Chapter 295 — Second in All the World
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
More than a dozen Grand Academy scholars arrived at the riverbank—Shen Wanyun and the others among them. Ling Yushu said, "Leave the river dike to them. This time Vice Minister Shan intends to improve the Superintendency Works' techniques and manufacture some river-suppressing beasts. He insists you come."
They hurried to the Fangzhou Superintendency Works. Shan Youxin and other Ministry of Works officials had just arrived outside the works as well. Fangzhou was mountainous, with many mines. The Superintendency Works was responsible for refining dark gold and dark iron. Shen Mu met up with Shan Youxin, who hastily made his respects and said, "Refining treasures and forging weapons both require dark gold and dark iron. His Majesty has long intended to expand the Fangzhou Superintendency Works, but at the time the Great Thunder-Bell Monastery's influence was great, and His Majesty hesitated. This time the Great Thunder-Bell Monastery has suffered a great loss, so we must seize the opportunity to expand the works. Therefore we could not but invite the Hierarch to come and improve the furnaces and the forging and casting techniques..."
Shen Mu nodded. "Very well."
Ling Yuxiu hurried forward and said to Shan Youxin, "Vice Minister, I have cultivated to the Six Harmonies realm and forged a primordial weapon. I would also like to ask the Vice Minister to help improve it." With that, she brought out her Nine Dragons weapon.
Shan Youxin took her Nine Dragons weapon and smiled. "The Princess has a Grand Master at her side—why ask me?"
Ling Yuxiu was puzzled, not knowing who this Grand Master he spoke of might be.
Shan Youxin also took her Thousand Silk primordial weapon. He examined both primordial weapons, and his expression shifted slightly. With a gentle activation, the two primordial weapons suddenly changed form: the Nine Dragons weapon swelled and transformed into nine flying dragons, their scales and whiskers rendered with incomparable vividness, while the Thousand Silk weapon extended joint by joint, now unfurling, now contracting, truly unfathomable in its transformations.
"Colleagues, all of you, come look!"
Shan Youxin hastily summoned the many Ministry of Works officials. The Vice Minister of Works also pressed forward. The crowd marveled at the two primordial weapons, praising them without end. The Vice Minister of Works said, "Truly work of supernatural craftsmanship, the forging method is divine beyond divine, a technique beyond technique!"
After the Ministry of Works officials had studied them for a while, Shan Youxin retracted the two primordial weapons and returned them to Ling Yuxiu and Si Yunxiang, saying, "Holy Maiden, Princess, these two primordial weapons are the Hierarch's handiwork, are they not?"
Ling Yuxiu nodded. "Yes, the cowherd forged them for us out at sea."
Shan Youxin's face showed reverence. "The Hierarch's forging skills have already surpassed all of us in the Ministry of Works. In certain techniques the Ministry of Works might exceed the Hierarch, but overall, we are no match for him."
Ling Yuxiu was stunned and blurted out, "You cannot forge something better?"
"Nothing that surpasses the Hierarch's."
Shan Youxin said, "We have just taken a look, and we have learned much from the Princess's and the Holy Maiden's primordial weapons. Your two weapons are already perfection itself. The Ministry of Works cannot improve them."
Shan Youxin said gravely, "Hierarch Shen's forging method is in technique near to the divine, near to the Dao. In technique alone, no one in this world can surpass him. His forging methods are exquisite beyond compare—many of them I have never seen, never even heard of! That swift ship of Hall Master Fan Yunxiao's—the pill furnace was designed and forged by the Hierarch. I was present at the time and was awestruck. His craftsmanship may truly be called first under heaven!"
The two girls stared wide-eyed, unable to speak.