Study Monster Cultivation System

Chapter 144 - 143 Okay, this is very Cheng Huan

Look further down.

[The second question: Using the Segmentation Method for retro-synthetic analysis, please provide retro-synthetic analysis]

Li Zheng’s eyes widened.

Only then did he understand.

This question wasn’t about forming a ring.

It was about reverse ring formation.

Ring segmentation.

It involved segmenting a tremendously complex magic ring into several separate large rings, then dividing the large rings into smaller rings, and so forth, until finding sufficiently simple and common starting materials.

Comparing it to cooking, it’s akin to giving a chef a finished dish to taste and asking him to deduce the recipe.

It was ingenious.

But this was already a graduate-level organic chemistry problem.

Even the Icho international competition might not delve this deep.

Even Li Zheng, who had prepared extensively, was rather flustered by such a demonic magic ring.

Of course, as much as he was flustered, he was equally excited.

If it were Shi Yang facing this problem, what would his thoughts be?

Upon reflection, this magic ring was indeed terrifying.

But the knowledge required to solve it didn’t exceed the outline of the finals.

The most critical "Organic Synthesis—Segmentation" and "Organic Synthesis Route Design," were subjects he had just tackled, which he occasionally discussed with Shi Yang as well.

Theoretically, he already possessed all the foundational knowledge needed to solve this problem.

However, facing a question of this level, he still lacked experience and training.

It was like a junior apprentice chef who indeed had mastered every cooking technique.

But if thrown the task of deducing recipes from tasting an extravagant Imperial Feast, it was still too tough.

Li Zheng involuntarily looked towards Zhou Yi on the stage.

Zhou Yi noticed him and immediately smiled, "No worries, student, if you can’t continue, just come back and listen carefully. Competing in chemistry might not be as intense as in math and physics, but winning a gold medal isn’t that easy either."

The trainees were bewildered by Zhou Yi’s words.

What did math and physics competitions have to do with this?

Ou Xing Zhuo, however, glared and looked down.

Seemed like this chubby kid was pretty bothered by the issue of accumulating Dragon Balls...

Could it be...

He then turned to look at Li Zheng, feeling somewhat guilty.

Sorry, my friend.

Li Zheng didn’t say much and quickly returned to his place.

However, he didn’t sit down, but picked up his backpack.

He pulled out two large empty notebooks and then walked back to his desk.

Everyone then realized.

He had just come back to get scratch paper.

Amidst the exclamations, Zhou Yi was not only unangered but rather excited.

"Good, that’s the spirit!" Zhou Yi clutched the microphone, spirited and eloquent.

"That leads to what I was about to say next—chemistry is like life."

"There are no bonds that can’t be broken, only our knowledge is insufficient."

"There are no rings that can’t be formed, only our efforts are lacking."

"Every new reaction is a new vista."

"Every intermediate is part of our hidden journey."

"Every process is reversible."

"Only by pressing forward can we avoid returning to the start!"

The students undoubtedly applauded once more.

It was all just motivational talk.

But when combined with chemistry.

It suddenly turned a bit demonic.

Meanwhile, Li Zheng, undoubtedly,

had already engaged his ultimate 112 times speed.

Zhou Cheng Huan!

If you show no kindness, don’t blame me for my ruthlessness.

Clearly, his current experience and knowledge were insufficient to decipher this demonic ring.

So he decided to test them one by one, cutting one bond after another.

He would tackle frying, deep-frying, boiling, braising, steaming, stewing, simmering one by one.

Fighting fire with fire.

Bond, come at me!

...

Half an hour later, Zhou Yi’s speech was nearing its end.

Although Li Zheng hadn’t listened to it, it was actually quite spectacular.

The first half entailed motivational and demotivational talks, revealing the sweet and bitter aspects of engaging in chemistry, paired with his personal understanding of rings, all resonating with a demonic eloquence throughout.

During the latter part, he carefully explained the selection rules for joining the provincial team and signing with Ji University, making sure every student knew how to achieve their goals.

He occasionally glanced at Li Zheng, who was fervently solving problems, and seeing Li Zheng’s deep involvement without giving up, he admired it greatly.

It’s not just chemistry, everything needs this kind of relentlessness.

In the end, Zhou Yi even deliberately slowed down the pace of his speech to give Li Zheng a bit more time.

By this time, minor annoyances like collecting Dragon Balls or random parking were long forgotten.

This problem could not be addressed without spending several years studying organic chemistry at a top chemical institute.

If Ou Xingzhuo could explain the structure of the ring clearly, that would be quite an achievement.

Li Zheng had already entered demonization.

This magic ring had been segmented countless times like nesting kaleidoscopes.

In his chemical meditation micro-world, he had simulated countless possibilities.

Though it had been only a mere half hour in real time,

by now, he had reached a speed of 112 times.

Plus 100% chemical fervor, and an extra 50% bonus from entering the "demonization state" with Earth Demon.

This brief half-hour equaled a tough 140 hours.

Even Li Zheng had never been so obsessed before.

Until.

His eyes widened.

He did it!

Five steps.

Break 10 bonds.

Finally split into three bizarre things.

They were all bizarre, but the heart of each was still a ring.

A six-membered ring, a five-membered ring, and a three-membered ring.

While it wasn’t sure that these three bizarre things could be sourced as raw materials,

every step was feasible in his chemical meditation.

Finally.

With a "snap,"

the ring was formed, and the pen fell.

Li Zheng slumped into his chair as if he had just fought an endless war.

Or as if he had just had a fulfilling, drenching dream.

At this point, no matter what he looked at,

it all appeared as rings.

On the stage, when Zhou Yi saw Li Zheng stop writing, he gave his final remarks and concluded.

"Whether it’s the current training or future university life,"

"Please remember,"

"every competition is not an internal one but an external one."

"What you really should consider is: how to surpass the academic level outside,"

"Being stronger than me doesn’t equal strength."

"Only when our entire Chinese chemical community is stronger,"

"can you truly be considered strong."

"Thank you all."

With that, Zhou Yi bowed respectfully to the students below.

All the students stood up unconsciously, and the applause thundered.

For them, this bow was overwhelming.

Li Zheng too had just emerged from the world of rings.

Weren’t these the same words that Shi Yang had once said?

In the end, we’re all our own people!

If we are all rings, why the rush to denigrate others?

Zhou Yi also looked at Li Zheng, his eyes full of "ring" essence, and quickly left the stage, "Hold on for a couple of minutes, everyone, let me see how well this ring segmentation worked out."

Li Zheng also stood up, picked up his answer sheet, and approached Zhou Yi, his eyes just as full of "ring" essence as the dean’s.

"Teacher Zhou, this problem was really thrilling."

Zhou Yi just smiled; he was rather incredulous, sure that the kid was just putting on an act again.

Until he took the answer sheet.

Five steps, six diagrams, large rings nested within small ones, they looked legitimate.

Zhou Yi couldn’t help but seriously contemplate it, mumbling as he analyzed,

"This works."

"This works, this really forms a ring."

"Can this even form a ring?"

"This doesn’t form a ring?"

"A very imaginative ring."

"Good ring!"