The light in the room is rather dim.

Behind the bead curtain, a middle-aged woman is seen reclining on a soft couch. Her face looks somewhat haggard, but her features resemble Baili Yuyao’s by nearly eighty percent.

They must be mother and daughter.

Perhaps Baili Bingyun does not want others to see her current "frail" appearance, hence she maintains this demeanor.

"Mother."

Baili Yuyao called out.

"Where did you go? You’re only coming back now?" Despite having lost mobility in half her body due to her martial arts injury, her ability to speak isn’t greatly affected.

"Mother, I went to see a friend."

"Friend, how come you have a man’s scent on you..." Baili Bingyun slightly lifted her head, sniffed with her nose, and angrily questioned.

"Mother, this friend of mine is a woman, you are overthinking." Baili Yuyao hurriedly explained.

"Yuyao, I’m telling you, you should stay away from these men. They are the best at sweet-talking you, and once you’ve been tricked and lost yourself, they will discard you like an old shoe!" Baili Bingyun said seriously.

"Mother, I know, you’ve been telling me this since I was young, how could I forget!" Baili Yuyao said, "Mother, about your illness..."

"I am not ill!"

"Yes, you’re not ill, but your health is deteriorating. If you don’t see a physician soon, Yuyao is worried that if you’re unable to attend this year’s embroidery exhibition, it will lead to various speculations!" Baili Yuyao followed her words.

Embroidery exhibition?

This is also a concern for Baili Bingyun. Her martial arts injury has led to her current state, which she can still cover with closed-door cultivation, but the annual embroidery competition, if she, as the leader, does not attend, it will certainly lead to speculation.

Even if Baili Yuyao hosts the embroidery competition, she still needs to appear to anchor the event; otherwise, why would the elders willingly follow orders?

Thus, she is anxious too.

These days, she has been trying to activate her energy flow, hoping to restore the circulation of her inner energy, but she continually encounters obstacles. Once the inner energy reaches the meridians, it seems to vanish like a mud cow entering the sea.

Not only is her condition not improving, but it’s getting worse; her body visibly thin.

The original Baili Bingyun was nearly fifty, but she looked only thirty. Even after having a child, she remained Li Hen City’s reigning beauty for thirty years.

The dream woman of countless men in Li Hen City.

Whether it’s the leader of Heaven-Dominating Tower or the head of Skull Association, both have declared that they want to conquer Baili Bingyun.

But to this day, no one has succeeded, except for Baili Yuyao’s father, though no one except Baili Bingyun knows this man’s true identity.

This has always been a mystery.

Baili Yuyao has asked many times, but Baili Bingyun has never revealed a word.

After her martial arts injury, Baili Bingyun completely changed, not only aging twenty years overnight but also becoming more suspicious and sensitive. Previously, she was only difficult to deal with, but she was reasonable.

Now, she’s not only difficult but unreasonable, even losing her temper for no reason, making Baili Yuyao quite embarrassed.

"Who could be trusted among Li Hen City’s physicians? ’Jinshi Hall’s Mr. Jin, despite his excellent medical skills, is morally corrupt; if he knew my body’s condition, he might betray me outright. The physicians of the embroidery workshop are good enough for ordinary ailments, but they can’t treat mine, let’s not waste energy, I’d rather figure out a solution myself." Baili Bingyun said.

"Mother, this time I found a genuinely capable physician for you. Do you remember the two exotic giant pythons in Yingfeng Valley a month ago?"

"Did you not say those exotic giant pythons were slain, and their lair occupied?" Baili Bingyun nodded, though she couldn’t move freely, she was still aware of external happenings.

"Yes, the person who slew the exotic giant pythons opened a shop in Li Hen City. When they auctioned the materials from the pythons, I got to know them, and later, as we interacted more, I discovered their true identities."

"Them?"

"Yes, Mother, like our embroidery workshop, they are also female-led, one of them is named Si Miaoxue, I have a good relationship with her. They are expanding in Longchuan Canyon, planning to build a base there, but what surprised me was that Si Miaoxue originates from the Moon Worship Sect, and she left the sect for a man, and this man is the physician I invited for you."

"Yuyao, are you crazy? You actually invited a man from who knows where to treat your mother’s illness?" Baili Bingyun scolded.

"Mother, I investigated this man, Lin Miao, he is indeed a physician, and his medical skills are exceptional, renowned in Dongshan City, referred to as a little sage."

"A physician from Dongshan City, I might not know them all, but I am aware of them, and I have never heard of this Lin Miao. Yuyao, don’t be fooled!"

"Mother, this physician Lin Miao ranked third in last year’s Dongshan City medical exam and applied for the ’Path to Sainthood’ trial. Now he is as famous as Medicine King Sun He of Medicine King Sect and the Medicine Buddha disciple Xumituo of Reclining Buddha Temple and has completed the trial, obtaining national physician qualification." Baili Yuyao explained.

"This person actually passed the ’Path to Sainthood’ trial. How old is he this year?" Baili Bingyun slightly furrowed her brow; some things can’t be faked, especially with Li Hen City and Dongshan City being just over a day’s journey apart, a little inquiry would reveal the truth.

Moreover, even if someone were impersonating him, it would be easily uncovered, who would be foolish enough to do such a thing?

"Not yet eighteen."

"What, not yet eighteen, Yuyao, are you sure?" Baili Bingyun was astonished. Eighteen years old, yet a nationally selected physician who passed the ’Entering the Sacred’ trial, this is quite rare in history, isn’t it?

When did such talent appear in Dongshan Prefecture?

They say shallow waters can’t nurture true dragons; this is truly unbelievable.

"Mother, I secretly sent someone to investigate in Dongshan City, and Lin Miao’s medical skills are indeed impressive. He even healed ’rabies’ and revived people who were no longer breathing. Moreover, Bai Feng from the Snow Mountain Sect, who was struck by the Moon Worship Sect’s Profound Spirit Palm, was supposed to die but was also saved by him, recovering in less than half a month. In Dongshan City, there are many legends about him!" Baili Yuyao said.

Treating illnesses, saving lives, colluding to fake results, exaggerating publicity, creating myths—such things have happened frequently in the past, and Baili Bingyun, having seen much, might not believe them.

But mentioning Bai Feng, a top disciple of the Snow Mountain Sect and head lady of the richest family in Lanzhou, these aren’t just anyone who can be bought off to cooperate with such publicity.

If this were false, the Su Family and Snow Mountain Sect would have come knocking by now.

"Miaoxue told me that the person who injured Bai Feng was her master Long Po; actually, Long Po was also seriously injured, her left shoulder nearly crippled, and it was Mr. Lin who treated her."

"Long Po..." Baili Bingyun was slightly taken aback, she knew about that battle, but back then she hadn’t retreated for her breakthrough.

"Is this Si Miaoxue that little girl named Xiaoxue from back then?"

"Mother, do you know Miaoxue?" Baili Yuyao asked in surprise.

"Possibly, when she first arrived in Li Hen City she was only fifteen or sixteen, clearly a beauty in the making. How unexpected that she actually found herself a young man." Baili Bingyun remarked.

"Mother, I met Lin Miao today; besides his youth, he has an indescribable aura about him. Would you give it a try?"

"Mother went awry while cultivating, went off course; do you think he, a mere physician, could treat this?" Baili Bingyun did not believe.

"Mother, though ’Lin’s’ is said to be headed by Miaoxue, I feel Lin Miao is really the one behind everything. When I saw him today, he was accompanied by a woman, his senior sister. She seemed to have no martial arts, yet her status was above Miaoxue’s..."

"You’re saying this Si Miaoxue actually willingly takes a backseat?"

"Nonetheless, I heard her refer to that woman as Youwei with great respect, cordially seating her when welcoming guests."

"It’s not that I don’t trust you, but the risk in this matter is too great; if word spreads, the consequences would be unimaginable."

"Mother, it’s only a bit more than a month until the Autumn Embroidery Competition. If you’re still like this, what will happen then?"

"Well..."

"Mother, I promise no one will know about this." Baili Yuyao assured.

...

On the Yingfeng Valley construction site.

In full swing.

The Su Family sent Lin Miao their finest construction team, leveling land, laying foundations, and designing the castle. The first phase primarily focuses on encircling and building the castle.

There are ready-made designs that can be used with slight modifications.

The valley stream is diverted, a trench dug, and the soil from the trench is used to make bricks.

The brick kiln is built not far from Yingfeng Valley.

Batches of raw bricks are produced and placed in an open square, awaiting firing, with around ten thousand bricks fired daily.

The brick production also includes roof tiles and glazed tiles, although the technique for glazed tiles is still being explored. But with the formula and technology given by Lin Miao, it’s only a matter of time before they are produced.

Professional tasks are left to professionals; the Su Family’s construction team may be working solely for him for the next two years.

He doesn’t pay them wages, and the brick kiln and lime factory they construct can continue operating to generate income.

Of course, it can also profit Lin Miao.

In fact, Lin Miao wishes to produce ceramic tiles, but this requires suitable clay and the construction of a kiln, particularly needing professional talent.

For the time being, it’s unfeasible, so it must wait for the future; if the right clay can’t be found, it may have to be abandoned.

Building the castle also requires a large amount of stone.

Local sourcing is essential. Longchuan Canyon already has a quarry, but the extraction methods are rather primitive, and Lin Miao needs a significant amount of stone; hence, he began quarrying himself.

Clearing the snakes from Snake Cave, then quarrying in the mountain.

Primarily using the burning method, though it’s too primitive and inefficient compared to gunpowder.

Longchuan Canyon is a treasure trove; not only sulfur deposits were found but also mirabilite, and charcoal can be made.

Thus gunpowder was created.