Chapter 157: The Role of the Golden Book?

"What?" Luo Chong's expression turned unsightly. "Even if you are a Master Teacher, you can't intentionally humiliate me, can you? Regardless, I am the President of the Artifact Forgers Guild, a person of high status. To suggest I'm 'stuffed to the gills' or 'have too much energy'... I came here sincerely to seek your guidance, but to receive such a reply shows a complete lack of respect for me."

Sun Qiang, standing to the side, already knew his master was prone to saying shockingly unconventional things. Hearing this, he still couldn't control himself and nearly slammed his head against the wall. "My dear master, is it really appropriate to speak so directly to a true artifact forger like that? Ahem, even if it were someone of no status, saying such a thing would likely make them want to fight you to the death... And most importantly... someone who failed at artifact forging comes to you for consultation and guidance, and you simply tell them they're 'stuffed to the gills'... isn't that a bit too arrogant? What on earth does artifact forging have to do with being full? The only possible connection might be a lack of strength if you don't eat enough, but for an expert in the Transcendent Mortal realm like President Luo, that should be irrelevant!"

"Don't be anxious!" Zhang Xuan saw the other's agitation and smiled faintly, completely unconcerned. "There's no need to deny it hastily. Let me ask you: Have you been eating Dragon Scale Shrimp daily recently?"

"That's right, what's wrong with that?" Luo Chong looked over, puzzled. Dragon Scale Shrimp are unique creatures found in Hong Lake, delicious and one of the most favored foods among the upper echelons of Tianxuan Kingdom. He had eaten them frequently before without any abnormalities. Could his inability to forge artifacts be related to this?

"It's good that you ate them. If I'm not mistaken, all the Dragon Scale Shrimp you've been consuming were purchased recently, from the same batch, correct?" Zhang Xuan continued.

Luo Chong nodded, feeling a strange sensation in his heart. How did the other person know? His Dragon Scale Shrimp had indeed been bought in a single batch just a few days ago, thousands of them, filling two large crates. To keep them fresh, he had even kept them alive in a pond in his courtyard. He had carefully selected them before eating, ensuring they were all live and healthy, so there couldn't be any issues. Moreover, after consuming them, his body had shown no abnormalities, no symptoms like diarrhea. How could this possibly be related to his inability to successfully forge artifacts?

"That's it!" Zhang Xuan smiled faintly, his hands clasped behind his back. "Do you know when Dragon Scale Shrimp lay their eggs?"

"Lay their eggs?" Luo Chong was even more bewildered. He only cared about eating them; how would he know such details?

"I know..." Just as he was about to inquire, Sun Qiang, who was standing to the side, suddenly spoke.

"Go on," Zhang Xuan nodded.

"Dragon Scale Shrimp typically lay their eggs in late summer to early autumn, which is right now!" Sun Qiang explained. He had done business at Tianyu Commercial Firm for many years; while he had never sold this particular item, he was familiar with such common knowledge.

"Exactly, it's this season!" Zhang Xuan affirmed. School had only just started, it was indeed late summer to early autumn, and the very season for Dragon Scale Shrimp to lay their eggs.

Hearing this, Luo Chong felt lightheaded, on the verge of madness. "Master Yang, I came to ask why I can't forge artifacts, not to discuss when Dragon Scale Shrimp lay their eggs... When it lays eggs, what does that have to do with me? Its offspring aren't mine..."

"Don't worry, your inability to successfully forge artifacts is directly related to this!" As if perceiving his confusion, Zhang Xuan continued, "Dragon Scale Shrimp are inherently cold-natured, a Yin-attributed food. Consuming too much can slightly diminish one's Yang energy. Of course, this weakening is negligible and has no harmful effects on one's health!"

"However, Dragon Scale Shrimp after laying their eggs are different!"

"These shrimp transfer all their vital essence to their offspring, making them extremely weak. Furthermore, their bodies produce a substance that numbs the mind. Consuming too much of it will dull one's mental responses..." At this point, Zhang Xuan paused, his gaze sharp as he looked at Luo Chong. "Have you recently found yourself unable to enter the second stage of mental cultivation, 'Still as Water'? And not only that, but also feeling restless and agitated, which has severely impacted your artifact forging skills, preventing you from completing any artifacts?"

Whether it's alchemy or artifact forging, a stable mental state is paramount. Without it, success is almost impossible.

"Could it be... truly because I've eaten too many Dragon Scale Shrimp?" Luo Chong's entire body trembled, and he stumbled back two steps. He had indeed been unable to concentrate recently while forging artifacts, failing to achieve a calm, 'still as water' mindset. He had tried every method without success, and never in his wildest dreams would he have thought... it was related to eating shrimp. Dragon Scale Shrimp right after laying eggs could actually produce a substance that numbs the mind... If not for the other person's revelation, he wouldn't have believed it. Why had he never heard of this before?

"That's right, all living things have a self-preservation instinct, and Dragon Scale Shrimp are no exception. Right after laying eggs, they are at their most vulnerable, and they produce this substance to protect their lives. Yet... they are still caught and made into a delicacy!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"I was wrong. I will never eat Dragon Scale Shrimp again. Master Yang, please instruct me on what I should do now!" His face pale, Luo Chong hesitated for a moment, then quickly clasped his hands in a respectful salute. Although he loved eating Dragon Scale Shrimp, his inability to forge artifacts was naturally far more critical.

"Uh..." Zhang Xuan was momentarily stunned by the question. In truth, he wasn't entirely sure of the real solution. The library had only recorded the *reason* for this particular flaw. Luo Chong's situation was unlike any he had encountered before; there was nothing physically wrong with him. He had simply consumed too many Dragon Scale Shrimp, leading to the accumulation of a mind-numbing toxin in his body, which in turn caused his mental state to become unstable, preventing him from successfully forging artifacts. As for how to eliminate this toxin, he genuinely didn't know.

However, even if he didn't know, he wouldn't admit it. He hesitated for less than a breath, then clasped his hands behind his back, assuming the air of an extraordinary master. "First, release all the Dragon Scale Shrimp you've caught. As for the solution, that depends on your future actions, but... as long as you abstain from eating them for a prolonged period, you will gradually recover!" He wasn't lying to the other party; the human body's metabolic capabilities are extremely powerful, especially for a Transcendent Mortal realm expert like Luo Chong. As long as he refrained from eating them for a certain period, the toxins remaining in his body should be expelled quite quickly.

"Thank you for your guidance, Master Yang!" Knowing the cause and the solution, Luo Chong breathed a sigh of relief and quickly bowed. At this moment, he was utterly awestruck by Master Yang. Just by observing his artifact forging, Master Yang had not only discerned his fondness for Dragon Scale Shrimp but also identified the root cause of his failure—that he was "stuffed to the gills"! Truly worthy of a Master Teacher, his insight was extraordinary. The three million coins spent were well worth it!

"Master Yang, could you possibly guide me in artifact forging?" Knowing the cause and understanding that the issue would resolve itself over time, Luo Chong's mind became active. He had been stuck as a one-star intermediate artifact forger for a long time, unable to break through. Now that this Master Teacher was present, could he seize the opportunity to request some guidance and perhaps achieve a breakthrough?

"Artifact forging?" Zhang Xuan was startled, not expecting the other party to linger after resolving his problem, but rather to ask for forging lessons. To be honest, he didn't even know the number of steps required for artifact forging; how could he possibly guide him?

"I was presumptuous..." Seeing Zhang Xuan's lack of response, Luo Chong felt utterly embarrassed. Master Teachers only guide their own students, and it was truly inappropriate for him to make such a direct request, being neither a relative nor a friend.

Zhang Xuan waved his hand. "Sun Qiang, see our guest out!"

"Master Luo, my master needs to rest now. Please," Sun Qiang stepped forward.

"Yes!" Luo Chong nodded, then rose and bid farewell.

"Impersonating a Master Teacher is certainly not easy..." After Luo Chong left, Zhang Xuan returned to his room and massaged his temples. Truly powerful Master Teachers possess an intimate knowledge of many professions and an insight beyond imagination. He, however, could only maintain his facade by relying on his unique ability; without it, he would undoubtedly be exposed instantly.

"I truly don't know how those Master Teachers acquire such vast knowledge..." Human energy is limited. He had only taken an alchemist assessment and already realized the immense amount of knowledge involved. Without the library, he doubted he could even pass, let alone achieve a high score. Genuine Master Teachers certainly don't have such a cheat device. He truly couldn't fathom how they passed their assessments and assimilated so much information.

"Regardless, I must diligently read books from now on. The library, after all, is merely an external tool!" A thought emerged in his mind. To him, no matter how powerful the library was, it was just an external aid. If he knew nothing himself and constantly relied on it, he might manage in a backward place like Tianxuan Kingdom, but once he entered more prosperous regions, he would surely be exposed. Therefore, his own knowledge base was crucial, no matter what.

Once this idea took root, it was difficult to suppress. Zhang Xuan's mind stirred, and he couldn't help but gaze towards the library once more. Learning from external books was slow for him, but reading books within the library was several times faster, a fact he had experienced firsthand. Although the books in the library could be viewed and consulted with just a thought, that information was not truly his own knowledge. It was like using a search engine in his previous life; he could search and query when encountering problems, but since it wasn't ingrained in his own mind, he couldn't apply it easily or fully integrate it. Only when knowledge was completely committed to memory could one truly be considered learned.

"Hmm? What's that?" As his mind entered the library, he suddenly noticed something amiss. Deep within the densely packed bookshelves, a golden book had appeared at some unknown time. He was certain he had never seen this book before.

"Come here!" With a grasping motion, the golden book trembled slightly and settled into his palm. The book was very thin, with little content. He casually flipped it open and was immediately dumbfounded. It contained only a single, completely blank page.

"What's the use of this book?" Zhang Xuan was utterly bewildered. He didn't know when such a book had appeared in the library, nor why its content was blank and contained no records whatsoever.

"I'll worry about this later; for now, I should focus on other content..." After studying it for a long time and still unable to discern the purpose of the golden book, Zhang Xuan shook his head and set it aside. He turned his attention back to the numerous books that had already materialized before him, intending to read them thoroughly and assimilate their knowledge.

With a thought, before he could even make a move, the golden book in his hand suddenly vibrated violently, transforming into a brilliant light. Bathed in this radiance, the content of all the books in the library instantly poured into his mind. Before Zhang Xuan could even react, his vision went black, and he promptly fainted.