158: Chapter 121: An Unexpected Joy_4 158: Chapter 121: An Unexpected Joy_4 “Master…
you, you actually made these?”
Yi Sheng exclaimed in surprise, quickly running to her master’s side, her face full of amazement as she looked at these clay figures.
These clay figures were about as tall as the average person, only a bit stronger, and due to being made of clay, they appeared quite rough.
They moved somewhat heavily, but their actions when building a house seemed no different from those of real people.
“Master, you, you really know Mechanical Techniques!” Yi Sheng looked up at Cao Zhen with admiration, her eyes seemingly about to light up.
She believed in geniuses, but she had never believed that a single person could be proficient in everything.
Yet now, she was beginning to realize that her master might truly be such a person.
Her master’s vision and perspective in business exceeded even her own, though she had been proclaimed a business prodigy since childhood.
Her master also knew Talisman Making, and his methods were unheard of.
And now, to her amazement, she discovered that her master also knew Mechanical Techniques.
Cao Zhen feigned a casual air, “It’s nothing significant, just some of the simplest automaton men.
Oh, from tomorrow on, you won’t need to cook anymore.
Later, find one of the automaton men and teach it how to cook.”
Yi Sheng hadn’t known how to cook before; she was the daughter of the wealthiest family.
It was Ling Xi who had taught her to cook before leaving, saying that with disciples around, the master should no longer have to cook.
He had assumed that Yi Sheng’s cooking would surely be a disaster, but to his surprise, it was unexpectedly delicious, and it just kept getting better.
In just a few days, she was even trending toward surpassing Ling Xi.
Yi Sheng was skeptical, “Will they be able to cook?
Master, cooking requires mastering heat control and the flame’s intensity changes—they are, after all, just automaton men.
It might be better for your disciple to continue cooking.
Besides, when I cook, I can also control the flame; it’s a form of training for me.”
“Alright, then you will continue to cook.” Cao Zhen’s smile grew more evident on his face.
Very good, even cooking could be a form of cultivation for her.
A genius truly is a genius; the more talented the disciple, the more he could relax.
Let’s eat first,” Yi Sheng said, once impossibly proud but now without a trace of arrogance.
She opened the food box and asked curiously, “Master, are you going to build a house?
Why all of a sudden do you want to build a house?”
“These clay figures, they’re quite alright in every aspect, but they have one flaw—they’re afraid of rain.
If they get wet, they’re done for.
So, I’ve found a place with higher ground to build a huge house for these clay figures,” Cao Zhen pointed to a simple house that was nearly completed and said, “As long as the house keeps out the rain, that’s enough.
Once they’ve finished building the house, I’ll have them start Talisman Making.
They’ll make Supreme Gathering Spirit Talismans and Revival Talismans.”
“They can make Talismans as well?” Yi Sheng was utterly astonished.
Talisman Making was no simple task.
Suddenly, she had another thought and cried out, “Master, what are the costs for these automaton men?”
Cao Zhen pointed towards a pile of clay not far away, “The cost is almost negligible.”
“Then in that case, Master, we can sell these automaton men,” Yi Sheng proposed, then shook her head, “No, that’s not right; these automaton men are created by you.
With your multitude of talents, if we sell the automaton men, you would have to keep making them yourself.”
As Cao Zhen picked up food, he replied, “Who said I’m going to make them all myself?
I can create some higher-level automaton men and let those make the lower-level ones.”
“Can the automaton men really create more automaton men?” Yi Sheng couldn’t believe her ears as she looked at Cao Zhen.
“What’s so difficult about that?
Later, when you go down the mountain, bring some materials back for me.
These clay figures aren’t very smart.
Once I create new automaton men, you won’t have to go down the mountain to collect Talismans anymore; the automaton men can do it.”
Without the new automaton men ready, Yi Sheng still needed to go down the mountain herself to collect Talismans.
In an instant, she had brought Cao Zhen a large amount of materials, among which the most expensive was a material known as Birch Wood.
The Birch Tree was an extremely tough tree, not something ordinary people could cut down without the aid of proper tools, even those disciples who had just started their Cultivation.
Moreover, these Birch Trees weren’t plentiful and mostly grew on cliffs and precipices, which made Birch Wood quite expensive.
There were simple as well as high-level Talismans, and naturally, there were both simple and high-level automaton men.
The clay figures could only do the simplest tasks, such as Talisman Making, watering the Spirit Field, cleaning the yard, and building a house.
But more complex tasks were beyond their capability.
To make higher-level automaton men, one must use higher-quality materials and more complex techniques.
Having had the experience of creating the clay figures, Cao Zhen still spent ten days to produce the first Paulownia Puppet Man.
Compared to the clay automaton men, the Paulownia Puppet Men were much finer and had no fear of water.
Most importantly, they could be taught how to make clay automaton men!
After creating the first Paulownia Puppet Man, with gained experience, the process of making more became much faster.
Eventually, he could even produce a batch of five Paulownia Puppet Men at a time.