Striving for Science C70 pt1

Shen Tu remained silent.

Shen Chang'an looked up at the window outside Dao Nian's room: "This isn't the place to talk. Let's go to the flower room and chat slowly."

Shen Tu stared at Shen Chang'an helplessly for a few minutes before finally agreeing.

Watching Shen Chang'an expertly take out the tea set from the cabinet, boil water and brew tea, Shen Tu couldn't help but wonder how familiar the two had become in private. He had only been here for a few days, how could he be so familiar with where the tea set was kept?

Shen Tu watched the boiling water steep the tea leaves at the bottom of the cup. The tea leaves struggled desperately in the water, ultimately sinking to the bottom helplessly. These tea leaves were like him, knowing the final outcome yet still trying to struggle.

Shen Chang'an's relationship with the Master had long surpassed that of ordinary friends. If he lied to Shen Chang'an now, then once the truth came to light, he would be seen as a liar in Shen Chang'an's eyes. But if he told the truth now, Shen Chang'an wouldn't hate him, but the Master might just kick him out.

In this world, even immortals who wander outside wouldn't have an easy life.

"Try this tea. I only had it once after opening the package. It's pretty good." Shen Chang'an pushed the teacup towards Shen Tu, looking at him with a playful smile. "If this topic makes you uncomfortable, Shen Tu, let's pretend it never happened."

The spiritual tea grown on the Immortal Mountain was naturally delicious. Shen Tu picked up the teacup, looking at the smiling Shen Chang'an in front of him, he was momentarily speechless.

He shouldn't have forgotten that Shen Chang'an, who always had a smile on his face and was so casual in front of the Master, was a very talented person among human youths.

Human intelligence is not to be underestimated, especially Shen Chang'an, who is a standout among humans.

"It's not a very difficult topic, it's just that I don't know how to put it into words." Shen Tu took a sip of tea. "You know, the Master always advocates for believing in science and opposes feudal superstition. We who work for the Master, of course, must follow the Master's call."

"So you can actually see ghosts, but because of Dao Nian, you've never mentioned it?" Shen Chang'an understood Shen Tu's meaning. A worker, in front of a boss who adheres to materialism, naturally has to prioritize the boss's attitude.

After all, you need to make a living.

"You're overthinking it. While Dao Nian is a materialist, he's not the kind of person who demands that all his employees share his ideology." Understanding this, Shen Chang'an didn't forget to speak well of Dao Nian in front of his employee. "So don't take these things too seriously."

Yes, you shouldn't take these things too seriously. At most... those who defy the Heavenly Dao will not have a good ending.

Over the years, the Master has never changed his will, nor has he ever shown any curiosity about the world. Shen Chang'an is the only exception.

He didn't know whether this exception was good or bad, but in his opinion, the world of gods and demons was already in this state, it couldn't get much worse.

Destruction before creation, maybe this will be a new turning point.

"Were you born with this ability, or did you learn it from someone?"

"Both." Shen Tu paused for a moment. "Chang'an, when did you realize you could see spiritual beings?"

"I don't know. I can't even tell the difference between humans and ghosts." Shen Chang'an laughed. "Maybe that's why I always treat ghosts as humans."

"Do you want me to teach you some spells?" Shen Tu said. "Maybe you'll need them in the future." With Shen Chang'an as a variable, no one could say what would happen to the world of gods and demons in the future. Teaching Shen Chang'an some spells might be useful to him later.

"Can you turn stones into gold and fly on clouds?" Shen Chang'an said jokingly. "I'd love to learn that." Uncle Zhang told him that turning stones into gold and flying on clouds were almost human delusions. The books at most recorded cultivators shedding their shells and traveling through mountains and rivers, but no one had ever truly flown with their physical body.

Maybe that's what Uncle Zhang meant by "cultivation also requires basic scientific methods."

"You like that kind of spell?" Shen Tu was a little embarrassed. "It's not that you can't learn it, it's just that humans, after birth, eat five grains and are tainted by the seven emotions and six desires. It's difficult to make leaps and bounds. Your aptitude is good, if you practice hard, maybe you can reach the speed of a high-speed train?"

Shen Chang'an looked at Shen Tu in horror: "You... serious?"

Didn't they say that living people can't fly on clouds?

Shen Tu looked back at him in confusion: "Do I look like I'm joking?"

Could it be that Shen Chang'an didn't take anything he said seriously?

The two stared at each other for a few seconds, then Shen Chang'an hesitantly extended a finger: "Can you turn this teacup into a golden cup?"

Shen Tu looked at Shen Chang'an hesitantly: "Chang'an, this set of teaware is worth millions, if you make it gold, it will depreciate."

Shen Chang'an, his expression numb, picked up a pebble from the flowerpot and placed it in front of Shen Tu: "Then turn this one."

Half a minute later, looking at the golden stone in front of him that was shining with dazzling light, he felt that his already shattered worldview had turned to dust today and been blown away by the wind.

"Actually, this isn't some profound magic, the internal composition and density of minerals are different, as long as you manually modify the composition inside, you can turn a stone into gold." Shen Tu pushed the gold towards Shen Chang'an, "If you like it, I'll give it to you."

"So you're so powerful, why do you still have to go out and work?" Shen Chang'an felt that he might not understand the way of thinking of a high-level person.

"The country has very strict controls on precious metals, if I take a chunk of gold out, who would dare to buy it?" Shen Tu said, "Moreover, this kind of behavior disrupts the market rules, it will have..." He lowered his voice and whispered, "It will have a heavenly punishment."

Shen Chang'an: "..."

He didn't know if there was a heavenly punishment, but he was almost certain that Shen Tu might not be human.

He cautiously looked at Shen Tu: "I heard that yaos will lurk around humans and absorb their vital energy, have you encountered this kind of yao?" 

"These are all rumors made up by humans, humans often eat junk food, are greedy by nature, and have short lifespans. Especially humans in recent decades, their soul quality is getting worse and worse. Now absorbing human vital energy, any yao with a slightly normal mind, wouldn't do this kind of thing anymore..." Shen Tu suddenly stopped, he stiffened his head and looked at Shen Chang'an, was he deliberately trying to trick him?

"I don't know what your identity is, and I don't want to investigate it carefully." The smile on Shen Chang'an's face faded slightly, "I'm happy to be with you, in my heart, you are a friend."

"But," the smile on Shen Chang'an's face disappeared, "I hope you are really just here to work for Dao Nian, if you have any intention of harming him, even if I can't beat you, I won't let you get away with it."

"Someone told me that I am a ten-life merit body, if yaos and ghosts come to harm me, they will be punished by Heaven." Speaking of this, Shen Chang'an broke into a pure and harmless smile, "I think brother Shen Tu wouldn't want to try to see if this guess is true or not.

Shen Tu: "..."

Why are humans so impatient, changing their faces like turning a book?

Although he was very shocked in his heart, when it came to expressing his attitude, Shen Tu didn't hesitate for a moment: "Please rest assured, I absolutely dare not harm the master in the slightest, if you don't believe me, I dare to swear by Heavenly Dao."

Shen Chang'an: "Does your kind swearing by Heavenly Dao work?"

"It's much more useful than your human males saying things like if I change my mind, I'll be struck by five thunderbolts." Shen Tu coughed dryly, feeling that it was a bit inappropriate to fire a barrage of criticism at human males, "We swear by our Dao heart, and we will receive a response from Heavenly Dao, if we break our oath, we will be punished by Heavenly Dao."

Shen Chang'an pondered for a long time, and sighed: "Heavenly Dao is really busy."

He looked up at the sky: "If Heavenly Dao was a person, he would probably have been driven crazy by you guys."

Shen Tu: "..."

No, he's fine, not only has he not been driven crazy, he's also learned all sorts of ways to slack off, right now he's still lying in bed sleeping soundly, waiting for you to wake him up.

Shen Chang'an stared intently at Shen Tu.

Shen Tu looked at him silently.

"Make the vow." Shen Chang'an saw that Shen Tu wasn't reacting. "Once you're done, we can go back and eat."

So if he didn't make a vow, he wouldn't even be allowed to eat breakfast?

"I, Shen Tu, swear by Heavenly Dao that I will never harm Mr. Dao Nian. If I break this vow..." He turned to look at Shen Chang'an, who was smiling at him. "...then may I suffer the torment of thunder and frost."

***

Dao Nian, lying in bed, slowly opened his eyes and reached out to catch a beam of divine light that flew in from the window. The light circled his fingertip and slowly sank into his palm.

The person making the vow was actually Shen Tu, and the vow was related to him?