Chapter 136: The Shocked Steward He

The next morning, Facing Facing Cang Luo tucked a roll of design blueprints into his clothes, mounted the rune-powered chariot, and checked out of the inn amidst the innkeeper's bewildered gaze before riding off with flair, his destination the Shen Bing Fang.

Along the way, fearing pursuit by the imperial guards, Facing Facing Cang Luo drove very slowly, causing passersby to turn their heads and stare, widening their eyes to comment and criticize.

Several bounty hunters and martial artists even asked Facing Facing Cang Luo what this thing was, revealing expressions of confusion and greed.

Facing Facing Cang Luo's heart tightened; he immediately claimed it was a mechanism vehicle, jointly manufactured by the Profound Tianmen and the Mo Family Mechanism City, and told them that if they wanted one, they could inquire at the Profound Tianmen.

Upon hearing this, they departed and stopped chasing Facing Facing Cang Luo, evidently too afraid to offend the Profound Tianmen and the Mo Family.

Furthermore, Facing Facing Cang Luo had attracted a group of seven- or eight-year-old children who happily chased after the rune-powered chariot.

Facing Facing Cang Luo thought that with these children following, it should be safer; perhaps they were a group of second-generation martial artists.

So, Facing Facing Cang Luo let them take turns sitting in the back, carrying them all the way to the entrance of the Shen Bing Fang without wanting to leave, insisting on playing a bit longer, making a loud commotion.

Facing Facing Cang Luo had no choice but to play with them for now.

At this moment, inside the Shen Bing Fang, the vast shop had not a single customer, and several assistants were chatting quietly.

Zhang Zi was not mingling with them; he was still wiping weapons with a linen cloth, his eyes somewhat dull, wondering what he was thinking.

The steward He Jiu did not manage them either, enjoying the leisure while drinking tea.

Suddenly, he frowned, hearing a group of brats making a racket at the shop entrance; it was very annoying and disturbed his tea tasting.

He Jiu said impatiently, "Zhang Zi, it's too noisy; make those brats outside leave. No wonder no customers come..."

Zhang Zi responded with a sound and immediately ran out to drive them away.

A moment later, Zhang Zi returned, but the outside was still very noisy.

Those brats hadn't left!

He Jiu roared, "What is going on? You can't even handle this small matter and still want to enter the Profound Tianmen? Are you worthy of your brother?

Your brother is already crippled... he is a formation master, unable to become a martial artist, and worked himself to death to save resources for you, planning to send you to the Profound Tianmen when you turn fourteen. Is this how you repay your brother?"

Zhang Zi's brother was Zhang Han; the two brothers lost their parents early, had no relatives, relied on each other, wandered the streets begging, and had meals only irregularly.

Until five years ago, the two brothers met an old beggar who had lost both hands; the old beggar had once been a martial artist and a fifth-grade blacksmith.

Unfortunately, his cultivation had been crippled by enemies, and the hands used for forging weapons had been severed...

The old beggar discovered that Zhang Han could perceive primal force, but unfortunately, he had a constitution with blocked meridians; although he could not become a martial artist, becoming a formation master was not bad.

Perhaps he pitied them, or perhaps he thought they might one day help him take revenge.

So, he led the two brothers to beg while teaching the elder brother Zhang Han formation studies, but he only knew Yellow-grade formations; whether they would succeed was up to fate.

One year later, he managed to obtain a Yellow-grade lower-tier method jade plaque for Zhang Han; only by cultivating the method and controlling primal force could one draw formations.

However, the old beggar was beaten to death because of this.

After the old beggar died, the two brothers relied on each other once again.

Another year later, the two brothers saw that the Shen Bing Fang was recruiting formation master assistants.

Thus, the younger brother Zhang Zi became an odd-job assistant at the Shen Bing Fang, with food and lodging provided but no wages, while the elder brother Zhang Han became Lu Zheng's formation master assistant and apprentice, though the wages were not high.

Although he was an apprentice, Lu Zheng rarely taught him formation studies and had not yet passed down a single Black-grade formation...

After life stabilized, Zhang Han wanted to leave the Shen Bing Fang several times, but he remembered the grace of their shelter there, so he did not leave, thinking he would depart only after his younger brother entered the Profound Tianmen.

Zhang Zi quickly recalled the hardships he and his brother had endured over the years, secretly clenched his fist, and said quietly, "Steward He, that disciple from the Profound Tianmen from yesterday has come..."

He Jiu knew the Profound Tianmen disciple Zhang Zi mentioned was Facing Facing Cang Luo and estimated he had come to collect equipment.

But I told you to drive away the brats at the entrance; what does that have to do with him coming or not?

He Jiu slammed his tea cup down heavily, somewhat angrily, "Let him come if he wants... it's too noisy outside, all that chirping; I don't want to say it a third time. Go quickly and drive those brats away!"

Zhang Zi did not leave; he looked a bit dazed and said, "Steward He, he, he came riding a mechanism vehicle!? Those children are surrounding the mechanism vehicle looking at it, which is why they are making a racket."

"Mechanism vehicle?"

He Jiu was stunned, thinking he had misheard, and asked again, "What did you say, mechanism vehicle? He has a mechanism vehicle? How is that possible? And riding a mechanism vehicle? Are you sure it's not a beast pet?"

Zhang Zi scratched his head, thought for a moment, and said, "At first I thought it was a beast pet, but when I got close, I saw it had wheels and moved by itself.

My brother said the mechanism vehicles of the Mo Family Mechanism City don't need horses to pull them or people to push them; they run by themselves, so that must be a mechanism vehicle, right?"

He Jiu was shocked, "It has wheels and runs by itself? It's not a handcart?"

Zhang Zi shook his head heavily, "It's not a handcart; it really does run by itself..."

He Jiu lost his composure and didn't ask any more questions; he would know once he went out to look.

He was at the Martial Spirit cultivation realm; he dropped his tea cup and instantly flashed to the entrance before the cup even hit the ground.

Appearing at the Shen Bing Fang entrance, He Jiu took a close look and instantly recognized that the 'mechanism vehicle' Zhang Zi spoke of was exactly the armor Facing Facing Cang Luo had crafted yesterday pieced together.

Yesterday, Lu Zheng had even said his master was arrogant, wasn't even a martial artist, knew nothing about formation studies, and yet dared to design a mechanism vehicle?

But now, what was the thing Facing Facing Cang Luo was riding?

Feet off the ground, no one pushing, no horses pulling, and it really did run by itself!

Was it an ox, horse, or demon beast wearing armor?

He, He Jiu, was not blind!

Nor was he a low-level martial artist with weak spiritual sense who couldn't even detect a demon beast.

It was definitely a mechanism vehicle!

But why did this mechanism vehicle have only two wheels?

He had seen mechanism vehicles before; the mechanism vehicles of the Mo Family Mechanism City had at least four wheels, with some having ten or even dozens of wheels.

Two wheels were one thing, but why were they arranged in a straight line?

Why wouldn't a mechanism vehicle with wheels in a straight line fall over?!

It drove steadily, could accelerate, could decelerate, and could even turn...

Behind the vehicle, red light was actually emitting!

Was that the location of the core formation of the mechanism vehicle?

Beep! Beep! Beep!

"It even makes noise!"

He Jiu was stunned again, eyes wide, watching Facing Facing Cang Luo ride the mechanical vehicle, circling with the brat on board...

The next moment, he remembered something and slapped his own face hard.

Yesterday, the patriarch, after hearing Lu Zheng's words, thought the air-blood slot designs were unremarkable and simple, so he offered the man's master a reward of one top-grade Qi-stone per month.

But the man firmly refused, and neither the patriarch nor Master Lu cared—Shen Bing Fang didn't lack someone who could only design.

Yet now, this man could not only design but also manufacture mechanical vehicles!

Shen Bing Fang had just missed a master of mechanical vehicles!

He Jiu slapped his own face with loud smacks; Zhang Zi stood beside him, dumbfounded.

Why is Manager He slapping his own face?

Are there mosquitoes?

He Jiu ignored his thoughts and immediately said in a low voice: "Zhang Zi, quickly go fetch Master Lu... no, go get the patriarch—tell him to come at once, there's something extremely important."

It concerns Shen Bing Fang's hundred-year plan!

Hurry!

Go now!

Don't just stand there!"

Saying this, He Jiu kicked out, using soft force to send Zhang Zi flying, shouting: "Go fetch the patriarch!"

He wasn't exaggerating—mechanical vehicles were powerful transport tools, capable of defending or attacking cities.

If he can build this small one, he can build larger ones.

Mechanical beasts are even more formidable, possessing the combat power of high-grade demonic beasts, yet never tiring, needing no rest or food or drink; if damaged, repair them; if lost, rebuild them.

Only Mo Family's Mechanical City on the entire Yuanwu Continent could manufacture mechanical vehicles and mechanical beasts; the Mo Family, relying on these, dominated a single city—even without a Martial Saint to stand guard, their strength rivaled that of a nation!

If Shen Bing Fang could master the technology to build mechanical vehicles, then... He Jiu dared not imagine!

Zhang Zi was frozen in shock; though he didn't know why Manager He had suddenly become so furious, he knew something extremely important had happened—something tied to the mechanical vehicle—and he turned and ran without looking back to fetch the patriarch.

Seeing Zhang Zi leave, He Jiu snapped back to himself and turned to Facing Facing Cang Luo, instantly making his decision.

I must bring back the man's master!

He rubbed his cheek—it hurt—and let out a long breath, shifting his mood as he jogged toward Facing Facing Cang Luo, chasing the mechanical vehicle while bowing with a smile: "Younger brother, you've finally come! Your elder brother has missed you dearly..."

Come, come, come—step inside and have some tea!"

Facing Facing Cang Luo slammed on the brakes, staring blankly at Manager He, noticing one of his cheeks was slightly swollen.

Younger brother? Elder brother? Who the hell are you calling?

Facing Facing Cang Luo wasn't foolish—he saw Manager He's eyes darting greedily at the rune vehicle and instantly understood why he'd suddenly become so courteous.

He must have mistaken the rune vehicle for a Mo Family mechanical vehicle and wanted to buy it to study and replicate.

Or he remembered his 'master' and assumed the mechanical vehicle was designed and built by the 'master,' now wanting to revive the offer of guest forge-master.

Facing Facing Cang Luo sneered inwardly—he wouldn't sell it, but the guest forge-master position might be reconsidered.

Hmph! Yesterday they offered one top-grade Qi-stone per month to get rid of me—now, won't I squeeze you dry?

As Facing Facing Cang Luo thought this, he quietly shook his head—he couldn't go too far. His master was fake, and he himself was weak; if they decided to kill him and steal everything, it would be disastrous—he must know when to stop.

So Facing Facing Cang Luo smiled and said: "Good morning, Manager He. I've come today to collect the remaining armor for the mechanical vehicle."

He handed over the twenty sets of weapon design sketches he'd drawn all night, adding: "These are the twenty designs we agreed on. No tea needed—I'll take what I came for and leave, back to Xuantian Sect!"

Facing Facing Cang Luo employed the tactic of feigning retreat, and reminded them he was a disciple of Xuantian Sect, to deter Shen Bing Fang from entertaining thoughts of murder and theft.

He Jiu sighed inwardly, took the sketches and glanced at them briefly—and was stunned again. Another never-before-seen design.

Master!

This boy's master is definitely a master!

I must keep him at Shen Bing Fang!

He Jiu immediately said: "Xuantian Sect is only a two-hour walk from Danyang County. Younger brother, why not stay for lunch? I've already prepared wine and dishes—please don't refuse."

I must keep him here—at least until the patriarch arrives. I'm certain this boy, once he sees the patriarch, won't want to leave.

First, keep the disciple; treat him well; then discuss the master.

Facing Facing Cang Luo smiled and shook his head, saying nothing. He parked the vehicle at the entrance of Shen Bing Fang and turned to the group of brats who still lingered: "Watch it for me, brothers—I'll take you for another ride soon."

After entrusting a group of likely martial second-generation guards to watch the vehicle, Facing Facing Cang Luo strode into Shen Bing Fang, heading straight for the back courtyard forge workshop to collect the external gear for the rune vehicle.

He Jiu watched as Facing Facing Cang Luo casually left the mechanical vehicle at the gate, unafraid it would be stolen—he assumed the vehicle had some forbidden array.

"When he got off just now, he seemed to pull out something—probably activated the mechanism."

Thinking this, He Jiu stepped closer to examine the mechanical vehicle, peering closely—but found no visible mechanism, couldn't make sense of it, so he hurried after Facing Facing Cang Luo, determined to keep him occupied first.