"A human-shaped lathe?"
Li Ang stared in astonishment, taking the copper ball that Cheng Juxiu tossed to him and weighing it in his hand. It was heavy, solid, and still retained some residual heat from the casting.
"With the aid of tools, a cultivator of the Cloud Patrol Realm can match thirty, fifty, or even more skilled craftsmen," Cheng Juxiu said with a smile. "Of course, the time and energy of cultivators are extremely precious. They are busy cyclically cultivating their breath and expanding their Qi Sea to improve their cultivation, so it's impossible for them to stoop to serve the nobles. Even those who can recover their strength through Body Refinement wouldn't carry heavy loads at docks. It's only when there are problems that normal humans can't solve that the Academic Palace will deploy us. For instance, to slay Evil, manage water disasters, cut through mountains, or build bridges."
"These acts contribute to the welfare of the people. Cultivators in Yu Country are nurtured by the entire nation's efforts. Naturally, they should bear the corresponding responsibilities instead of feeling superior and entitled to lord it over others, as cultivators in other countries do upon gaining some power," Pu Liuxuan said casually, then turned to look at Li Ang with a smile. "Additionally, I have resigned from my position as Professor at the State School. After the Dragon Boat Festival, you should go to the State School to register and cancel your provincial exam registration. With a recommendation letter, you can bypass the provincial exam. If you really ranked in the top ten of the provincial exam, it would take spots from others. There's no need to stir up jealousy among our fellow townsmen and classmates."
"Mhm." Li Ang nodded in agreement and asked, "Then, Teacher, are you returning to Chang'an this year?"
"Me?..." Pu Liuxuan pondered, then said, "Next year. Ju'er is still too young to endure a long journey. Besides, I need time to prepare. By the way, Juxiu, when are you going back to Chang'an?"
"Probably in a month," Cheng Juxiu said. "I still need to check other places for any fluctuations in the Spirit Vein. After the provincial exam results come out next month, I will return to Chang'an with the students."
Li Ang felt slightly disappointed that his teacher was not returning to Chang'an this year. The three of them then sat and chatted briefly, finishing the Qujiang thin slices in the teapot before Li Ang took his leave.
Spirit Vein, Academic Palace, talismanic magic, Sword Dao...
Li Ang hurried down the streets, his heart pounding with unprecedented restlessness and excitement.
A future filled with endless possibilities is slowly unfolding before my eyes. If only I can enter the Academic Palace...
"Young Master, something terrible has happened!" Chai Cuiqiao's voice came from ahead. Li Ang looked up to see his young maid sprinting towards him. Panting, she reached him and gasped, "Security Hall... Security Hall..."
Li Ang asked, "What happened?"
Has Security Hall been burned or robbed? Or is someone causing trouble again?
Li Ang followed the direction Chai Cuiqiao pointed and looked ahead, noticing a crowd gathered at Security Hall's entrance. A middle-aged man, clad in hemp clothes and looking worn from hard labor, stood anxiously on the threshold, pounding on the door and shouting loudly, "Is there a doctor here?!"
"I am!" Li Ang ran forward, squeezed through the crowd, and was about to ask where the patient was when he saw a flatbed donkey cart on the ground before the threshold. The donkey was a thin black one, and the cart was simple and wooden. Beside it stood a highly panicked child around ten years old, also sallow and gaunt. On the cart lay a middle-aged woman, her lower left leg slightly bent, her skin strangely swollen. She was grimacing in pain, drenched in sweat.
A fracture...
Li Ang quickly asked the man in a serious tone, "Is this your wife?"
"Yes, she... she fell while chopping wood on the mountain. Doctor, you must save her..." the middle-aged man stammered, his voice frantic.
"I will save her if I can." Li Ang didn't have time for further thought. He shouted for the crowd to disperse, then led the donkey cart by its rope straight to the backyard. He opened the courtyard gate, rushed inside, and grabbed a piece of gauze.
"Risheng, what's the matter?" A gentle, inquiring voice came from the crowd. A young scholar with an honest face squeezed through—it was Song Shaoyuan, Aunt Song's son from the Lansheng Building next door.
"Her leg bone is broken." Li Ang didn't have time to ask when Song Shaoyuan had returned to Yizhou City. He said directly, "Brother Song, could you go to Jingbao Pavilion Ceramic Shop and buy some Plaster Powder?"
Song Shaoyuan, startled, said, "Plaster Powder? We have some at home, for making tofu..."
"No, it needs to be cooked plaster, not raw plaster," Li Ang spoke quickly. "I saw Jingbao Pavilion was still open when I came. Please hurry. Tell them to get some plaster powder used for mending porcelain—as much as they have. Also, I need a few pieces of clean coarse cloth and a basin of clean water."
"Alright." Song Shaoyuan didn't waste words. He broke through the crowd and dashed towards the Lansheng Building's backyard.
Li Ang took a deep breath, handed the gauze to the middle-aged woman on the donkey cart, and said softly, "Bite this cloth. Don't swallow it."
As the middle-aged woman bit onto the gauze, Li Ang moved closer and gently touched her bent and deformed lower left leg. When he touched the injured area, the pain intensified. More cold sweat instantly beaded on the woman's forehead. She involuntarily grasped her son's outstretched hand. She squeezed it hard for a moment, then, afraid of hurting him, quickly let go. Instead, her own hands clutched the edges of the donkey cart. She gripped so tightly that the skin on the backs of her withered, dark hands turned several shades paler.
"The tibia is fractured. Thankfully, it's not shattered." Li Ang looked up at the middle-aged woman and said, "I need to perform a manual reduction. Please bear with the pain."
Without giving her time to react, Li Ang gripped both ends of her lower leg, rotated, and forcefully straightened it.
CRACK.
Amid gasps from the bystanders, the distinct grating sound of bone vibrated back to Li Ang's palms. The woman, overcome by immense pain, nearly fainted and collapsed onto the donkey cart.
"Don't move! Absolutely don't move." Li Ang's forehead also broke out in a bit of cold sweat. He hurriedly had her husband hold her steady and then turned to look.
Soon, Song Shaoyuan returned with two assistants from Lansheng Building. They carried two basins of Plaster Powder and one of well water, setting the three wooden basins on the ground. Song Shaoyuan then pulled a stack of coarse cloth from his robes and said, "Risheng, here's the stuff. What's next?"