Chapter 385: Encouraging Innovation

For example, just flipping open a page, there is a passage: "The great Arcanist Telafo decided to use Teleportation to enter the interior of the Abyss of Withering, but the explosive fluctuations of the Magic Net blocked him outside. However, this could not stump the great Arcanist Telafo; he soon thought of a way—" What followed were some measures on how Telafo used the Magic Net to teleport while avoiding Magic Net interference.

There are many situations like this.

In Xia Duo's view, this book should not be called a "Travel Guide," but rather a "Practical Manual for Teleportation."

Of course, it would still need to be simplified to become a professional technical manual, or in other words—a Spellbook.

Returning to his residence, Xia Duo stopped conducting Magic experiments. After a round of Focus Training, he went to sleep early.

……

The next day, Xia Duo took the "Lucky Owen" to leave the Savile Territory and returned to Linshui Village in Daxia.

As soon as he returned to his Territory, Xia Duo received good news—the brick kiln had started production!

The Territory's brick kiln was located north of the initial landing point and south of the Elemental Channel, close to the Wolfburg River for easy access to water; the earth used was excavated from the Elemental Channel.

The brick kiln had started construction in early September, but the subsequent batches of firebricks would shatter almost as soon as they hit the ground. Xia Duo certainly did not want such mud-and-shattered-brick things.

After several changes, they still hadn't produced firebricks that satisfied Xia Duo.

Xia Duo's requirements were not high; he only asked that they not shatter when dropped on the ground. He did not understand brick firing himself, but there were people, water, and soil, and plenty of time for them to experiment.

He had originally thought it would take a long time, and he had only gone to check the brick kiln the day before yesterday, but he hadn't expected that after only two days, and a trip to the Tower of Time, there would be results here.

"Laidun, let's go, let's take a look."

Xia Duo, who had just sat down, could no longer sit still. He called for the priest Laidun and left the small camp, heading north.

On the way, Xia Duo did not forget to ask for specific details, "I remember it wasn't successful the day before yesterday, so how did it suddenly yield results?"

"My Lord, the previous firing method for the brick kiln came from the Savile Territory. During the molding stage, crushed stones would be added to the brick blanks—"

"Wait!" Xia Duo hurriedly interrupted Laidun's explanation, "You said crushed stones are added when molding the bricks?"

"Yes, my Lord. Adding crushed stones helps the earth elements to condense; this is the artisan's secret method," Laidun explained with a serious face.

Xia Duo really wanted to roll his eyes. Even if he didn't understand brick firing, he knew that nothing extra needed to be added when firing bricks; just using mud was enough.

Of course, it was possible that the world was different and the experience was different. Earth also had methods of making bricks from construction waste, but that was relatively high-end.

So Xia Duo asked again: "Then how did you succeed now?"

"My Lord, it was a Slave named Black who suggested that before mixing with water to mold the blanks, the soil should first be dried, crushed, and sifted through linen cloth. That is how it succeeded."

"Did you also add crushed stones?"

"We added them."

"……"

Xia Duo did not comment for now; he was prepared to first see what these "good" bricks that wouldn't shatter when dropped on the ground actually looked like! ……

Arriving near the brick kiln, a wave of heat rushed toward him. Xia Duo frowned; the temperature here had already exceeded the limit of the 【Crimson Shelter Robe】's weak elemental balancing ability.

Looking at the other brick kiln workers, everyone was covered in dust, with "white" lines on their faces where sweat had run down, but more were abstract patterns wiped on haphazardly.

The hemispherical brick kiln was about as tall as a person and had only two levels: the top for placing brick blanks and the bottom for burning fire. Xia Duo instinctively felt it was wrong, but he had never seen what a brick kiln looked like before he transmigrated, so he did not rashly offer any suggestions for improvement.

After all, this was a case that had already succeeded in the Savile Territory, even though this brick kiln looked like a small family workshop no matter how one viewed it.

"Lord of the Territory!" The brick kiln manager, Jiake, stepped forward to salute.

Xia Duo asked, "Didn't you say there was a qualified brick? Where is it? Bring it here!"

"Yes, my Lord, I will go get it right away."

Xia Duo stepped back a few steps to wait. The tail end of summer had not yet left, and staying near the brick kiln was simply too hot; stepping back a few steps allowed the Mage Robe to do its work.

Before long, Jiake ran over holding an irregularly shaped brick, followed by another person who was equally gray and dusty.

Xia Duo guessed that must be the Slave Black that Laidun mentioned. Sifting soil with cloth and then molding bricks—he didn't know how he had thought of that.

"My Lord, this is that firebrick. Because it was—it was Black's idea, we only test-produced one. However, my Lord, the kiln currently being fired is all made of this qualified type of brick."

Xia Duo was noncommittal. He picked up the brick directly and threw it onto the ground. Although it was a dirt floor, it had been stepped on firmly after so much coming and going.

The brick hit the ground, rolled a few times, and then stopped steadily.

It really didn't shatter!

Next, Xia Duo picked up the brick again and snapped it with both hands; it broke right in the middle. The cross-section clearly showed traces of crushed stones.

Xia Duo's strength was indeed not small, but he hadn't used much force just now; it was about slightly more than the force used to snap instant noodles.

This kind of brick did indeed meet his previous requirement of not shattering when dropped on the ground, but if it were used for paving roads, it might be crushed to pieces in a few days.

He silently gave it an 'X' in his heart; the technique still needed improvement! Besides the texture, Xia Duo was also dissatisfied with the shape. This irregular brick could vaguely be seen as a cube; it must have been a brick blank cut by hand, which then deformed during the firing process.

Casually throwing away the two broken pieces, Xia Duo gave an Indication, "Black provided the method of sifting soil with cloth; this is very good. Laidun, record 1 Small Merit for him."

"Yes."

At this moment, Black had already knelt on the ground, weeping with joy. 1 Small Merit seemed like very little, but without special talent, a normal worker would only earn 1 Small Merit after a year of work.

And any Slave could shed their slave status once they accumulated 10 Small Merits.

Black thought of his friend Carpenter. They had come to the Daxia Territory together, but at this time, Carpenter had already accumulated 5 Small Merits due to his carpentry skills.

This kind of living example, and a hope that was not out of reach, truly motivated the rest of the Slaves.

Xia Duo also noticed Black's excitement, but he didn't take it to heart. Instead, he continued to give instructions, "As for the others, anyone who has ideas can try them out on their own. As long as they can meet my requirements, they will also be recorded 1 Small Merit. My requirement now is: on the premise that they do not shatter when dropped, make the bricks neat and regular."

As he spoke, Xia Duo used Mage Hand to pull over a piece of wood from the side, took out the 【Blade of Veto】, and with a few quick slashes, a standard piece appeared.

"Take this as the standard. Jiake—"

"My Lord?"

"For the reasonable requests of the workers, you must try your best to provide convenience. As long as someone meets my requirements, you will also be recorded 1 Merit!"

"Yes, my Lord!" Jiake was so excited that even his beard curled up.

Small Merit was the capital for a Slave to redeem their freedom, and for an ordinary territory resident like him, it meant land, Gold Coins, rank, and everything he could think of, including Magic! Before leaving, Xia Duo offered a few more opinions, such as adding another brick kiln and using sifted soil to mold the blanks but without adding crushed stones.

He had originally rushed over in high spirits, and the brick did indeed meet his previous requirements, but now his requirements were higher. This perhaps echoed the saying from Xia Duo's hometown—"having conquered Long, one still desires Shu."

(End of chapter)