"If the Third Ancestor thinks there's no problem, then that's fine. But I do have one matter that needs the Third Ancestor's help. Papermaking is too simple. If the Ten Thousand Races put their minds to it, they could easily figure it out."
Seeing that the Third Ancestor had no objections to his proposal, Jiang Yuan felt excited. But he hadn't forgotten the main issue: solving the problem of papermaking being easy to copy.
There was no Patent Law in the Primordial World. Seeing how useful Spirit Paper was, it was obvious that the powerful members of the Ten Thousand Races would find a way to reproduce it, so the Human Race wouldn't be the only one to enjoy its benefits.
Could the powerful members of the Ten Thousand Races reproduce it? Did he even need to ask? It didn't require much technical skill. A Primordial Unity Golden Immortal would only need one look to figure out most of the process.
"This is simple. Write down the art of papermaking, then enshrine it in the Sacred Temple. That way, all the secrets of Heaven related to this art will be obscured. Even those with great divine powers won't be able to calculate anything."
Ancestor Sui spoke in a relaxed tone.
"Uh..."
Jiang Yuan froze, never expecting the solution to be so simple.
But he quickly realized he'd been making assumptions again. The Primordial World had no Patent Law, but it did have divine powers. Divine powers were more effective than any law.
All you had to do was obscure the secrets of Heaven surrounding something. Even if you placed it in the most conspicuous spot, no one would be able to recognize it.
As it happened, the Sacred Temple of Nuwa, whom the Human Race worshipped, could obscure the secrets of Heaven. All they had to do was place the art of papermaking inside, and it would become the Human Race's exclusive skill.
At that point, outsiders wouldn't just be unable to figure it out. Even if they'd already learned the art, they still wouldn't be able to make paper.
Because the Sage wouldn't allow it!
That was right. The Sage was just that overbearing. If the Sage didn't want you to make something, then even if you learned how to produce it, you still wouldn't be able to.
"The abilities of the powerful far exceed your imagination. You're good in every way, but you're too young. You've had little time to cultivate, and your cultivation is weak."
"When you become powerful, you'll realize that the problems you once worried about are actually easy to solve—even reversing time and changing the past."
Seeing Jiang Yuan's expression, Ancestor Sui couldn't help laughing. This was why he felt Jiang Yuan was genuine: a young man's bewilderment couldn't be faked.
From Jiang Yuan's behavior alone, he couldn't possibly be some old monster in disguise. He was undoubtedly a young man who'd only just begun cultivating, ignorant and inexperienced.
"Become powerful? I'm already working on it."
Jiang Yuan couldn't help feeling helpless. Cultivation was a slow process that required time, so no matter how hard he worked, he couldn't ascend to the heavens in a single bound and become powerful overnight.
"Don't rush. When it comes to cultivation, it's better to be slow than fast. Haste makes waste."
Worried Jiang Yuan would fixate on advancing his cultivation and neglect his foundations, Youchao reminded him. He was the Human Race's most promising talent; they absolutely couldn't let anything go wrong.
"Don't worry, Ancestor Chao. I cultivate the supreme Dao scripture passed down by the Holy Mother. My foundations will definitely be sound."
When it came to his foundations, Jiang Yuan never thought they'd be a problem. They were as solid as could be—steadfast as Mount Buzhou.
"By the way, Ancestor Zi, I've had a new idea about weaving. There's no need to fixate on silkworm silk and spider silk. The fur of beasts and the fibers of plants can also be spun into thread and woven into cloth. They're not necessarily any worse than silk."
Suddenly, Jiang Yuan remembered something and spoke to Ziyi. He hadn't forgotten that later generations used all kinds of wool and yarn in addition to silk.
Since animal hair could be spun into thread in later generations, it could be done in the Primordial World too. Besides, weaving in later generations required tools, but there was no need for them in the Primordial World.
In an age when the Dao manifested its power, people could create divine arts to suit their needs.
Take papermaking, for example. At first, it really was just a craft. But as soon as the art of papermaking succeeded, it was about to become a divine power.
A single point at the materials needed for making paper, and they could be transformed into the corresponding Spirit Paper. That was only the beginning. Later, even materials wouldn't be needed; one could simply convert their magic power.
Spinning and weaving worked the same way. Ziyi had already developed a specialized divine power. A single point at a silkworm cocoon, and it would immediately transform into strands of shimmering silk.
Then, with a mere thought, one could turn it into silk fabric—or go a step further and transform it directly into clothing. The latter was much more complicated than the former, though, and not everyone could do it.
"Ah, you've reminded me. The East Sea Coast may lack silkworms, but it certainly doesn't lack beasts."
"And unlike silkworms, which only produce silk once in their lives, beasts grow their fur back after it's shorn. It's an inexhaustible resource."
Ziyi exclaimed with delight, her thoughts suddenly opening up. As soon as she finished speaking, Merit gathered in the sky once more, descending upon her and Jiang Yuan, as well as the piece of silkworm-silk cloth.
Clothing covered the body, protected against wind and cold, and taught people to feel shame. It was also a form of civilizing virtue. That was why Ziyi had previously earned Merit for teaching her people to cover themselves with animal skins and leaves to protect themselves from the cold.
Now, the appearance of silk and wool yarn had made clothing more complete, strengthening its effects in every way. And so, the Heavenly Dao bestowed Merit once again.
The Merit was still modest, but it kept flowing without end. Accumulated over time, the amount would be considerable—enough to rank near the top of the Primordial World's Merit rankings, if such a list existed.
"Yuan, though this silkworm-silk cloth was made by my hands, it was woven at your suggestion. So you should name it."
Under the nourishment of Merit, the silkworm-silk cloth had successfully advanced into a low-grade postcelestial Merit Spirit Treasure. It was no longer an ordinary object, so it deserved a name.
Thinking of how the silkworm-silk cloth had come to be, Ziyi gave Jiang Yuan the right to name it.
"Its color is dark yellow, and it bears the patterns of the Heavenly Dao. Let's call it Mysterious Yellow Silk."
Jiang Yuan was terrible at coming up with names. After thinking it over for a moment, he chose one that was rather simple. Since it had Profound Yellow Merit, he'd name it after that.
"Silk!"
"That's a lovely name!"
Ziyi praised Jiang Yuan, then raised the Mysterious Yellow Silk in her hand.
The next moment, the Mysterious Yellow Silk began to change in midair. Before long, it had become a dark-yellow Daoist robe, patterned with the yin-yang taiji, clouds and thunder, the sun, moon, and stars, mountains and rivers, plants and trees, and more.
"This is the Daoist robe worn by Emperor Xi, an innate divine robe. I liked its design, so I used the Mysterious Yellow Silk to imitate it. I give it to you now, to protect you."
Knowing that Jiang Yuan's cultivation was weak and fearing he might encounter danger, Ziyi directly gave him the Merit Spirit Treasure, the Mysterious Yellow Silk.
Or perhaps, in Ziyi's eyes, it had always belonged to Jiang Yuan. Giving it to him now was simply returning it to its rightful owner.
"When an elder gives you something, you mustn't refuse. Thank you, Ancestor Zi."
Jiang Yuan had changed. Before, he'd gone through the motions of refusing, but now he accepted any treasure an elder gave him, no matter its value.
"Why thank me? It was yours to begin with." Ziyi smiled faintly.