Chapter 372
The first step in creating a device is, of course, to produce a magical tool with shielding capabilities—otherwise, everything that follows would be moot.
This magical tool has already been crafted by Madam Xuanhua.
On the table lay a bracelet, engraved with two shielding symbols.
"This is it?"
Madam Xuanhua nodded, a hint of pride on her face. "It's not difficult to make; the tricky part is finding usable spiritual materials."
"And where did these materials come from?"
Zheng Fa asked curiously.
"We tested all the spiritual materials we acquired from the Xuanwei Realm and the market, and this one performed the best," Sister Zhang explained. "Wearing this bracelet, within a radius of five feet, spiritual energy has almost no interference with electromagnetic forces."
"Almost?"
"This bracelet is merely a magical tool, so its effectiveness is limited. Miss Xiao's experiments showed that it is basically ineffective against thunder techniques below the Golden Core level, and above that, it depends on the practitioner's skill."
"What about the cost?"
"It's quite cheap, but its utility is limited."
Madam Xuanhua sighed. "This thing is only effective during your experiments; it can't serve as a defensive treasure."
"Hmm?"
Zheng Fa looked at Madam Xuanhua, who continued to explain:
"For instance, if Yu Ying strikes with thunder from a distance, this won't protect you."
Zheng Fa nodded. It was indeed the case; while it could resist the interference of spiritual energy with electromagnetic forces, it had no effect on the electromagnetic forces themselves.
To be honest, if this thing were effective against electromagnetic forces... it would ironically prevent Zheng Fa from creating the device he wanted.
Take an electron microscope, for example. Theoretically, it requires electrons to be shot at the material being tested. If this bracelet blocked that, it would be quite awkward.
"On the other hand, if you wear this bracelet, any defensive magical tools you have against thunder will also become ineffective."
Zheng Fa understood Madam Xuanhua's frustration.
Those magical tools were also crafted based on the control of spiritual energy over electromagnetic forces.
It was akin to antivirus software inadvertently disabling its own firewall...
"But if we modify this thing for the instruments you mentioned, it should still be somewhat useful."
Zheng Fa nodded lightly, but as he looked at the bracelet, another idea crossed his mind...
"Madam, could you help me make something else?"
"What is it?"
"Just a cage-like structure made of thin copper or iron wire."
"…"
Madam Xuanhua stared at him for a long moment before suddenly asking, "Not a spiritual material?"
"No."
"A mundane object?"
"Yes."
"Do you know how many spirit stones I spend each time I craft something as a master craftsman of the Nascent Soul? You want me to make this mundane item for you..." Madam Xuanhua gritted her teeth as she asked.
Zheng Fa paused. He had just thought of it on a whim.
He hadn't expected to hurt Madam Xuanhua's pride.
After a moment's thought, he called over a few disciples from the Golden Core project who were skilled in crafting.
What Zheng Fa described was indeed not difficult. Soon, a silver sphere made of metal wire appeared before everyone.
The sphere stood on the ground, complete with a door that could open and close.
Zheng Fa thought for a moment, put on the bracelet, stepped inside the sphere, and said to Xiao Yuying, "Miss Xiao, try using your thunder techniques on me."
Xiao Yuying blinked, her eyes filled with confusion, but she still moved her finger, and a bolt of blue lightning shot down from the sky towards Zheng Fa.
The metal sphere crackled with electric sparks, dazzling to behold.
Miss Xiao was a bit fierce...
But everyone present was a cultivator, and they could see clearly—though the lightning danced like flowing water on the wires, there was not a hint of thunder inside the metal sphere!
Zheng Fa sat inside without even moving a finger!
Madam Xuanhua rushed to the outside of the cage, looking at Zheng Fa, and asked, "Did you use a secret technique?"
"No."
"Did you hide a magical treasure?"
"…Madam, you know how poor my Jiushan Sect is, right?"
"Then what is this…"
Zheng Fa glanced at the metal sphere, secretly amused: This magical treasure is called a Faraday cage...
"Madam, do you think this thing, combined with that bracelet, could be considered a defensive treasure?"
Madam Xuanhua was silent for a long time before finally speaking, "Given its cost, calling it a treasure would be an insult..."
"It deserves to be called a supreme treasure!"
---
Chapter 324: A Sure Win, Reproductive Isolation
The sky crackled with lightning, and on the ground sat an iron sphere.
Inside, Madam Xuanhua, wearing the bracelet, crouched within, tilting her head back, waiting for the thunder to strike—she still had some doubts about the cage's miraculous properties. In the Xuanwei Realm, seeing is not always believing, but when lightning strikes, it’s hard to deny.
Thus, she wanted to test it herself.
After a stick of incense burned, Madam Xuanhua walked out of the cage, her expression somewhat dazed, like a large monkey in a zoo suddenly beginning to understand humans...
Once she regained her senses, she excitedly turned to Zheng Fa and said, "This bracelet is just a cheap magical tool, and this metal net isn't even a proper magical tool, yet together they can defend against thunder techniques at the Golden Core and even Nascent Soul levels..."
"I've seen many magical treasures, but I've never encountered one so cost-effective!"
Though these two items were excellent at defending against thunder techniques, as Madam Xuanhua pointed out, they were not without flaws:
First, the bracelet is merely a magical tool, so its shielding capabilities are naturally limited. Thunder techniques above the Golden Core level can easily bypass its shielding effects.
Secondly, the Faraday cage itself has limitations:
For instance, it can only block electromagnetic waves with wavelengths larger than the gaps in the mesh.
Moreover, the conductivity of the metal determines how strong of a thunder it can withstand—simply put, it depends on whether there are enough free electrons in the metal to form a counter electric field. This is why the Faraday cage works best when grounded, as it can draw on the free electrons in the earth.
However, grounding naturally limits the mobility of the device.
Yet, as Madam Xuanhua said—what's the harm in spending a few spirit stones?
After hearing Zheng Fa's explanation, Madam Xuanhua nodded, appearing somewhat balanced, not disappointed at all. Instead, she said:
"Though it can't be moved, it has great utility... for example, during the thunder tribulation!"
Her eyes sparkled as she thought of a use for this device.
Zheng Fa wanted to test the Faraday cage precisely because of this—not everyone is as abnormal as Yan Wushuang, who enjoys being struck by lightning; that’s a rather niche interest.
From Golden Core to Nascent Soul, one must face the thunder tribulation, and during that time, no one dares to run around.
This device is perfect for that.
Even Sister Zhang nodded in agreement, smiling as she said, "Just this alone makes it immensely valuable, greatly benefiting our Jiushan Sect in the future."
"And that's not all; if we make it into a magical garment..." Madam Xuanhua, being a crafting expert, let her imagination run wild, "Standing on the ground, combined with your Sun and Moon Bell, that would be simply..."
"Unfair!"
Zheng Fa thought for a moment; it did seem a bit like bullying.
Xiao Yuying sighed from the side, "I feel like this thing is bullying us thunder cultivators..."
Zheng Fa shot her a look, speechless. You're a Nascent Soul cultivator; how do you understand the principles behind it?
What’s there to be bullied about?
But seeing Xiao Yuying's expression, he understood—she felt outmatched by science.
Thinking about it, no matter how talented one is, mastering the Golden Core thunder techniques is no easy feat.
And now, a simple net could render all that effort futile...
Even the most gifted can be overwhelmed, right?
---
After discussing the Faraday cage for a while, Zheng Fa looked at the gathered disciples and suddenly remembered something.
"You all participated in the Golden Core project. I have a design for a Golden Core here; take a look and see if there’s a way to realize it."
Zheng Fa took out a jade tube from his storage bag and handed it to them.
Just as he finished speaking, he heard a soft rustle of footsteps behind him, followed by a gentle touch against his arm, a sweet scent wafting up to his nose.
Turning around, he saw Madam Xuanhua reaching out, her face full of curiosity, seemingly wanting to take the jade tube from him.
He slightly flicked his arm, avoiding Madam Xuanhua's outstretched hand.
Madam Xuanhua's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Zheng Fa, filled with confusion and even a hint of anger:
"I’m also a participant in the Golden Core project!
"I’ve contributed to your Jiushan Sect!
"I’ve provided spirit stones for you to refine external pills!
"I even sold myself to you, Zheng Fa!
"And now you won’t even let me see a jade tube?"
Do you really see me as an outsider?
Seeing her expression, Zheng Fa couldn't help but laugh, explaining, "This is also a mundane object; I’m afraid Madam Xuanhua wouldn’t be interested."
"A mundane object?" Madam Xuanhua was taken aback. "How could a Golden Core be a mundane object?"
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