In Sumeru, pretend to be a scholar

Xingqiu wasn't giving Wang Yan any benefits. He had already given Wang Yan benefits before, giving him high-quality amber as an apology.

He was doing Yun Gui a favor this time.

Delegating power is also a way for those in positions of authority to bestow favors.

Of course, Xingqiu's action was entirely subconscious, not a premeditated act. Since Yun Gui said that Wang Yan was a friend, he had to treat him with the respect due to a friend.

Yun Gui thanked him gratefully, cupped her hands in greeting, and left Xing Qiu's office.

……

The next day.

【White Horse Inn】

The knocking on the door startled Wang Yan, who was engrossed in drawing.

"Guests, Manager Yun Gui from the Feiyun Chamber of Commerce has come to visit," the waiter's voice rang out.

Wang Yan glanced out the window, and it was already light again.

I actually spent a whole day drawing.

He used to say that when Erossan got into her research, she didn't care about time, and he also felt that his cute female mentor didn't take care of her health.

But... at least Erossen knows that she should go to sleep by four o'clock.

As for Wang Yan himself, he simply endured the ordeal.

Shaking his head somewhat nervously, Wang Yan replied, "Please invite Steward Yun Gui up here, and also bring a pot of hot tea."

"Yes, sir," the waiter replied.

Before long, the waiter carrying hot tea brought Yun Gui in. He put down the hot tea and said with a smile, "Please take your time chatting. Call me if you need anything."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Wang Yan stood up and led Yun Gui to a seat: "Didn't you say that sending someone to inform her would be enough? Why did Steward Yun come all by herself?"

While they were talking, he poured tea for the other person.

Yun Gui didn't stand on ceremony and took a sip from her teacup: "The Lu family of [White Horse Inn] also has a tea garden in Qiaoying Manor. Their tea is just as good as the tea in teahouses."

After saying that, he continued, "I have made some progress on the information that Mr. Wang Yan asked me to inquire about."

Wang Yan sat up straight: "Manager Yun, please speak."

Yun Gui then relayed Xing Qiu's message.

The combination of "Cloud Pattern Golden Paulownia Wood" and "New Sprouts of Earth Vein" actually costs millions or even tens of millions of Mora?

Wang Yan was inwardly astonished, wondering if it was too late to find the Abyss Prince and join the Abyss Order.

However, despite his inward surprise, Wang Yan did not show much emotion on his face, and nodded slightly: "What the Second Young Master said makes sense. Things are valued for their rarity, so naturally, the transaction can only proceed if both parties are satisfied."

“Mr. Wang Yan, if you are in a difficult situation, I can watch the goods for you in the meantime. If anything unexpected happens, I will notify you immediately,” Yun Gui said.

Yun Gui actually knew something about Wang Yan's situation.

The Academy does not keep scholars' projects confidential.

The toothpaste sold by Feiyun Chamber of Commerce was actually sent back by Yun Gui.

Therefore, Yun Gui was very clear that Wang Yan could not currently come up with several million or even tens of millions of Mora.

As for exchanging items?

Yun Gui also knew that the toothpaste project was being handled by Dolly and could not be handed over to the Feiyun Chamber of Commerce.

That's why he said things like, "If Wang Yan is in a difficult position for the time being..."

"No, no, it's not difficult," Wang Yan said with a smile, shaking his head.

If the Feiyun Chamber of Commerce only wants money, then Wang Yan indeed doesn't have that much to offer. But if he can exchange it for something of equal value…

Wang Yan's gaze fell on the drawings that he had just put away.

Since we're going to need to find someone to cooperate with anyway, it's the same whether we go to Dolly or Feiyun Merchant Guild, right?

Chapter 138 Xingqiu: Let's go see Wang Yan together.

"What is this?"

Yun Gui watched as Wang Yan got up and took out a stack of manuscripts from the side, somewhat puzzled.

"This is a weapon I recently designed; you can take a look at it first."

Wang Yan handed the drawings to the other party, not worried that the other party could piracy them after seeing them.

Yun Gui took the drawing and examined it closely.

A person who can become a manager of the Feiyun Chamber of Commerce is naturally knowledgeable. He examined it for a moment, then raised an eyebrow: "This is... the Fool's Weapon?"

“It’s only similar in appearance,” Wang Yan explained. “The internal technology used is from Liyue—well, it’s the technology of the Final Dawn. You can think of it as a miniaturized version of the Final Dawn, with the complex functions like guidance removed, but its power far surpasses that of a regular gun.”

Upon hearing this, Yun Gui's expression turned serious.

He continued to peruse the manuscript. The weapon on the drawing did indeed resemble a gun, but the internal structure was quite different:

The crossbow arm has a recessed array base in the center, which is engraved with dense runes, and is also marked with words such as [Gathering Spirit Rune], [Solidifying Source Rune], and [Guiding Flow Seal].

The energy circuit is clearly defined, and the interface and power supply method have been simplified so that it can be activated by embedded elemental crystals or a small amount of external power.

“Miniaturization of the Return Machine…” Yun Gui murmured, a look of surprise flashing in her eyes. “Mr. Wang Yan, you have managed to condense such a complex immortal mechanism to such an extent?”

Wang Yan smiled and said, "Manager Yun, tell me, if I use this blueprint to cooperate with the Feiyun Chamber of Commerce, can I exchange it for those two materials?"

"Are you serious?" Yun Gui asked, holding the drawings in her hand, her tone somewhat excited.

Despite the fact that Feiyun Merchant Guild's merchant ships are equipped with the Death Machine, the production of this weapon has always been controlled by Seven Stars.

If Wang Yan had presented the blueprints for the End Machine, Yun Gui would have immediately shaken her head and refused.

After all, offending the Seven Stars is not a good choice.

However, what Wang Yan took out was a simplified version of the gun, using the same technology as the Returning Machine.

This is no longer within the restricted area of ​​the Seven Stars.

“I can hand over the blueprints to the Chamber of Commerce, which will organize artisans to trial-produce, improve, and mass-produce them.”

"Of course, in exchange, I hope the Chamber of Commerce can provide me with [Cloud Pattern Golden Paulownia Wood] and [New Sprouts of Earth Vein], and assist in collecting other necessary materials."

Wang Yan speaks frankly and without reservation.

Yun Gui pondered for a moment: "This matter is of great importance, and I need to report to the Chamber of Commerce for a decision. However, in my opinion, if this item can be realized, there will definitely be no problem with the materials."

“Of course,” Wang Yan nodded. “However, these drawings must not be allowed to fall into the wrong hands.”

Yun Gui smiled knowingly: "Please rest assured, sir, I know these rules."

With that, he stood up and said, "I'll go back and report right away and give you an answer as soon as possible."

"Okay, I'll see you off."

"Haha, sir, please wait a moment, I'll be going now."

Yun Gui left in a hurry, carrying the drawings given to her by Wang Yan.

……

Feiyun Chamber of Commerce.

Xingqiu was very happy because Chongyun came to visit him.

Just as I was about to find an excuse to sneak away, I saw Yun Gui walk in hurriedly, without even knocking.

Fortunately, Xingqiu wasn't a petty person; he simply asked, "Manager Yun Gui, what's going on here?"

Yun Gui then realized her mistake and quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, Second Young Master, I got carried away."

"Haha, it's nothing. Tell me, what made you so excited?" Xingqiu gave Chongyun a helpless look and sat back down in his seat.

Yun Gui took out the blueprints: "Mr. Wang Yan said that we should use this to cooperate with the Chamber of Commerce in exchange for materials."

"What is this?" Xingqiu took the blueprint, glanced at it, and then sat up straight. "A weapon?"

Yun Gui nodded: "According to Mr. Wang Yan, it is a simplified terminal technology."

Xingqiu took the drawing and scanned the intricate lines and rune markings with his eyes.

Although he was well-read and had a broad range of knowledge, talismans and mechanisms were not his forte.

The runes and mechanical structures on the drawings seemed rigorous, but he couldn't say for sure whether they could be realized or how powerful they would be.

As Xingqiu was pondering, he caught a glimpse of Chongyun sitting quietly drinking tea to the side, and his eyes lit up immediately.

Oh right, how could he forget that Chongyun is still here!

The Tianheng lineage of Taoist practitioners has practiced talismanic arts for many years, and their understanding of immortal runes is far beyond that of ordinary people.

He definitely knows these things better than I do.

"Chongyun," Xingqiu handed over the drawing, "can you take a look and see if the rune structure on this is correct?"

Upon hearing this, Chongyun put down his teacup and took the drawing.

He initially thought it was just an ordinary artifact design and only intended to glance at it. However, when his gaze fell upon the densely packed runes and energy circuit diagrams, his expression immediately became serious.

As the saying goes, the layman sees the spectacle, while the expert sees the details.

Xingqiu and Yungui looked at the drawings and felt that there was something there, something very impressive.

In Chongyun's eyes, it was a shock that lasted for a whole year.

"Can it still be like this?"

He muttered to himself, his fingertips slowly moving along the path of a [Spirit Gathering Pattern], his brows furrowing slightly. Then he looked at the ring-shaped structure of the [Solidifying Source Talisman] and the flow path of the [Guiding Script], his gaze becoming increasingly focused.

The combination of mechanisms and runes is not simply a matter of inscribing runes on mechanisms.

Instead, the runes need to be micro-adjusted to varying degrees depending on the purpose of the mechanism.

Furthermore, different runes can influence each other, so the overall situation must be considered when choosing which rune to use.

This is actually similar to the power grid before Wang Yan's time travel. How to arrange these power facilities to minimize power consumption while ensuring safety and cleanliness.

Outsiders might just attack without thinking twice, joining forces in a coordinated effort.

Those in the know understand that even the location of a utility pole needs to be calculated.

Seeing Chongyun's focused expression, Xingqiu and Yungui held their breath and dared not make a sound to disturb him.

Chongyun read very slowly, pausing to think at times, and sometimes drawing lines in the air with his finger on the paper, as if simulating runes.

As time passed and the steam from the teacup gradually dissipated, he remained engrossed in it.

"Wonderful..."

After a long silence, Chongyun suddenly sighed softly, raised his head, and a hint of astonishment lingered in his eyes: "It is indeed a simplified version of the Returning Machine. I once verified the Returning Machine made by Seven Stars with my elders. The celestial registers used by both are of the same origin, however..."

"However?" Xingqiu asked, puzzled.

Chongyun sighed, "However, the person who drew this blueprint has extremely strong rune skills. Not only did he simplify the [Spirit Gathering Rune], [Source Strengthening Rune], and [Flow Guiding Rune], but he also found a very subtle angle to make the runes harmonize on this miniaturized... gun..."

"Gathering spiritual energy to absorb external elements, guiding and constraining their flow, with a stable source in between... each link is interconnected, progressing layer by layer."

"This is by no means a figment of imagination, but is based on real magical techniques."

"To be honest, I even suspect that in his eyes, these celestial registers might be words that can be combined at will, rather than runes with extraordinary power."

"Absolutely brilliant!"

Chongyun couldn't help but praise him once again.

Xingqiu listened carefully and pressed for details, "In your opinion, can this thing really be made? And once it's made, how powerful will it be?"

"The blueprints themselves are fine, even quite ingenious, but whether they can be realized depends on the materials used, the craftsman's skill, and the precision of the rune engraving." Chongyun pondered for a moment, "As for the power..."

He paused, seemingly calculating: "If all goes well, the power of a single shot should far exceed that of an ordinary crossbow, perhaps reaching the power of one of your Phantom Sword Rains. Moreover, judging from the design, it seems that it can be continuously activated—of course, this depends on whether the power supply can keep up."

Xingqiu understood and smiled, "In other words, this blueprint is quite valuable."

Xingqiu knew perfectly well how powerful Phantom Sword Rain was. Although it wasn't the most powerful move among those who wielded the Eye of God, a single Phantom Sword Rain was enough to kill ordinary monsters and bandits.

“I’m not in business, so I don’t know anything about business matters,” Chongyun said seriously. “But I think that if such a convenient weapon existed, it could be of great use in guarding, hunting, and even military affairs.”