Interdisciplinary Research Institute
The aftershocks of the academic conference, like a boulder thrown into a lake, continued to wash over and change every aspect of Rockefeller College for some time to come.
Judge Silas was carried back to the courthouse by his men like a sack of moldy potatoes. It's said that upon receiving the news, the Vatican headquarters, while furious, could only temporarily swallow its pride and accept defeat. They urgently dispatched a supposedly more "smooth" bishop to handle the aftermath, while publicly claiming that Silas's erratic behavior was due to "careless practice and mental damage," attempting to salvage some of their crumbling reputation. Of course, how many people believed this explanation is anyone's guess.
The Academy Council, with astonishing efficiency (mainly due to the late Dean Morris's frantic urging and table-pounding), quickly passed all the proposals for establishing the "Interdimensional Magic Research Institute," approved the funding, and allocated the site—no longer the previous remote warehouse, but a newly completed, fully equipped independent research building next to the magic tower!
The unveiling ceremony was quite grand, with almost every prominent figure in the city in attendance, creating a festive atmosphere. The former dean personally unveiled the plaque, and when the red cloth covering it was lifted to reveal the words "Interdimensional Magic Comprehensive Research Institute"—a phrase that blended the charm of Eastern calligraphy with the style of the common language of the mainland—thunderous applause erupted.
Ling Yao, as the nominal "chief advisor" and de facto "treasure of the academy," was forced to attend the ceremony. She was still dressed in simple casual clothes, standing out from the group of elegantly dressed, smiling academy executives, like a red-crowned crane mixed into a flock of peacocks—the kind that was too lazy to spread its tail feathers.
When asked about her expectations for the future of the research institute, she simply replied with two words: "Pretty good."
Then he dumped all the troublesome things like dealing with the media, accepting congratulations, and giving speeches on the new dean—Professor Eleanor Silvers, who was full of energy and seemed to be twenty years younger.
Professor Eleanor is now a star in the academy, enjoying unparalleled popularity. She has swiftly assembled a research team, recruited members, organized data, and planned research directions, keeping herself extremely busy, yet she radiates vitality and walks with an air of confidence. She even commissioned a new professor's robe that blends Eastern elements (Chinese knot buttons) with Western magical patterns (magic circles on the cuffs), ensuring she turns heads wherever she goes in the academy.
Finn Liver, with his multiple identities such as "Ling Yao's Chief Disciple", "Research Institute Veteran" and "Sole Authorized Distributor of Eastern Secret Medicine", successfully obtained the title of "Special Administrative Assistant of the Research Institute", mainly responsible for... well, mainly responsible for all the miscellaneous tasks and making money.
He immediately hung the "Eastern Secret Medicine" sign in the most prominent reception hall on the first floor of the research institute, launching a promotional event: "Celebrating the establishment of the research institute, all elixirs and talismans are 5% off, and members enjoy an additional discount." Business was so booming that the new doorstep was almost worn down. He also cleverly replicated the small magical artifacts used in Ling Yao's presentation at the press conference as "limited-edition commemorative editions of the research institute," priced so high that even Eleanor exclaimed it was "an insult to culture," yet they were still snapped up by enthusiastic collectors and curious wealthy individuals.
The daily routine of the research institute began in this slightly strange yet unusually harmonious atmosphere.
Inside the research building, one can often see this scene:
In the "Alchemy Research Room" on the east side, Eleanor, along with a group of elite alchemists, scratched their heads at Ling Yao's improved alchemy formula and a pile of local medicinal herbs, trying to use sophisticated instruments to analyze the quantitative standards of "ruler, minister, assistant, and envoy". The result was often that the instruments smoked and the data was garbled. Then, a group of people argued heatedly around the few mysterious notes left by Ling Yao.
"Professor Ling said, 'When the time is right, it will naturally be successful.' But what exactly is the standard for 'when it's right'? Is it the peak energy level? The temperature curve? Or some kind of 'state of mind' that we can't detect?"
"And this 'medicinal harmony'—the elements clearly conflict, so why can they coexist stably in the end? This isn't magic!"
Ling Yao is occasionally brought in as an advisor. She usually just glances at the chaotic scene, casually adjusts the order of ingredients or the intensity of the fire, and can instantly calm a pot of medicine that is about to explode, leaving the stunned crowd behind. Then she drifts away, keeping her merits and fame hidden.
The "Rune Array Analysis Room" on the west side was even more lively. A group of array masters and rune scholars were trying to reverse engineer the basic runes and array diagrams drawn by Ling Yao, but the results were often worse than the originals. Either the method of injecting mental energy was incorrect, causing the rune paper to spontaneously combust, or the node calculation error caused a small-scale energy disorder, making the laboratory frequently experience lightning and thunder or a strange smell, with alarms sounding one after another, becoming a unique scene in the research institute.
Finn was once curious and secretly took one of their failed "Gentle Breeze Talismans" to try it out. As a result, the talisman exploded with a "poof", blasting him so badly that his face was covered in black soot and his hair stood on end, making him look like a crow that had been struck by lightning. From then on, he never dared to go near the talisman array research room again.
Ling Yao's own private laboratory is always the most mysterious and quietest place in the research institute. She rarely allows others to enter, spending most of her time there, either continuing to study the similarities and differences between the magic system and the cultivation system of this world, or trying to refine some higher-level pills or magical artifacts using local materials. Occasionally, she will stare blankly at the sky, seemingly deducing something.
She seemed completely uninterested in the title and duties of "Dean," leaving all administrative work to Eleanor and all money-making to Finn, focusing solely on the "research" itself. This hands-off approach, ironically, made the institute exceptionally efficient—because no one dared to bother her with trivial matters.
The integration of research has not been without its challenges. The vast differences between Eastern and Western systems have led to numerous comical clashes during the research process.
For example, a potion master tried to use Ling Yao's "Heart Refining" technique to process materials, but due to insufficient control of his mental energy, he almost set the laboratory on fire; a formation master tried to apply the concept of nodes in a magic circle to a Bagua formation, but after racking his brains, he still couldn't figure out why the "Gate of Life" and the "Gate of Death" could switch between time and space; and an even more audacious knight student wanted to learn "Sword Control Technique," but couldn't even do the most basic thing of lifting a feather with his mental energy, yet he was convinced that it must be because his "incantation" was wrong...
These difficulties, however, did not dampen everyone's enthusiasm; instead, they ignited boundless curiosity and a thirst for challenge. New discoveries, new failures, and new ideas emerged daily within the research institute. An open, inclusive, and proactive academic atmosphere gradually took shape.
Of course, there were also some sweet troubles.
For example, the institute's doors were practically worn down by people from all over the mainland who wanted to become its students, including many aristocratic children and renowned masters; major chambers of commerce waved their checkbooks, eager to buy technology patents or exclusive agency rights; and even envoys from other academies came to poach talent, offering increasingly outrageous terms...
Dean Eleanor had to increase security and reception staff significantly, while Assistant Finn spent his days happily calculating how to maximize profits.
As the sun sets, Ling Yao, having finished a day of research, would occasionally stand on the rooftop terrace of the research institute, overlooking the city lights that were gradually coming on.
Eleanor would come to her with a stack of reports for her to sign, and excitedly report the latest progress: "Instructor Ling! Group Three seems to have figured out why the 'Spirit Gathering Array' can ignore elemental inertia! Although we're still far from being able to reproduce it... Also, the Royal Capital Alchemy Association sent an invitation to you to give a lecture..."
Finn would then come running over eagerly to hand over the ledgers and magic cores, his face beaming with joy: "Miss Ling! Our net profit has doubled again this month! How about we hire some more staff? Or perhaps buy that piece of land next door to expand?"
Ling Yao usually just listened, occasionally nodding or commenting on the figures in the ledger as "acceptable," without giving a definite answer to the expansion plan. Her gaze always seemed to look beyond the immediate prosperity to a more distant unknown.
Interdisciplinary research institutes, like a seed thrown into a calm lake, have begun to take root and sprout, quietly changing the future direction of this world.
For Ling Yao, this place is not only a temporary refuge, but also a new starting point for observing this world, restoring her strength, and even... finding her way home.
A new routine has begun.
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