Kong Ning Comes to Visit

There is only a one-character difference between Law Artifact and Law Treasure, and their status is completely different.

Utensils are tools, treasures are treasures.

Compared to the latter, the former is more like a tool than a treasure to be used against the enemy.

Most Law Artifact have unique uses, but few are used in magical Law Artifact.

Zhang Xuezhou had acquired a useful magical Law Artifact, but he didn't intend to use Law Artifact to fight. A balance-like magical Law Artifact was obviously not suitable for combat.

The primary function of this weighing Law Artifact is to measure weight.

For Alchemist who find it difficult to judge the weight of medicinal herbs by hand, this is a magical tool for proportioning ingredients.

"Your Pill Formula is truly rare!"

Dong Zhongshu had seen many people refine elixirs, and most Alchemist considered the age and effects of the medicines; none of Alchemist were so particular about the weight.

Everyone simply reached out and grabbed a handful, making a rough estimate in their minds before finalizing the proportions of the medicinal herbs.

But Zhang Xuezhou was different.

Watching Zhang Xuezhou carefully grind the medicinal herbs into powder, measure out the amount of powder, and then store them separately, Dong Zhongshu felt that Zhang Xuezhou's steps were too cumbersome.

While idling in the prefect's mansion, he couldn't help but make a couple of jokes.

"I've already said I only know a little bit of alchemy, I can't be as casual as a master alchemist," Zhang Xuezhou said helplessly. "Wang Er Ermazi only gave me three portions of the ingredients for the Grain Avoidance Powder, the remaining seven portions won't arrive for a while, I can't afford to waste these ingredients."

"Like this?"

Dong Zhongshu observed for a while, then pondered the young man's character.

He ultimately decided it was better to go to bed early, lest Zhang Xuezhou blame him for the failure of refining the Grain Avoidance Powder.

If the refining fails, perhaps a distracting word, a gust of wind while walking, or even his gaze causing Zhang Xuezhou to become tense.

In short, if the attempt to refine the Grain Avoidance Powder failed, Dong Zhongshu believed that Zhang Xuezhou would definitely blame him.

He pondered for a moment, then tiptoed back to his room, leaving Zhang Xuezhou alone in the prefectural governor's kitchen refining medicine.

"This measuring tool is really convenient. With the accurate proportions, as long as I simmer it over low heat until it forms a paste, this Grain Avoidance powder will be ready!"

The most primitive Pill Formula was to rub the ingredients together by hand, which gradually transitioned to various tools and eventually to Law Treasure artifacts such as Pill Furnace.

It's not far-fetched that Zhang Xuezhou would use a copper or iron cauldron in the kitchen to boil elixirs; he has done similar things in real life using a pressure cooker.

The proportions were very accurate at this point, and Zhang Xuezhou was confident that he would succeed in refining it.

After all, he was only refining Grain Avoidance powder, not seeking a high-quality Grain Avoidance Pill.

"Perfect!"

From grinding to boiling, when the night watchman in Shu County sounded the gong, Zhang Xuezhou looked at the slightly yellowish ointment in the bronze and iron cauldron and was extremely satisfied.

With the measuring tool, he finally succeeded in refining the fourth batch of Grain Avoidance Powder.

Judging from its color, this Grain Avoidance powder is a fairly typical three-day Grain Avoidance powder, which is the lowest grade.

However, this ensures that the person will not starve to death within three days after taking it, and will still have relatively sufficient energy and physical strength.

One dose lasts for three days, and the interval between doses is also three days.

Combining this with the practice of Grain Avoidance, this might be enough to allow Zhang Xuezhou to barely survive for seven days.

Once the Grain Avoidance powder had cooled, Zhang Xuezhou kneaded it and shaped it into round balls suitable for consumption.

He looked at the pill, which was about half the size of a fist, and then carefully placed the Grain Avoidance powder into the wooden box that had been prepared beforehand.

But the fifth batch, which was cooked, was not so lucky; the flames of the firewood were not stable.

Even with Zhang Xuezhou's utmost care, the fifth batch of ingredients for making the Grain Avoidance Powder still turned brown.

He took a bite in silence, only to find his mouth filled with bitterness. After adding a ladle of water and swallowing the dregs, Zhang Xuezhou began to slowly simmer the sixth batch of ingredients.

"Are you preparing the medicine?"

A voice came from behind, and Zhang Xuezhou's hand trembled slightly before he slowly resumed stirring.

Since it concerned his life for the next seven days, even if the Emperor and the Venerable One knelt behind him and shouted, Zhang Xuezhou felt he had to wait.

Inside the copper and iron cauldron, the medicinal powder tumbled continuously in the presence of water, and was gradually turned into a paste as it was stirred with a wooden spoon.

The color gradually changes from grayish-white, then turns grayish-yellow, and then slowly approaches pale yellow and light yellow.

Even when you 'Zou Bugui!

His voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction, but he fell silent and simply stood in the cold wind waiting.

Only when the medicinal paste in the copper and iron cauldron turned slightly yellow did Zhang Xuezhou quickly move the cauldron away from the fire.

He used a wooden spoon to shovel and tumble the food, finishing up the process of administering the Grain Avoidance powder.

At the same time, Zhang Xuezhou finally had the leisure to glance at the figure at the door.

Two years have passed, and Kong Ning still looks the same.

For these powerful demons, having a lifespan of several hundred years makes their growth extremely slow, which also makes them age extremely slowly.

Zhang Xuezhou felt that after he was gone, Kong Ning's appearance would probably not be much different from how she is now.

"Why is it you here? Where is the Left Envoy of the Feiyu?"

Zhang Xuezhou looked around cautiously before asking the question.

"He lost a leg to lightning and is now searching everywhere for medicine to heal his wound," Kong Ning said listlessly.

"I never imagined that the Left Envoy of the Feiyu Sect would suffer as much as I have," Zhang Xuezhou sighed.

"He was struck by lightning, but I've been eavesdropping at the prefect's mansion these past few days, and it seems you fell into the water and drowned?" Kong Ning asked curiously.

"Do you think I'm the kind of person who would get flooded?" Zhang Xuezhou said unhappily.

"Yes!"

"This makes it impossible for me to communicate," Zhang Xuezhou said. "I was struck by lightning along with the Left Envoy of the Feiyu during a mission, which resulted in extremely severe aftereffects. My body occasionally experiences numbness, which led to my fall into the river. That can only be called an injury caused by illness, not drowning!"

"And then?" Kong Ning blinked.

"Then could you please go and ask the Venerable One for me, and beg him to take pity on me and give me some Grain Avoidance pills, so that I won't starve to death when my body is paralyzed from the aftereffects of the lightning strike?" Zhang Xuezhou said.

"If you can't get things done, then don't do them!"

"Ha?"

"These are His Majesty's exact words, and he asked me to convey them to you!"

Kong Ning shrugged, his mouth already having completed its task, conveying the content of what the Venerable One had said.

Kong Ning's nonchalant attitude sent a chill down Zhang Xuezhou's spine.

He still wanted to get some benefits from the Venerable One, but after two years of no action, it seems the Venerable One is indeed quite dissatisfied with him.

"Why can't I do it? I'm doing a great job. I recently got close to a very important person and found out information about His Emperor Jing from him," Zhang Xuezhou said.

"Oh!"

"Report this message back to His Majesty. I'm very reliable when it comes to doing things for him; I obtained inside information in just a few days!"

Zhang Xuezhou thought about it and felt that it was indeed inappropriate to only invest without producing anything in return.

If he wants to get help from His Excellency, he at least needs to prove his worth.

Coincidentally, Dong Zhongshu provided Emperor Jing with relevant information.

This is also the information that His Majesty is currently most concerned about.

Just as His Majesty had guessed, Emperor Jing had indeed gone mad.