Exploring Immortality Cultivation

Human empirical verification, according to Earth terminology, is human experimentation.

Although most of the media people coming from humanities backgrounds couldn't wait to label any human experimentation as evil, Wang Qi knew that most human experiments were humane and ethically compliant, especially those conducted for academic purposes.

The reason was merely to ensure the experimental results were accurate and effective. The most important principles of "informed consent" during human experiments operated on the same basis. The "informed" principle meant that subjects understood the purpose and risks of the experiment, which could eliminate the bias brought about by the placebo effect; and "voluntary," meaning willing participation under free will, could stabilize the mental state of participants, eliminating other interferences.

This not only protected the rights of the subjects but also reduced the costs of the experiment itself and gathered more valid data. If any institution were to conduct human experimentation against such ethical frameworks, it would inevitably be a profit-seeking enterprise that disregards the research value of data—after all, they only need to know whether their product would cause illness or death.

The Modern Immortal Path is a scientific community, and the Immortal Alliance is a pure research institution. In the Immortal Alliance, the quickest way to gain status is to develop theories, and human experiments are also geared toward academics. Thus, Wang Qi wasn't overly worried about blindly losing his life. Instead, he asked, "What kind of human empirical verification is it?"

If it were experiments related to pathology or toxicology, Wang Qi wouldn't be able to participate at all. The day he joined the Immortal Institute, he was vaccinated with the Thousand Plagues and Ten Thousand Poison Needle, an elite vaccine, giving him abnormally strong immunity. If it were pharmacological, he might consider it.

Mo Zhenzhen hesitated, "Senior Brother Wang, would you be willing... that kind... How did you suddenly become so impoverished?"

"It won't cause irreversible damage, just a few days of lying down," Wang Qi said nonchalantly, and cared even less inwardly. Jokingly, he had the Lower Divine Power of the Holy Light, the Life Flame to protect him; even severe injuries could heal in a few days.

Mo Zhenzhen shook her head, "Those kinds of tasks mostly specify the cultivation requirement, and there probably aren't many for Qi Cultivation Stage cultivators. However, there's a type that anyone can accept."

"What?" Wang Qi asked excitedly.

"Cultivating a newly developed mental method or practising Divine Skills," Mo Zhenzhen said. "The tasks involving these mental methods or Divine Skills, since they have been refined by their creators, carry low risks. And those who are bold enough to issue tasks for empirical verification generally have some unique aspects. These tasks are relatively safer and also provide a chance to acquire new Cultivation methods or Divine Skills for free, which isn't bad."

However, upon hearing this, Wang Qi directly shook his head, "I really can't do this."

Cultivating a new mental method? Joking, his current mental methods were enough as they were. It had been hard enough to harmonize all the different methods; starting a new one would only invite trouble.

Cultivating Divine Skills? Too time-consuming and labor-intensive! What he lacked the most was time.

After thinking hard for a moment, Mo Zhenzhen suggested, "If that won't work, then you can only take up private jobs."

"Private jobs?" Wang Qi was conflicted, "It's not something illegal, right?"

The cost of committing crimes within the Immortal Alliance was not low, especially for someone like Wang Qi, who could be an incredible academically oriented figure in the future. It was not wise to have a criminal record for the sake of short-term benefits. Besides, his "background" wasn't good—being a Banished Immortal placed him in an absolutely unfavorable category. While others might end up in jail for certain actions, he could face immediate execution.

Mo Zhenzhen shook her head, "The Immortal Alliance also has some tasks involving processing experimental data, right?"

Wang Qi nodded, he had taken similar tasks before. Typically, those who issued these tasks were newcomers in the academic field who didn't have access to large-scale calculators.

"Issuing a task itself costs Merit, and the workload of a task is fixed, not to mention the uncertainty of when someone will accept it after its release. Therefore, some heads of the Empirical Department simply bypass the Immortal Alliance, saving this expense, and directly recruit low-level cultivators to work onsite, taking as much work as they have."

Wang Qi's eyes lit up, "That sounds like a good job."

Processing data? While he might not be capable of other things, he excelled at processing data!

Junior Master Liu Liu Yunxiang would hand over some books every five days to a few Outer Disciples at the Divine Capital Station, asking them to help process them. These books included Divine Capital's taxation, the salaries of Divine Capital public servants, and expenses for building repairs. Such tasks would take at least two days for other Outer Disciples like Mo Zhenzhen to complete. However, Wang Qi only needed a couple of hours. After all, processing this data was merely simple arithmetic. Couldn't the Immortal Artifact "Mathematics" serve as an advanced abacus?

This also allowed this Immortal Artifact to be put to good use.

Seeing Wang Qi's expression, Mo Zhenzhen also smiled, "Anyone capable of setting up an independent Empirical Department is usually a background-supported and capable Outer Disciple or True Inheritor, so this task might even earn you some guidance. It's just a pity..."

Wang Qi was taken aback, "Just a pity?"

"Originally, the Foundation Establishment Stage Senior Brothers and Sisters in our station had their projects and could recruit one or two assistants from among us to aid in their research," Mo Zhenzhen looked regretful. "Just a pity that the budget for their projects was suddenly cut a month ago. Now, several Senior Brothers and Sisters themselves are barely getting by—you arrived on the day Senior Brother Huangfu suddenly left because he heard there was a high Merit task available."

Wang Qi was reminded of Feng Luoyi's words that seemed pregnant with deeper meaning.

Could the whole Immortal Alliance be in a tight spot, but my time in Divine Capital might be more comfortable?

———————————————————————————————

The good news arrived much sooner than Wang Qi had anticipated, just on the next day, Mo Zhenzhen came looking for Wang Qi, "Senior Brother Wang, the 'private job' you wanted to take up, I've already contacted it for you."

"Thank you so much," Wang Qi closed the book in his hands, asking, "So soon?"

In his mind, private jobs were supposed to be fiercely competitive good opportunities.

"Not really," Mo Zhenzhen replied with a bitter smile and a shake of her head, "The person needing help is a Senior Brother from Tianling Ridge, and because he's a bit odd, not many are willing to take this job."

"No problem, I understand. Geniuses, after all, are different from ordinary people," Wang Qi wasn't worried. How were Senior Brother Su and Senior Sister Ai? One a housebound nerd and the other a scatter-brained Frenzy Fighter, I get along well with them!

————————————————————

As of now, this week's recommendation tickets count is 3078, next week there will be six additional releases!

Everyone! This is your victory!