The Coffin Sedan, which had been resting horizontally, was approached by sixteen snow-white skeletons. They stopped, and the Coffin Sedan slowly rose until it stood upright, two feet off the ground.
The coffin lid slid open to the left.
It was pitch-black inside the coffin, and nothing could be seen clearly.
Clumps of pale Yellow Paper Money fluttered out, landing beneath the coffin and forming a floating staircase.
The body of the coffin transformed into a large door.
Beyond the door was a mansion with carved beams and painted rafters, resplendent and magnificent. It shimmered with iridescent light, like a scene from a celestial paradise.
A man wearing the scarlet Official Uniform of a Senior Fifth Grade official, embroidered with a silver pheasant, stood behind the door, making a welcoming gesture.
Li Qingxian looked at the man, and his heart skipped a beat. The man’s entire body was a deathly blue-black, as if he were a freshly exhumed corpse. His eyes glowed green, his skin was shriveled, and the wrinkles crisscrossing his body looked like a network of miniature mountain ranges.
Faint black mist seeped from the man’s seven orifices—his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. The seven streams of mist converged above his head, forming a black, misty skull.
The Puppet Cultivator gestured, and a handsome, beardless, fair-faced man dressed in a bright red Junior Fourth Grade Military Officer’s Uniform embroidered with a leopard stepped out of the coffin door. He walked down the staircase of paper money and landed on the ground.
Unlike a standard Fourth-Grade Official’s Uniform, his was more vibrant than others of the same Grade Level and looked very similar to the robes of the Jinyi Guard.
His skin was fair, soft, and delicate, and his face was lightly powdered. He had a delicate frame and a coquettish look in his eyes.
Zhou Chunfeng walked up to greet them, clasping his hands. "Junior Director Yan, Disciplinary Officer Liu, you have both come from afar. I apologize for not meeting you sooner. My apologies."
Yan Shixiao gave a delicate wave of his right hand and said in a soft, high-pitched voice, "Oh, my dear Brother Chunfeng, why be so formal with me? To be able to meet you is a blessing I must have earned over three lifetimes."
Before Li Qingxian’s eyes, the Eunuch blurred and reappeared at Zhou Chunfeng’s side. "Would you trouble yourself, Brother Chunfeng, to show me the legendary Pen and Ink Spring Breeze Inn?"
Zhou Chunfeng, the very picture of a humble gentleman, showed none of the disdain for eunuchs common among Literature Cultivators and led the way inside with a smile.
Seeing the beaming smile on Yan Shixiao’s face, Li Qingxian had a sudden realization. ’This guy must be Zhou Chunfeng’s biggest fanboy... no, wait, fangirl... no, that’s not right either...’
The three of them had discussed this Yan Shixiao during a previous conversation. He had been a nobody, but after entering the palace and switching to a Eunuch Cultivation Technique, his power had soared. He was now a shoo-in for the Upper Three Grades and had earned the deep trust of the Chief Eunuch of the Ritual Department.
Li Qingxian, Luo Jing, and Zhou Henn all bowed in unison. "Greetings, Lord Yan."
Yan Shixiao waved a hand. "We’re all on the same side, no need for formalities. Brother Chunfeng, when I heard I was coming to see you, I was waiting with bated breath for days."
Zhou Chunfeng, ever the suave gentleman, smiled. "Your visit, Junior Director Yan, brings great honor to my humble Chunfeng Inn."
Disciplinary Officer Liu Muwa of the Civilian Equipment Department walked over, and Li Qingxian and Luo Jing greeted him again.
Liu Muwa stared with his faintly glowing green eyes, his gaze sweeping over Luo Jing and Li Qingxian before finally settling on Li Qingxian. "You’re the Li Qingxian who invented the new wine-making method?"
"This humble subordinate is indeed Li Qingxian."
Liu Muwa nodded. "Let’s talk inside."
Liu Muwa walked as stiffly as a wooden puppet, so rigid he looked like he might topple over at any moment. Li Qingxian was half-afraid the dignified Senior Fifth Grade Disciplinary Officer would suddenly put his legs together, stretch his arms out, and start hopping.
The grey, misty Coffin Sedan remained outside, glowing green and emitting a constant, low MOAN.
Li Qingxian glanced at the Coffin Sedan, then at Liu Muwa walking ahead like a living corpse, and then at Yan Shixiao with his light, swaying steps. He entered the Chunfeng Inn with a very strange feeling.
The group took their seats, host and guests in their proper places, while Zhou Henn stood guard at the door.
Zhou Chunfeng was originally in the seat of honor, but Yan Shixiao, completely disregarding official etiquette, moved his own chair to sit right beside Zhou Chunfeng. He snuck a glance at Zhou Chunfeng’s hand, then looked at his own and sighed softly, "Brother Chunfeng, you truly are a man carved from jade. Your skin is even more delicate than mine."
Liu Muwa cleared his throat. "Junior Director Yan, we are here on official business today."
Yan Shixiao shot Liu Muwa a glare. "If Brother Chunfeng says it’s fine, then it’s fine. The Inner Treasury agrees to the cooperation."
Liu Muwa’s expression darkened, though no one could tell.
Zhou Chunfeng said, "Junior Director Yan, let’s discuss the distillery matter first today. We can chat about more pleasant things another time."
Yan Shixiao immediately sat up straight and nodded. "Whatever Brother Chunfeng says, goes. Liu Muwa, you may ask your questions."
Liu Muwa looked at Li Qingxian and said, "Explain it in detail."
Li Qingxian nodded and repeated what he had said before. The core concepts were that alcohol has a lower boiling point than water, and that the vapor turns back into liquid when cooled.
The others didn’t understand, but Liu Muwa, staring with his vivid green puppet-like eyes, nodded repeatedly.
When Li Qingxian finished, Liu Muwa slammed his palm down, shattering the armrest of his chair. The sudden action startled everyone, and Zhou Henn nearly leaped out to Block in front of Li Qingxian.
Liu Muwa boomed, "Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! To be so observant of subtle details and possess such meticulous thinking at such a young age is beyond what we could ever achieve! No more questions are needed. This will surely succeed! The phenomena he describes are things I have seen many times, and his deductions are flawless—no, they are the most brilliant I have ever encountered in my life. Li Qingxian, are you interested in joining my Ministry of Works? Even if you are unwilling to become a Puppet Cultivator, I guarantee you a position as a Disciplinary Officer within ten years."
The others stared in a daze. ’All that complicated stuff is actually that useful?’
Li Qingxian smiled. "Thank you for your high praise, Disciplinary Officer Liu, but I prefer Fate Skills and Daoist Skills. For now, I have no plans to leave the Night Guard."
Li Qingxian thought to himself, ’Who knows if I’d still get Qi Fortune rewards if I left the Night Guard for another Government Office.’
"What a pity. If you ever find you can no longer stay in the Night Guard, come straight to the Ministry of Works Office. Once this distillery is completed and the project is no longer confidential, I will recommend you to the Minister and Vice Ministers of the Ministry of Works. The doors of the Ministry of Works will always be open to an engineering genius like you."
"You flatter me, you flatter me," Li Qingxian said repeatedly.
Luo Jing chimed in with a smile, "The doors of our Ministry of Revenue are always open for you as well."
Zhou Chunfeng cleared his throat. "Disciplinary Officer Liu, we mustn’t rush this. It needs to be practically verified."
"That’s simple!"
Liu Muwa stretched out a hand, and a small, pitch-black furnace appeared in his palm. It was the size of a fist, with a hundred rotating beasts at its base and a carving of a hundred puppets marching at night on its outer wall. Crimson flames flickered from the furnace’s opening.
He tossed it with his right hand, and the furnace landed on the floor, growing to about three feet in height.
He began tossing various items into the furnace’s flames. A moment later, objects began flying out one by one. Some were things Li Qingxian had described, while others were entirely new.
There was a copper pot with controllable flames, a double-layered transparent glass condensation tube, ceramic vessels for holding liquid, and many other miscellaneous parts.
With another wave of his right hand, Liu Muwa assembled the components.
Liu Muwa poured water into the outer layer of the condensation tube, gave it a light tap, and channeled his Magical Power, instantly freezing the water.
The first complete condensation apparatus in Daqi Country was born.
Li Qingxian hadn’t expected to underestimate the masters of Puppet Cultivation in this world. ’They’re just more focused on Grade Level, Puppets, and Cultivation, paying no mind to things unrelated to their power. If they ever did pay attention, there’d be no role for me to play. Still, without external pressure, it’s hard for them to change. This is the path dependency that has been repeatedly proven throughout human history.’
Liu Muwa slapped his Qi Fortune Silver Fish Pouch, took out some bulk yellow wine, poured it into the copper pot, and heated it with the furnace fire.
Li Qingxian said, "Control the temperature slowly. Too low isn’t good, but neither is too high. With your profound Cultivation, you should be able to sense the optimal point where more alcohol is evaporating than water."
"Temperature? You mean the degree of heat?"
"Correct."
"I see. I can indeed sense the difference in the vapors. I will control it."