Translator: AnubisTL
Jieming had been living quite comfortably lately.
He had not only cleared his name and resolved his biggest problem but had also gained greater authority.
Although Mentor Clark had explained that the second-tier cultivation protocol didn't offer genuine merit points or material rewards, it did provide significant advantages in other areas, including streamlined approval processes for all applications.
The permit to establish his laboratory was quickly approved. Jieming had initially planned to rent a basic-level lab long-term, but when he discovered that the permit offered preferential rates on mid-level labs, he decisively opted for the latter.
Compared to basic-level labs, mid-level labs were not only larger and equipped with more comprehensive internal protection and equipment but also included multiple lounges and even free delivery service from the cafeteria.
In other words, renters could live entirely within the laboratory if they wished.
Many wizards actually did just that, as research projects typically lasted at least two to three months, and some stretched on for years.
Formal wizards, aside from essential social interactions, typically lived and worked entirely in their laboratories.
This arrangement suited Jieming perfectly, as he needed to cultivate under the morning sun every day.
As for why he only rented a mid-tier laboratory instead of a high-tier one, the primary reason was the exorbitant cost of the latter.
Low-tier laboratories, depending on their size and features, required between 200 and 1,000 merit points per month.
Mid-tier laboratories started at 2,000 merit points, while high-tier laboratories demanded a minimum of 20,000 merit points per month.
Jieming had initially assumed that selling adamantium freely would provide him with ample merit points. However, reality soon shattered his optimism, driving him back into his shell.
The first problem was selling the adamantium to acquire merit points. While there were no longer any restrictions, and the valuable adamantium was typically snapped up as soon as it was listed, Jieming hadn't anticipated that the limited supply of raw materials would stifle his progress.
After all, gold held little practical value for wizards. Beyond its use as a basic teaching material, it was only occasionally needed for crafting specialized equipment.
Although the academy could mobilize all resources from the thirteen planes of Noren and dozens of surrounding minor planes, it had never prioritized gold collection. As a result, the academy's gold reserves amounted to a mere twenty-three cubic meters.
Moreover, after Jieming's bulk purchase, replenishing the gold supply would take time.
This meant that for the foreseeable future, the adamantium transformed from these twenty-three cubic meters of gold would be his primary source of merit points.
Since over ninety percent of the gold's mass was consumed during adamantium refinement, the yield was relatively low.
After more than a month of work, Jieming finally refined a dozen standard units of adamantium from the pile of gold.
Considering adamantium's excellent properties as both an artifact forging material and an insulating material, Jieming reserved slightly less than half for future experiments and development, selling only ten standard units.
According to the academy's assessment, pure adamantium was classified as a fifth-tier material.
After researching the market prices of other fifth-tier materials, Jieming sold all his adamantium at the standard rate of 10,000 merit points per unit.
"Only a modest ten thousandfold profit? I'm practically a saint!"
Jieming sat in the luxurious, plush chair of the laboratory, crossing his legs with smug satisfaction.
Although the annual rent for the intermediate-level laboratory had cost him 20,000 merit points, the remaining 80,000 would be more than enough to splurge on for a long time.
With this thought, Jieming pressed his hand against the table, and a holographic screen materialized before him.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk... No wonder it's an intermediate-level laboratory. The technology of the magic net terminal has advanced so rapidly!"
If the magic net terminal in the basic-level laboratory was still at the level of bulky cathode-ray tube monitors, the intermediate-level version had skipped past LCD screens entirely and jumped straight to futuristic holographic projection technology.
"Should I buy some advanced knowledge to indulge myself first? Come on, let me see the limits of the wizard civilization!"
Slap!
Jieming suddenly slammed his hand on the table, shutting off the holographic screen and sinking into deep thought.
"Hiss... Am I using this wrong?"
Reopening the magic net terminal, Jieming stared at the string of zeros in the price column, his head throbbing.
"Forget it, forget it. These are way beyond my reach. I should just stick to learning the basics for now."
Jieming pinched the bridge of his nose and swiped the holographic screen to the beginner's knowledge section. Based on his earlier thoughts, he purchased additional courses in rune studies and potionology, along with their foundational textbooks.
With the necessary materials acquired, Jieming began to ponder his next steps.
"Knowledge from two worlds is an advantage, but it also presents challenges. First, I must identify the differences between these worlds to successfully transplant knowledge from the immortal cultivation world here."
His fingers unconsciously traced circles on the table. "Beyond the fundamental world rules, the most crucial differences likely lie in the composition of matter and energy..."
Differences in energy could be studied by comparing various extraordinary powers. Jieming himself served as an ideal experimental subject.
As for variations in rules, the rune studies and alchemy he was about to learn would reveal the underlying framework of the Wizard World's rules. The Great Dao Library Pavilion would provide insights into the rules of the immortal cultivation world for comparison, so he wasn't too concerned about that for now.
"The first two require accumulating knowledge, so progress will be slow for now. That leaves... material differences. While alchemy and potionology can gradually accumulate knowledge in this area through study, there are ways to accelerate the process..."
Jieming's gaze instinctively shifted to the laboratory's storage room, where miscellaneous materials were stored—purchased alongside the gold to conceal the exact adamantium formula.
The Great Dao Library Pavilion contained a comprehensive repository of knowledge on materials. Moreover, if he wanted to delve deeper into a specific material, the pavilion could provide a virtual projection for in-depth analysis within his consciousness.
Therefore, to expedite the analysis of differences between the two worlds, he could focus on materials from the Wizard World.
Fortunately, as an educational institution, Noren Academy offered the ideal environment for such research.
With renewed confidence, Jieming opened the Academy Magic Network's materials exchange section, ready to make a substantial purchase.
However, as he began browsing and calculating, he stumbled upon a new, disheartening truth.
The wizard civilization was a formidable force that had conquered countless planes.
Each conquered plane brought forth entirely new lifeforms, environments, mineral deposits, and plant species.
The sheer variety of materials here was astronomical, with new discoveries being recorded almost every moment.
Basic Materials Compendium, Interplanar Materials Index, Mineral Encyclopedia, Mutated Plant Lineage... The documentation on ordinary materials alone piled up like mountains, yet the actual number of materials in existence was countless times greater.
(End of the Chapter)
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