I Stand in the Howling Wind

He knew Law Artifacts existed. His second uncle had once said that cannons had played a major role in Great Feng's victory in the Battle of Shanhai Pass.

Half the cannons' power came from gunpowder, and the other half came from formations.

Law Artifacts were weapons unique to the Great Feng dynasty, and they gave it the confidence to claim itself the rightful ruler of all under heaven.

At that moment, Xu Qi'an suddenly realized that Law Artifacts were connected to the Bureau of Astronomy by countless threads.

Song Qing hesitated for a moment, then, on the principle of sharing knowledge, answered Xu Qi'an's question. "It's no great secret. Do you know what a fourth-rank Warlock is called?"

I don't even know what the seventh rank of my own martial artist system is yet... Xu Qi'an shook his head.

"A Formation Master!" Song Qing said. "Everything an Alchemist makes is an ordinary object. Once a Formation Master inscribes a formation on it, it becomes a Law Artifact."

From what he knew of the Warlock system, and the information the A-cup beauty Chu Caiwei had revealed to him not long ago, a great many thoughts occurred to Xu Qi'an at once.

The ninth rank of the Warlock system, Pharmacist, laid the foundation for the eighth rank, Qi-Watching Master. A Qi-Watching Master laid the foundation for the seventh rank, Feng Shui Master. But a Feng Shui Master had nothing to do with the next rank, the sixth-rank Alchemist. As it turned out, Alchemists and fourth-rank Formation Masters complemented each other.

Alchemists made powerful weapons, and Formation Masters turned them into Law Artifacts. There was something to this Warlock system.

No wonder the Director held such an exalted position in the Great Feng dynasty.

I have to win Chu Caiwei over. I don't have any particular goal in mind; I just want to find true love in this cold society.

Xu Qi'an made up his mind in secret.

"The second item is a heart-protecting mirror. It's also a Law Artifact. Its material is quite ordinary; what's truly precious is the formation inscribed on it. It can withstand a full-force strike from a Qi Refining Realm expert six times, a Spirit Refining Realm expert three times, or a Bronze Skin and Iron Bones Realm expert once."

The Bronze Skin and Iron Bones Realm is the sixth rank of the martial artist system? Xu Qi'an finally knew what the sixth rank of his own system was called.

"This last one is called Bone-Eroding Heart-Scorching. Apply it to an arrow, and it can kill a Spirit Refining Realm expert. It's useless against someone in the Bronze Skin and Iron Bones Realm, because the arrow can't even pierce their skin."

Xu Qi'an nodded. "I like all three of these."

After a pause, he said, "That kind of alchemy is called grafting!"

Drawing on his memories of the past, Xu Qi'an told Song Qing about the grafting technique without going into too much detail. He didn't explain the process in depth, but he gave a detailed account of its benefits, such as improving a plant's resistance to cold, drought, pests, and disease after a successful graft.

It could also improve the taste of the fruit.

Just like the money-making experiments in his diary, he had plenty of theoretical knowledge, but his practical skills were utter crap.

But it didn't matter. He wasn't the one who would be putting it into practice, anyway.

If Song Qing failed, it would be because he wasn't capable enough. If he succeeded, all the credit would belong to Xu Qi'an.

After listening, Song Qing was floating on air, dancing and waving his arms with excitement. He wished spring would come at once so he could carry out this great feat of alchemy.

"A divine book! That's simply a divine book! There's actually an ancient alchemy text like that in the world, and I never knew!" Song Qing shouted excitedly.

Tap, tap, tap.

Xu Qi'an walked briskly down the steps of the Star-Gazing Tower, carrying three Law Artifacts against his chest. These were things that couldn't be measured in money.

"I could use one of the Law Artifacts to pay for opening the heavenly gate on the black market. But they're all so useful, I can't bear to part with any of them... Sure enough, getting things for free is mankind's eternal source of happiness. I'll go listen to some songs at the pleasure house tomorrow."

He hadn't taken a single copper coin from the Bureau of Astronomy, but if what he had gained were exchanged for silver, he could make Auntie submit in minutes, bow her head and defer to him, never daring to mock him again.

I'll exchange it all for silver notes, then slap Auntie's pretty little face hard with them. The thought made Xu Qi'an even happier.

"I stand in the howling wind, wishing I could sweep away this endless heartache. I gaze at the heavens, clouds stirring in every direction; sword in hand, I ask the world, who is a hero?" With no one around, he sang a song from his previous life, full of heroic ambition.

He rounded a corner and came face-to-face with a group of strangers.

How awkward! Xu Qi'an's song broke off abruptly, and he stepped aside without a change of expression.

Three people stood on the steps below. The man in the middle wore an indigo robe. His temples were frosted white, his bearing was refined, and his features were handsome. His eyes were like dark, deep pools, holding the traces of wind and frost left by the passage of years.

He was the sort of charming older man who could make young girls scream.

On the left was a quiet young man who stared straight ahead with impeccable composure.

On the right was a young man with a frivolous curve to his lips and a wicked look in his eyes. The feminine bearing he gave off made Xu Qi'an very uncomfortable.

In terms of looks, however, this feminine young man was one of the rare handsome men Xu Qi'an had seen who could rival his own Erlang.

As the three passed Xu Qi'an, the feminine young man gave a derisive snort and cast him a sidelong glance.

At that instant, Xu Qi'an felt as though something terrifying were watching him. He involuntarily held his breath, but his heart beat faster.

The three continued up the steps, and only when they had rounded the corner and disappeared did Xu Qi'an breathe a sigh of relief.

"That guy seemed to look down on me, and there was hostility mixed in. Were the lyrics too presumptuous?"

Mm, I'll have to be careful about certain things from now on. I can't just say them at random, especially in public.

For example: I want these heavens to cover my eyes no longer, this earth to bury my heart no more, and all the Buddhas to vanish like smoke and clouds.

And another: For the countless sacrifices that strengthen our resolve, we dare to make the sun and moon bring forth a new world.

On the seventh floor, Song Qing, having received a report from a junior disciple, waited at the head of the stairs for the three men led by the one in the indigo robe.

Chu Caiwei leaned against the wall, gnawing on a stalk of sugarcane as she waited absentmindedly beside him.

When the three reached the seventh floor, Song Qing cupped his hands. "Duke Wei."

The middle-aged man with slightly frosted temples gave a small nod.

"Duke Wei, my teacher drank too much and is taking an afternoon nap. I'm afraid I must ask you to wait a little while."

The stern-faced young man remained expressionless, while the feminine young man frowned slightly.

The refined middle-aged man paid it little mind. He entered the tea room with Song Qing and said casually, "On my way up the tower, I happened to meet an interesting young man. He didn't seem to be a disciple of the Bureau of Astronomy."

Chu Caiwei was just about to speak when Song Qing stopped her with a look. He smiled and said, "Just an insignificant nobody, though he is rather interesting."

The Nightwatchers were infamous; in the eyes of the civil and military officials, they were like tigers and wolves. They needed no reason to make trouble for someone.

Song Qing couldn't be sure whether Xu Qi'an had inadvertently displeased this eunuch whose power reached the heavens.

"Interesting?" The refined middle-aged man smiled gently. "In what way?"

Song Qing hesitated, then gave his assessment. "A genius, a genius of alchemy. If he hadn't taken the wrong path in cultivation, if he had joined the Bureau of Astronomy, his name would have gone down in the history books."

He had neither spoken against his conscience nor failed to hint that the Bureau of Astronomy valued Xu Qi'an.

The feminine young man gave a cold laugh.

The refined middle-aged man smiled and nodded slightly.

The Xu residence, inner courtyard.

Auntie and several maids and matrons were cutting cloth, marking lines, and stuffing cotton, preparing to make winter clothes for the family.

The weather was growing colder, and Auntie planned to provide new winter clothes for her children and husband.

Lü'e finished the last stitch and bit through the thread with her little white teeth. She gazed with satisfaction at the delicately embroidered lotus flowers, thinking how lovely Miss Lingyin would look wearing it.

"Madam, I went to see Eldest Young Master yesterday and found that he doesn't have any winter clothes. He's still wearing his autumn things," Lü'e said softly.

Auntie glanced at her head maid and snorted. "What are you trying to say?"

Lü'e lowered her head and said quietly, "Make one for Eldest Young Master too."

"Don't even think about it!" Auntie huffed. "That little brat takes every chance he gets to make me angry. You want me to make clothes for him? Not a chance."

The maids and matrons silently went about their work, pretending they hadn't heard.

"He comes home to eat every day, but it never occurs to him to contribute to the household."

"Doesn't Eldest Young Master give his rice allowance to the household?" Lü'e muttered.

"With the amount he eats, that's barely enough to feed him." Auntie rolled her pretty eyes hard.

That wretched nephew of hers had saved the whole family's lives, and for that reason, she wouldn't have minded improving their relationship. But the little brat took every chance to needle her with his words, deliberately making things difficult for her.

A wolf travels a thousand miles and eats meat; a dog travels a thousand miles and eats shit. The old saying wasn't wrong in the slightest.

The steward came running over, stopped outside the courtyard, and called, "Madam, the master has returned."