Chapter 55: Jiliuguan

After hearing his father's words, Sinuoli nodded; he had now cleared his thoughts.

It was likely because Krag Master had already become the Vice President of the Rune Smith Guild with the support of his Clan,

and Krag Master did not want Sinuoli to grow rapidly with the support of his kin, which would increase the royal family's influence within the Guild.

However, relying on his memory, he knew that although Krag Master had not given him any extra instruction, he had still taught him all the most basic knowledge without omission, step by step.

In this respect, Krag the Grim was still a Dwarf who adhered to his principles.

Through the combined effect of Krag Master's extremely pure understanding of Rune Power and Sinuoli's own talent, he had become a formal Rune Smith at a quite young age.

He was still quite grateful to this strict master.

After a brief discussion, Sinuoli decided to accompany the Dwarfs who had come to observe the ceremony to visit Jiliuguan; he could not wait to see the high-end technology of the Dwarf race.

At noon that day, Thorgrim returned to Karaz-a-Karak sitting on the Throne of Power; in order to finalize the trade agreement, the other two Dwarf lords stayed for a while longer.

By the afternoon, Sinuoli bid farewell to his brother, and amidst the entreaties of the crowd, he set off with the Jiliuguan contingent.

King Thorgin, Prince Balin, and Master Aberuike-Yinzhi all cordially invited Sinuoli to walk with them, but Sinuoli ultimately chose to ride the Doom Anvil with Master Yinzhi.

Sinuoli euphemistically called this decision "exchanging techniques," but the fundamental reason was that his own Rock Sheep was still in training.

Master Yinzhi was truly envious of Sinuoli, this fellow practitioner with such profound tutelage.

Due to the uniqueness of his school, almost no Rune Users of the same level were willing to engage in academic exchanges with them, so he and his predecessors had been forced to work in isolation for these years.

Along the way, the two Rune Masters talked incessantly, and by evening, they had become fast friends who ate at the same table and slept in the same quarters.

Although Sinuoli's own accumulation had not yet reached the level of a Rune Master, the mainstream Rune concepts he had learned from Krag Master still benefited Master Yinzhi greatly,

and many difficult problems that had troubled him for a long time were solved by a single word from Sinuoli.

For Sinuoli, he also received much inspiration from Master Yinzhi.

In his original understanding, he thought that Runes could only be engraved on weapons, equipment, and ornaments.

Through Master Yinzhi's sharing, he learned that Runes could actually be engraved on War Machines like ballistae and Cannons to increase the power of fired projectiles, grant them tracking capabilities, speed up reloading, or trigger self-destruction when the situation was unfavorable and the equipment was about to fall into enemy hands.

The next morning, the Dwarf contingent traveled half a circle along Heishui Hu.

Just past noon, they had entered the canyon at the northernmost end of the black water, where the surging black lake water rushed over the edge of the cliff into a magnificent waterfall.

The roar of the torrent echoed on the mountainside, and behind the noise was another distinct, harsher sound: the clashing and clanging of machinery in operation.

Dozens of waterwheels were laid out on the cliff face below the waterfall, some of which were tens of meters high. Gears, chains, and pulley systems creaked incessantly, driving the forging hammers and crushers in the distance, while stone aqueducts and culverts cleverly channeled the water toward cooling tanks and smelters.

Iron bridges and stone portholes were dotted amidst a fountain of steam, and many cannon barrels protruded from firing ports, silently watching this entrance to Zhufuba.

Steam and smoke rose from countless boilers and gathered above the canyon, forming a dense cloud layer; as they cooled and descended, the thick moisture in the air condensed on the Dwarfs' beards and armor.

The path wound up along the rock wall on the south side of the canyon, with spiral staircases carved into the mountain rock and arched bridges with low railings spanning the canyon.

Beneath their feet, Zhufuba shimmered amidst the damp air and flashing red light.

At the foot of the canyon, long stairs spiraled toward the main gate in the north, passing many defensive fortifications along the way.

The news of the contingent's arrival had already been conveyed to the gatekeepers by the watchtower; as a low rumble came from beneath their feet, the water flowing through the sluice gates was redirected, the heavy iron bolts and granite locks separated, and the gate slowly opened under the action of gears and chains, finally sinking into the mountain rock on both sides.

On the left and right sides of the gate were, as usual, two huge ancestor sculptures: on the left was Father God Grungni, and on the right was Mogelimu, the God of Engineers, who was primarily worshipped at Jiliuguan.

A moment later, a Dwarf appeared alone behind the gate; standing before a gate five times his height, he did not seem small at all. He carried his Battle Axe on his shoulder, blocking the path of the contingent. Prince Balin stepped forward two paces to announce them.

"Who seeks to enter Zhufuba?" the Gatekeeper asked from afar.

"Thorgin, King of Zhufuba. And the esteemed Master Sinuoli, Chosen of the Goddess!" Prince Balin replied.

"Welcome back, Your Majesty and your honored guests." Hearing this, the Gatekeeper stepped aside.

As the line of Dwarfs continued to advance, they passed under a stone gate about as tall as they were, with Runes and the faces of ancestors carved on the lintel.

According to Prince Balin's introduction, this was the oldest stone in the fortress, almost as old as the legendary ancestors themselves; the Dwarfs of Jiliuguan believed that if any uninvited guests attempted to pass through it, it would shatter, then crash down heavily on their heads and seal the entrance.

Every clansman was glad that this rumor had never been tested.

Soon, the Dwarfs entered the vestibule; this long, low passageway was lit by countless lanterns in niches set every few meters.

The walls were crenelated, with three levels on each side; Thunderers patrolled the long ramparts, and Artillery and other War Machines stood ready, prepared at any moment to pour a rain of metal upon enemies attempting to invade the gate.

This was because Jiliuguan was located on the periphery of the Mountain Kingdom and was frequently subjected to various attacks.

After passing the vestibule, the interior of Zhufuba extended into countless tunnels toward the north, east, and south; the labyrinthine tunnel system was interconnected, crisscrossing vertically and horizontally.

Here, at the center of the entire underground city, the straight walls appeared solid and reliable, decorated with Runes and reliefs that silently told the stories of the ancestors.

Several galleries opened out from the great hall, overlooking the canteens, Armories, reception rooms, and forging halls.

Sinuoli was led all the way to a room on the upper level of the fortress to rest; he would speak at the welcoming banquet in the evening.

According to the arrangements of King Thorgin, Sinuoli would go to the Rune Smith Guild of Jiliuguan tomorrow morning for an exchange, followed by a tour of the Armory here.

Thanks to the tips from Little Grain Rain in the 24 Solar Terms, Remnant Snow Great, Dragon Ridge, Melbourne Knight, Brave A-Zheng, Yakult is Really Good, Come on Baby Rice Dog, and 0 monthly tickets.

There will be an extra update in the evening.