Chapter 154: The Use of the Golden Book?
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: GaiaNove
"What?"
Luo Chong's face darkened.
Even if you are a master teacher, you shouldn't insult me like that!
No matter what, I am the dignified leader of the Blacksmith Guild. I am of noble standing, and you say that I stuffed myself despite being already full (looking for it)...
I came here in earnest to consult you, yet you gave me such an answer. Aren’t you are looking down on me...
Even though Sun Qiang already knew that the old master would say such shocking words, he was still unable to control his shock upon hearing those words and nearly knocked his head against the wall.
My great old master, it is really okay for you to speak to a true blacksmith like this?
Cough cough, even an ordinary person would turn all out against you if you say such words to them...
Most importantly... The reason why he came here is to seek enlightenment on why he is unable to successfully forge an equipment. Yet, the first few words you say to him is that he stuffed himself when he was full (looking for it)... Aren't you being too arrogant?
What does stuffing oneself have to do with forging equipment? The only relationship between the two is that one would feel weak if one doesn’t eat. However, for a Tongxuan realm expert like Guild Leader Luo Chong, this shouldn't pose a problem at all!
"There's no need to get so agitated!"
Seeing that the other party was getting agitated, Zhang Xuan smiled, not paying the other party's anger any heed. "You don't need to deny my words so hurriedly. Let me ask you, have you been eating 【Dragon-scaled Prawns】 daily?"
"Indeed, is there a problem?" Luo Chong looked at Yang shi doubtfully.
The Dragon-scaled Prawn is an animal unique to Lake Hong and it made a delectable dish. It is one of the most favorite food in the upper echelons of Tianxuan Kingdom. He also used to eat it frequently, but such an anomaly had never occurred in the past. Could his failure to forge equipment really be related to this?
"If I'm not wrong, these Dragon-scaled Prawns that you ate came from one batch you bought at a single go!"
Zhang Xuan continued asking.
Luo Chong nodded his head. At the same time, a doubt arose in his mind.
How did the other party know this?
His Dragon-scaled Prawns came from the same batch he bought a few days ago. There were several thousands of it, filling two whole crates. In order to ensure its freshness, he even reared them specially in his courtyard's pond.
He would carefully pick the living and healthy ones to eat, so it is impossible for anything to be wrong with the prawns. Furthermore, after consuming it, there weren't any anomalies with his body, and he didn't suffer from diarrhea or any other symptoms either. How can this be related to him being unable to successfully forge weapons?
"That's right then!" Zhang Xuan chuckled. "Do you know when do Dragon-scaled Prawns reproduce?"
"When do they reproduce?" Luo Chong became increasingly confused. He was only interested in eating the prawns, how would he possibly know all these?
"I know..."
Just as he was about to ask Yang shi for the answer, Sun Qiang suddenly spoke.
"Speak!" Zhang Xuan nodded his head.
"Dragon-scaled Prawns usually bear their offspring near the end of summer, the start of autumn, which is around now!" Sun Qiang said.
He had worked in Tianyu Merchant Firm for numerous years. Even though he had never bought them, he often came into contact with these products and naturally, he possessed a little bit of knowledge on them.
"That's right. It's this season!" Zhang Xuan nodded his head.
The academy's semester had just started not long ago, and it is currently the start of autumn, which is also the mating season for the Dragon-scaled Prawns.
Hearing those words, Luo Chong felt his head going faint. He was about to go insane from the confusion.
Yang shi, I'm here to ask you why I am unable to forge equipment, not to look into when Dragon-scaled Prawns reproduce... What matter is it of mine that they bear offsprings? It is not like the children are mine...
"There's no need to be anxious. You being unable to forge equipment has something to do with this!" Seemingly sensing his bewilderment, Zhang Xuan continued to say. "The Dragon-scaled Prawn is considered an yin-type food. Eating too much will weaken a person's yang energy. Of course, this weakening effect is minimal and negligible, and doesn't affect a person's body at all!"
"However, the Dragon-scaled Prawns after mating are different!"
"The Dragon-scaled Prawn infuses all of its essence and vitality into its offsprings, causing its own body to weaken. Furthermore, its body generates a substance that will numb a person's nerves. With excessive consumption, one's mind will become dull..."
At this point, Zhang Xuan paused and looked at Zhou Chong with glowing eyes. "Have you been unable to enter the state of Will of Mind 2-dan, Heart of Tranquil Water? Not only so, you find yourself getting irritated easily, causing your forging abilities to take a huge blow, resulting in you being unable to successfully forge an equipment?"
Regardless of whether one was forging pills or equipment, one's state of mind is of absolute importance. Without a steady mind, it is impossible for one to succeed.
"Could it truly be that... I've eaten too many Dragon-scaled Prawns?"
Luo Chong's entire body shuddered and he staggered two steps backward.
It is true that recently, he had been unable to focus his attention on forging equipment, and that he was unable to enter the state of Heart of Tranquil Water to achieve total serenity. He had tried all kinds of methods and means to calm himself but to no avail. To think that the problem... lies with the prawns.
It was inconceivable to him that a Dragon-scaled Prawn which had undergone the reproduction process would produce a substance that would numb one's nerves... If not for the other party pointing it out, he would have never imagined that this would be possible. However, why haven’t he heard of it before?
"All animals have their own means of self-protection. Dragon-scaled Prawns are the same as well. They are at their weakest right after their birth, and thus, they produce such a substance to protect themselves. However... They still ended up on the plate anyway!"
Zhang Xuan shook his head.
"I know my fault now. In future, I will never eat Dragon-scaled Prawns again. Yang shi, please guide me on how I can resolve this situation!"
With a pale face, Luo Chong hesitated for a slight moment before hurriedly clasping his fist.
Even though he loves eating Dragon-scaled Prawns, forging equipment is far more important than the former.
"Er..."
Upon hearing the other party's words, Zhang Xuan was stumped.
Actually, he didn't know how he should resolve the problem as well.
The Library of Heaven's Path only detailed the reasons behind why he was facing such a condition. Luo Chong's main problem is that he had eaten too many Dragon-scaled Prawns, causing the nerve-numbing venom to accumulate in his body, thus resulting in his unstable mental state and him failing in his forging attempts.
As for how he can dispel this venom, Zhang Xuan is truly clueless.
However, even if he didn't know, he wouldn't let anyone else find out. There was barely a brief moment of hesitation before he placed his hands behind his back to portray the image of a supreme expert.
"First release those Dragon-scaled Prawns that you have caught. As for the solution to your problem, it will depend on your future actions. However... I can tell you this. As long as you stay away from it for a long period of time, you will recover slowly, but surely!"
He wasn't deceiving the other party. The detoxification ability of a human body is extremely powerful, especially so for a Tongxuan realm expert. As long as he stays away from the prawns for a period of time, the venom that had accumulated in his body will be passed out quickly.
"Yang shi, thank you for your guidance!"
Knowing the cause and solution to his problem, Luo Chong heaved a sigh of relief. He hurriedly bowed to him.
At this moment, he was already completely impressed by this Yang shi.
Just by seeing him forge an equipment, he is able to tell that he likes to eat Dragon-scaled Prawns and even found the root of the problem as to why he was unable to successfully forge an equipment——He stuffed himself when he was full (Looking for it)!
As expected of a master teacher, his ability of discernment is indeed incredible.
The three million, worth it!
"Yang shi, can you offer me some pointers for equipment forging?"
Finally uncovering the reason behind his problem and knowing that time can resolve it, Luo Chong's mind started to wander.
He had been stuck at the 1-star blacksmith intermediate stage for a very long time, being unable to break through this limit. Now that there is a master teacher before him, he was tempted to make full use of this opportunity to obtain a pointer or two so that he can break through this impasse.
"Equipment forging?"
Zhang Xuan did not expect that the other party would not leave right after his problem was solved and instead, request to learn equipment forging from him. For a moment, he was taken aback.
Honestly, he didn't even know what one had to do for equipment forging, so how could he offer him pointers?
"Looks like I am being too impetuous..."
Upon receiving no reply from the other party, Luo Chong felt awkward.
A master teacher only teaches his own students. He is in no way related to him, so it is indeed a little inappropriate for him to have made such a request.
Zhang Xuan waved his hands, "Xiao Qiang, escort our guest out!"
"Master Luo, the old master needs to rest. This way please!"
Sun Qiang stepped forward.
"Yes!" Luo Chong nodded his head and bid farewell.
"It is indeed difficult to pass off as a master teacher..."
Seeing Luo Chong leave, Zhang Xuan rubbed between his eyebrows.
Master teachers grasped the knowledge of innumerable occupations in their minds and they possess discernment abilities unimaginable to others. At present, the reason why he had been able to achieve this much was due to the help of the Library of Heaven's Path. The moment he stops using it, he will be exposed in an instant.
"I really do wonder how those master teachers gather and store so much knowledge in their mind..."
A person's energy is limited. After undergoing the apothecary examination, he understood that the knowledge required in just the field is as vast and as deep as the ocean. Without the library, not only would be unable to pass the examination, he might not have been able to score even a single point.
A true master teacher can't possibly possess such a cheating machine. It is truly a mystery to him how they are able to learn so much and pass all those examinations, given a human’s limited lifespan.
"Regardless, I have to read more books from now on. After all, the library is still an external object!"
The thought appeared in his mind.
To him, even though the library is incredible, it remains as an external tool. If he were to rely on it for everything he does while not putting in any effort to improve himself, even if he were able to pass off his disguise successfully in a remote and backward kingdom like Tianxuan Kingdom, he will definitely be exposed if he were to go somewhere more prosperous.
Thus, no matter what, his own vault of knowledge is important as well.
The thought appeared in his mind and grew so powerful that he is no longer able to flush it out. With a jolt of his mind, he looked at the Library of Heaven's Path once more.
Reading books and learning from them in the real world is a slow process, but he is able to speed up the process multiple folds by reading the books inside the library. He had already experienced such wonders for himself previously.
Even though the books in the library are accessible to him with a single thought and he is able to freely look through it, the knowledge nevertheless can't be said to truly belong to him.
It is just like in Baidu and Google in his previous life. Although such technology allows one to look up for solutions to their problems, the knowledge is external to its users. One is unable to utilize them easily and freely.
Only by memorizing everything in his own mind can he be truly considered as knowledgeable.
"Un? What is that?"
Upon entering the library, he noticed something that is out of place.
Unknowingly, a golden book had appeared in the depths of the densely packed bookshelves.
He is extremely certain that he had never seen this manual before.
"Come here!"
With a swipe of his hand, the golden book gently quivered and fell right into his palm.
The book is extremely thin and there doesn't seem to be much content in it. Flipping it open casually, Zhang Xuan was dumbfounded.
There was only a single page to it and there were no content whatsoever in it. It was a blank book.
"What is the use of this book?"
Zhang Xuan was bewildered.
He doesn't know when such a book had appeared in the Library of Heaven's Path, nor does he know why it is completely blank.
"I should just put that aside for now and focus on gaining knowledge from the other books..."
After examining the golden book for a very long time, he remained unable to uncover its purpose. Thus, Zhang Xuan shook his head and chose to put it aside. He looked at the Library of Heaven's Path once more. Many books had been formed in it, and he intended to look through them properly so as to assimilate the knowledge into his mind.
The moment the thought flashed through his mind, before he could even make a move, the golden book in his hand quivered and transformed into a brilliant ray of light. Under the blinding radiance, all of the contents of all the books in the library came surging into Zhang Xuan's mind.
Before Zhang Xuan could react, everything went dark. He had fainted.