Chapter 4: Armor

  Although looking forward to the full moon, things that need to be done should still be done step by step.

  Yang Yunqiu has become accustomed to this comfortable life, practicing qigong for two hours in the morning against the first rays of dawn, and then sitting for a whole morning, frantically making all kinds of daily utensils.

  If it were an ordinary cultivator, this kind of equipment refinement would have exhausted their true energy long ago. But he was different. In the three years in the wilderness forest, he spent every day and night drawing array diagrams, thinking about how to use the most economical way to draw more array diagrams with the least amount of spiritual energy. This was an indispensable lesson for him.

  An ordinary third-class craftsman can make ten second-class instruments in a day, and he can make thirty or even more.

  Changsu Town's winter days are mostly overcast, Yang Yunqiu made a pair of fog-dispelling folding umbrellas, all pink satin, bamboo-made umbrella bones, for Zhou Lanxi and Yang Yan to use when going out.

  Zhou Lan Zhi goes to the Shantang every day to cook, although it's hard work and the pay is very little, but she does it with a happy heart. Yang Yun Qiu also thinks that her mother staying at home alone all the time is suffocating, so she's happy to let her go out and make some friends.

  Besides, she also wants to send her daughter to Shanming School, and scrape together some tuition fees, even if it's just a little, this is her heart's desire.

  Yang Yan and Yang Yunqiu were different, she could almost be said to have no talent, although young in years, it was impossible to determine that she would not awaken before the age of fifteen, but whether or not a person had the innate ability to become a cultivator, an experienced person could tell at a glance.

  This little girl was born with a poor foundation, her whole body's joints and orifices were hard to open, she had a serious illness as an infant, and was abandoned in the wilderness. If not for Zhou Lanxi taking her in, it's unknown whether she could have survived. Her temperament is also naive and careless, with many flaws. Without opportunities, it's unlikely she can become a cultivator. Those with talent want to cross the threshold, but they must go through countless hardships and dangers. How much more so for someone born dull and stupid?

  Of course, if you have been receiving the most orthodox basic training since childhood, it is not that there are no opportunities at all.

  Shanming Academy is a cultivation academy opened by the Yan Guo government, unlike other major sects that carefully select their disciples. It has always been open to anyone who can afford the tuition fees, regardless of their background. However, ordinary people can only enter ordinary classes and undergo basic training at first. Only after successfully awakening and becoming a cultivator can they progress further. This is also done to maximize the number of Yan Guo's cultivators.

  Yang Yunqiu did not object to her own sister going to school, Shanming School has developed for hundreds of years and has its own system in cultivating students, with rich experience. The students taught by the school, even if they cannot awaken in the end, can still strengthen their bodies, learn a few skills to make a living, and at the very least, make a few friends worth befriending.

  If one had even a little bit of talent, even if it was just a first-class cultivator, they could participate in the imperial examination and enter the palace as a female official, enjoying the court's support.

  Most people don't like to be restricted, and very few would be happy to enter the imperial court, but in fact, being in a government office is good for self-cultivation. For a girl like Yang Yan with unremarkable talent, this is absolutely a stable and suitable path.

  It won't hurt anyway.

  "By the way, where's Ah Yan?" Yang Yunqiu suddenly remembered that she hadn't seen her own sister in the courtyard chasing dogs and cats for almost half a morning. "Out playing again?"

  Zhou Lan Zhi smiled and nodded: "She went to find your Aunt Lin's Doudou."

  Changsu Town is not big, although the folk customs are rough, but the residents inside have a common goal of taking good care of children. Generally, when adults have something to do, they put the little ones on the street to scatter and raise them. Yang Yan ran out to play, Zhou Lan Zhi was not worried.

  Yang Yunqiu thought for a moment and said: "Mother, I'll see you out and take the opportunity to look for Ayan."

  These past few days have been different from usual, and it seems that Changsu Town has suddenly welcomed a group of newcomers. The townspeople are all on high alert, and yesterday when he went to deliver goods, several elders specially reminded him to be careful.

  This place is adjacent to the barbarous forest, and in previous years, some adventurers and monks have come and gone, but most of them were during the spring and autumn seasons. The cold winter days are not a good time, even for high-ranking monks who are immune to heat and cold, they can't withstand the icy hail of the twelfth lunar month.

  It's precisely for this reason that a stranger appearing in winter can't help but make people feel vigilant.

  Zhou Lan Zhi was most willing to see the two siblings being affectionate, and of course wouldn't stop her son's good intentions. Outside it was cold and windy, so mother and son both wore hooded cloaks with masks covering their faces, and each sleeve had two hand warmers tied to it.

  The door opened, standing in the wind, seeing the pedestrians coming and going on the street, even the small vendors calling out along the street were not scarce.

  Zhou Lan Zhi couldn't help but laugh: "This winter in Changsu Town is much better than previous years, previously we didn't dare to go out, Xiao Qiu, this is all thanks to you."

  It's not wrong, stoves and heaters of this kind, if they're large, rough, and cumbersome, aren't difficult to make, even a mediocre craftsman can produce them. Long Su Town isn't wealthy, but every household prepares one for heating, it's just that they waste crystal stones and use more firewood instead.

  But that kind of thing can be used for heating at home, but it's impossible to take out.

  It's not that there aren't any exquisite and delicate ones, it's just that the warm balls, from the workmanship to the materials, even to the setting of the crystals, are all very fine. Even if a third-rate craftsman were to make them, the cost of the materials would be quite expensive, completely beyond what the residents of Longsu Town, who can't even afford to spend half a copper coin, could afford.

  Yang Yunqiu's hand warmer, however, is different. The method he uses is quite special and doesn't require high-quality materials or a lot of energy. Although the temperature may not be as high as that of a large heater, one person can just carry two with them when they go out and it will be enough. Anyway, as long as it's cheap, the effect isn't so good, but the residents of Changsu Town probably won't mind.

  Unfortunately, this place is remote, and no matter how good things are, they can't be spread out for the time being.

  Yang Yunqiu walked hand in hand with his mother on the main street, the wind and sand were slightly strong, but pedestrians had long been accustomed to it. He helped Zhou Lanzhi hold a pink umbrella, which was delicate and elegant, and as a big boy holding it, he couldn't help but attract attention. Yang Yunqiu, however, seemed completely unaware of this, still expressionless, with a leisurely demeanor, following closely behind Zhou Lanzhi's side.

  To outsiders, he seems to be calm and composed, with elegant and leisurely steps, as if he were a celestial being, making people admire him. However, if someone looks closely, they will discover that his mind is empty, and his thoughts have long since flown to the ends of the earth. As for his impeccable demeanor, it's all because every step he takes is in harmony with the Tao.

  After sending Zhou Lan Zhi to the orphanage and seeing her enter, Yang Yunqiu stretched her waist and went to find that lively and lovely younger sister of his. As she walked down South Street, only a minute's walk from Qu Shu and Lin Shu's store, a familiar laugh echoed in her ears.

  Yang Yunqiu suddenly stopped in her tracks, lifted her head and saw a young girl standing on the stone steps in front of a new shop that had just opened this month. The girl was wearing two buns, dressed in coarse linen clothes, slender figure, slightly pale complexion, but with vivid and lively facial features - it was Yang Yan.

  A little girl with a smile on her face pulled along another girl who was two or three years older than her, her eyes almost glued to the half suit of armor standing in the corner of the east wall inside the house.

  "It seems that the Heaven's Workshop has recently come out with a new style of armor, this model is much more beautiful than the Eagle 11, ah, why hasn't it been published in the recent issues of the Heaven's Painting Journal?"

  "Do you like it?"

  "If I could wear it for a day, I'd be willing to go three years without eating glutinous rice dumplings."

  Duoduo suddenly lost her smile and said, "It seems that you really liked it after all. I remember last year when I tasted one of your glutinous rice dumplings, you dared to cry for three days."

  One sentence made Yang Yan's small face flush, but unfortunately, after trying to raise an eyebrow and make eyes for half a day, she still couldn't write the word "shy". Doudou burst out laughing: "Forget it, I won't tease you. However, I really can't see what's good about that armor. The color is dull and the style isn't new at all. Besides, Wang Uncle's store only sells second-hand goods, how could a brand-new product from Tian Gong Workshop appear here?"

  Yang Yan ignored Dodo's words and stared at the armor in the house, her eyes closed in a daze: "Ah, it's no use explaining to you outsiders. Just look at its beautiful lines, and then look at the enchanting patterns on it. The structure is wonderfully intricate and tight, how could it not be a masterpiece of heaven?"

  "Good eyes, little girl." An old man with white hair and beard walked out of the store, bent down and said to Yang Yan, "How about it? I'll give you a discount, 2,000 gold coins and you can take it home. Do you want to buy?"

  Yang Yan took a cold breath, her head shaking like a rattle drum, but before she could speak, she saw her own big brother walk into the shop, stretch out his hand and press down on the left chest of the armor's formation. A flash of silver light, and the armor that was as tall as a person suddenly disintegrated with a clatter, scattering in front of him.

  The surroundings suddenly fell silent.