Chapter 203

"Boss Lin is joking."

Hair loose over his shoulders, brows and eyes gentle, face gaunt.

The master wearing a thumb ring on his finger raised his hand and lifted the purple clay teapot simmering over a low flame before him.

"We deal in antique appraisal and collecting; it's a hobby."

"As for what you call faking antiques, we don't understand it, and we can't do it."

Lin Dao, sitting in the chair, merely replied with a single sentence.

"I'll pay extra~"

"Back to the matter at hand." The master set the teapot down, turned his head, and called out, "Xiao Wang, how many times have I told you? When a distinguished guest arrives, you must receive them properly. Go fetch that bag of White Hair Silver Needle Tea priced at twelve thousand per catty from the cabinet."

"Boss Lin, my apologies. The newly hired assistant is ignorant and slighted you~"

Lin Dao smiled and said nothing.

The master switched to a new purple clay pot and put in the supposedly ten-thousand-plus-per-catty fine tea.

He poured a cup of tea and brought it before Lin Dao.

Lifting the teacup and sniffing it, Lin Dao nodded. "Good tea."

Setting down the teacup, Lin Dao spoke. "Such good tea — I want to buy five catties."

"Boss Lin is straightforward."

The master gave a thumbs-up. "Among antiques, I wonder what Boss Lin is interested in?"

"Books and silk."

"Oh." The master nodded. "Ming and Qing?"

"Shang and Zhou."

The master choked on a mouthful of tea. "Shang, Shang and Zhou?"

"That era is far too remote; the difficulty is very high~~~"

"This tea is quite fragrant; make it ten catties."

The master set down the teacup, clasped his hands, expression solemn. "Shang and Zhou primarily use oracle bone script and ancient script."

"The media are usually tortoise shells, animal bones, and bronze vessels."

"These things~~~"

"No need for so much trouble." Lin Dao waved his hand decisively. "Bamboo slips will do, written in ancient script."

"Very well." A trace of regret flashed across the master's face. "What about the content?"

"The Sunflower Manual."

The master's body froze, his expression stunned.

"Hah?"

Jingkang Spacetime.

Emperor Daochun Zhao Ji, as if having obtained a supreme treasure, stared fixedly at the stack of bamboo slips before him, layered with the marks of countless years.

A long-cherished wish of many years finally had hope of fulfillment this day!

At this moment, his heart was already surging with towering waves, tumultuous and agitated.

Burn incense and bathe, offer devout prayers.

Place the ten scrolls of bamboo slips on the tribute platform as offerings.

After performing the grand rite of three kowtows and nine bows, he then solemnly advanced on his knees, cradling a scroll in both hands.

Slowly unfurled it, eyes wide.

Can't read it~~~

"No mistake."

"The method of cultivation for immortality — how could it be casually perused?"

"Quick, summon the Hanlin Academicians and Scholar Officials~~~"

Among the Hanlin Academicians, quite a few got their posts through connections and gilding.

But there are inevitably those with real ability; otherwise the work couldn't be done.

Before long someone recognized that the script on these bamboo slips was ancient script from high antiquity.

Ancient script is not the writing of the Jin people; it is a script prevalent during the Shang and Zhou periods.

Usually it appears as inscriptions on bronze vessels, hence also called bronze inscriptions.

After the First Emperor of Qin unified the script, it gradually fell into decline.

"Quick, quick, read it~~~"

At this moment Zhao Ji's mood was even more anxious and desperate, his scalp tingling as if he would go mad, than that of an eighteen-year-old youth peeking out from outside the Water Curtain Cave for the first time.

The Hanlin Academician held the bamboo slips, weighing each word and sentence.

"Sunflower~ Manual~"

The several Hanlin Academicians to the side felt a strangeness in their hearts: 'Could it be speaking of winter mallow?'

'The winter mallow flower is very small, utterly inconspicuous~'

"Kunlun Mountain~ Yuxu Palace~ Yuanshi Tianzun's Seat~"

"Jialong Mountain~ Flying Cloud Cave~"

"Disciple personally transmitted by Buddha Jiliu Sun~"

"Five Palace Star Lords' Earth Palace Star Lord Tu Xingsun authored~"

At the beginning, Zhao Ji listened with blood boiling hot.

Right from the start came Jade Pure Holy Realm, Void Natural, Yuanshi Tianzun — that is the Three Purities' Highest Deity!

Later it fell to the Buddha Juélìusūn, which wasn't bad either.

Buddha is Dao anyway.

But in the end, how did he become Tu Xingsun?

This sense of loss truly leaves one speechless.

"Finished."

Zhao Ji calmed his emotions: "The Earth Palace Star Lord is also of noble birth."

"The cultivation technique he transmitted must be decent."

The Hanlin Academician continued reading aloud.

"To cultivate this art, one must first castrate oneself~~~"

Tone suddenly high.

Everyone wore strange expressions, staring blankly at the Retired Emperor.

Where did this cultivation technique come from? A demonic cultivator's, right?

Stunned, Zhao Ji rubbed his ears in disbelief: "What did you say?"

"This this~~~"

The Hanlin Academician was at a loss, stammering: "That's just how it's written."

"Impossible!"

Zhao Ji stepped forward and snatched the bamboo slips in one grab.

But he couldn't read them.

In his anxiety, he simply went to find Lin Dao.

Taking the familiar route to Ma Qian Jie, he ordered his attendants to wait in the alley.

He himself hurried into the Brothel Courtyard.

Zhao Ji arrived just in time; Lin Dao was organizing weapons and ammunition, preparing to send gifts to the Jin people later.

"It looks like it's about to rain, why did you run here?"

"Immortal Elder, teach me~~~"

Without even glancing at Li Shishi serving water on the side, Zhao Ji came up and performed a great bow.

This scene also left Li Shishi astonished.

The Official actually performed a great bow toward his benefactor~

Lin Dao debugged the firearm in his hand: "Speak."

Holding the bamboo slips with both hands, Zhao Ji was fearful and urgent.

"Immortal Elder, this cultivation technique actually, actually requires castration first!"

"Ah~~" Li Shishi beside him covered her mouth and cried out in surprise.

"So what?"

Lin Dao didn't care at all: "Immortal family techniques—on the day of great achievement, limb regeneration is nothing but a trivial matter."

'That's how it is.'

'But what I worry about is, what if I fail to cultivate it?'

'Wouldn't that make me a eunuch?!'

Zhao Ji's heart turned a thousand times, and suddenly he was inspired.

"Immortal Elder, I have heard that cultivation has assisting magic artifacts and spirit pills that can achieve great things."

Lin Dao's hand checking the firearm paused slightly.

He looked over in surprise, thinking: 'You've read xuanhuan novels?'

This reaction, in Zhao Ji's eyes, was ironclad proof.

He hastily performed a great bow again.

"Beg Immortal Elder to bestow magic artifacts and spirit pills!"

"If it succeeds, this great favor and virtue will never be forgotten!"

Lin Dao simply ignored him.

"None."

"If you don't want to cultivate, return the things."

Finishing speaking, he no longer paid attention, stood up, packed the things into a large bag, put it on his back, and went to push the electric bicycle.

Li Shishi hurried into the carriage, locked it from inside, and leaned on the window to peek outside.

Zhao Ji hurriedly knee-walked forward and grabbed Lin Dao's leg.

"Beg Immortal Elder to help me~~~"

The response was a big foot from over forty yards away.

"Scram!"

"Tomorrow I'll go take back the Baodian; if you don't want to learn, forget it."

In the afternoon, the sky was covered with dark clouds.

Returning to the palace in a daze, Zhao Ji alone came to the Qin Palace and sat in a stupor.

Outside the window, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled.

Bright and dark, light and shadow interlaced, reflecting his face still bearing a shoe print.

I don't know how long passed.

Zhao Ji suddenly gritted his teeth and stood up.

He muttered incessantly, as if hypnotizing and psyching himself up.

"It can be done, We will definitely succeed!"

"On the day of great success, Limb Regrowth~~~"

He drew the Son of Heaven Sword, disheveled hair like a madman, and threw open the hall doors of the Qin Palace.

Outside, thunder flashed and lightning roared, torrential rain pouring down.

The eunuchs and Gongnu standing outside unanimously turned their heads to look over.

They saw the Retired Emperor suddenly lift his Red Robe.

Thunder roared, lightning streaked across.

Hand rises, sword falls!

Lin Dao, one hand gripping the accelerator, one hand holding an umbrella, drove slowly along the Imperial Street.

Familiar route, heading straight for Nanxun Gate.

This road he was already very familiar with.

Passing the previous battlefield, he even stopped to observe a bit.

The casings left behind had disappeared without a trace.

This is understandable; metal in the ancient world is all Good Things.

Even in the Modern World, they have recycling value.

In the middle of the Imperial Street, on the Imperial Road planted full of fruit trees, the fruit trees knocked down by the Hundred-Ton King were dragged away, and even more fruit trees were chopped down and taken away.

This is also understandable.

Inside the city, fuel shortage has begun to appear.

The Jurchen siege the city, outside firewood and coal cannot enter; if they don't chop trees they can only tear down houses.

As for the corpses of men and horses abandoned by the Jurchen, they have also disappeared without a trace.

This one is just~~~

"The city has already begun to lack grain."

Yonghe Spacetime, Chongzhen Spacetime, these things he has seen many times.

When there is no grain, white meat is also meat!

Shaking his head, Lin Dao continued forward.

Until a hundred meters outside the Wengcheng gate of Nanxun Gate, only then did he stop the vehicle.

The Jurchen soldiers on the city wall, seeing his Dark Armor White Robe attire, immediately shouted loudly and ran around in chaos.

This iron-armored man, over the past days slaughtering Jurchen soldiers, killing and wounding thousands.

For the Jurchen, capturing a major Song city doesn't necessarily mean losing this many men and horses.

Even more terrifying are his endless thunderous methods, and the terrifying Giant Objects.

Now seeing this killing star appear, they instantly panicked completely.

Under the heavy rain, inside the Wengcheng gate tunnel, the traces left by the previous incendiary rounds' scorching were still faintly visible.

Inside the Cheng Men Dong, large amounts of stones were piled up, packed tight blocking the gate tunnel completely.

No need to ask to know, this is used to block the Hundred-Ton King.

"Very era-characteristic response."

Behind the face armor, Lin Dao smiled. "If I drove a bulldozer here, how would you respond?"

Bulldozer is a bit inconvenient; an excavator should be better.

Dig open all these stones and debris.

He took out the grenade launcher, and amid the shouts of the Jurchen on the city tower, fired eighteen fragmentation grenades in succession.

The city tower fell into panic; the surviving Jurchen all ran toward the distance.

Lin Dao held the umbrella and rode the bike, along the walking path all the way up to the city tower.

Bianliang City's city wall, as early as the Tang era, underwent continuous repair and reinforcement.

By the Song era, it was further expanded with an outer city, walls repaired year after year.

As the strong-trunk-weak-branches trunk, the width atop the city wall alone reached several zhang.

"Hm?"

He got up onto the city tower on this side, parked the electric bicycle, got off, and took out the rain cloth to cover it.

Turning around, he saw hundreds of Jurchen soldiers surging out from inside the City Gate Tower.

The Jurchen in the lead held bows; exiting into the rain curtain they fired heavy arrows, then immediately waved weapons and charged over.

Heavy arrows struck Lin Dao's Scandium Alloy Armor — just a sound was heard.

Lin Dao opened the waterproof travel bag, pulled out a machine gun.

Holding it with both hands, he directly swept fire.

*Zizi zizi~~~*

Scorching bullet rain pierced the rain curtain, sweeping across the crowd of Jurchen soldiers.

Blood flowers mixed with rainwater splashed in all directions, extremely eye-catching.

The Qihuo Army craftsmen, under Lin Dao's suggestion, modified the ammo belts.

Two 200-round belts, two combined into one modified into 400 rounds.

As for why not make them even longer, simply because Lin Dao dislikes various techniques; he just likes dense assault.

At 400 rounds the gun barrel must be changed.

The ammo belt not yet used up, over a hundred Jurchen had already covered the ground before the City Gate Tower.

Confined to an area ten-odd meters wide, he only needed to sweep back and forth.

From inside the City Gate Tower, faint fire light and sounds could be heard.

By rights, Lin Dao should have gone over to investigate.

But he didn't move; instead, he pointed the muzzle at the fallen Jin soldiers and pulled the trigger.

Bullets struck the corpses, and blood flowers splashed up.

Finally one who couldn't hold back leapt up, lunging straight at Lin Dao.

"Trying to ambush me?"

"You're far from being able to!"

(End of Chapter)