After quite a while, Ruan Mei slowly woke from her spring slumber. Her soft, alluring lips parted slightly as she raised a slender finger and gently patted her cheek, as if to wake herself up.
Come, let me see whether Ji Yuan has grasped it by now.
Thinking this, she raised her gaze toward Ji Yuan.
She saw Ji Yuan leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed, his legs limp and spread apart, his arms hanging weakly at his sides.
If an ordinary person saw Ji Yuan like this, they would surely think he had fallen asleep instead of studying. But when Ruan Mei saw him in this state, she merely nodded slightly.
The scientists of the Genius Society were all madmen. Their methods of thought came in every strange variety; streaking and self-mutilation were commonplace. Compared to them, Ji Yuan's dormant style of thinking was practically ordinary.
"So this is his way of thinking? A sleeping life scientist?"
Ruan Mei thought to herself.
At that moment, a message came through on her communications device. Ruan Mei reached out and opened it, and a virtual screen appeared before her, displaying the image of a petite little girl.
Brown hair, purple eyes, a Western-style dress, and a beret on her head. But upon closer inspection, the joints throughout her body bore the telltale connections of a puppet.
This was merely a puppet body.
The one controlling this puppet was Herta, the eighty-third member of the Genius Society.
Old Relic Zero-One, Lingjiu Lingqing
An old monster whose true age was unknown, having lived through who knew how many Aeon Epochs.
"Ruan Mei, how much longer until you reach my space station?"
Upon seeing Ruan Mei, Herta asked bluntly.
As scientific geniuses, they omitted all formalities when speaking to each other and went straight to the point.
"My ship had a minor accident. I'm currently hitching a ride and will need a few more days to arrive."
"Mm. Your mechanical ships are always getting into accidents. Next time, you should use your biotechnology to create a biological vessel."
"I will next time."
Ruan Mei replied softly.
At that moment, Herta noticed Ji Yuan lying in the chair and looked at Ruan Mei with an inquisitive gaze.
"Why do you have someone aboard your ship? Is he a new test subject you plan to experiment on?"
"No, he isn't a test subject."
Ruan Mei walked behind Ji Yuan, bent down, and gently cradled his face as she answered Herta.
"Oh? Did you find yourself an assistant? Is there something special about him?"
Herta became somewhat interested.
"No, he isn't an assistant." Ruan Mei shook her head again, then spoke amid Herta's surprised expression.
"If he can pass my test, he will become my helper."
"A helper!?"
Ruan Mei nodded again. "Yes, someone who can help with my experiments. He might even become a member of the Genius Society in the future."
"Is his talent really that exceptional?"
"Yes." Ruan Mei asked Herta, "You know my introductory textbook, don't you? How long would someone with no foundation need to master it?"
Herta thought for a moment before answering Ruan Mei. "Your textbook may be introductory-level, but it is exceptionally profound even across the entire universe. An ordinary person could spend their entire life on it and still fail to master it. As for those mediocrities in the Erudition Society, if you personally taught them, they could probably learn it in around thirty days. If it were me, I would need three to five days just to read through it, since that is not my field of expertise."
Pointing at Ji Yuan, Herta asked, "How long did he take?"
Ruan Mei held up one finger. "Less than one night. In less than a single night, he mastered my introductory knowledge, cultivated a qualified new lifeform, and even corrected flaws in my previous teaching materials."
Herta carefully examined Ji Yuan, then gave a serious assessment.
"Then he truly is someone with potential."
"Mm. That is why I gave him my experimental material reports and the like. I wanted to see whether what happened last night was merely a flash of inspiration or whether he truly possessed talent."
"Whether he can stand alongside us, or whether he is one of those mediocre fools from the Erudition Society, will depend on the answer he gives after waking up."
Ruan Mei looked scrutinizingly at Ji Yuan in her embrace, wanting to see what conclusion he would reach upon waking.
"Fine. I'll watch too."
Curious as well, Herta did not end the call.
Ruan Mei: I'm Taking Ji Yuan Away
"The time is up. A hundred hours was not enough for me to teach you much."
Simulated Ruan Mei checked the time and spoke to Ji Yuan with regret in her voice.
This teaching session had been too short, and Ji Yuan's talent was far inferior to hers. Simulated Ruan Mei felt that time had run out before she could say much. She could only hope they would have another chance to meet, so she could explain the remaining matters then.
"Um, I'm really sorry."
Although Ji Yuan already felt that he had improved greatly, he clearly had not reached the level that would satisfy Simulated Ruan Mei. Seeing her expression and recalling the six hundred hours of instruction before this, he felt deeply ashamed.
Simulated Ruan Mei said nothing and merely told Ji Yuan to leave quickly.
Ji Yuan bade Simulated Ruan Mei farewell, then withdrew from the virtual space.
As his consciousness gradually returned to his body, Ji Yuan felt someone holding his head. A faint scent of osmanthus drifted into his nose, sweet and pleasant.
He hurriedly opened his eyes and discovered that Ruan Mei was holding his head in her arms.
Across from him and Ruan Mei stood the image of a brown-haired little girl puppet.
What was going on? Ji Yuan was rather confused.
Before Ji Yuan could figure it out, Herta spoke first. "I'm Herta. You may know my name. Ruan Mei says you have considerable talent, and I would like to see what you are capable of."
Herta!?
Ji Yuan immediately recalled the little girl's identity. He had not forgotten that he had told Tingyun to flee toward Herta Space Station. Now, the image of Herta Space Station's owner had appeared before him. He could not help but be surprised.
Still, she and Ruan Mei were both members of the Genius Society, so there was a strong chance they knew each other. It was normal for him to encounter her here.
"Ji Yuan, has your thinking process ended? Can you give me the answer I want?"
Ruan Mei held Ji Yuan even more gently and murmured sweetly by his ear.
Ji Yuan did not know why, but the defensive equipment on his body had not reacted at all before Ruan Mei. Was this the difference in their strength? Even if she was not as strong as Phantylia, she was probably not far off.
"Y-Yes. After reading through Lady Ruan Mei's achievements, I gained a small insight."
Ji Yuan hurriedly broke free from Ruan Mei's embrace and answered her. He truly was not used to having his head held like that. His intense vigilance toward danger made him worry that, if he did not answer properly, Ruan Mei might simply remove his head.
Ruan Mei clasped her hands together before her lower abdomen and looked at Ji Yuan, awaiting his answer.
The Herta puppet crossed her arms and said to Ji Yuan, "You are too mild-tempered. You really do not seem like someone who can discuss research with us. I hope your conclusion is not like that of those mediocre fools in the Erudition Society."
Actually, I'm not even as good as those 'mediocrities' from the Erudition Society.
Ji Yuan thought this, but his hands did not slow. He considered the formula for Ruan Mei from one hundred years later that he had received as a reward, then picked up paper and pen and began writing.
The class just now had been far too short, and Ji Yuan had not had time to learn much more. He had yet to fully digest everything, so he could only choose the safest option.
A formula belonging to Ruan Mei one hundred years in the future.
Imaginary Residual Leaf, Core of Ice, Plume of Fire...
Ji Yuan wrote quickly and finished the formula.
Herta was not particularly familiar with life sciences and did not understand formulas at all. She merely turned to look at Ruan Mei, hoping to gauge her reaction.
Ruan Mei did not respond to Herta's gaze. Her eyes remained fixed tightly on the formula Ji Yuan had written.
After Ji Yuan finished writing the formula, he looked toward Ruan Mei, waiting for her response.
After reading Ji Yuan's formula, Ruan Mei closed her eyes, furrowed her brows slightly, and began to think.
When Herta saw Ruan Mei's expression, surprise actually appeared on the puppet's face. She turned to Ji Yuan and said in an extremely serious tone, "In all the years I have known her, I have never seen anything make her fall into such deep thought. It seems I am beginning to agree with Ruan Mei."
"You truly are a genius!"
"I wouldn't dare accept that."
Ji Yuan hurriedly waved his hands.
He was not used to being called a genius, especially when he knew full well that he had nothing to do with true genius.
"If only your temperament were as great as your abilities." Herta was quite dissatisfied with the temperament Ji Yuan was displaying. Looking at Ruan Mei, she said, "If I were in your situation, I would kick Ruan Mei hard in the ass and demand to know whether I had talent or not."
"You do. Very much so."
Ruan Mei opened her eyes and answered at that moment.
She looked at Ji Yuan, then immediately gathered experimental materials. Before long, every material Ji Yuan had written down appeared in her hands. Ruan Mei picked them up and began creating something.
Her expression was intensely focused. Ji Yuan felt that even if he kicked her in the ass right then, Ruan Mei probably would not react.
Suppressing that desire, Ji Yuan watched Ruan Mei's movements.
At first, Ruan Mei added the ingredients calmly, steadily, and slowly. But her speed gradually increased. Ji Yuan could even see afterimages in her movements, making her actions impossible to follow.
At last, a burst of white smoke exploded, swallowing Ruan Mei's figure within it.
After a while, a transparent sphere appeared in her hand. If not for its faint tremors, Ji Yuan would have thought it was a water-filled balloon.
"This is the new organism you came up with. The proportions in your formula perfectly solve a problem I have never been able to fully research: the continuation and growth potential of life. Previously, I could only grant organisms certain traits before cultivation. Even if they developed independently, they could only develop along prescribed paths, with little room for change."
As she spoke, Ruan Mei poked the new lifeform. "But this new organism you created can perfectly absorb the traits of everything it is given, then fuse and expand those capabilities."
She then picked up a flame and threw it into the new lifeform's body. The lifeform swallowed the flame, then immediately began rolling about. It left Ruan Mei's palm and rolled across the ground several times. After rolling several times, a tube emerged from the top of its head, spouting fire from within.
Herta raised an eyebrow slightly at the sight.
"Its growth potential gives my experiment, which has made no progress for so long, a chance to advance another step." Ruan Mei grabbed Ji Yuan's hand and had no intention of letting go.
An experiment that had made no progress?
Hearing Ruan Mei's words, Ji Yuan immediately thought of one of her major achievements a century later.
Creating an Emanator in place of an Aeon.
Herta had the same thought as Ji Yuan at that moment. She asked Ruan Mei, "Has your plan to cultivate an Emanator made progress because of the new lifeform he conceived?"
"Yes." Ruan Mei nodded directly.
"All my previous experiments failed. Those new lifeforms were unable to withstand an Emanator's power and died violently. But this new lifeform has given me a new approach to cultivating life's endurance. I can continue researching down this path and push the experiment forward by a great deal."
Her tone remained calm, but she spoke faster and faster. At the same time, Ji Yuan could clearly feel her grip on his hand tightening. His hand was beginning to hurt.
He could clearly sense the fanaticism beneath her calmness and the madness beneath her composure.
Every formula he had presented came from after Ruan Mei had successfully cultivated an Emanator, and every part contained the experience of her success. Now that the current Ruan Mei had seen the formula from after her success, the parts she had not understood became clear in an instant.
"Can I learn from you now?"
Ji Yuan asked Ruan Mei again.
"Of course."
Ruan Mei released Ji Yuan's hand and gently stroked him, as though touching a delicate piece of porcelain.
"Ji Yuan, I will teach you all the knowledge I possess. From now on, you will be my only student. I hope that one day, you can earn an opportunity to meet the Erudition Aeon and become a true member of our Genius Society."
She nodded seriously, fully acknowledging Ji Yuan's identity as her student this time.
"Mm. You are the first life sciences expert who has ever been able to benefit Ruan Mei as well."
Hearing Ruan Mei and Herta say this, Ji Yuan was overjoyed.
These were members of the Genius Society, and one of them was actually about to become his teacher.
If he stayed close to Ruan Mei, would his little life be safe?
After ending the communication with Herta, Ruan Mei took Ji Yuan's hand again and led him toward the outside of the ship.
Once outside, Ruan Mei said to Ji Yuan:
"Come. Let us go meet your leader."
Before you continue