Chapter 37

The internal structure of Nangong Zhanghu was undergoing a significant transformation.

The powerful energy of the Changtian Dalian Gong, which had been concentrated in the Qihai acupoint, had completely disappeared.

Instead, the energy of the Changtian Dalian Gong, which had escaped from the dantian, was extending to the extremities and ceaselessly swirling between the meridians.

A massive flow of energy was rotating in a circle inside, forming a phenomenon.

The realm where the entire body had become a dantian, making the dantian itself meaningless, was known as the Gongdian.

It was hard to believe.

His five senses, including his field of vision, had expanded several times over.

Could the human body really exude such vitality and excitement?

It felt as if he had donned a completely different body.

Whoosh.

The blue flames that spewed from every pore of his body, swirling like mist, were so beautiful and dazzling.

'This is the Huajing...'

The realm he had longed for, the realm of creation (Zhuahua Jing), which had seemed as elusive as a mirage, had finally been achieved.

As the first rotation of Gongdian ended, a fiery pleasure arose within Nangong Zhanghu.

Aaaaaaaah—

Nangong Zhanghu's powerful Changlong Hou echoed long and loud, enveloping the headquarters of the Zogadaishanghui.

It was a signal that another Huajing had emerged in the jianghu.

Ma Yanlang Weizhao, who was calmly observing Nangong Zhanghu, burst out laughing when Nangong Zhanghu suddenly experienced a stroke of luck.

He soon sheathed his Gui Tou Dao on his back and approached Nangong Zhanghu step by step.

"Hey, Nangong."

Nangong Zhanghu was also putting away his sword with a calm face.

"Speak."

Ma Yanlang Weizhao patted Nangong Zhanghu on the shoulder as he approached.

"Damn, if you have a conscience, you should buy me a cup of wine, right? From the looks of it, I've become your benefactor now."

"..."

Nangong Zhanghu's face showed a moment of contemplation, then a smile gradually spread across his lips.

"I can't deny it."

"Heh, right?"

Suddenly, Nangong Zhanghu started walking.

"What, what? Are you running away?"

"Zogakezhan."

"Oh!"

Nangong Zhanghu glanced back.

"...What's your name?"

"Ma Yanlang Weizhao."

Nangong Zhanghu thought it was indeed a fitting nickname.

His relentless dual-hand Gui Dao technique was like waves of fire.

He chuckled.

"I'll treat you to a Hanbing Zhu."

At Nangong Zhanghu's words, Ma Yanlang Weizhao and Pai Yan Gui Dexiong burst into laughter.

"Damn, still a prestigious orthodox school! You guys must have a lot of silver, huh!"

"Hey! I'll pay for the Wuxiang Zhangliu! Damn, don't underestimate the Thousand Killers of the Moon!"

"Can you stop using the word 'damn' so much?"

Suddenly, Nangong Zhanghu felt that leaving his family to venture into the jianghu was a good decision.

As the fresh breeze made his martial robe flutter violently, Nangong Zhanghu felt a surge of joy and strode forward confidently.

* * *

Zhao Hui was repeatedly marveling at the bird's-eye view of the Foyang Lake ten-story pavilion complex designed by Zhuge Yun.

"Oh...!"

It was a bird's-eye view that was completely different from modern apartment complexes.

The concept was harmony with nature.

The rear garden, an artificial waterfall created between large rocks.

Numerous rare flowers and plants, and strange rocks.

More than twenty pavilions naturally blending into the surroundings, not arranged in vertical or horizontal lines.

It was a completely different feeling, exuding a strong oriental charm.

"And this is the solution proposed by the craftsmen. The insight of the craftsmen is truly remarkable."

The woodworkers, stonemasons, and potters recruited by Yan Shanglu.

When they first heard Zhuge Yun's plan for the Foyang Lake ten-story pavilions, they all shook their heads and wanted to go home. The plan was too unrealistic.

Building pavilions with iron!

It was a building concept that had never appeared in the Central Plains before.

Even the magnificent walls of the imperial palace were not made of iron.

Does the emperor lack silver to use iron? It's because the cost-effectiveness is so poor.

It was questionable whether a single iron foundry could supply so much iron ore.

However, iron ore from Sichuan started pouring in like a flood.

Moreover, the giant blast furnace created by the Zogadaishanghui's main foundry, which used coal instead of charcoal as the heat source, was pouring out thousands of catties of steel ingots daily.

The craftsmen, who were initially hired out of curiosity and greed for the fivefold monthly salary, finally realized that the Zogadaishanghui's plan was no joke.

From then on, debates between the woodworkers, stonemasons, and potters began.

The H-beam shaped iron columns could certainly withstand enormous loads and tension compared to wooden columns.

However, could a pavilion be completed with just columns?

A fierce debate ensued about what material to use for the exterior of the pavilion, which would be attached to the H-beams.

Among the craftsmen, the woodworkers, who were the most numerous, first suggested using Gang Song as the main material to Zhuge Yun.

They claimed that a pavilion built with Gang Song could withstand hundreds of years.

Of course, it wasn't a wrong claim, but none of the pavilions that had withstood hundreds of years were ten stories tall.

On the other hand, the stonemasons argued that it was impossible with Gang Song.

They claimed that the only material that could withstand the harsh weather for a long time was stone, and insisted that the main material should be granite, even if it cost a lot.

However, Zhuge Yun was also in a dilemma because if the main material was granite, the structure would not allow the material to be stacked on the H-beams, and the granite would have to be shaped into large slabs.

This would certainly create a more solid structure, but it would also incur significant additional costs.

While the woodworkers and stonemasons were arguing every day to protect their own work and vested interests, the potters suddenly brought in an unprecedented type of clay.

The potters, who had conducted countless experiments over time, called this special sand "binding clay."

It had components similar to the first cement in human history, known as lime mortar.

However, it was distinctly different from lime mortar in that its strength when hardened was extremely high.

This was due to the fine soil, known as Qiang Hei Tu, mixed with the lime mortar.

Qiang Hei Tu was a unique soil that could be collected from the lower reaches of the Foyang Lake, at a considerable depth, and had been widely used by potters for a long time.

Since Qiang Hei Tu was from deep sediment layers, there had been a limit to the amount that could be collected. However, with the involvement of the Iron Fist King's subordinates, who had mastered high-level water skills, the amount collected daily exceeded the usual amount by several times.

Soon, the potters proposed to Zhuge Yun a method of using formwork to stack the material.

While formwork was used to build earthen walls in the Central Plains, the formwork used to attach to the special H-beam columns was a great curiosity for the craftsmen.

After carefully examining the craftsmen's proposals, Zhao Hui spoke again.

"The woodworkers suggest 'Gang Song,' the stonemasons suggest 'granite slabs,' and the potters suggest 'binding clay,' right?"

"Yes. There are advantages and disadvantages in terms of structural, cost, and time aspects. The structure with granite slabs attached to the steel frame is the most solid, but it requires the most time and cost. Additionally, it has a fatal flaw in that it is difficult to replace parts when damaged by disasters."

"What about Gang Song?"

"It can be built in the shortest time and at the lowest cost, but it is vulnerable in terms of durability due to the characteristics of wood. If a part is infested by termites or rots, it could cause structural problems in the pavilion. It is especially weak against water."

To Zhao Hui, Gang Song seemed unrealistic.

It would be advantageous for simple wooden structures, but it was clearly not suitable for a ten-story pavilion.

"I think the binding clay proposed by the potters is the most ideal. The formwork method is also time-efficient, and its strength, while not as strong as rock, is comparable. Most importantly, it is an excellent method in terms of maintenance, as partial repairs are possible. The choice is yours, Chairman."

In fact, building dozens of ten-story pavilions was a huge adventure for Zhao Hui.

He had never built a house, let alone a building, in modern times. He only had a vague concept like everyone else.

Zhao Hui spoke cautiously.

"Let's start by experimenting with a one-hundredth scale model using various materials. We will finalize the design after that. And..."

His eyes lit up as if he had just thought of something.

"Do you remember the concept of the elevator I mentioned before?"

Zhuge Yun sighed softly.

"Phew... That was a difficult problem for me to solve."

Even the excellent civil engineering and mechanical skills of the Zhuge family could not overcome the modern structure known as the elevator.

A stone that rolls down when a trap is stepped on.

A knife that springs up from the floor when touched.

Most of the mechanisms were one-time use.

The back of a place with mechanisms usually had tightly twisted wires or ropes, gears, and other structures that would activate when a certain impact was received.

However, the concept of an elevator that Zhao Hui mentioned required continuous power to endlessly go up and down a ten-story pavilion.

As far as Zhuge Yun knew, there was no such infinite power in this world.

"Hmm..."

The elevator was one of the things Zhao Hui wanted to implement in the Central Plains.

However, the technology level in the Central Plains had not yet reached that point, and his own knowledge was not sufficient to achieve such a high-level technology.

He could somehow manage to create a steam engine, but electricity was a completely different level.

Wait, what?

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Zhao Hui's mind.

"Can we use human power?"

"Huh?"

Zhuge Yun's eyes widened.

"Isn't it possible to implement an elevator using the simple principle of a pulley? We have more than enough people to operate the pulleys in our Zogadaishanghui."

"Are you thinking of the remnants of the Black Heaven Sect...?"

Zhao Hui nodded with a sly smile.

"Anyway, they don't have much to do, right? If we just raise