Chapter 399: Privileged Little Fatty

Although this Ruyi had been drained of its Zhilong Qi, its essence remained extremely high; it was stolen by Wansheng Gongzhu of Bibo Pool from Yaochi during the Flat Peach Assembly of Xi Wangmu.

As for whether a mere little Wansheng Gongzhu could enter the Heavenly Palace's Yaochi, and how she managed to obtain the Nine-Leaf Lingzhi under the watchful eyes of all the Heavenly Gods and Buddhas, that remains unclear.

In any case, this was not a setting created by Xu Jia; it was written as such in Journey to the West.

Using it for Xu Jia to cosplay a bit was just barely enough.

"Ruyi, Ruyi, follow my heart..." Xu Jia pointed at the satiated, big-bellied Zhilong, and it transformed into a large, greenish-blue turtle.

The turtle grew anxious and tried to bite Xu Jia, but with a point of the Ruyi, it turned into a green peacock.

Xu Jia sat on the green peacock, nearly flattening it, and muttered to himself, "Truly useless." He pointed again, and it turned back into a Zhilong, which he swallowed into his stomach once more to continue its little temper tantrum within the Inner Scene Blessed Land, also serving as external medicine to nourish his physical body.

He then summoned Ao Jin Tongzi and asked, "What stage have we reached now?"

Ao Jin replied, "During the time you, Master, were in seclusion, we did not expand too much. We have only implemented the Equal Field policy in places like Nanchang, Jiujiang, and Xinzhou, and expanded southward, not northward."

"In addition, we have trained naval and infantry forces. The people in our territory are highly motivated; some of the petty bourgeoisie have also followed the path of the Golden Toad, turning to overseas trade and setting up factories."

Xu Jia nodded: "And my old father, Xu Zhiyuan, how is he?"

"Master Xu is currently guiding agricultural work. A few days ago, he went to visit the railway workers. These workers are young laborers who did not receive land; they have urban household registrations and, being unable to join the army, became workers."

Xu Jia calculated with his fingers and realized it was already time for summer planting again.

"Poyang Lake dried up early this year. Shunji Xiaolongjun said this was an omen, but the dried-up lake has grown much water grass, which is now used as pasture for horses."

"The railway is also under construction, the one from Nanchang to Jiujiang."

Since they had already used the Dragon Soul to bind steel and created a Steam Engine using the Water-Fire Refining Degree method, and even produced a Steam Bicycle, the large steam locomotive was merely a matter of overcoming a few minor problems.

Xu Jia nodded, took out the Eight Treasures Merit Sword, gave it a shake, and it transformed into the Eight-Section Merit Whip, which he personally sent to his father.

Upon seeing Xu Jia, his father said straight away, "Recently, some people said it was getting cold and wanted to add a garment for me. I thought about it for a long time and felt that while privilege is easy to obtain, since I previously wrote articles criticizing dragons, I cannot become a wicked dragon myself."

Xu Jia handed the treasure to him: "It is normal for them to have their own thoughts; they are still dreaming of the merit of following a dragon. They haven't even conquered the land yet, and they are already talking about rewards—how could there be such a good thing?"

"But open spears are easy to dodge, while hidden arrows are hard to guard against. Enemies are easy to kill, but it is hard to discern the hearts of those around you. Father, this is a treasure of merit I found for you while wandering in the Taixu; it was originally a Buddhist Eight Treasures Merit instrument, and now it will serve as a protective item for you."

His father took the Eight-Section Merit Whip, and Xu Jia thought to himself, "I am also cosplaying Yuanshi Tianzun, giving Jiang Ziya a God-Beating Whip."

"A golden body, inlaid with eight treasures!" his father clicked his tongue and said: "But why is it so light? Is it fake gold? Can it be exchanged for money?"

He had just been looking compassionate, but now he immediately changed his tune. However, this was also a genuine sentiment.

Xu Jia said: "This thing is light because it is not made of murky gold, but of merit turned into mud, and then using mud to refine gold. It is a formless object refined into a tangible one, and the eight treasures on it represent eight beautiful virtues."

After saying this, Xu Jia even wanted to talk about the concept of honor and shame, but then he had a thought: This is a sword from a previous dynasty that cannot behead the officials of the current one, so he gave up and let his father improvise.

His father played with the Eight-Section Merit Whip for a while, swinging it at objects, but they were unharmed; he swung it at grass and trees, but they left no marks: "This thing is useless."

"Since it is a treasure of merit, it performs deeds of merit. It can distinguish between good and evil, overcome demons, dispel parasitic insects, and disperse curses. When this whip is aimed at a good person, it has the power of blessing; when aimed at a sick person, it has the effect of strengthening vitality."

"So that's how it's used." His father had also read enough to develop some Noble True Qi, and now that he had established his words and ambitions, following the path of Wang Yangming's Unity of Knowledge and Action, this Eight-Section Merit Whip naturally became an instrument of edification, a case of "Buddhism used for Confucian purposes."

His father mobilized his own small amount of Noble True Qi and pointed it at the diseased seedlings, and the seedlings indeed lost their disease.

"It is truly a weapon of benevolence and righteousness," his father sighed.

... Leaving his father, Xu Jia went to the Salt and Iron Bureau, though it was now called "Gangtie Yichang," a place for steel refining. Cartloads of coal, iron ore, and other raw materials were brought here. The furnaces operated day and night, steel production rose sharply, and the Instrument Path Daoists and Heavenly Craftsmen were all busy here.

The factory director and deputy director were Guo Daoren of Shanju Guan and the former mining tax eunuch Xiao Anzi. It was he who, based on the materials left by Xu Jia, refined the Steam Engine Magic Tool using the Dragon Soul, carving out a path that was neither scientific nor cultivation-based.

A few days ago, Xiao Anzi received a Golden Core from Xu Jia and had begun to cultivate the "Heavenly Human" state, which has no distinction between male and female. It was now gradually showing results; his figure was tall, like a man, but his face was delicate and soft, like a woman, resembling the Bodhisattva statues in the Dunhuang caves.

"This is a flying sword that can be refined and controlled at the Human Immortal stage. I obtained it from another world, and it comes with a matching Sword Formula. I have already preliminarily improved it; one only needs to mix steel with cinnabar, sulfur, and other materials to refine a third-rate flying sword called the Green Steel Sword."

"Our steel production is high, which means this kind of third-rate flying sword can be mass-produced and equipped for every Daoist soldier."

After Xu Jia finished speaking, he took a steel ingot, used his hands as hammers, and with a clanging sound, he molded a Green Steel flying sword in less than half an incense stick's time.

"This flying sword is only a primary technology; there are more advanced ones later, but I haven't found them yet. Furthermore, there are several martial arts manuals here that use martial arts to enter the Dao and achieve the status of a Sword Immortal. Those Daoist soldiers may not have much skill, and besides, it is not mature yet. Theoretically, you must cultivate it first. This cultivation method does not conflict with your current methods of meditation, visualization, breathing, and gathering Qi; they can be practiced together. It's just that breathing and gathering Qi have more nourishing and life-extending effects, while practicing martial arts to reach the Innate state is more inclined toward combat."

Guo Daoren's eyes lit up: "Is this flying sword technique really so affordable?"

Xiao Anzi, however, had little interest: "Sect Leader, I am currently researching a steam engine that doesn't use water, which is an internal combustion engine. Burning water is still a bit too low-level... burning fire is more efficient... let others handle the research on the flying sword technique."

"Every profession has its specialty; you just focus on researching these," Xu Jia was not an outsider, nor was he a black-hearted boss who would make one person do the work of ten.

Although Guo Daoren's eyes were bright, he specialized in the path of firearms and also cultivated the Tiangang Thunder Law. Although the Thunder Law and the flying sword did not conflict, this was not a top-tier flying sword after all, but only a third-rate one, which would distract him.

So he thought and said: "The Salt and Iron Bureau originally had many craftsmen who made weapons. It would be better to pass this on to them first. They can form their own research groups, and those who achieve results first can be promoted to specialize in this flying sword."

"That is fine, you can arrange this yourselves," Xu Jia said: "But you must attach importance to it; this may be the key to changing the pattern of the great world."

Leaving the steel factory, Xu Jia thought of the Dao Kingdom he still had in Luzon, which was being managed by Xiao Pang. He was too lazy to make another trip there, so he used the Thousand-Mile Courtyard Shrinking Technique to call Xiao Pang.

He saw that Xiao Pang had transformed; there was a faint shadow of a loyal general about him. He was fair, fat, and sturdy. The results of his previous efforts to lose weight had turned into thick fat. His chin even had a rounded shape.

This made Xu Jia quite angry, but he did not flare up on the spot; he only used the Light Inspection Method to look at the current development of Luzon.

Luzon Island, now named "Song," was a "Viscount Kingdom," established using the methods of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States vassal states. The treasure of the nation and the sect was the Dragon-Shaped Imperial Jade, a treasure of the Yellow Heaven Sect.

Now, the "Lingbao Teaching Method" was practiced on Luzon Island; everyone was granted the Lingbao Daoist Citizen Register and everyone practiced, but the level of practice was not high.

Looking closely, it turned out that those who cultivated the Wood Method went to farm, those who cultivated the Water Method went to work on water conservancy, those who cultivated the Earth/Wood Method went to do engineering, those who cultivated the Fire Method went to the smelters, and those who cultivated the Wind Method went to sail ships...

In all trades and professions, they were all production-type practitioners. The only combat-type practitioners who were supported without working were the "studying Daoist children."

Since cultivation was for the sake of working better, staying up late to practice diligently was not as good as getting a good night's sleep. There were few who had the awareness to strive for the Earth Immortal stage.

Moreover, the Earth Immortal stage required five hundred years of Dharma Power accumulation and some understanding of Daoist Practice. Out of ten thousand practitioners, nine thousand might be stuck at the Human Immortal Early Stage, remaining at the Small Heavenly Circuit until death; nine hundred and ninety might be stuck at the Great Heavenly Circuit; and fewer than ten could reach the Human Immortal Perfection. Breaking through to the Earth Immortal stage relied even more on opportunity and luck. Unless they were personally enlightened by a Da Luo orthodox disciple like Xu Jia, it was just like in Xu Jia's previous life, where the Ancestor of Shanju Guan had to go through nine deaths and one life to achieve any success.

Since the Earth Immortal stage was so difficult, and everyone was about the same at the Human Immortal stage, life went on as usual, so they didn't want to work hard.

Most importantly, the East Japan side used to harass them frequently, but after Xu Jia killed the Long Life Sect Leader, there was basically no threat in the surrounding area.

Born in sorrow and distress, dying in ease and comfort—that is exactly how it is.

After finding the reason, Xu Jia still one-sidedly blamed Xiao Pang, completely ignoring the fact that he himself was a hands-off manager who didn't care about anything.

"Xiao Pang is my eldest disciple, but his temperament is too easily satisfied. It is too comfortable here; I must change his working environment. It would be better to replace him with someone else to sit in charge here."

Xu Jia already had a candidate in mind.

(End of chapter)