A different kind of papermaking (2/3)

Ever since this bamboo forest was destroyed by the arrival of Yue.

Li Boyang's plan to breed an "Artificial Fang Boar" can basically be declared a failure.

At least in Xiluo's eyes, this plan was unreliable from the start and was simply a waste of time.

However, Li Baiyang clearly doesn't think so.

He first dug a huge pond next to the bamboo forest, and then specially obtained many blue bricks from the brick factory in Li Household Village to reinforce it.

Then they dumped all the destroyed bamboo into the pond, and soaked it in wood ash and quicklime.

This process lasted for a whole month.

The stench emanating from the area was so foul that Xiluo, with her keen sense of smell, wanted to avoid it at all costs.

After Li Boyang finally managed to scoop out the rotten bamboo shoots and put them into the pre-prepared "steamer" to steam them,

The ensuing stench was so overwhelming that even the usually undemanding Sleepy Bug couldn't resist fleeing the area.

It wasn't until Li Boyang took out the steamed bamboo strips and used running water to remove the remaining lime and impurities that Xiluo vaguely realized what Li Boyang was doing.

First, the cooked bamboo and hemp are pulped into paper pulp using a hydraulic pulping machine. Then, stream water is added and stirred until it turns milky white.

What follows is a complete process of scooping, laying flat, draining, demolding, applying stickers, and drying.

What finally appeared before Xiluo were rows of clean, white sheets of paper.

"Are you making paper?!"

Xiluo stared in astonishment, never having imagined that paper could be manufactured in this way.

Xiluo keenly noticed that the paper Li Boyang made was whiter, smoother, and had better flexibility and extensibility than the books brought by Deception Rabbit.

"After all, I plan to teach the children in the village to read, so I need to prepare some teaching materials in advance!"

Li Boyang casually tossed out the Heavenly Mandate Bone Plastron, saying this with a smile.

"No, something's not right. You're acting a million times wrong right now—"

Having spent so much time with Li Boyang, Xiluo immediately noticed the ulterior motive in his smile.

"If it's simply for papermaking..."

"I can understand these procedures; you can easily delegate them to the villagers."

"You must have some other motive, so stop playing games with me!"

Aroused by her curiosity, Xiluo jumped off the bamboo chair and began to carefully examine the dried papers.

You wouldn't believe it until you look closely; once you do, Xiluo actually sees the key to it.

These papers may look similar, but in reality, each batch is slightly different.

The differences here include, but are not limited to, smoothness, flexibility, elasticity, and specific color.

"Did you add anything else when you made this paper?"

With undisguised curiosity, Xiluo turned to look at Li Boyang, who was still smiling.

When did you add them? What's the difference between these papers?

Finally, no longer keeping him in suspense, Li Boyang took the initiative to explain.

"It's starch, alum, pigment, slag, and my Essence Blood."

"In the final stages of these paper-forming processes, I mixed different herbal and stone formulas in specific proportions."

"These formulas not only enhance the quality of the paper itself, but also, to a certain extent, can bear and strengthen the power of words."

In fact, back when he was planting the bamboo forest, Li Boyang had already learned through the Heavenly Mandate Bone Plastron that he wouldn't be able to obtain the "Artificial Fang Boar" he wanted in one go.

However, without doing some things yourself, you simply cannot know where you went astray by relying solely on speculation.

Furthermore, the results of the investigation told Li Boyang that he might have unexpected gains in the process.

So, when the crushed bamboo appeared in front of Li Boyang, he suddenly had a flash of inspiration and thought of the papermaking technique from his previous life.

However, simply using papermaking techniques was clearly insufficient to achieve the desired outcome.

Because the "unexpected gains" predicted by the divination result would bring huge benefits to Li Boyang himself.

After figuring this out, Li Boyang began to experiment with modifying the papermaking technique, and eventually obtained the different batches of paper we see today.

"The bamboo I planted wasn't ordinary bamboo; it was bamboo imbued with the power of words." Even if this bamboo were made into paper, it wouldn't change its essence—it was the best material to carry Speech Talisman Incantation.

As Li Boyang calmly explained to Xiluo, he casually picked up a piece of paper that had been specially cut into a square shape.

"Theoretically speaking, this property can be maximized simply by adding some special materials during the manufacturing process."

As Li Boyang spoke, he bit his finger until it bled.

Then, on this piece of paper, she drew a Maxims Talismans that Xiluo had never seen before.

"Are you describing Formation?"

Her eyes widened in surprise as Xiluo tried to understand Li Boyang's actions.

In Xiluo's understanding, "Formation" is a unique application of Speech Talisman Incantation by Li Boyang.

Ordinary Speech Talisman Incantation can only exert their effect of exorcising spirits and controlling ghosts when written in a specific way on specific materials.

These so-called "specific materials" are mostly genuine rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures, which are difficult for ordinary people to obtain.

However, by fortuitous opportunity chance, Li Boyang used the Sha Qi to refine Five-Colored Glazed Glass.

These Five-Colored Glazed Glass themselves contain the Qi of Earth Sha.

By simply simulating the terrain in a specific way, one can naturally draw upon the power of the Earth Veins.

When the power of these Earth Veins flows according to specific Speech Talisman Incantation, a complete Formation is formed.

Because it does not require the power of gods.

This Formation is more convenient and can be used more freely than a regular altar.

Later, through a series of experiments, Li Boyang found a way to draw upon other forms of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.

Even so, the conditions for setting up the Formation are still very demanding, and the materials used must be prepared and matched in advance.

But now, Li Boyang seems to have skipped these tedious steps and started drawing Maxims on a blank sheet of paper?

Xiluo could clearly sense that as the words were continuously perfected, there was actually a response from the Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi to this rudimentary "Formation".

This means that the paper Li Boyang made was itself a kind of man-made treasure, similar to heavenly materials and earthly treasures or Five-Colored Glazed Glass.

Of course, this was because I witnessed the entire papermaking process.

Xiluo simply couldn't regard these mass-producible papers as some kind of precious or rare treasure.

"You little rascal, you really are a freak!"

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