Chapter 224
Zheng Fa nodded and sketched the trajectory he had just observed, handing it over to the old man Bai beside him.
The Yunyu Leifu (Cloud and Rain Thunder Talisman) was far more complex than the previous Tianjie Leifu (Heavenly Tribulation Thunder Talisman).
This was a set of talismans, each with its own unique function.
For instance, Zheng Fa was currently documenting a trajectory that could generate water vapor and condense clouds.
...
"This talisman generates clouds."
"This talisman alters the strength of the magnetic field."
"This talisman produces lasers..."
"This talisman creates a stream of positive charged particles..."
As Bai summarized, he became increasingly bewildered.
"Why is this so complicated?" He frowned at the talismans. "Wait, why do all these divine names differ?"
Zheng Fa shook his head, already having anticipated this.
From what he understood about talisman techniques, these spiritual talismans likely had different origins, or rather, were created by various powerful beings.
The Tianjie Leifu was somewhat straightforward, as it seemed the Fengshen Ce (Book of Gods) had chosen the most powerful one.
However, the Yunyu Fu was too intricate; each creator had their own ideas—resulting in a variety of interpretations for the talismans, each with its own rationale.
On the other hand, this also indicated that unlike the Tianjie Leifu, the Fengshen Ce had not clarified which ideas were superior, simply compiling them all into the book.
"We definitely need to keep the one that generates rain clouds."
Zheng Fa thought for a moment and added, "As for the rest, let’s check their respective papers."
...
Zheng Fa was flipping through several stacks of papers while discussing with Bai and the others beside him.
Just as the old gentleman from the meteorology department at the capital university had pointed out, there was a wealth of research on laser-induced rain and snow, with the most complete data available.
The principle behind this method of inducing rain wasn’t particularly difficult, at least not for Zheng Fa and Tang Lingwu.
Not only abroad, but there were also many related studies within the country.
"The advantage of laser-induced rain is that the frequency and wavelength of the laser are relatively fixed, the conditions are simpler, and the energy intensity is higher."
"The principle of laser-induced rain involves using lasers to excite plasma, capturing charged raindrops in the clouds, accelerating their growth and merging."
"Several research institutions have already achieved relatively successful artificial rain and snow using this method."
Tang Lingwu summarized.
Bai nodded in agreement, "Lasers are great; they’re straightforward to work with..."
Zheng Fa nodded as well.
Essentially, a laser is a form of electromagnetic wave, even light emitted during electron transitions.
"In the previous Yunyu Fu, there were indeed some trajectories that could produce lasers," Bai recalled. "Lasers are indeed easier to control than other methods, but... they require more precise control over the thunder techniques."
After saying this, he looked at Zheng Fa, his gaze questioning, as if asking if he could handle it.
The wavelength of a laser is the same, but even a slight change in energy can make a significant difference.
Choosing the direction of the laser is also crucial; to control the amount of rain, the timing and spatial control of the thunder techniques must be precise.
This required Zheng Fa to apply the thunder techniques with greater detail—much more challenging than the Tianjie Leifu, which only required attention to energy intensity.
Zheng Fa thought for a moment; he had already mastered the "Tianluo Thunder Armor," which had significantly improved his control over thunder techniques.
"Let’s give it a try!"
Zheng Fa nodded to Bai and the others, following the experimental process outlined in one of the papers, and began the Daoist version of the experiment.
...
Down the mountain, at the guesthouse.
The owner looked out at the continuous rain, his expression a bit gloomy.
With such weather, there were hardly any guests at the guesthouse.
Even the background of the livestream was dreary, and the audience had dwindled significantly.
Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but recall the old man from the nursing home—when that old man came, the livestream was buzzing with activity!
"Are you free right now?" his grandmother suddenly approached and asked.
"Grandma?"
"If you’re free, drive me to the goddess temple; I want to pray!"
"Grandma! Why do you want to go again?"
"You saw how the goddess manifested last time!" His grandmother insisted, "If we don’t go, won’t the goddess think we’re not sincere?"
The guesthouse owner remained indifferent, seemingly reluctant to move.
"Besides, look at the business in this place!" His grandmother, seeing his reluctance, continued, "Maybe a prayer will turn things around! Look at the Wang family; their business boomed after they built a temple!"
"Fine, I’ll drive!"
"You think I don’t know you?"
(End of this chapter)
Chapter 214: Planting the Sun
The guesthouse owner drove along the mountain road, already regretting his decision.
This mountain road was treacherous; one misstep could lead to a fall into the abyss, especially now that the rain was intensifying, shrouding the mountains in mist and making it hard to see the way ahead.
Despite the windshield wipers working hard, he was drenched in cold sweat throughout the journey.
"Grandma, if I hadn’t grown up here, that last turn would have been deadly!"
He gripped the steering wheel tightly, speaking to his grandmother in the backseat.
"Not falling off means the goddess is protecting us, right?"
His grandmother seemed to sense the blame in his tone and countered confidently.
The owner shook his head, not wanting to argue with his grandmother, and slowed the car down even more.
After a long struggle, they finally arrived at the goddess temple.
The temple was newly built, and parking was convenient. He followed his grandmother inside.
The statues in the temple were adorned in gold and red, with kind expressions, gazing down at the worshippers. His grandmother knelt devoutly on the mat, murmuring prayers.
The owner gazed out at the pouring rain, no longer concerned about business, only worried about how to get down the mountain.
He could hear his grandmother’s prayers:
"Goddess, look at this heavy rain; we’re the only ones here, thinking of you."
"I’m not asking for much."
"My grandson still doesn’t have a wife; goddess, please help him find a good match."
"Grandma!"
"Shh! Don’t be so loud; the goddess might take offense." His grandmother scolded softly, then continued, "His business is tough; I don’t understand livestreaming, and I’m not asking for him to be rich, just for him to have an easier life, not to be so worn out."
The guesthouse owner pursed his lips.
"He hasn’t enjoyed much in life, and he’s such a dutiful child. His parents have been sick one after another, and he had to come back to take care of them, putting his work and marriage on hold..."
"And now he has to take care of an old woman like me..."
"Grandma, why are you saying all this?" The owner felt a bit embarrassed. "The goddess doesn’t care about these things."
"Oh, and one more thing." His grandmother ignored him: "If my time comes, goddess, please let me go swiftly and cleanly, don’t let me burden this child any longer."
"Grandma!"
"Come here!" His grandmother stood up and said, "You should pray too, for work and marriage; say it a few more times, the goddess will remember if she hears it often."
The owner fell silent for a moment.
Suddenly, he knelt on the mat, silently praying in his heart:
"Please bless my grandma with a long life."
He didn’t want anything else and stood up directly.
"That was quick? Did you really pray?" His grandmother murmured, "What did you ask for?"
"I don’t have much to ask for." The owner smiled and said, "I don’t really believe in this."
"Stubborn child!"
"Let’s get down the mountain! The rain is getting heavier!"
The owner pulled his grandmother into the car.
The rain poured even harder, and the mountain roads became dark and slippery, increasingly difficult to navigate.
After half an hour of driving, they were still winding through the mountains.
Suddenly, a brilliant flash of lightning struck the mountaintop, thick and long.
The owner was momentarily blinded by the light, startled, he slammed on the brakes and stared at the mountain peak.
"What’s wrong?" His grandmother asked from the backseat.
"Grandma... the rain has stopped."
"Stopped?"
They both looked up at the sky.
The thick clouds, like a blanket, had parted in the middle, revealing a large hole through which sunlight streamed down, perfectly illuminating Hongshan (Rainbow Mountain).
Outside the mountain, the storm raged on.
But on Hongshan, the wind had calmed, and the rain had ceased.
"Goddess... has manifested!"
His grandmother exclaimed, trembling.
The owner gaped at the scene, and in his heart, he began to agree with his superstitious grandmother.
"I told you to say a few more words!"
His grandmother said again.
"I did." The owner pressed the gas pedal, taking advantage of the break in the rain to head down the mountain. "I said everything that needed to be said."
...
"That’s impressive..."
Looking up at the sky, Bai marveled.
"This cloud and rain thunder system is indeed quite challenging." Tang Lingwu noted, taking notes. "We’ve now summarized three of the most useful trajectories."
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