CHAPTER 172: CHAPTER 144 EQUIPMENT

"Other methods?"

Tantai Leshan’s brow furrowed slightly as he pressed, "Such as?"

"What about using a different material to drive the piston?" Li Ang said. "For example, placing a layer of water in the middle, using wind to push the water, which then compresses the piston, causing it to move back and forth..."

He paused, then hurriedly added, "Of course, I’m not very knowledgeable about this; it’s just a casual suggestion."

"Using water as a medium..."

A group of Doctors pondered thoughtfully, and the discussion began.

"Water is difficult to compress, so it might be feasible."

"But how to control the water from splashing under the force of the wind?"

"Could we mimic the rotary water pump used for producing Allicin?"

Seeing the Doctors animatedly discussing among themselves, Li Ang quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Unlike everyday items such as soap, scented soap, and degreasing cotton, or Allicin as medicine, once power engines were invented, they would "devour" people.

Not to mention anything else, just using engines to create high-efficiency looms would be enough to devastate the traditional small farming households based on men tilling and women weaving. Silk weaving factories, transformed on a large scale for profit, would further lead to issues like child labor, land seizure, and workers contracting various diseases due to poor production environments.

However, not promoting the development of power engines was also not an option. More efficient locomotives and machine tools could bring about earth-shaking changes, greatly enhancing productivity and transforming the lives of Yu Country’s citizens.

Let’s just see what Tantai Leshan and the others will do, Li Ang thought to himself. That Ya Jiu from Zhao Ming... his words are mixed with truth and falsehood, making it difficult to discern. But he was right about one thing—without strong supervision and control by the Academic Palace, the working environment for laborers might not be much better than that of self-sufficient farmers.

The memory from the Otherworld of the miserable lives of laborers at the beginning of the industrial era was vivid in his mind. To say it was stained with blood and tears was no exaggeration.

Voice. I need more voice and actual power within the Academic Palace. Only then, as a member of the Academic Palace, can I ensure the power engine is used properly when it’s formally invented.

Li Ang silently resolved. To guide, suppress, and even control Yu Country officials, the position of Academic Palace Director is far from enough. It has to be at least Sacrificial Officer, or even Mountain Master...

"Let’s take it step by step. If the device is made too large, we’ll also need to consider the overall weight of the model and its flight efficiency," Tantai Leshan said, waving his hand to set the tone for the discussion. He then turned to Li Ang and asked, "Right, Risheng, you’re here this time for...?"

"Oh, right, I almost forgot the important matter."

Li Ang took out an application form from his robes and handed it to Tantai Leshan.

The application requested the use of one hundred thousand strings of flying money and the one thousand academic credits Li Ang had accumulated through lectures, exams, patents, and other means, to ask the Doctors of Engineering in the Forging Workshop to help forge weapons and equipment.

"Hmm?"

Tantai Leshan took the application form, exchanging surprised looks with the Doctor of Science, Su Feng, and the others.

Academic Palace Disciples are allowed to apply to use the Forging Workshop during their free time. If academic credits are used for legitimate reasons, they can also use materials from the workshop for inventions and creations, or ask the Doctors to help forge items.

However, it depends on whether the Doctors of Engineering are available and willing to do the favor. For some special materials, academic credits alone are not enough; one must pay for them out of pocket and also consider the labor fees for the Doctors.

One hundred thousand strings of coins, plus one thousand academic credits, could forge quite decent weapons and equipment.

"Risheng, are you planning to travel and get yourself a set of gear?" Su Feng said with a smile. "Some of your senior fellow disciples, who are about to graduate, can’t even afford such a price."

"Uh... well, I’ll need it eventually, so I might as well get it all done in one go."

Li Ang made up an excuse on the spot. The Mo Si within him already possessed defensive power equivalent to a Postnatal Body Refining Martial Artist, leaving no vulnerable areas, but that was ’Bettman.’ The ’Li Ang’ persona was currently a new student in the Body Concealing Realm at the Academic Palace and couldn’t exhibit strength beyond this level. Thus, he needed equipment and tools as a cover.

"Hmm, that’s fine too." Su Feng nodded. "The promotion and use of Allicin still depend on you, so it’s reassuring for us if you have more means of self-defense. Equipment forged at this price should be sufficient up to the Cloud Patrol Realm."

Tantai Leshan was usually responsible for the management of the Forging Workshop. Since he happened to be present today, he completed the procedures for using the workshop in just a few moments and agreed to personally help Li Ang forge his equipment.

"Thank you, Master Tantai," Li Ang said sincerely.

Cultivators who reached the Candle Cloud Realm could intuitively cultivate every moment. Using Spiritual Power for other tasks was equivalent to slowing down one’s Cultivation progress. Even someone as avaricious as Xi Yangyu wouldn’t usually make a move easily—unless a lot more money was added.

"No problem," Tantai Leshan said, smiling and waving his hand. "I’d have to help even if it was just for the work on malaria prevention and control." Many of Tantai Leshan’s relatives had died from malaria in earlier years, and now that effective strategies for its prevention and control were available, he was quite friendly toward Li Ang. He telekinetically retrieved several thick volumes from a nearby shelf and handed them to Li Ang.

These volumes recorded the equipment and items previously produced by the Forging Workshop. From crossbows and armor to sabers and horse lances, everything was available.

There was also special equipment that Daoist Practitioners from different Dao Paths would use only after reaching the Rain Listening Realm. For example, devices Talisman Masters would use for drawing talismans without talisman paper, Mind Threads and Mechanical Puppets that Telekinesis Masters would use, and various Magic Artifacts for Magic Masters, among others.

If these forging blueprints were to leak out, they could incite bloody conflicts among cultivators outside the Academic Palace. Academic Palace Disciples, however, could directly acquire the finished products simply by paying with academic credits and money.

Seeing Li Ang seriously flipping through the volumes, Dr. Su Feng said with a smile, "You’re still in the Body Concealing Realm, so the power of a Flying Sword and such is limited. It’s better to prioritize forging close-fitting soft armor and easily usable crossbows. You can take a look at pages one hundred thirty-four, one hundred sixty-nine, and one hundred eighty in volume one, and pages two hundred eleven and two hundred twenty-seven in volume three, etc."

Li Ang followed Su Feng’s suggestions and thumbed through the volumes. His eyes lit up when he saw a few diagrams of soft armor and crossbows. "I’ll take these two, is that okay?"

"Let me see." Su Feng took the volume and raised an eyebrow. "Alligator Armor and Mechanical Crossbow?"

The Alligator Armor, made from the inner hide of the Alligator demon (the special material used in the Academic Palace’s second-round examination), was a close-fitting leather armor with excellent protective properties. It could cover the arms, armpits, and other areas without restricting movement.

The Spirit Mechanism Crossbow, on the other hand, was a compact sleeve crossbow that could be folded and hidden under the sleeve when not in use. With a flick of the wrist, the crossbow could be extended for use. It was a favored assassination weapon of West Jing Assassins, stained with the blood of many cultivators.