Chapter 045

Chapter 045

Bai Xiaoyu's eyes softened. _The little guys must be starving, right?_

Looking at the yin-yang symbol flickering on the egg yolk, he sensed the presence of the consciousness within. The consciousnesses were still connected and had not fully separated. However, they could partially enter the yin side of each yin-yang symbol without affecting the main body.

The Seven-Colored Yin-Yang Grass nourishes and repairs the spirit. Once these consciousnesses gradually repair themselves into complete entities, the connections between them will weaken. Then, he can separate them one by one.

After observing for quite some time and confirming that the eggs were fine, he withdrew his mental energy.

Watching the nutrient solution absorption rate steadily rise in the incubation chamber, Bai Xiaoyu finally felt relieved.

Once the eggs show significant growth, it would be time to test the interns.

Estimating the growth time of the eggs, he began to review the materials he had given to the interns and prepared the exam questions.

On the other side, the students were scratching their heads while studying.

The content was different from the textbooks. Not only were there many herbs not mentioned in the books, but also the optimal temperatures for integrating various herbs, potions, and liquids in the alchemy furnace. There were even more peculiar and seemingly unscientific contents.

They were utterly confused.

Something seemed off about this material, as it lacked expert verification. They even suspected that Bai Xiaoyu was trying to fool them.

"Do you think he'll test us soon?"

"Who knows? That egg with more than three yolks has been a problem for so long. It would be strange if he solved it quickly. Testing might take forever."

The next day, they went down to check on the multi-yolk egg.

Bai Xiaoyu was there too, and they soon saw that the eggs' size had not changed.

It seemed the issue was still unresolved. After all, this was an egg with more than three yolks; it couldn't be solved so quickly.

As they had thought the night before, it wouldn't be easily resolved.

They should have set a deadline with Bai Xiaoyu. Otherwise, who knows how long they'd have to wait.

However, they soon noticed that the absorption rate of the nutrient solution had increased sevenfold since yesterday and was still rising.

They were shocked. Could Bai Xiaoyu have actually solved the problem?

So they watched the egg from morning until evening, only to find that despite the absorption rate increasing, the eggs showed no growth.

It seemed Bai Xiaoyu had used some method to increase the absorption rate, which did nothing for the eggs' development.

Frightened by this, they sought out Bai Xiaoyu again.

Bai Xiaoyu looked at the group surrounding him and raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

Ren Zitao and Zhou Miaomiao stepped forward as representatives to negotiate with Bai Xiaoyu.

"We hope to add a deadline. If the egg doesn't hatch after nearly three months, it's too long. After all, some multi-yolk eggs remain active inside even if they don't hatch on schedule."

He understood their concern.

Bai Xiaoyu looked at the egg and explored it with his mental energy. "No need for a deadline. I solved the internal problem yesterday. It should develop soon and won't keep you waiting long."

No one believed him and wanted to say more, but Bai Xiaoyu sent them away.

Watching their backs, Bai Xiaoyu knew he wasn't lying. The eggs hadn't grown because the seven yolks required a lot of nutrients. They had been starved and needed time to recover. Moreover, newborn eggs needed over a day to reach saturation with the nutrient solution.

Now it was happening faster.

The interns discussed among themselves upon returning, clearly disbelieving Bai Xiaoyu's words.

But they didn't expect Bai Xiaoyu to call them over the next day.

They were momentarily confused.

Bai Xiaoyu usually didn't summon them. Why now?

Bai Xiaoyu started the live stream and looked at the arriving interns. "Everyone here?"

Ren Zitao and Zhou Miaomiao nodded.

"All the pharmacy majors are present."

"All the cultivation majors are present."

Bai Xiaoyu scanned everyone. "Good. Remember our bet? Now let's have the live audience witness it."

The interns were even more puzzled. Witness what?

Thinking back to the unchanged egg they saw yesterday, they felt inexplicably excited. Could Bai Xiaoyu be admitting defeat?

Just as they were gloating, everyone's attention turned to the egg.

Their pupils widened in shock. How had the egg doubled in size overnight?

What happened in just one night? Even with growth hormones, it shouldn't grow this fast!

The live audience was equally stunned, watching the data displayed on the screen showing the absorption rate had increased to 700%, with all other indicators showing healthy development. They checked several times to rule out the possibility of the egg being swapped.

Finally, President Luo stood up, his voice trembling with excitement. "According to the data, the egg is indeed developing normally now."

He knew Bai Xiaoyu always brought surprises. After solving dark matter, he had now tackled another long-standing interstellar problem!

The live audience was even more thrilled.

"Damn, I actually get to witness the day when a multi-yolk egg is cracked?"

"It's really happening! This is an egg with more than three yolks!"

"Awesome, streamer."

This news spread quickly, and Bai Xiaoyu once again topped the interstellar internet trends, sparking another storm across the stars. His name became increasingly familiar throughout the galaxy.

Bai Xiaoyu was unaware of this at the moment. He looked at the interns who were completely stunned. "How about it?"

His voice brought them back to reality. The facts were right in front of them, leaving no room for denial.

Looking at Bai Xiaoyu, their previous image of him as a wastrel from the Imperial Military Academy crumbled, replaced by the current calm and composed Bai Xiaoyu.

Their gaze toward him changed significantly. In the interstellar world, people admired strength, and whoever had the might had the say, regardless of the field.

At least at this moment, they were convinced by Bai Xiaoyu, and they accepted the bet they had made.

Bai Xiaoyu observed the now more subdued interns and pulled out a stack of exam papers. "Since you accept it, let's start the test now."

He handed the papers to Lou Hao. "Take them back to the classroom and have them do the test. I'll join you after finishing the live stream."

The interns didn't expect Bai Xiaoyu to be so decisive, starting the test immediately.

Bai Xiaoyu also instructed Zhang Yi and Lu Qing to go along and take the test with them.

When Bai Xiaoyu arrived after the stream, everyone was still working on the test.

He surveyed the group; the interns seemed quite composed, but Zhang Yi and Lu Qing were sweating and fidgeting nervously.

Bai Xiaoyu understood. The interns from the Imperial Military Academy naturally weren’t afraid of exams, while the two assistants, who had graduated years ago, felt the pressure of competing with them.

An hour later, Bai Xiaoyu collected the papers. Including the two assistants, there were sixty-five in total.

Glancing through the answers, he found most of them correct.

The questions were standard, not just for testing but to assess how well students from different majors could integrate new knowledge.

The results came out quickly. The students from the Imperial Military Academy’s top majors lived up to their reputation, having excelled among hundreds of thousands of planets. A single point could make a difference of several ranks.

They showed strong adaptability to new knowledge, and more importantly, their mental powers were all S+ or above, with only one person at S level. There were even ten or so with dual S levels, and two reaching SS+, almost at the 3S level.

As for the two assistants, Zhang Yi had A+ mental power, and Lu Qing had A level. Their scores were decent, but compared to the interns, they were far behind.

Their study time wasn’t much different, as he had given the two assistants three days to prepare for the test without needing to care for the eggs.

However, they could serve as a reference for many already-employed cultivators in the galaxy.

Bai Xiaoyu stroked his chin, making the others nervous.

Did they perform poorly?

Bai Xiaoyu soon announced the results: everyone passed.

Just as they were celebrating, Bai Xiaoyu distributed more materials, ten times as much as before. "These will be tested in half a month. Additionally, there will be mental training. Follow me."

Mental training?

In the interstellar world, there were specialized mental training devices. As they entered the training room, they saw rows of targets with thin sheets of paper on them.

What was this for?

Seeming to sense their confusion, Bai Xiaoyu explained, "These are mental training targets. Use your mental power to pierce that sheet of paper, and you’ll complete the first stage of mental training."

Most interstellar people had a single, thick, and clumsy mental power tendril.

Whether refining medicine or guiding dark matter within the eggs using a cauldron, such a tendril would be extremely difficult to use.

Thus, training was necessary to transform these tendrils into a more refined form. Practicing on thin paper was a good method.

This quickly sparked skepticism. Ren Zitao glanced at the targets. "Mental power cannot perform physical attacks."

Everyone looked at Bai Xiaoyu, who remained silent and focused on a target. A fine thread of mental power shot out, piercing the paper and weaving back and forth like a needle.

Everyone stared in shock at the target riddled with invisible holes, mouths agape.

Bai Xiaoyu said, "Your mental power forms are too rounded. You need rigorous training."

"This is impossible. What did you use to attack the target?"

Bai Xiaoyu took out a box of colorful potions and drank a light green one.

"This is a mental power dye potion. Watch closely."

Everyone then saw a light green line appear in Bai Xiaoyu’s palm, circle around him, and shoot towards another target, turning it into a sieve under their watchful eyes.

The prodigies were dumbfounded, hardly believing what they saw.

Their mental powers were strong, but they had never seen anyone else’s before. Moreover, their tendrils were much thicker, a hundred times thicker than Bai Xiaoyu’s.

Bai Xiaoyu distributed the box of dyes. "One bottle each. Drink it and focus on practicing. No matter what method you use, if you can pierce the target with your mental power, you’ve completed the task."

Skeptical, they drank the potions, and instantly, tendrils appeared above their heads.

Suddenly, tendrils of various sizes and colors appeared before everyone’s eyes.

They were stunned once again.

Bai Xiaoyu waited until their shock subsided. "In the morning, you'll practice this. In the afternoon, you'll start by identifying herbs. Once you complete the second stage, you can try using the alchemy cauldron to remove impurities from the herbs."

Everyone watched as Bai Xiaoyu retracted his mental power, swallowing nervously.

They remembered that Bai Xiaoyu's mental power was rated F?

Looking at the target riddled with holes, they knew that F-level mental power couldn't produce such power.

Two interns nearly at the 3S level approached one of the targets. Blue and green mental power tendrils shot out from their heads, piercing the target.

The mental power tendrils, thicker than fingers, rushed forward, yet left no trace on the thin paper.

Their mental power was almost at the 3S level, so why didn’t it work?

Everyone couldn’t resist trying, but none succeeded.

Soon, they turned to look at Bai Xiaoyu’s hand where his mental power had appeared. Seeming to know what they wanted to ask, a thin mental power filament emerged from above his head. "Mental power doesn’t just appear in your head. If you can control it freely, it can appear anywhere on your body. Practice hard, and I’ll wait for your good news."

This wait lasted half a month. The interns, practicing day and night, began to doubt themselves. Some could barely touch the target, but still couldn’t penetrate it.

Over these two weeks, the eggs began to improve. The damaged ones were repaired with White Bone Flowers. Among the fifty-odd eggs, twenty blood eggs emerged after repairs.

These blood eggs, equipped with electric motors, grew rapidly, keeping pace with the eggs sent by the legion. The eggs from the region developed normally. Most astonishingly, the gourd eggs, with seven yolks, grew from basketball-sized to basket-sized in just two weeks, becoming giants among the eggs.

Now he was boiling the eggs, using the Cleansing Agent to expel dark matter from inside them.

The observing interns and assistants looked eager to try.

Bai Xiaoyu thought that these guys had recently made some progress and believed that guiding the agent or expelling dark matter within the eggs would be easier than piercing the targets.

Bai Xiaoyu felt they were too young; controlling mental power within the eggs would be even harder.

Without personal experience, they wouldn’t believe him.

So, Bai Xiaoyu decided to let them try early.

Originally, this plan was reserved for after they completed the second stage with mental power.

Bai Xiaoyu turned and glanced at them. "Alright, if you want to try, go ahead. But you’re responsible for the consequences."

Everyone was thrilled at the chance to finally put their skills to the test.

Bai Xiaoyu led them to the newly built alchemy room. Opening the door, rows of alchemy cauldrons greeted them. Each cauldron had a table in front, with various basic herbs prepared and an egg in a transparent box.

The eggs were all the same size, slightly larger than a basketball. They resembled the eggs in the incubation facility, but were actually artificial, specifically designed for practice. Bai Xiaoyu had checked each one with his mental power; there were no life signs inside, making them perfect for beginners.

Everyone exclaimed in surprise and rushed forward.

Selecting their positions, they looked around eagerly.

Bai Xiaoyu: "This is your chance to try. For the first attempt, the requirements are low. You don’t need to remove impurities from the eggs or herbs. Just refine one herb and guide the liquid into the egg. That’s all. Whoever completes this can directly enter the second stage."

Excited, everyone prepared for their first attempt at refining medicine in the cauldron. At this moment, Lou Hao walked in, puzzled by the scene before him. "Didn’t you say this was for the second stage?"

Bai Xiaoyu: "They were eager to try, so I agreed."

Watching the students begin to control the fire in the cauldrons, placing herbs and eggs inside, many, especially those from the Department of Pharmacy, moved with practiced ease, looking quite professional.

Lou Hao: "Their movements are impressive. They seem to have improved a lot over the past two weeks."

Bai Xiaoyu: "Not bad, but not enough yet."

Bai Xiaoyu glanced at the students below, then quickly took out a box containing earplugs and put them in his ears.

After putting his own on, he handed a pair to Lou Hao. "These are noise-canceling earplugs Tao Limeng made. Put them on."

Lou Hao was a bit confused about the sudden need for earplugs, as it wasn’t noisy. But since his boss said to wear them, he did.

As soon as he put them on, a loud explosion rang in his ears, catching only the beginning of the blast. Looking up, he saw the front row of cauldrons explode, forming mushroom clouds above them.

The explosions continued, shaking the entire building and filling the air with the smell of burnt eggs.

Once the smoke cleared, the aftermath became visible.

Some were knocked down by exploding cauldrons, others covered in cracked eggshells and blackened hair, and still others held half-cooked yolks, their clothes torn and tears welling in their eyes.

The alchemy room was filled with debris and smoke, and the ground littered with broken egg whites and yolks.

Bai Xiaoyu coughed lightly, but Lou Hao couldn’t help laughing heartily.

At that moment, Tao Limeng’s call came through on the optical brain. Bai Xiaoyu answered.

Tao Limeng: "What are you doing upstairs? Testing bombs?"

Bai Xiaoyu: "Sort of. Sixty-five eggs, all exploded."

Everyone remained frozen in place, pretending not to hear.

Especially the interns, whose faces burned with embarrassment. Their A+ physical constitutions meant the explosions only caused minor injuries.

They had seen Bai Xiaoyu effortlessly expel dark matter from the eggs, thinking they could do the same after so much practice. Instead, their attempts ended in disaster.

Over the past two weeks, Bai Xiaoyu had thoroughly humbled them, and this explosion shattered whatever pride they had left.