Chapter 466: Compatibility Through the Roof?
When Zhang Yu arrived at the designated research institute, he spotted a timid figure already present.
“You little rascal!” Zhang Yu pointed at Yu Xinghan, exclaiming, “Didn’t you say you were working overtime today?”
Startled by being exposed, Yu Xinghan quickly regained his composure. “And you? Didn’t you say you were heading to the construction site?”
They exchanged a knowing smile.
Zhang Yu said, “Did the class teacher contact you? Why haven’t you gone inside yet?”
Yu Xinghan smiled. “You’re the top student in our class. You should go first.”
Zhang Yu waved his hand. “We’re old classmates. You go ahead.”
After a brief exchange of polite refusals, Zhang Yu understood Yu Xinghan’s intentions.
This kid! Zhang Yu thought disdainfully. He’s interested in the Dual Cultivation experiment but afraid the content won’t suit his tastes. Damn it, he has no talent for Dual Cultivation whatsoever. Why even bother showing up?
Meanwhile, Yu Xinghan was thinking, Zhang Yu is so particular about gender. He clearly wants me to go in first to scope out the situation and report back, so he can decide whether to join later.
As they entered the research institute, Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan were surprised to find a number of Civil Engineering Department students already present.
There were classmates like Gongshu Jin and Ying Xin, as well as senior students such as Xiao Yunji, Su Yanyang, and Ma Xuan, all waiting in the hall.
Seeing Ying Xin and Xiao Yunji, Zhang Yu’s thoughts stirred. “Both men and women? What kind of experiment is this?”
Unfortunately, he couldn’t get any information until he officially joined the experiment.
Yu Xinghan remarked, “They’ve gathered all the elites from our Civil Engineering Department?”
“What kind of Dual Cultivation experiment requires students from our department?”
Hearing Yu Xinghan’s words, a sense of unease flickered through Zhang Yu’s mind.
Just then, a familiar voice came from behind them.
“Don’t worry, it’s a good thing.”
Zhang Yu turned around and saw Ye Xingli from the Artifact Refinement Department.
Ye Xingli nodded slightly at Zhang Yu and explained, “Our Artifact Refinement Department and the Talisman Department have developed a new product. It uses the principles of Dual Cultivation to enhance students’ cultivation.”
“However, this product still has flaws and requires further experimentation to gather data for future improvements.”
Yu Xinghan exclaimed in surprise, “Our school? Developing a Dual Cultivation product?”
Ye Xingli nodded. “Exactly. It’s a completely original product developed solely by our school’s technical capabilities — a 100% school-owned creation, without a single trace of external technology.”
At that moment, Ye Xingli recalled the development challenges they had faced recently.
“Ever since the experiments began, we’ve recruited outstanding students from all departments to participate. Unfortunately… almost none of them have succeeded.”
“Divine Monarch Jade Nectar’s Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact clearly still holds mysteries we don’t understand. That’s why we haven’t been able to fully activate it.”
“If the previous students hadn’t all failed the tests, Civil Engineering Department students wouldn’t have been considered.”
Ye Xingli sighed inwardly. “If the Civil Engineering and Security Department students also fail, we might have to resort to brute-force methods next.”
As Ye Xingli explained the situation to Zhang Yu, a staff member stepped forward to outline the basic procedures and distribute confidentiality agreements for the experiment.
As the students signed the confidentiality agreements one by one, they were led into the laboratory in groups.
Watching the senior students enter in batches, Zhang Yu’s curiosity about the experiment’s purpose grew.
Dual Cultivation? And a product? he wondered. Could it be a Dual Cultivation artifact designed for solo use? Wouldn’t that be… a shortcut to transcending the Immortal Dao?
He carefully observed the expressions of the seniors as they emerged. Xiao Yunji looked surprised, Su Yanyang appeared regretful, and Li Zhen wore a peculiar expression. Zhang Yu’s curiosity intensified.
Finally, brimming with anticipation, Zhang Yu entered the laboratory with his classmates Yu Xinghan, Gongshu Jin, and Ying Xin.
Upon entering, Zhang Yu saw a diamond-shaped crystal floating in mid-air, emitting an enigmatic glow.
A male professor nearby addressed them: “Greetings, I am True Monarch Celestial Seal of the Talisman Department, and I will be overseeing this experiment.”
“Next, I’ll introduce the specifics of the experiment.”
With a light tap of his fingertips, divine power illuminated and marked the diamond-shaped crystal-like object.
“This is our newly developed product: a Dual Cultivation Yin Artifact.”
Hearing the words “Dual Cultivation Yin Artifact,” both Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan felt their hearts settle. Their previously uneasy spirits calmed.
“So it’s a Yin Artifact,” Zhang Yu thought, crossing his arms. “I’ve never used one before, but I have a feeling this will be right up my alley.”
Beside him, Yu Xinghan smiled with confidence. “All those years of arduous training, all that accumulation through extracurricular projects… finally, the day has come to shine and show what I’m made of.”
“Master was right,” he added. “The stars never disappoint those who journey, and time never fails those who are devoted. My efforts will not go unrewarded.”
Meanwhile, Gongshu Jin and Ying Xin seemed to sense the surge of confidence radiating from Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan.
Gongshu Jin thought to himself, “I understand Zhang Yu’s confidence, but what’s the guy ranked 4th in our class so smug about?”
Ahead, True Monarch Celestial Seal continued, “Everyone should already be familiar with the Yin Artifact, so I won’t elaborate further.”
“Today’s experiment will focus on its practical application.”
“We will activate the Yin Artifact to scan for a student whose parameters match its requirements. Then, we will collect data on their usage to prepare for future improvements…”
“Of course, it’s possible that none of you will be compatible, ultimately failing to meet the Yin Artifact’s activation criteria.”
“Oh, and remember to report the Bionics you’re wearing.”
As the students reported their Bionics, Ying Xin couldn’t help but ask, “Why do we need to report our Bionics? Are you worried they might conflict with the Yin Artifact?”
“This Yin Artifact possesses basic intelligence and generally won’t conflict with your Bionics,” True Monarch Celestial Seal explained calmly. “The main concern is that you might not be able to withstand the Yin Artifact’s power.”
Gongshu Jin asked, “What do you mean by ‘not withstand the Yin Artifact’s power’?”
True Monarch Celestial Seal gave him a puzzled look. “Aren’t you concerned about the strain of equipping the Bionic?”
“But…?” Zhang Yu stammered, shocked. “Equip the Bionic?”
True Monarch Celestial Seal replied matter-of-factly. “The Yin Artifact is a Bionic. To test its functionality, we simply equip it and observe its operation, right?”
He then flashed a warm, gentle smile. “Rest assured, once it’s successfully equipped, I’ll conduct the experiments myself. You won’t be harmed.”
“And if it fails, there will be no charge.”
Yet True Monarch Celestial Seal’s self-perceived kindly smile appeared to Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan like a beast’s roar.
Never in their wildest dreams had they imagined today’s experiment would involve physically equipping the Yin Artifact.
“Run! This isn’t home!” Zhang Yu screamed inwardly.
Just as the two were about to step back in unison, about to shout their refusal to participate, the Yin Artifact activated. Radiant beams of light erupted, enveloping several students in their glow.
Meanwhile, in the observation room of the Spirit Realm, numerous staff members were monitoring the situation in the laboratory.
Yan Qianji, the foremost artificer of the Artifact Refinement Department, stood among them. He gazed at the Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact in the laboratory as if contemplating a perfect work of art.
“Heh, everyone assumes Divine Monarch Jade Nectar’s Yin Artifact serves only one purpose: Dual Cultivation.”
“They fail to consider that a Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact could never be so simple.”
“Especially as a Bionic — it’s only when equipped that this Yin Artifact reveals its true power.”
Yan Qianji sighed inwardly. “Once activated, this Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact will render all cultivators below the Spirit Transformation realm utterly defenseless, forcibly implanting itself within them.”
“In other words, with this Yin Artifact in hand, one could view all living creatures in the world as mere vessels for plunder. With a single sweep of its aura, one could forcibly extract their essence.”
“Combined with Divine Monarch Jade Nectar’s Yang Artifact and cultivation arts, it would allow for the forced absorption of opponents’ magic power, cultivation, and even knowledge.”
A vision arose in Yan Qianji’s mind: Divine Monarch Jade Nectar, wielding one Yin Artifact in one hand and one Yang Artifact in the other, plundering the essence of all living beings with a single thought.
The more True Monarch Celestial Seal participated in the efforts to decipher the Yin Artifact, the more he marveled at the formidable power of Divine Monarch Jade Nectar.
“To harvest the world through the Yin-Yang Great Dao — this is the true brilliance of Divine Monarch Jade Nectar.”
Meanwhile, True Monarch Magnetic Pole was also observing the laboratory from another location.
Recalling the experimental results so far, she thought to herself, “What kind of constraints did Divine Monarch Jade Nectar actually set for her Yin Artifact? None of these exceptional candidates can even activate it?”
“This doesn’t make sense. According to the activation criteria we’ve deciphered, many of the previous test subjects should have met the requirements.”
“Sigh, if all else fails, we’ll have to resort to brute force…”
When True Monarch Magnetic Pole noticed Zhang Yu among the latest group of test subjects, her heart stirred slightly. She turned to True Monarch Celestial Seal and said, “Celestial Seal, let me take over later.”
True Monarch Celestial Seal was surprised. “You want to handle it personally?”
“I’m worried they won’t be able to meet the price.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll handle it with discretion.”
Just then, as the radiance of the Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact illuminated the chamber, its scanning function activated, and a flood of data began to emerge.
In the observation room of the Spirit Realm, the detection data from the Spirit Transformation Yin Artifact was being captured in real-time, instantly materializing before the assembled observers.
Zhang Yu, Yu Xinghan, Gongshu Jin, Ying Xin… the assessment results for each student unfolded, each name followed by multiple columns of data, seemingly evaluating them from various angles.
Yet, the project team had yet to decipher the meaning behind these numbers.
As Yan Qianji scrutinized the rows of data, he was stunned. “What does this final metric represent?”
“Gongshu Jin and Ying Xin have zeros here… no, most students have single-digit values.”
“But why… why have Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan surpassed 1000 on this metric?!”
Staring at these astonishing figures, Yan Qianji felt a veil of mystery deepen around Zhang Yu and Yu Xinghan.
“Could it be that they have an extraordinary compatibility with this Yin Artifact?!”