Of course, gunpowder was found.
But what Xu Sheng found was not the black gunpowder from Earth.
But it’s this red gunpowder from some ancient alien world!
It turns out that the black powder on Earth does not exist in this world at all!
Only red gunpowder!
Here's the thing.
One day.
A huge explosion suddenly occurred in a valley within the territory of Daxu Kingdom.
The residents of some nearby villages were shocked.
This matter reached Xu Sheng's ears.
He immediately attracted attention.
Because according to local officials' investigation, this was not an explosion caused by a natural disaster, but more like a man-made explosion.
Since it can produce an explosion!
Then there must be something like gunpowder!
Of course Xu Sheng was immediately excited.
He immediately ordered that the source of the explosion be thoroughly investigated at all costs.
What Xu Sheng didn't expect was that the conspiracy was eventually traced back to the Taoist priest.
It turned out that the valley was the place where some Taoists made elixirs.
Xu Sheng was slightly surprised by this.
Because he knew that gunpowder in the history of the earth was actually first discovered after Taoists exploded their furnaces while making elixirs.
It was first used by some people in daily life, then on the battlefield, and later developed into muskets, cannons, etc.
Xu Sheng had actually asked the little nun before, whether the cultivators in this world also practiced alchemy, but the little nun didn't know much about this.
The little Taoist nun has been following Chun Yangzi since she was young, but Chun Yangzi does not follow the path of alchemy.
So the little nun didn’t know much about alchemy.
Most of the practitioners in this world hide their tracks.
The practitioners that Xu Sheng and the little Taoist nun had met before were not those who followed the path of alchemy!
Moreover, the emperors in the history of this world had never come into contact with Taoists who practiced alchemy.
I have never heard of anything like the "Taoist alchemist entered the palace to help the emperor make elixirs for immortality" in Earth history.
Therefore, the art of alchemy has not yet become popular in this world.
In short, due to all these reasons, Xu Sheng had never thought about this aspect before.
But after this big explosion happened.
Xu Sheng mobilized the entire country to track down the case!
Naturally, it didn't take long to find it.
Because the magical powers of the ascetics in this world of Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio are not that strong.
They are unable to create a small world, and cannot completely hide their physical bodies and live in an independent space away from the secular world.
Their bodies still live in the secular world!
These Taoists lived in the valley and were once encountered by some villagers and mountain hunters.
Because they usually have to go into the city to purchase some supplies, such as the various materials they need to make pills!
In short, they were discovered by Xu Sheng.
Of course Xu Sheng immediately took the little nun with him and led the army to go together.
They directly surrounded this group of Taoist priests!
These Taoists were still very frightened when facing the encirclement of the huge armored army and the arrival of the emperor.
Although they are not fake Taoist priests, but real Taoist priests who possess magical powers like the little Taoist nun!
But if they burst out their magic power to fight against the army, even if they just want to break out, it will definitely cause a huge loss of their magic power.
It may even be difficult to break out.
And you have offended the emperor of the time, how good can you be?
Unless you escape to the territory of other warlords.
Of course, since Xu Sheng changed the Xu family's founding country into the Daxu Dynasty.
Some other warlords have also followed suit.
One by one they have established their own country or are preparing to establish their own country.
For example, the Chu family has become the Great Chu Dynasty.
For example, although the Zhao family has not yet established a country, it is said that they are preparing for the founding ceremony.
In short, unless you go to other countries, it will be difficult for you to practice in peace in this country.
After all, those practitioners in the world of Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio have not yet found a way to make their bodies transcend the mundane world!
The physical body still has to live in the secular world.
That day, Xu Sheng, surrounded by a huge army, looked at the Taoists who were surrounded in a cave and observed anxiously.
"Masters, don't worry."
Xu Sheng circulated his inner strength and said in a loud voice: "I came here today not to take your lives, nor to investigate the great destruction you caused that day, but to ask you for a pill formula!"
After hearing what Xu Sheng said, the old Taoist priests who emerged from the cave looked at the beautiful little Taoist nun in Taoist robe who was following Xu Sheng and was respected as the Great Xu National Master.
After these Taoists looked at each other, they did let down their guard.
After all, the reason why they practiced in the mountains of Daxu Country was actually because of the little Taoist nun.
Although the little Taoist nun actually had no contact with orthodox Taoist people.
She just grew up with Chunyangzi.
Chunyang Zi was just a casual Taoist priest.
But no matter what, the little nun is a Taoist priest!
Although she practices both Taoism and Buddhism, she still likes to wear Taoist robes in her daily life.
The most important thing is that she is known as the national teacher of the Daxu Kingdom and is deeply trusted by the current emperor Xu Longsheng. She even has the power to kill the most powerful people first and report later!
Therefore, the Taoists naturally believed that the current emperor "Xu Longsheng" was close to Taoism.
Afterwards, an old Taoist priest with white hair and a youthful face, who looked like an immortal, came out with a whisk in his hand.
There he first chanted the name of Wuliang Tianzun.
Then he gave his Taoist name: Dan Yunzi.
"So your Majesty is also seeking immortality! And you know that our alchemy can help you achieve immortality!"
Then Dan Yunzi said, "Your Majesty, if you need anything, I am willing to offer you all my alchemy skills and pursue immortality together with you!"
Looking at Dan Yunzi's expression, Xu Sheng couldn't help but think of the emperors in Earth's history.
They were ambitious and talented at the beginning, and when they were young, they founded a great empire or a prosperous era!
Afterwards, he suddenly became obsessed with alchemy and neglected state affairs.
Xu Sheng guessed that they might have met an old Taoist priest like Dan Yunzi, just like he was doing now.
After being fooled by him, he was determined to pursue immortality.
These Taoists are masters with magical powers like the little Taoist nun.
Not a fake Taoist priest.
It’s just that the magical powers of these Taoists are not that powerful.
Therefore, these Taoists had to submit to the imperial power.
However, these Taoists presented their alchemy skills to the emperor.
In addition, they did have certain magical powers, which was why the wise emperor believed these Taoists and followed them in making elixirs.
The emperor even used his power to collect various resources for alchemy and help Taoists pursue the path of alchemy.
The emperors were also obsessed with making elixirs in the palace for many years, and in the end it was unknown whether they really became immortals or died from taking the elixirs.
In short, there are many such things in the history of the earth.
In the history of the two eras, the Dayong Dynasty before this world and the Daxia Dynasty before that, Xu Sheng had never heard of any Taoist priests entering the palace to help the emperor make elixirs.
Naturally, I have never heard of any emperor in this world dying from taking elixirs while refining pills.
Xu Sheng guessed that perhaps the Taoists in this world have not yet reached the point of coming into contact with imperial power.
They still fear the imperial power and are afraid of being contaminated by this "ideology" of imperial power, which would affect their peace of mind in their practice and delay their path to becoming immortals.
If there really were Taoist priests with magical powers in the history of the Earth, it should be that at a certain period of time, a Taoist priest was bold enough to do things that the Taoist priests of the past did not dare to do.
Instead of staying away from the ideology of imperial power, he used the Dao of Alchemy to curry favor with the "emperor", the controller of the "ideology", and then used the power of the "ideology" to obtain resources to help his own practice.
That’s how it became.
And now!
Xu Sheng felt that he might become the first emperor in the world to accept Taoism.
History will be made by him.
Of course, it was impossible for Xu Sheng to give up his imperial power and indulge in alchemy.
If Xu Sheng was not a time traveler and did not have the Book of Eternal Ages, but was just an ordinary emperor, then he would have seen these Taoists display their skills, and their elixirs did have some extraordinary effects.
Then he would definitely not be able to resist the temptation of alchemy and immortality.
Of course, Xu Sheng now knows that many emperors in the history of the Earth died from taking elixirs while refining them, so he naturally would not repeat the same mistake at this time.
He is pursuing longevity, even eternal life!
But Xu Sheng was prepared to rely on his own life for ten thousand lifetimes, climbing up step by step in each lifetime until he achieved eternal life.
Although it is not ruled out that Xu Sheng will pursue the path of alchemy in a certain life in the future!
But Xu Sheng is not planning to seek immortality by taking pills for the time being.
After all, the most important thing now is to destroy the Great Chu Dynasty, unify the world, and capture Hu Xinfeng to give birth to a child with top-grade spiritual roots.
Besides, Xu Sheng didn't have any spiritual roots in this life. He thought that without spiritual roots, he could achieve immortality just by taking pills? This was a little unlikely.
The final result is likely to be death from taking the elixir.
"Okay, okay, as long as you give me the recipe I want!"
So Xu Sheng said: "Don't worry, not only will I not hurt you, but I will give you some preferential treatment!"
"Immeasurable Heavenly Lord!"
The old Taoist priest was also very surprised. He looked at the little Taoist nun beside Xu Sheng and said, "It seems that Your Majesty is really close to our Taoist sect!"
He also tried to get close to the little nun and build a relationship with her, asking her which Taoist lineage she came from.
However, apart from knowing that her master was called Chun Yangzi, the little Taoist nun knew nothing about other Taoist traditions.
"What? Haruyoko?"
But the old Taoist priest looked shocked.
Then he chatted nonsense with a few other veteran Taoists.
I don’t know whether what he said is true or not.
Anyway, they said Chun Yangzi was originally a Taoist disciple.
只是其修行理念跟师祖不合。
被师祖逐出师门。
但这春阳子的辈分比丹云子要高得多！
“弟子丹云子！”
之后这老道更是很不要脸地对直接小道姑行礼说道：“拜见云灵师叔！”
其他几个老道也同样如此。
“……”小道姑无言。
当然她成为国师之后，不是没有碰到过散修的道士跟她乱攀关系，所以也是见怪不怪了。
只不过今天这几个老道士每一个年纪都比她大上好多轮。
这就有点离谱了。
但小道姑只是看了许升一眼。
既然老道士们乱攀关系，那就让他们乱攀吧，管它是不是真的呢。
反正许升来此的目的，小道姑也知道。
认了，可能老道士们还更加信任他们。
总之，老道士们跟云灵一通算辈分。
许升也没有阻止他们。
当然道士们也不敢晾着许升。
很快丹云子下令让山洞里的年轻道士们把自己的各种丹方都给拿出来。
“陛下，我们所有的丹方，都在这儿了！”
丹云子说道：“此丹名为驻颜丹，常人服用下去后，可让容颜延缓衰老，维持年轻……”
这些丹药其实是他们近期才专门研制出来准备献媚皇权的。
其实他们已经想过要尝试接近皇权了。
毕竟小道姑已经能贵为国师。
他们就是因为要尝试炼制新型丹药才导致一不小心炸炉的。
原本炼丹炸炉也很正常，以前也不是没有发生过这种事。
但丹云子他们怎么也没想到，这次竟然会引来这么大的阵仗。
连大旭国的当朝天子许龙升都亲自来了！
不过丹云子对这丹药的效果还是很有自信的。
虽然丹药这种东西普通人吃多了对身体不好！
但他们可不管那么多，效果好的同时，只要毒性不那么强就行了。
他们想要得到皇权的支持光大道门！
不想再蝇营狗苟、隐居山中修炼了。
“……”
但许升反问丹云子道：“你看朕像是需要美颜的样子吗？”
“陛下您是不需要，但您的后宫里的娘娘们，应是需要的吧？”
丹云子微微一笑又说道：“还有此丹，名为回春丹，陛下您如今后宫佳丽过千，这些年所育子嗣，好像更是已破两千之数？长年累月之下，陛下夜间恐怕也力有不怠吧？但是陛下您若能服下此丹，那您一夜御三女，不在话下！”
“一夜御三女，你开玩笑吗？你是不是看不起朕？”
许升却摇摇头说道：“看来你没有听说？朕这些年来，每天晚上都是夜御十女以上？！”
虽然许升说的是实话，因为他有小道姑、蛟龙血、大净土经，所以根本就不像普通的男子一般！
可丹云子等人显然并不知《大净土经》这种佛门秘典的存在。
“……”因此丹云子闻言脸色微僵。
众道士也都是脸皮抽搐。
很明显他们都把许升说的话当成了吹牛逼。
不过许升身为当朝天子，丹云子等道人当然也不敢戳破许升的谎言。
“陛下，此丹方您再看看？此丹名为大力神丹，服用此丹药之后，可让人的身体短时间内获得庞大的力量！”
丹云子笑了笑又说道：“只不过对潜能颇有消耗，对身体有一定的损伤。”
这个丹药的副作用比较明显，因此他直接就说出来了。
毕竟这种丹药就不是给贵人用的，而是想着要给一些战场上的炮灰用的。
这些丹药都是丹云子他们想着炼制来献媚皇权的。
“好说好说，只要你们真的有本事，能够给国家做出贡献。”
许升此时也看出来了一些东西，当然他也不戳破道士们的意图，只是道：“你道门在我大旭王朝境内，就能得到各种优待！朕对道门本就是有好感的，毕竟朕能登基本就多亏了国师相助。”
而听到许升这么说，丹云子等道人也大喜。
“当然了。”
不过这时许升又话锋一转说道：“这一次朕来此，想要的丹方，不是你现在拿出来的这些。”
当然说着的同时许升伸手将这些丹方全部拿过来塞进了旁边的手下的口袋里。
“……”丹云子无言。
“我要的是你们炸炉的丹方！”
接着许升也不再试探这些道士们，直接说道：“之前那山谷里的大爆炸，你们怎么弄出来的？我要你们一五一十的全部记录、汇报上来，任何的材料的成分的比例，都要仔细的记录，包括你们炼丹的顺序，任何细节都要记录！且你们要给朕重演一遍，再整一次爆炸出来！”
“啊？”
丹云子等道士全部愕然：“您要的是炸炉的丹方？”
他们没想到为了献媚皇权费劲心思地研制了一些新式的丹药没能悦龙颜。
许升反而要他们的炸炉丹方。
当然之后，丹云子等人解释说之前的炸炉的确是意外。
那是他们的失败的作品。
他们根本就不是故意炸炉的。
当然他们的确是因为许升将小道姑封为国师之后，见大旭国的民风变得有亲近道士的趋势才来到了这里炼丹修行。
“我要的就是你们失败的作品！”
许升却眼神灼灼地说道：“回忆一下，诸位道长，请你们仔细回忆一下，你们当时是怎么整炸炉的？”
“……”
道士们无言。
最后道士们当然还是重演了一遍炸炉事件。
而也在这个过程之中许升惊讶地发现，他们所用的炼丹材料跟地球历史上他隐约了解过的一些火药的材料并不一样。
不过想想毕竟是两个世界，这里又不是地球的历史。
所以许升还是可以接受的。
他就把这个当成了这个世界独有的设定。
当然更让许升惊讶的是这些道士们炼丹的材料很多都是随处可见的。
根本不是很难找。
完全不用遍寻天涯海角。
转眼几天之后！
“轰！”
眼看着再一场大爆炸在山谷里发生。
“好！就是这个！”
对此，许升非常地高兴：“朕要的就是这个！”
“……”
而丹云子等一众老少道士对许升面对他们炸炉，竟欣喜到近乎癫狂的样子，则是颇为无语，面面相觑，满脸疑惑。
因为他们现在也还没想到许升会想要将之应用在战场上。
毕竟这个世界之前还没人这么做过。
“各位道长！”
之后，许升高兴完毕，也是不由走过来，大力地拍着丹云子的肩膀说道：“此次你等有大功！”
“陛下，那？”
丹云子等人自然趁机想要提出要求。
“放心！朕有功必赏！你们这么大功劳，必然是大赏！”
许升说道：“来，天气这么热，愣着干什么？都把冰镇瓜果拿过来给各位道长！”
“……”
“各位道长，吃啊，这是朕赐你们的，冰镇瓜果！很好吃的，皇室特供！”
“……”
丹云子等道士们无言。
这就是你说的大赏？
他们想要的可不是什么冰镇瓜果啊。
当然的，最后许升自然不可能只赏了冰镇瓜果。
在丹云子等道人提出，想要在大旭国内建立道观，传播道统等要求后。
许升想了想答应了。
就像是地球历史上的皇帝们答应道门的那样。
丹云子等人自然也是很高兴。
而许升则不管他们那么多了。
就让他们传道吧，无所谓，反正下一世许升可能也要出家修道。
之后。
许升回程。
再接着，许升在全国各地搜寻各种军事科研的相关人才，组建了一个军事研究组。
让手下的人在丹云子等人炸炉的丹方的基础上，专门研究道士们炼丹弄出来的这种爆炸。
直到又半年后。
才真正稳定地掌控了这种爆炸。
制作出来了稳定的火药！
许升终于第一次见到了这个世界的火药。
但是这个世界的火药，居然是红的，而不是黑的！
毕竟炼制的材料都跟地球上的不一样，炼制出来的火药的颜色不一样，好像也没什么不可理解的。
但这些红火药的功能以及效果跟地球历史上的黑火药是差不多的。
是差不多的物质的存在。
这就足够了！
其他的许升不是那么在意。
当然了，虽然红火药已经到手，而且已经可以大批量生产了。
可是许升仍旧没有直接发动战争，驱使大军杀向大楚国，擒拿胡心凤。
因为炼制红火药的材料很常见。
先不要说大旭国内经济刚刚恢复，现在还不太适合重启战争。
就说若现在就直接发动战争，红火药就这样现世的话，有没有可能红火药会重蹈之前的火油弹的覆辙？
比如大楚国里是有聪明人的！
当年的火油弹就是被楚氏的一些聪明人破译了。
很短的时间之内，就被模仿出来了。
所以许升现在不得不吸取教训！
他要稳！
光红火药还不够！
技术门槛还不够高！
因此许升不急着发动战争。
而是彻底封锁了红火药现世的消息。
继续投入资金、人力，让大旭国内的人才们日以继夜地研究下去。
当然许升给如今已经由研究组变成研究院的管事的人，提出了自己想要他们研究的大方向。
Of course, they were asked to use red gunpowder and "steel technology that is more advanced than anywhere else" to make things like muskets.
"What? Your Majesty? This red powder explodes with such force! You want us to put it into a small iron tube?"
When Xu Sheng first proposed this idea, the old man in the institute protested very strongly: "How can this be done?"
I feel that Xu Sheng, an outsider, is commanding insiders!
Xu Sheng wasn't really angry about the old men's reactions.
Because now Xu Sheng is making demands on them.
It's like the project manager on Earth is making demands on programmers.
The programmers' protests are understandable.
After all, in order to realize the requirements in the end, programmers need to realize it bit by bit!
They may even have to pull out clumps of their hair to do this!
"Your Majesty, this is simply impossible. You are making it so difficult for us!"
One of the old men even said, "Why not just chop off my head?"
"This is what I want, no matter how you do it, no matter what the cost. I want you to make it!"
However, Xu Sheng refused to accept his suggestion and said directly: "You really can't do it? If you can't do it, then fine, I will chop off your head! Let someone else take charge of this research institute!"
“No, no.”
The old man immediately said, "Your Majesty, I was just joking. Your Majesty has given an order, and I dare not disobey!"
He was just bargaining like a programmer with a project manager.
Now that the project manager Xu Sheng refused to back down, he naturally had no choice but to quit while he was ahead and try to make it happen.
After all, Xu Sheng is not an ordinary project manager, but the emperor of the time!
In short, in the end these people had no choice but to obey orders.
The Science and Technology Military Research Institute established by Xu Sheng began research in full swing.
To meet Xu Sheng's requirement of "using gunpowder as the driving force source, getting a gun barrel, and finally launching a conical object called a bullet at an extremely fast speed".
The cost of the Military Research Institute's research is not small.
Many scientific researchers were unfortunately injured in the explosion, and some even died directly.
The financial investment from the national treasury is also huge.
Fortunately, the economy in Daxu is still good now.
Xu Sheng also invested heavily in this.
But it doesn't mean you should just invest money blindly and then ignore it.
What Xu Sheng usually pays most attention to is this military research institute!
Whenever he had nothing to do, he would go to the Military Research Institute.
Go and keep an eye on their research progress!
The old guys at the Military Research Institute are under a lot of pressure!
It is visibly that everyone's hair is becoming thinner year by year.
Of course, since these researchers from the Military Research Institute work so hard, Xu Sheng is not reluctant to give them honors!
Those who made contributions were named national heroes.
Their families also gain certain advantages in studying, joining the military, buying houses, etc.
So these people work very seriously and hard.
After all, who would dare not take this key project seriously when it is personally supervised by the emperor?
In short, just like this, time continues to flow forward.
Another ten years have passed in the blink of an eye!
Xu Sheng has been on the throne for more than ten years!
And after years of research, Xu Sheng's musket was finally created!
However, it has not yet reached the level of gun craftsmanship in the world Xu Sheng was in before he traveled through time.
It is only equivalent to the musket of the Qing Dynasty in the ancient history of the earth.
Fire two shots!
It's about to the point of using gunpowder!
These muskets had already been secretly equipped to some of Xu's secret armies.
Of course, even so!
Xu Sheng clearly felt that this was enough to crush any cold weapon army in this world.
But he still didn't take the initiative.
But continue to be steady.
I want the people at the Military Research Institute to continue their research and take the development of musketry to a higher level!
However!
Unexpectedly!
But Chu no longer gave Xu Sheng any time.
It took them more than ten years to finally build the strongest army in the cold weapon era that Ebony had envisioned in the military book before his death, and which even Ebony himself had not been able to train!
Therefore, the Chu family, no, now the Great Chu Dynasty, has been born again with full confidence!
Want to sweep across the world and unify the world!