Chapter 51: God of the Railroad
The group ended up staying one more day at the station, during which the spirit-train changed quite a bit.
Orient incorporated ten more wagons into herself, doubling her length and greatly expanding her facilities. Yuan partly contributed to their restoration by practicing Item Materialization. Though his intuitive understanding of firearms was of limited use when repairing wagons, he discovered he had an affinity when it came to creating and replicating metallic objects. Gears, bolts, pipes, pistons… Yuan suspected consuming Gatling Man’s core let him assimilate part of his Metallist training.
Working on Item Materialization helped him understand a few things about qi-bullets as well. Arc called it an adaptive technique that other cultivators could replicate, although the effects changed for any kind of firearm. Yuan’s Third Coil-enhanced senses finally let him understand what she meant.
As it turned out, his body automatically charged his projectiles with a different qi frequency depending on the firearm used.
It was so subtle and intuitive, and the frequency differences so minor, that Yuan had no idea it happened until he paid close attention to the process. He supposed he could compare it to walking. Any man knew how to put one foot ahead of the other, but few understood how muscles worked together to achieve that result.
This discovery opened up new possibilities for Yuan. If he could artificially reproduce a specific qi-frequency, then he could infuse any bullet with any effect of his choice.
“This is quite the big change,” Yuan told Orient as they walked along the train’s length with Holster, taking in every detail.
“It is no less spectacular than yours, Honored Conductor Yuan,” Orient replied, which was true.
Finding his resolve to pursue the Gun Path removed Yuan’s cycling obstacles too. His productivity increased tenfold, and the changes creeping up on his body no longer felt discomforting.