The alchemist's opening move: I'll paint a pie in the sky for Qin Shi Huang.

What does this mean?

Zou Yun's eyes flashed, and he readily replied.

As someone from a later era, he naturally knew that Zhang Shan's words were true. But Zou Yun was also very curious about how Zhang Shan had come to such a conclusion.

Laozi said: "Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish."

Zhang Shan put down the ceramic cup and lightly touched the surface of the mat with his fingertips.

"In my view, governing a country is like a doctor treating an illness. One must observe the patient's complexion and listen to their voice, inquire about their symptoms and take their pulse to understand the root cause, prescribe the right medicine, and proceed gradually. Then the world will naturally be at peace."

He paused slightly, then looked at Meng Xuande.

"I once met Prince Fusu. He was kind and benevolent, but also weak and incompetent."

"And our Great Qin..."

At this point, Zhang Shan's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile, and he held up three fingers.

"Our Great Qin has three major flaws."

Upon hearing this, the air in the room suddenly froze.

But Zhang Shan seemed oblivious and continued speaking in a deep voice.

"One drawback was that Qin law was strict, taxes and corvée labor were heavy, and the common people's speech and actions were restricted and they were not free."

"The second drawback is that although the First Emperor was wise and powerful, he readily believed the words of three alchemists, Zou Sheng, Shi Sheng, and Xu Sheng, and spent countless resources in his pursuit of immortality."

"The third problem is that the successor was weak and incompetent, and the First Emperor had no one to succeed him."

His voice was soft, but its resonance was powerful.

"you!"

Meng Xuande slammed his fist on the table and stood up abruptly.

The reed mat trembled, the pottery pot tipped over, and he glared angrily at Zhang Shan, his chest heaving violently.

"Alright, alright, Lord Meng, we were just chatting."

Feng Zhixue quickly stood up and pressed down on his tense shoulders and arms. Zheng Ze also said in a deep voice, "..."

"Calm down, it was Mr. Ziyasu who saved you."

"Mr. Koyasu is talking nonsense, isn't he?"

Feng Zhixue turned to Zhang Shan, giving him repeated winks, sweat beading on his forehead.

Zhang Shan slowly shook his head, remaining silent, but the smile on his lips seemed increasingly ironic. His eyes held pity, as if looking at a trapped beast.

Enraged, Meng Xuande clenched his teeth and almost broke free from the restraints.

Just as the atmosphere was becoming increasingly tense.

Zou Yun spoke up, "I have never heard of a moral gentleman getting angry just because someone tells the truth."

He looked directly at Meng Xuande, his gaze calm and unfathomable.

Upon hearing this, Meng Xuande's breath caught in his throat. After hesitating for a long time, he still sat down.

Zhang Shan also suppressed his smile, gave Zou Yun a deep look, and bowed respectfully.

"That's very well said!"

For a moment, the only sounds at the banquet were the wind and the sound of water.

Suddenly, Feng Zhixue pointed at a woman carrying a basket on the riverbank and burst into laughter at Zheng Ze.

"Haha, Mr. Zheng, do you think that woman is looking at you?"

"Where? Where is it? Let the child see it quickly!!"

Wei Shuqing sensibly changed the subject.

"Oh, I didn't know that. Why don't you act as matchmaker for Mr. Zheng and introduce this woman to him?"

Zou Yun also clapped his hands and laughed.

"Sure, I'll take care of it." Zhang Shan readily agreed, nodding with a smile.

"..." Zheng Ze was speechless.

The sun's shadow slants to the west.

Finally, in this atmosphere, the group embarked on their journey home.

Only the spring waters flow eastward, and the fragrance of orchids lingers, drifting into the evening breeze.

-----------------

At night, everything is silent.

Only the chirping of insects outside the window and the flickering candlelight inside the room remained.

Zou Yun sat at the table, head bowed in thought. The flickering candlelight illuminated his face, which seemed to shift between light and shadow.

According to his previous plan, he actually intended to use this time to shake off Meng Xuande and completely get rid of Ying Zheng's gaze.

They'll come out and become active again after he dies.

Can......

Out of the corner of Zou Yun's eye, he saw Meng Xuande standing with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall, his chest heaving beneath his clothes, clearly still angry about Zhang Shan's words during the day.

"Well, let's just take it one step at a time."

Zou Yun shook his head, then looked at the cluster of flickering candlelight in front of him.

The candle wick crackled softly, bursting into a tiny spark that vanished in an instant.

During this period of time, he had been thinking that since concepts could be attached to objects, could concepts also be attached to something like fire?

Zou Yun had a sudden thought.

Then, to everyone's surprise, Zou Yun slowly reached out his hand and extended his palm toward the candlelight.

"A Grand Master?!"

Wei Shuqing exclaimed in surprise.

But before anyone could stop Zou Yun's "self-harm," an even more astonishing scene unfolded.

Zou Yun then lightly clenched his five fingers.

As easily as taking something out of a bag, he firmly grasped the flickering orange-yellow candle flame in his palm.

The firelight flowed between his fingers, yet it neither burned nor harmed him. It only illuminated the clear lines on his palms, making his skin glow with a warm, jade-like light.

"this!!!"

Feng Zhixue, Zheng Ze, and Meng Xuande also felt their pupils shrink and their breathing catch.

But on the surface, he seemed completely calm, as if it were nothing surprising that the Grand Master could do such a thing.

Only the youngest, Wei Shuqing, was so shocked that he gasped, leaned forward, almost collapsing onto the table, his eyes wide open.

Zou Yun tossed the candle flame upwards.

The flames rose and fell, lengthening and shortening, like ghostly whispers.

"Success is success, but what's the use of a fire that can't burn people? Is it just a portable light bulb?"

Zou Yun sighed inwardly.

The touch from his fingertips was like warm jade, completely lacking the ferocity that flames should have.

However, the slight flickering that suddenly appeared on the panel improved his mood considerably.

"Given this trend, it seems that besides fire control, elements like wind and lightning control could also be replicated in this way."

"However, we still need to figure out a Faraday cage for the lightning."

Zou Yun's lips curved slightly, as if he could already see the divine power of controlling the Five Thunders.

His gaze shifted to Wei Shuqing, where he saw the young man still staring intently at the flames, his eyes filled with stars, as if he were witnessing a miracle.

With a flick of his wrist, Zou Yun deftly tossed the ball of candlelight onto the table.

The flame bounced twice on the wooden table before settling down.

"If you like it, then I'll give it to you."

"Consider it compensation for what happened during the day," Zou Yun thought to himself.

"Ah?! This...this...Master, is this really for my son?"

Wei Shuqing pointed to himself, his voice trembling slightly, and said incredulously.

He nervously rubbed the corner of his clothes, reaching out to touch the candlelight, then quickly pulled his hand back.

Zou Yun raised an eyebrow slightly, his face completely indifferent, and made a move to put the candle away.

"Forget it, I've taken it back."

"No, the child wants it."

Wei Shuqing was so anxious that he almost threw himself onto the table and grabbed the candle flame into his palm.

The flame flickered in his palm, illuminating his wide grin that stretched to his ears.

"That wretched brat, I was here first!" Feng Zhixue's Adam's apple bobbed, filled with envy and jealousy.

Although Zheng Ze remained expressionless, his fingertips were unconsciously digging into the edge of the mat. Even Meng Xuande was no longer angry, staring blankly at the candlelight.

Wei Shuqing carefully picked up the ball of fire as if it were a precious treasure and placed it into a small, rough pottery bottle.

The bottle's surface is rough, with flickering flames within, like amber imprisoning stars.

He sat cross-legged, occasionally lifting the bottle opening, grinning foolishly at the firelight, and tapping the bottle with his fingertips, thoroughly enjoying himself.

What the group didn't notice was...

On the wooden table, where the candle had just been placed, it seemed to have darkened slightly. A faint smell of burning mingled with the night breeze.

"It's getting late, everyone should get some rest."

As darkness fell, Zou Yun yawned and spoke.

Just as Meng Xuande pulled the tattered felt to wrap himself up, Feng Zhixue blew out another candle, and Zheng Ze was arranging the straw mat.

Sudden!!!

"boom--!!!"

A dull tearing sound came from the heavens, and the originally dim night sky suddenly brightened.