Chapter 30: Technology and Cultivation

“Little junior sister, what have you been working on lately? I haven’t seen you leave the house in days,” Tantai Ming asked.

Tantai Ming hadn’t been training for several nights, and his skin was itching terribly. He couldn’t even sleep well.

As soon as he entered the room, he saw Chu Sang scribbling furiously at her desk, surrounded by a large pile of books and scattered drafts. He was taken aback and walked over to take a closer look. “What’s this?”

“A gun,” she replied, without looking up.

“…A gun?” Tantai Ming blinked, confused. What in the world was that? His junior sister often came up with strange terms he didn’t understand.

“It’s a kind of magical tool,” Chu Sang explained after a moment’s thought. “It has strong explosive power, is portable, and can fire rapidly, catching the enemy off guard. It’s very effective.”

Given Yan Wangxing’s vengeful nature, it was highly likely he’d come seeking revenge. In the original story, this person was cruel and merciless. If she fell into his hands, she would be tortured beyond imagination, suffering both physically and mentally. The thought of that future scene made Chu Sang shudder.

Running away wasn’t a viable solution. She needed something more practical for self-defence.

Their cultivation levels were too far apart, and regular talismans or sword techniques wouldn’t be enough. So why not make a cultivation version of a gun?

Chu Sang was always quick to act. She spent several sleepless nights drafting the design. She had also found dozens of books on artifact refining from the sect’s library. While it was called a gun, its structure was quite different from modern firearms. Since this was the cultivation world, it had to follow the rules of cultivation.

While sketching out the design, Chu Sang wondered if it was possible to combine artifact refining with talisman techniques. Talismans could be drawn on paper, so why not carve them onto weapons? For instance, she could inscribe a miniature spirit-gathering array inside the gun to serve as its power source, along with explosion talismans, reinforcement talismans, acceleration talismans…

It seemed that no one in the cultivation world had ever attempted something like this before.

She would be the first to try.

Tantai Ming didn’t understand the bizarre things he was looking at. He rested his chin on his arms like a curious puppy, but soon grew drowsy, yawning as he nodded off.

By late afternoon, Chu Sang’s excited voice woke him. “Finally, it’s done!”

Tantai Ming glanced over. “This… gun looks really strange. I’ve never seen a magical tool shaped like this before!”

Chu Sang carefully put away the design. “Seventh brother, accompany me down the mountain.”

At the foot of Lingqing Sect’s mountain sat a bustling marketplace. Over the decades, other sects had established themselves nearby, and the disciples of the mountain sects often traded with those in the market. The place had grown over the years, and it now resembled a small town.

The town was filled with many shops, including several equipment refinement workshops.

Chu Sang entered one shop and handed over her design. The craftsmen took one look and all shook their heads, saying they couldn’t make it.

They had never seen such an oddly shaped weapon. It bore no resemblance to the usual swords, hammers, or spears. They were merely ordinary craftsmen and had no idea where to start.

After visiting several shops with no success, they finally found a grandly decorated store.

The owner, seeing a customer approach, took a puff from his pipe before inspecting the design. After a moment, he said, “It can be done.”

“How much?”

The owner held up one finger. “One million spirit stones, no more, no less.”

“One million spirit stones? That’s quite reasonable. This really is a fair shop.” Chu Sang readily pulled out one million low-grade spirit stones and handed them over.

The owner frowned, looking at her with a strange expression.

Chu Sang quickly realized her mistake. It must not have been one million low-grade spirit stones. After all, even the most basic magical tools could sell for tens of thousands of low-grade stones.

She hurriedly took out one million mid-grade spirit stones. “Is this enough?”

The owner’s expression turned cold. “One million high-grade spirit stones. No bargaining, no credit.”

“One million… High-grade spirit stones?!” Chu Sang’s eyes widened. Did she hear that right? One million high-grade spirit stones equaled one hundred thousand mid-grade spirit stones, or ten million low-grade spirit stones!

All her assets combined only amounted to two million low-grade spirit stones, and she still needed to save some to buy a spirit vein!

Why didn’t this owner just go rob someone instead?

“Our shop, the Treasure Forging Pavilion, has a five-hundred-year history and branches in all five continents. We invite top-tier artifact refiners and only produce spiritual tools. We are the top choice for high-level cultivators looking to craft their ideal natal tools^[1]this refers to a weapon or tool that is deeply connected to a cultivator, often growing in power with them and being uniquely suited to their abilities.. Our quality and prices are unmatched by those third-rate shops.

“Moreover, the design you’ve provided is highly unconventional, with a high failure rate. It will consume an enormous amount of rare materials and require a custom order. The price of one million high-grade spirit stones is already a bargain.”

The owner cast a disdainful glance at the two of them. “Judging by your appearance, you look like wealthy disciples, but who knew you’d be so poor that you can’t even afford this? How dare you step into our shop to order a natal tool?”

“Get out of here. Don’t waste our time.” A shop assistant came over to shoo them away.

Tantai Ming, angered by the shop’s arrogance, wanted to argue, but Chu Sang grabbed his hand, shook her head, and left.

“Don’t be discouraged, junior sister. If worst comes to worst, we can ask Fifth Brother for help! Our sect has its own artifact refiners after all.” He comforted her on the way back.

“Fifth Senior Brother?”

Chu Sang had been in the Lingqing Sect for a few months but had never met this Fifth Brother. Was he an artifact refiner?

Though Lingqing Sect was a relatively unknown small sect with only a handful of disciples, it surprisingly had alchemists, beast tamers, and artifact refiners.

Artifact refiners, in particular, had the highest entry threshold and were among the rarest professionals on the continent. Even moderately famous artifact refiners were sought after by the masses, their services worth a fortune… This was beyond her expectations.

“Exactly! Our Fifth Brother has entered the path of artifact refinement and is said to be an extremely skilled artifact refiner! Cultivators from all over the continent pay him large sums to craft their natal spiritual tools. He’s so busy that he’s rarely seen.” Tantai Ming hesitated slightly, “Although he doesn’t often return to the sect, we share the bond of being from the same sect. This small favor should be something he’s willing to help with.”

Just as Chu Sang was about to feel relieved, a thought crossed her mind, making her cautious. “Wait, what’s Fifth Senior Brother’s name?”

“Su Chen’an.”

Chu Sang fell silent.

Oh no, she thought, another major antagonist.

She had really landed herself right in a nest of villains!

—

Long City, one of the largest pleasure cities in the Central Region, was famous for its special industries. The place was bustling with life, from gambling houses to entertainment venues, all thriving in a state of wild prosperity.

The most famous among them was the Fengyun Casino, the largest in the city.

Here, extravagance and excess were the norm. A single night’s gamble could ruin a family, though for the upper-class cultivators, it was nothing more than a way to pass the time.

On the fifth floor, in a luxurious private room, the smoke from the incense burner wafted gently, separating the calm inside from the noise and chaos outside.

A handsome young man, dressed in blue, lay on a soft couch, resting after what appeared to be a night of indulgence. His eyes were closed, but the slight tension in his features hinted at exhaustion.

Suddenly, he heard a sound. Opening his eyes, he glanced toward the window and saw a small paper crane flying in.

“…A message from the sect?”

How unusual.

Su Chen’an lazily caught the paper crane and unfolded it. The message informed him that a junior sister from the sect had come and needed his help.

A junior sister…

He had already received word a few months ago about this new arrival but hadn’t bothered to return to the sect. He wasn’t curious about her in the slightest.

What did a junior sister represent?

Trouble, that’s what.

He recalled his previous three junior sisters, each one more troublesome than the last.

Then, he noticed something attached to the message. Unfolding the additional sheet, his expression subtly shifted.

—

A/N: Sect Hierarchy (Temporary) – Eldest Senior Brother, Eldest Senior Sister, Second Senior Brother, Second Senior Sister, Third Senior Brother, Fourth Senior Brother, Fifth Senior Brother, Third Senior Sister, Fourth Senior Sister, Fifth Senior Sister, Sixth Senior Brother, Seventh Senior Brother, Female Protagonist

Don’t worry if you can’t remember them all, I can’t either. The story will naturally explain as it progresses, no need to memorise them specifically~