Chapter 237: Printing Two Thousand Additional Copies

Gao Yiye noticed the Deity’s expression seemed displeased and felt utterly terrified. “Oh… oh… this…”

Suddenly, the Deity’s expression shifted into a smile. “Alright, I’m not angry. I merely wished to ask how many copies remain unsold.”

Gao Yiye let out a sigh of relief. “Whew… I knew the Deity is the kindest!”

Li Daoxuan thought: Hearing “kindest” suddenly makes me sound old.

Gao Yiye quickly spotted Thirty-Two among the crowd. “Steward Thirty-Two, the Deity has a question for you.”

Thirty-Two: “Oh? What decree does the Deity command?”

Gao Yiye: “He wishes to know how many copies of Dao Xuan Deity’s Demon Elimination Tale remain unsold.”

Thirty-Two’s expression instantly became extremely peculiar, vividly conveying the thought “Ah, this matter is finally unraveling,” though he didn’t utter it aloud. Merely looking at his face unmistakably suggested he was thinking it.

Several seconds passed before Thirty-Two snapped back to the present. He saluted the low-hanging cloud with clasped fists. “Dao Xuan Deity’s Demon Elimination Tale currently has three hundred and thirty-two copies remaining unsold. This humble servant will see them incinerated immediately—burned to ash.”

Li Daoxuan: “Is the woodblock set still intact?”

Thirty-Two promptly replied, “I shall ensure the woodblocks are burned to ash as well!”

Li Daoxuan: “That won’t be necessary. I have use for these books. However, three hundred and thirty-two copies are far too few. We require many more. Notify the bookstore at once—have them print an additional two thousand copies. The cost for this printing run will be covered by the village treasury.”

Thirty-Two was utterly bewildered. How strange! Not only did the Deity not order the destruction of this peculiar comic book, but he even wanted it reprinted? Furthermore, the Saint Lady wasn’t footing the bill this time; the expense would come from the village treasury? This implied the Deity was planning something significant.

But this comic book had already saturated Gaojia Village. Nearly every household possessed one or two copies; it was impossible to sell any more within the village.

He truly couldn’t grasp the reasoning, but dared not question it recklessly.

Li Daoxuan: “Once printed, load them onto carts and transport them to Chengcheng County. Deliver a small portion of these books to your wife for her to handle. Move the bulk of them to the Chengcheng Bookstore. Organize a promotional event: Buy one book and receive two taels of flour for free. Remember, only one copy per person is allowed.”

Thirty-Two: “Eh? Huh? Wha—?”

After a few seconds, a spark of realization hit him. Of course! This was meant to spread the Deity’s renown far and wide! What would follow became self-evident.

“I understand!”

Li Daoxuan smiled. “I knew you’d grasp it promptly. Proceed.”

Thirty-Two offered a deep bow, then hurried swiftly in the direction of the bookstore.

Gao Yiye, however, remained clueless.

She blinked her innocent, wide eyes, completely lost and utterly baffled about the whole situation. Her little comic book, originally just drawn for fun and mischief, was now being reprinted using the village treasury’s funds… and was even going to be transported into the county town!

Wait! The ‘author’ line has ‘Gao Yiye’ written right there!

“This is disastrous, disastrous! If people in the county see this silly comic book I sketched messily, won’t they laugh me to scorn?” Gao Yiye fretted. “It was bad enough causing mischief within the village! But this time, my prank is extending all the way to the county! Oh heavens, it’s over, it’s over! The entire county town will know Gaojia Village has a prankster known for her messy drawings—Gao Yiye!”

Li Daoxuan: “Yiye, is your second volume complete?”

“Huh?” Gao Yiye sounded flustered. “You want to print… a second volume too?”

Li Daoxuan: “Of course another volume is needed. Fetch your manuscript immediately and give it to the woodcarver so we can have the second volume printed. After that, you need to hurry up with the third volume.”

Question marks seemed to fly around Gao Yiye’s head. She momentarily couldn’t tell if the Deity was seriously making a demand or just teasing her playfully. She felt utterly dizzy.

Li Daoxuan commanded, “Get moving!”

“Huh? Okay! Okay!”

Gao Yiye hurriedly dashed off and quickly ran back to the watchtower. She grabbed the manuscript of the second volume and raced toward the bookshop…

The girl’s legs flew so fast, producing a pattering sound that was quite pleasant to hear.

Li Daoxuan couldn’t help but smile wryly; the comic book the girl had randomly drawn might just become the most effective weapon for attacking the county town.

Just then, a group of children caught his eye as they headed toward the pond. This drew his attention—it was November weather, and he wondered if the youngsters were about to play in the water?

If they fell into the water in that cold, wouldn’t they catch a serious illness when they climbed out?

He swiftly directed his “concern” over there.

Only then could he see clearly: the leader was Young Master Bai, followed by Third Miss, along with more than a dozen older children.

The group walked to the pond’s edge but didn’t foolishly jump in to play.

Young Master Bai fetched a bucket, drew some water from the pond, and set it down before all the children. He then picked up a withered leaf from the ground and gently placed it on the water’s surface, saying, “Look, everyone.”

The withered leaf floated on the water…

The older children stared blankly, saying, “Look at what? Isn’t it just strange that a leaf stays afloat?”

Young Master Bai retorted, “Hey! You fools. You only know leaves float on water, but have you no clue why they float?”

In a flash, he pulled out “Middle School Physics” and stated proudly, “This tome explains that water produces a force called ‘buoyancy.’ If ‘buoyancy’ surpasses ‘gravity,’ stuff can stay buoyant on the surface.”

The older children appeared clueless—”buoyancy” and “gravity” were completely foreign terms to them.

Young Master Bai chuckled softly and continued, “You know how a stick looks bent when you set it in water, don’t you?”

The older children nodded.

Young Master Bai laughed, “That’s called ‘optical refraction’; this tome mentions that too.”

The older children stared at the “celestial book” in Young Master Bai’s hands, utterly dumbfounded.

Young Master Bai went on, “And let me teach you something useful: heat turns water into vapor, which rises to form clouds high up. So clouds? They’re just water, hehe.”

The moment he finished, Madam Bai suddenly rushed over, furious. “Pure blather!” she exclaimed. “Haven’t you seen that cloud in the sky from the Deity? All clouds come from immortals casting spells! Now you’re saying it’s vapor? You’re driving me mad! If the Deity hears this nonsense, he’ll curse you!”

Madam Bai waved her hand and swung a hard pinch at him.

Normally, Young Master Bai would take the blow obediently, but this time was different. He ducked down, dodged his mother’s hard pinch with ease, spun, and stood tall proudly. “Mother,” he said, “this time I’m sharing knowledge from the tome taught by the Deity. I’m not wrong, so I won’t accept punishment. I beg your forgiveness.”

Madam Bai said, “Huh? What?”

She looked down at her hand, disbelief written on her face.

It was the first time her son had dodged her hard pinch…

As she stood there confused and lost, suddenly a huge sheet unfurled in the sky, displaying large characters: “Don’t blindly obey elders! Young Master Bai is amazing.”

Madam Bai beamed with joy instantly. “The Deity praised my boy!” she cried. “Hahaha, the Deity praised my son as amazing, hahaha!”

Since that day, she told everyone she met that the Deity had praised her son as amazing. She kept saying those words for the rest of her life.