Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Ink Arts Exhibition Comes to an End

“Ten million strings of cash!”

“Ten million strings of cash!”

“Ten million strings of cash!”

...

The entire hall was plunged into dead silence, as those three words echoed endlessly in everyone’s ears.

Ten million strings of cash—what kind of concept was that? An unimaginable number, beyond the dreams of ordinary folk. If someone were to sit and count it out, it would take months.

Silence gave way to a roar; the crowd erupted, voices rising in astonishment and heated debate.

“I’d like to see how that young man gets himself out of this!” Liu Yinian watched the boiling venue with pride. The Mo Technique Exhibition had indeed been a resounding success, but who could have guessed that, at the last moment, the descendant of the Mo family would utter something so astonishing, risking the collapse of the entire event.

“That’s just how the heir of the Mo family is—always saying the unexpected,” Li Shimin’s expression was unreadable as he turned to Li Chengqian. “What do you think?”

“Brother Mo acts with unfettered imagination, but his words always carry weight. Since he claims the secret technique of keeping fish alive is worth ten million strings of cash, he must have his reasons,” Li Chengqian replied, gritting his teeth and steeling himself.

He supported Mo Dun not only because Mo Dun had created miracles time and again, but also because he saw no sign of panic or disorder on Mo Dun’s face.

Li Shimin nodded, saying nothing more, and shifted his gaze back to the audience.

Mo Technique Exhibition.

Mo Dun stood before the crowd, their faces full of doubt, and smiled gently. “It seems no one believes the secret technique for keeping fish alive is worth such a fortune. I’ve spoken enough today, so let me give you a hint—a riddle, if you will.”

He raised a finger. “The secret of Mo Technique is to see through appearances and grasp the essence of things. Injecting air directly into water to keep fish alive—isn’t that merely the surface?”

As soon as Mo Dun’s voice fell, everyone was struck as if by lightning. They froze.

Indeed! Isn’t that just an appearance?

Li Shimin, Cheng Yaojin, and others fell silent. Kong Yingda and the scholars of the Imperial Academy were deep in thought.

According to Mo Dun, the secret technique was indeed an outward phenomenon. What, then, was the true essence hidden beneath?

What is it in the air that revives fish? Why does it allow them to live?

“Air is all around us—in our homes, in our bedrooms, even right before our faces. Air is everywhere. We breathe it each day, rely on it for survival, it sustains our lives.

Yet no one has ever paid attention to air. No one has studied it. We take for granted this thing that is so closely tied to our existence, yet we have always ignored it. This thing so vital to our lives—and we know nothing about it.”

Mo Dun’s words brought a flush to everyone’s faces. Suddenly, they realized that the air they used without cost was the most precious of all. Without it, they couldn’t last a quarter of an hour.

Cheng Yaojin pinched his nose, his face reddening, but soon he let go, gasping for breath.

“The Mo heir is right! Air does keep us alive,” Cheng Yaojin said, his face flushed, utterly shameless.

“In fact, not just you—even my Mo family has ignored this issue for a thousand years. We never understood what it truly is.”

Only then did the crowd realize—not only themselves, but even the Mo family didn’t know. Their hearts settled.

“But I believe this gas exists in the air, everywhere. The Mo family calls the substance in air that can revive fish and allow us to breathe, that nourishes our lives—oxygen.”

A huge banner unfurled in the wind, bearing a single large character—“Oxygen.”

“Ah!” Li Shimin cried out in surprise, astonished by this character never seen before—a gas radical above, a sheep below—and yet its meaning was clear at a glance.

“The Mo heir, what a trick! To invent a new character out of thin air,” Kong Yingda snorted coldly.

The audience discussed it in whispers, clearly recognizing that this was a character never seen before.

“This gas has never been discovered, so I gave it a new character. But I believe oxygen must exist in the air.

“Doctor Hua of Mo Village, a descendant of the famed physician Hua Tuo, once asserted that if this oxygen could be found, countless lives would be saved.”

Everyone nodded slightly. With the testimony of Hua Tuo’s descendant and the demonstration of the secret technique, they gained a deeper understanding of oxygen’s importance.

Just imagine—a gas that grants life, capable of saving countless souls. Could it possibly not be worth ten million strings of cash?

“Of course it’s worth it,” the crowd agreed silently in their hearts.

Life is priceless. To save a life, to let someone live again—no price is too high.

Even Li Shimin and Kong Yingda nodded, both aware of oxygen’s significance.

A reversal—a grand reversal. No one had anticipated that the seemingly mundane, disappointing secret technique for keeping fish alive would hide such immense meaning.

Mo Dun continued, “I know many regret not deciphering the secret, missing out on a fortune.”

At these words, laughter erupted throughout the hall. All eyes turned to the man who had wept, claiming he nearly succeeded.

The man blushed deeply, embarrassed.

“Now, there is another chance to earn a fortune.”

As Mo Dun finished, the hall fell silent, everyone staring at him intently.

A fortune—enough to enrich generations.

Mo Dun drew a deep breath, emphasizing his words: “The Mo family, together with the descendants of Hua Tuo, are offering a reward. If anyone can produce oxygen, they will receive a reward of ten thousand strings of cash.”

Boom!

Everyone looked up abruptly, their eyes ablaze with excitement.

A fortune—everyone’s dream. And the object of research? Air, accessible to all. That meant everyone had a chance.

“What a clever move!” Li Shimin said solemnly. He saw through Mo Dun’s strategy. Oxygen’s value was indeed immense, but claiming it was worth ten million strings of cash was exaggerated. Mo Dun used this inflated fortune to attract the masses, then offered a reward of ten thousand strings—guaranteed to cause a stir.

“To use profit to develop the Mo family is not a long-term plan, not the proper path!” Kong Yingda remarked with disdain, clear about Mo Dun’s intent.

But the crowd cared little for such things; they only knew the temptation of ten thousand strings of cash.

Amid fevered excitement, the Mo Technique Exhibition slowly drew to a close.

For the next three days, however, the exhibition would remain open to the citizens of Chang’an, showcasing various Mo techniques.

One could imagine how many more would flock there, to witness these miracles firsthand.