Chapter 358
But...
I haven't even taken off my clothes, and you just...
Huh?
He looked at Madam Xuanhua, noticing her calm demeanor, as if she had already anticipated this moment, exuding a quiet determination.
This made Zheng Fa hesitate instead.
"Madam... may I ask why you feel this way?"
"To be honest, Sect Leader, I have my eyes on the 'Jindan Project.'"
Madam Xuanhua spoke candidly.
"I wouldn't hide the 'Jindan Project' from you, Madam."
"And what about the principles behind the 'Jindan Project'?"
Madam Xuanhua smiled lightly.
"..."
Zheng Fa fell silent for a moment. To be honest, he hadn't intended to keep it a secret.
But this was something that Madam Xuanhua wouldn't be able to grasp in a short time.
The knowledge required ranged from mathematics to physics, and finally to engineering...
One could say that the brains behind the 'Jindan Project' were still firmly rooted in the modern world.
Yet he understood Madam Xuanhua's concern; she feared that Zheng Fa might hold back some information.
This was truly an overestimation of her own intellect and an underestimation of Zheng Fa's generosity...
Zheng Fa wasn't angry. Madam Xuanhua was merely inferring his thoughts based on the common sense of the Xuanwei realm.
After a moment of contemplation, he spoke:
"If you wish to join my Jiushan Sect, Madam, do you understand the rules of our sect?"
"I do..."
A hint of pain flickered across Madam Xuanhua's face.
Zheng Fa knew why she felt this way:
To open up Jiushan Sect and develop Jingkai Island, he and Senior Sister Zhang had just discussed the regulations for taxation and rent.
The regulations were roughly divided into two parts:
One was a consumption tax for Jingkai Island, similar to the previous marketplace of Jiushan Sect.
The other, which had existed before, was for spontaneous transactions between Jiushan Sect disciples and the outside world... including transactions not conducted on Jingkai Island, which would also be taxed.
In other words, as long as something was produced, payment was required...
For each product, Senior Sister Zhang had set the tax rate based on the internal situation of Jiushan Sect.
In simple terms, it was a value-added tax.
There were many reasons for this, but the main one was proposed by Uncle Pang: the issue of spiritual energy consumption.
Whether it was drawing talismans or refining tools, both consumed the spiritual energy of the Jiushan realm.
This was manageable for the disciples of Jiushan, as the differences from the previous rules of Jiushan Sect were minimal, and their ability to conduct business externally was cultivated by the sect.
Whether it was the various knowledge on University Island or the safe haven of Jiushan realm, both were invaluable treasures in the Xuanwei realm.
This was also necessary for the normal operation of Jiushan Sect—truth be told, at this point, the investment in disciples by Jiushan realm was increasing, but the returns were not high.
However, for Madam Xuanhua... this felt like taking food from between her teeth, especially since no one had taxed her in her previous business dealings.
Seeing her like this, Zheng Fa smiled and handed over the jade tube.
Madam Xuanhua took the jade tube, her consciousness sinking into it as she began to read...
Gradually, a smile appeared on her face, and when she opened her eyes again, the pain had vanished, her eyes sparkling as she sighed:
"Only after seeing this did I realize that joining Jiushan Sect is worth it."
Zheng Fa understood her meaning:
The eleven simplified Jindan methods were indeed extremely precious.
But what Madam Xuanhua valued was actually the ability to optimize the Jindan methods in bulk!
This was the principle behind the so-called 'Jindan Project!'
This was the reason Madam Xuanhua took the initiative to join.
However, Zheng Fa chuckled, "This thing was actually something we had already agreed upon... even if you didn't join Jiushan Sect, I would still present it."
Madam Xuanhua was taken aback, a look of regret crossing her face.
It seemed she felt she had missed out.
"But there is one thing that, unless you are willing to join Jiushan, I will never show you."
"What is it?"
Madam Xuanhua blinked, asking. But Zheng Fa didn't respond to her, suddenly turning to Xiao Yuying, and said earnestly, "This matter is a top secret of Jiushan Sect, so... I'm afraid I can't let you, Miss Xiao, know about it."
Xiao Yuying: "..."
She silently took two steps back, watching as Zheng Fa smiled apologetically at her, leading Madam Xuanhua toward University Island.
Watching the two figures fade into the distance, Xiao Yuying squinted her eyes, feeling a bit uncomfortable...
I was here first!
...
Zheng Fa's intention to keep things from Xiao Yuying was indeed a top secret of Jiushan Sect—he planned to experiment with electron microscopes... even particle colliders in the Jiushan realm.
Originally, this was impossible.
But ever since Senior Sister Zhang and Xiao Yuying discovered that shielding rune in the communication talisman, it became feasible.
Zheng Fa's idea was to create Jiushan versions of experimental equipment based on relevant principles, combining thunder techniques and tool refining methods—
He wasn't trying to be redundant; he wanted to study the spiritual materials themselves, and you needed spiritual materials to do that...
What could be studied in the modern world were the particles produced by his Jindan, which couldn't be compared with other spiritual materials.
Thus, analyzing spiritual materials in the Jiushan realm became extremely necessary.
To be honest, this was high-tech even in the modern world, unlike the Jindan, which already existed in the Xuanwei realm...
Zheng Fa's emphasis on this far exceeded anything else...
When categorizing all knowledge within Jiushan Sect, there were some pieces of information that Zheng Fa and Jiushan Sect would not share with outsiders—
For example, the secrets of the stones obtained from the Tianhe Secret Realm.
And the principles behind the new laboratory and various experimental instruments.
These were all classified information; even within Jiushan Sect, it would be difficult for anyone below the Nascent Soul stage to access this part of the data.
To be frank, he trusted Xiao Yuying, but... she had a Transformation Stage master and wasn't a member of Jiushan Sect.
He handed several jade tubes to Madam Xuanhua.
Inside the jade tubes were the principles and design ideas for various experimental instruments.
"Madam, what do you think?"
"I can roughly understand it, but I don't quite grasp why we need these things..." Madam Xuanhua replied, clearly puzzled.
After all, most of the experimental instruments or ideas were used for observation, measurement, and experimentation.
This was completely different from the concept of magical treasures in the Xuanwei realm.
Most magical treasures in the Xuanwei realm were used for combat; of course, there were some that excelled in observation, but they rarely strayed from the realm of aiding combat—similar to telescopes.
However, the ideas for the tools Zheng Fa provided had no combat capability whatsoever, yet they maximized observational and measurement abilities.
This was where Madam Xuanhua found herself confused.
"Madam..." Zheng Fa thought for a moment and then addressed her, "Observation, hypothesis, verification. This is the true essence of the immortal methods of Jiushan realm."
"..." Madam Xuanhua looked a bit lost; after all, she was new here.
Seeing her bewilderment, Zheng Fa changed his approach:
"Madam, as a master tool refiner, may I ask..."
"What is spiritual material composed of?"
"Why must magical treasures be made from spiritual materials?"
"What is the difference between spiritual treasures and magical treasures?"
"And what distinguishes a life-bound magical treasure from an ordinary one?"
Madam Xuanhua stared blankly at Zheng Fa, her expression a bit overwhelmed—
Wait, if I wanted to know this, would I be here?
Should I just call myself Xuanhua Xianzun instead?
"This is the tool I use to explore these questions..."
Zheng Fa pointed to the jade tube in her hand, smiling.
Madam Xuanhua's expression shifted, and she seemed to understand a bit: "Observation..."
Zheng Fa nodded with a smile.
Madam Xuanhua fell silent, seemingly torn between wanting to believe and not wanting to believe.
Seeing her quiet, Zheng Fa took out another jade tube.
"Also, inside this one, there are some of my ideas... for your reference."
"Ideas?"
Madam Xuanhua was momentarily stunned, realizing that when Zheng Fa spoke of this, he didn't seem to care as much, as if the contents of this jade tube weren't as crucial.
But when she took the jade tube and looked inside, she was struck with astonishment, feeling that these ideas were much more intuitive than the various experimental instruments in the previous jade tube!
"A train for mortals and lower-level disciples?"
"A city that never sleeps?"
"Tools for checking the health of disciples?"
"..."
As Madam Xuanhua read, her voice gradually grew softer.
"What is this..."
"These are just some of my random thoughts," Zheng Fa said with a smile, "Just for you to see, and if feasible in the future, we can give it a try."
With the shielding rune, not only experimental instruments, but Zheng Fa also wanted to try creating many modern products in the Jiushan realm—like installing streetlights in Mid-Mountain City or providing Jiushan realm mortals with a maglev train to ride.
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