Law Artifact
Zhang Xuezhou knew the structure of a balance scale and the manufacture of calipers.
However, Zhang Xuezhou could not accurately determine the weight of the balance scale, nor could he accurately draw the correct length of one millimeter.
Without a normal and accurate reference, it is difficult for him to simply imitate.
The same principle applies to Dong Zhongshu's construction of weighing instruments.
Law Power can maintain balance, but a standard reference for the balance must be available.
"When we build this Law Artifact implement, we must first measure its weight to ensure the balance at both ends of the boom!"
A simple balance scale is made by suspending a long pole with a rope to achieve equilibrium, and at each end of the pole are containers with nearly equal weights suspended.
One container was filled with a pound of meat weighed on a large scale, while water was slowly poured into the other container.
"This meat weighs sixteen ounces, and the water has also been added to sixteen ounces, thus maintaining balance," Dong Zhongshu said. "Next, I will remove the meat and distribute the sixteen ounces of water evenly to achieve balance!"
"So that we can separate eight ounces of water, then divide those eight ounces into four ounces, then divide those four ounces into two ounces, and finally use one ounce of water to achieve balance?" Zhang Xuezhou asked.
"Indeed, this is precisely the standard required to construct an accurate weighing system," Dong Zhongshu nodded. "Your weighing requirements are too high in precision. It even requires dividing one ounce of water into five qian (a unit of weight), which necessitates the creation of several sets of balance bars and containers for further refinement to ensure the even distribution."
By repeatedly crafting balance bars and containers, and continuously differentiating them, the final, determined quantity is obtained after several repetitions. This undoubtedly refines the weight scale to an extremely small unit.
It looks simple, but it contains profound truths.
Once the smallest unit of weight is determined, the construction of the weighing Law Artifact can begin.
There is a plumb bob, similar to a weight, and by applying Law Power to the plumb bob, the weight of the object at the other end can be measured.
Depending on the amount of Law Power invested, the weight that can be measured on the other end varies from five qian to one liang, then to two liang, three liang, four liang, five liang, and so on.
If Law Power is strong enough, one can hold up a mountain on the other end and maintain balance.
"It's a pity we can't further refine the five-qian coin," Zhang Xuezhou said regretfully.
"When you prepare the medicinal herbs, you can prepare two or three portions at a time," Dong Zhongshu said. "This way, you don't need to be precise to an extremely small number."
"You're right, but there's too little medicine," Zhang Xuezhou said. "How was I supposed to know that after passing on the unique Feng Shui techniques of the Yin-Yang School to help others, all I got in return was three portions of herbs for the Grain Avoidance Powder?"
Cough cough cough!
Wen Weng felt he had been caught in the crossfire.
Alchemy has always been a huge financial drain; without a mine, it's impossible to sustain. He agreed to the task, but he couldn't provide an unlimited supply.
Moreover, Zhang Xuezhou had been lying in bed for seven days, his life hanging in the balance. How could he possibly know that this young man was about to refine pills after only recovering a little of his strength?
"Actually, we didn't catch that snake either," Wen Weng said.
"You let the Bashe escape, what can I do?" Zhang Xuezhou spread his hands and said, "It's a pity that I sold the unique Feng Shui skills of the Yin-Yang School for the price of pork."
"I'll give you ten more sets of materials; any more than that and the prefectural government can't handle it," Wen Weng said.
"You, a great cultivator, are just like this..."
Zhang Xuezhou muttered a couple of times, but only stopped himself from pushing his luck after Dong Zhongshu pulled him back.
"Zhongweng is an honest and upright official who cares deeply about the people's livelihood. Don't let his high level of education fool you; he's not exactly wealthy," Dong Zhongshu said in a low voice. "Moreover, he funded the establishment of the academy himself, and I'm afraid he'll need even more money in the future."
"You mean one of you is unlucky and the other is poor?" Zhang Xuezhou asked suspiciously.
"Don't be so direct!"
Dong Zhongshu shook his head in great dissatisfaction. What could he do when he was down on his luck? Wen Weng was poor, so there was nothing he could do either.
As for Zhang Xuezhou, Dong Zhongshu felt that since he was so unlucky, he shouldn't even think about mocking others. After all, he rarely saw True Spirit Realm cultivator nearly drown after falling into the water.
The elder brother doesn't laugh at the younger brother; only in this way can they live in harmony.
"These days, the only wealthy people are the big salt merchants, the big iron merchants, and the feudal lords who control the mines. How can anyone else have much money?" Wen Weng said helplessly. "If it weren't for the few acres of meager land I own, I wouldn't even be able to support this prefectural governor's mansion with my meager salary from the imperial court."
"Others who become prefects are not exactly rolling in money, but you've managed to siphon your own wealth into it," Dong Zhongshu laughed.
"We must do something to live up to all that we've learned in our lives," Wen Weng said. "So what if we suffer a loss?"
Wen Weng was broad-minded and did not like to hold grudges.
When someone with this kind of personality says they can't handle it, they probably really mean it.
Zhang Xuezhou's words were a subtle way of asking for ten copies of the materials, and he stopped pressing the matter further.
He failed to make the Grain Avoidance powder with the first three batches of materials; he must succeed two or three times with the next ten batches.
Only by combining Grain Avoidance powder with Grain Avoidance techniques could he maintain normal vital signs for the few days he returned to reality.
As for what comes next, Zhang Xuezhou must find a way to make money to replenish the quantity of Grain Avoidance Powder, delaying until his time travel becomes normal, or until his strength increases again, leading to an improvement in Grain Avoidance Technique.
Judging from the seven days he lay there, Zhang Xuezhou could indeed last seven days while being force-fed medicinal soup, but he was practically starving to the limit.
If no one helps him feed, he should die after lying there for seven days.
It takes a lot of time to recover from a near-death state to a normal body, and it may even take several days to fully recover to the original state.
This will cause his performance to continue to decline until he falls into a vicious cycle from which he can no longer escape.
If Zhang Xuezhou doesn't want to face that situation, he needs to eliminate any possibility of further consequences while he's in the first stage.
He squatted in the blacksmith's shop, watching the craftsmen build traps, and waiting for the weighing Law Artifact that Dong Zhongshu had guided the creation of to be completed.
"This blade is extremely sharp. The snake's upper body is covered in scales, and its belly is smooth, making it difficult to conceal itself when coiling and crawling. It should be able to slice through the snake's belly and pull out its intestines!"
Wen Weng's snake trap was finally completed near dusk.
The snake-catching tube was as thick as a strong man's arm and two zhang long.
This long tube has a built-in curved blade, which is almost identical to what Dong Zhongshu needed.
Once inside the eye of the serpent, the long tube was wrapped with tree bark, and a simple yet practical snake-catching trap was complete.
Wen Weng's face lit up with joy, and he immediately ordered his soldiers to carry the long tube to place it.
On the other side of the blacksmith's shop, the 'weighing' ritual Law Artifact that Zhang Xuezhou had requested had also progressed from its rough draft to fine carving, and was almost finished.
"Look closely, this is a weight made of refined gold. Without these three ounces of refined gold to conduct magical Law Power, it's just a weighing instrument that can only weigh five coins!"
Dong Zhongshu pointed to the most important component of the weighing instrument. Only after passing on a Mohists treasure-refining technique to Zhang Xuezhou did he feel at ease enough to wave his fan.
When Zhang Xuezhou used the Refining Treasure Technique, a feeling of complete control immediately welled up in his heart.
Looking at the weight made of fine gold and then at the lever of the weighing instrument, Zhang Xuezhou felt as if he had found a fulcrum, and a bizarre idea arose in his mind that he wanted to lift up the planet.
Although his thoughts were chaotic, in reality, this was the first magical Law Artifact that Zhang Xuezhou truly needed.
"The Mohists's Refining Treasure Techniques nourish Law Artifact Law Treasure, making them extremely spiritual. The stronger you refine your Law Artifact, the greater the weight this weighing instrument can hold. If you can refine it to its limit, you might even be able to use this weighing instrument to weigh a horse!" Dong Zhongshu said.
Seeing Zhang Xuezhou's happy face, Dong Zhongshu couldn't help but feel a little smug.
As a great Confucian scholar, he was truly remarkable; with his vast knowledge, he almost always possessed abilities that he could utilize.
"It can only weigh horses at most!"
When Zhang Xuezhou thought about his idea of lifting the planet, then about the weight of a horse, and then about how the current weighing scales could only measure weights within the range of one jin (500 grams), all his thoughts faded away.
"You're still not satisfied with the horse's weight?"
Dong Zhongshu shook his head several times, but if asked to explain the practical benefits of measuring the weight of a horse, he couldn't say.
In short, his three ounces of refined gold, poured into this Law Artifact, indeed had limited practical use.
If Zhang Xuezhou still fails to refine elixirs even with the measuring tools, Dong Zhongshu must say that this young man has acquired a useless treasure.