Building a sect from scratch.

Chapter 137 Spiritual Energy Research Institute
"Fellow Daoist Lü!"

Wang Qiqing grabbed Lü Wenyuan's sleeve: "Let's set up a research institute!"

Lu Wenyuan stared blankly, his mouth agape, uttering a single syllable filled with shock and confusion, feeling utterly unable to keep up with Wang Qiqing's train of thought: "Huh?"

Wang Qiqing, however, was so happy that he danced around and muttered to himself:
"A top-tier journal project! Regardless of whether we can reach a definitive conclusion, as long as there are results and experiments, it's at the level of Nature and Science! Hmm... Although it can't be made public, oh dear! Why are there no Nobel Prizes or top science awards here?"

"What's the point of seizing existing theories? If we're going to do something, let's do something challenging! If we can make any progress, we'll be remembered in history! After the spiritual energy revival, I'll be the first founder of the spiritual energy era in those kids' textbooks, hahaha!"

As Wang Qiqing spoke, his expression grew increasingly ferocious: "This project must be completed first! I can become a reviewer for a top journal on Blue Star, there's no reason why we can't complete this small project!"
"If we join forces and recruit a bunch more lab mules, we'll definitely make a name for ourselves! It's just a few mules! It doesn't matter who we recruit! I've recruited plenty of mules on Earth! I refuse to believe there are any more foolish ones than my little rascals!"

"Fellow Daoist Wang,..."

Almost all of Wang Qiqing's words were incomprehensible to Lü Wenyuan. He opened his mouth, hesitated for a long time, and finally asked the word that puzzled him the most: "What does 'malou' mean?"

"Ahem, that's not important! Let me first ask what materials are needed for the application! Fellow Daoist Lü, just wait and see if we'll be remembered in the annals of cultivation history! Hehe!"

As Wang Qiqing spoke to Lü Wenyuan, he quickly clicked on Wang Ergou's profile picture and sent a private message: "Little Wang, what conditions are required to establish a research institute in Chang'an City?"

Although Lü Wenyuan had only been in Chang'an for a few days, thanks to Baili Shuang's previous tours, he knew that the disciples of the Taiyin Sect possessed a magical artifact. This artifact allowed them to communicate and connect with each other, and its comprehensive functions were quite similar to the Tianji Bagua Compass of the Taiyi Tianji Sect.

Seeing Wang Qiqing's lifeless eyes and wildly flailing hands, as if possessed, he realized that Wang Qiqing was using that magical artifact. He couldn't help but secretly roll his eyes, feeling somewhat displeased. Not at Wang Qiqing, but at the Taiyin Sect—a tiny sect with only a thousand or so people, yet they possessed such a magical artifact; anyone who didn't know better would think they were some kind of powerful force!
However, due to Wang Qiqing's strange behavior and erratic words, Lü Wenyuan now had some reservations about him—he even wondered for a moment if the other party was a mentally unstable cultivator whom he had just stumbled upon!
At the same time, in the chat window, Wang Ergou replied to Wang Qiqing almost instantly: "Holy crap! Professor Wang! You want to set up a research institute?! Welcome, welcome! I'll get it done for you right away!"

Wang Qiqing quickly replied, "Yes, just follow the procedure. What conditions are required?"

"Uh, theoretically it requires... wait a minute, I'm looking for it!"

Not long after, Wang Ergou sent a long message: "Proof of residence of 50 square meters or proof of right to use for more than one year, two or more full-time researchers, and a minimum registered capital of 300 spirit stones..."

"By the way, Professor Wang, this full-time researcher must be a senior disciple of a sect or a cultivator of the same or higher level, or someone with multiple registered profitable patents!"
"Then the registration location is the Chang'an City Administration for Industry and Commerce, which is the tallest and largest building in the city center!"

"But Professor Wang, someone of your caliber setting up a research institute here is a huge honor for me. Why don't you choose a vacant lot first, and I'll prepare the necessary documents and applications for you at the same time?"

"Thank you, Little Wang! But no need, I'll just collect some spirit stones and buy a venue!"

"Alright then, if there's anything you need me for, just let me know!"

"Definitely, definitely!" After politely declining Wang Ergou's offer, Wang Qiqing glanced at the application requirements Wang Ergou had sent and, feeling that it wasn't too difficult, turned to Lü Wenyuan, who was standing to the side debating whether to make an excuse to leave, and asked without any hesitation, "Fellow Daoist Lü, how many spirit stones do you have?"

Although Lu Wenyuan didn't understand, he still answered with a sense of superiority: "I didn't plan to stay long this time, so I brought less than two thousand with me."

In fact, this was almost all of his possessions, all stored in the Qiankun bag he carried with him.

"Enough is enough!"

Wang Qiqing stood up, shoved the book onto the bookshelf, and while tidying up the draft paper and the table and chair, said without any politeness, "Lend me 300. Let's apply to establish a research institute. We need to finish this project as soon as possible. Everyone else has eaten all the meat, and we can't even get a bone... Hey, Fellow Daoist Lü, you should be considered a senior disciple in your sect, right?"

At this point, his expression changed again, and he muttered, "Damn it, I'm not a senior disciple, where am I going to get these two full-time researchers? If all else fails, should I have Xiao Song put his name on it? That kid shouldn't do anything so treacherous as to betray his master!"

Lu Wenyuan was already taken aback by Wang Qiqing's outrageous demand: "300!?"

Putting aside everything else, even in the Taiyi Ziwei Sect, a disciple like Lü Wenyuan, who has reached the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment and is just one step away from the Golden Core stage, only earns a dozen or so spirit stones a month. Even if you include all the miscellaneous benefits and subsidies, he would only earn twenty or thirty at most. 300 spirit stones is more than a year's worth of monthly salary!
Lu Wenyuan frowned.

It seems like he and this fellow Daoist Wang in front of him have only just met, right?
Are you Taiyin Sect disciples so informal?

"Just borrow it for a bit, I'll return it to you when I get it back. Oh, and of course, you can have shares if you want!"

Wang Qiqing spoke casually, as if accumulating 300 spirit stones was as easy as drinking water for him.

After a moment of difficult deliberation between his pride and his wallet, Lü Wenyuan carefully chose his words before asking, "Fellow Daoist Wang, how do we recoup the costs of establishing this research institute?"

Wang Qiqing's tone became even more confident: "Simple! Once you understand the nature of spiritual energy, you've mastered its code! Artificially synthesizing spiritual energy, artificially catalyzing spiritual transformation reactions, even planting and replenishing spiritual roots for those with damaged ones—it's all possible! Tell me, what's the difference between this market and picking up money on the street!"

"Fellow Daoist Wang, are you suffering from hysteria?"

Wang Qiqing explained, "Ahem, I know this might be hard to understand for now, but how should I put it, this research project... well, even if this project doesn't work out, I have a bunch of backup plans, like photocopiers and stuff. I can get funding for any of them. If all else fails, I'll put a few simple ones up in the patent database these next few days and get some investment. I've even thought of a name for the research institute: the Spiritual Energy Research Institute. If we're going to do this, we'll do it big! Trust me! We can't possibly lose money!"

……

Let me offer an excuse for the slow updates lately... Researching is just too painful and time-consuming!!!
We're already trying to speed things up!
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(End of this chapter)