Xu Qi An was stunned. He thought to himself, “Lord Jianzheng, you’re not going to pull out a mirror too and tell me, ‘If you’re a brother, join the Tiandihuil!'”
While he was still in a daze, he suddenly heard a whooshing sound and looked towards the staircase.
Two iron lumps, one black and one gold, shot towards Jianzheng, whistling past the two Golden Gongs and Xu Qi An.
As they flew, the lumps melted into bright molten iron, splashing toward Jianzheng like water.
The two streams of molten iron merged, outlining the shape of a long blade.
“Hiss! Hiss!”
A misty vapor appeared out of thin air, quenching the metal. By the time it reached Jianzheng’s hand, it had become the rough form of a long blade.
Jianzheng gripped the blade blankly and swept his other hand along the body. A dark golden longsword materialized, its body subdued in color but with a razor-sharp edge.
Jianzheng flicked his finger, and the blade blank spun through the air, landing in front of Xu Qi An and slicing into the bluestone slab like it was cutting tofu.
The two Golden Gongs who didn’t use swords stared at the dark golden longsword, their eyes blazing with desire.
Is this alchemy?! Xu Qi An thought. This is magic. Shouldn’t alchemy involve extracting and separating substances in vials and jars?
Xu Qi An’s worldview was severely shaken.
Amidst his shock, Xu Qi An realized that Jianzheng’s display wasn’t merely a gift. No, he was showing me up. He was telling me, “Young man, you know nothing about alchemy.”
The sword’s appearance was between a Tang dynasty sword and a Japanese tachi from his previous life – more curved than a Tang sword but straighter than a tachi.
The blade was long, reaching four chi, understated yet luxurious, and incredibly cool.
“Thank Lord Jianzheng,” Wei Qingyi prompted.
“Thank you, Lord Jianzheng,” Xu Qi An said.
Suppressing the joy in his heart, Xu Qi An took off his robe, wrapped it around the blade, and held it in his hand.
The blade was too sharp; it could easily harm others or himself.
“With this sword, my combat power will increase by at least one level, no, two levels,” Xu Qi An thought excitedly.
Wei Yuan bowed to Jianzheng and led his three subordinates out of the Department of Astronomy.
As they descended the stairs, Xu Qi An encountered Chu Caiwei and the Long Princess ascending, seemingly heading to the Eight Trigrams Platform.
Under the watchful eyes of Wei Yuan, the Long Princess, and others, he pulled Chu Caiwei aside.
“Are you free tonight? I’d like to invite you to dinner at Guiyue Tower,” Xu Qi An proposed a date.
To his surprise, the foodie Chu Caiwei immediately refused, “I have to enter the Imperial City later and will be staying at the Long Princess’s mansion tonight.”
The Long Princess’s mansion had endless delicacies and pastries. Although Guiyue Tower’s food was delicious, how could it compare to the Imperial chefs?
“I see…” Xu Qi An thought for a moment. He had night shifts for the next two days, and the day after that was the Emperor’s ancestral worship ceremony, where the night watchmen would be responsible for security. “Then come to my house for dinner after His Majesty’s ancestral worship ceremony.”
He thought he might as well make a simple version of chicken bouillon; Guiyue Tower was still a bit expensive.
“Will you make noodles for me?” Chu Caiwei remembered.
“Mm-hmm.”
“Mm-hmm,” she nodded in agreement.
Xu Qi An smiled, “I’ll await your good news.”
They parted ways. Chu Caiwei led the Long Princess upstairs, while Xu Qi An followed Wei Yuan downstairs. Xu Qi An looked up and caught the Long Princess gazing down at him.
Their eyes met. Xu Qi An grinned, while the Long Princess remained expressionless. After Xu Qi An disappeared from view, she pursed her lips slightly.
On the way, they encountered a White Robe. Xu Qi An handed over the black and gold sword, instructing him to have Senior Brother Song forge a hilt, saying he would come to collect it tomorrow.
Leaving the Observatory Tower, Wei Yuan entered the carriage. Yang Yan glanced at Xu Qi An and beckoned:
“Do you know how to drive?”
Xu Qi An shook his head. Who drives these days?
Yang Yan nodded and handed him the reins before entering the carriage himself.
“???” Xu Qi An was stunned for a moment before he realized what was happening.
This stoic leader was trying to train him.
…
On the Eight Trigrams Platform.
Chu Caiwei sat on the edge, her feet in small leather boots dangling in the air.
She clutched a package of preserved fruits, eating them with relish.
The Long Princess stood nearby, her skirts fluttering, looking like an immortal.
“Jianzheng, I’ve always had a question,” the Long Princess’s voice was cool and pleasant.
“Please, Princess, go ahead,” the old Jianzheng raised his wine cup, his gaze always fixed on the distance.
“The Human Faction moved into the Imperial City, enticing Father Emperor to cultivate and neglect state affairs for nineteen years. The bandit problem in Yunzhou remains unresolved, disasters occur frequently in various regions. The court’s control over the Southern Frontier grows weaker, and the northern tribes harbor wild ambitions. Da Feng faces internal troubles and external threats,” the Long Princess sighed. “What are you waiting for?”
After a long silence, the Long Princess turned around to see Jianzheng dozing off with his eyes half-closed.