[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-celestial-master-i-have-an-otherworld":3,"chapter-celestial-master-i-have-an-otherworld-celestial-master-i-have-an-otherworld-chapter-45":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Celestial Master： I Have an Otherworld",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1836568,2442,"Chapter 45 - 1: The Kiln Site","celestial-master-i-have-an-otherworld-chapter-45",45,"\u003Cp>Fang Zheng has an erhu, which his uncle Fang Jian bought for him when he was a child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That erhu was second-hand, old and shabby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The neck was smoked black, the sound box cracked, the skin used was the lowest-grade snake skin, and the horsehair bow might break with a slight force. The sound it produced was as unpleasant as sawing wood, or like a hoarse throat crying while still trying to shout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was precisely because of that erhu that he was able to enter an art university despite his severe decline in cultural studies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he relied on it to make a living for quite a while afterwards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, the one in his hand has a round sound box made of sandalwood, a redwood neck, a python skin, and a long and straight bow with silk strings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s expensive, beautifully styled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, after obtaining it, the genuine joy he once felt was no longer there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks to years of training, his skills have become mature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Plucking the strings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The melodious sound of the erhu echoed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sad, desolate, it whispers like elusive mist and uncertain breeze, deep and hoarse, bringing tears to the eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Hai sighed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Could you play a more cheerful tune?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey!\" Fang Zheng stopped and shook his head:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m heartbroken, feeling terrible, can’t bring myself to play something cheerful. Besides..., it’s good enough that you get to listen, stop being so picky.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You think I want to listen?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Hai was speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Obviously, you forced me to listen, refusing isn’t an option. I’d actually prefer not to hear this kind of tune, but what does heartbroken mean?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Speaking of which.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Zheng caressed the bow and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ever since I started practicing martial arts, especially after the Hundred Days Foundation Establishment, I’ve had much finer control over my body, couldn’t play this good before.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How do you feel?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Brings tears to eyes.\" Wu Hai genuinely expressed:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Better than any tune I’ve heard, Master, even if you fall on hard times, I think this skill alone can fill your stomach.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With familiarity, he sometimes cracked jokes, no longer so restrained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Really?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Praised by others, Fang Zheng felt a bit relieved, and didn’t mind the minor sarcasm Wu Hai made:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I haven’t heard anyone else play. Does Gu’an County have any similar entertainment places? I’ll treat us to a visit if there’s time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Hai shook his head:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Square Porcelain has been open for so long, yet we’ve only sold two sets of porcelain. We’re always in the red. This isn’t a sustainable way forward; your focus should be on this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh!\" Fang Zheng’s voice was calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What does Master think?\" Wu Hai asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nothing.\" Fang Zheng lowered his head and fiddled with the erhu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How can there be nothing?\" Wu Hai got a bit anxious:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We won’t keep this going for long like this.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you the Master or am I?\" Fang Zheng rolled his eyes:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m not in a hurry.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Precisely because you’re not in a hurry, which makes me anxious!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sitting in an empty shop day after day, spending money like flowing water without any income, Wu Hai couldn’t help worrying about his future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After thinking for a while, Wu Hai said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Our porcelain is of good quality, everyone who sees it praises it, but a set of dishes costs a few ounces of silver, which is indeed too expensive.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If we can lower the price, I’m sure many people would buy it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lower the price?\" Fang Zheng shook his head:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don’t like doing business with poor people.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you mean?\" Wu Hai instinctively felt uncomfortable:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does Master look down upon the poor?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\" Fang Zheng said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Poor families find it hard to earn money and will naturally be very careful when spending it. If what they buy has any defect, they’ll ask for a replacement, which is too troublesome.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Middle-class families are slightly better, but they also weigh options thoroughly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Only money from wealthy families is easily earned.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uh...\" Wu Hai hesitated and spoke:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does Master mean that the poor are petty?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I didn’t say that!\" Fang Zheng put away the erhu, patted his behind, and stood up:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let’s go!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where to?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Explore the market.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wagon clattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Hai drove the cart, Fang sat in the carriage, heading outwards toward Dingseng Mountain. Thankfully, a few months prior, the Imperial Court had cleared the Cyan Wolf Gang, otherwise, they wouldn’t dare be so bold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There’s a stone on Dingseng Mountain that resembles a monk sitting in meditation, and later a temple was built there by monks, which gradually gained fame.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Hai said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That temple is called Cien Temple.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cien Temple?\" Fang Zheng seemed thoughtful:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I remember hearing Daoist Zhang from Three Purities Temple say that Master Wuyuan at Cien Temple has excellent Buddhist Skill and is truly a top-notch expert.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That I don’t know.\" Wu Hai shook his head:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master could pay a visit. Cien Temple is always busy with worshippers and doesn’t block devotees, but the mountain path is hard to walk.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let’s check the kilns first.\" Fang Zheng was nonchalant:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are there many kilns nearby?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ve inquired; actually, not really.\" Wu Hai replied:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Firing porcelain requires clay, and there happen to be suitable soil layers near Dingseng Mountain, so some kilns were built there for convenience.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But there aren’t many pottery merchants in Gu’an County, so naturally, there aren’t many kilns. Most of the so-called many kilns are actually abandoned.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Zheng nodded slowly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Considerate of you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As it should be.\" Wu Hai scratched his head:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since I’m helping Master manage the business, I definitely need to understand some of the intricacies. You are the expert in this area, so I should learn more from Master.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Easy to say.\" Fang Zheng lifted the car curtain and asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is the Wang Family Kiln also over this side?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\" Wu Hai nodded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Near the mountain top.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"At the top?\" Fang Zheng raised his brows:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Firing porcelain relies on soil, wood, and water, so kilns usually situate outside the city, yet transportation convenience must be considered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Building on a mountain top really doesn’t seem convenient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In modern society, with gas kilns, there are far fewer restrictions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Apparently...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Hai said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I just heard, the Wang Family needs to use thunder and lightning to fire porcelain, hence they build high to draw the Power of Thunder.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such porcelain firing technique exists?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Zheng was surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Wang Family’s ’Thunder Walking Red Porcelain’ has unique traits even in modern society, building kilns atop mountains might truly involve some unique Secret Technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Approaching Dingseng Mountain, abandoned kilns left by predecessors came into view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Heap firing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Zheng circled a kiln and picked up several pottery shards from the ruins while shaking his head:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Still using this technology.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heap firing involves stacking wood to fire, causing heat loss, which makes it impossible to produce porcelain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s firing pottery!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And low-quality pottery at that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nonetheless, ordinary families use pottery primarily, with porcelain being rare enough to be acceptable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Further searching upwards finally led to a kiln akin to an egg-shaped kiln, abandoned due to probably a cave-in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Such primitive technology!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Touching his chin, Fang Zheng mused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Egg kilns, dragon kilns, and later town kilns all aim to control flame, increase temperature, enhance porcelain, and glaze quality, differing mainly in construction methods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The egg kiln here remains at a very primitive level, and Fang Zheng sees many potential improvements with his expertise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wang Family Kiln atop the mountain doesn’t allow entry, but considering the height, it should remain modest-sized. Judging by its appearance, it likely resembles other kilns without too much difference, overall backward in technology.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>......\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who are those two?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Qian held a teapot and sipped, watching the distant leaving backs, asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They’re from Square Porcelain.\" Someone bent and replied:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Seemed like they came to see the kilns.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Square Porcelain.\" Wang Qian paused:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The recently opened one in the county?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes.\" The servant nodded:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That young man is the owner of Square Porcelain, but since opening, hardly any porcelain sells; looks like it’ll close eventually.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Qian narrowed his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He doesn’t quite agree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s seen Square Porcelain’s pieces, which can be described as...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Exquisite!\u003C\u002Fp>",1382,"2026-06-09T06:29:55.657Z",1,"novelbin.me","192f6f6539fa7f41bafdda60a3ddcfddfdbc2a5f42b62de7d7533b5d16cb0106","celestial-master-i-have-an-otherworld-chapter-293","celestial-master-i-have-an-otherworld-chapter-83",488,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fcelestial-master-i-have-an-otherworld-cover.jpg"]