Bai Gongzi reached into his robe and pulled out a book — Junior High Physics, Volume 2 — and handed it to Song Yingxing.
"Uncle, looks like you're really into this stuff. Take it. Oh wait—this level might be a bit too high for you. Without the basics, it'll be tough to read. You've got to learn math first, otherwise, none of the formulas will make sense."
He didn't have many books on him, so he pointed toward Gaojia Village.
"Uncle, you should take a trip there. The school library has every book you could want, and you can borrow them for free."
Song Yingxing clasped his hands. "Many thanks, young friend."
He turned toward Daoist Ma and found the man glowing with joy, bowing and chanting fervently toward a low-hanging cloud in the sky. Daoist Ma was recounting his whole journey to Jiangxi as though reporting directly to the heavens.
Ever since he'd found proof that the divine truly existed, Daoist Ma had regained his faith. Where once his sermons felt hollow, now his words carried conviction. On the road, he'd preached confidently, voice loud and bright — for the first time in his life, he felt truly alive, renewed.
So, when he saw Dao Xuan Tianzun's sign in the sky again, he could hardly contain his gratitude.
To Song Yingxing, however, the man looked completely mad.
After hesitating, Song Yingxing decided he didn't need Ma Daoren to guide him anymore. Gaojia Village was only thirty li away, and with two servants accompanying him, it wouldn't be a difficult journey.
He asked a few local laborers for directions and learned that the road they were building led straight to Gaojia Village. Following the freshly cut roadbed, he continued forward.
Meanwhile, Dao Xuan Tianzun, watching from above, fixed his divine sight on Song Yingxing — the wild-born scientist he'd been waiting for — and followed along with interest.
Soon, Song Yingxing came upon a gray, smooth road stretching ahead. He knelt down and touched the surface.
"Cement! This is the same cement Daoist Ma showed me before. So they're already using it for road construction in Chengcheng County? Remarkable, truly remarkable."
He followed the cement road further, enjoying how firm and even it felt underfoot. Before long, a solar bus rumbled past — packed full of laborers.
Song Yingxing jumped back in shock. "What kind of strange cart is that!?"
But unlike Ma Daoren, he wasn't crazy enough to block its path. The solar bus whooshed past him, kicking up dust as it sped toward the worksite.
He barely had time to study it before it disappeared, so he continued walking.
The closer he got to Gaojia Village, the stranger everything became.
Buildings of bright, dazzling colors lined the road, made from materials he couldn't identify — neither metal, wood, nor stone. Curious, he pinched the wall of one structure between his fingers. It felt… weirdly smooth, flexible.
"What on earth is this made of?" he muttered, then shook his head and pressed on.
By dusk, he finally reached Gaojia Village.
The villagers were returning home from work, hoes and shovels slung over their shoulders, chatting as they walked beside him.
"Excuse me," Song Yingxing asked, "is this Gaojia Village?"
A smiling villager nodded. "That's right, sir. First time here?"
"Yes," Song replied. "I heard there's a place called a school here — full of books I could read."
The villager chuckled. "It's already evening, sir. The school's closed for the day. You'll have to wait until morning."
"I see," Song said. "Then where might I stay tonight?"
The villager pointed up the hill. "There's an inn over in the Gaojia Commercial District. You can rest there."
Song followed the direction of his hand — and his jaw dropped.
Atop the slope, a cluster of brightly colored buildings shimmered under a hundred lights.
The Gaojia Market came alive every night now. The lanterns — crafted by the lamp artisans who'd come from Xi'an with Xu Dafu — glowed in every shade imaginable. Reds, blues, greens, purples — all reflected off the glossy walls of plastic-like buildings, turning the place into a riot of color.
Song Yingxing stood in awe. So this is what people mean by "a world of dazzling lights."
Steeling himself, he stepped into the lively crowd.
Ahead, a commotion — a theater troupe was about to perform. Curious, Song followed the flow of people and soon found himself watching a large stage show: a local Shaanbei Daoqing opera.
As a Jiangxi man, it was his first time seeing one.
The play being performed? — The Tale of Dao Xuan Tianzun's Demon-Slaying Deeds.
Onstage, actors playing villagers knelt and wept while bandits brandished blades. Then, from above, a massive paper hand dropped down — smack! — flattening the bandit. The "villagers" cheered, the music rose, and the lead actor began to sing of Dao Xuan Tianzun's compassion, his rainmaking, and his blessings upon the people.
"Beautifully sung!" cried the audience, tossing silver coins and rewards onto the stage.
Song Yingxing clapped along, enthralled. He even pulled a few copper coins from his pouch and tossed them forward.
Turning to his two servants, he said, "Shaanxi's been ravaged by drought and chaos. We've seen such misery on the road… yet here, in Gaojia Village, people live joyfully. Incredible."
One servant whispered, "Master, this village is full of strange things."
Song grinned. "Ha! Strange things are exactly what I love."
Just then, a voice rang out from nearby:
"Show's over! Come have a bowl of rice noodles!"
"Eh?" Song blinked. Looking over, he spotted a brightly lit stall labeled 'Laba Rice Noodles', just beside the stage.
He froze. "What did I just see? A rice noodle shop? But that's a southern dish!"
His two servants gawked too. "Master… that really is a rice noodle shop. This place is—unbelievable.