In the distance, a small rockery was blown apart, completely unrecognizable.

Apart from the emperor, the crown prince, Daoist Li, and Daoist Fang, all the eunuchs and maids present fell to their knees in terror.

Inside the hall, the officials struggled to hide their shock as they whispered among themselves:

“This man… this man… gasp, he can actually summon lightning in broad daylight!”

“And its power is no joke! Even the National Preceptor hasn’t summoned lightning like this during the day…”

“Pfft, that’s because our little National Preceptor is still young! Once she learns it, her lightning will definitely be even more powerful!”

…

At that moment, the emperor, crown prince, and the two seemingly otherworldly Daoists walked into the hall.

Daoist Fang, upon seeing Yuan Ruan, bowed respectfully and said, “This figure radiates divine light—she must be the highly skilled National Preceptor of Da Xia. I have long admired your reputation. It is an honor to meet you.”

Daoist Li also bowed and added, “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

Hearing their friendly greetings, Yuan Ruan, who had just calmed herself, returned their gesture with a small bow.

It was then that Daoist Li proposed his terms. He stated that the emperor had already witnessed the power of the lightning technique and that he was willing to offer the Divine Fire Heavenly General Method in exchange for the release of the Daoist disciples detained by the Imperial Guards. Once they were freed, he would take his fellow Daoists and leave Da Xia immediately.

The emperor was about to nod in agreement when he heard Yuan Ruan’s inner thoughts:

Yuan Ruan: [System, what was that just now? Was it gunpowder?]

System: [From the sound of it, it probably was! Impressive—if they refine it further, stable and usable gunpowder might not be far off.]

Officials: !!!

Gunpowder?

Wasn’t that the useful weapon the National Preceptor had mentioned before?

The emperor and the crown prince’s gazes toward Daoist Li became increasingly profound.

Yuan Ruan: [What an incredible expert! System, check if there’s a national fortune mission related to him.]

System: [Strange, no national fortune mission has been triggered. But this is gunpowder! If developed properly, it could give Da Xia an unstoppable weapon, significantly boosting its national power.]

Officials: !!!

What?!

It could definitely enhance national Power? That powerful?

The Minister of War, after hearing the phrase “unstoppable weapon,” felt his blood surge. His dismissive attitude toward the two Daoists turned into fervent enthusiasm. He stared intently at Daoist Li, so much so that the latter paused mid-stroke while stroking his beard.

Yuan Ruan: [Gunpowder isn’t just for weapons! It can also be used in mining, construction projects, treating wounds, and more. In fact, it’s because of innovations like this that future generations had so many amazing advancements, like airplanes flying in the sky, rockets reaching space, and fishing boats sailing across oceans…]

As Yuan Ruan rambled, she began reminiscing about the massive contracts she had signed in her previous life. She started digressing, talking not only about the benefits of gunpowder but also about other unrelated innovations.

But the people of Da Xia didn’t know that!

They were already boiling with excitement over the new concepts and ideas she casually mentioned.

The officials couldn’t stop themselves from imagining possibilities.

The Minister of Revenue pulled out his golden abacus, his eyes sparkling as he furiously calculated.

The Minister of Rites moved closer to the window and gazed at a bird gliding through the sky. Stretching his arms slightly, he seemed to be fantasizing about how it would feel to fly himself.

The Minister of War, initially motionless, gradually looked more and more invigorated. Suddenly, he let out a roar, tore off his outer robe, and ran out like a gust of wind, disappearing from sight.

The maids, eunuchs, and Daoists who couldn’t hear Yuan Ruan’s thoughts: ???

Yuan Ruan: [What just happened?]

System: [No idea! Did the gunpowder shock them silly?]

Among them, the emperor and crown prince appeared the calmest. Noticing the confused looks from everyone else, the crown prince reassured them, “Don’t worry, he’ll be back soon.”

Sure enough, not long after, hurried footsteps echoed outside the hall.

The next moment, the Minister of War returned, his hair standing on end and his body emitting steaming white mist. As he ran back inside, he kept turning his head to stare intensely at Daoist Li, panting heavily.

Daoist Li: …

He felt uneasy and instinctively stepped back half a pace.

At this point, Daoist Li couldn’t help but emphasize again, asking when they would be allowed to leave.

The Minister of Works immediately turned to the emperor, his face pleading: Your Majesty, we can’t let such an expert leave!

The emperor felt a headache coming on. As a ruler, his word was his bond. He had just promised Daoist Li, so how could he go back on it now?

Wait… He had agreed, but the crown prince hadn’t.

With that thought, the emperor quickly grabbed a brush and jotted down a few words on a silk scroll before secretly handing it to the crown prince.

The crown prince took it with confusion. When he looked down and read it, the corner of his mouth twitched.

Father, what are you thinking? Not only do you want me to cleverly retain the two Daoists, but you also want me to figure out how to win their loyalty so they’ll willingly provide the gunpowder formula and continue their research!

Father, these two Daoists aren’t gullible fools!

Do you think we can just exploit them like this?!

The crown prince looked up at the emperor in disapproval, only to be met with his father’s encouraging gaze.

The crown prince: …

Sometimes, being the emperor’s son felt utterly helpless.

Taking a deep breath, the crown prince’s mind raced as he tried to devise a way to make the Daoists stay and willingly conduct research.

Forcing them to stay was out of the question—he’d have to lure them instead.

But Daoists were eccentric and indifferent to wealth. Ordinary gold and silver might not entice them… Wait, eccentric? Suddenly, the crown prince recalled the reason for Daoist Zhou’s abrupt change in attitude.

An idea flashed through his mind, and he suddenly asked the two Daoists, “Earlier, you mentioned that the Shenxiao Sect not only specializes in lightning techniques but also has expertise in divining past events and predicting the future, correct?”

The two Daoists were taken aback. After exchanging a glance, they nodded slightly and said, “That’s correct. We have some research in these areas.”

Yuan Ruan: [Huh? My nephew’s been getting a bit superstitious lately. But I get it—after all, these Daoists managed to create gunpowder. Who knows? They might actually be skilled in fortune-telling too.]

System: [Exactly. Some fortune-tellers are surprisingly accurate.]

The crown prince suddenly said, “Then can you tell us who the next emperor of Da Xia will be?”

Everyone: ???

What kind of question is that?!

Crown Prince, what’s wrong with you?!

Even the emperor froze, starting to wonder if he had been putting too much pressure on the crown prince, causing him to have a stress-induced reaction.

Yuan Ruan: [He went straight for a deadly question! This is so intense!]

System: [Gasp, what happened to your nephew? What kind of stimulus did he receive?!]

The two Daoists exclaimed “Ah!” in unison, their otherworldly composure visibly cracking.

They had heard people ask about their futures before, but never had someone asked in front of the emperor whether they could ascend the throne!

This was practically forcing them into a death trap!