Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Yan Liqiang welcomed Zhang Yourong and Shi Bingbing into the octagon pavilion in the courtyard. He made the two of them tea, “Thank you Brother Rong and Lady Shi for coming to visit. Please try this. I can’t really tell if it’s good or bad, but they said that an old imperial physician grew this tea on a tea plantation in his hometown. It wouldn’t lose out to the teas that are offered as tribute and it has a distinctive taste…”
“I went into seclusion to study something two days ago and only heard about your situation when I came out. Thank goodness you’re alright. If something were to happen to you, it’d be horrible!” Zhang Yourong said this while bringing out a jade bottle, handing it to Yan Liqiang. “This is the Soul Mountain Sect’s Golden Ginseng Jade Essence. I still have some here and have no use for it myself. I’ll give it to you. I heard that Brother Liqiang has fallen into Qi deviation and your dantian has been severely damaged. I’ll give this bottle of Golden Ginseng Jade Essence to you since it might help recover some of your cultivation…”
Golden Ginseng Jade Essence?
Yan Liqiang hadn’t heard of this thing before, but judging from the luxurious jade bottle and its name, Yan Liqiang knew that this thing wasn’t something ordinary. This was especially true when Yan Liqiang saw a hint of surprise flash across Shi Bingbing’s face when Zhang Yourong brought the bottle out. She even glanced at Zhang Yourong. It seemed that Shi Bingbing hadn’t expected Zhang Yourong to bring out the Golden Ginseng Jade Essence.
——Ahh, the Golden Ginseng Jade Essence… Hall Master Zhang, this is the sacred medicine that the Sect Lord himself gifted to you. Even our Soul Mountain Sect elders would only be able to get several of drops it in a year. It’s a gift that countless Soul Mountain Sect core disciples might not have the chance to get. To think that you took yours out to gift it to someone else?
Yan Liqiang managed to capture the thoughts running through Shi Bingbing’s mind with the Psychic Serpent in his head.
“Brother Rong, you’re too kind. This Golden Ginseng Jade Essence seems to be very precious. I’m fine here in the Imperial Academy of Medicine with a few imperial physicians taking care of my treatment. There’s no lack of medicinal pills and things like that. My injuries have healed and only my dantian has some issues. This is probably not something that can be solved easily. Brother Rong, please keep it for yourself!” Yan Liqiang quickly pushed the jade bottle back.
“Hoho, I don’t take the cultivation path and the Golden Ginseng Jade Essence isn’t of much use to me. Therefore, it isn’t that valuable. Brother Liqiang, you’re still young and have a bright future before you. Take one drop of this Golden Ginseng Jade Essence each time. Each drop will have the effect of strengthening and nurturing your constitution. It is very effective in healing all sorts of internal and external injuries as well. Brother Liqiang, just take it!”
Zhang Yourong pushed the jade bottle over again and said seriously, “Brother Liqiang has made great accomplishments in the path of mechanics and the investigation of things despite your youthfulness, far surpassing me when I was your age. In the long discussion we had previously, I felt that you really are my soulmate. Treat this bottle of Golden Ginseng Jade Essence as my gift to you on behalf of everyone in this world who takes on the path of mechanics and the investigation of things. Everyone thinks that this path is an unworthy path and can only be used briefly to make small things to make someone smile or scheme others. It’s not seen as something that is presentable. I can’t accept this and I want to let these people see that the path of mechanics and the investigation of things is also a worthy path. However, I’m already very old and probably can’t gain greater achievements on this path. Therefore, I hope that Brother Liqiang can help to show everyone on the Silver Continent that the path of mechanics and the investigation of things isn’t something unworthy and as long as it’s put to good use, it can also change the world. Its effects on a country and to a tribe won’t lose out to some great martial arts or even a million soldiers.”
Yan Liqiang felt touched. Zhang Yourong wasn’t just saying this, but he was also thinking about it in his mind. The number one engineer in the world really held great hopes for him. He had vested his lifelong dreams all onto Yan Liqiang. Yan Liqiang saw a person’s most precious quality as well as true emotions and pursuits in Zhang Yourong.
How could Yan Liqiang possibly continue to use his Psychic Serpent to spy on the consciousness and thoughts of a person who was worthy of great respect? Therefore, after sensing the thoughts in Zhang Yourong’s mind, Yan Liqiang got the Psychic Serpent to stop at the very first instant. He then removed this renowned engineer master from the Psychic Serpent’s “spying” list.
There was no way he could reject the Golden Ginseng Jade Essence now. It was because Yan Liqiang knew that Zhang Yourong was very firm in his decision and wasn’t trying to be polite or put up a front before him.
“Since Brother Rong is saying this, then I’ll accept it!” Yan Liqiang took in a deep inhale and carefully handled the jade bottle. “I’m a little ashamed. Before we parted ways last time, Brother gifted me with a Soul Mountain Sect’s honorary visitant token. It has only been a few days since then and Brother has given me such a precious thing again. I don’t know how to repay Brother Rong’s generosity!”
“Hahaha, we have a long way ahead of us. We take the same path, and as long as Brother Liqiang continues on the path of mechanics and the investigation of things, bringing great fortune to the world, that can be considered repayment!” Zhang Yourong laughed.
“I’m only fortunate enough to have some wits. Brother Rong is the one who is a great master on this path!”
“Brother Liqiang, there’s no need to be humble. Secret martial arts manuals tend to be kept within a clan or a sect and it’s hard to disseminate them. However, in order for the path of mechanics and the investigation of things to gain great acknowledgment, it must bring great benefits to the world. When I saw Brother Liqiang’s lotus root briquette the other time, I knew that it wouldn’t take many years for it to spread through the world and bring great fortune to the people. Even the poor would be able to enjoy the benefits of coal fire. Brother Liqiang has brought great innovations to the world and that is the greater goal for the path of mechanics and the investigation of things. It’s also why I admire Brother Liqiang so much…”
Saying this, Zhang Yourong paused before continuing with a serious tone, “There’s just one thing I don’t understand. With Brother Liqiang’s capabilities, why do you have to get yourself involved in the Imperial Capital’s murky waters? This time around, you almost lost your life because you weren’t careful. Even without this matter, I also heard that you were going to have a blindfolded archery contest with someone in a few days time, which is also a dangerous event. If you’re careless, you might just lose your life. Even if you win, there’d be great trouble waiting for you. Brother Liqiang is a clever person. Why don’t you understand this?”
Yan Liqiang smiled bitterly, shaking his head, “I didn’t think of these things at the beginning and didn’t understand the dangers involved. When I understood it at a later time, it wasn’t as if I could just leave. I have ties and responsibilities here and can only take things as they come. Thankfully, I’ve managed to survive this episode. Brother Rong is right — one mustn’t easily get involved in the Imperial Capital’s murky waters. After I’ve recovered a little, my plan is to leave the Imperial Capital and return to my hometown in Gan Province to recuperate!”
“Brother Liqiang, that’s the way. You’re still young and you should prepare well in order to gain great success in the future. There’s no need for you to fight it out with others at such a young age!” Zhang Yourong nodded. “I heard that Shi Minzhang, or Brother Liqiang’s competitor in the blindfolded contest, is not a simple character. Back when he was young, he was fortunate enough to receive guidance by a great talisman grandmaster of the generation in the Great Han Empire, Gu Wenxin. Gu Wenxin had almost taken him in as his disciple. However, I heard that Shi Minzhang has shown great talent in his archery cultivation and after receiving guidance from Gu Wenxin, his five senses became extremely sharp, surpassing that of a normal person’s. He even specializes in the Sonic Arrow skill. The Sonic Arrow skill allows one to hit a flying bird within a hundred steps even if the person is blindfolded. With this skill to identify his target in the blindfolded competition, he will have plenty of advantages…”
Hearing that, Yan Liqiang was stunned for a moment before he felt his entire back covered in cold sweat. It was only now did he understand why Lin Qingtian’s group would feel so confident, treating the blindfolded contest as his execution. To think that Shi Minzhang was so confident and equipped with a great skill. In the end, this competition seemed to be tailored for Shi Minzhang.
Yan Liqiang calmed down and said, “This is the first time that I’ve heard about this. What is it about Shi Minzhang receiving guidance from Gu Wenxin?”
“Gu Wenxin is a renowned talisman grandmaster of a generation in the Silver Continent. In his late years, as there’s no one whom he can pass down his skills to, he traveled the world in search of a successor. He came across Shi Minzhang by chance and saw that he was intelligent. Therefore, he gave Shi Minzhang a few advices!”
“Oh. Then why didn’t he take Shi Minzhang in as his disciple?”
“It’s naturally because Shi Minzhang didn’t qualify. He didn’t have the talent to become a talisman master. In order to become a talisman master, one must be born with spiritual sense. There are very few people who meet such conditions. Although Shi Minzhang had some intelligence when he was young, he was still far from reaching the level of the Spiritual Eye. Therefore, Gu Wenxin didn’t pick him…”
“I’ve heard of spiritual sense, but what is the Spiritual Eye?”
Zhang Yourong smiled and pointed to his forehead. “I only know about this because I heard about it from the Sect Lord. People who can become talisman masters are born with something different from ordinary people in the depths of their forehead, under their Baihui Acupoint. Talisman masters have another eye there, called the Spiritual Eye, or the Spell Eye. It has many mysterious characteristics and ordinary people would find it hard to measure against!”
“Oh, that’s how it is…” Yan Liqiang smiled and lifted his tea cup, “Thank you Brother Rong for your guidance. Come, Brother Rong, Lady Shi, please drink up…”
…
……
Yan Liqiang and Zhang Yourong chatted over tea while Shi Bingbing only listened quietly as if she was Zhang Yourong’s bodyguard. She didn’t speak much. Unknowingly, the pot of tea was almost gone and a fresh pot of water on the tea stove at the side was also starting to boil…
After the water boiled, Yan Liqiang was in no hurry to pour it out. He continued to chat with Zhang Yourong and it was only until the water was seething and the lid started to tremble under the steam, releasing rumbling sounds that Shi Bingbing finally couldn’t take it anymore. She thought that Yan Liqiang had forgotten about it as he was too engrossed in the chat and thus reached out her hand, wanting to lift up the boiling water.
“Lady Shi, please wait…” Yan Liqiang smiled and stopped Shi Bingbing’s actions. “Did Brother Rong gain anything after looking at this teapot’s lid?”
Zhang Yourong was stunned for a moment. He looked toward that lid with a puzzled look, “What does Brother Liqiang mean?”
“Brother Rong, do you remember the question you asked me over the meal the other time?” Yan Liqiang said this while pointing to the lid that was trembling.
The world’s best engineer finally landed his eyes on the lid. Zhang Yourong was used to seeing this scene since his youth and it didn’t seem interesting to him at all. However, it was only when Yan Liqiang pointed it out that he turned his attention to the shaking lid. At first, his expression was that of doubt before it became more focused. Eventually, he didn’t move at all and just watched with wide-open eyes, looking at the teapot with boiling water and trembling lid. A few minutes later, Zhang Yourong he suddenly shot up to his feet, shouting out agitatedly, “I understand it now, I understand it now! The force of water and fire, the force of water and fire…”
Shi Bingbing looked at Zhang Yourong with a surprised expression before turning to look at Yan Liqiang. She had no idea what Zhang Yourong had understood…
After seeing how agitated Zhang Yourong was, Yan Liqiang knew that he finally couldn’t hold it in and revealed the idea of steam engines to the world’s best engineer. It was really hard to predict how things would eventually turn out.
Yan Liqiang had always been a very rational person, but today, in front of Zhang Yourong, he finally didn’t care about gains and losses, letting himself act wantonly for once. He would just treat this as a favor in exchange for what Zhang Yourong had done. Regardless of what the consequences were, it couldn’t be any worse than what the Heavenly Realm had shown what was going to happen four years later. Compared to the various countries and tribes in the surroundings, the Great Han Empire did not lack artisans…
