Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 5 Chemistry

Li Shiming’s awareness shifted back into the machine room, where his focus immediately landed on the generator.

The manual crank for the generator had become redundant; with a mere thought, he dismantled both the crank and two sets of gears using his mental influence.

Transforming a manual centrifuge using a crank and a few gears was a simple task for him.

This was especially true since he already had timber and tools stored in the machine room, allowing him to fabricate any other required components through his mental control.

The world's inaugural centrifuge was thus completed. However, as he gazed upon his creation, a realization struck him: if he could manipulate things directly with his mind inside the machine room, what was the point of building the machine at all?

The pride of inventing the first centrifuge evaporated instantly, prompting him to re-evaluate his approach.

Over the next two hours, a variety of supplies and legal files were delivered. During this interval, Si Qin returned with a small container holding over fifty Mother Hen Beads.

Li Shiming set up a stove and a clay pot. Declining Si Qin’s assistance, he began the brewing process following the specific recipe provided by Chief Escort Wang.

Unbeknownst to anyone else, the processing of various chemical materials had already commenced within his machine room.

As a safety precaution, he used wooden partitions to isolate a corner of the machine room.

This was done to ensure that no chemical reactions would damage the electrical equipment stored within the space.

Ordinarily, synthesizing specific chemicals from these raw materials through manual labor would be a daunting challenge.

However, within the confines of the machine room where he held absolute dominion, the process was trivial.

Inside this space, he could perceive matter at the micrometer scale and observe every molecular shift, making chemical synthesis incredibly straightforward.

He didn't even require lab equipment, as his mind could act as the reaction vessel itself.

Phosphoric acid, sulphuric acid, nitric acid, ammonium sulphate, glycerine, and Acacia Poison Protein were all produced by him. He shelled the fifty Mother Hen Beads, refining them into a small concentrated dose of liquid Acacia Poison Protein.

It was hard to believe that this tiny amount of fluid was the most lethal substance on the planet, capable of ending countless lives.

This was no longer a crude, natural toxin, but a scientifically purified variant that, in many ways, was an anomaly in this world.

Following this, several kilograms of nitroglycerine were synthesized, sealed within airtight containers, and stowed away in the machine room’s storage area.

Once these tasks were finished, Li Shiming noted that the herbal medicine on the stove was still cooking, highlighting just how much faster he could operate within the mental space of the machine room.

He refined his strategy carefully, refusing to underestimate the capabilities of Chief Escort Wang.

During his chemical experiments, Li Shiming realized he lacked a proper furnace; burning wood as fuel within the machine room failed to generate high enough temperatures.

While extreme heat wasn't always necessary for chemistry, he was already planning for the future.

To address this, he took up a brush and paper to sketch several components and material lists, then sent the servant Mo Yan to procure them.

Mo Yan, having been well-tipped for his previous errands, beat his chest and promised that the items would be delivered shortly after the order was placed.

Neither Si Qin nor Mo Yan questioned why Li Shiming was suddenly buying such bizarre items or brewing his own medicine.

Compared to other Young Masters who spent their time carousing and seeking pleasure, their Young Master was merely buying harmless curiosities and seeking knowledge—hardly a cause for concern or criticism.

Li Shiming then picked up the case files Mo Yan had brought. These were documents an outsider could never touch, but as the Magistrate's son, his requests were never denied by the Nanling Government Office.

The records were exceptionally thorough, detailing the event from several different angles.

The files included testimonies from the madam, dancers, staff, and patrons of the Tianxiang Building, along with the official findings of the investigators, showcasing a high level of professional detail.

The Tianxiang Building was a famous establishment in Nanling Prefecture. On the day of the incident, the entire third floor had been booked by the Weiyuan Escort Agency for Chief Escort Wang and seven other leaders.

A figure dressed in white had appeared without warning and slaughtered the seven leaders.

Witnesses from the second floor reported that the heavy flooring of the third story was pulverized by a monstrous strength, causing Chief Escort Wang to crash through the ceiling before fleeing through a window.

The white-clad assassin had then pursued him, with a blue light radiating from his legs.

None of the witnesses on the second floor could recall the assassin's features; it was as if a thick mist had shrouded his face.

Furthermore, the man in white projected such a terrifying pressure that many observers lost control of their bowels on the spot.

The concluding notes of the report hypothesized that the assailant might be a Cultivator.

Upon reading the term Cultivator, Li Shiming felt a jolt of shock, as if he had been transported to a new world all over again. He was stunned to find that Cultivation existed here, a fact completely absent from his predecessor's memories.

He couldn't really blame the original owner of the body. The former Li Shiming was a fifteen-year-old scholar who spent every waking hour buried in the Four Books and Five Classics.

The boy had almost no social life, partly because of his obsession with his studies and partly because of his age.

Typically, scholars in the city would gather to debate philosophy or enjoy high-end entertainment together.

But a fifteen-year-old boy could hardly fit into a social circle of grown men.

In these circles, even scholars in their early twenties were considered young; there was no one remotely close to Li Shiming’s age.

It wasn't that Nanling Prefecture lacked young talent, but such prodigies only appeared once a decade, and those who came before Li Shiming had already reached adulthood.

The predecessor had also stayed away from those seeking political connections, which further isolated him.

Having such a narrow social circle and a life dedicated solely to Confucian texts meant his knowledge of the world was extremely limited, focusing almost entirely on his exams.

Li Shiming actually felt a bit relieved by this, as it meant he didn't have to worry about old friends noticing his personality shift.

“It’s no wonder Chief Escort Wang is taking refuge in the government office. A Cultivator is hunting him!” Li Shiming mused.

The fact that a Cultivator was chasing the man suggested that the Chief Escort possessed something of immense value, which piqued Li Shiming’s curiosity.

If this were a mundane world, Li Shiming could use his modern knowledge to live a life of luxury and power.

But if this was a world of Cultivation, his objectives had to change.

The prospect of immortality and the freedom to roam between heaven and earth were the ultimate goals of any life. He was determined to pursue that path, no matter how slim the odds.

Once the concoction was finished, Li Shiming had Si Qin bring a lunchbox and poured the medicine into a large bowl within it.

“Si Qin, stay here. I’m going for a stroll in the garden,” Li Shiming said as he took the box.

Ignoring Si Qin’s confused expression, he turned and walked out of the courtyard.