Quentin Graham was completely obedient to Master Graham, and as for how he completed the tasks assigned by Master Graham, he never really cared much. Once again, like an eagle catching a chick, he grabbed the pitiful Charles Barnes in his hand and asked coldly, “Have you found the person who forged the sword?”

Charles Barnes didn’t dare struggle; being grabbed by the scruff made his throat extremely uncomfortable, and he pleaded hoarsely, “Lord Quentin Graham, could you please put me down first?” Quentin Graham snorted, loosened his fingers, and Charles Barnes fell to the ground with a thud.

“Why haven’t you found him yet?” Quentin Graham was clearly dissatisfied. Charles Barnes replied helplessly, “That master might have just been a wandering alchemist passing through. I searched the entire Wangshan City, but couldn’t find him.” Having gotten his answer, Quentin Graham turned and left. Charles Barnes hurried after him, “Lord Quentin Graham, please put in a good word for me with the master, I—I really want to enter Dongsheng Academy…” Quentin Graham waved his hand, pushing Charles Barnes aside. No matter how hard Charles Barnes tried to catch up, how could he possibly keep up with the speed of a level-nine warrior?

Watching Quentin Graham walk away, Charles Barnes felt a wave of disappointment, sighed, and shook his head.

“Master, Dean Lamir has already sent a second magic letter, urging us to return to the academy,” Edgar Graham reported. There was a noise outside, and Quentin Graham walked in: “Master, just as you expected, that kid Charles Barnes couldn’t find the swordsmith again.” Master Graham sighed, feeling a wave of gloom in his heart: Is this fate? The breakthrough was so close, yet he was destined to miss the title of Grandmaster by a hair’s breadth. Benjamin Franklin, is he truly an insurmountable mountain?

“Let’s head back,” Thomas Graham said dejectedly. “The Five Academies Exchange Competition is about to begin, and the Alchemy Department needs me to hold the fort.” He thought for a moment. “Bring Charles Barnes along. After all, he did complete the task I set. Find him a suitable mentor in the academy. Edgar Graham, I’ll leave this to you.” “Understood.”

When Charles Barnes happily followed behind Master Graham to leave Wangshan City, William Graham happened to walk out of the shop he had just acquired. The shop was right next door to old Hans, and it had a small courtyard in the back that could serve as a bedroom and laboratory. With this courtyard, William Graham gave up his previous house.

Charles Barnes, who had already lost hope, never expected to get a chance to enter Dongsheng Academy. You have to know, the Five Academies have strict admissions, and those who pass the entrance exam are all outstanding among their peers. In Wangshan City, Charles Barnes was the first student to enter one of the Five Academies. As the two passed by each other, Charles Barnes was so excited that he was surrounded by a crowd of aunts and relatives seeing him off, all giving him advice and reminders. Because of this, Charles Barnes unfortunately didn’t notice that the person he just brushed past was the very alchemist who had forged his sword.

As for William Graham, he had long forgotten about Charles Barnes. Even if he remembered, he probably wouldn’t have greeted such a former client.

The next day, Hans looked in surprise at the new owner next door, and before he could even say hello, he dashed off to report the news to Charles Barnes’s residence, only to be told that the young master had already gone to study at Dongsheng Academy and wouldn’t be back for three years.

William Graham’s alchemy shop was unique. He personally erected a flagpole at the entrance, with a lantern hanging from it—a “Qi Si Feng” lamp from ancient times, crafted by William Graham based on his own memories. Below it hung a cloth banner with two large characters: 葛门.

If his master Henry Graham, far away in another time and space, knew that his disciple had used the name of their sect as the name of a small shop, wouldn’t he be so angry he’d cough up blood again?

Such a sign could be seen from far away, and it was unique and eye-catching in Wangshan City. According to Chinese tradition, a grand opening should be celebrated with firecrackers. While dueling with Benjamin Franklin under the Cloak of the Goddess of Wisdom, William Graham had already converted the gunpowder formula into this world’s version. The firecrackers he made scared Miss Emma Green so much that she didn’t dare approach William Graham for several days.

Fangshi (alchemists) made two of the greatest contributions to Chinese civilization: one was medicine, and the other was gunpowder, one of the Four Great Inventions of China. The earliest known gunpowder formula is recorded in the alchemical work “Qian Gong Jia Geng Zhi Bao Ji Cheng” by Qing Xuzi during the reign of Emperor Xianzong of Tang. It contains the “Hidden Fire Alum Method”: two liang of sulfur, two liang of saltpeter, and three and a half qian of aristolochia. Grind into powder and mix well, dig a pit and put the medicine in a pot level with the ground. Place a piece of hot charcoal the size of a bullet inside, smoke will gradually rise, cover with four or five layers of wet paper, press with two square bricks, cover with earth, and retrieve after it cools.

Among the various schools of Daoist alchemy, the methods for making gunpowder also differed, and many sects developed all kinds of powerful firearms. Most of the famous ancient Chinese weapons—fire crossbows, thunder cannons, cluster fireballs, and the like—originated from these sects. However, the mass-produced military versions were naturally far less powerful than the secret weapons crafted by the Daoist alchemy sects themselves.