao said this, the eyes of the people from the Weapon Refining Guild suddenly lit up.

But Ouyang Si narrowed his eyes, “Nephew, this idea is good. But there are many problems, right? What about your prices? What about the quality?

Also, will you purchase from other places and then sell to the country?”

Zhang Hao smiled, “This is just a not-so-mature suggestion from me. As for the details, can everyone discuss them?”

Zhou Jue spoke, “This proposal is very good. As for the details, we can negotiate.”

The people from the Weapon Refining Guild all expressed their agreement.

Ouyang Si thought for a while and began to raise questions. “The Weapon Refining Guild is a bit far from the Imperial Capital. This transportation, supply, etc., will be a bit delayed, right?”

Zhang Hao said without even thinking, “We will establish a branch in the Imperial Capital specifically to serve the country.”

“What about the price?”

Zhang Hao continued, “As for the price… we can guarantee that the price we sell to the country will be the lowest.”

“What about compared to our competitors?”

Zhang Hao: “This cannot be guaranteed. Even for similar products, there will be differences due to different production processes, production techniques, product quality, etc. We can guarantee quality, but we cannot guarantee price.”

“But price is very important. If you are more expensive than your competitors, the country has no reason to purchase from you.”

Zhang Hao immediately said, “How about this, if our products are indeed more expensive than our competitors, then the country can purchase elsewhere.”

“That’s more like it.”

“But… once the country does this, the Weapon Refining Guild has the right to remove that product from the preferential list. In the future, if the country wants to purchase that product again, we will only provide it at the market price.”

Zhang Hao’s words were a bit nonsensical.

Ouyang Si frowned slightly, “Nephew, what do you mean by this?”

UNTITLED

Chapter 1: Supplementing Cultivation with Magical Treasures

Chapter 2: The End of the Known World
Chapter 3: Let’s Play Industry
Chapter 4: Artificial Power
Chapter 5: New Standard
Chapter 6: Price War
Chapter 7: Welcome to the Tour
Chapter 8: Just Kidding
Chapter 9: Counterattack from Desperation
Chapter 10: Panache

Chapter 11: Hearing of the Eastern Expedition Again

Chapter 12: Sudden Rumors
Chapter 13: Father and Son’s Night Talk
Chapter 14: Ambush at Reed Flower Town
Chapter 15: I Quite Admire Him

Chapter 16: Emerald Bamboo Peak, Subtlety Temple

Chapter 17: World Map: The Comprehensive Earth Image

Chapter 18: The Mathematical Classic, Key to the World

Chapter 19: Seed
Chapter 20: This is ‘Power’
Chapter 21: Competition Mechanism
Chapter 22: Streamlined Production
Chapter 23: What a Huge Planet
Chapter 24: Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Chapter 25: The Princess Summons
Chapter 26: Initial Discussion on Navigation
Chapter 27: Credit Terms
Chapter 28: Beg Me

Chapter 29: Stepping Towards the Door of Industry

Chapter 30: Eastern Expedition Donation

Chapter 31: Doesn’t Love Needlework, Loves the Long Spear

Chapter 32: Accompany Me to See the Sea
Chapter 33: Plans Can’t Keep Up With Changes
Chapter 34: You Will Lose Me
Chapter 35: The Ship is Too Small
Chapter 36: An Unreasonable Request
Chapter 37: Industry and Capital
Chapter 38: Can’t We Talk Nicely?
Chapter 39: Monetary Crisis
Chapter 40: Merger and Acquisition Turmoil
Chapter 41: Mystic Iron Alliance
Chapter 42: Foundation
Chapter 43: A Stunning Debut
Chapter 44: Undercurrent
Chapter 45: Flat-Earth Geocentrism
Chapter 46: Prime Mover
Chapter 47: How Much For Your Family?
Chapter 48: Forceful and Willful
Chapter 49:
Chapter 50: National Situation
Chapter 51: Trade Route

Chapter 52: The First Technical Exchange Meeting

Chapter 53: Patent

Chapter 54: Whirling Machinery

Chapter 55: Three Hundred Tons of Mystic Iron Per Day

Chapter 56: Minor Heavenly Tribulation

Chapter 57: Nascent Soul

Chapter 58: Oh No, We’ve Severed a Vein of the Earth!

Chapter 59: A Treasure from the Earth
Chapter 60: Purely a Misunderstanding
Chapter 61: Rumors
Chapter 62: Yun Juezi
Chapter 63: A Deceptive Maneuver
Chapter 64: A Battle of Cultivators

Chapter 65: Military Orders are Like Mountains

Chapter 66: The Unpredictability of Warfare
Chapter 67: Blitzkrieg
Chapter 68: I Don’t Know
Chapter 69: An Unexpected Surprise
Chapter 70: Extremely Urgent
Chapter 71: Let Me Tell You a Story
Chapter 72: Apricot Grove Hall

Chapter 73: Prime Minister, You’re in the Wrong Seat

Chapter 74: War Magical Treasures
Chapter 75: Magical Treasures, War Machines
Chapter 76: A Dragon is Watching You
Chapter 77: Human Power Has Limits
Chapter 78: A Startling Success
Chapter 79: Standard
Chapter 80: Using You as an Example
Chapter 81: The Artisans’ Guild
Chapter 82: Enforcer Disciple
Chapter 83: When Young Masters Meet
Chapter 84: The Rampaging Flood Dragon
Chapter 85: Cloud Piercing Crossbow
Chapter 86: Trade Route Crisis
Chapter 87: Foundation Establishment
Chapter 88: War Losses
Chapter 89: Imperial Decree
Chapter 90: Presumptuous
Chapter 91: The Joint-Stock System
Chapter 92: You Didn’t Ask Me
Chapter 93: Inspection
Chapter 94: Astonishment
Chapter 95: It’s Over
Chapter 96: Chaotic Magnetic Mountain
Chapter 97: Speaking with Numbers
Chapter 98: A Chance Encounter
Chapter 99: Starry Sky Refined Gold 1
Chapter 100: National Procurement Contract