Chapter 145: You Hang There First, I Can Wait

“The Qi Refiners have actually advanced this far in their study of Qi Mechanisms?”

Chen Xiyi looked at the meticulously categorized Qi Mechanisms. He had originally thought Ji Shan would send them over sealed in talismans, but he hadn’t expected them to be directly captured in containers and given to him.

The implications here were completely different. It meant the Qi Refiners weren’t just able to observe the intangible Qi Mechanisms, they could even physically interact with formless ones.

One had to know, without his Qi Sensitivity skill, the abilities of the Fairies, and his Qi Mechanism enhancements, Chen Xiyi would have been completely incapable of such detailed research on Qi Mechanisms.

“Feeding the physical body using the Primordial Spirit… that’s not an easy path to walk,” Chen Xiyi sighed. It was an immense project. Fortunately, he had already built the framework from the start. While it wouldn’t be easy and might even have a ceiling, Chen Xiyi thought that since it was possible, it was worth trying. For him, it was also part of accumulating experience.

When Chen Xiyi went to Ji Shan for help, Ji Shan had also discerned Chen Xiyi’s intention. But Ji Shan only chatted briefly, not trying to persuade him otherwise.

Because he knew persuasion wouldn’t work. This was a necessary process every Qi Refiner had to go through. He himself had even experienced it, trying to no longer rely on Soul Possession for Revive. Sadly, he had failed.

Soul Possession could only choose a human host; it couldn’t select any other form of existence. Otherwise, the Primordial Spirit wouldn’t be compatible and would cause the physical body to collapse.

It wasn’t like no one had thought of possessing a Jiangshi (Zombie). It sounded great, but the Primordial Spirit would just turn the zombie into a pile of rotten flesh.

After extensive research by numerous Qi Refiners, they concluded that because they were human themselves, they were only compatible with other humans. Possessing other lifeforms was impossible because the Human Qi contained within their Primordial Spirit would reject it.

And Human Qi was a crucially important Qi Mechanism for them. Even if their Primordial Spirit didn’t primarily consist of Human Qi, it still required the fundamental structure of Human Qi present. Otherwise, their intelligence would vanish.

Qi Mechanisms like Demonic Energy, Ghost Qi, etc., which could grant intelligence to demons, ghosts, and monsters, were actually artificial Qi Mechanisms created through experiments using Human Qi on plants, animals, and other entities in the past—a somewhat similar nature to the Soul Qi within the Soul Returns to One Realm. Except, these Qi Mechanisms had become far more stable in structure and property after ages of adaptation.

Chen Xiyi had no idea how many of the Qi Mechanisms in this world were artificial and how many were original.

But he could be sure that Yin Qi, Yang Qi, and Human Qi were definitely the original ones. Demons, ghosts, and monsters not only possessed Demonic Energy or Ghost Qi respectively, but also the essential Yin Qi.

Chen Xiyi guessed that these artificial Qi Mechanisms were likely synthesized and modified using Yin Qi plus Human Qi as the base template. What exactly that looked like, Chen Xiyi didn’t know.

The Void Heaven Library didn’t possess these records. Chen Xiyi had deduced the existence of these artificial Qi Mechanisms from vast amounts of data. While there was clear evidence, there wasn’t sufficient concrete data.

“Demons, ghosts, and monsters being artificial creations… that’s a rather terrifying thought,” Chen Xiyi shook his head. He knew that these demons, ghosts, and monsters were all failed experiments, which was why they ended up as Ji Shan’s flavoring agents.

A Qi Refiner’s entire body was a treasure trove, but Chen Xiyi had no means to acquire them. He could only tread his own path, step by painstaking step in his research.

This knowledge was the foundation upon which the Qi Refiners built their survival and power. Without significant benefits, they would absolutely not leak it. Unless one possessed conditions equal to theirs to engage in exchange, then perhaps bits of research data could be indirectly obtained through the exchange.

Of course, if one truly found kindred spirits, joint experimentation was possible, with results shared equally later.

The “results” were mostly knowledge anyway—something that could be simply recorded, unlike indivisible material benefits.

Chen Xiyi didn’t qualify. As a fresh novice who hadn’t even completed his foundational Innate Divine Ability, how could he engage in equal exchange? It was more like seeking answers and solving his confusions.

That might be acceptable initially, but over time, it consumed others’ goodwill and perception of him.

While such actions could yield massive short-term gains for him, they mortgaged his future.

Therefore, Chen Xiyi had always avoided this. Unless absolutely desperate, he would never seek help from the Void Heaven Qi Refiners.

This time seeking Ji Shan’s help was naturally born out of necessity.

Otherwise, collecting all Qi Mechanisms would entail immensely heavy labor for Chen Xiyi.

“System, assist me in embedding Qi Mechanisms for the Innate Gang Qi. Observe the Qi Mechanism structures and form structural diagrams for me.”

After receiving the Qi Mechanisms, Chen Xiyi painstakingly checked them dozens of times, meticulously sorting and verifying each one before finally beginning the upgrade process for his Innate Gang Qi.

With so many Qi Mechanisms in hand, Chen Xiyi even considered synthesizing a unique Qi Mechanism entirely his own.

The sheer thought of the workload alone was headache-inducing. Plus, his current abilities weren’t sufficient to attempt Qi Mechanism synthesis himself.

He was already contemplating that after completing the first phase of the Innate Gang Qi upgrade, he could venture out to harvest some Nourishment Resources—these resources functioned like experience multipliers. While his normal daily progress was standard, with Nourishment Resources, he could achieve double gains daily, effectively doubling his experience each day.

If he went all out, perhaps even triple or quintuple gains weren’t impossible. Though naturally, the faster speeds came at greater demands.

“Having stayed secluded for so long, it’s just right to leave after handling this phase of the Innate Gang Qi. Take a trip to gather Nourishment Resources, and test the Innate Gang Qi while I’m at it.”

“Might as well collect all the items possessing Historical Connotation from the Game Map.”

Chen Xiyi knew he had been holed up too long. While he wouldn’t literally grow moldy, his leveling speed had become unsatisfactory.

Especially as Chen Xiyi peeled back the tip of the iceberg concealing the secrets of the Qi Refiners layer by layer, a strong sense of crisis gripped him.

He had previously believed his observational and interactive abilities regarding Qi Mechanisms far surpassed those of the Qi Refiners. But the facts proved one shouldn’t compare oneself to a group of ancient monsters.

If he wished to grow stronger faster, the enhancements to his thinking, logic, rationality, and other aspects provided by his Primordial Spirit were absolutely vital.

The vast array of hidden techniques, Innate Divine Abilities, and other capacities developed by the Qi Refiners were inseparable enhancements stemming from their own Primordial Spirits.

…

Chen Xiyi crawled out of the Shu King Palace Shelter. The sight of the blue sky and white clouds felt strangely unfamiliar.

“How long has it been since I came out?”

[You have remained within the Shu King Palace Shelter for one hundred and ninety-seven days following your previous outing to seek Ji Shan]

A piece of data floated up, the System answering Chen Xiyi’s question.

It was somewhat of an artificial idiot. It could only answer rigid questions through logical calculations; tasks like deduction or independent research were completely beyond it. After all, it was merely a small auxiliary helper. Moreover, the System’s processing capabilities were utterly inferior to Chen Xiyi’s.

The research results Chen Xiyi produced in a day required the System a year or so to calculate. Therefore, the System could only assist Chen Xiyi with menial tasks: multi-threaded manipulation of shades to serve tea and water, assisting in experiments, providing combat support, and suchlike.

Ever since the System upgraded to version 9.0, Chen Xiyi had essentially pivoted into a full-time back-end researcher.

Combat had devolved into purely “win or lose” scenarios; traditional level distinctions had completely lost meaning.

“Nearly two hundred days… that really isn’t a short time. Let’s see where the closest object marked on the map is located.”

Chen Xiyi quickly found the nearest blue dot on his reference map, the Game Map.

After considerable zooming in and out for comparison, he couldn’t determine the exact distance, but confirmed that this was undoubtedly the closest point marked.

“Seeing the mountains can tire the horse just from looking, let alone from running,” he sighed inwardly.

It might look closest on the Game Map, but the practical reality was vastly different.

The first step was just to traverse the Shu mountain ranges leaving Shu entirely.

Leaving wasn’t too difficult now; Chen Xiyi was no longer the type who would get lost upon entering the mountains as he once might have.

He could simply follow the map straightforwardly, scale the mountains, eventually emerge from Shu territory, completely confident he wouldn’t lose his way.

After walking about three li (about 1.5 kilometers), a rather curious scene unfolded.

Someone was attempting suicide by hanging. A woman.

She had already secured the rope around her neck and only needed to kick the supporting rock beneath her feet to end things.

Thus, Chen Xiyi found himself deep in thought over a particular issue: how exactly was Death Qi generated?

Normally, test subjects dying by his hand had no time to generate Death Qi before being processed. Furthermore, the mutations they often underwent might prevent Death Qi from forming at all.

The woman noticed Chen Xiyi too, feeling suddenly agitated and unnerved.

“Suicide by hanging?” Chen Xiyi scratched his head. Sensing the awkward atmosphere, he decided to inquire aloud.

Asking “Have you eaten?” at this moment felt wholly inappropriate and potentially more awkward. There didn’t seem to be an apt pleasantry for encountering someone about to hang themselves.

The woman remained silent, merely casting a deeply resentful glance at Chen Xiyi. Given her posture—rope around her neck—the implication was self-evident. What else could she be doing besides hanging herself? Swinging playfully?

“Well, do it quickly then. Afterwards, I’ll handle the burial. I come highly recommended as a burial expert,” Chen Xiyi said casually, settling himself comfortably on the ground nearby, as if preparing to watch her final act unfold. He subtly scanned her profile.

[Ji Lan, Well-Bred Lady (大家闺秀), Health Points: 99%, Status: Panicked, Desiring Death]

[Ability 1: Needlework]

[Experience Log]

[May: Felt too ashamed to face parents; came to mountains seeking death.]

[May: Provoked into thoughts of death by malicious gossip.]

[May: Engagement canceled by fiancé’s family; reputation ruined.]

[May: …]

“Pssst—”

Chen Xiyi sharply drew in his breath. He had never encountered a character sheet this pathetic. Even the weakest usually boasted two skills, yet here was one with a single ability recorded.

As for her personal experiences listed… well, he supposed everyone had their own way of coping.

Ji Lan, who had been poised to kick the rock, was startled by Chen Xiyi’s sharp intake of breath. Her moment to leap passed unseized as intended.

“Betrothal canceled plus incompetent skills… that screams Protagonist potential! Utterly bizarre,” Chen Xiyi muttered, genuinely feeling the situation had crossed into the absurd.

Hearing Chen Xiyi’s musing gasp, Ji Lan’s face paled further. She interpreted it as scornful mockery.

Chen Xiyi truly harbored no such intent. He found the combination objectively unusual within his experiential frame.

“Hey,” he called out, “given your circumstances, why not lay down a three-year vow to challenge your ex-fiancé instead? Storming back later to show him the meaning of ‘rivers change courses over decades—don’t mock the poor youth…’ wait, scratch that… ‘don’t mock the young woman just because she’s poor now’?”

Seeing her procrastinate her intended act, Chen Xiyi seized the moment to pose this specific question. Genuinely curious about this alternative path.

“???” Ji Lan concluded she had encountered a certifiable madman, spouting pure irrational drivel.

This pushed her resolve to its breaking point. With fierce determination, she forcefully kicked the stone beneath her. Her body dropped abruptly, the rope immediately tightening around her throat as she swung.

“Ah, about that… mind waiting a bit? Death by hanging really damages the corpse. Messes up the neck bones pretty badly. Suffocation also accelerates decay in the internal organs, compromising vital tissues. Conducting specific post-mortem measurements becomes highly problematic.” Chen Xiyi suddenly remembered this downside regarding specimen preservation. “Could we negotiate an alternative method? I specialize in painless termination… Wait, no? I possess refined techniques ensuring minimal discomfort?” He saw her frantic struggle against the rope through bulging, strained eyes.

“No? Alright, alright,” Chen Xiyi quickly held up placating hands as her furious glare intensified, clearly indicating vehement refusal of his counter-proposal. “Disagreement understood. Calm down… cease glaring with such intensity.”

He reluctantly backed further away, respecting her decision despite the lost research opportunity.

Ji Lan, however, hadn’t struggled purely to refuse Chen Xiyi’s morbid suggestions; she’d done it to escape. The instant she’d comprehended his plans for her corpse, her entire instinct screamed: Don’t die! Even if death seems unavoidable, at least ensure this man never gets his hands on my remains.

Her frantic kicking and wrenching weren’t against Chen Xiyi’s negotiation attempt—they were a desperate effort to free herself from the choking tightening noose! She fought violently for survival, spurred by this horrifying new fear.