Nightwatcher

# 25. Reinforcements

"Equivalent Exchange" hit Song Qing's mind like a flash of lightning, and his soul felt an impact. This impact was like the impact scholars felt when hearing a masterpiece poem, that had been passed down the ages.

*Equivalent Exchange is the invariable principle of alchemy!*

"Yes, It should be like this." Song Qing whispered to himself.

Whenever he successfully refined something, corresponding raw materials would disappear or be transformed into other things. This phenomenon had always existed, but few people noticed it. Of those that noticed this phenomenon, they didn't think much of it.

*When the teacher taught us alchemy back then, He once said that the essence of alchemy was not Creation but Conversion.*

"Equivalent Exchange, so that's what it means…" The alchemy fanatic began to tremble with excitement.

After calming down his excitement, Song Qing began to think about the meaning of the words "Edward Elric".

*Was it a name?*

*Was it a secret signal or some term in a field of alchemy?*

He couldn't figure it out, and felt a bit irritated.

Song Qing took a deep breath, calmed down, and hurriedly turned the pages, reading the distorted and ugly writing professionally and patiently.

The opening sentence was: Step into the world of Alchemy!

*Was it teaching people to step into the world of Alchemy?*

*How arrogant!* Song Qing thought.

Alchemy had always been taught by words and examples, with occasional discussions and mutual exchanges. Those with talent could get started in a year or so while those without any couldn't achieve anything even in 30-50 years. The Sitianjian still didn't have a set of serious textbooks.

However, Song Qing was still looking forward to the book based on the sentence in the preface.

“Section 1: Property and Changes in Matter. Many invisible atoms in nature constitute matter. They undergo countless interactions, which cause changes to occur in front of the visible eye.

"I classify the changes as Physical Changes and Chemical Changes."

Song Qing looked at it, lost in his thoughts.

*What is a chemical?*

*What is an atom?*

*What did I just look at?*

*Why do I know every word but can't understand them when they are combined?*

*There are commentaries for the classics of sages, but you haven't got a speck of commentary!*

However, Song Qing did not come away empty handed. He keenly noticed that this book was unparalleled in the world.

It expounded on the true nature of the world and pointed out the most essential structure of all things.

Song Qing's body trembled, and he had the urge to tear up the book. These mysteries were things that only gods could know, and mortals shouldn't pry into them. But another force was supporting him, it was the most primitive thirst for knowledge in humans.

Silence reigned in the Alchemy Room.

The white-robed people looked at each other with dismay. They didn't dare to disturb their senior brother Song Qing, but they were deeply worried due to the strange expression he was showing.

"Brother is thinking of strange experiments again."

"Yeah, Last year, He tried to refine a cat's body into a tree, so that its head would grow back even if it was cut off, But he was grounded by the Jianzheng for a month."

Song Qing was immersed in his world, both fearful and excited when reading it. His eyes lit up suddenly because he saw the detailed explanation for the process of refining the fake silver in the tax fraud case.

*Step 1: The first step is to filter brine to obtain pure Sodium Chloride (Refined Salt).*

*Step 2: Evaporate the brine until it dries to precipitate crystals and melt the crystals at 800 degrees Celsius.*

*Step 3: Pay attention! This step is the key to refining tax silver. Success and failure depends on this step.*

Song Qing’s eyes flashed with light, as finally, finally, they were about to solve the problem that had troubled him and his juniors for a long time.

*This book is divine.*

Song Qing realized that he had reached the end of the page and put a little drool on his fingers as if he couldn't wait to turn to the next page.

Blank!

Song Qing,"???"

Nothing?

*There isn't any content remaining?*

*What is the third step? Why wasn't it recorded and who wrote the book? Writers that leave books incomplete should be made into mincemeat.*

Song Qing spat out a mouthful of blood.

Song Qing opened his mouth, as if he had overlooked something, and said deeply, "Who sent this book?"

"I didn't notice."

"I didn't listen."

"I forgot."

All the juniors told the truth.

Song Qing went downstairs immediately and found the disciple who received constable Wang to ask about the process in detail.

Song Qing came to conclude after analysis that this was an exchange.

"Brother, What's happened?" The juniors in white chased him downwards.

"What's wrong with this book?"

Song Qing's face was incomparably serious, and he glanced at everyone's faces, "Junior brothers, listen to me. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our Sitianjian to rise rapidly. There may be an unprecedented change in alchemy due to this."

...

Mianyang Pavilion:

Two carriages drove slowly on the official road, and the two Great Scholars who had just argued were sitting in them respectively.

Xu Xinnian and a group of classmates rode horses and followed behind the carriages.

"I shouldn't have told the truth just now." Xu Xinnian felt a bit regretful.

The two great Scholars were quarrelling and belittling each other and about to fight each other. Xu Xinnian could say bluntly "In fact, Teacher and Mr. Mubai are just trying to get a poem handed down for generations.”

The scene looked embarrassing.

Although the two scholars were prevented from fighting, Xu Xinnian also realized that it was wrong for him to tell the truth.

"Mother is right. I've never been able to speak well. I have to change myself." Xu Xinnian was doing the *n*th self-evaluation in his life.

He stretched his hand into his robes, and touched the warm jade pendant. Xu Xinnian looked away happily, but as he was feeling happy for himself, a galloping figure appeared in his sight.

After a while, the outline of the figure came into view. It was his father, Xu Pingzhi.

Xu Xinnian was stunned for a while, and with a tap on his horse's sides, he passed the carriages to meet his father.

"Father, Why are you here?" After finishing speaking, Xu Xinnian's heart sank. His father's expression made him realize that the matter at hand was bad, even if he didn't know anything about it.

Xu Pingzhi told Xu Xinnian about the matter as quickly as possible.

Assistant Minister Zhou's son molested his younger sister in the street and nearly killed the other sister by riding his horse. Brother and Lingyin were taken to the Ministry of Law.

"Nian'er, your elder brother's life depends on you."

"Father, don't worry." Many thoughts flashed through Xu Xinnian's head, and soon he came up with an idea. He turned his horse's head, forced his carriage to a stop, and said loudly, "Teacher, Mr. Mubai, Cijiu has something to request before he leaves."

The curtain was lifted and Zhang Shen and Li Mubai poked their heads out, "What's the matter?"

"My brother is in trouble. I ask the teacher and Mr. Mubai to help." Xu Xinnian repeated what his father told him.

Zhang Shen stared at him, and said in a deep voice," Is he the genius who wrote ‘On the road ahead, surely will be friends dear and true; Throughout the land is there anyone who knows not you’?"

His voice was serious as if the matter was important.

"Exactly!" Xu Xinnian nodded.

Just as Zhang Shen was about to speak, Li Mubai in the carriage next to him cut off his words."Cijiu, Leave your elder brother's affairs to me, You and your teacher could go back to the academy first."

"Hmmph!" Zhang Shen snorted coldly, "Why should you, an outsider, poke your nose into this matter? I'll take care of my student's affairs."

Xu Pingzhi was overjoyed, He didn't expect his son's reputation to be so great.

"Teacher, Mr. Mubai, My brother has been taken to the Ministry of Law. Please go quickly lest things change." Xu Xinnian urged.

*Don't bicker at this time.*