Chapter 139 - 125: New Ideas

Long Yi recalled that nuclear fission also involved such a chain reaction. Then how was the fission speed controlled in a nuclear reactor at a nuclear power plant?

With water.

Whether it be heavy water or light water (which is just ordinary water), both are used as neutron moderators to slow down and stabilize the fission speed.

Then... could the crystal lattice inside the Crystal Core also do the same?

As soon as Long Yi thought of this possibility, he shook his head. It was better not to show off, as he didn’t even understand the structure inside the Crystal Core. This kind of bluffing was pointless.

"Dean, can you tell me what the structure inside the Crystal Core looks like?" Long Yi inquired.

Ma Deburg, the dean, initially had merely been casually venting his grievances to Long Yi, given that Long Yi was still just a child. He didn’t expect Long Yi to be interested. But to his surprise, Long Yi asked about the details. Lecturing was what the old man enjoyed most; hearing Long Yi’s question, Dean Ma Deburg instantly perked up.

"The internal structure of the Crystal Core is like this," Ma Deburg said, sketching out the details of the structure on paper as he spoke. "This is the crystal lattice inside the Crystal Core, as revealed by our microscopic Crystal Core technique."

"Microscopic Crystal Core technique?" This was the first time Long Yi had heard this term.

"It’s a type of magic. By resonating this magic with the crystal lattice, we can see the inner construction of the Crystal Core," explained Dean Ma Deburg.

"Teach me. I want to try as well," Long Yi eagerly said.

"Aren’t you a warrior?"

"I can do magic!"

"It’s difficult. I studied it for a month. You won’t be able to learn it so quickly," said the Dean.

"No problem, no problem, I’m very bright. Just show me once, and that will suffice," Long Yi replied optimistically.

Dean Ma Deburg, left with no alternative, randomly chose a Crystal Core. He formed an ’O’ shape with the tips of his right thumb and index finger and held it up to his eye. He began chanting in dragon language, "Microscopic Crystal Core technique!"

Suddenly, a gentle white light emanated from within the ’O’ and cast over the Crystal Core.

Long Yi widened his eyes and paid close attention, then mimicked Dean Ma Deburg’s actions.

"Microscopic Crystal Core technique!"

"Hey, don’t force yourself too much. It’s hard, you know. We spent several months researching this magic..." Dean Ma Deburg couldn’t finish his sentence because he had just noticed the gentle white light also coming from within the ’O’ created by Long Yi’s fingers!

"So that’s what it looks like!"

With awe, Long Yi discovered that the core was made up of absolutely perfect tetrahedrons, always forming a standard triangle no matter from which direction you observed. These tetrahedrons were not tightly clustered together, but rather they had very tiny gaps between them. Energy flowed along these gaps, acting like adhesive, binding countless tetrahedrons into a stable Crystal Core.

But something seemed off.

Long Yi had the impression that something was amiss, but couldn’t quite pinpoint what was wrong. He looked up to find Dean Ma Deburg staring at him, dumbstruck.

"Dean?"

"Kid! Did you learn this before? Are you toying with me!?" Ma Deburg exasperatedly grabbed Long Yi’s arm and shook it.

"How could that possible..."

"Then how could you possibly get it down at the first shot!" Ma Deburg flat out refused to believe it!

"Oh! It’s so beautiful inside!" Ai Lin, with one hand on her eye, cast a soft light and observed the enormous Crystal Core on her arm, exclaiming in delight.

Ma Deburg glanced at Ai Lin and outright lost his cool.

One month! That was the fastest pace at which the Crystal Core Research Institute had grasped the technique! Where did these two kids come from? They learned it just by watching once...

Ma Deburg, on the verge of crying buckets, hesitated right there.

Long Yi, however, was focusing on the enormous crystal core on Ai Lin’s arm, using Crystal Core Microscopy, and was murmuring to himself.

"So, that’s how it is."

Ma Deburg instantly recovered from his sorrow, asking, "What do you mean by ’that’s how it is’?" He didn’t dare to underestimate these two children at this moment. If these two could learn Crystal Core Microscopy after merely observing it once, they might have some real discoveries up their sleeves.

"Old man, have you ever wondered why the process of Crystal Armament must be completed within an hour? If it exceeds one hour, what really happens inside the crystal core?" Long Yi inquired.

"This... I really don’t know," Ma Deburg admitted.

In fact, researchers like Ma Deburg have limited personal abilities and could never hunt monsters themselves. Plus, the nation wouldn’t allow these elite talents to risk their lives. The crystal cores available in the research institute are often several years old. How could there possibly be fresh crystal cores obtained within an hour here?

"Look, this is the extension of the Crystal Armament," Long Yi pointed at Ai Lin’s armguard.

"Hmm."

"Only within an hour can the Crystal Armament be successfully fused. Moreover, it requires our fresh blood for sustenance. Does this remind you of anything?" Long Yi hinted.

"What?" Ma Deburg the dean was completely confused, unable to grasp anything.

"This crystal core, if removed from the monster for more than an hour, it dies!" Long Yi abruptly surprised.

"What? Are you saying that this crystal core is alive?" Ma Deburg widened his eyes, it was his first time hearing such a theory.

"If my guess isn’t wrong, this crystal core could be a parasite or symbiosis. The crystal poison reproduces within the organism, harnesses its energy, and ultimately forms a crystal core - a complete life. Once this life form is removed from the monster for over an hour, it dies. Within one hour, provided with new nutrients, they can continue to survive! This is why a crystal core can still morph into Crystal Armament after separating from the host monster!"

Long Yi proffered confidently.

Yes, Long Yi was merely rambling. Don’t assume he genuinely understood something, he just made a random assumption based on his experience. Whether or not his assumption is correct, the professionals could decide.

Ma Deburg was shivering all over, not because he was angry - he was thrilled! As an old scholar, he naturally understood that what Long Yi said really made sense - perfect sense, in fact!

You should know that once a crystal core morphs into Crystal Armament, apart from not being detachable from the body, its extensions can almost transform into any shape - a typical biological trait! Moreover, forming a crystal armor or crystal weapon is also a definitive feature of symbiotic creatures!

On the other hand, a pure crystal core doesn’t possess this capability.

There is a crab in the sea that carries a poisonous anemone on its body, allowing it to grow on its shell and consume the leftover food, while using the anemone’s poison to help fend off enemies.

Symbiosis!

One side gains power, while the other obtains a chance to survive! That’s what symbiosis is!

"I just noticed that there are large gaps between the polyhedra of these individual crystal cores, only energy flows through them. In the midst of the crystal core of Crystal Armament, there lies a transparent material. I guess that’s the crystal core’s essence of life. And the crystal lattice is nothing but the part where the life form stores energy." Seeing Ma Deburg seemingly agreeing with his theory, Long Yi became more excited and further refined his proposition.

"Good! Good lad! I didn’t waste my time coming here! I’ve picked up a treasure!" Ma Deburg said, trembling with excitement and his face flushed with exhilaration.

"What’s your name again! Oh right, it’s Long Yi, and you are Ai Lin! Yes, yes, yes, I’ll remember your names! I need to return to the research institute immediately, perhaps our initial research direction was wrong! If this time your theory proves to be true, our White Dragon Empire would definitely be at the forefront of crystal core research!"

The old man rambled and dashed off, leaving only Long Yi and Ai Lin gazing at each other in astonishment.

"Brother Long..." After watching the old man leave, Ai Lin tentatively glanced at Long Yi.

"What’s wrong?" asked Long Yi, puzzled.

"The thing you said... is it alive?" Ai Lin stared at two enormous crystal cores on her arm, with a hint of unease in her eyes.

Long Yi instantly understood. Girls are inevitably scared of so-called things they can’t fully comprehend. If Long Yi were to tell her that the number of microorganisms in her body has already exceeded her body cells, God knows if she would be horrified and fall gravely ill.

"It’s alright, just consider it as your servant," Long Yi assured her with a smile.

"Oh, I see!" A familiar explanation, paired with her blind trust in Long Yi, quickly alleviated Ai Lin’s anxiety.