The wicked man immediately ordered his men to bring out some gunpowder samples, as well as various raw materials such as saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal. The sorcerers examined them carefully, nodding and discussing them from time to time.

Sun Yue picked up a pinch of gunpowder, brought it to his nose, sniffed it gently, and rubbed it between his fingers before slowly speaking: "Saltpeter is cold but flammable, sulfur is dry but easily combustible, and charcoal is heavy but helps to ignite... The combination of these three is indeed wonderful! However..." He paused, "If we want even greater power, we'll probably need to add some special catalysts."

Mo Yang also came closer to look: "Grand Commandant, this gunpowder is somewhat similar to the 'ignition powder' we use for alchemy. Only the proportions are slightly different. In my opinion, adding some special minerals would make it twice as effective."

At this moment, Li Xuan took out a small bundle from his robes: "I happen to have some 'Fire Mother' here, why don't we give it a try?"

The wicked man was overjoyed upon hearing this and immediately had it recorded. At this time, Xiangli He and Zizhen were also invited to participate in the discussion. The two Mohist masters and the sorcerers talked happily and surprisingly discovered that they shared many common ideas.

Zizhen was an expert on gunpowder formulas, while the sorcerers had a deep understanding of the properties of various minerals. Combining the two, they unexpectedly sparked many new ideas.

"Incredible!" Xianglihe listened to the sorcerers explain the various techniques of fire and elixir, nodding repeatedly. "So gunpowder can be improved in this way!"

Just as they were getting along well, the wicked man spoke up at the opportune moment: "You gentlemen are indeed experts! The manor has prepared a top-quality alchemy room, and all the necessary medicinal materials are readily available. I wonder if you could stay and help me perfect this gunpowder technique?"

The sorcerers exchanged glances. Although they were usually aloof, seeing how much the wicked man valued this and how insightful he was, they too began to consider it.

Sun Yue was the first to speak: "Although I am old, seeing that the Grand Commandant is determined to innovate gunpowder technology, I am willing to contribute my modest efforts. As the saying goes, 'everyone has their own expertise,' if we can combine the strengths of various schools, we will surely achieve great success!"

Seeing that this renowned figure from Qi had spoken, the other sorcerers readily agreed. In an instant, the entire side hall was filled with laughter and cheerful conversation.

The wicked man was secretly delighted. He knew that although these alchemists were superstitious about alchemy, their research on the control of fire and the properties of medicines was genuine. This experience was exactly what was needed to improve gunpowder.

That evening, he hosted a banquet to welcome the sorcerers. During the feast, they drank and chatted merrily. Although the sorcerers usually practiced asceticism, they were also intrigued by this grand gathering to discuss the Dao, and each displayed their talents.

As night deepened, the crowd reluctantly dispersed. The wicked man stood under the eaves, gazing at the starry sky, a grand plan already forming in his mind.

With the addition of these sorcerers, gunpowder technology will surely usher in a new breakthrough! He seemed to already see a true age of firearms about to begin.