novelzi Chapter 171 Back
Chapter 171 Back
Luo Xiuyuan paused, his voice dropping. "But they were all exterminated."
Hearing this, Luis fell silent.
He had only intended to leverage the reputation of the Zhenhai Palace to intimidate the Green Water Ape Clan into retreating without bloodshed. He hadn't expected the effect to far exceed his expectations.
The chief of the Green Water Ape tribe had practically crawled away from Demon Ape Mountain in terror.
-----
Outside the cave.
Luis gazed at the starry sky of the underwater world. Ever since his cultivation had advanced to the foundation-building stage, he could sense subtle changes in the world around him.
The stars above felt... different.
But what exactly had changed?
Luis couldn't put it into words.
"Let's go," he said, glancing at Luo Li.
"Mm," she nodded, reaching out to take his hand as they headed toward the surface.
Truthfully, Luis no longer needed her assistance. With his breakthrough to the foundation-building stage, he could now perform the water escape technique on his own.
Yet at that moment, neither of them brought it up. It was as if they both tacitly agreed to continue this small connection.
-----
Back on the surface.
Returning to the human world, Luis took a deep breath, relieved to leave the underwater realm behind.
He turned to Luo Li, studying her expression. "Why did you seem so calm during the Green Water Ape Clan's invasion?"
Luo Li blinked in surprise, then shook her head. A faint bitterness crossed her delicate features. "This is life in the underwater world of the Ten Thousand Water Sea," she said softly. "After so many years... I've gotten used to it."
I've gotten used to it.
A simple sentence, yet it carried a weight of sorrow Luis couldn't fully comprehend.
For a moment, he didn't know how to respond. Any words of comfort seemed meaningless in the face of her reality.
Breaking the silence, they turned and began their journey toward Hartmann Island, the stars above guiding their way.
---
Hartmann Port
Luis surveyed the bustling market town that had sprung up around the port.
Caravans of goods moved constantly, with materials being transported back and forth. The market town was expanding outward in concentric circles, growing steadily like a bubble being inflated.
Fortunately, the Hartmann Barony boasted many talented individuals who oversaw the construction projects.
Their careful planning ensured that the town's development, while rapid, remained organized.
Now, as Luis observed the scene, the town exuded a sense of vitality. Though it appeared somewhat chaotic, there was an underlying order to it—a stark contrast to its earlier state.
Luis understood that this growth was driven by the surge in trade.
The material base determines the superstructure, he thought. This principle, so familiar from his previous life, seemed to hold true even in this world.
The little girl, seeing everyone laugh at her, grew anxious, her eyes welling up with tears.
"Alright, everyone, stop laughing," Luis said, raising his hand to gesture for silence.
The laughter gradually died down. After all, Luis wasn't just their teacher; he was also the young master of the Hartmann family.
"Your answer isn't wrong," Luis said with a kind smile. "Please sit down."
The little girl puffed her cheeks in frustration and sat down, her face still slightly red.
Luis glanced around the room, then continued with a smile, "In fact, both of the answers given earlier are correct. We refine weapons not only to earn spirit stones to buy cultivation resources but also to enhance our strength and protect ourselves during journeys.
"There's no contradiction between the two."
He paused for a moment, letting the students absorb his words before continuing, "But there's a problem in this world. In the Sea of Ten Thousand Stars, ordinary cultivators often have spirit stones yet cannot buy satisfactory magic tools. Why do you think that is?"
"Teacher, I know! It's because there are too few weapon refiners!"
"I think it's because magic weapons are too expensive, and regular cultivators can't afford them!"
"..." Read exclusive adventures at empire
This time, the classroom buzzed with discussions as the students offered various answers.
Luis listened attentively, nodding as the reasons converged: the lack of weapon refiners and the high cost of magic weapons.
"And do you know why there are so few weapon refiners?" Luis asked, looking at the class.
"It's because the cost of training a weapon refiner is too high, and small families can't afford it," the same boy answered confidently.
"Exactly!" Luis said, nodding in approval. "Small families cannot afford to train weapon refiners because the profits from weapon refinement are too low. At the same time, independent cultivators cannot afford to buy magic weapons because the prices are too high.
"One side complains about low profits, while the other side struggles with affordability. But neither side is truly at fault. So, where does the real problem lie?"
The classroom fell silent, the students hanging on his every word.
"The real problem, is that our efficiency in refining magic tools is too low. Our productivity in creating these tools is simply not enough to meet the demand."
Luis looked around the classroom, his gaze firm and steady as he addressed the students.
"Therefore, the lesson I will teach you today is about how to improve the efficiency of refining magic tools!"
The classroom went quiet. The students leaned forward, eager to hear what Luis had to say.
Luis picked up a piece of chalk and turned to the blackboard. With deliberate strokes, he wrote a few large words:
The Idea of Industrial Refining
The students squinted at the blackboard, mouthing the words as they read aloud in unison, "The Idea of Industrial Refining."
Luis turned back to face them. "Do any of you know what this means?"
A few students shook their heads, while others exchanged uncertain glances. Finally, one brave boy raised his hand.
"Teacher, does it mean making a lot of tools at once?"
Luis smiled, nodding. "You're on the right track. Industrial refining is a method that allows us to produce tools not just one at a time but in large quantities. It's about creating a system where we can work smarter, not harder."
He paused, letting the concept sink in. "Now, let me ask you this. When refining a magic tool, what do you think takes up the most time and effort?"
Several hands shot up this time. Luis pointed to a girl sitting near the middle.
"Teacher, it's engraving the runes, right?" she said confidently.
"Exactly!" Luis clapped his hands, his enthusiasm contagious.