Handan, the State of Zhao.
Ying Zheng, who had been maintaining the status quo, waiting to return to Xianyang to show his talents, also heard about the waterwheels and the Qu Yuan Plow. He was filled with suspicion. Why was his father, Ying Zichu, building up so much momentum for his younger brother, Ying Chengjiao? The whispers outside only added to his confusion.
Meanwhile, in Huayang Palace, Zane remained oblivious to the outside world, dedicating himself to silent cultivation. Time passed swiftly, and nearly another year went by. The agricultural tools that Zane had introduced were now fully in use, and the results were astonishing. The crops were absorbing more nutrients than in previous years, leading to a visible increase in both quality and yield. The change in food supply for a single family might have seemed insignificant, but when expanded to the entire Qin State, it became a phenomenon. The people, once poor and thin, were now healthier and happier, and smiles were more common on the streets.
The rulers of other major countries, such as Qi, Chu, Yan, Han, Zhao, and Wei, were all shocked when they learned of Qin's agricultural bounty. Without hesitation, they ordered their own skilled craftsmen to copy the waterwheels and other tools. They refused to be outdone by Qin.
Even within Qin, King Ying Ji and his ministers were amazed by the transformation. The sight of their people thriving filled them with a sense of pride and awe. Xunzi, a prominent Confucian scholar who had been observing the situation, was also deeply moved. He was impressed by the significant changes in the Qin people but was also disgusted with Ying Zichu. To him, the waterwheels were a benevolent tool that would benefit the country and its people for generations, and they might even be recorded in history. But Ying Zichu had hidden the inventor and tried to claim the credit for his "god-like" son.
"What else did he say," Xunzi scoffed, "that waterwheels were invented by his god-son out of pity for the people of Qin?" He and his students had been paying close attention to Ying Zichu's actions, expecting more inventions to be revealed, but nothing had happened for over a year. This didn't surprise them. Invention was a difficult task, and even the master craftsman behind Ying Zichu would need time to create something new.
In a manor, Li Si, one of Xunzi's disciples, smiled and said, "Teacher, Ying Zichu has really run out of tricks. He has nothing to build momentum for that young master!" Xunzi sighed and said, "Pack up, we will leave Qin in three days." His students agreed, feeling that there was nothing more for them to see in Qin.
Just as they were about to leave, Ying Zheng, in Zhao, also felt that his father was acting foolishly. He thought Ying Zichu was wasting time and effort on Ying Chengjiao.
The Path to Immortality
In Huayang Palace, Zane stopped his practice and opened his eyes. They were as indifferent and ruthless as the heavens and earth. For the past year, he had practiced silently, and his internal energy had increased tremendously. He had reached the peak of the Grandmaster realm, but after that, his improvement slowed down. His internal energy was now gathering in his lower dantian, three inches below his navel. This was the legendary place where internal energy was stored. He felt a sense of anticipation. When the change occurred in his dantian, he believed that was when he would become a true immortal. Even as a child, he could easily kill hundreds of soldiers with his Sword Qi and water control.
He decided it was time to create something new to maintain his image as a divine being. He chose paper. The method of making it quickly emerged in his mind. He then called for his father, Ying Zichu, to come to the hall and learn something new. The palace maids and guards, filled with a mix of surprise and curiosity, hurried to find Ying Zichu. At the same time, spies planted in the palace noticed the commotion and became nervous. They wanted to see what was going on. They stared at the Hall of Heaven with wide eyes, hoping to get a glimpse of the new miracle.
A Pilgrimage from the East
Meanwhile, near the Middle-earth, a group of people, covered in dust, were rushing towards Xianyang. They wore exotic clothes, and their heads were completely bald. They were monks from India, accompanied by a mix of merchants, believers, nobles, and ordinary people. When foreign merchants returned to India with the story of a child born with knowledge in the Qin royal family—a child who could walk and talk at birth, took seven steps, and pointed one hand to the sky and the other to the ground—it immediately sent shockwaves throughout India. The vision at the birth of this Qin prince was an exact replica of the vision at the birth of Shakyamuni Buddha, as recorded in Buddhist scriptures. It was an event that could not be ignored. The monks were on a pilgrimage, seeking the truth about the rumored reincarnation of their beloved Buddha