Cultivation Simulator: Starting From The Empress' Palace

After concluding the discussion, Chen Mo set off alone to Haiqing Lake to check on the progress of the fire bottle bombs.

Following the coup, Chen Mo seized the Dan Stone Mine and the Saltpeter Mine in Bianliang, providing his gunpowder workshop with raw materials.

The entire gunpowder workshop was under strict fire prohibition, and Chen Mo also assigned people to closely monitor the craftsmen, as well as to protect their families.

Before he set out, he did not allow any information about the fire bottle bombs to be leaked.

Since he visited the gunpowder workshop, Chen Mo gave Tie Li some ideas, hoping he could gain some inspiration from them.

As for the manufacturing aspect, Chen Mo couldn’t offer any advice.

After all, in his previous life, gunpowder was a controlled substance.

What could be found online was only the one-sulfur-two-nitrate-three-charcoal formula, without any specific ratios.

Fortunately, the people in this world were quite ingenious and managed to work it out.

Now, what Chen Mo hoped for was to produce enough fire bottle bombs before his expedition to reach his consumption needs.

Not seeking thousands or tens of thousands, just three or four hundred would suffice for a while.

Tie Li also gave him a pleasant surprise.

”Sir, please take a look.” Tie Li led Chen Mo to a stone platform, on which lay three head-sized iron balls with smooth surfaces.

”What is this?” Chen Mo was puzzled, immediately linking it to the shells of the Ming Dynasty’s cannons.

”These are fire bottle bombs that have been improved,” Tie Li said.

”Why is there no fuse?” The previously made fire bottle bombs all required a fuse to ignite.

Tie Li smiled slightly, ”Sir, these improved fire bottle bombs require a Seventh Grade or higher martial artist to activate them with True Qi. After activation, they will explode in three breaths, and their power is more than ten times that of ordinary gunpowder bombs. It’s just a pity that they are difficult to manufacture and cannot be mass-produced at the moment...”

”More than ten times...”

Chen Mo’s eyes brightened, and he immediately picked up an improved fire bottle bomb to examine it. Once in his hand, he realized it weighed nearly a hundred pounds, something an ordinary woman couldn’t even lift.

Tie Li explained the method of making the improved fire bottle bomb.

In the process of researching the fire bottle bombs, Tie Li discovered a necessary material for making treasures, ”Thunder Stone,” which, when stimulated by True Qi, had an explosive effect. Amazed, he ground the Thunder Stone into powder and mixed it with gunpowder.

He then found that the explosive power increased exponentially.

Moreover, when stimulated by True Qi, the power could double.

After a lot of tinkering, the current version emerged before Chen Mo’s eyes.

Hearing this, Chen Mo immediately took the fire bottle bomb outside to try it.

Like before, Chen Mo experimented on himself.

First, he circulated True Qi to form a protective shield outside his body, which was a First Grade protective shield.

Then he suppressed his strength to Second Grade, forming another protective barrier outside the First Grade shield.

Finally, he suppressed his strength to Third Grade and formed a Third Grade shield outside the Second Grade one.

Once prepared, Chen Mo activated the improved fire bottle bomb.

After a loud explosion, Chen Mo was stunned.

Before the improvement, the fire bottle bombs that needed a fuse to ignite couldn’t harm an Innate Martial Artist.

But now, the improved fire bottle bomb actually broke the outermost layer of his shield, leaving the Second Grade and First Grade shields unaffected.

That being the case, if this fire bottle bomb exploded at the feet of a Third Grade Martial Artist without any defenses, the result would be either death or serious injury.

”Well done, a great reward awaits.” Chen Mo patted Tie Li’s shoulder, very pleased.

”It’s all thanks to your excellent guidance, sir.” Tie Li humbly said, then quickly added, ”Please, sir, give a name to this improved fire bottle bomb.”

Chen Mo: ”...”

He was terrible at naming things.

But under Tie Li’s eager gaze, Chen Mo thought for a moment and said, ”How about... let’s call it High-Explosive Bomb.”

Chen Mo borrowed this name from a game in his past life.

”Great name.” Tie Li praised.

Chen Mo showed no embarrassment and instead came up with an idea: ”Chief Engineer Tie, look...”

Chen Mo sketched a cannon for Tie Li.

In his previous life, Red Coat Cannons appeared in the late Ming Dynasty.

But prior to that, in the Song Dynasty, tubular rocket weapons made of giant bamboo, known as fire lances, had already appeared.

By the Yuan Dynasty, smoothbore cannons were already in use.

Now that gunpowder was available,

the manufacturing skills of the Great Song Dynasty were not inferior, and it was entirely possible to create cannons.

Chen Mo and Tie Li engaged in a detailed discussion of his ideas.

During the discussion, Tie Li felt as though he had met a kindred spirit. He never expected that sir could have such remarkable achievements not only in martial arts but also so many innovative ideas in craftsmanship, each opening new doors to the world for him like never before.

...

In the blink of an eye, night had fallen.

Just as Chen Mo returned to the Chen Mansion, he saw Xiao Jiu lying on the stone lion at the entrance.

Seeing Chen Mo, instead of enthusiastically rushing towards him as usual, Xiao Jiu’s large eyes glimmered with a grievance, resembling a wronged young bride.

Chen Mo was taken aback, then walked over with a smile and said, ”Xiao Jiu, what’s the matter?”

His right hand habitually reached to pat Xiao Jiu’s head.

Yet Xiao Jiu dodged away and walked toward the mansion.

This puzzled Chen Mo even more, so he followed.

”Xiao Jiu, what’s wrong? Did someone bully you? Or did Chun Lan and the others not give you food?” Chen Mo walked beside him, his gaze exceptionally tender.

Seeing that Chen Mo still didn’t realize his mistake, Xiao Jiu became somewhat frantic, flailing his paws towards Chen Mo, while also barking continuously.

It turned out, previously Chen Mo had promised to spend more time playing with him every day.

But after saying this, he quickly forgot.

Especially today, Xiao Jiu hadn’t seen him all day.

”So that’s what it was...”

Chen Mo chuckled wryly, not expecting Xiao Jiu to act so petty, and immediately apologized, asking what it would take to forgive him.

In the end, it coyly gestured with its paws, indicating it wanted to sleep with him.

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo almost fell to the ground, his eyes wide open.

The expression reading retreat, retreat, retreat...

”Are you serious?” Chen Mo asked.

Xiao Jiu nodded.

”No way.” Chen Mo refused. He wasn’t some pervert; sleeping with a fox was out of the question.

Seeing Chen Mo unwilling, Xiao Jiu tossed its head and continued forward, ignoring him.

Chen Mo: ”...”

Watching its dejected back, Chen Mo said, ”Alright, I promise you.”

At worst, he’d meditate all night.

Xiao Jiu, hearing Chen Mo’s words, immediately turned around and eagerly ran back, gently rubbing its head against Chen Mo’s leg.

But as soon as he opened the door upon returning to his room, he discovered a woman lying in his bed, shyly looking at him.