125: Chapter 125: The Old Alchemist's Rebirth: Starting with Drawing Straight Lines

The launch of the "Shennong Project" and that "Alchemical Duel" which dropped the jaws of the entire world completely ignited the enthusiasm of the Xia Kingdom's people for "Universal Cultivation."

If the "Zhenhai Project" demonstrated the hardcore "Cultivation Infrastructure Construction" strength at the national level,

then the appearance of the "Spirit Energy Supplement Liquid" allowed every ordinary person to truly see that cultivation was actually so close to them.

Three yuan and five jiao a bottle; drink it to replenish spirit energy and strengthen the body.

This thing is more practical than any health supplement.

For a time, the official website of Kunlun Academy and the inquiry hotline of The Ninth Bureau were almost overwhelmed by calls.

"Please! When will mass production begin? I am willing to pay ten times the price for a pre-order!"

"Our company wants to buy ten thousand cases in bulk. Can we get a backdoor deal?"

"When will the state open the second batch of enrollment for Kunlun Academy? My son is in his third year of high school this year, and his grades are excellent. Can he sign up early?"

Faced with this wave of what could only be called crazy public opinion, the national leadership reacted quickly.

A strategic meeting regarding the comprehensive acceleration of the "Shennong Project," personally presided over by the highest leader, was held secretly in the capital.

Jiang Ning, as the chief engineer, participated in the meeting via remote holographic projection.

"Comrades, everyone has seen the situation." The old man in the main seat looked at the excited yet serious faces in the conference room and got straight to the point. "The success of the 'Shennong Project' is of great significance. It is not just a technological breakthrough; it relates to the overall strength of our country's future, and it relates to the physical fitness and life expectancy of our 1.4 billion people."

"This is a true grand plan for the nation, a great change unseen in a millennium!"

"Therefore, I have decided that the originally scheduled 'three years, ten factories' plan must be changed!"

He held up two fingers.

"Two years! At most two years! We must build at least twenty 'Shennong Factories' across the country!"

"I don't care what methods you use or what difficulties you overcome! Two years from now, I want our 'Spirit Energy Supplement Liquid' to be placed in the supply and marketing cooperatives of every township in the country! I want every one of our compatriots to be able to drink this 'Water of a Strong Nation' just as easily as drinking water!"

The old man's words were sonorous and powerful, causing the atmosphere in the entire conference room to ignite.

"However," he changed the subject, his gaze landing on Jiang Ning's holographic projection, his tone becoming incomparably solemn. "To achieve this grand goal, we still face one major problem."

"That is... talent."

"We have top-tier talents like Comrade Jiang Ning, and we have the first batch of backbone staff cultivated by Kunlun Academy. However, this is far from enough."

"Twenty factories require tens of thousands of professionals who understand technology, management, and array formations. Where will these people come from?"

Everyone fell silent.

This was indeed the biggest bottleneck.

Cultivating talent takes time.

"Regarding this issue, I have an immature suggestion."

Jiang Ning, who had been silent all along, finally spoke up.

Everyone's eyes instantly focused on her.

"We cannot rely solely on Kunlun Academy." Jiang Ning's speaking speed was not fast, but her train of thought was clear. "The positioning of Kunlun Academy should be to cultivate the most top-tier 'engineers' and 'scientists' responsible for research and development and overcoming key problems."

"What we need more now are a large number of 'senior technicians' who can skillfully operate equipment, maintain production lines, and ensure the normal operation of the factories."

"Therefore, I suggest launching a 'Spirit Energy Vocational Technical Education' program."

"Spirit Energy Vocational Technical Education?" In the conference room, a leader in charge of education was stunned for a moment.

"Yes." Jiang Ning nodded. "We can rely on existing vocational technical colleges and higher specialized colleges to open a batch of brand-new majors."

"For example, majors in 'Spirit Energy Equipment Maintenance and Overhaul,' 'Automated Array Control,' and 'Spirit Herb Cultivation and Preliminary Processing'..."

"I will write the textbooks. The teaching staff can be selected from the excellent graduates of the first batch of Kunlun Academy, as well as those alchemical masters who have just 'defected' over."

"Our goal is to cultivate one hundred thousand qualified industrial workers for the 'Shennong Project' in the shortest possible time."

This proposal from Jiang Ning made all the leaders present eyes light up.

"Brilliant!" The leader from the education department slapped his palm. "This idea is excellent! Combining cultivation education with our vocational education system! In this way, it not only solves the talent gap but also finds a new development direction for our existing vocational education!"

"I completely agree!" Another leader in charge of industry also chimed in excitedly. "This is the true integration of 'industry, academia, and research'! From the top-tier Kunlun Academy to vocational colleges spread across the country, forming a complete talent pyramid! Once this system is built, our advantage will be unmatched by any other country!"

The meeting quickly reached a consensus.

Based on Jiang Ning's proposal, a larger and more in-depth "Universal Cultivation Education" plan quickly took shape.

Xia Kingdom, the nation known as the "Infrastructure Construction Maniac," once again demonstrated its terrifying executive and organizational capabilities on the road toward a new era.

...

Half a month later.

Nearly a hundred selected "985," "211," and top-tier vocational technical colleges across the country hung up a brand-new sign— "Kunlun Academy Spirit Energy Technology Cooperation Demonstration Site."

The first batch of the "Fundamentals of Spirit Energy Technology" textbook series, personally written by Jiang Ning and printed by Kunlun Academy, was air-freighted to major colleges and universities overnight.

Countless young people full of longing for the future flocked to these newly opened "Immortal Majors."

Meanwhile, at Kunlun Academy.

Sun Siyuan and that group of once high-and-mighty alchemical masters also welcomed their "rebirth."

They took off their flowing Taoist robes and put on the same blue work uniforms as all the other students.

They no longer fiddled with those ancient alchemy furnaces; instead, each of them held a copy of "Mechanical Drawing and Fundamentals of Array Formations," sitting in the classroom, following young teaching assistants, and learning from the most basic ABCs.

At first, they were very unaccustomed to it.

Especially Sun Siyuan; several times, he wanted to tear up the blueprints in his hands and storm out.

He felt that making him, an alchemical genius, learn how to draw a straight line or how to calculate the parameters of a gear was simply a great humiliation.

But whenever he wanted to lash out, he would remember that day on the high platform, Jiang Ning's nearly perfect, artwork-like operation.

He would remember that 99.99% purity that had filled him with despair.

Then, all his anger would deflate.

He would take a deep breath, pick up his pen again, and like the most obedient elementary school student, stroke by stroke, draw that industrial part on the blueprint that he had once looked down upon the most.

He began to understand that Jiang Ning was right.

To understand the grandeur of her "Alchemical Skyscraper," one must first touch with their own hands every brick and every screw that constitutes this building.

This was a long, and even somewhat painful, process.

But this was also the only path for them, these "old era" alchemists, to integrate into this "new era."

Watching all this, Jiang Ning knew that the first and most important cornerstone she had laid for this country and this world, leading to the path of "Universal Cultivation," had already been firmly set in place.