The Rebellious Son Becomes a God

"Knock knock knock!"

As dawn was just breaking, there was a knock on the door of Zhiqiu Courtyard.

Jiang Li got up and went to the door,"Coming, coming."

He opened the courtyard door to find it was Steward Wu, followed by a group of servants carrying large and small packages.

Jiang Li was puzzled:"What's this about?"

Steward Wu, with a poker face, said,"We are here by the master's order to deliver some tonics to Young Master Wu. These are for maintaining your health. Although Young Master Wu's health has improved somewhat, these tonics will be even more beneficial."

Jiang Li was slightly taken aback, a hint of doubt rising in his heart, but he still maintained a polite smile on his face.

He stepped aside to let Steward Wu and the servants enter the courtyard, his gaze sweeping over the packages.

"Steward Wu, may I ask what my father's intentions are?" Jiang Li inquired, his tone carrying a hint of inquiry.

In all the past years, he had never sent anything to his courtyard.

Steward Wu maintained his dignified expression and replied indifferently,"Young Master Wu, these are all specially prepared for you by the master. You are about to participate in the local examinations, and the master hopes that you will be in good physical condition. These tonics and medicinal materials have been carefully selected and will greatly benefit your health."

Jiang Li nodded,"Thank you for the trouble, Steward Wu. Also, please convey my gratitude to my father."

After the servants had placed the items, Steward Wu did not leave in a hurry. Instead, he scrutinized Jiang Li, seemingly assessing something. Jiang Li did not inquire but waited quietly for him to speak.

"The master also said that if you do not achieve a ranking this time, you will be punished upon your return!" Hearing this, Jiang Li understood; he had thought there would be no reason for him to receive such gifts for nothing!

"Young Master Wu, the master has high expectations of you; you must work hard!" Steward Wu earnestly admonished as he was leaving.

"Yes, Jiang Li will keep it in mind," Jiang Li replied with a smile.

Steward Wu nodded, then called for the servants to follow before departing.

As soon as Steward Wu left, Jiang Li closed the courtyard door, shutting out the many gazes from outside. The smile on his face disappeared as he turned around.

[Jiang Zhen Ting must know my situation in this mansion. Sending gifts so ostentatiously, is he trying to push me into the limelight? By now, everyone in the mansion probably knows that I am a scholar who will take the local examinations next spring. He doesn't want me to have peace at all. Claiming to care about me, yet staging such a scene, huh!]

He opened and looked at the tonics that were sent, which were mostly common ones for replenishing qi and blood. The only one that stood out was the box of century-old ginseng, with its roots intact and the body plump, emitting a faint aroma. He gently closed the box and put all the items into his storage ring.

However, there was a box containing two hundred taels of silver, which could be useful. He couldn't stay in the mansion anymore; his so-called good brothers and sisters would probably come to cause trouble soon. He decided to leave the house to avoid the commotion for a while.

Jiang Zhen Ting didn't allow him to practice martial arts, but his status as a young scholar had already spread throughout the mansion. All of his siblings were cultivators. When people's jealousy flares up, it can be quite terrifying.

He was now somewhat of a target, and while he didn't harbor any ill intentions, he couldn't afford to let his guard down. Leaving the house was a good opportunity to use the two hundred taels to buy something for self-defense, just in case.

He bypassed the people in the mansion and left the Duke's mansion through the back door, heading straight for the largest weapon workshop in the capital—Tian Gong Workshop.

The weapons sold by the Tiangong Workshop were all top-tier products. Not only were the materials excellent, but the craftsmanship also came from master artisans.

Whether in terms of aesthetic appeal or practicality, anything made by the Tiangong Workshop was of the highest quality, living up to its name.

However, the prices were equally steep.

Even so, the noble youths of various powerful families would often visit, making it a goldmine for the workshop.

Such lucrative profits naturally attracted envy, and some royal relatives even set their sights on the Tiangong Workshop, attempting to devise schemes to bring it under their control.

Though the details of the events remained unclear, the final outcome was that the Tiangong Workshop continued to thrive, while the troublemakers—both the noble youths and royal relatives—either suffered various unfortunate accidents or were punished by their families.

Even worse, those who had caused trouble, as well as their families, were required to pay double the price when buying from the Tiangong Workshop.

This indicated that the force behind the Tiangong Workshop was no small matter.

As a result, no one dared to cause trouble for the workshop again, and the mysterious entity behind it only became more enigmatic.

Standing before the establishment, the signboard above displayed three gilded characters:"Tiangong Workshop." Beneath the sign were carvings of dragons and phoenixes, showcasing intricate craftsmanship. The large redwood door stood wide open, with two well-dressed receptionists standing at the entrance, exuding grace and elegance, their looks being of a superior quality.

The two receptionists bent down in a courteous bow to welcome him, and it was at this moment that Jiang Li noticed something unusual: these two attendants were actually puppets—crafted by the Mo Family.

[Well, this is a rare sight. If it weren't for the gears hidden behind them, I would have thought they were just ordinary people.]

The interior of the store was lavishly decorated yet maintained a sense of refinement. The first floor was filled with vases, decorative items, and trinkets, none of which seemed to be what Jiang Li was looking for. At that moment, a young waiter approached, smiling warmly."Good day, honored guest. May I ask what you are looking for?"

Jiang Li had already made up his mind before coming here. Given his current situation, he needed a weapon that wouldn't attract attention—something small and easily overlooked.

He responded directly,"Do you have any small hidden weapons?"

"Indeed, we do. Please follow me," the waiter said, guiding Jiang Li toward a circular platform that led upward. As he pressed a button, the platform slowly began to rise.

Jiang Li raised an eyebrow in confusion."What is this?"

The waiter seemed pleased with Jiang Li's curiosity and smiled as he explained,"This is an elevator, a unique mode of transportation here at the Tiangong Workshop. When I first saw it, I was just as curious as you are now." His tone was filled with pride, as if boasting about the workshop's technological advancements.

With a soft 'ding,' the waiter continued,"We've arrived at the fourth floor. Please, follow me."

[This should be an invention of the Mo Family. They've always been fond of creating rare and unique devices that don't require spiritual power to operate.]

The waiter smiled and gestured to the items displayed around them."Please, honored guest, take a look. Perhaps something here catches your interest?"

The atmosphere here was completely different from the first-floor lobby. The walls were adorned with a variety of hidden weapons and intricate mechanical devices. Each item radiated a chilling aura, hinting at their deadly purpose.

"These are the Tiangong Workshop's finest hidden weapons, all crafted by the Mo Family's master artisans," the waiter continued."Not only are they incredibly sharp, but they are also designed to be extremely concealed, making them perfect for self-defense."

As he spoke, the waiter led Jiang Li to a row of display cases. Jiang Li's gaze swept across the items one by one. He saw throwing knives, plum blossom needles, concealed crossbows, and more—each piece was made with exceptional precision. Some of them were even coated with a special poison that could deliver a fatal blow with a single strike.

His eyes finally stopped on a belt hanging on display. He raised an eyebrow in curiosity."What is the effect of this belt?"

The waiter stepped forward, carefully removing the belt from its display. The belt was adorned with a series of circular decorations embedded into it, each one gleaming faintly in the light.

The waiter smiled with pride and continued,"This belt is a marvel. By simply injecting a small amount of spiritual power, you can detach the decorative pieces from it. Then, by pressing the central gem, the circular ornaments will unfold into five razor-sharp blades, transforming into a throwing dart. Though it may seem small, the material is special—extremely sharp and durable. Moreover, within a range of ten paces, the dart will automatically return when you activate the mechanism on the belt."

He paused for a moment, as if savoring the moment before adding,"Of course, this item is only usable by cultivators; ordinary people cannot operate it."

Jiang Li nodded, impressed by the craftsmanship."How much is it?"

The waiter beamed, clearly pleased with Jiang Li's choice."A discerning eye, indeed! This item is currently on sale. Its original price was 240 taels, but now it's only 188 taels, and we offer after-sales service as well. I'll have it wrapped up for you right away, and we can head down to the front desk to settle the payment."

Jiang Li couldn't help but sigh internally. They really don't leave a single tael in my pocket, do they?

After a brief moment of contemplation, he finally nodded and had the item wrapped up.

The two of them took the elevator back down to the first-floor lobby, heading toward the front desk to finalize the purchase.