Chapter 137: The Birth of the Bomb (Part 1)

Outside the inn, a fierce thunderstorm was raging, and it was evident that the torrential downpour could not be stopped.

The sound of the heavy rain relentlessly lashing against the gauze windows seemed to add a touch of chill to the atmosphere inside.

Fang Xu lowered his head in embarrassment, not daring to meet the gazes of the three people before him, which even he found rather strange.

Why had he done nothing wrong, yet felt so guilty as if he had a stolen conscience?!

Before Fang Xu could react, Qiu Chuji finally broke the silence and the awkward atmosphere.

"Brother Fang, see if this is to your liking?!" Qiu Chuji said as he walked toward Fang Xu.

Then, quite naturally, he sat down beside Fang Xu and handed a bamboo tube to him with a smile.

Hearing Qiu Chuji's words, Fang Xu failed to notice Qiu Chuji's small gesture, nor did he catch the murderous glares shot by Zhuge Jun and Shangguan Lian.

Taking the bamboo tube from Qiu Chuji, Fang Xu opened it.

He brought it under his nose and took a sniff, his eyes widening involuntarily.

The scent was identical to the gunpowder he used to play with when he was a child, a type of gunpowder also known as black powder.

It was specially used to make firecrackers for childhood games, but one should never underestimate this black powder or the firecrackers made from it.

The instantaneous force generated upon ignition was enough to obliterate everything within a radius of four meters.

Fang Xu's hands began to tremble slightly. Fortunately, there were no sparks present at the moment.

Otherwise, Fang Xu truly would have lost his composure. Seeing the finished product now, however, he couldn't help but tightly grip Qiu Chuji's hands.

Clearly, Qiu Chuji had not expected such an intense reaction from Fang Xu and was somewhat startled by it.

Recovering quickly, Qiu Chuji cast a triumphant look at Zhuge Jun and Shangguan Lian nearby.

It was as if he were showing off something. Of course, how could Fang Xu possibly know any of that?!

Fang Xu was merely feeling a genuine urge to thank Qiu Chuji. However, when Fang Xu asked if he possessed the formula, Qiu Chuji shook his head with a helpless smile.

In Fang Xu's view, this was unavoidable.

After all, even Sun Simiao, the historical figure who first discovered gunpowder, did not stumble upon it without blowing up his alchemy furnace a few times first. Patience was still required!

Yet, from Fang Xu's perspective, having black powder in his possession now could indeed serve as a life-saving amulet.

After all, Fang Xu understood that as he headed south, his enemies would gradually increase in number. Without some hidden trump card, how could he deter others?

"Getting this excited over a tiny bamboo tube! If you want them, I could have someone deliver thousands or tens of thousands of them tomorrow and it wouldn't matter at all!" Shangguan Lian said, sounding somewhat sour as she watched Fang Xu tightly grip Qiu Chuji's hands.

Although what Shangguan Lian said was precisely what Zhuge Jun was thinking—since Zhuge Jun genuinely could not understand why a mere bamboo tube warranted such a reaction.

It was simply because Zhuge Jun and Shangguan Lian were unaware of the immense importance hidden within that bamboo tube. Upon hearing Shangguan Lian's words, however, the corners of Fang Xu's lips curled up slightly.

"In that case, let me open your eyes!" Fang Xu said with a smile. He then asked someone to bring him two spare bamboo tubes, into which he carefully added measured amounts of sulfur and other elements.

Next, he opened the bamboo tube Qiu Chuji had given him and cautiously poured out a moderate amount of the black powder inside.

Zhuge Jun and Shangguan Lian looked at Fang Xu with bewildered expressions, utterly failing to comprehend what he was attempting to do.

Yet, judging by the excitement on Fang Xu's face, it surely must be something quite interesting to them.

Their judgment was correct; it was indeed a fascinating endeavor, though perhaps only from Fang Xu's perspective.

Some might wonder: since Fang Xu intended to keep this black powder as his ultimate trump card, why display it to Zhuge Jun and Shangguan Lian at all?

Wasn't this plainly revealing his secret weapon to them?

In reality, however, that was precisely what Fang Xu intended to do.

After all, Zhuge Jun and Shangguan Lian had no way of knowing the precise composition of the black powder. Furthermore, the formulation method was known only vaguely to himself, as he was still exploring it.

Revealing it to Zhuge Jun and Shangguan Lian now was because they intended to stand by his side.

At the very least, he needed to present them with a "little gift" that proved choosing to align with them was the right decision—especially one that would convince their respective families to lend him their support.

After mixing the gunpowder according to the proper proportion, Fang Xu stood up and pushed open the doors of the inn.

Outside, a fierce gale was blowing, accompanied by flashes of lightning and rumbling peals of thunder.

Under normal circumstances, such weather was hardly suitable for conducting experiments. Yet Fang Xu simply wished to let Zhuge Jun and Shangguan Lian witness it firsthand.

If the commotion were made too large, it would inevitably attract unwanted attention from various quarters.

That was certainly not Fang Xu's original intention. Zhuge Jun and Shangguan Lian looked on curiously, still clueless as to what Fang Xu was about to do.

Fang Xu gave a brief signal to Qiu Chuji, who promptly instructed Zhuge Jun and Shangguan Lian to cover their ears the moment Fang Xu threw the object.

Neither Zhuge Jun nor Shangguan Lian understood why Qiu Chuji would give such an instruction. Although the thunder outside was incessant, surely it wasn't loud enough to warrant covering one's ears indoors?

At a loss for how to explain it to them, Qiu Chuji simply shrugged and said they could cover their ears or not as they pleased, turning his gaze back to Fang Xu with eager anticipation.

Once Fang Xu ignited the fuse—using an oil lamp wick as a substitute—and just as the flame was about to reach the powder, he hurled the tube with all his might out into the pouring rain.

Even so, Fang Xu still underestimated the sheer destructive power of the black powder.

Before the bamboo tube even hit the ground after being thrown into the air, the gunpowder detonated with a deafening roar, and fragments of the bamboo tube pierced straight through the gauze windows of the inn's second floor.

Fang Xu staggered backward and collapsed weakly onto the floor, the outcome of the experiment having genuinely exceeded his own expectations.

Even so, he was immensely satisfied. Recovering his wits, he looked back to see Qiu Chuji and the other two crouching on the ground, clearly terrified by the thunderous explosion.

Not only the three of them, but old Wu and Gu Bei also appeared by Fang Xu's side instantly to shield him and ensure his safety.