King Chun Mansion.

When Li Nuo reached the entrance of the mansion, Li Yun happened to come out from within. Seeing Li Nuo, he was slightly surprised and blurted out, "You've come at just the right time. I was about to go to Ningxin Garden to find you, and now I don't have to make the trip..."

Li Yun grabbed Li Nuo's arm and led him into a grand hall within the mansion.

He rubbed his hands excitedly and said, "That thing you told me about last time, I've managed to create it, though it hasn't been tested yet. At this moment, I think it should be witnessed together with you..."

Li Yun looked out the window and said, "Qingqing."

The mechanical girl named Qingqing pressed a button on a colossal object placed outside the hall.

The gigantic mechanism started up with a rumbling sound, and the entirely transparent glass orb hanging in the hall emitted a bright yellow light, illuminating every corner of the grand hall, its brightness surpassing any candle in the world.

At this moment, the power of the Mohist inside Li Nuo and Li Yun simultaneously advanced to the Half-Saint Realm.

Feeling the changes in cultivation within them, Li Yun regained his composure and solemnly cupped his hands in gratitude to Li Nuo, saying, "Thank you."

He was well aware that Li Nuo could have done all these things himself, yet he shared all the opportunities with him. Li Nuo made him who he is today, just as Uncle Li made his father what he is today.

They owed a great debt to Uncle Li's family.

Li Nuo came today to inquire about how the development of those war instruments was progressing.

He had previously provided Li Yun with some ideas, originally intended to resist Wei Country's invasion, but before those things could be used, Wei Country ceased to exist.

Essentially, those innovations were still an application of existing Mechanical Techniques and did not significantly enhance Mohist cultivation, whereas the advance from steam to electricity undoubtedly marked a revolutionary leap.

If Daxia could unify the world and focus its power on completing the industrial revolution, the two would not need to do anything and could just await the Mohist's ascension to sainthood.

The Mohists at Half-Saint Realm, besides controlling mechanisms, could also manipulate people as if they were mechanisms.

This was extremely similar to some abilities of the School of Cross and Vertical or even exactly the same; each school had overlapping capabilities while each also had unique skills. School of Cross and Vertical Saints could arbitrarily control the thoughts of anyone below Saint level, and it was said that once Mohists reached Sainthood, they could transcend physical limitations and place their souls into mechanisms, achieving immortality under certain conditions...

Such immortality was meaningless to Li Nuo.

Without placing his soul into a mechanism, he could still achieve immortality, and the enhancement in Mohist cultivation was merely a byproduct of reform and saving the nation.

As Li Nuo left the King Chun Mansion, he glanced again at the mechanical girl named "Qingqing."

Since Li Yun broke through to the Half-Saint Realm, she seemed to have undergone some kind of transformation. The quality of Mohist mechanisms depended firstly on materials and secondly on the skill of the creator; a mechanical man crafted meticulously by a Half-Saint like Li Yun could rival a Fifth Realm Master.

After Li Nuo left, Li Yun realized something and closely examined the mechanical girl before him, laughingly saying, "Qingqing, when I cultivate to a Mohist Saint, I'll be able to make you like an ordinary girl..."

In "Qingqing's" gemstone-like eyes, a gentle expression appeared, and she softly said, "If even a Saint cannot achieve that, Yun?"

Li Yun waved his hand and said, "That doesn't matter. No matter what you look like, I'll be with you for a lifetime."

"Qingqing" lowered her eyelids and said, "Flesh is weak, while mechanisms endure. Even a Saint cannot escape the erosion of time. Why don't you forsake the burden of flesh and use a mechanism as your body? Then, we can be together forever..."

...

Li Nuo returned to Ningxin Garden, where Yiren was alone sitting in the courtyard on a swing. When she saw him return, she snorted and turned her head away, refusing to look at him.

Li Nuo walked over, sat next to her, and swung together with her.

Though Yiren did not look at him or speak to him, she shifted her bottom slightly to the side, making more space for him.

Li Nuo wrapped his arm around her shoulder and gently asked, "Still angry?"

Yiren pinched his waist, saying angrily, "How could you do this? I should be the first to marry you, and you made me the last!"

Perhaps because a ceremony was taken from her, Yiren valued the sense of ritual more than anyone.

Li Nuo could only comfort her, "The best is surely saved for last. Although Zhiyi and Phoenix precede you, they neither had a wedding nor any ceremony. Do you wish for that?"

Yiren immediately retorted, "Of course not!"

The first grand wedding was taken by Song Jiaren, and the second by Li Anning. As his legitimate fiancée, she not only had to come after them, but if there was no wedding at all, that would be too miserable...

The grand wedding and complete ceremony, everything that belonged to her, must not be missing!

Li Nuo continued, "Phoenix and Zhiyi are actually older than you, calling them elder sisters is not a loss. Later at home, they will still have to let you have your way..."

Yiren's eyes shifted, and finally, a smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

After a while of swinging, Phoenix walked in from outside, with apparent worry on her face.

Yiren jumped off the swing and walked to her side, saying, "Alright, I forgive you, I call you Phoenix Sister anyway..."

Phoenix smiled faintly, but the worry between her brows still didn't dissipate.

Li Nuo noticed her unusual emotion. After she walked into the room, he followed and asked, "What's wrong?"

Phoenix took out a letter from her sleeve and said, "The Green Bird Society from Qi Country has sent a letter..."

...

Since its founding, Qi Country has vigorously developed its espionage network.

For three hundred years now, Qi Country's spies have spread across the continent. Some officials in Daxia's court, certain military generals, and even families dating back several generations are Qi Country spies.

Of course, Qi Country didn't do this for amusement, but in preparation for the day they would go to war with various countries, enabling them to use the spies.

Phoenix received an assignment this time, which was to fully activate the Green Bird Society spies in Chang'an, obtain Daxia's military secrets, and cause various disturbances in Chang'an. Their tactics included stirring conflict among court officials, inciting internal court battles, obtaining grain and logistics transportation routes, stealing Ministry of War weapon blueprints, and more...

Although the war instruments Li Nuo had Li Yun create were not yet used, Qi Country had already learned the news, showing their deep infiltration into Daxia.

Clearly, Phoenix could not carry out such tasks.

Li Nuo could not let her do it either.

Phoenix expressed her concern, saying, "I'm fine in Chang'an. My worry is for Zhi'er. If I don't do what they ask, Zhi'er will be in danger..."

Previously, to control Phoenix, the Green Bird Society took the nightingale back to Qi Country.

Among all her relatives, only this sister remained, and Li Nuo certainly wouldn't let anything happen to the nightingale.

He held Phoenix's hand and said, "Don't worry, I'll go to Qi Country and bring the nightingale back for you..."

Phoenix had been worried for the nightingale, and Li Nuo had long intended to bring her back.

Throughout Qi Country, except for Qi Country's Emperor, Li Nuo feared no other Half-Saint.

Though his strength wasn't as great as Qi Country's Emperor, if he decided to leave, the Emperor couldn't stop him.

With Righteous Qi Cloud coupled with the exile law, working together, he possessed the speed of a Saint less than one, unparalleled in escape. If Qi Country's Emperor dared to pursue, who would teach whom a lesson might not be certain...

Phoenix's lips moved slightly; one was her sister, and one was her husband. Phoenix didn't want to let one be put in danger while rescuing the other.

Li Nuo saw her concern and smiled, saying, "Don't worry, don't underestimate your husband's skills. I'll surely bring nightingale back safely for you. By the way, does Jade Sound Pavilion have any of her things, like personal clothing?"

Phoenix looked at him thoughtfully for a while and said, "As long as Zhi'er agrees, I won't oppose, but you'd better convince Yiren first... When did you develop a liking for ladies' personal clothing?"

Li Nuo tapped her forehead and said irritably, "What are you imagining? I'm thinking whether I can find her hair or something on her personal clothing, so once I'm in Qi Country, I can locate her..."

A moment later, Phoenix took out a wallet from the room, from which she extracted a lock of hair and gave it to Li Nuo.

This was left by the nightingale when she left Chang'an, and it was just right for Li Nuo to use.

Li Nuo took a few strands of hair and kept them, then looked at Phoenix and jokingly asked, "You really have no objections?"

Phoenix smiled gently and said, "If you can convince Yiren, I won't object..."

Yiren skipped in from outside and asked, "Convince me of what?"

[ps: Writer's block, shorter.]