The Scholar Departed Calmly, the Kitchen God Entered Dreams at Night

"What a scholar! He actually possesses such skills!" The middle-aged man, upon his sudden appearance, first showed surprise, then anger. "However, to think you can fight this god is simply overestimating yourself!"

As he finished speaking, he raised his hand and grasped, the People's Wishes surging within him, growing ever stronger!

Outside, the entire Star Platform Town was shrouded in an oppressive aura. In an instant, all the People's Wishes converged on Liu Family Blacksmith Shop!

Call!

The fire in the stove in the shop suddenly surged!

The temperature in the room rose again, bursting forth with waves of heat that radiated outwards and washed over Qiu Yan.

Qiu Yan's clothes suddenly billowed up, and the heat penetrated through them, landing on his skin and flesh. The heat generated entered his soul and, through the connection, seeped into his very being!

In the realm of his mind, flames surged, fueled by external heat, instantly condensing into a massive fireball that enveloped the radiant light that Qiu Yan had transformed into, before suddenly shrinking away!

"A mere mortal, if not for the sake of the Dragon Court's Fortune, wouldn't even bother talking to you. Yet you dare to defy me! It's a pity this person already possesses Official Qi and hasn't committed any blasphemous acts. We cannot easily destroy his soul, otherwise..."

The middle-aged man, dressed in court robes, exuded divine power, clearly revealing the true form of the Fire Sovereign; the previous fire giant was merely an illusion.

But no sooner had he finished speaking than the sound of reading burst forth from the retracted fireball, followed by a scroll flying out, radiating light!

"What is this?" Huozheng's expression changed, and before he could think about it carefully, paragraphs of text flew out of the scroll, spinning in the air, forming a word "", which suddenly grew bigger and stood taller than the sky!

"Is this the scholar's will? It's so firm! This is bad!"

Huo Zheng was stunned when he saw this, and then his expression changed drastically. He found that the fiery red sky was actually cracked by the word "people". Knowing that this was a sign that the conscious world was about to collapse, he was about to leave!

This time, he used his divine power to Divine Sense by taking advantage of the terrain and relying on the many believers, memorial tablets, and incense fires in Star Platform Town. Otherwise, with his Fifth Grade ability, he would not have been able to enter Qiu Yan's heart with his Divine Sense in broad daylight.

However, although Divine Sense possesses many powers, it is ultimately within Qiu Yan's mind. Now that the world of his mind has shattered, it is natural to withdraw his own Divine Sense.

Unfortunately, Qiu Yan was not about to give him that chance!

Splash!

Before the fire Orthodox God sense, this world completely collapsed. Lava, rocks, sky, and flames shattered like mirrors, returning to darkness!

Snap!

A shattering sound emanated from his Divine Sense.

Outside, Qiu Yan, who had been standing silently, suddenly opened his eyes. The scene before him was still the inner room of the blacksmith's shop.

All around, the air was thick with heat, and the blacksmiths were sweating profusely as the pig iron in their furnaces was already taking shape and was about to be taken out.

Behind them, Hu Qi and Dai Guo remained close by, on high alert.

In my hand, the lever trembled, the leather bladder bulged, and a sound of wind could be heard coming from the copper tube.

Everything that just happened seemed like it hadn't occurred, but Qiu Yan knew in his heart that the battle in the world of thoughts, though seemingly long, was actually only a moment, as fleeting as a thought turning.

"In the realm of consciousness, without the interference of the physical body, the Way of Knowledge and Action can be executed at will. However, in the mortal world, limited by one's realm, the methods are subject to one 'fortuitous opportunity whims. Nevertheless, this also explains why the hand seals went out of control. It can be considered a coincidence, somewhat related to the Unmoving Seal. One must be careful in the future and Life Cultivation as soon as possible to achieve balance..."

Qiu Yan continued pulling the airbag without stopping his movements.

"This probing has revealed the truth about the Fire Sovereign's worship. According to the villagers, the so-called Fire Sovereign was a minister in the Ba-Shu Ancient Kingdom who observed the heavens and made calendars. After his death, he was moved by the People's Wishes and was enshrined as a god, almost like Heaven-Born Deity. However, the words of that deity just now were not only incoherent, but he also claimed that he was not a minister of the ancient kingdom. So we need to think carefully about his origins..."

Thinking of this, he suddenly remembered the Gate God and the Prison God who had come to arrest him, as well as the Circuit City God Lü Liang, with whom he had a considerable Karma.

"When the Gate God and the Prison God came to arrest me, they vaguely mentioned the matter of Heaven-Born Deity. And Lü Liang's actions in Wuxin City were clearly premeditated, with the intention of capturing me. Could it be because I am Heaven-Born Deity? Hmm, Heaven-Born Deity... Heavenly Court appointment... Change of position of Fire Sovereign..."

As Qiu Yan pondered, a clue gradually formed in his mind, but there were still some things he didn't quite understand.

Just then, a red light flashed in his eyes, his cheeks flushed red, and he let out a muffled groan.

"Young master? Has the heat affected your Qi and Blood?"

Behind them, Hu Qi and Dai Guo quickly stepped forward to inquire.

Upon hearing this, the blacksmiths who were working all turned around. One of them said, "Young master, you are a distinguished guest. Please go outside; it's too hot in here..."

Another said, "Although the young master is skilled in martial arts and proficient in both literature and martial arts, he is not used to manual labor. Let us handle the rest."

Their tone of voice was completely different from before, which was understandable. For generations, they had prayed to the gods and made offerings to keep the fire burning. But this scholar had quickly made a Stove Bellows and fanned the flames to raise the temperature. His skill was comparable to that of a god, which naturally filled them with awe and even changed the tone of their voices.

Actually, the people of Star Platform Town had previously rejected Qiu Yan mainly because they were seeking secret techniques and were afraid that revealing them would cause trouble. It turns out that the village and town have a long history of having the ancestral tablets of the Fire Sovereign God, which are favored by the gods. Moreover, they have been making offerings for thousands of years, and in recent decades, they have gradually grasped the gods' tastes and know which kinds of offerings are most loved by the gods.

The gods were pleased, and the pig iron they forged was of even better quality!

This seemingly simple matter is the secret of Star Platform Town. After all, many people worship the Fire Sovereign and the Fire God, so why is it that only this village and town has become famous for metallurgy?

After listening to the advice of several people, Qiu Yan pondered for a moment, nodded, and then instructed Hu Qi over and pull him.

Then, he looked around the room and said, "This device requires a lot of strength to operate, and there are a few key points to consider when manufacturing it. I'll take this opportunity to write them down and leave them here for future reference."

"Hmm?" Upon hearing this, everyone in the room's expression changed drastically. Hu Qi and Dai Guo looked anxious, Dai Guo even stepped forward, whispering, "Young Master, the Stove Bellows is of utmost importance; how can it be given away so easily?"

The blacksmiths inside, though they had their own thoughts, knew the Correct Principle of the matter and remained silent.

Qiu Yan shook his head and said, "I want to study for the Imperial Examinations. What use is the method of keeping the Stove Bellows? It should be spread, the more people who know, the better. There's no need to say more, my mind is made up."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xin was overjoyed. He disregarded everything else, put down the servants he was working with, and led Qiu Yan to the backyard.

In the courtyard, Yu Qing and the old woman were waiting. When they saw the two come out, they were about to ask them something when they saw Liu Xin respectfully leading Qiu Yan into the main room and tidying up the table.

Qiu Yan took out a brush and ink from his bag and began to write.

Liu Xin said awkwardly, "Young master, could you draw a picture for me? To be honest, I... I can't read." He looked ashamed.

Qiu Yan glanced at him and smiled, "What's so difficult about that?"

Then, with a nimble wrist movement, the pen moved swiftly across the paper, quickly sketching the structure of the bellows. Although he had never studied Painting Dao, his Life Cultivation was profound, his strength penetrating to his very bones. Whatever he conceived, his pen could clearly depict, though the painting lacked artistic conception.

With the drawing, Liu Xin was finally able to understand the general idea. He planned to keep the drawing a family heirloom and never show it to anyone. Unexpectedly, Qiu Yan said, "This Stove Bellows is not complicated. As long as you understand the structure, or have seen it once, an experienced craftsman can figure it out after a little thought. So there is no need to keep it a secret. You can spread it freely."

What Qiu Yan was true. The structure of the bellows was not complicated. Even if one did not know the principle, as long as one had seen it once, one could quickly imitate it by trying it a few times afterward.

In fact, what constrains these people is not the complex structure, but their fixed mindset. With divine protection, they naturally don't need to think about these things. Just like in Qiu Yan's previous life, since the advent of internet communication, few people have considered writing letters anymore. Once this barrier is broken, there are no more mysteries.

Liu Xin felt a chill run down his spine, a sense of regret, but dared not say more. Then, remembering something, he looked embarrassed. "Oh right, I've been busy all day, but I forgot to ask for your honorable name, young master."

It wasn't that he forgot to ask, but rather that he hadn't trusted Qiu Yan before and didn't care about the other person's reputation.

Qiu Yan didn't reveal his name, but simply said, "My name is Qiu Yan. Keep this paper safe. If anyone in town wants to see it, remember to show it to them. Don't be stingy with your possessions. This Stove Bellows isn't a secret; it can't be kept hidden forever." With that, he put away his pen and ink.

Liu Xin took it and glanced at it. Although he couldn't read, he sensed a profound charm in it and knew it was no ordinary thing. He quickly agreed.

At this moment, a flush rose on Qiu Yan's face, as red as fire, but it was so fleeting that Liu Xin did not notice it.

On the other side, Yu Qing and the old woman walked over, about to ask questions, when suddenly the shop door opened and several men filed out. The leader was carrying a piece of pig iron with tongs and strode forward.

"It's done! It's really been refined!"

"No need for sacrifices to the gods, yet the temperature can still rise!"

"That young master is telling the truth! He has the same skills as the Fire Sovereign!"

These sounds left Yu Qing and the old woman frozen in place, staring at the freshly forged piece of pig iron, their minds a complete blank, their spirits dazed.

Soon, the news spread, causing an uproar throughout the town. Some were happy, some were worried, and some even harbored malicious intentions. Due to the influence of the energy, Hu Qi and Dai Guo noticed this and realized that someone had murderous intent, which made them worried.

Qiu Yan remained calm. "What's so strange about that? My actions infringe upon the interests of some people. Cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents. Those blacksmiths were only afraid because they faced the impact directly and were first subdued by my Martial Dao Will. Otherwise, they would have harbored ill intentions. However, we can't stay in this town any longer. It's one thing for people to come looking for trouble, but once they discover the break in their Divine Sense, they will take action, and it won't be easy to quell the situation."

Thus, the three who had stirred up a huge storm in Star Platform Town left decisively despite Yu Qing's attempts to persuade them to stay.

That night, while Yu Qing, the old man, Liu Xin, and several other blacksmiths were fast asleep, they were all Heart Demon a nightmare and had the same dream: a deity called the Kitchen God was teaching a scholar the art of mechanisms.

ps:

Thank you to "Little Grass's Pride", "Snowfall Mystic Fox", "woゐYou've Become Bad", and "Bloodstained Warhawk" for your monthly votes!

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Just a heads up, I'll be going out of town tonight, so the update schedule might be a little off for the next few days, but I'll try my best to keep the number of posts to two per day.