Chapter 217: Do Not Look at What Is Improper
The Duke of Wei shot a glare at the fat boy. This kid was stirring up trouble without caring how big it got, pushing his own family's elder into the fire, and after pushing him in, he planned to jump in himself—hopeless.
"Jade Heavenly King, Teacher Heavenly King, I'll trouble you two to explain some matters of our Sacred Sect to Duke Wei."
Qin Mu looked around and said, "Everyone, dismantle this place. Leave no traces."
Wei Yong and the Duke of Wei quickly rose to their feet, watching as figures flickered about. In just a few moments, the entire stronghold was torn down cleanly. All the wooden planks and beams were stacked neatly, perfectly aligned, and even the iron pots and oil stands were gathered up.
Several hall masters unfurled large banners, lightly covering the piles of wood and pillars. When the banners were lifted, the timber and columns had vanished without a trace.
Other hall masters covered the corpses of the monks from Nanda Monastery with banners. When the banners were raised, the bodies were gone as well.
A few more hall masters began shoveling the ground, lifting up the topsoil of the dozen-acre area and tossing it into the Tu River, where the rushing water carried it away.
All of this was done in a mere moment, leaving no sign that a bustling night market had ever existed here.
Qin Mu said, "Dismissed."
Hundreds of hall masters and protectors bowed to him. Some rolled up their banners and vanished, others pulled their robes close and left, some melted into the night, some tapped flower drums as they departed, and some pushed small handcarts away. Soon, the lively scene was gone, plunging the area into darkness, leaving only Qin Mu, Wei Yong, the Duke of Wei, and the two Heavenly Kings.
In the distance, lights still shone—the night market outside the city gates.
Qin Mu also rose and left, leaving the four behind.
The Duke of Wei had just joined the sect, and Jade Heavenly King and Teacher Heavenly King still needed to explain some of the Demon Sect's rules to him to avoid any mishaps.
Qin Mu walked slowly, stopping now and then to admire the capital's night market and the lanterns. Before he knew it, he had returned to the city. Talented scholars and beautiful women lingered under the bright lights, unwilling to leave. Literary men flaunted their wit, martial artists showed off their techniques, and from time to time, the soft laughter of women drifted through the air.
"The capital truly has a grand atmosphere, a land of outstanding people."
Qin Mu sighed with emotion. Suddenly, goose-feather snowflakes began to fall from the sky, swirling down. The crystalline snow landed on the shoulders of passersby who were reluctant to leave. Many looked up at the sky, and some praised, "What fine snow!"
The snow, illuminated by the city's lights, grew even more brilliant. Many girls stood under the eaves of shops along the street, holding out their palms as the cool snowflakes landed in their hands. The number of pedestrians didn't decrease because of the snow; instead, it grew.
"It's snowing. The New Year is close. The Imperial Academy will probably let the students go home soon. I wonder if Granny and the others have returned to the village?"
On both sides of the street, stalls billowed with white steam, carrying fragrant aromas. Qin Mu sat down at a noodle stall and said, "Boss, two bowls of minced meat noodles, extra chili oil."
"Coming right up!"
After a moment, two large bowls of minced meat noodles were brought over, topped with a layer of bright red chili oil. In the oil floated a few pieces of pork—seven parts lean, three parts fat—along with some green garlic segments, fragrant and appetizing.
Qin Mu took a bite, savoring the spicy kick. He had only eaten one meal that day and was feeling hungry, so he lowered his head and ate until steam rose from his body.
Just then, someone laughed and said, "Brother Qin, I finally ran into you! You promised to build me an iron-hulled ship, and this time you can't escape! Boss, four bowls of minced meat noodles, extra spicy—he's paying!" With that, he sat down across from Qin Mu.
Qin Mu looked at the man and smiled. "Brother Fan Yunxiao, what brings you to the capital?"
The man was none other than the fire bandit Fan Yunxiao, with a scar running across his left eye. Qin Mu suspected it was a fake scar.
"Don't even mention it. Bad luck."
Fan Yunxiao sighed. "It's a tale of bitter tears. My ship fell apart—disintegrated midair—and nearly killed all the passengers. I had to exhaust myself catching them before they hit the ground, but I couldn't get them to the capital. I lost a lot of money. I came looking for you during the day, but you weren't at the Imperial Academy. I was just wandering around the capital when I happened to run into you. You have to help me build an iron-hulled ship! Now that the world is at peace, I need to get back to business!"
Qin Mu's expression turned strange. "Peace," for this bandit, clearly meant returning to his old trade—not reforming, but going back to being a robber.
"Have you prepared enough dark iron and dark copper, and the money?"
Qin Mu asked. "And do you have the ship blueprints? Without structural drawings, forging an iron-hulled ship won't be easy."
"All set. I bribed the chief clerk at the shipyard and got a set of tower ship blueprints."
The noodles arrived, and Fan Yunxiao took a big bite, praising, "Spicy and fragrant! I've also bought the dark iron and dark copper, stored at the merchant ship construction yard at the Tu River Gorge. I'm practically bankrupt now, hoping to make some money back with the iron-hulled ship."
Qin Mu smiled. "Alright, I'll help you finish the ship before the Imperial Academy lets out. Come find me tomorrow." He took out a Da Feng coin and handed it to the noodle stall owner.
The owner wiped his hands with a towel and said apologetically, "Sir, I can't make change for this. Do you have small coins? Six bowls of noodles are only thirty coppers."
"Keep the change." Qin Mu left.
Fan Yunxiao watched his back and praised, "Truly wealthy."
Qin Mu was still unclear about the value of Da Feng coins, not knowing how much they were really worth. When he ate out or bought vegetables, fruits, rice, and flour, even at the most expensive restaurants, a full table of delicacies with the finest ingredients cost no more than a dozen Da Feng coins. At ordinary street stalls, a single Da Feng coin would make the owner grateful.
The next day, Fan Yunxiao came to the Imperial Academy to find Qin Mu. Qin Mu brought Fox Ling'er, Dragon Qilin, and Capital Heaven Demon King to the Gorge Merchant Ship Construction Yard. The yard was bustling with martial artists and cultivators, using true fire to smelt dark iron, true water to cool it, forging furnaces for the tower ships. Some were skilled in mathematics, measuring component sizes; others used their energy to build molds; strongmen forged; giant laborers pressed and cast; carpenters used sword energy to carve wooden parts—a lively scene.
Fan Yunxiao led Qin Mu to a workshop. Qin Mu looked around. The workshop was filled with various tools: a large furnace for smelting, dark iron and diamond for forging, scaffolding, ramps, sliding wooden tracks, and piles of dark iron and dark copper neatly stacked in the corners.
The workshop was spacious and tall, enough to accommodate six or seven large tower ships.
A chief clerk was already waiting there. Seeing Fan Yunxiao, he complained, "Why so late? This empty room is only yours for ten days. After that, the yard closes."
Fan Yunxiao smiled apologetically and slipped a money pouch into his hand. "Ten days is enough!"
The clerk weighed the pouch and said, "For these ten days, I'll turn a blind eye. Work quickly, or if the supervisor comes, it'll be hard for me to cover for you."
He left the workshop. Fan Yunxiao looked eagerly at Qin Mu. "Brother Qin, can we do it in ten days?"
Qin Mu flipped through the blueprints, making over a dozen changes, and said, "It's a bit tough for me alone. I need some helpers. Over the next few days, my helpers and I will forge the iron-hulled ship here. You must not enter the workshop. If you do, you'll bear the consequences."
Fan Yunxiao didn't understand but nodded repeatedly. "Don't worry, I'm not that curious."
Qin Mu nodded, shooed him out of the workshop, and said to Fox Ling'er, "Go call a few people and have them use the teleportation banners to get here."
Fox Ling'er acknowledged and hurried off.
Before long, she returned and said, "Young master, the Hall Master of the Artisan Hall and the Hall Master of the Craftsman Hall said they'll come as soon as possible."
As she spoke, two large banners appeared out of nowhere. The banners folded, and beneath each, a hundred Demon Sect members emerged. The Artisan Hall Master and Craftsman Hall Master led their teams.
Qin Mu handed the blueprints to the two hall masters. "Can we finish it in ten days?"
The two hall masters examined the blueprints several times. The Craftsman Hall Master said, "The sect leader wants to build an iron-hulled ship? The furnace's firepower must be strong enough!"
Qin Mu smiled. "I have considerable skill in forging. I can build a furnace with even greater firepower. But the yard only gave us ten days, so we have to finish in that time. Can you manage?"
The Artisan Hall Master and Craftsman Hall Master exchanged glances. "How many ships does the sect leader want? If our two halls work together, we can build five tower ships in ten days, but no more."
Qin Mu was taken aback. After a moment's thought, he said, "There isn't enough dark iron and dark copper here for five ships…"
"Our halls have plenty of materials."
Qin Mu's eyes lit up. "Then let's build five!"
The two hall masters immediately set to work.
Five days passed. Fan Yunxiao came by several times but never dared to enter the workshop. From inside, he heard clanging sounds, as if hundreds of people were forging at once. He wanted to peek but remembered Qin Mu's warning and held back.
Outside, snow had been falling for two or three days, piling up deep. In the capital, the Sky Surveillance Bureau led a group of cultivators into the sky, burning away the snow clouds with fire to disperse the snow, but outside the city, the snowfall remained heavy.
Fan Yunxiao's curiosity grew unbearable. He scratched his head and fidgeted. After two more days, he finally couldn't resist. "Just a quick peek shouldn't hurt, right?"
He quietly pushed open the workshop door and leaned in to look. Suddenly, an eight-armed, four-faced demon god appeared before him, grabbing him by the neck and shouting, "How dare you spy, boy!"
Fan Yunxiao quickly cried out, "Brother Qin, it's me, it's me!"
Inside the workshop, over two hundred Demon Sect members turned to look at the sound. Their gazes all fell on him, then shifted to Qin Mu. "Sect leader, this man…"
Fan Yunxiao was startled by the sight of these people. When he saw their clothing, his face changed drastically. "Demon Sect… I saw nothing! I'm blind! Where is this? Why am I here…"
Qin Mu was forging a furnace. Hearing the commotion, he instructed the two hall masters, "Continue the work. I'll handle this."
Fan Yunxiao was held in the demon god's grip, with a Dragon Qilin nearby. He didn't dare resist and forced a smile. "Brother Qin, I accidentally wandered in here. I didn't see anything…"
"Brother Fan, I told you not to come in. Now you've put me in a difficult position."
Qin Mu raised two fingers and said with a grin, "Two paths. You're an old hand in the underworld—you know what they are."
"I'm joining up!"
Fan Yunxiao decided on the spot. "From now on, I'm a member of the Sacred Sect!"
Qin Mu laughed heartily and had Capital Heaven Demon King release him. "From now on, we're brothers!"
In the Crown Prince's estate, a middle-aged man dressed like a scholar hurried in and said to the Crown Prince of Yankang, "Your Highness, the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor is indeed dead. Not a single monk remains at Nanda Palace—they've all been killed. Yesterday, news came from Fengyu Prefecture that Nanda Monastery was also wiped out. The Emperor is furious and has ordered an investigation, but no clues have been found. They're blaming the Loulan Golden Palace beyond the frontier. The Emperor is also planning to launch a campaign against the frontier after the New Year…"
The Crown Prince of Yankang's eyes flickered with uncertainty. He stood up and said, "No clues? Or is it that Father doesn't want to investigate? It's clearly the Demon Sect's doing! Only the Demon Sect, the leader of the demonic path, could pull off something so clean and silent! They lost two Heavenly Kings, so naturally, they'd retaliate against me! Go to the Great Thunderclap Monastery and request an audience with the Old Tathagata. I want to know who the new sect leader of the Demon Sect is!"
He clasped his hands behind his back and said coldly, "Nanda Monastery was also part of the Buddhist faith. The Old Tathagata won't stand idly by. The Grand Tutor is dead, but the connection to the Great Thunderclap Monastery must not be severed. The Old Tathagata is dissatisfied with Father and the National Teacher, so he'll likely be happy to support me. I need to make an example of someone, to let the martial world's factions see clearly that I'm no incompetent. If they dare to touch my people, they'd better be ready for their entire sect to be wiped out!"