“Has this batch failed again?”
9527 appeared once more in the empty black hall and could not help but glance at the dozens of screens suspended in mid-air.
Those monitor screens were showing almost the same images. Shi Gang, Dylon, and other participants of the test had slumped to the ground.
They were at their weakest state after absorbing, eating, and drinking nothing for five days. Everyone would die if this continued.
“Get them out of there, and get the next batch in… Oh, wait a second!”
9527 sighed, preparing to obliterate the participants’ memories before sending them out of the spaceship.
Obliterate?
Nah, that was just a rhetoric.
A monitor screen in the corner suddenly caught the eyes of 9527, its surprised expression turning into a delight.
“That earthling… he has succeeded?”
9527’s eyes were fixed on the monitor screen, where it showed Ling Jiu sitting cross-legged, taking in the Dark Bio-energy from the void hungrily.
“Looks like there is a successful case!”
9527 was very excited. It even removed the other screens, leaving only the screen showing Ling Jiu in place. It started to fiddle with it.
Through the data fed back from the primary training room, 9527 could clearly “see” the Dark Bio-energy was rapidly increasing in Ling Jiu’s body.
“The Dark Bio-energy of a cultivator will only decrease in the primary training room. An increase is impossible. Unless…”
9527 was very excited. “Unless this earthling has found the source of Dark Bio-energy and absorbed the Dark Bio-energy from the dark universe!”
“How many years, bases, and participants has there been? There is one succeeding at last!”
9527 rarely possessed human emotions, as it was only an intelligent program. But it still could not help feeling excited at this moment.
“Get him out of there!”
9527 snapped its fingers, and the floor where Ling Jiu’s training room was slowly rising. After a while, Ling Jiu reappeared in the hall.
“This place…” Ling Jiu opened his eyes.
“Congratulations, Ling Jiu!”
9527 had a smile on its face. “Congratulations on successfully finding the source of Dark Bio-energy. You’ve passed the test!”
“Really?”
Ling Jiu made a face when he saw 9527 again. This guy almost got him killed. He would never forget that hellish experience he had gone through.
9527 smiled and tried to explain; perhaps it had read Ling Jiu’s mind.
“I know you are holding grudges against me. In fact, I will not obliterate you even if you fail the test. I will just erase the memories of the past few days and then send you away.”
“You won’t kill me?” Ling Jiu was taken aback.
“Unprovoked killing has no meaning to me. I just followed the procedure to evaluate you,” 9527 explained. “I could only tell you that failing the test would result in you being obliterated so that it would extract your maximum potential in the test.”
“Really?”
Ling Jiu was noncommittal. “Can I go out now?”
“You have successfully passed the test and are eligible to become a member of the Emissian Civilization. As the intelligent program of the spaceship, I was created to serve the Emissian Civilization.” 9527 had a smile on its face. “You are free to come and go as a member of the Emissian Civilization.”
Ling Jiu breathed a sigh of relief. Everything was negotiable as long as he could leave this goddamn place.
“By the way, I remember you once said that once I passed the test, I would get a huge reward. Does the offer still stand?” Ling Jiu looked at 9527.
“Of course.” 9527 smiled. “Now I will give you the reward for passing the test. You have already got the first reward.”
Ling Jiu was none the wiser. “Where? What reward? I didn’t know I had it.”
“The first reward is the method of Dark Bio-energy absorption,” 9527 explained. “The universe we are in comprises visible matter and invisible dark matter. I don’t think I need to tell you what matter is. Animals, planets, stars, and other visible celestial bodies are all matter, and what remains invisible is dark matter. So we believe the universe comprises dark matter and matter. The visible universe only accounts for fifteen percent of the total mass and energy of the universe. And the dark universe, though invisible, occupies eighty-five percent of the total mass and energy of the universe. This shows how vast dark matter (dark universe) is!”
Ling Jiu was listening quietly.
“Ling Jiu, you should know that matters are divided into many forms, such as metal, plastic, wood, light energy, heat energy, planets, and so on.
“The same is true for the larger amount of dark matter. It also comprises many forms and types of dark matter!”
9527 still had a smile on its face. “Among them are two kinds of dark matter, which are most closely related to a life form of flesh and blood like you.”
“Two kinds of dark matter?” Ling Jiu cocked an eyebrow.
“The Dark Psionic energy that composes the soul, and the Dark Bio-energy that strengthens the body.” 9527 continued. “Dark Psionic energy and Dark Bio-energy are both dark matter!”
“The soul is made of Dark Bio-energy?” Ling Jiu was shocked.
“Yes.” 9527 smiled. “The soul is invisible and formless, one of the most mysterious dark matter!”
“Interesting!”
Ling Jiu nodded but was still confused. “Did what you say have something to do with the reward for me?”
“As I’ve said, the first reward is the absorption method of Dark Bio-energy,” 9527 said, “Dark Bio-energy exists widely in the dark universe. Under normal circumstances, life in the universe cannot absorb Dark Bio-energy at all.
“Unless space cracks or other relatively extreme cosmic phenomena occur, Dark Bio-energy will spill into the visible universe and be absorbed by living beings. But…”
“But what?” Ling Jiu became even more confused.
“An energy attenuation effect will occur when Dark Bio-energy spilling into the visible universe. This will reduce the effectiveness of Dark Bio-energy. In short, it is downgrading.”
“Downgrading?” Ling Jiu was taken aback.
“Let me put it this way.” 9527 dumbed down the explanation. “Dark Bio-energy belongs to high-level energy when it exists in the dark universe. But after spilling into the visible universe, it will be downgraded to low-level energy. Do you know what I mean?”
Ling Jiu was stunned. “You mean that the Gene Arcana that I have absorbed before is a downgraded, low-level Dark Bio-energy?”
“Yes.” 9527 nodded. “It is an indisputable fact that the effectiveness has been reduced, although the downgraded Dark Bio-energy still has most of the characteristics of dark matter. If the former is likened to inferior, counterfeit goods, then the latter is genuine, high-quality goods. Therefore, the effectiveness of the degraded Dark Bio-energy is mediocre. So the first step for every warrior of the Emissian Civilization is to find the source and absorb the pure Dark Bio-energy.”
“No wonder.” Ling Jiu clenched his fists and muttered to himself. “No wonder I felt weird after absorbing the Gene Arcana. I didn’t expect…”
