Chapter 20: Blueprint Collaboration-A Grande Origem dos Muitos Mundos(Xian Xue no Mundo Mortal)

"Is that all?"

"That is all..."

Ye Feifan had been acting for over a decade; his mastery of improvisation and emotional control was unparalleled. Naturally, he could tell the maid was still holding back, omitting the truth about many issues and seemingly concealing something deliberately.

Either the maid was terrified, or the head of the Zhang family had instructed her to cover up the facts.

Having formed a plan, Ye Feifan feigned a calculation while wandering through the courtyard. Finally, he looked at the Zhang family patriarch and asked, "Has the Zhang family head ever offended some minor figure?"

"What do you mean by that? Has Brother Xiao discovered something?" The patriarch's eyes lit up, and he looked at Ye Feifan with anticipation.

"The yin energy is intermittent. These traces cannot be seen during the day. There is something unclean living in your west courtyard..."

"That thing only appears on stormy, thunderous nights. Perhaps the next time, more people will die. It looks like a minor figure’s sacrificial ghost-summoning ritual—a ghost has been invited into your Zhang residence."

Ye Feifan did not hold back. He modified the information he had obtained from the system, reorganized his words, and presented them, taking the opportunity to deliberately mislead them. His summary boiled down to three points:

First, the entity only appeared on stormy nights, so the Zhang family was temporarily safe, though lesser entities were absorbing their yang energy every night.

Second, the entity was summoned by a minor figure. Its specific target remained uncertain, but the next death toll would certainly be significant.

Third, he hinted cryptically that this entity was something the enemy had gone to great lengths to create, and it was highly likely to be an Omen.

Even though the elder Zhang was a Fluid-stage expert, his face couldn't help but twitch at these three points.

In front of so many people, Ye Feifan omitted many questions—for instance, had any members of the Zhang family been possessed by vengeful spirits? Or had the Zhang family done something they shouldn't have?

Taking a deep breath, the elder Zhang cupped his hands and asked, "Thank you, Brother Xiao, for the information. Do you have any solution?"

"Since it doesn't appear on non-stormy nights, I have no way of determining how to deal with it. I still need to find materials to counter them..." Ye Feifan paused, looked at the row of doors, and pointed at them. "Patriarch Zhang, there is no need to rush. As long as you can hold out until a stormy night, I will bring you along to find that Omen... It cannot be found without the right timing. Do not move them for now, lest you release more Omens..."

"I suppose... that is all we can do..."

Unable to find a better solution, the elder Zhang had to compromise.

"Oh, and one more thing, Patriarch Zhang." Ye Feifan stopped him, raising a few investigative questions: "Please have someone look into the matter of A-Da and A-Er, and also find out about an old man named Chen Yi at the Beichen Tea Pavilion. I need detailed information on them."

"Brother Xiao, are you intending to..."

"That red-clothed driver spared your son once, but there is no guarantee he won't come looking again. Omens are vengeful. I need to see if your son offended the other party in some way. If things go poorly, the entire Zhang family might be buried along with him."

"Is that Omen very powerful?" The patriarch’s face turned pale. He wanted to drag Zhang Da out and beat him senseless. It was clear from Xiao Martin's tone that the Omen was immensely powerful.

"All the factions in Tianzi City combined would not be its match. It also controls countless vengeful spirits and water weeds beneath the Drowning River. Who knows what other Omens are lurking in the shadows? It is an existence at the Mahayana stage, or close to it..." Thinking of the dream he had given Zhang Da about a non-existent master, Ye Feifan immediately inflated the driver's strength by several tiers.

It is said that the strong cannot be insulted. That brat Zhang Da had actually provoked a Mahayana-stage powerhouse. Was he tired of living, or did he want to drag the entire Zhang family down with him?

Not to mention the shock of the others, Zhang Da himself was stunned. No wonder the old man from last night was a Mahayana expert—the damn red-clothed driver himself was a powerhouse of that level!

If he could survive this crisis, he could brag about it for the rest of his life (the playboy who survived the hands of a Mahayana powerhouse).

Hearing Ye Feifan's instructions, the Zhang patriarch initially only wanted to send servants to gather intelligence, but given that it involved a Mahayana expert, he feared the information from servants would be unreliable, so he decided to send his own trusted aides instead.

Deep down, the elder Zhang cursed A-Da and A-Er. They had died in the car, so they must have offended the powerful red-clothed driver!

After finally pacifying the patriarch, Ye Feifan stated that he needed to investigate the anomalies appearing in Tianzi City and would return with materials to probe the unclean entities when it rained.

Under the reluctant gaze of the patriarch, Ye Feifan left the Zhang residence. The permanent side quest had mentioned that the areas near those stations were very strange; he needed to investigate them one by one to obtain new items and become stronger.

"System, give me a ten-pull!"

"Congratulations to the host for obtaining a blueprint for a Cultivation-version bus!"

"Congratulations to the host for obtaining a blueprint for a clockwork clock!"

"Congratulations to the host for obtaining the [Tick-Tock] plot card!"

"Congratulations to the host for obtaining a blueprint for cement manufacturing!"

"Congratulations to the host for obtaining a set of Blue Star architectural blueprints!"

"Congratulations to the host for obtaining a blueprint for a Cultivation-version taxi!"

"Congratulations to the host for obtaining a draw ticket!" (x3)

"Congratulations to the host for obtaining the [Weeping Heart] plot card!"

Having rolled a pile of blueprints, Ye Feifan was thrilled. Everything he wanted appeared; his luck was off the charts today. Overjoyed, he used up all his points and draw tickets.

"Congratulations to the host for obtaining a drop of Energy Liquid!"

...

In reality, Ye Feifan remained the same old Ye Feifan. He was still in the "unlucky" phase and had not turned into a lucky one at all.

All the draws were exhausted, and the rewards were merely drops of energy liquid—trash that could be obtained by fishing for a single night. The prizes were not even worth as much as refining a single Dream Fish.

"That is a brutal drop rate!"

Ye Feifan almost vomited blood, but he had one draw ticket left. Gritting his teeth, he used it.

"Congratulations to the host for obtaining the [Before Death] plot card!"

He broke even!

Ye Feifan was so excited he almost cried. Miracles from single pulls—it turned out to be true.

He took out the clockwork clock blueprint and examined it carefully. To his surprise, he could understand it. The simplified drawings listed the production methods and assembly sequence for every part, even presenting the model construction one by one. It could achieve industrial assembly-line production; it was essentially the progenitor of clocks in the cultivation world.

Putting away the clock blueprint, Ye Feifan observed the bus design. The modifications were more complex, with the core power source being magic cores or spirit stones—truly an inexhaustible supply.

The taxi design was similar in principle to the bus, though the size differed. Ye Feifan speculated that one of the system's side quests involved taxis, and the fact that he drew the blueprint suggested the system had released it as a hint.

The cement blueprint contained the manufacturing and application methods. Mastering cement was the key to utilizing the Blue Star architectural blueprints.

The architectural set included houses, residences, office buildings, hospitals, schools, and every other aspect—exactly what was needed for the main quest.

Ye Feifan did not intend to auction the blueprints. After careful thought, he planned to cooperate with the Treasure Appraisal Auction House, aiming for a fifty-fifty split to maximize profits. Asking for too much would easily invite jealousy, and his strength was not yet enough to compete with them head-on; it was better to lay low for now.

The Treasure Appraisal Auction House was linked to the Imperial Family. If they chose to make things difficult for him for the sake of profit, he would have a reason to initiate the plot. If something went wrong then, they could only blame themselves.

He only needed to earn points, draw cards, and constantly use plot cards to fill the cultivation world with the "love of Blue Star." A small auction house and the Imperial Family would be entangled by Omens.

Putting away the blueprints and dressing as he had before, Ye Feifan walked into the Treasure Appraisal Auction House with practiced ease and found Zhang Zheng.

"I have a deal worth a kingdom that I would like to discuss with someone who can make decisions at the Treasure Appraisal."

At these words, Zhang Zheng gave Ye Feifan a deep look, left the appraisal room, and returned a while later with a young woman.

Gu Fangxiang!

The woman really was royalty!

Her smile was a lethal weapon, sweet and inviting. Acting the part, Gu Fangxiang said, "Whatever deal you have, you can tell me. I will certainly make you satisfied."

"We have discovered the laws of time and created tools to measure it."

Ye Feifan took out the clockwork clock blueprint and handed it to Gu Fangxiang, appearing unconcerned about any untoward actions she might take.

The blueprint featured steps, assembly instructions, usage methods, and color photographs. The twelve main tick marks on the dial deeply captivated Gu Fangxiang's gaze.

Her discernment was naturally excellent. Coupled with the watch Ye Feifan handed over, a finished product right before her eyes, she could even tell the exact time.

"Incredible!" A tool that overturned an era, even more formidable than the Ten Heavenly Stems and Twelve Earthly Branches. It seemed to have evolved from them, yet it was clearer and more concise. Zhang Zheng was also thoroughly astonished.

The two clearly harbored murderous intent, yet Ye Feifan’s composure kept them from acting. Besides, the fact that he dared to come here openly to discuss a partnership proved he did not fear a major faction like the Treasure Appraisal Auction House.

"Mr. Nicholas, do you trust us that much?" Gu Fangxiang asked a curious question.

"We trust no one, but we trust in profit. If the Imperial Family tries to force our hand, we will make them pay the price... We have plenty of resources; supporting another major faction is not difficult. I believe Miss Fangxiang knows the consequences."

After a moment of contemplation, weighing the benefits, Gu Fangxiang asked, "How do you wish to cooperate, sir?"

"The blueprints will be handed to you for full production, with profits split fifty-fifty. Clocks can be crafted from iron, copper, or other rare materials, with low, medium, and high-end tiers. We can earn money from commoners, nobles, and cultivators alike. Isn't that fair?"

She wanted to decline the partnership, but Ye Feifan’s prompt offered Gu Fangxiang a massive suggestion: clocks could be promoted. If everyone in the Great Zhou Dynasty owned one, the money earned would make them filthy rich. If they were sold to other nations, the profits would be unimaginable.

A monopolized partnership!

"Deal!" Realizing the market demand, Gu Fangxiang immediately agreed.

"Very well. You haven't disappointed me. In that case, let’s have you handle these other blueprints as well."

Ye Feifan nodded in satisfaction, placing the blueprints for taxis, buses, cement, and Blue Star architecture on the table.

It took a great deal of effort for Ye Feifan to introduce all the blueprints, explaining their usage, how to profit from them, and how to operate them. By the time he finished, Gu Fangxiang and Zhang Zheng were drenched in sweat, as if they had just been fished out of water.

The unconstrained innovation deeply moved the two of them. Gu Fangxiang even began to exert her charm on Ye Feifan, nearly causing his resolve to crumble.

Thrilling!

Too thrilling!

The two swore that Ye Feifan's presentation was the most exciting gamble of their auction careers. The content was explosive, and the profits, even by a rough calculation, were measured in terms of the national treasury's reserves.

"Aren't you afraid we might break the agreement?"

"You can try. We are a coalition of many major factions, and we have connections to the Upper Realm. If you break the agreement, they will certainly be pleased, and they will have a reason to intervene."

Giving Ye Feifan a long look, Gu Fangxiang produced a jade-colored token and handed it to him. Not many had received such a token from the Treasure Appraisal Auction House—only the Emperor possessed one, and this was the second.

"This is the highest-level VIP jade token of the Treasure Appraisal Auction House. With this, you can withdraw money, spirit stones, and other resources from our auction house and banks at will. In the future, you can send someone with this token to me, and I will hand over your share of the profits."

Taking the token, Ye Feifan suddenly asked, "Do you have black dog blood and aged peach wood here?"

[PS: Prosperity, democracy, civility, harmony; freedom, equality, justice, rule of law; patriotism, dedication, integrity, friendliness.]