I was kind of baffled, truth be told. Being accosted so directly by that old monster was unsettling in so many ways, but being accosted specifically because he appeared shocked that I was able to do something was... on another level.
Could it be that even the most basic aspects of science kind of eluded them here? I mean, it had been evident for a while now that their scientific progress had completely stagnated. I attributed it to the existence of magic--when you can just fly 100 miles in about seventeen seconds, why the heck would you bother inventing a steam engine?
Most of the tech back on Earth stemmed from basic necessity and eventually pure desire; if we truly did have magic to be a substitute, would we ever have progressed the way we did?
There was an issue with that theory, though--mortals. Mortals did not have access to that 'magic' that made the life so convenient. Which made me wonder... why didn't they bother trying to progress science?
This world was not young--in fact, it was by some orders of magnitude older than Earth. The length between Long Tao's death and his resurrection--and my arrival here--spans the entire length of what we'd call the 'age of civilization' back on Earth even with the loosest interpretations. And yet, despite that, they seem to understand nothing beyond what they infer through Dao.
It's clear they know of gravity and of electricity and of many of the modern concepts, but they interpret them through a completely different lens. So, why have they never interpreted them differently? Mortals, I mean.
There's the option that the cultivators just never allowed it. The moment they noticed someone developing tech that could even remotely threaten them, they'd squash that shit. I wouldn't actually be surprised in the slightest if this was the case.
Even at the later stages of the Qi Condensation Realm, cultivators are essentially demigods for the mortals. Those in the Foundation Establishment were straight-up gods, for all intents and purposes. But the key aspect was that we were all still mortal. If someone had a machine gun and unloaded the entire thing at me, I don't actually know whether the barrier made out of Qi would block it. And even if it could, for how long?
If not the machine gun, what about a rocket launcher? A missile? Heck, what about a nuke?
... okay, I'm getting ahead of myself.
I don't think cultivators foresee that happening as, from what I've noticed, they've all been fairly high on their own supply, so one would have to be a complete paranoid mess to even consider a mortal as a source of danger. It could just be the classic relationship between an oppressor and the oppressed.
I never gave much thought about teaching kids the basic science. For starters, my knowledge of it is... eh, it's not good. Most of the knowledge I obtained as a pharmacist doesn't actually matter as it involves processes that are well beyond this world. And the mixing and matching of ingredients with a perfect precision is already an occupation here.
Beyond that, I did create Art of Surviving with some scientific concepts in mind, and the kids have taken it far further than I thought. So, maybe even if my knowledge is fragmented and incomplete, giving it to them might be an inspiration.
"Where did you go, Master?" Long Tao pulled me back to reality. I honestly thought he'd gone away by now.
"... just thinking whether I should teach you all what my grandaunts and uncles taught me."
"Most definitely," he seemed... oddly excited of the prospect.
I stared back at him for a moment before sighing and looking away; even if I were to teach them, it won't happen today. Now that they've all sworn oaths, it was time to leave.
My biggest worry about all this whether offering this much help was enough to even partially complete the quest. I'm not expecting 20,000 points, or even close to it, but maybe the system gives me a few thousands so I can start clawing my way out of this godforsaken debt.
"Alright, it's time we left," I said.
"... you did not say no, Master."
"I didn't. But be patient."
"I always am."
"Hah."
Though the old man tried saying his goodbyes to Light, she was... well, I'm just glad she's not murdered him yet. I just hope she also hasn't put a curse on him that would kill him in a few months, like the certain major of a town that I intend on visiting once we're done with the mountains. If for nothing else just to see how badly I've fucked that place by choosing to kill him.
We boarded the chariot and set off in silence, rapidly moving southward along the mountain range.
"That man will probably betray us," Light suddenly said. Hm? Is she prepping for the inevitable 'but it's a good thing I put a curse on him that will kill him in six hours!'?
"Then he'll die," Dai Xiu said. "Didn't he swear an Oath?"
"His heart was full of hatred," Han Yimu added. "Hate is often more than enough to overcome reason."
"Speaking from personal experience?" Wan Lan asked, prompting the young man to smile nervously before responding.
"Not so much personal as from a friend," he said. "I had a Junior Brother in my former sect who was extremely talented. He largely kept to himself, spending most of the time on the missions outside of the Sect. One day, however, he never showed up. I later learned that he'd tired to assassinate an Elder of the Sect and got killed in retaliation. He'd done it because the Elder killed his family. If he had just waited for a few centuries, I've no doubt he would have gotten stronger than the said Elder and could have pursued vengeance then. But hatred... would not let him."
"Ah. Sort of like if somebody dared hurt Master," Dai Xiu said, and I immediately sensed the conversation shift to a weird place. "I'd lose all reason for certain."
"You can't lose what you already don't have," that was Light taking a jab.
"True," Dai Xiu said. "Like you and height."
"Xiu has readily admitted she does not have reason," Wan Lan added. "I sense a strange disturbance."
"It's admirable," Light added. "A brute is at its happiest when it knows it is a brute."
"Who are you calling a brute, little pipsqueak?" Dai Xiu said. "If anyone's a brute here, it's that mountain of a woman sitting next to you. Did you notice that she actually used Master's precious art meant to hide our appearance and help us survive to make herself shorter?" Eh? She did? "And, despite that, she still looks like a brute."
"Want this brute to flatten you even more, eh?" Wan Lan said as Dai Xiu's cheeks flushed slightly.
"Everyone, please," Xi Zhao looked and sounded quite helpless. "Master is watching..."
"..."
Well, apparently those words were enough for them all to shut up and look away from me, seeming embarrassed.
Wow, little Zhao'er. Years have really chiseled you for you to be able to handle the three of them so well, huh?