Chapter 323: The Aether Concentration Chamber
Chapter 323: The Aether Concentration Chamber
"Follow me."
Yan Wen zhu immediately stood up and led Ji Xinghuo out of the minister's office.
As they stepped out, they were joined by two secretaries. One was Yu Lu, and the other was a man in his thirties whom Ji Xinghuo hadn't met before.
They took the elevator down and exited the Starry Sector's office building. After a few minutes' walk, they arrived at a squat, three-story structure that was unassuming in appearance but quite spacious, resembling a factory.
A sign hung outside the main entrance, reading "Starry Sector Aether Research Institute," and armed Inhuman guards stood watch at the gate.
Yan Wen zhu introduced, "The Aether Research Institute is a directly affiliated unit of the Starry Sector, specializing in researching technological applications of aetheric energy."
Ji Xinghuo nodded.
For Inhumans, the most crucial aspect of their evolution was the absorption and transformation of aetheric energy. Therefore, an institution dedicated to studying aetheric energy would undoubtedly include cultivation-related research.
"Minister!"
A researcher in a white lab coat hurried forward to greet them.
Ji Xinghuo observed the man, who appeared to be in his fifties. He was only a mid-tier Inhuman, but Yan Wen zhu treated him with great respect.
"Xinghuo, let me introduce you." Yan Wen zhu spoke solemnly, "This is Director Ke MingShan of the Aether Research Institute. Director Ke is one of the foremost authorities on aetheric energy in our country and even the world."
Ji Xinghuo greeted him respectfully, "Nice to meet you, Director Ke."
"You flatter me," Ke MingShan replied humbly.
Yan Wen zhu continued, "This is Ji Xinghuo. I'm sure you've heard of him."
"The top of the Celestial Ladder!" Ke MingShan's eyes lit up, and a look of admiration crossed his face. "I've seen your videos. The youth of today are truly remarkable. Welcome to the Aether Research Institute. Please come in."
The group followed Ke MingShan inside.
Ji Xinghuo's electromagnetic senses had already scanned the institute, revealing that it was heavily guarded. There were over a thousand people within, most of whom were guards, with only three to four hundred actual researchers scattered across various laboratories.
Nevertheless, a research team of several hundred was still quite substantial.
Ke MingShan led them to his office, and after the two secretaries remained outside, Yan Wen zhu stated his purpose for the visit, "Old Ke, Xinghuo is the deputy director of the Sharp Sword Bureau, a Xuanyuan Swordsman, and a nationally prioritized talent personally approved by the Fuhrer. You know what to do."
At the mention of the Fuhrer, Ke MingShan's expression turned solemn, and he nodded, "Yes, I understand."
He then turned to the young Ji Xinghuo and sighed, "Director Ji, you are truly accomplished at such a young age."
Being at the top of the Celestial Ladder, a deputy director of the Sharp Sword Bureau, and a talent prioritized by the Fuhrer—any one of these identities carried significant weight.
And now, all of them were embodied in a young man barely in his twenties.
It was truly astonishing.
"You're too kind, Director Ke. I hope to have your support going forward," Ji Xinghuo replied without a hint of arrogance.
When he was younger, he had dreamed of becoming a scientist. But as he grew older, he realized he lacked the aptitude for it. Nonetheless, he always held science in high regard.
"Just call me Old Ke," Ke MingShan said with a smile, "Come, let me give you a tour."
Yan Wen zhu added, "Xinghuo, you go ahead. Come by my office later."
"Alright," Ji Xinghuo replied. He understood that Yan Wen zhu had other resources to arrange for him.
After Yan Wen zhu left, Ke MingShan proceeded to give Ji Xinghuo a tour, with the first stop being the "Aether Concentration Chamber." Located on the first floor of the institute, it was a massive hall spanning over ten thousand square meters. Thick alloy walls divided the space into hundreds of smaller cultivation chambers of varying sizes and functions.
Using his electromagnetic senses, Ji Xinghuo detected that only a small portion of the cultivation chambers were occupied.
Most of the occupants were Legends, with a few Kings among them.
Without prying into others' cultivation, he listened as Ke MingShan explained, "Our institute has been established for over seventy years, with countless funds invested. We now have 108 Aether Concentration Chambers, divided into three levels based on the density of aetheric energy."
"There are 50 Level One Aether Concentration Chambers, which have an energy density increase of around 50%, resulting in a 20% improvement in cultivation efficiency, varying from person to person."
"As for Level Two, there are 45 chambers, with an energy density increase of nearly 100%, boosting Inhuman cultivation efficiency by approximately 50%."
"Level Three has only 13 chambers, with a 300% increase in energy density, leading to a cultivation efficiency improvement of over 100%."
"Each Aether Concentration Chamber can only provide a cultivation boost to one Inhuman during a given time slot."
As they spoke, the two of them entered a central control room.
Two researchers were manning the room and quickly stood up to greet them, "Director Ke."
"Carry on with your work," Ke MingShan said amiably before skillfully operating the control panel. One of the walls in the room transformed into a large screen, displaying the current usage status of all the Aether Concentration Chambers.
Currently, 36 chambers were in use.
Most of the occupants were in the Level Two chambers, while only three were in Level Three, and they were all Kings.
Ji Xinghuo recognized two of them: Hawke and Xing Lie.
The third King was unfamiliar to him, but he had also heard of his fame. His name was Li Xuan, ranked 47th on the King's List, nicknamed the "Thousand Illusion Swordmaster." He was also the youngest King on Earth, having just turned 50 this year.
Li Xuan had no official position and was not one of the Fuhrer's designated individuals.
"Any citizen of our country can apply," Ke MingShan replied with a smile, "but they have to pass the Starry Sector's review process and pay the fees themselves."
Ji Xinghuo guessed, "The review process is strict, I presume?"
"Yes," Ke MingShan nodded, "The basic requirements are to be within the top 300 of the Celestial Ladder, top 100 of the Legend Rankings, and there are no restrictions for Kings."
"Is it very expensive?" Ji Xinghuo asked, curious.
"Extremely so," Ke MingShan answered with a smile, "Even billionaires would wince at the cost." He then pulled up a list of fees.
Ji Xinghuo glanced at it and felt a pang of dismay.
The Aether Concentration Chambers were charged by the hour, with the lowest-level chamber costing 1 million Asian Yuan per hour. If one were to cultivate for ten hours a day, it would amount to 10 million, and this didn't include the cost of the cultivation equipment and consumable potions.
The second-level chambers were 2 million Asian Yuan per hour.
And the most expensive, the third-level chambers, had a staggering price of 5 million Asian Yuan per hour!
"That's outrageous!" Ji Xinghuo exclaimed.
The price was indeed exorbitant.
During cultivation, one didn't need to spend every minute in the Aether Concentration Chamber. It was only necessary to use it during the star power recovery process after depletion, which accounted for about a third to half of the total cultivation time, thus saving some money.
Even so, the charges were still astronomical.
At eight hours a day, the third-level chamber would cost 40 million Asian Yuan, amounting to approximately 14.5 billion for a year's worth of cultivation! The first and second levels were no bargain either.
Moreover, having the money wasn't enough. The Starry Sector's review requirements were exceedingly high.
One had to be able to afford the fees, possess exceptional talent, and also be politically reliable—finding someone who met all three conditions was rare.
Thus, those who cultivated here were mostly government or military Inhumans who had made outstanding contributions and possessed remarkable talent. Their respective departments would recommend them for free access to the Aether Concentration Chambers.
Very few people paid for it themselves.
"This is indeed too expensive," Ji Xinghuo shook his head.
Ke MingShan explained, "We have no choice. We can't manufacture Aether Crystals, and the ones we currently use are obtained from the Starry Sector. They are extremely rare, so we have to use them sparingly and prioritize official Inhumans."
The Aether Concentration Chambers consumed vast amounts of electricity, and the maintenance of the various equipment was costly. Moreover, they required Aether Crystals.
Upon hearing this, Ji Xinghuo's heart stirred.
"Director Ke, can Aether Crystals be used for payment?" he asked.
"Of course," Ke MingShan immediately nodded, "Not only can they be used for payment, but we also offer significant discounts. Each Aether Crystal is valued at 20 million Asian Yuan, and when paying for fees, the price is halved."
Ji Xinghuo quickly calculated.
If he used the third-level Aether Concentration Chamber for eight hours a day, he would only need to hand over one Aether Crystal.
He still had nearly 500 Aether Crystals in his possession.
He wouldn't have to pay anything, but he could bring his second brother, Zhong Ming, and Man Ying. As for his eldest sister, even if she became an Inhuman, her chances of passing the review were slim unless he pulled some strings.
Seeing Ji Xinghuo's expression, Ke MingShan guessed, "You have Aether Crystals?"
"Some," Ji Xinghuo nodded. He then asked directly, "If I use Aether Crystals for payment, can I apply for others to use the Aether Concentration Chambers?"
"That depends on Minister Yan," Ke MingShan laughed, "He holds the authority for the review. Our institute's cultivation chambers are often idle, which is a waste. It would be great if we could earn some Aether Crystals."
Ji Xinghuo understood.
He didn't bring up the matter further and continued the tour of the institute with Ke MingShan. Afterward, he expressed his desire to test the effects of the Aether Concentration Chamber.
Ke MingShan readily agreed and arranged for Ji Xinghuo to use one of the third-level cultivation chambers.
The cultivation chamber consisted of three parts: a support team, exercise equipment, and most importantly, the Aether Concentration Chamber.
Ji Xinghuo changed into a training uniform and entered the cultivation chamber. Immediately, a team of three researchers asked if he wanted to use auxiliary potions. He thought for a moment and declined, stating that he wouldn't need them today.
He had used the "Aether Refining Solvent" in the Starry Sector, and its effects would last for another dozen or so days.
Many potions' effects couldn't be stacked, so he didn't want to waste them.
Moreover, he wanted to exclude other factors and make a comparison to see if the third-level Aether Concentration Chamber provided a greater boost than Ren Jie's Qingkong Forest.
Upon entering the cultivation chamber, Ji Xinghuo immediately felt his body sink. The room had artificial gravity similar to that on a battleship. Training in a high-gravity environment allowed for faster star power depletion and was also safer.
He glanced at the wall screen and noted that the current gravity was set to five times the standard level.
He then lay back and tried to lift a twenty-ton barbell in a bench press, finding it a little too light. He called out to the staff outside, "Increase the gravity."
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
