Undersea laboratory, Spirit Snake Island, South Sea.
As far as the eye could see, gleaming silver and white filled the view as precision instruments operated smoothly. Inside the laboratory's observation room, the old professor pushed up his glasses.
“Flight formation simulation experiment number 356. Recorder: Tian Zhulu.
“Objective: Replicate the spiritual energy magic formation engraved upon the test subject.
“Content: Utilize electronic programming and high-precision nano-micro-manipulation machinery to carry out high-precision duplication of the flying boat's formation diagrams.
“Start time: April 10, 2030, 9:57:16 AM Jingbei Time.”
Inside the lab, a robotic arm lifted lightly and precisely according to its programming. At its tip, a drill bit invisible to the naked eye etched the formation onto a smooth piece of jade at an agonizingly slow pace.
“Zzzzt, zzzzt, zzzzt...”
Countless pairs of eyes watched intently, hearts in their throats.
This was the latest achievement from the Academy of Sciences' Institute of Automation, capable of operations on a nanoscale.
It could not only clearly carve the words “Special Affairs Investigation Bureau” onto a silicon substrate within an area of two square micrometers (one micrometer being one-millionth of a meter), but it could also precisely move a carbon nanotube four micrometers long and ten nanometers thick into a pre-prepared groove.
In other words, the operating error margin of this robot did not exceed one hundred-millionth of a meter.
As an intricate, complex pattern emerged across the jade's surface under the magnified camera on the display screen, looks of joy broke out on the faces of everyone present.
“Bang!”
“Ringgggggg—”
An abrupt explosion sounded as the patterns on the jade spontaneously combusted. Red lights flashed across the laboratory, and alarm bells blared loudly.
Another failure.
“We're still lacking crucial experimental materials. Even if we can replicate the formation using the grid differentiation method, ordinary minerals cannot withstand the mysterious power contained within.”
The old professor let out a heavy sigh, frowning deeply as he ran his fingers through his grizzled hair, muttering to himself:
“Diamond, graphene, zeolite, corundum, beryl—none of them can satisfy the experimental conditions. And yet, the material used for the flying boat in the experiment is genuinely the most ordinary peach wood planks.
“Could it be that when practitioners craft a flying boat, they really disrupt molecular structures and reorganize matter, transmuting the properties of two completely unrelated substances—much like Western alchemy?
“Spirit stones... Spirit stones, what on earth are spirit stones? Why can they accumulate undetectable spiritual energy...”
The old professor stood up and paced agitatedly across the observation room. Beside him, researchers from various major institutes remained utterly silent.
“Professor.”
A scientist in her fifties, her hair tied neatly behind her head and looking as kind as a neighborhood grandmother, suddenly spoke up:
“Have we backed ourselves into a dead end? I believe that at this stage, there’s no need to obsess over material development.
“Our priority should focus on formation replication. It’s like shooting arrows at a target—we should forge the arrows first before worrying about what kind of target they’ll strike.
“If we can't replicate the entire formation at once, why not treat it like a jigsaw puzzle, breaking the whole formation down into a hundred-by-hundred grid of pixel blocks, separating each pixel individually, and replicating them one by one?
“That way, the difficulty might be significantly reduced.”
It was a stroke of sudden illumination.
“That's right! I heard the Special Investigation Bureau is stepping up development of the secret realms in the Yellow River and Tailande. The spirit stones and formation materials we need are very likely in there.”
The old academician’s eyes lit up:
“Hongying, your line of thinking may be unconventional, but right now, we need creative ideas that catch us by surprise! Come, come, step to the front and explain it to everyone—”
Moments later, inside the newly cleaned laboratory, the lighting returned to normal.
The petite Bu Hongying stood at the front of the crowd, leaning in toward the microphone with calm, steady eyes:
“Flight formation replication experiment number 357. Recorder: Bu Hongying.
“Objective: Focus on capturing and replicating the formation in region T732...”
...
Nan Zhi concluded another day of alchemy work.
As she walked out of the alchemy room, Dajin and Xiaojin lunged forward impatiently, their six dark compound eyes filled with the pitiful look of puppies begging for food:
“Squeak, squeak!”
“Squeak, squeak, squeak!”
The two Golden-Winged Flying Centipedes had grown rapidly, already as thick as water vats. Nan Zhi skillfully stroked their heads, retrieved spirit beast pills, and placed them in her palm.
Unlike ordinary cold-blooded insects, Dajin and Xiaojin were warm all over. The antennae atop their heads wagged happily, and they nuzzled their heads against Nan Zhi’s palm:
“Squeak, squeak!”
“Squeak, squeak.”
Feeling the soft, fuzzy texture and the warmth in her palm, Nan Zhi found herself in high spirits. Breaking her usual routine, instead of heading straight back to her room to cultivate, she brought the two of them to the beach to play.
—Spirit Snake Island was peaceful and relaxing, and anyone trying to disturb her was intercepted by the authorities.
If there weren't other matters demanding her attention, she might have even wanted to stay holed up here until she reached the Golden Core stage.
The moment she stepped onto the beach, Nan Zhi saw Yu Lan, clad in her military uniform, rushing over with an entourage. Although her expression was stern, she couldn't hide the joy at the corners of her mouth.
“You certainly timed your arrival well. I rarely take a day off, and today happened to be it.”
Nan Zhi held back the slightly wary Dajin and Xiaojin before smiling.
“What is it? Speak plainly.”
“On this island, everyone is visible. Finding someone isn't difficult, but rest assured, we will never infringe upon Comrade Nan’s personal privacy.”
Yu Lan had a rigid temperament. She explained earnestly first, and only then did a smile appear on her face as she handed something over:
“With pill fire and a cauldron, our pills have been successfully refined.”
Success?
Nan Zhi took the medicine bottle handed to her and poured out several... flat, round yellow tablets.
【Blood Supplementing Pill (Low Grade): An inferior pill refined from hemostatic grass. After consumption, restores 15 HP.】
Nan Zhi’s expression turned somewhat complicated.
Whose idea of an elixir looks like this damned thing?
If someone told her it was cold medication, she'd believe them without hesitation.
“We've tested it. A single pill like this effectively relieves swelling and pain, stops bleeding, and halts suppuration. Simple external injuries heal completely in less than ten minutes after ingestion.”
Yu Lan pulled back her sleeve, revealing a healed wound on her arm. Without batting an eye, she drew a dagger and sliced a fresh cut:
“On the battlefield, while such wounds are shallow, bacterial infection introduces immense risks later on. But with the Blood Supplementing Pill, the situation is completely different.
“Of course, this medicine can also be applied to daily life, making it suitable for mass production.”
“The quality of this Blood Supplementing Pill has barely reached Low Grade, but hearing you talk, the authorities have already figured out an alchemy system in such a short amount of time?”
Nan Zhi twirled the medicine bottle, asking curiously:
“Why show me this, though? It’s not like I lack pills.”
“Although the quality falls far short of your alchemical standards, Comrade Nan, we have our own advantages.”
Yu Lan’s throat bobbed as she swallowed the Blood Supplementing Pill. Lowering her sleeve nonchalantly, she looked intently at Nan Zhi:
“I wonder if the Demon Suppression Division would be interested in purchasing Blood Supplementing Pills in bulk? Our side is open to accepting medicinal herbs, pill recipes, spirit stones, and other cultivation resources as payment.”
“In bulk?”
Nan Zhi’s hand gripping the bottle paused slightly:
“...Excuse me for asking, but what kind of daily output are we talking about for the Hemostatic Pills?”
“More production lines are currently under construction, but as long as hemostatic grass is plentiful, mechanized operations can produce roughly...”
Yu Lan paused for a second before spitting out a number:
“Three tons.”
Nan Zhi: “???”
How much?
You're telling me how much????
Rate on N.U.
