Xing Honglang’s words actually gave Li Daoxuan a reminder.

Paving cement roads across the entire land was imperative, but that was a massive undertaking, requiring an astronomical amount of cement. It was impossible for Li Daoxuan to supply it all to the little people.

Now that the second cement road was completed, and the workers had gained much experience using cement during this construction process, it was about time for him to teach the ancient form of the cement formula to the villagers.

He opened his computer and logged into the frequently visited military history forum. Anonymously, he posted: Brothers, does anyone have the earliest cement formula? Could you share it? I’m writing a historical time-travel novel and want to teach ancients how to make cement.

Reply 1: For historical time-travel novels, focus on romancing ancient girls. Forget technology; we’re sick of that.

Reply 2: First floor talks nonsense. Absolutely no romance! Not even female characters. All male cast. Hard sci-fi is what sells.

Reply 3: First floor weak-kneed at women, second floor terrified of women. Ignore both. Writing to please readers is a dead end. Follow your own rhythm. Ancient cement formula as follows: XXXXX

… followed by a pile of detailed technical materials.

Li Daoxuan thanked the third-floor user, copied the data, converted it to traditional characters with one click, printed a shrunken version, and placed it directly before Gao Yiye.

Gao Yiye was chatting with Xing Honglang at that very moment.

Suddenly, a huge sheet of paper descended from the sky. Even the reduced printout was many times larger than her entire body.

Gao Yiye could read some characters, but not many. A single glance made her dizzy.

Xing Honglang could also read some characters, but not many. Looking at it also made her dizzy.

The two women stared at the densely packed characters on the enormous paper before them, equally dizzy. “Deity, what is this…?”

Li Daoxuan: “Give this to the plasterers. Tell them to study it and mix cement according to these instructions. If they succeed, they will be heavily rewarded.”

This time, Gao Yiye and Xing Honglang understood. “This is the method to make those grey magical mud used for paving roads?”

Both women gasped, “Wow!”

Xing Honglang moved lightning fast. In a flash, she darted over and started rolling up the corner of the huge paper. Her only left hand made the operation awkward; she struggled to roll it for a while before urgently calling Gao Yiye. “Saint Lady, hurry and help! Roll up this paper.”

Gao Yiye was puzzled. “Why?”

Xing Honglang: “This is the method to mix immortal mud! An immortal prescription! If we took this to sell, someone would snatch it up even for tens of thousands of taels of gold. How can we let people casually see it?”

Gao Yiye: “Huh? It can sell for tens of thousands of taels?”

Xing Honglang: “You villagers never leave this place. You have no idea how many wealthy people exist outside. Especially those princes and nobles—pay any price for an immortal prescription without batting an eye.”

Gao Yiye finally understood and hurried to help. The two rolled up the enormous paper. Li Daoxuan looked down from the sky; the scene was rather amusing.

Actually, Li Daoxuan didn’t mind the cement formula spreading. He even preferred it to spread widely. But after more careful thought, the late Ming Dynasty was plagued by constant natural disasters, and the common people barely had scraps. Previously, when Liang Shixian wanted to build a cement road, Thirty-Two had dissuaded him.

Because the common people truly couldn’t handle any more exploitation right now.

It was right to temporarily keep the cement from spreading. Otherwise, some wealthy noble might impulsively decide on road construction and exhaust countless laborers to death.

The large paper was rolled up into a long cylinder.

Gao Yiye wanted to carry it back to the plasterers but couldn’t lift it at all. Xing Honglang added her strength. The two girls hoisted the giant paper roll onto their shoulders—one at the front end, one at the back—as if carrying a huge log.

Huffing and puffing, they grunted as they carried the enormous paper roll into the artisans’ well and tossed it before the plasterers. With a clap of their hands, their task was done.

While the two were busy with this, the newly built cement road simultaneously opened for traffic. A public sun chariot, carrying citizens from Wangjia Village, set off towards Wangjia Village…

Truthfully, Wangjia Village villagers had returned many times even before the road was fully built. They had already turned over the farmland and prepared for spring plowing. Still, with the cement road operational, everyone crowded onto the vehicle—packed to the brim—just to enjoy the ceremonial feeling of riding to farm.

What great joy! Life felt like it had reached its peak!

…

City God Temple, Chengcheng County, Side Hall.

Third Lady sat dignifiedly, eyes observing her nose, nose observing her heart—like a lofty master enlightened.

Before her, a large group of impoverished good citizens knelt prostrated.

More and more good citizens saved by Dao Xuan Deity’s “divine medicine” were recovering. Each life saved turned an entire family into devout followers of Dao Xuan Deity. Consequently, the good citizens of Chengcheng County were embracing this “newly arrived” deity at a furious pace.

Outside the side hall door, however, stood a middle-aged Daoist priest. His expression was odd, eyes slanting as he silently observed the scene within.

The Daoist priest waited outside for a long time. Only after all the devout followers had finished chanting their scriptures and respectfully withdrew, leaving only Third Lady and her maid in the side hall, did the middle-aged Daoist finally push the door open, clasped his hands, and bowed his head in greeting: “This unworthy path follower is Ma Tianzheng, disciple of Great Master Wang of the Quanzhen Dragon Gate sect.”

His self-introduction genuinely startled Third Lady. The Quanzhen Dragon Gate sect was an immensely famous Daoist school. The true full name of “Master Wang” was Wang Changyue. Over a hundred years old this year, he was the revitalizing ancestor of the Quanzhen Dragon Gate sect. For a cultivator like Third Lady, his fame had long been like thunder in her ears.

Third Lady dared not slight him and hurriedly returned the greeting. “Senior Brother, what guidance do you offer?”

Ma Tianzheng wore that strange expression: “This path follower has traveled under Heaven preaching. Passing through Chengcheng County Town, I heard an adept here speaks of a deity called Dao Xuan Deity—claiming he is a true god of our Daoist faith. I… I find myself somewhat perplexed…”

Third Lady: “Oh?”

Ma Tianzheng’s tone was complex: “Prior, I have never heard the honored title ‘Dao Xuan Deity.’ I assumed it was due to my insufficient learning, so I deliberately consulted many ancient texts. Yet, I still found no record of Dao Xuan Deity… Regarding this matter, I request Senior Sister’s instruction.”

So that’s it!

Third Lady smiled. “Frankly, before witnessing the Deity manifesting with my own eyes, I too had never heard the great name of Dao Xuan Deity. Yet, at the very moment I saw it, what needed questioning wasn’t the existence of Dao Xuan Deity, but whether the ancient texts had been mistaken.”

Ma Tianzheng’s eyes narrowed. He thought inwardly: Manifested? Truly? I… I have lived over forty years, seeking immortals and inquiring of the Dao daily, yet I have never witnessed a deity’s manifestation!

He believed deities existed. Yet, from childhood until now, past forty years of age, he had never seen a deity manifest.

Could it be… Have I been deceived?

In the quiet of the deepest night, Ma Tianzheng couldn’t help but entertain such thoughts. Then he would slap his own face fiercely, sober himself up, and reaffirm his Daoist resolve. He was certain that travelling across the rivers and seas, seeking immortals and seeking the Dao, he truly would encounter one eventually.

Third Lady: “Leave the city. Head northeast for over thirty li, and you’ll find a village called Gaojia Village. Senior Brother, go and see it with your own eyes. How about that?”

…

During the late Ming period, the Quanzhen Dragon Gate sect experienced a revival; the power of Quanzhen sect greatly surged. Several Quanzhen Daoist priests from the late Ming left many stories handed down through generations.

Among them was Wang Changyue. This person lived from 1522 to 1680—a terrifyingly long lifespan. His lifespan alone was enough to attract swathes of devout followers.