Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 4 Start-up

Li Shiming refused to settle for a mundane existence. Even though his past life’s memories contained technical knowledge like generator construction, much of it was difficult to recall or implement given the primitive constraints of this current world.

He was limited by what he could achieve without the support of massive computing power.

However, with a high-end server at his disposal, the potential paths ahead of him were limitless.

Driven by these ambitions, he engaged the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) linked to the IBMz15 and initiated the server’s startup sequence.

Indicator lights began flickering across the cabinet-like frame of the massive server. Li Shiming watched with concern as the UPS battery levels plummeted instantly upon startup, dropping dangerously close to the warning threshold.

He felt a surge of anxiety; without a stable power source, a sudden failure during boot-up could easily fry the delicate internal components of the server.

As his consciousness merged with the IBMz15, he gained an instantaneous, comprehensive overview of the system's status.

He identified the main power drains as the CPU and memory self-check protocols. Using his mind, he systematically deactivated the processors until only a single CPU remained active and throttled the memory down to a mere 64G.

Every storage unit was powered down, leaving only the essential Linux system and a tiny fraction of workspace operational.

This drastic measure successfully lowered the server's energy consumption to a level that the UPS could sustain.

The IBMz15’s complexity far exceeded that of the power supply. Had he not spent an entire year maintaining this specific unit, he would never have been able to navigate and manipulate its functions so intuitively through his consciousness.

Perceiving the server from the inside was a world apart from simply opening the physical cabinet to inspect the hardware.

He could vividly sense the internal architecture and the specific flow of every working part.

When his awareness reached the display processor, a familiar sight materialized before him: the graphical Linux interface of the IBMz15.

He tested the interface and confirmed he could navigate the system with ease.

His vision functioned as the monitor, while his thoughts served as both the keyboard and the mouse.

He avoided accessing the archived data for now, as doing so would require re-activating the dormant storage drives.

Opening those files would necessitate more power—a luxury he currently lacked and a risk he wasn't willing to take.

He opened a new document and began a typing test.

An input method wasn't even necessary; as his thoughts moved, the characters manifested on the screen instantly.

He recalled a classic essay from his school days, Zhu Ziqing’s "The Back."

The moment he thought of transcribing it, the entire text appeared in the document.

The essay wasn't particularly long, but the instantaneous speed of the transcription was beyond anything humanly possible.

Shifting his focus, he tapped into the memories of his current life, intending to record the various scriptures and commentaries he had studied.

"The Selected Scriptures and Meanings" was a massive collection of scholarly works compiled by the Li Family over many generations, serving as an exam study guide much like the "Five-Year College Entrance Exam" books from his previous world.

In a flash, a staggering amount of text flooded the document—nearly two million characters representing every word of the "Selected Scriptures and Meanings" he had ever memorized.

He hit save and titled the file "The Selected Scriptures and Meanings."

He felt a profound sensation that by digitizing the text this way, these two million characters were now permanently etched into his mind, impossible to forget.

With just a flicker of intent, Li Shiming could now summon any passage from the collection instantly.

When he attempted to disconnect his consciousness from the IBMz15, however, that perfect clarity vanished, and his memory returned to its previous, standard state of recollection.

He wasn't bothered by this. Even if he relied on the IBMz15, maintaining a constant connection to the server was effectively the same as having the "Selected Scriptures and Meanings" open before his eyes at all times.

Furthermore, this wasn't just reading a single page; it was as if he were processing all two million characters simultaneously.

While the immediate impact might seem minor, he believed that over time, the mental imprint would become so deep that the connection would eventually become unnecessary.

"When I find the time, I’ll upload the other four million characters of the collection into the server!" Li Shiming muttered happily. However, after checking the remaining power in the UPS, he gave his forehead a frustrated slap.

He had almost overlooked his primary goal. He briefly activated the storage array to search for data regarding the Mother Hen Bead.

Ever since he had seen the Mother Hen Bead, the idea of using its lethal toxins against Chief Escort Wang had been brewing in his mind.

His main concern was that simply grinding the bead into a powder might result in a poison that worked too slowly.

He searched his past-life knowledge for reports on the bead's toxicity and its potential medical applications.

After scanning the server’s database, he identified the lethal component as "Acacia Poison Protein" and located a specific extraction protocol.

The process required several ingredients: phosphoric acid, ammonium sulfate, glycerin, and a centrifuge.

He cached the necessary instructions into active memory and immediately shut down the power-hungry storage array.

Armed with this technical data, he felt confident that—despite not being a professional chemist—he could synthesize the desired substance in this world.

He grabbed a brush and drafted a list of supplies, adding a few extra items after a moment of consideration.

Since he would already have glycerin and would need to produce sulfuric acid to get ammonium sulfate, adding nitric acid to the mix would allow him to manufacture nitroglycerin.

His kidnapping by Chief Escort Wang had taught him just how dangerous this world truly was.

He required a means of self-preservation. Even if he had no desire to start a fight, he needed the power to end one.

"Young Master, your medicine is here!" the servant Mo Yan called out from beyond the study doors.

"I need everything on this list within two hours!" Li Shiming commanded, thrusting the paper toward Mo Yan.

Mo Yan scanned the list, and a look of pure dread washed over his face as he read the items.

"Young Master, even if I ran until my legs gave out, two hours is impossible. It’s not that I’m lazy, I’m just afraid I’ll fail your instructions!" Mo Yan pleaded with a fawning, nervous smile.

"Then get more people to help. Tell them it’s my direct order, and there will be a generous reward for finishing on time!" Li Shiming said, waving him off.

"Young Master, consider it done! It will be here in two hours!" Mo Yan declared. At the mention of a reward, his hesitation vanished, and he hurried away immediately.

The items on that list were not typical purchases, and many of the minerals were quite rare.

However, by leveraging the vast resources of the Mansion, most could be sourced directly from the Nanling Mansion’s internal stores, even if it took some effort.