572: Chapter 572 No spirit stones? Then let the Righteous Alliance send them to me.

The several Disciples listened with only a vague understanding, but they all remembered the words Xu Ruyu had spoken—"The Spiritual Artifacts in your hands are not Magical Artifacts, they are weapons."

Magical Artifacts are driven by spiritual power, while weapons rely on the laws of physics.

Spiritual power can be unaffected by distance, but bullets cannot.

Bullets are made of iron and are affected by gravity; to hit a distant target, you must raise the muzzle."

Chen Ping stood to the side, committing every word Xu Ruyu said to heart.

Although he wasn't responsible for firing the guns, he was in charge of maintaining the Spiritual Artifacts.

Xu Ruyu had said that future Spiritual Artifacts would become increasingly complex, not just guns and cannons, but even more precise things. He had to learn in advance.

The tactics class continued until the sun set.

The Disciples dispersed, discussing what they had learned today in small groups.

Zhou Daniu gestured to Li Ergou about how to hold the gun more steadily, while Zhao Tiezhu carried a cannon barrel back to the warehouse, muttering "hit the stone pillars before hitting people" all the way.

Zhao Yan was punching the air in the clearing, chanting something under his breath, seemingly simulating some scenario.

The Grand Elder approached and walked into the hall with Xu Ruyu.

“Sect Master, the things you spoke of this afternoon—firepower suppression, coordinated operations.

In all my years, I have never heard of such things.”

“It's normal that you haven't heard of them; those are not things of this world,”

Xu Ruyu said.

“Then where are they from?”

“From my head.”

The Grand Elder chuckled.

“I am finding it harder and harder to understand what goes on in your mind, Sect Master.”

Xu Ruyu also smiled.

“It's only right that you don't understand. The day you do, it will be time for me to hand over the position of Sect Master to you.”

The Grand Elder quickly waved his hands.

“I could never sit in that position; I am better off just being your assistant.”

The two walked to the hall entrance. The Grand Elder stopped and looked at Xu Ruyu.

“Sect Master, I have a question, though I don't know if I should ask it.”

“Ask.”

“That fat bird you drew today—even though I don't understand it, I feel you weren't just drawing for fun.

Are you planning to build something big?”

Xu Ruyu looked at him; this old man was indeed very sharp.

He hesitated for a moment, then pulled the piece of animal hide from his sleeve, spread it on the steps, and pointed at the bomber on it, saying to the Grand Elder: “This can fly in the sky.

Not floating slowly like a flying boat, but flying very fast.

From here to the Tianshu Sword Sect, it wouldn't even take the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.”

The Grand Elder's eyes widened.

“The time for an incense stick? The Tianshu Sword Sect is at least several thousand miles from here!”

“I know, that's why I said it's fast.”

The Grand Elder lowered his head and traced the outline of the fat bird on the animal hide with his finger.

His fingers trembled slightly, not out of fear, but out of excitement.

“Sect Master, if such a thing truly existed...”

“It will,” Xu Ruyu said, “but we have to take it slow. It can't be built in a day or two.

Not enough Spirit Stones, not enough Materials, and not enough people.”

The Grand Elder looked up.

“How many people do you need? I can help you recruit. The Cultivation World doesn't have much, but it has plenty of Loose Cultivators.”

“I'm not recruiting ordinary people. I need those who understand Artifact Refining, Formations, and runes.

I need people with flexible minds who are willing to learn and work hard.”

The Grand Elder nodded.

“I have noted it down.”

After nightfall, Xu Ruyu sat alone by the window of Ningyin Hall, watching the flowing light screen outside.

The light from the Moonstone illuminated him brightly, but he kept his head down, flipping through the notebook he had written while with the Taihu Clan.

The notebook contained all his Spiritual Artifact design blueprints: the qi-breaking gun, the Chuanyang Gun, the Thunder Roar Cannon, the Source Energy Armor, and that immensely powerful Spiritual Qi bomb.

He flipped through it for a long time until he reached the last page and wrote a line in the blank space.

“Phase One: Perfect existing Spiritual Artifacts and establish three mass-production lines.”

After thinking for a bit, he added another sentence.

“Phase Two: Research and develop vehicle-mounted spiritual cannons to achieve mechanization. Phase Three: Research and develop aircraft to establish aerial strike forces. Phase Four: Research and develop Satellites to achieve full-territory surveillance.”

He stared at these four lines for a long time, then closed the notebook.

The goal was set, but the road was long.

If there weren't enough Spirit Stones, he would make them himself.

If there weren't enough Materials, he would find them.

If there weren't enough people, he would recruit them. If he couldn't recruit them? Heh heh, then he would go to places like the Artifact Refining Sect and poach their talent.

Those people from the Righteous Path Alliance were still stuck inside the light screen. The Sects behind them had plenty of Spirit Stones and Materials.

He wasn't in a hurry; he would squeeze them slowly.

“What are you thinking about?”

Xiao Nianyin's voice came from behind him.

She was already up, wearing her plain white dress, leaning against the doorframe. Her ice-blue hair draped over her shoulders, and her face still carried the laziness of someone who had just woken up.

But her eyes were bright, like two stars.

“Thinking about how to make the Hehuan Sect rich,”

Xu Ruyu said.

Xiao Nianyin walked over, sat by the window, and looked at the notebook in his hand.

“Your Spiritual Artifacts?”

“Mm.”

“Still not enough?” Xiao Nianyin looked at him. “You seemed to have a lot of fun today on the Martial Arts Arena, firing guns and cannons at those people from the Righteous Path Alliance.”

“Fun is fun, but business is business.”

Xiao Nianyin didn't say anything.

She lowered her head to look closely at the handwriting in the notebook.

She understood it, but said nothing. She simply reached out, took Xu Ruyu's hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“I'll support whatever you do,”

she said.

Xu Ruyu turned to look at her; her profile appeared exceptionally soft in the moonlight.

He suddenly felt that although the road was long, with her by his side, it didn't seem so difficult to walk.

He gripped her hand tightly and didn't let go for a long time.

“Xiao Nianyin.”

“Mm.”

“If I really build that fat bird, you have to come up and fly a lap with me.”

Xiao Nianyin tilted her head and glanced at him. “

That fat bird? The one you drew?”

“Mm.”

“How high can it fly?”

“Very high. High enough that when you look down, people look like ants.”

Xiao Nianyin thought for a moment and said a single word.

“Okay.”

Xu Ruyu smiled.

He put away the notebook, pulled her hand closer, and interlaced their fingers.

“Then it's a deal. When the fat bird is built, you'll be the first to ride it. I'll be second. The Grand Elder third. And that blockhead Zhou Daniu will be last.”

“Why is Zhou Daniu last?”

“He's too noisy. I'm afraid his shouting up there will scare the bird.”

The corners of Xiao Nianyin's mouth curled slightly, but she didn't respond.

The two of them just sat by the window, watching the light screen outside flickering on and off.

The people inside the light screen were already asleep; outside, only the wind was blowing.

Xu Ruyu gazed at the light screen and suddenly added another sentence.

“By the way, I haven't decided on the ransom for those people from the Righteous Path Alliance yet.

How many Spirit Stones is Ancestor Xuan Yin's old life worth?”

Xiao Nianyin rested her chin on her finger, thought for a moment, and offered a suggestion.

“It has to be at least ten million High-Grade Spirit Stones.

An Old Ancestor who is a dignified Half-step True Immortal surely can't be cheaper than that fellow Mo Feng.

Mo Feng was worth five million; he should be double that.”

Xu Ruyu pondered for a while and felt it made sense.

“Alright, I'll listen to you.

Tomorrow, I'll have the Grand Elder draft the ransom letters.

One letter per Sect, clearly priced, no cheating allowed.”

Xiao Nianyin didn't comment on that.

She just quietly leaned on his shoulder, watching the light screen slowly brighten and slowly dim.

A crazy dream, a steady companionship.

She suddenly felt that what this man wanted to build might not be some planes, cannons, or Satellites, but a pair of wings that could lift the Hehuan Sect high.

Those wings didn't need to be beautiful or fast.

They just needed to be strong enough to carry them over high mountains, across deep abysses, and to a place where no one could reach them.