"So, it was Huai Dao who taught Xiangli a pot for making snacks, and then this commotion happened." Qin Yao asked after Qin Yue finished explaining what happened the day before.
"Yes! Yesterday, my daughter personally took Yanran to the family's smelting workshop to make it. Didn't you just say there were still rice puffs on the ground? Then it must be true." Qin Yue said with certainty.
"You guys are really making a scene, causing such a commotion over a little food," Qin Yao scolded, but his eyes were full of doting affection.
"Hehe!" Qin Yue stuck out her tongue and smiled shyly.
"When you have time, send Huai Dao the prize he won to him. Also, increase the number of people protecting the villa. I promised Duke Yi that I would protect his son's safety," Qin Yao instructed.
"Yes, Dad!" Qin Yue replied with a sweet smile.
"Father! Didn't you say you wanted Brother Huaidao to help check if there were any problems with the reservoir design?" Qin Yue asked from the side.
"The imperial court will arrange for master craftsmen from the Imperial Workshop to assist with the reservoir design, as well as experts from the Mohist school. We'll have to wait until they all arrive and discuss it together. Huai Dao has received the inheritance, but he hasn't had time to settle down and study yet, so he certainly won't have the mind to think about anything else lately."
"And you too! You're also a Confucian scholar, look at others, and then look at yourself? Hmph! You're not allowed to go out for the time being, so reflect on your actions!" He explained to his son Qin Yao, growing angrier with each word, and finally even let out a cold snort and stormed off.
"I..." Watching his father's departing figure, Qin Yue helplessly lowered his hand, feeling extremely depressed.
"Serves you right!" Qin Yue smiled smugly and left happily.
The Qin family villa has been almost completely vacated. The ten great families of the Northwest left yesterday after dinner, and the rest left this morning. Apart from the Mo family, who are still waiting for their family members to come and help, and Qin Mu, who is waiting for Qin Qiong to return, there are only four people left in another small courtyard.
"What just happened? Did someone make a move in the other courtyard?" asked a bald, burly man at the head of the table.
"Young Master, it was the Xiangli family's alchemy furnace that exploded, not anyone who harmed the Qin family boy," another person who had just entered replied with clasped hands.
"Keep a close eye on him. The moment that Qin kid leaves, we'll make our move!" The burly man said coldly, his triangular eyes flashing with a fierce light.
"Understood!"
“Young Master, most people have already left. If we continue to stay here, it will draw too much attention. The Qin family will soon notice something is wrong. It would be best to leave this place today!” another person reminded.
"You said you'd leave the city?" the burly man asked, frowning.
"Out first, then in! I've already found a place to stay, and then..." As he spoke, the man made a throat-slitting gesture.
"Alright! Let's do it this way!" The burly man slammed his hand on the table and stood up.
Qin Mu was unaware that he was being watched by more than one group of people. Meanwhile, Qin Xian was seeing off his guests.
"I'm so sorry to have made you come all this way for nothing. You should already know the details," Qin Xian said apologetically to Li Chengdao. Of course! His apology was only because he had received a lot of gifts.
"Second Master Qin, don't worry about it. Perhaps this is the will of Heaven!" Li Chengdao waved his hand dismissively.
"That's good. Next time you come to Juyong Pass, I'll make sure to treat you well to make up for my unease."
"Thank you very much, Second Master Qin. I will definitely come."
"Okay! Take care!"
"Second Master Qin, please wait!"
After exchanging pleasantries, Li Chengdao turned and left, and Qin Xian finally revealed a relaxed smile, as if he had just seen off a plague god.
Li Chengdao's smile vanished as he turned around, his face filled with gloom, his gaze deep, as if he could see a figure standing in the distant courtyard.
"Why are you giving me two different things?" he asked, looking at the two boxes in front of him with surprise.
"Wrong! It should be three things. Your father rode away with the rhinoceros!" Qin Yue said, holding up three fingers.
"Huh!" Qin Mu stared at Qin Yue in disbelief, smacking his eyes for a moment before saying, "Why are you giving it all to me? Isn't that a bit much? I didn't do much work, did I?"
"You won by using the Treasure Scroll to launch the first attack, how can the others possibly accept this little bit as compensation? Besides, if it weren't for you, we wouldn't have been able to win all three matches," Qin Yue said as she sat down.
"Hehe! Thank you then." Qin Mu accepted it with a smile without being polite.
The Golden Wolf Hair Centennial Orchid Bamboo Brush has a handle the size of an egg, 20 centimeters of brush hairs, and a 50-centimeter handle.
"This thing...this thing..." Qin Mu twirled the pen in his hand, playing with it hesitantly.
Such a large thing is obviously not for writing. The pen handle is smooth and has a metallic feel. It is indeed made of century-old bamboo. The bristles are golden yellow, like golden threads gathered together.
"This brush is made from the hardest part of a century-old bamboo, combined with the hair of the Golden Wolf King. Most importantly, there is a wolf king's inner core inside the brush handle. As long as you nurture it with your own energy and wait until it becomes compatible, you can save 30% of your spiritual energy when using skills," Qin Yue explained.
"Excellent! Excellent!" Qin Mu was overjoyed upon hearing this. What he lacked most right now was righteous energy. Using it twice would almost drain him dry. With this pen, he could stand steadily even after using it three times.
"This leather is quite nice, beautiful, perfect for making a coat!" Satisfied, Qin Mu put away his pen and touched a piece of silver leather in another box, praising it.
"Silver wolf and white fox pelts are most popular with noblewomen. Silver wolf pelts, as long as the animal patterns are not damaged, are dust-free and windproof. There are skilled craftsmen who can make leather armor, and even the worst pieces are at the peak of the mortal rank," Qin Yue explained.
"That's wonderful! Why don't you keep it, Miss Qin? It would be a waste for me to take it." Qin Mu pushed the box over and said.
"No need, I have a fire fox leather armor that suits me better," Qin Yue said, shaking her head.
"Is there any particular reason for choosing these armors and weapons?" Qin Mu asked.
"Of course, choose the shape you are most comfortable with, especially the one above the ordinary grade, which has some spirituality. After a long time of nurturing it with your own energy, it will be more convenient to use and its power will be greater."
"What's this about magical artifacts?" He already knew about weapon nurturing, but he mainly wanted to ask about magical artifacts. Although the back-hand sword and leather armor were quite good, including the secret scrolls, which were quite powerful, magical artifacts easily reminded him of the magical treasures of immortals.
"Weapons and armor are things that everyone can possess; they are considered standard items. However, some special objects possess natural Dao patterns and unique abilities; these treasures are called innate magic treasures. Those made by carving Dao patterns onto special materials are called acquired magic treasures. As for magical artifacts, they are the basic application of magic treasures," Qin Yue explained.
"The main difference between acquired magic treasures and magic tools lies in their materials and the Dao patterns they are engraved with, right?" Qin Mu nodded slightly and asked.
“That’s right, the most important thing is the Dao patterns. Although they are all called Dao patterns, the True Monarch and the Daoist Master are definitely different. The peak of the Confucian Grand Scholar, who begins to comprehend the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, that is the true Dao pattern. What ordinary people carve can only be considered as imitation of the legacy of their ancestors, or depiction of beast patterns, which should be called array patterns. Of course, I don’t know exactly what the difference is, this is what my elders told me.” Qin Yue said with a smile.
Qin Mu understood. The true Dao patterns are those that a master comprehends the great Dao of Heaven and Earth and sees with their own eyes. Later generations learn from their predecessors, and although both are imitations, one is imitating Heaven and Earth, and the other is imitating on paper. The difference is naturally enormous.
Qin Mu nodded and didn't pursue the question further. It was enough to understand the difference; after all, Qin Yue had only heard about it, and there were certainly deeper principles involved. If such a deeply ingrained idea formed now, it would be detrimental to her future cultivation.
A ritual implement is a low-end version of a magic weapon, but it has wondrous uses. Qin Yue is not a Taoist, so she probably doesn't know about it.
"Magic artifacts require very high-quality materials, because ordinary materials cannot withstand repeated impacts from spiritual energy. Those can only be considered talismans, or talismans that have been used multiple times," Qin Yue added.
"So this jade essence is a good material for making magical artifacts?" Qin Mu asked, taking out the jade essence he had won.
“That’s right. Inferior materials need further refining, while jade essence is the finest part of jade ore and can be used directly to carve array patterns. This piece is just right to make a seal, which can be used as a personal seal or a magic weapon,” Qin Yue said, examining the material.
“Indeed, I happen to be missing a seal,” Qin Mu nodded. As a scholar, not having a personal seal would lower one's status. Imagine someone asking him to inscribe something, and he signing it without a seal—it would diminish his prestige. But if he presented a jade seal, especially the finest Hetian white jade, others would surely admire and respect him. That's what a true master does.
"Jade is the gentleman among stones, and it is most compatible with Confucianism. It would be best to find a master craftsman to make this jade essence, so as not to waste the material," Qin Yue reminded.
"Are there any masters at Juyong Pass?" Qin Mu asked.
“Juyong Pass has masters who forge weapons and masters who make armor, but no masters who make seals. You are making a magic seal, which requires not only expertise in array patterns but also someone who knows carving, in order to avoid waste,” Qin Yue said, shaking her head.
"Can I have someone carve the array patterns first, and then have someone carve the jade seal according to the pattern?" Qin Mu asked, examining the jade essence. The jade essence was the size of a fist, and it felt like it weighed five or six pounds. It was indeed an essence, probably a concentrated form.
"That should work, right?" Qin Yue replied somewhat uncertainly, then her eyes lit up and she said, "I just heard my father say that a master from the Mo family is coming here soon. I'll ask him if he can help make a jade seal."
"Really?" Qin Mu asked in surprise.
“That’s right. The chief craftsmen from the Imperial Workshop have come together to discuss the reservoir construction. I just don’t know if he can make the seal,” Qin Yue said.
"Okay, I'll ask later!" Qin Mu's smile froze on his face as he suddenly remembered that Xiangli Yanran seemed to have been slightly tricked by him. But it should be a minor issue. He could simply deny it and blame it on what he read in the book.
After thinking for a moment, Qin Mu relaxed. He turned his head and saw Qin Yue's ambiguous smile, and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
"There was a loud bang in the courtyard earlier," Qin Yue said, staring at Qin Mu.
"Yes!" Qin Mu nodded in response.
"It is said to have originated from the residence of the Mo family."
"Really? I didn't know that. I've been staying in the yard all day," Qin Mu asked with a surprised expression.
"Oh! You haven't gone out at all. I heard there was an explosion in the alchemy furnace. But why didn't you ask if Yanran was hurt? You don't seem to care at all. Yanran would probably be very disappointed if she knew," Qin Yue asked with a smile.
"Hehe! Of course I care. Seeing you so calm and collected, I knew everything was alright!" Qin Mu chuckled dryly. He knew for sure that everything was fine. That thing was just noisy; even if the lid really burst open, the rice inside probably wouldn't hurt anyone.
"Yes, Yanran is indeed fine."
"Oh, that's good. By the way, you said there's a master armor maker here?" Qin Mu changed the subject.
"That's right. It's an elder in my family."
"That's great! I have a few sets of beastman leather armor here. Could you please help me modify them into human styles?" Qin Mu asked.
"No problem, I'll ask Seventh Grandfather later and he'll send someone to pick it up."
"Thank you so much. I'll visit him when he has some free time," Qin Mu said happily.
He planned to take out a few sets and modify them for Qin Qiong and Luo Cheng, as well as for those who would protect him in the future, since his own safety was the most important thing. Whether Qin Qiong and Luo Cheng needed them or not was unimportant; what mattered was the sentiment. Although he preferred bronze armor, leather armor was more suitable for everyday wear.
The leather armor here is all de-haired; its defensive capabilities mainly come from the animal patterns on it. It's light and thin, so it can be worn close to the skin, with just a thin shirt over it.
Dao patterns and animal patterns are two very magical things; they are patterns that, when combined, possess magical abilities.
Qin Yue agreed to ask him and then took him to visit him. After all, people at the master level are people of status who would not easily make a move.
Qin Yue didn't stay long. Her main purpose was to deliver things and arrange for people to guard the villa. She had to explain this in advance, otherwise Qin Mu would easily misunderstand that these were people restricting his personal freedom.
In his spare time, Qin Mu began studying again, learning the secret scrolls and manuals he could access first. The contents of these scrolls and manuals were countless, and much of their content was restricted by one's strength; without that strength, one simply couldn't see it.
The secret scroll mainly focused on military strategy, which he only had a slight understanding of. After all, without commanding troops, reading it was just theoretical knowledge. Without real-world examples to compare it with, many things were ambiguous. He was also thinking about trying it out. Therefore, in the secret scroll, Wei Liaozi suggested that if he wanted to learn it, he should first join the army.
Qin Mu viewed the secret scroll mainly to obtain a copy for the Qin family. Since he had promised, he naturally had to fulfill his promise. After viewing it, he would make a copy, which was not troublesome for him.
Aside from reading, he practiced swordsmanship. He had only just begun to learn the Xi Yi Sword Technique, which made his swordsman's heart restless, and he wanted to master it as soon as possible.
He took another medicinal bath that night, along with absorbing spiritual energy. However, today he didn't continue to open up his meridians; instead, he focused on nourishing them. The principle is "opening up one section requires three days of nourishment." Opening up a section of meridian necessitates at least three days of nourishment; otherwise, all previous efforts could be wasted. Insufficient nourishment can also damage the meridians when using spiritual energy later.
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