The so-called laboratory is a small room of about a dozen square meters. The walls are not metal, but rough rock, with a simple rune floor tiles.
In the center of the room is a simple workbench with a magic energy lamp hanging above it, and in the corner are some commonly used basic equipment—small crucibles, bellows, sinks, etc.
Most importantly, some basic runes are engraved on the corners of the room and the door frame.
"Is this the simple Isolation Detection Array?"
After locking the door, Jeming felt the weak energy fluctuation brought by the activation of the array.
This level of array might not be able to withstand the powerful detection of a High Tier Wizard, but if someone tries to break through the array's shield, it would trigger a disturbance, which is sufficient as a warning system.
Everything inside the whole laboratory seems quite rudimentary and basic, you could say there's nothing worthwhile except for the internal Protective Array and the Isolation Array.
However, after a careful inspection, Jeming discovered a pleasant surprise: "There's actually an independent Magic Network Terminal in the lab?"
In the corner of the laboratory, a machine identical to those linking the Magic Net in the mission hall was stationed here.
Familiar with the procedure, Jeming used his badge to activate the machine and found that the content here was even richer than that in the mission hall. Apart from various conventional quests, laboratories would also mutually purchase or sell materials and products they need.
"They even offer free delivery service for basic materials, which is much better than the mission hall."
Although the mission hall also has the same basic material buying and selling service, it does not offer delivery and requires the buyer to pick it up themselves.
If it were some high-end resources, it's fine, but for certain common materials, the purchasing power of points in this aspect is terrifyingly strong.
Additionally, Jeming also discovered that through the tasks and purchase requests published between various laboratories, a precursor similar to the "forum" of his previous life had already appeared here.
Unfortunately, the value of knowledge in this world surpasses all things, and most discussions remain superficial. Despite the long development, the "forum" is still only a prototype.
Even so, the scattered information revealed in these discussions has greatly benefited Jeming.
"The system for purchasing knowledge is dangerously perfected, even something like knowledge network can't compare..."
After indulging in the Magic Net for a while, Jeming came back to his senses: "Damn it, having not been online for too long kind of got me excited. So, apart from ensuring privacy, the most important function of such a low-level laboratory should be to access the internet anytime..."
After reaching this conclusion, Jeming looked at the terminal machine connecting to the Magic Net in silence: "What is this? A private internet cafe? And the internet fees are ridiculously expensive!"
After a bit of inward complaining, Jeming didn't waste any more time and began his main task for the day.
He took out the piece of gold from his toolbox, which had been shaped numerous times by Alchemy, and did not use the lab-provided crucible, instead, he took out a piece of stone from his personal toolbox.
According to the knowledge from the Great Dao Book Pavilion, refining Refined Gold at the Qi Cultivation First Layer requires the use of tools.
The simplest tool is a specially made Furnace, whose special internal structure can concentrate firepower to aid the refinement.
Jeming took out the Alchemy Disc and placed the stone on it. In no time, the entire stone had transformed into a small furnace the size of a rice cooker.
"This shaping feels so smooth, indeed, unlocking the Inner Cycle allows for better performance," Jeming marveled.
He placed the gold into his self-made stone furnace, concentrated his Spiritual Power, and mobilized his hard-earned True Essence.
"Geng Metal Refining Technique... this is a basic metal purification Dharma Gate from the Great Dao Book Pavilion. Its principle is to separate impurities from the metal and refine its core essence through the high-purity penetration of True Essence and the delicate guidance of Divine Sense. Unfortunately, with my cultivation, I can only refine a small amount, and it requires high demands on material properties. Fortunately, gold is stable in nature and can barely be used."
Activating the heating array in the laboratory, a flame appeared out of thin air on the workbench.
Placing the stone furnace on it, Jeming slowly infused True Essence into the gold.
As the True Essence entered the gold, it resembled a top-grade solvent, quickly permeating every particle of the gold.
Simultaneously, his Divine Sense was as precise as a scalpel, sensing the core "metallic nature" of the gold and those mixed "mundane natures."
The process put a heavy toll on his True Essence, making Jeming feel the pitiful amount of True Essence in his body flood away like a sluice gate, bringing clear waves of weakness.
His complexion began to turn pale as beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
Fortunately, he had now mastered the Meditation Method, allowing him to absorb Elemental Power from the outside world to transform it into True Essence.
Clenching his teeth, Jeming continued to maintain the output of True Essence and the delicate guidance of his Divine Sense. At the same time, following the Dharma Gate of the Geng Metal Refining Technique, he used the simple laboratory equipment for assistance.
Every step required utmost concentration and control. He could feel the "mundane natures" within the gold being repelled and stripped away under the guidance of True Essence and external forces, transforming into particles invisible to the naked eye, precipitating from the gold's surface and being burned by high temperature in the stone furnace.
As time ticked by, Jeming had nearly exhausted all his True Essence, and the weakness in his body reached its peak.
Feeling somewhat dizzy, the slight hum from the Isolation Talisman Array seemed to grow ever distant.
Finally!
Just before his True Essence was completely depleted, all the impurities within the gold had been stripped away.
The gold, which was originally the size of a fist, had become a small golden nugget only the size of a fingertip, emitting a subtle glow.
He succeeded!
Weakly leaning against the workbench, Jeming panted heavily.
Without time to check his achievement, Jeming sat cross-legged on the floor to meditate, fully unleashing the power of the Truth Rune in his Sea of Spirit, attracting external Elemental Power to transform into True Essence to replenish the body's consumption.
After more than half an hour, Jeming, whose state had mostly recovered, stood up, carefully using tweezers to extract that small golden nugget from the stone furnace.
Upon touch, it was icy cold, yet unbelievably heavy.
It was no longer ordinary gold but a substance imbued with an indescribable concept of eternity and stability.
Confirming with the knowledge from the Great Dao Book Pavilion, Jeming verified that this was Refined Gold, a Metal Essence that could only be refined in the Cultivation Immortality Realm using special Dharma Gates!
Excitedly, Jeming looked at the fingertip-sized Refined Gold in his hand, marking the first time since he arrived in this world that he had encountered an Extraordinary Material.