PCJ – Chapter 680 Scientific System

If Mei Qing were still just the female PhD from the old laboratory, she probably wouldn’t have conducted this experiment at all. It’s illegal. Previously, she had even planned to use herself as the test subject. However, this decision was strongly opposed by Kong Fangzhou, Zhu Wanze, and others.

The reason was simple: Mei Qing’s relationship with Zhang Jiaohua was somewhat special, and her current research was extremely important for the Meishan Sect. If the experiment went wrong and something happened to Mei Qing, it would be a huge loss for the sect. And when Zhang Jiaohua returned, it would be a difficult situation.

Mei Qing’s experiments caused Kong Fangzhou, Zhu Wanze, and others to rethink their approach to alchemy and artifact forging. Previously, everything was based on experience; now they began learning from Mei Qing to establish a scientific system for alchemy and artifact crafting. Mei Qing was a key figure in this.

Another factor was that although the experiment carried risks, once the affiliated sects of Meishan heard the news, they flocked to secure spots for the experiment. For ordinary people, the chance to enter the secret realm was very rare. The spiritual energy concentration there was extremely high, increasing the chance of becoming cultivators by hundreds or thousands of times compared to outside. Moreover, using this Spirit Root Optimizer greatly improved cultivation potential, further increasing the likelihood of becoming a cultivator.

This result was unexpected by Kong Fangzhou and Zhu Wanze after the news was released. It was even more surprising for Mei Qing herself. In hospitals, no one wants to be a test subject for a new drug unless they have a terminal illness. Even though clinical trials have strict requirements, risks remain.

The Spirit Root Optimizer also had risks. In mouse experiments, some mice had issues due to overdosing. Although calculations were made to scale the dose down by 50% relative to the lowest effective dose in mice per kilogram for humans, the actual effect in humans was unpredictable.

Even Zhang Jiaohua was very concerned about the experiment. Before it began, he had already arrived at the Xiyun Secret Realm.

“Currently, subjects are undergoing health checks. Any abnormality will result in immediate removal. The dosage is already reduced by 50% compared to the lowest effective dose in mice per kilogram. We plan to gradually increase the dose later to avoid unexpected consequences,” Mei Qing explained to Zhang Jiaohua.

Zhang Jiaohua nodded: “Teacher Mei, don’t worry. Even if there are issues, with us here, it can be handled quickly.”

Hearing this, Mei Qing felt somewhat relieved: “I’m ready to start administering the Spirit Root Optimizer to the subjects. Our earlier research found that delivery via blood circulation works best.”

Zhang Jiaohua picked up a vial of the optimizer and opened the cap. The concentration of spiritual spring in the reagent was heavily diluted, and it smelled faintly of medicinal herbs. Zhang Jiaohua had inherited knowledge about spiritual medicines and understood more than Mei Qing did. Just by smelling, he could roughly tell which herbs were included.

Ordinary human bodies cannot tolerate pure concentrations of spiritual spring; too much spiritual energy would cause their bodies to collapse. These herbs not only dilute the concentration but also stabilize the spiritual energy, reducing its activity. This way, the spiritual energy inside the ordinary body wouldn’t be released too quickly.

“Teacher Mei, you really understand the properties of these herbs well,” Zhang Jiaohua smiled.

Mei Qing smiled back: “Mainly thanks to Senior Zhu’s guidance.”

Zhu Wanze quickly said, “Actually, whether it’s me, Brother Kong, or nephew Fangzhou, we’ve benefited a lot from Teacher Mei. We used to rely entirely on experience for artifact forging and alchemy, but after Teacher Mei arrived, our horizons expanded. Scientific methods can be applied to our crafts. For example, our alchemy furnace used to require complicated techniques and spells to control the fire. Now, with an intelligent furnace, we can precisely control the flame without expending too much energy. Cultivators have always rejected science, but cultivation itself is a form of science—we just don’t fully understand its principles.”

Zhang Jiaohua was quite surprised by Zhu Wanze’s words. He had thought about this before and even tried to experiment but got tangled up and failed to make progress. Unexpectedly, Mei Qing succeeded and influenced many people in the Meishan Sect.

“Ready to start,” Mei Qing’s tone suddenly became serious. She wore a full protective suit, and the test area had been transformed into a strict clean room.

Several young men and women dressed like Mei Qing were in the clean room. They were selected youths from Meishan’s affiliated families. If they stayed outside, they might live carefree lives, but inside the secret realm, they were servants. Various chores in the secret realm were done by those who hadn’t yet reached the Refining Essence and Transforming Qi stage. They didn’t resent this but even begged to stay.

Staying inside meant being immersed in rich spiritual energy, which increased the chance to cross the threshold into cultivators. Cultivators have long lifespans, an irresistible attraction to anyone. Once they entered the Refining Essence and Transforming Qi stage and became real cultivators, they would have achieved a major breakthrough.

“Start injecting the optimizer,” the broadcast ordered.

The subjects already had venous access set up. Now, the injection could begin. But this intravenous injection was not ordinary—the drip rate was strictly controlled.

“Closely monitor the subjects’ conditions. Stop immediately if any abnormalities occur.”

Zhang Jiaohua glanced at the electronic clock in the observation room. Time ticked second by second.

The atmosphere was tense. Although those present were not ordinary people, they too felt nervous. The results of this experiment were crucial for the Meishan Sect.

Each subject was wired with various monitoring devices. Their physiological data—heart rate, breathing, brain waves—were displayed on instruments at all times. Any abnormal fluctuations would be noticed immediately.

“Attention! Bed 20’s heartbeat is abnormal… Attention, bed 20 is showing irregularities…”

An urgent voice sounded in the monitoring room. Everyone stood up instantly, watching the monitor for bed 20 with serious expressions. Inside the clean room, the person responsible for bed 20 was already checking the situation. The optimizer injection had been stopped immediately.