Seeking Truth with a Sword-Chapter 556 - 499: Silt

Chapter 556: Chapter 499: Silt
"So, what will happen in the future?"
A calm voice came from outside the workshop. Lian Xuanyao stepped in, and everyone in the workshop bowed in greeting.
Lian Xuanyao nonchalantly waved his hand, resting it on the airplane’s skin, and said softly, "In less than five years, we already have Spiritual Energy Locomotives that can carry millions of pounds and airplanes that can keep up with Cloud Patrol Realm cultivators. In another ten years, twenty years, fifty years, the creations of Natural Science will become more numerous, more diverse. The role of cultivators will also become increasingly minor."
Ou Zhiyuan and the other students exchanged glances, not understanding the meaning of his words.
The Mountain Master removed his hand from the airplane’s skin and said to Li Ang, "Come with me."
The two left the workshop and walked towards Chuiyun Lake.
It began to drizzle from the sky. Raindrops beat on the withering water lilies of the lake, lightly tapping the water and causing ripples to spread.
Evergreen trees with lush leaves were planted along the lakeside. Walking along the shore, one could hear the rustling rain above without getting wet.
The Mountain Master suddenly said, "The things you did in Taiyuan Prefecture."
Li Ang involuntarily shuddered but then heard the Mountain Master continue, "Well done."
Li Ang secretly breathed a sigh of relief and replied with a wry smile, "It also drew quite a few complaints."
"When you go out and do things, you’ll always take some flak," the Mountain Master said. "Even during years of great disaster, when officials distribute grain, there are grain merchants who hoard scarce commodities and secretly curse. It’s not possible to satisfy everyone."
"Right." Li Ang slowly nodded.
From the other side of Chuiyun Lake came the playful noises of young students chasing and frolicking. They seemed to have just finished a physical education class and didn’t bother with umbrellas, allowing themselves to get drenched in the rain, stepping in puddles, and kicking a football.
BANG!
Someone kicked too hard, and the ball flew across the lake, landing in the bushes in front of Li Ang.
"Hey! Senior Brother!" The lake was too wide. The group of young students didn’t see that they had almost hit the Mountain Master and continued shouting, their hands cupped around their mouths, "Help kick it back!"
Seeing that the Mountain Master wasn’t angry, Li Ang used Telekinesis to lift the football from the bushes and kicked it back.
A student jumped up to catch the football with both hands, shook his numbed palms, and shouted, "Thanks!" Then, laughing and giggling, they stepped through puddles on their way to their next class.
Watching this group of carefree new Academic Palace students chasing and frolicking, a nostalgic smile appeared on the Mountain Master’s lips. He stopped walking, his gaze deep as he looked at the lake.
Li Ang also stopped. The rain was getting heavier. He erected a slanted telekinetic barrier above him, directing the rainwater into the forest.
The Mountain Master stared at the lake, lost in thought. After a while, he returned to his senses, shaking his head. "Sorry, people tend to reminisce about the past as they get older."
He indeed was very old. Most cultivators from his era had already passed away, with few old friends left.
"Let’s go." He sighed lightly and resumed walking, asking, "Risheng, do you think cultivators will be replaced?"
"Hmm?" Li Ang hadn’t expected the Mountain Master to ask this question and hesitated slightly before replying, "Replaced by creations of Natural Science?"
"Yes." The Mountain Master nodded. "Like how the Spiritual Energy Locomotive replaced packhorses and the Spiritual Energy Engine replaced laborers."
"Probably not." Li Ang pondered for a moment and replied, "The operation of the Spiritual Energy Machine still entirely relies on the foundation of Spiritual Energy. In any case, there’s no way to bypass cultivators. Instead of replacing them, it’s more like establishing a new relationship. For example, in commercial workshops among the folk, looms replaced weavers but also created new positions responsible for managing and repairing those looms. The Spiritual Energy Locomotive replaced packhorse caravans, but it also gave rise to jobs maintaining them. The demand for cultivators has not decreased but increased. Cultivators won’t completely vanish; they will merely assume new roles. Perhaps one day, Natural Science inventions might achieve independent operation without cultivators, but that would be far, far in the future."
"Not relying on cultivators," the Mountain Master murmured, "might not be a bad thing..."
As they spoke, the two left Chuiyun Lake and reached Dongjun Tower at the foot of the rear mountain.
The Mountain Master ascended the steps and entered the tower. Li Ang followed him inside and once again saw the giant stone screen wall in front of the hall, which spanned about three zhang in width.
Mist flowed and swayed above the screen wall, evolving into various ambiguous and confusing patterns and shapes. Li Ang struggled to divert his gaze from the screen wall. No matter how many times he came to Dongjun Tower, the chillingly tranquil atmosphere around the screen wall always made him feel uneasy.
Before he could ponder further, the Mountain Master had already taken a key from the old doctor guarding Dongjun Tower and walked toward the main hall’s staircase, compelling Li Ang to follow.
The inside of Dongjun Tower was exceptionally quiet. The only noise came from the Puppet Servants, with their dull faces and rigid movements, pushing trolleys and ambling through the corridors.
The two arrived on the fifth floor. The Mountain Master led the way, navigating through winding corridors, and stopped before a wooden door without any room number marked on it. He unlocked the door with the key.
HISS—
A clearly visible cold air surged out from the room. The Mountain Master faced the cold air and stepped inside. Li Ang followed, curiously peering around the room.
The stone room was particularly spacious. Intricate and mysterious arrays and prohibitions were inscribed on the ceilings, walls, and floors. The arrays extended chains of light toward the empty space in the center of the room.
There, a large, spherical mass resembling muddy brown silt hovered. Its surface writhed tremulously, alternating forms—now spiky barbs, now compact scales, now sharp fangs and claws—scratching at the surrounding chains of light, trying to break free.
Li Ang stared agape. "This is..."
"Similar to the thing hosted inside your body," the Mountain Master explained. "Originally, it was just an inert brown rock. Its material was extremely sturdy, so it had been discovered by an Academic Palace Doctor in the Ten Thousand Desolate Mountains early on and stored inside Dongjun Tower. It was suspected to be the bones or a pathological organ of some sort of Exotic Beast. Until the third of November, it suddenly became active and turned into this."
The third of November... that was exactly the day Li Ang chose to have Mo Si evolve again. At that time, he had shot himself with the Radiant Crossbow to suppress the restless Mo Si and further merge with it.
Li Ang said uncertainly, "Is this... a fragment of the thing inside me?"
"Possibly," the Mountain Master calmly stated. "During this period of experimentation, it has transformed into the forms of many Exotic Beasts from the Ten Thousand Desolate Mountains. It will attack any living being that appears before it. For example, like this."
He brought two fingers together and casually flicked them. All the chains of light shattered simultaneously.
SNAP.
The brown silt broke free from its restraints and drooped to the ground. It moved sluggishly, as if it had lost most of its vitality.
In the next instant, the brown silt suddenly surged, transforming into a python the size of a truck. It opened its gaping mouth and lunged at Li Ang.