Normally, processing particle-scale materials required highly precise machinery, which was the safest approach. But for Li Xingkong, getting hold of a high-precision machine was a problem in itself. If he had to build one himself, who knew what year of the monkey or month of the horse he would finish?
Besides, given the world's current level of development, researching and building such a machine would be practically starting from scratch. Theory, materials, manufacturing techniques-almost every aspect was a blank sheet of paper.
With no other choice, he could only let the system operate his body to carry out the manufacturing process.
If Li Xingkong had been on his own, he would have had no way to do it. His dream of immortal cultivation in this life would have been cut short by the lack of spiritual qi.
But for the system, Li Xingkong's body was already sufficient.
The system first brought all the materials over, then opened them one by one.
Under the system's control, Li Xingkong's gaze swept around, but he couldn't see anything.
Nor did he see the system make him do anything. After opening the bottles, the system went still.
Li Xingkong could only feel the energy in his body dropping at a speed visible to the naked eye. He had no idea what was happening.
It felt as though two pumps had been attached to his eyes, drawing the energy out of his entire body.
"Why does it look like you're just standing there?"
After watching for a while, Li Xingkong saw that his body, controlled by the system, was still just standing there without doing anything. He couldn't hold back any longer and asked in his mind.
"The human body never evolved an organ that can directly manipulate particles, so using a human body to manipulate them requires the use of your gaze."
Though the system was busy, it could still spare some attention to explain things to Li Xingkong.
"By releasing the energy in your body through your gaze, I can control how the particles combine and construct spiritual qi. Of the methods available to me right now, this is a fairly reliable one. The only problem is that it consumes a great deal of energy. If the energy in your body can't keep up, you'll be drained dry."
There was no visible movement. Li Xingkong could only feel the system staring constantly at a particular empty spot in front of him.
After staring for quite a while, the system's gaze remained fixed, but his hand moved. Only then did Li Xingkong notice that the glucose hanging from his hand had run out.
The glucose he had prepared was in an enormous container, connected directly to his vein. Normally, glucose was administered slowly, drop by drop. But right now, Li Xingkong felt like a vampire who had been starving for thousands of years, and that container of glucose was the most delicious blood.
I'm fucking guzzling it down.
He couldn't feel where the energy flowing into his body was going. He only felt his body crying out for food nonstop.
By rights, after absorbing so much liquid, even if it had been water, it should have been enough to replace all the blood in his body. Yet the liquid vanished like a clay ox in the sea. Once it entered his body, there was no further sign of it, as though an invisible space inside him had swallowed it all.
Li Xingkong turned his attention back to what was in front of him. The system was still doing the same thing, and he was starting to get bored.
Unable to see what the system was doing or move himself, Li Xingkong couldn't help letting his thoughts wander.
If someone saw me from outside right now, wouldn't they think I was in a vegetative state?
As his thoughts wandered, he noticed white vapor beginning to rise from his nostrils and ears.
"What's going on?" Li Xingkong had never seen anything like this. Who had white vapor coming out of their ears and nose?
"Liquid cooling. Ever heard of it?"
The system was still in the mood to explain, so it looked like everything was still under its control.
"Huh? Is the temperature that high?"
Li Xingkong wanted to touch his eyes. Just how hot did they have to get to need liquid cooling?
"The temperature when your gaze is released is around seventy to eighty degrees right now. It can't go any higher, or your brain will melt."
The system showed Li Xingkong the rough path it followed. An extremely complicated diagram appeared before his eyes.
"After your gaze is released, it goes through three stages of heating in the air. If that happened directly in your eyes, you really could cry diamonds."
"A full two diamonds the size of your eyes, too. Though you'd only get to do it once."
Li Xingkong ignored the system's hellish joke and looked instead at the diagram it had given him.
After only a few cursory glances, he was already dazed. It was like he had just learned to draw a picture without lifting his pen, only to be handed Along the River During the Qingming Festival. Knowledge at this level was clearly a little beyond Li Xingkong's syllabus.
After looking at the diagram for a while, Li Xingkong turned his attention back to the system's movements.
He held that staring pose for nearly an hour. The system finally moved when the glucose Li Xingkong had prepared had been used up until only a layer remained at the bottom, and the external container had begun flashing a five-percent warning.
He controlled Li Xingkong's body and slowly reached forward, as though pinching something out of midair.
"Done?"
Li Xingkong couldn't understand the process, but he understood that the system was about to finish.
"Done!"
After speaking, the system returned control of the body to Li Xingkong. As soon as Li Xingkong returned to his body, he felt as though its insides had nearly been twisted into a braid.
He ached all over, and didn't even know where to start adjusting himself. He felt as though he had been hit by a row of heavy trucks; there wasn't a single spot on his body that didn't hurt.
"What now?"
Though he was in great pain, he didn't dare open his tightly clenched fist. He was genuinely afraid he would send the spiritual qi inside it flying.
"You can rest now. The finished spiritual qi has already entered your body."
Seeing how cautious Li Xingkong was, the system couldn't help finding it a little funny. Grasping spiritual qi depended mainly on the system's control. Even if Li Xingkong copied the movement exactly, he still wouldn't be able to pick it up on his own.
"You haven't forgotten the theory behind the Sun and Moon Qi Refining Method, have you?"
The system reminded him, "You can start cultivating tonight."
Hearing the system's words, Li Xingkong finally unclenched his tightly closed fist.
"Of course I remember. Then there's no time to lose. We'll start practicing the Qi Refining method first thing tomorrow morning."
The matter of spiritual qi had finally reached a stopping point, and Li Xingkong felt a sense of accomplishment throughout his body. This step had held him back for a full year, and the things that had happened over that year really left him emotional.
He wanted to let out a shout and revel in it, but before he could even raise his head and puff out his chest, the aches all over his body sent him collapsing straight to the ground.
"Hey, hey, hey! It went through! Your IV needle went through the vein!"
The system turned pale with fright.
Using the last of his strength to pull it out, Li Xingkong tossed the infusion equipment away and rested right where he was.
A year ago, he had been a complete newbie who had just entered society. Now, he was someone who had learned plenty of hard lessons from it. Still, all of that was about to pass. After all, his new life was about to begin.
The spiritual qi had entered his body, and Li Xingkong had confirmed with the system that it wouldn't just run out. It had found a space inside his body and settled there.
He slept for who knew how many days, his own biological clock failing him for once. When he woke up, the discomfort in his body had mostly gone away.
With the spiritual qi successfully manufactured, today was obviously no longer suitable for tending his farmland. Li Xingkong decided to give himself a day off and have a wild time.
Ever since arriving on Prisoner Continent, he had either been getting the short end of the stick or farming. He had barely explored Prisoner Continent at all. Over the past year, he had hardly even spoken to people. He ought to let it all out today.
Li Xingkong jumped out of the secret room, went into the house to change into an outfit for going out, and drove the car out of the garage.
He didn't bother cleaning up the aftermath of the explosion. Li Xingkong got straight into the car and drove toward Nature City's urban district, leaving only billowing smoke behind him to slowly disperse.
When he reached the city, Li Xingkong first contacted Mike. The former farm owner had lived in the city for quite some time, so he was sure to know where to go to unwind.
After Li Xingkong made the call, he parked the car downstairs from Mike's home.
A few minutes later, Mike came downstairs. They hadn't seen each other in many days, and his once bronze-tanned skin had returned to its original color, much paler than before. He had also grown much thinner.
"Hey, Xingkong!" Mike pulled the passenger door open and squeezed in.
"Well, this is rare. What made you think of coming out to have fun?" Mike got into the car and slammed the door shut. "What, did you suddenly see the light? Feeling horny?"
"No, no, no. Something good happened today, so I came out to celebrate."
Li Xingkong took a bottle of chewing gum and tossed it to Mike. "You pick the place today. My treat."
"Sure! If someone's treating, I'd be happy to come along."
Mike poured out two pieces and chewed them.
"What should we do? A casino? Racing? Or a strip club? I say we go to the club. You haven't seen the girls around here since you came to Prisoner Continent, have you? Let me tell you, they're smoking hot."
"Sounds to me like you're the one who wants to go." Li Xingkong started the car. "Is there anything more exciting? I'm not too fond of those things."
Although Li Xingkong did actually want to go a little, he was also somewhat worried that if he came across a cultivation technique that required him to be a virgin later on, things would get awkward.
"All right, you're a gentleman. I wasn't wrong about you."
Mike chuckled, then thought it over again. "How about we go have some fun at a shooting range?"
"A friend of mine just opened one, and he even got a few machine guns. Want to go get our fill?"
Li Xingkong's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "That sounds great. I've never actually fired a gun before."
Mike tapped his phone and sent him a location. Li Xingkong immediately set off, heading straight for their destination.