Half an incense stick's time later, Li Da and Gao Yiye arrived at the gates of the Firearms Bureau.
True to its status as Gao Village's "most fiery" department, the Firearms Bureau was changing daily. In just a few days, it had gained another team of gatekeeping "guards," each equipped with a waist sword, looking very serious.
This was a request made by Xu Dafu. In his own words: "A single spark getting into the Firearms Bureau could cause a huge explosion. Such an important place can't be protected by me alone. We need more thorough security, or one day, all of us will be blown sky-high by some mischievous child."
San Shi'er found this reasoning sound. So, in addition to the militia, he hired a team of guards specifically to protect the Firearms Bureau. No unauthorized personnel were allowed near.
Of course, the Saintess was clearly not "unauthorized personnel." At the sight of her, everyone had to bow respectfully. She represented Tianzun.
Xu Dafu immediately hurried out from the Firearms Bureau. "The Saintess has come. Does Tianzun have instructions? Uh… although you are the Saintess, I still must say… could you please step back a little… in case you happen to have a firestarter on you…"
Everyone: "…"
This is utterly absurd!
Gao Yiye wasn't angry. She smiled and spread her hands. "Relax, I don't have a firestarter. Neither does Li Da. We were very careful before coming; we won't cause you any trouble."
She still led Li Da to retreat a good distance. Only then did Xu Dafu cautiously step out, closing the door behind him. They didn't go inside, just stood chatting in the open courtyard. This brand of hospitality was the epitome of caution.
Even Li Daoxuan, watching the show, couldn't help but laugh. This guy… doesn't even give the Saintess any face? Good thing I'm floating in the sky. If I were in the box, walking up to the gates of your Firearms Bureau, would you block me? I really want to know, aiyah.
By now, Li Da had already begun to ramble, explaining his problem with the "percussion cap" in detail.
After listening, Xu Dafu summarized, "You're saying the gun has a spring pushing a firing pin, which strikes the bullet, and then the bullet goes BANG and fires out?"
Li Da nodded. "I've thought it over a hundred times and still don't understand. How is this done?"
Xu Dafu picked up a twig, drew a huge bullet on the ground, and pointed the tip at the bullet's base. "There's a percussion cap here, right?"
"Right!"
Xu Dafu understood almost immediately. "Clearly, this thing called a percussion cap is a strange ignition device. The firing pin strikes the cap, the cap ignites, lighting the black powder in front, then the black powder goes BANG, pushing the bullet at the front out of the barrel…"
Hearing this, Li Da also understood. "Ah! So that's it? But, does such a thing exist in the world? Something that ignites gunpowder with just a strike?"
Xu Dafu: "Of course! Many things can produce sparks when they strike each other. For example, if you strike two knives together hard enough, won't they spark?"
Li Da's eyes lit up.
Xu Dafu: "Flint also sparks when struck, and there are many, many other things that ignite when struck. Otherwise, why would I be so afraid of you entering the Firearms Bureau? I'm afraid you might strike some spark inside and blow us all sky-high."
Li Da's eyes lit up again. "I get it! I just need to make these things that ignite on impact into a percussion cap, attach it to the bottom of the bullet, then when the firing pin strikes it, BANG! Haha, Tianzun was indeed right. I needed to come to you for this."
Xu Dafu's face fell. He shook his head. "Brother Li Da, you're thinking too simply. Although I just mentioned several things that can spark, none are reliable. You can't just produce a spark whenever you want. Take the example of two knives striking a spark: can you guarantee a spark with every strike? Can you guarantee the spark size? Dare you guarantee that every time you do this, it will ignite gunpowder? If you can't guarantee it, then your firearm might not fire on the battlefield, and the firearm soldier would just be sent to his death for nothing."
"Caution. The most important thing when dealing with firearms is caution!"
Li Da wiped sweat from his brow. "Uh… this… that's true…"
Xu Dafu said, "I need to think carefully. What substance can guarantee a spark every time the firing pin strikes, ensuring the gunpowder in front ignites? This is no simple matter."
Li Da: "Then this job… I'll leave it to you to research?"
"Nonsense, of course I have to research it." Xu Dafu said. "Researching this requires constant testing with gunpowder. Do you think I'd feel safe giving gunpowder to you? Your place is a blacksmith's forge, with sparks flying everywhere all day. If I kept a barrel of gunpowder at your place, sooner or later, the entire Artisans' Workshop would be blown up."
Li Da wiped his brow again. "This… alright then. I'll confidently leave it to you. I'll go back and continue researching the other parts."
Li Da left, but Gao Yiye stayed, still smiling at Xu Dafu.
Xu Dafu was about to return inside the Firearms Bureau when he suddenly noticed the Saintess was still there, smiling at him. He jolted awake, looked up at the sky, and sure enough, the low cloud representing Tianzun was also there.
Xu Dafu understood immediately. "Saintess, does Tianzun have more to tell me?"
Gao Yiye smiled. "Tianzun has something he wants you to see."
Xu Dafu's spirits lifted. "An immortal artifact?"
Gao Yiye: "Yes. Hehe. Dao Xuan Tianzun says that thing is related to the method of making the percussion cap. He believes you'll understand once you see it."
Xu Dafu was overjoyed. "Thank you, Tianzun!"
Li Daoxuan's hand descended. To let Xu Dafu see clearly, he deliberately wore the Infinity Gauntlet. The huge golden hand was placed before Xu Dafu, thrilling the master gunpowder maker so much his whole body trembled. "Ah! This is the first time I've seen Tianzun's divine hand so close up!"
Gao Yiye, like a little monkey, scrambled up Li Daoxuan's giant hand in two swift moves and sat in the palm. She waved at Xu Dafu. "Come up! Tianzun is taking us somewhere far."
Xu Dafu was profoundly shaken. "This… I… may I go up? What virtue or ability do I have?"
Gao Yiye laughed. "Hurry up! Tianzun's time cannot be delayed by you."
Xu Dafu hastily scrambled onto the hand using both hands and feet.
The golden giant hand slowly rose, carrying the two miniatures into the air. In no time at all, it brought them to the top of a small, barren hill far from the village.
Li Daoxuan gently set them down. Then, from his pile of fireworks, he fished out a "snap pop" firecracker. Pinching it between two fingers, he extended it into the box and waved it before Xu Dafu. "Remember this object. It's something that explodes as soon as it experiences an impact. I will now demonstrate it for you."