Chapter 57: Neither of Them is Easy to Deal With For all those years, I wasn't just letting myself get pushed around...

Is this the thrill of playing on a high-level veteran account? Lin Zhao could not help but ask, "Arresting him will definitely bring you trouble, right?"

"Not at all," Si Li replied with a slight smile. "I misspoke earlier. I will give him a heads-up before making the arrest. That way, it won't be an arrest, but rather an invitation for him to come over."

"That would be fantastic," Lin Zhao chuckled. "However, let's wait a day or two. I want to finish reading through these concepts before deciding on the next step of the plan."

Si Li nodded. "In that case, come rest at my place. Coincidentally, there are some matters I need to discuss with Brother Yaoguang."

With a casual wave of his hand, the small tunnel beside them immediately echoed with the grinding sounds of gears. This time, a spacious carriage adorned with transparent glass and featuring three rooms and a living room appeared in the adjacent branch tunnel. The doors opened naturally, revealing luxurious and elegant furniture and interior decorations within.

Lin Zhao could not help mocking, "So the subway actually has normal carriages after all?"

Sensing what was bothering the little bird, Si Li comforted him, "Once this matter is concluded, I will 'discuss' it with the Qigong so that he ensures all future carriages are properly covered with siding."

Lin Zhao nodded, though he sighed inwardly; even with siding added, ordinary people could never afford to ride it.

They boarded the carriage one by one. The rooms not only provided hot water and fine food, but also possessed a mystical treasure akin to a refrigerator, known as a "Storage Chest," which could keep fine foods, fruits, and precious materials fresh as new for ten and a half days. There were also various books and a reading room, making the interior look much larger than it appeared from the outside, with rows of starlight stones embedded along the doors.

In less than a moment, the carriage started up. Within just a few minutes, it left the tunnel, floated into the air, and soared toward the skies along an invisible aerial route.

Thus, pressing against the window, Lin Zhao looked out over the vast city from the sky.

Compared to the boundless and flat central great plains of the Di State, the terrain of the Qigong State was precipitous and unique. Nestled between mountains and rivers, it sat along the sides of a deep canyon, with buildings arranged in an orderly fashion along the slopes, reaching deep into the heart of the mountains. A rushing river meandered through the bottom of the canyon, its waters shimmering under the sunlight and reflecting the prosperity of both banks.

On the slopes, windmills stood like a forest, turning with the strong breeze blowing through the valley. They connected to complex mechanical systems behind them, intertwining with the surrounding architecture to supply energy for the entire city. Each windmill was meticulously designed, varying in size and shape, with an aesthetic so breathtaking it left one in awe.

Yet, the most eye-catching sights were the massive instruments floating in the sky above the city. These colossal objects hovered high in the air like kites—massive in volume yet remarkably lightweight, resembling duckweed occasionally gathering and scattering as they slowly drifted. The transparent light panels above them blocked the purple sun, filtering its corrosion and projecting beams of prismatic, multicolored light.

"That is an astrolabe, and the castle hanging beneath it is the 'Palace' of the Seven Great Clans of the Qigong State," Ji Yaoguang explained beside Lin Zhao. "The entire Qigong State is founded upon mystical arts and instruments. The more massive, magnificent, and formidable a family's instrument and mystical treasure are, the more it proves the strength of their family and the extraordinary nature of their mystical arts."

Lin Zhao pressed his fingertips against the crystal window, watching how nine massive astrolabes were connected to the ground through specialized ropes. The strong winds wove through them, cleverly harnessed as a power source to drive certain critical operations of the city, making the entire city seem to breathe in rhythm with the wind.

"It's wrong," Lin Zhao murmured softly.

"What is wrong?" a voice asked from nearby.

Lin Zhao looked out at the capital of the Qigong State, which resembled a magnificent mechanical maze, combining the wondrous craftsmanship of nature with boundless wisdom.

"Their philosophy is entirely focused on grand scale and completeness," Lin Zhao took a deep breath. "The ultimate goal of wisdom should not merely be grandiosity and vastness; it should also encompass control and microscopic precision. One cannot simply look up at the savagery of the wilderness while ignoring human needs. Pursuing cost control at the micro-level and the large-scale application of techniques—that should be the future of industry."

"Human needs? If merely staying alive is an extravagant luxury, how can one even begin to consider human needs?" a calm voice nearby remarked. "Mystical arts already rank at the very bottom in terms of combat effectiveness among the Witch States. When they cannot even ensure their own survival, demanding cost-efficiency as well—isn't that a bit too extravagant?"

Lin Zhao turned his head and discovered that the speaker was neither Ji Yaoguang nor Si Li, but rather a tiny wooden puppet. Only two palms in height, it wore exquisite snakeskin battle armor and a crystal crown visor that covered most of its face, revealing only delicately sculpted lips and a jawline. Its limbs were slender, and its short white hair made it even more refined than the BJD dolls he had seen on the internet.

"Perhaps the fundamental orientation is wrong?" Lin Zhao looked at the puppet. "Look, these instruments are prohibitively expensive and require numerous sorcerers to maintain them. Yet I recall the very first lesson of the mystical arts: the 'Witch' is the root of everything. Why not research ways to simplify these instruments so that more people can use them? In doing so, they could unleash an even greater force."

"There are simply not enough materials," the puppet also gazed out the window, casually pointing toward one of the astrolabes. "That is the astrolabe of the Meng family. Its zenith was crafted from the wings of a Kunpeng. In that battle, half of the family's fifty thousand mystical artisans died in combat, and the spoils of war obtained were not enough to forge a second astrolabe. Tell me, how would you persuade them to build two smaller, simpler astrolabes instead of a single one capable of maximizing their power to shield the land and expand the city?"

At this, the puppet paused. "Once upon a time, someone also believed that all mystical techniques should be shared to let magical instruments flourish. As a result, his research was stolen, and his techniques were seized by a stronger clan. Ever since then, no one has entertained such thoughts."

Lin Zhao remained silent for several moments. "You don't have a patent system, do you?"

The puppet looked at him in confusion. "What is a patent system?"

"A patent is when the ruler or government allows innovators of new techniques, mysteries, or instruments to exclusively own their innovations. For a designated period of time, others can only use their invented methods with their explicit permission."

"..." The puppet did not reply.

Lin Zhao stared at the puppet, waiting for a long time. "Are you frozen?"

The puppet still did not answer.

Meanwhile, Ji Yaoguang, who had been conversing with Si Li, noticed this side and smiled. "A-Zhao, this puppet's connection has likely been severed. The larger puppet linked behind it is no longer paying attention here."

Lin Zhao asked in astonishment, "There's a larger puppet monitoring this place?"

Si Li raised an eyebrow slightly. "Neither Yaoguang nor I have had much contact with mystical arts. It was my arrogance that made me forget to clear out the puppets inside. We have arrived; let's step outside first."

Given his and Ji Yaoguang's abilities, they naturally had no fear of these little ants, but the little bird was still young, so Ji Yaoguang needed to be extra attentive.

The three of them left the railcar and entered a suspended castle hanging beneath one of the astrolabes.

By the window, the puppet watched them leave, its eyes beneath the visor slowly blinking.

-

Lin Zhao quickly finished reading through the glowing orbs and fell into contemplation. While these objects were all quite useful, none of them entirely met his requirements.

Either the materials were too difficult to source, or the costs were exorbitant, or they were exclusively meant for sorcerers—why wasn't there anything directly applicable for ordinary commoners?

Thus, improvements were still necessary.

However, hearing that Si Li was currently helping the ruler of the Qigong State handle some trouble, he did not rush to disturb him. Instead, he took Yaoguang to explore this kingdom that struck him as both slightly unappealing and deeply wondrous.

Descending from the astrolabe's castle and walking through the city's streets, one could see workshops of all sizes scattered everywhere, buzzing like busy worker bees. Each workshop possessed a unique shape—some square and regular, others as bizarrely shaped as exotic beasts—yet every single one brimmed with intricate design. From both inside and outside the workshops came the sound of meshing gears, the signature heartbeat of machinery belonging to the Qigong State. Complex mechanical systems operated ceaselessly within, manufacturing all sorts of wondrous items. Pedestrians hurried through the streets, paying no heed to those strange mechanical contraptions, imbuing the city with an atmosphere that was both bustling and mysterious.

"This place really has some substance. Look at that thing resembling a steam pump—is it actually glaring at me?" Lin Zhao felt he might have been a bit arrogant; the ten-thousand-year civilization accumulated by the Witch States was immense. They had merely taken a different path and were by no means weaker than a technological civilization.

"的高等器仪" — High-grade magical instruments all possess mechanical souls," Ji Yaoguang smiled. "If they aren't happy, they simply won't work."

"Ah, then wouldn't the status of workers be even lower?"

As the two spoke, they happened to pass by the academy of the Qigong State and encountered a young student.

"It's you guys!" Sa'a ran over joyfully.

This student was preparing at home for the inspection preceding the academy's grand screening. Seeing them approach, he was ecstatic. "You must have come to look for me! Perfect, I'm about to infuse spirit into A'mo, and you can come watch."

"Alright!" Lin Zhao naturally agreed.

He was quite fond of this diligent and earnest student, in whom he seemed to catch a glimpse of his own former self.

Thus, after inviting them into a cramped room, Sa'a chanted a spell. A feather floated up from the palm of his left hand, drifting slowly toward the puppet's chest, where a tiny yet complex crystal core resided. As the feather gradually drew closer, Sa'a tensed up, holding his breath as he prepared to witness A'mo's rebirth.

However, the exact moment the feather was about to embed into the core, instead of merging as expected, it began to vibrate. Sa'a suddenly sensed something was wrong and immediately halted his spellcasting. Before he could even react, the core surrounding that feather seemed unable to withstand the pressure and instantly shattered with a harsh, piercing explosion. Accompanied by the sound of breaking, the young female puppet's chest cavity split open as well, and various delicate mechanical structures and witchcraft runes instantly turned into countless fragments, scattering across the floor.

Sa'a stood frozen in place, unable to believe the scene before his eyes.

"No, how could this be?" He tried desperately to gather the fragments on the ground, attempting to piece them back together... It couldn't be, things shouldn't have turned out like this...

Ji Yaoguang slowly lowered himself to the ground. He picked up a few wooden components, examined them closely, and remained silent for several moments before speaking softly, "This ironwood has been soaked in Rift-Splitting Water."

"Rift-Splitting Water?" Sa'a murmured in disbelief, tears welling up in his eyes. "Rift-Splitting Water is a potion used to decompose impurities in sacred wood and extract its essence, requiring sorcery power to trigger. A tiny bottle costs over five hundred gold coins. Such a precious potion... how could it be smeared on A'mo? How could it be smeared on A'mo..."

Having previously presided over the students' grand screenings, Ji Yaoguang had witnessed similar incidents before and gently offered, "Could it be that your ranking stood in the way of another student, and they hoped you would fail so they could take your place?"

In truth, even without Ji Yaoguang's reminder, Sa'a already understood. His consistently stellar grades had long since aroused the dissatisfaction of certain peers. Sorcerer apprentices of noble birth frequently troubled him during their studies and work, but he had always endured it. Never in his wildest dreams, however, would he have imagined that these people could be so vicious as to directly tamper with his natal totem...