Chapter 360: A Change of Heart
Hư Sinh Hoa puzzled, saying: "Besides his identity as Nhân Hoàng, Tần huynh also holds the identity of the Giáo Chủ of Thiên Thánh Giáo, which I have naturally heard of. Why does Tần huynh ask this?"
Tần Mục smiled amiably: "If Hư huynh were to join my Thiên Thánh Giáo, then you wouldn't need to repay the money. Although I am Nhân Hoàng, I am also the Giáo Chủ of Thiên Thánh Giáo. Nhân Hoàng Điện and Thượng Thương have a deep blood feud, but Thiên Thánh Giáo and Thượng Thương don't have much enmity, do they? If Hư huynh joins Thiên Thánh Giáo, it would be a matter of killing two birds with one stone."
Ngọc Liễu and Kinh Yến exchanged strange looks. This Nhân Hoàng truly acted in ways that were absurd yet wildly imaginative. Clearly Thượng Thương and Nhân Hoàng Điện were mortal enemies, locked in an endless struggle, yet he still invited his mortal enemy to join his Thiên Thánh Giáo!
"This Nhân Hoàng doesn't actually think that nine bowls of noodles plus one house call would make Hư công tử join his Thiên Thánh Giáo, does he? I don't know whether to call him naive or cunning." Kinh Yến thought to herself.
Hư Sinh Hoa was silent for a moment, then said: "Tần huynh, don't joke. Rest assured, I will repay the money as soon as possible."
Tần Mục hadn't really expected him to agree to join Thiên Thánh Giáo. Although Thiên Thánh Giáo and Thượng Thương were not mortal enemies, the Tiều Phu Thánh Nhân of Thiên Thánh Giáo and the first-generation Nhân Hoàng of Nhân Hoàng Điện both came from the Khai Hoàng era. They shared the same goal, but their methods differed in achieving it.
Nhân Hoàng Điện relied on combat to achieve its goals, while Thiên Thánh Giáo relied on the philosophy of daily necessities for the common people to drive secular progress and reach its objectives.
The ultimate destination of both holy lands was to overthrow the rule of the gods and establish the world they envisioned.
And this point was naturally hostile to the philosophy of Thượng Thương.
Many supernatural practitioners surged out of the Đốc Tạo Xưởng, channeling their nguyên khí to lift enormous components and parts, floating them in mid-air. Tần Mục walked through the air, directing the position of each component and part.
Although it was only the base of the Xạ Nhật Thần Pháo, the formation patterns were extremely complex. Especially the fifty-six alchemical furnaces that Tần Mục had personally designed—each furnace was enormous, difficult to forge in one piece, requiring over a hundred components to be assembled together, and the formation patterns had to connect with absolute precision.
Tần Mục used a mortise-and-tenon structure. When assembling, no rivets were needed—merely locking them together made it incredibly sturdy, able to withstand tremendous impact forces.
Moreover, even if the Xạ Nhật Thần Pháo suffered enemy attack and part of it was damaged, the damaged sections could be removed and quickly replaced with complete components. After replacement, the Xạ Nhật Thần Pháo could still be activated without any reduction in power.
During this assembly of the cannon base, many officials came to the Đốc Tạo Xưởng, gathering here. Diên Phong Đế also arrived, clearly placing great importance on the Xạ Nhật Thần Pháo.
"Tần Đốc Tạo's mortise-and-tenon structure seems like it could be used on battlefield spiritual weapons and tower ships."
Diên Phong Đế praised repeatedly, saying to the Minister of Works: "I believe this can be promoted throughout the entire army. If flying swords were of mortise-and-tenon structure, and tower ships were also mortise-and-tenon structure, then during wartime we could greatly reduce losses."
The Minister of Works nodded: "But forging them is quite difficult."
"With the Đốc Tạo Xưởng redesigned by Tần Đốc Tạo, forging the components for each flying sword is not difficult."
Diên Phong Đế mused: "Have each Đốc Tạo Xưởng produce large quantities of components, so that during war we can replace the parts of damaged spiritual weapons, tower ships, and cloud chariots at any time. This way, even in large-scale battles, battlefield losses won't be too great! Your Ministry of Works should go study this and quickly promote this kind of Đốc Tạo Xưởng."
As he was speaking, Tần Mục had already ordered the assembly to begin. As hundreds of supernatural practitioners locked the central components together, a circular disk about one mẫu in area was assembled.
Then, Bá Sơn Tế Tửu, who had returned from the northern snowfield front lines, came below, raising both hands, using his powerful cultivation to lift this enormous and heavy circular disk.
Another hundred or so supernatural practitioners filed out of the Đốc Tạo Xưởng. Beside them, someone continuously called out numbers. Each time a number was called, a supernatural practitioner stepped forward to attach a component or part onto the disk.
The assembled components grew more numerous, and the circular base grew larger and thicker. By the time nearly ten thousand components had been assembled, even the burly Bá Sơn Tế Tửu's legs were trembling, his waist nearly unable to stay straight under the pressure.
Cố Ly Noãn stepped forward, and the two of them used their powerful cultivation to support the disk, which now covered an area of four hundred mẫu.
By the time the number reached twenty-seven thousand, the circular base covering a thousand mẫu was finally assembled. Beneath the disk were four Giáo Chủ-level powerhouses, using their cultivation to hold this enormous cannon base aloft in the air.
On the disk, Tần Mục and many Ministry of Works officials moved swiftly, inspecting the formation patterns and runes at every joint. After confirming there were no problems, Tần Mục gave the order, and giant beasts pulled large carts over. Many alchemists leaped down from the carts, carrying medicinal stones onto the disk.
"Open the furnaces." Tần Mục commanded.
"Open the furnaces—"
The fifty-six alchemical furnaces were opened, medicinal stones were thrown in, and each alchemist channeled their nguyên khí to ignite the furnaces. Instantly, fierce flames blazed within, the fire changing from red to white, from white to green, and from green to blue.
Incredibly terrifying energy flowed rapidly through the formation patterns and runes on this thousand-mẫu disk, fully activating the runic formations upon it!
The four Giáo Chủ-level powerhouses beneath the disk immediately felt the pressure lighten—this enormous cannon platform actually floated in the air on its own, without needing them to support it!
The assembled officials praised one after another: "Divine craftsmanship, truly divine craftsmanship!"
Diên Phong Đế's expression was somewhat unpleasant. Tần Mục's main task this time was to assemble the cannon base and test the furnaces and formation operations. But just testing the furnaces had consumed enough medicinal stones to support a medium-scale battle!
"Anyway, it's not his money being spent..."
Diên Phong Đế's heart ached terribly.
Tần Mục finished his inspection, leaped down from the base, and called out loudly: "Extinguish the furnaces, lower the base."
The furnaces gradually went out, and the enormous base floating in the air slowly descended, very gently. Even so, it stirred up tremendous air currents. Fierce winds howled, blowing everyone's clothes into noisy flapping, and their faces were wrinkled by the wind.
The air currents settled.
Tần Mục called out loudly: "All alchemists, prepare the medicinal stones. Once the cannon carriage and light-gathering fork are forged, start the furnaces once more."
The many alchemists acknowledged the order.
Diên Phong Đế's face was pale. He sent someone to summon Tần Mục and said genially: "Tần Đốc Tạo, why do you need to start the furnaces again?"
Tần Mục said: "Your Majesty, the Xạ Nhật Thần Pháo has too many components, and it's hard to guarantee there are no errors. After the cannon carriage and light-gathering fork are forged, we must start it again to check whether there are any mistakes."
Diên Phong Đế smiled: "How many more times will you need to start it?"
"If there are no errors, two or three times should be enough."
Tần Mục calculated, then said: "If there are errors, we need to check where the errors are, so I don't know how many times we'll need to start it. Especially the divine eye section, which uses mortise-and-tenon structure and three-dimensional gear suspension—because it's so complex, the chance of errors is greater. Your Majesty, rest assured, with so many mathematical experts present, we will certainly be able to quickly identify where any errors are. I will try to keep it within ten times, and it won't cost too much money. Your Majesty, the next furnace lighting will be half a month from now. Please—"
"That's good, that's good. I won't come again. You handle everything... Minister, help me back to the palace."
Tần Mục watched the emperor being helped away unsteadily by several officials, puzzled: "Could the emperor's injury not be healed yet? That's not right—I and the Little Poison King clearly cured him..."
Hư Sinh Hoa's expression was grave as he looked at this enormous disk.
Tần Mục walked over and smiled: "Hư huynh, what do you think of this cannon platform?"
"Divine craftsmanship, truly miraculous work."
Hư Sinh Hoa glanced at him and said: "If Tần huynh puts his energy into things like this, I think Tần huynh will soon be defeated by me. You are both a divine physician and a master craftsman—you can't possibly devote all your energy to cultivation. Over time, your cultivation will be surpassed by mine, and you'll suffer a complete defeat!"
"Hư huynh has learned to use schemes."
Tần Mục smiled slightly and said: "You don't want me to build this divine cannon, and you're also trying to undermine my confidence. But for me, whether it's the medical arts or craftsmanship, both are forms of cultivation, and I can use them to enhance my own strength. In fact, if I wanted to defeat you, poisoning you, or forging a powerful weapon to blast you to death, would both be very simple—that's also my strength."
Hư Sinh Hoa's heart sank, and he said: "That's not true skill."
Tần Mục laughed heartily and patted his shoulder: "We Bá Thể can learn anything we set our minds to. Don't just focus on cultivation. Do you know whether the next time you challenge me, I'll beat you to death with my bare hands, poison you, or blast you to death with treasures? My consultation fee is one thousand Đại Phong coins. Pay me early—don't owe me favors—and then we can cross swords again. I'll be waiting for you."
Hư Sinh Hoa was stunned. Suddenly a little girl came bouncing over, three white tails swaying behind her. She quickly wrote out an IOU and said in a crisp voice: "Hư công tử, please put your seal on it!"
Hư Sinh Hoa, dazed, put his seal on it. The little girl solemnly tucked the IOU away and followed Tần Mục away.
"I came down from Thượng Thương, failed to kill the Nhân Hoàng, and instead ended up owing him a thousand Đại Phong coins..."
Hư Sinh Hoa shook his head, his heart full of mixed emotions: "How am I supposed to go back like this? Ngọc Liễu, Kinh Yến, how can we earn money?"
Ngọc Liễu and Kinh Yến were also at a loss. The fastest way to earn money was to sell treasures. They had brought quite a few treasures down from Thượng Thương, so selling a few items to repay the debt was feasible.
However, when Hư Sinh Hoa was ill, everything that could be sold had already been sold, leaving only the jade bottle and the pipa.
But the jade bottle and pipa were Kiều Tinh Quân's treasures—they absolutely could not be sold.
"I am skilled in music. Can that be exchanged for money?" Hư Sinh Hoa asked.
"Does công tử want to go out and sing for money?"
Kinh Yến exclaimed: "How can that be proper? And singing for money doesn't earn much either!"
Hư Sinh Hoa pondered, then said: "I do know something about forging spiritual weapons. Perhaps I can forge a few spiritual weapons to exchange for money..."
"Is công tử going to become a blacksmith?"
Hư Sinh Hoa smiled: "I am a Bá Thể. If I don't learn something, fine, but if I do learn, I will definitely do it to the best! Rest assured, even as a blacksmith, I will be the best, and I will never be inferior to that Bá Thể Tần Nhân Hoàng!"
Kinh Yến and Ngọc Liễu showed worried expressions and exchanged glances, thinking: "Hư công tử probably can't return to Thượng Thương anymore. His heart is no longer the heart he had when he was in Thượng Thương..."
A month later, when Tần Mục encountered Hư Sinh Hoa again, it was in a blacksmith's shop. The most outstanding disciple of Thượng Thương was no longer the flawless, dust-free image of before—he was swinging a large hammer, forging mysterious gold.