Chapter 52 next floor view

Chapter 52: 52 next floor view

The book had no striking title, but the system was highlighting it. When he opened it, he found a single sentence.

THE CORRECT HERB CAN PRODUCE THE WRONG EFFECT.

Yun Che frowned. It did not seem like an answer, perhaps a clue. He did not draw any conclusions and simply continued reading.

The following pages described situations in which a perfectly correct medicinal herb produced different results depending on the purity of the refiner’s spiritual energy.

Yun Che found the problem. Evidently, it was not the herb, the quantity, or the order.

It lay in the control of spiritual energy during the fusion. He closed the book.

But before he could return, a voice appeared in his mind.

[Compatible knowledge found.]

[Problem analysis initiated.]

[Primary variable identified.]

Yun Che froze.

[Control of spiritual energy during fusion.]

[Probability of correct answer: high.]

He returned to the table and saw Guo Han still discussing the matter with Su Meilin.

Yun Che interrupted them.

"The problem is the control of spiritual energy."

Everyone looked at him, unable to believe such a simple answer. Guo Han fell silent.

"What do you mean? What did you base this conclusion on?"

Yun Che pointed toward the tablet.

"The formula you came up with may be correct. The quantity may be correct as well. The fusion order may also be correct."

He paused.

"But if the spiritual energy used during the fusion fluctuates, the medicinal essence will not stabilize. That is the hidden problem with the question."

Chen Ruyue became thoughtful.

"That would finally explain the three symptoms."

Su Meilin looked at the tablet again.

"Yes."

Guo Han did not answer immediately. Instead, he turned his eyes toward the mysterious masked cultivator.

"How did you find the complete answer on your own?"

Yun Che replied:

"The answer is here in the library. I just happened to come across it."

Zhao Ming let out a small laugh.

"That seems awfully convenient to me."

Yun Che turned his head.

"Convenient or not, here is the book containing the answer."

Zhao Ming fell silent, while Luo Xin discreetly lowered her head to hide her smile.

The child, however, was watching Yun Che. Her childish gaze seemed different now. It appeared more attentive.

"Interesting."

She walked toward a bookshelf, took out a book, and threw it toward Yun Che, who caught it.

"You should read this one. And don’t worry, it won’t bite you."

He opened the first page, and at the same time, the writing began to change. The words rearranged themselves before his eyes.

Then a new question appeared.

"If the refiner’s spiritual energy is insufficient, but the formula requires continuous fusion, what method should be used?"

Yun Che frowned.

This time, no immediate answer came from the system. He tried to reason it out himself, thinking about the spiritual circulation techniques he knew and the stability of the essence.

He also thought about reducing the pressure. That was when the first possible solution seemed correct. However, there was a contradiction.

He tried a second one. It did not work either.

The System remained silent. Yun Che narrowed his eyes.

"Even you are leaving me on my own, System. Where did your analytical ability go?"

No answer appeared.

The child, who had been watching, began to laugh.

"You expected me to give you the answer?"

Yun Che looked at her.

"I wasn’t talking to you."

"Really?"

The child sat down on the floor.

"But it was funny watching you ask. That was rhetorical, wasn’t it?"

Yun Che simply returned his attention to the book.

This time, he did not try to search for a ready-made answer. He began to reason.

If his spiritual energy was insufficient, maintaining continuous fusion would be impossible.

But perhaps the fusion did not need to be continuous.

Perhaps it could be divided.

He examined the description again.

Yun Che’s expression changed slightly.

"It isn’t necessary to maintain continuous fusion."

Guo Han turned toward him.

Yun Che continued:

"It is possible to interrupt the circulation for short intervals and stabilize the essence before continuing."

Guo Han approached.

"That would cause a loss of essence."

"Yes."

"Then why would it work?"

"Because the loss is smaller than the instability."

Guo Han fell silent.

His eyes showed genuine interest.

After a few seconds, he nodded.

"It makes sense."

The child stood up.

"Correct. You really do know what you’re doing."

A light appeared above Yun Che’s head. This time, however, something different happened.

The light did not merely remain stable. It shone more intensely, and everyone noticed the phenomenon.

Zhao Ming frowned.

"Why did his light become brighter?"

The child answered:

"Because he didn’t merely find an answer."

She looked at Yun Che.

"He understood it. He gained an insight and advanced in his alchemy."

The corridor fell silent. Su Meilin stared at the masked cultivator for several seconds.

The mausoleum was not merely checking the participants’ answers. It was evaluating who truly understood what they were doing, and Yun Che had just received confirmation of that.

The knowledge provided by the System could put the answer in front of him, but understanding it still depended on him.

The child walked toward the center of the corridor.

"You have one more task to complete."

The bookshelves began to move as hundreds of books disappeared and others emerged.

The walls rearranged themselves, and then ten tables appeared before the participants. On each table was a small wooden box.

The child pointed toward them.

"Choose a book."

Everyone looked at one another.

"Then choose an herb."

Chen Ruyue narrowed her eyes.

"What for?"

The child merely smiled.

"To find out whether you can turn knowledge into action."

The boxes began to open, and inside each one was a single spiritual herb. Yun Che looked at his.

The System finally reacted.

[Ingredient identified.]

[Recommended refinement process.]

But immediately below it, a second message appeared.

[Manual execution required.]

Yun Che remained silent.

The child smiled.

"Now the fun part begins."

The second trial was still far from over.