Chapter 317: Star-Plucking Pavilion

“Sweet Rain!”

“Heavenly Dew!”

Xiao Yuquan and Zhou Likun both stared wide-eyed, almost cross-eyed.

Li Xian, on the other hand, was overjoyed. Since it wasn’t an unknown substance, it would be easier for everyone to accept and study. “Alright, alright, Daoist Yuquan, you go first—why do you think it’s Sweet Rain?”

Now that Li Xian was a Nascent Soul stage expert, it was acceptable for him to address Xiao Yuquan by name without the honorific “senior.” In the cultivation world of the Immortal Realm, strength was still the highest authority.

Xiao Yuquan thought for a moment before speaking: “I’m not entirely certain, but based on the records, it closely resembles Sweet Rain. There’s an idiom that goes, ‘a generous fall of Sweet Rain,’ and another phrase, ‘Sweet Rain of heavenly grace.’ Legend says it’s a blessing from the heavens upon the earth.

It’s said that when plants absorb Sweet Rain, they grow more vigorously; medicinal herbs nourished by Sweet Rain become more potent and grow in a shorter time.

If a human absorbs Sweet Rain, all diseases are cured; it has effects such as purifying the body, healing hidden injuries, strengthening the physique, and increasing cultivation.

However, the true origins of Sweet Rain are unknown. It’s only known that there were records of it in ancient times. In more recent history, however, there have been no further accounts of it.”

Li Xian nodded and turned to Zhou Likun. “Zhou Likun, tell me why you call it Heavenly Dew.”

Zhou Likun smiled awkwardly and said: “Actually, Heavenly Dew and Sweet Rain should be the same thing. It’s just that ‘Heavenly Dew’ is the term used by the demon clans: it’s said to be multicolored, like rainbow nectar, and a gift from the Heavenly Emperor.

However, most records of Heavenly Dew mention its benefits to demonkind, with minimal effect on plants and little benefit to humans. That differs slightly from the records on Sweet Rain.”

Li Xian thought for a moment. “Maybe the records are biased, or perhaps the composition and formation process differ slightly. In any case, I’m leaving it to you. With this, I think those demonic energies we’ve been struggling with might now be transformed into a new resource.”

Xiao Yuquan quickly chimed in: “No problem. With this clue, the research will be much easier. There’s a circulation of the Five Elements all around—seems like the legendary Furnace of Heaven and Earth; and the spiritual energy and demonic energy resemble the interaction of Yin and Yang; thunder and rain contain transformations of the Four Symbols.

But now we have computers to help. I estimate we’ll have results in no more than a month.”

Zhou Likun added immediately: “I’ll help too. This Heavenly Dew seems like a natural method of alchemy by heaven and earth, using the Five Elements and Yin-Yang as ingredients, mixed with the transformations of the Four Symbols. This method of alchemy and its process—you’ll definitely need my help.”

“Let’s do it together.” Xiao Yuquan responded proudly.

Once everything was handled, Li Xian inquired about the inventory status.

Fang Shijing pulled out a small notebook. “Currently, we have 670 tons of liquid spiritual energy in storage. As for bacterial elixirs, we have a total of two tons. These include effects from over forty types of medicinal herbs: such as purple jade ganoderma, stone ganoderma, red ginseng, low-grade spirit-calming herbs, cloud night-blooming flowers, cold spirit grass, and so on.

Additionally, we have 14 tons of refined gold, 180 tons of secret silver, 500 tons of red copper, and 1,200 tons of dark iron.

Also, recently we refined a strange metal using aluminum—it’s deathly pale and might be the legendary Nether Iron, though it lacks the eerie aura of true Nether Iron, so we can’t be sure yet.

We also refined another metal from lead—it’s heavy, grayish-black, and incredibly hard. It might be the legendary Demon Iron, but it similarly lacks the aura typically associated with demonic materials.”

Li Xian was cautious. “For now, let’s stop refining new metals. The refined metals like essence gold from gold, silver, copper, and iron are already sufficient for our use. Don’t overextend or scatter our research efforts. Once our foundations are secure and we’re strong enough, we can study those materials.”

“Understood.” Fang Shijing strongly agreed with this idea.

Li Xian continued: “Temporarily allocate 150 tons of liquid spiritual energy, 200 jin of bacterial elixirs, 500 kilograms of refined gold, 2 tons of secret silver, 5 tons of red copper, and 10 tons of dark iron. Deliver them to the seaside—just place them at the military port.”

“Alright.”

“Then I’ll be off.” Having wrapped up everything, Li Xian prepared to leave. He was a master at handing things off.

“Wait, young master.” Fang Shijing quickly pulled him back. “Young master, Cai State’s dumping plan is now saturated. Plus, they’ve declared war on us, and many textiles are now overstocked. I plan to redirect the dumping strategy to Jin Kingdom.”

“Excellent. Go ahead and do it.” With that, Li Xian turned and left. Such “small matters” didn’t warrant his personal attention.

Now that everything was on track, Li Xian only needed to sit back and reap the rewards. But instead of leaving Qingyun Valley, he headed toward a very unique building under construction. This was a building on the highest peak in the area.

The structure was peculiar—it was a suspended pavilion shaped like an iron tower.

Below was a spacious and bright building about twenty meters tall. Above it stood an iron tower over 200 meters high, still under busy construction. Many Golden Core experts were flying up and down, working joyfully. From afar, you could hear their cheerful chatter—even while working, these experts couldn’t help but dream.

“Truly fine workers! No construction machinery needed. Looks like it’ll be finished by tomorrow. The pavilion at the top is almost complete.”

When Li Xian approached, he saw three large characters above the gate: Star-Plucking Pavilion.

Indeed, this was Ge Zhengfeng’s workplace, which would later become the astronomical observatory. But for now, the observatory was still under construction.

Although Ge Zhengfeng’s status couldn’t compare to people like Xu Ren, Li Xian was equally interested in the skies of this world, so he invested heavily in astronomy.

In fact, Li Xian wasn’t the only one interested in the heavens—many people were fascinated by the stars. After word spread about building an observatory, even Xu Ren wanted to join as a part-time deputy just so he could hang around. As for other cultivators? They were countless. Thus, the Star-Plucking Pavilion was entirely built by cultivators using their own hands—and at astonishing speed.

As for Ge Zhengfeng himself, he had long been captivated by telescopes and was now deeply engaged in designing one tailored for his own astronomical observations.

When Li Xian arrived, Ge Zhengfeng was commanding his subordinates to assemble the telescope.

“What a massive telescope!” Li Xian was utterly amazed upon seeing it. After all, Ge Zhengfeng was a Nascent Soul stage expert, and his assistants were all Golden Core cultivators. With so many high-level experts, miracles could indeed be created. The telescope being assembled before Li Xian had a convex lens at the front at least a meter wide, and a body about seven or eight meters long, supported by a steel frame.

“Young master is here,” Ge Zhengfeng greeted Li Xian briefly and continued working.

Li Xian nodded and teased, “Elder Ge, have you gained any new insights into the starry sky lately?”

Ge Zhengfeng snorted and said nothing more, but his face turned slightly red—not from embarrassment, but excitement. After a while, he replied irrelevantly: “In five days, this astronomical telescope will be fully calibrated, and then we’ll be able to observe the stars.”

Li Xian grinned smugly: “Then I’ll come back in a few days. I hope by then, you won’t start doubting your whole worldview, Elder Ge. Hahaha…”