Building a sect from scratch.

Although the civilizations on the continents and islands of the Guixu Realm may seem somewhat similar to the ancient times of China, there are still some differences between them.

Take architecture as an example. Although there were slight differences between dynasties in ancient Chinese architecture, they were generally based on wooden mortise and tenon structures. Even among the tallest buildings in Asian civilization, the actual dwellings used for daily life were still relatively low and cramped, a design necessity to cope with the cold winters.

In the equally frigid climate of northern Europe, fireplaces were invented for heating, and this method of heating actually made European architecture less constrained by the space limitations of residential buildings.

Of course, the ancient Chinese also explored various ways to keep warm, such as heated brick beds, underfloor heating, and cave dwellings in the Northwest region, all of which were heating methods to cope with different climates and geographical environments.

But whether in Europe or Asia, most ancient buildings on Earth are dark and poorly ventilated. Even the dwellings of tropical or subtropical residents, such as stilt houses, are relatively well-protected to prevent snakes, insects, and rodents.

This creates a significant difference from the architectural style of the Guixu Realm.

First of all, the dwellings of cultivators in the Guixu Realm are vastly different from the houses of ordinary people.

Taking Liuzhou, which is relatively far north, as an example, most of the houses of ordinary people in Liuzhou are made of a mixture of stone and earth, and are mostly made of hollow walls. In addition to maximizing the insulation, this method also allows for the setting of the simplest four-element array between the walls to provide heat in the cold winter.

It's important to understand that the Guixu Realm is an objectively existing extraordinary world. The cultivation techniques, principles, and various knowledge practiced by cultivators didn't fall from the sky; rather, they were created and passed down by generations of geniuses. Therefore, among ordinary people, there are also those with less than ideal innate talents who, through generations, have discovered some simple survival skills.

These techniques may not be as sophisticated as those passed down by cultivators, but they are extremely practical for ordinary people.

For example, the Four Symbols Formation is one of the most widely circulated, most frequently used, and simplest to set up among a series of "magic formations." Although it is called a "magic formation," it is actually just a simple arrangement. It does not require the consumption of spiritual power and many rare and precious materials like array cultivators and talisman cultivators, nor does it require setting up an altar to invite immortals and gods to help.

The Four Symbols Formation has four branches: the Vermilion Bird Formation, the Black Tortoise Formation, the Azure Dragon Formation, and the White Tiger Formation. The Vermilion Bird, associated with fire, is used to provide a heat source. It is very simple to set up. Just place cinnabar, red crystal, red chicken tail feathers, and sorghum ears at the four corners of a square space, and connect these items with a mixture of cinnabar powder and wheat bran or flour. This will continuously radiate a certain amount of heat into the enclosed space. Although this heat is almost imperceptible in winter, it is enough for ordinary people to cope with the cold.

However, the Four Symbols Formation is a consumable formation. When the travertine powder stops glowing, a new batch of travertine powder needs to be replaced. Therefore, in order to extend the lifespan of the formation, people will leave a section empty during non-winter seasons so that the travertine powder is not completely connected. This way, the formation can remain in a stagnant state and will not consume the spiritual power in the travertine powder.

Of course, mixing spirit stone powder into osmanthus powder would have an even better effect, but that would increase the cost considerably, and few people besides wealthy local families would use it.

This heating method meant that in places where winters were particularly difficult, people's houses would have a wide cross-shaped structure. Only the central area, which served as the bedroom, would be arranged with the Four Symbols formation, while the other four rooms—the front hall, the rear hall, and the left and right side rooms—would not be arranged with such formations to save on heating costs.

Therefore, even when both are considered "three-courtyard" houses, the houses of ordinary people in Zhongzhou often have three doors tightly adjacent to each other, without separate open spaces at the front and back, while the "three-courtyard" houses of ancient China have separate halls and rooms that are not connected. In addition, there are also very significant differences in the appearance of the buildings.

In ancient China, multi-story buildings were rare. This was partly because, without reinforced concrete, maintaining the stability of multi-story structures was difficult, and partly due to heating issues.

The Guixu Realm is different. Putting aside everything else, red ironwood can completely replace steel bars, which makes the houses of many slightly wealthy people two or even three stories high. Even if a house is only one story, it is often built with a flat roof and then a sloping eave is added to make it easier to add a second story later.

As for the buildings of cultivators, they are mainly grand and magnificent. After inheriting the architectural style of ordinary people, they are even taller, and many buildings do not have walls. Since wind and rain can be blocked by arrays, walls are not a necessary structure, unless it is a place where privacy is sought, such as bedrooms and toilets. In places like the halls where cultivators hold classes, it is not necessary to build walls, which can actually bring better lighting.

So when Jing Jiezi arrived in Chang'an and saw a row of buildings with different shapes and a unified style that he had never seen before, he was so surprised that his eyes almost popped out.

White walls, red pillars, paired with green glazed tiles, and exquisite stone carvings, kiln-fired roof beasts, carved hanging fish, and colorful dougong brackets.

As players spend more and more time in the game, they become increasingly attentive to their homes. The poor build their own homes to make ends meet, while the rich hire skilled craftsmen and artists to design and improve them. Compared to having to scrimp and save money on Earth to cope with various life risks, there's no need to worry about illnesses or accidents that could bankrupt them in the game. Therefore, players are more inclined to spend their money as soon as they have it.

At the same time, a somewhat familiar figure not far away caught Jing Jiezi's attention.

"Song Bozheng!?"

He called out tentatively, and to his surprise, the figure turned around and looked back.

"Who...Jingjiezi? What are you doing here!?"

Song Bozheng's eyes lit up, and he jumped down from the rooftop in surprise and delight. He walked up to Jing Jiezi in a few quick steps and said, "I was just thinking of finding out where you are! I heard that the Taiyin Sect wiped out the Taiyi Ziwei Sect a couple of days ago, and I was afraid something had happened to you!"

At this point, he couldn't help but lightly punch Jing Jiezi in the chest with a hint of lingering fear: "But you're such a cunning kid, you wouldn't die so easily! I didn't expect to run into you here!"

Upon hearing this, Jing Jiezi smiled bitterly and said, "Actually, I almost lost my life. Disciples like us who switch to the Ziwei Sect halfway through our lives are usually abandoned. It's just that the disciples of the Taiyin Sect seem to prefer robbing. They even kidnapped me, saying they were exchanging me for some kind of contribution. Later, Elder Qianzhi took over Ziwei... Rongyu Mountain, and that's when we were released... They're simply, simply, simply bandits!" (End of this chapter)