Ink-Clad Creator

Three days later, the entrance to the Thousand Machines Secret Realm.

When the last batch of candidates staggered out of the light screen, hundreds of people had already gathered outside. Besides the waiting instructors and staff, there were mostly candidates who had passed the trial, as well as... older students who had come to watch the spectacle.

Li Xian's team was one of the first to emerge. They even had time to gather enough Mist-Concealing Flowers in the secret realm and, along the way, help several teams stuck in the swamp—of course, under the guise of "just passing by."

At this moment, the three stood in the crowd. Jin Xuan remained with his sword clasped and eyes closed, while Shui Liuli excitedly organized the thick jade slips containing records, muttering to herself, "Data on the energy purification of the anaconda guardians, the toxin concentration gradient table of the poison dart frogs, the stress response map of the flashing bird flock... The data from this trial is enough for me to write three papers!"

Li Xian's gaze swept across the crowd. Xiao Lingshan, Binglan, Peng Shitao's team had also emerged safely, looking somewhat tired but all wearing smiles. The Shi brothers, Shi Lei and Shi Yan, were excitedly boasting to those around them about their experience of "outsmarting the armored crocodile" in the swamp—in reality, the crocodile had been scared away by the commotion of the anaconda guards.

"quiet!"

On the high platform, Instructor Zhao Tieshan struck a gong. Standing beside him were several middle-aged men with deep-seated auras, dressed in uniforms of various colors, clearly the persons in charge of selecting new students from their respective colleges.

"The Secret Realm Trial has officially ended! Results and ratings are now being announced!"

A huge jade slab lit up on the stage and began to scroll through rankings and scores.

The top thirty names were all familiar: Jin Xuan, Shui Liuli, Xiao Lingshan, Peng Shitao... Li Xian's name was ranked seventh, neither high nor low, just right.

However, the overall rating section caused a stir.

"Jin Xuan: Super Armor Up!"

"Water Glass: Super Armor Up!"

"Li Mo: Super A, move in!"

Xiao Lingshan: Grade A!

Peng Shitao: Grade A!

……

"Three Super A-grade warriors?!" The audience erupted in uproar.

"There are just too many monsters this year!"

"Who is this Li Mo? I've never heard of him!"

"It seems like she's in the same team as Jin Xuan and Shui Liuli..."

On the high platform, the eyes of several branch heads lit up. Especially after seeing the note following the "Superior Grade A" rating:

Jin Xuan: He ranks first in all three categories: combat ability, sword energy purity, and combat awareness.

Water glass: It ranked first in all three categories: theoretical application, environmental utilization, and data analysis capabilities.

Li Mo: He ranked first in all three categories: energy control precision, teamwork, and crisis management.

Three "firsts in three categories"!

Zhao Tieshan cleared his throat: "Now, let's begin the selection ceremony! Those whose names are called, please step forward and choose your preferred school!"

The ceremony was conducted according to ranking.

"Golden Profound!"

The young man in white stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the heads of each branch.

The head of Jinfeng Academy was an elderly man with white hair and beard, but a back as straight as a sword. He spoke directly: "Jin Xuan, come to Jinfeng Academy. Here you will find the most complete collection of sword manuals on the continent, the sacred ground for cultivating Gengjin sword qi called 'Sword Tomb,' and three sword masters at the Divine Origin Realm who will personally provide guidance."

He paused, then added, "Your father and I have some connection."

Jin Xuan remained silent for a moment, then embraced his sword and said, "This disciple wishes to join the Golden Peak Academy."

The old man smiled and said, "Okay!"

"Water Crystal!"

The girl in the blue dress skipped forward, and before the other departments could speak, she raised her hand first: "I want to go to the Xuan Shui Department! But..." She looked at the head of the Xuan Shui Department—a gentle-looking but wise-eyed middle-aged female instructor—"I want an independent laboratory, where I can enter the 'Frozen Pool Secret Realm' at any time to conduct freezing experiments, and I also need access to all the academy's hydrological and meteorological data!"

The female instructor from Xuan Shui Academy smiled: "Either is fine. In addition, our academy recently imported a 'live jellyfish colony' from the East Sea, which is used to study the energy transfer of soft-bodied organisms. You should be interested in that."

Shui Liuli's eyes lit up: "I'll go! I'll go!"

"Li Mo!"

Li stepped forward.

In an instant, he felt at least seven or eight gazes fixed on him. Besides the heads of the various academies, several more discreet figures sat on the side of the platform—likely high-ranking members of the academy.

Zhao Tieshan looked at him with a complicated expression: "Li Mo, there is a special note in your rating notes: 'Special energy characteristics, recommended for joint training by multiple academies.' So theoretically, you can choose any academy, or even... study in multiple academies."

The audience erupted in another uproar. Multiple departments combined? This was an extremely rare exception since the establishment of Wanxiang Academy!

The elder from Jinfeng Academy spoke first: "Young man, your energy control is extremely precise. If you were to cultivate swordsmanship as a secondary skill, your achievements would not be lower than those of Jin Xuan."

The female instructor at Gensui-in also said, "The water-based energy purification techniques you displayed in the secret realm are unique. Gensui-in welcomes you."

Next, the heads of the Aoki Institute, Riho Institute, Houtu Institute, Jiko Institute, Xinglin Institute, and so on, all extended olive branches, offering increasingly generous terms.

Li Xian listened quietly, and only spoke after everyone had finished: "Thank you all for your kind words. I choose... the School of Physics."

The entire room fell silent.

Gewu Academy?

The Gewu Institute, which consistently ranks at the bottom, has the fewest students, the tightest budget, and is jokingly called the "madhouse."

Even Zhao Tieshan was stunned: "Li Mo, are you sure? The Gewu Academy mainly focuses on the 'Theory of the Origin of Energy,' the courses are profound and obscure, and... there aren't many opportunities for practical application."

Li nodded first: "Confirmed."

He looked to the side of the platform, where a figure wearing a loose-fitting teaching uniform and with messy hair was leaning against a pillar and yawning—Lu Qingzhou.

Lu Qingzhou seemed to sense his gaze, lazily raised her eyes, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

Li Xian understood immediately. This "drunken instructor" was probably the real person in charge of the Academy of Natural Sciences.

"Alright!" Zhao Tieshan stopped trying to dissuade him. "Li Mo, enter the Academy of Physics!"

The ceremony continued.

Xiao Lingshan chose Qingmu Academy—the place most suitable for her wood-type spiritual medium nature.

Peng Shitao went to Xinglin Academy, Binglan and Bingwei chose Xuanfa Academy (specializing in ice-based techniques), and the three Shi brothers entered Houtu Academy.

Interestingly, Shi Lei and Shi Yan, as "assistants," also obtained formal admission qualifications. Although their rating was only C, Hou Tu Academy valued their practical skills in "Hou Tu Zai Wu Jue" and made an exception to admit them.

After all the new students had been assigned to their respective colleges, Zhao Tieshan announced, "Classes officially begin tomorrow! Now, each college's representative will lead the new students to their respective college campuses to assign dormitories, collect college uniforms, and basic supplies! Dismissed!"

The crowd began to disperse.

The Gewu Academy is located at the deepest part of the academy, in a three-story wooden building that looks... rather dilapidated.

The paint on the exterior walls of the wooden building has mostly peeled off, and several windows are broken and covered with paper. The three characters "Gewuyuan" (格物院, meaning "Academy of Gewu") on the lintel are vigorous and powerful, but the plaque itself is crooked.

The small courtyard in front of the building was overgrown with weeds, and in the corner were piles of all sorts of oddly shaped scrap metal and broken crystals. Several students dressed in greasy overalls and with their faces covered in grime were tinkering with a machine that was emitting black smoke.

Seeing Li Xian approach, one of the round-faced boys looked up, grinned, and revealed a set of white teeth: "New here? Welcome to the Department of Physics! I'm Zhou Tong, a second-year student, nicknamed Zhou the Skinflint."

Li Xian: "..." It really was him.

Zhou Bapi enthusiastically put his arm around Li Xian's shoulder: "Brother, you have good taste! Choosing our Institute of Physics was the right decision! Don't let our dilapidated appearance fool you, it's so free! You can research whatever you want, there aren't so many rules! And..." He lowered his voice, "Although Instructor Lu seems unreliable, he's one of the few people in the academy who can understand the 'Inscription of the Wise Man'!"

"The inscription on the monument of the wise man?" Li Xian's heart stirred.

"Yes, those big rocks on the back hill have inscriptions that look like celestial script. They're said to have been left by a sage three hundred years ago." Zhou Bapi pointed to the wooden building. "There are rubbings inside, but nobody can understand them. Come on, let me show you around!"

He led Li Xian into the wooden building.

The first floor is a huge open space filled with various workbenches, laboratory equipment, and bookshelves. Most of the equipment is old, some still running and emitting strange buzzing sounds. The bookshelves are piled high with scrolls, many covered in a thick layer of dust.

"This is the public laboratory and library, open 24 hours a day!" Zhou Bapi introduced. "The second floor has the professors' offices and student dormitories—our department has few people, so each person has a single room! The third floor is a restricted area, Professor Lu's private laboratory; you are not allowed to go up there without his permission."

He pushed open a creaking door: "Here you are, your room. It's a bit simple, but it has everything you need."

The room was indeed simple: a wooden bed, a desk, and a wardrobe—that was all. But the window faced south, so it got good natural light, and you could see the distant mountains outside.

"The department uniform is in the closet, along with the basic supplies kit," Zhou Bapi said. "By the way, our department's course schedule is very flexible. There are only three required courses: 'Theory of the Origin of Energy,' 'Analysis of Matter Structure,' and 'Interpretation of the Wise Man's Inscription.' You can arrange the rest of your time as you like. You can take courses from other departments or do your own research projects—as long as you can submit the results at the end of the semester."

This level of freedom... is ridiculously high.

Zhou Bapi blinked: "Of course, the prerequisite is that you have 'research results.' The Institute of Physics has pitifully little funding each year, so if you want to apply for more resources, you have to rely on your achievements. But don't worry, it's our institute's tradition—senior students mentor junior students! I'll call you if there are any projects in the future!"

He patted Li Xian on the shoulder, humming a little tune as he walked away.

Li closed the door and looked around the small room.

From today onwards, this will be his "starting point" in this world.

He opened the supply package, inside which was a light gray uniform of the Academy of Physics, several basic textbooks, a jade pendant representing his student status, and... an exquisite wooden box.

Inside the wooden box lay a black jade slip—the very one he had brought out from the secret realm altar.

There was a line of small print on the bottom of the box: "Kid, handle this yourself. Don't make a scene in the yard. —Lu Qingzhou"

Li smiled first.

This Instructor Lu really does know everything.

The next morning, on the first floor of the Gewu Institute.

There were fewer than twenty students scattered around – that was all the students in the Gewu Academy, ranging from first-year to fourth-year students.

On the platform, Lu Qingzhou remained as drunk as ever, still holding a gourd of wine in his hand. But when he spoke, his voice was clear and strong:

"Today we'll be discussing the first chapter of the 'Energy Origin Theory': The Five Elements are not five different things."

Below the stage, several freshmen exchanged bewildered glances. The Five Elements aren't five things? Then what are they?

Lu Qingzhou took a swig of wine and drew five dots on the blackboard, labeling them with the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.

"The traditional saying is: gold is metal, wood is plant, water is liquid, fire is flame, and earth is the earth." He paused, then added, "Bullshit."

Students: "..."

"Gold is not a metal, but a macroscopic manifestation of 'high-frequency sharp oscillation frequency'." Lu Qingzhou wrote "high-frequency sharp" next to the character "gold". "Wood is not a plant, but a 'mid-frequency vitality oscillation frequency'. Water is a 'low-frequency smooth oscillation frequency', fire is a 'high-frequency intense oscillation frequency', and earth is a 'mid-low frequency heavy oscillation frequency'."

He looked at the audience and said, "Did you understand? The Five Elements are not a classification of matter, but a classification of energy vibration frequencies. Matter is just a carrier; energy is the essence."

A fourth-year student raised his hand: "Instructor, why do metal-type cultivators mostly use swords? And why do wood-type cultivators mostly use vines?"

"Good question." Lu Qingzhou smiled. "Because 'high-frequency sharp vibration' is best suited for conduction with sharp metals, while 'mid-frequency vitality vibration' is most likely to resonate with plants. This is the best match between energy and matter, but not a necessary match."

He paused, then looked at Li Xian: "Newcomer, I heard you used earth-based energy to purify the abnormal energy within the anaconda guardian in the secret realm? Explain the principle behind it."

All eyes were on them.

Li Xian stood up and organized his thoughts: "The anaconda guardian was forcibly catalyzed by external forces, causing its internal energy frequency to become disordered. I used the 'Earth Vein Frequency Modulation' technique from the 'Hou Tu Zai Wu Jue' (Earth Carrying Things Technique). It wasn't an attack, but rather using the 'heavy and stable' characteristics of my own energy as a 'reference frequency source' to guide the disordered energy back to order."

Lu Qingzhou's eyes lit up: "A reference frequency source... an interesting analogy. Sit down."

He turned to the blackboard and began writing formulas.

It wasn't text, but a series of complex mathematical symbols.

"This is the mathematical expression of 'energy frequency'," Lu Qingzhou said as he wrote. "The waveform function for the metal element's frequency is this, and for the wood element it's this... Want to change energy properties? Simple, just change the frequency parameters."

A freshman asked timidly, "Teacher, I don't understand these symbols."

Lu Qingzhou waved his hand: "It's normal if you don't understand, this is fourth-grade material. But today I'm telling you—the Institute of Physics doesn't teach by grade level, so understand as much as you can. If you have questions, look them up, do experiments, or..." He looked at Li Xian, "ask this new student, he seems to understand it quite well."

Li Xian: "..."

He did understand. These formulas were essentially variations of the Fourier transform and the wave equation, at a second-year physics level at an Earth University.

But in this world, to be able to summarize this theory into a mathematical formula... this Instructor Lu is no ordinary person.

The course proceeded in a peculiar atmosphere. Most students were completely lost, with only a few senior students and Li Xianneng able to keep up.

When class ended, Lu Qingzhou called Li Xian aside.

"Kid, where did you learn all this?" he asked bluntly.

Li was prepared: "I used some family notes, plus my own figuring it out."

"A family tradition?" Lu Qingzhou stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed. "Alright, you pass. But you don't need to attend my classes anymore—you already know all of this. Go do your own research."

He handed me a key: "The first lab on the left on the third floor is yours. There's some old equipment inside; use it if it works, and dismantle and reassemble it if it doesn't. Write down any materials you need and I'll approve them as much as possible."

Li Xian took the key, somewhat surprised: "Instructor, this..."

"Stop talking nonsense." Lu Qingzhou waved his hand. "I can see you have something in your head. The Academy of Physics needs people who can produce real things, not people who just coast along. Go, and don't disappoint me."

After saying that, he picked up his wine gourd and swayed away.

Holding the key, Li Xian felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

This seemingly eccentric instructor is actually more clear-headed than anyone else.

That afternoon, Li Xian went to the laboratory on the third floor.

The laboratory was larger than I had imagined, a full fifty square meters. Rows of shelves lined the walls, piled high with various instruments, materials, and semi-finished products. By the window was a large workbench, its surface pockmarked and uneven, clearly the result of countless "experimental accidents."

What surprised Li the most was that there was a small energy reactor in the corner of the laboratory. Although it was an old model, it was still working.

"Nice place." Superman's voice came from the doorway.

Five drones filed in. They weren't playing dumb today; instead, they began scanning the environment very seriously.

"The energy environment is stable, suitable for precision experiments," Superman reported. "Seventeen rare metal samples, thirty-four energy crystals, and... um? What's this?"

It flew to the top of a shelf, used its robotic arm to brush away the dust, and removed a sealed glass jar.

Inside the jar, submerged in a pale green liquid, were several... peculiar biological tissues. They looked like leaves of some kind of plant, but the veins were silvery-white and faintly glowing.

Mr. Li took the jar and examined it carefully.

"These are leaves of the 'Star-Patterned Grass'," a voice came from the doorway. It was Zhou Bapi, who peeked inside. "Instructor Lu brought them back from the Western Pole ten years ago. It's said to only grow near meteorite impact sites and can absorb stellar energy. He's always wanted to figure out its energy transmission mechanism, but he hasn't succeeded."

Li Xian's eyes lit up. A plant that can absorb stellar energy? This might be helpful for the puppet experiment.

"Senior Zhou, may I take a sample?"

"Of course! It's just gathering dust here anyway," Zhou Bapi said generously, then rubbed his hands together. "But... Junior Li, could you explain your modification plan for that energy detector in more detail? I modified it according to your suggestions, but the readings in the left half are still unstable..."

Li Xian smiled and said, "Okay, I'll take a look for you."

For the next two hours, Li Xian helped Zhou Bapi adjust the instruments while familiarizing himself with the lab's equipment. He also connected the drones to the lab's energy network, creating a small database.

Peng Shitao arrived in the evening.

She carried a medicine box on her back and a food box in her hand: "Brother Li, I brought you dinner. My sister said that although the food in the academy's dining hall is good, it lacks medicinal cuisine, so she asked me to prepare some for you."

The food box was opened to reveal several exquisite medicinal dishes: Poria cocos chicken soup, Angelica sinensis stewed pork ribs, and a pot of warm ginseng tea.

Li felt a warmth in his heart: "Thank you."

Peng Shitao blushed slightly and began to wander around the laboratory: "This place is really nice, much bigger than our Xinglin Institute's laboratory. Hey, what's this?" She pointed to several unfinished mechanisms on the worktable.

That was an "energy buffer" that Mr. Li had tried to make that afternoon using powdered leaves of the Breath of Gold and Star-Patterned Grass, which he wanted to use to stabilize the energy flow during the small puppet experiment.

"Some small experiments," Li explained simply.

Peng Shih-tao, however, was very interested: "Can I take a look? I've been researching the topic of 'the combination of vital energy and matter' recently, and the structural design of your energy buffer seems to reduce energy loss..."

The two began to discuss. Peng Shitao's perspective on wood-based medicine provided Li Xian with many new ideas.

As they were talking, the laboratory door was pushed open again.

Xiao Lingshan, Binglan, and Bingwei all arrived. Xiao Lingshan was also holding the little pine tree in her arms.

"Let's take a look at your new place." Xiao Lingshan smiled. "The dorms at Qingmu Academy are nice, but they're too quiet. It's much more lively here."

It was certainly lively. Da Ya and Er Ya were chasing and playing in the air, Superman was directing Batman and the Dark Knight to organize the bookshelves, and Zhou Bapi was adjusting equipment in the corner, humming a song out of tune.

Binglan's eyes lit up when she saw the training dummy in the lab (yes, Lu Qingzhou even had these), and she began to move her hands and feet. Bingwei, on the other hand, became interested in the various poison samples on the shelf.

Looking at this scene, Li Xian suddenly felt that this kind of campus life... wasn't so bad.

"Oh, right," Xiao Lingshan remembered something, "Jin Xuan and Shui Liuli said they're coming over tonight too. Jin Xuan wants to see your energy control skills, and Shui Liuli wants to borrow Superman's sensor data."

Li nodded first: "Welcome."

He walked to the window and looked into the distance.

As the sun sets, its golden rays bathe the layered roof tiles of the academy. In the distance, the melodious tolling of a bell signals the end of get out of class.

Down in the courtyard, several students from the School of Physics were debating the derivation of a formula. Their voices were loud, but full of energy.

Conspiracies, pursuits, life-or-death battles... all of those seem to be a distant past.

At least for this moment, he could temporarily put everything aside and focus on what he wanted to do most—to study the mysteries of this world, advance his creation experiments, and spend a peaceful and fulfilling campus life with these interesting companions.

Of course, he knew that the undercurrents never truly disappeared.

But at least now, he can catch his breath.

"Brother Li, dinner's ready," Peng Shitao gently reminded him.

Li Xian turned around, looked at the room full of his colleagues and drones, and smiled.

"Okay, let's eat."