Myriad Heavens: Rise of the Rune God-Chapter 129: Going home to study

Massive info dump coming up, I’m very sorry.

The celebration in the control room was probably still going strong. He could hear distant sounds of laughter and conversation echoing down the hallways.

He walked toward the exit, avoiding the main corridors. Taking the back routes through the facility. He didn’t want to get pulled into conversations right now. Didn’t want to explain where he was going or what he was doing.

His mind was already racing ahead. Thinking about the other rewards. The Tier 2 Technology Section. The Stellar Body Refinement Method. The new system features.

Especially that time dilation feature for the system library.

If he was understanding the notification message correctly, he could spend thousands of years studying inside the library space while only seconds passed in the real world. That single feature might be more valuable than everything else combined.

Orion reached his car in the parking lot. Got in. Started the engine.

Drove toward home with his mind already deep in planning mode.

ORION’S MANSION - STUDY - 6:45 PM

Orion sat cross-legged on the floor of his study. The room was quiet. Comfortable. Cassia and Nyla were both out—Cassia at Starr HQ handling business, Nyla at the university library studying for exams.

Perfect. He’d have hours of uninterrupted time.

He closed his eyes. Took a deep breath. Let his consciousness sink inward.

Dove into the system library space.

The infinite library materialized around him. Endless shelves extending in every direction. Glowing books arranged in perfect order. The familiar space he’d visited many times over the past two months.

But something was different now.

A massive archway had appeared in the distance. Separate from the Tier 1 section he’d been accessing. It glowed with brighter light—almost too intense to look at directly. Holographic text floated above the archway in letters that seemed to shimmer with power:

TIER 2 TECHNOLOGY SECTION

TYPE II & III CIVILIZATION KNOWLEDGE

ACCESS GRANTED

Orion stared at it. That could wait. Right now, he needed biology.

But first—he needed to test something.

He thought about time. About the system notification. About the time dilation feature that had supposedly unlocked.

"System," Orion said aloud in the library space. "The time dilation feature. How does it work?"

Text appeared in his vision:

TIME DILATION - LIBRARY MODE

FUNCTION: Time within System Library space operates independently from external reality

RATIO: Adjustable by host will, maximum 1,000,000:1

EXTERNAL COST: 1 second real-world time per session, regardless of internal duration

LIMITATION: Host cannot exit library space until minimum 1 real-world second has elapsed

BENEFIT: Enables extended study periods without external time passage

Orion’s eyes widened. He read it again to make sure he understood.

One million to one ratio. He could spend a million seconds inside the library—over eleven days—and only one second would pass outside. But he could adjust it. Make it less extreme if he wanted.

And the minimum external duration was only one second. Meaning he couldn’t rapid-fire multiple sessions. But that hardly mattered.

"How much time can I actually use?" Orion asked.

More text appeared:

PRACTICAL LIMITS:

Host mental stamina determines maximum sustainable study duration

Current estimated capacity: ~50-100 subjective years before mental fatigue requires rest

Mental cultivation advancement increases capacity

Recommended approach: Multiple sessions with breaks rather than extreme single sessions

Fifty to a hundred years of subjective study time. Before needing to rest.

Orion felt excitement building in his chest. This was incredible. This changed everything.

"And I can do this repeatedly? As many sessions as I want?"

AFFIRMATIVE

Sessions limited only by host’s mental stamina recovery

Each session must include minimum 1 real-world second cost

No maximum number of sessions imposed

Orion laughed. He couldn’t help it. This was absurd. Broken. Completely overpowered.

With this feature, he could absorb knowledge at an insane rate. He could master entire fields of study in what amounted to seconds of external time. Biology. Physics. Chemistry. Engineering. Everything in Tier 1. Everything in Tier 2 eventually.

"Set time dilation to 10,000:1," Orion said. "Let’s start conservative."

The library seemed to shimmer slightly. Nothing obvious changed. But Orion could feel it—time had become elastic here. Stretched. Ten thousand seconds of study time available to him. Almost three hours. While only one second passed outside.

"Perfect. Let’s begin."

Orion turned toward the Tier 1 section. Biology was the priority. But the system notification had included a knowledge package—the Complete Genetic Engineering Codex. That needed to be absorbed first.

He focused his mind on it. Called it up from the uploaded knowledge.

The Codex appeared in his hands. Not a normal book. This one glowed with golden light. Felt warm to the touch. Heavy with compressed information.

Orion opened it.

Knowledge flooded in immediately. Not gradual like reading. Instant transfer directly into his mind. Perfect retention. Complete understanding.

COMPLETE GENETIC ENGINEERING CODEX - CONTENTS:

Molecular Biology Fundamentals

DNA/RNA Structure and Function

Protein Synthesis and Folding

Gene Regulation Mechanisms

Epigenetic Modifications

CRISPR and All Derivative Technologies

Synthetic Biology Principles

Metabolic Engineering

Cellular Assembly Techniques

Xenobiology Basics

Genetic Code Optimization

Directed Evolution Methods

Organism Design Principles

Orion absorbed it all. His enhanced mind—refined by the Earth and Moon visualizations—handled the information flood easily. What would have taken years of graduate study downloaded in minutes.

DNA structure became crystal clear in his understanding. Double helix. Base pairs—adenine bonding with thymine, guanine with cytosine. The elegant simplicity of the genetic code. How sequences of four simple bases encoded the instructions for every protein in every living thing.

Protein synthesis unfolded in his mind like watching a movie. mRNA carrying genetic information from the nucleus. Ribosomes reading the code. tRNA bringing amino acids. The chain growing. Folding into complex three-dimensional shapes that determined function.

Gene editing techniques appeared in perfect detail. CRISPR-Cas9. Guide RNA finding target sequences with molecular precision. Cas9 protein cutting DNA at exact locations. Cellular repair mechanisms that could be hijacked to insert new sequences. The beautiful elegance of reprogramming life at the molecular level.

The Codex covered everything. Not just current Earth technology, but advanced techniques that wouldn’t be developed for decades. Ways to design completely synthetic organisms from scratch. Methods for creating novel metabolic pathways. Techniques for engineering cells with impossible capabilities.

By the time the Codex finished uploading, Orion had the equivalent of multiple PhDs in molecular biology, genetics, and bioengineering. All compressed into his enhanced memory. All perfectly organized and accessible.

"Foundation complete," he said aloud. "Now for comprehensive biology knowledge."

He turned to the Tier 1 shelves. Called for books on every biology topic he hadn’t studied yet.

Books flew toward him from the shelves. Dozens at first. Then hundreds. They arranged themselves in the air around him—a orbiting cloud of glowing knowledge.

Orion grabbed the first one.

Cellular Biology - Complete Mechanisms

The book dissolved into light. Poured into his mind.

Cell structure became intimately familiar. Plasma membrane as the boundary—lipid bilayer with embedded proteins. Channels that allowed specific molecules to pass. Pumps that moved ions against concentration gradients. The sophisticated gatekeeping that controlled everything entering and leaving.

Organelles revealed their secrets. Mitochondria—powerhouses of the cell, generating ATP through oxidative phosphorylation. The electron transport chain. Proton gradients across membranes. The molecular machinery that powered all life.

Endoplasmic reticulum—both rough and smooth versions. Manufacturing centers for proteins and lipids. The ribosomes dotting rough ER, cranking out proteins. Smooth ER synthesizing lipids and steroids.

Golgi apparatus—the cell’s post office. Modifying proteins. Adding sugar chains. Packaging everything for delivery to correct destinations.

Lysosomes—recycling centers. Packed with enzymes that could break down almost anything. The janitors of the cellular world.

Nucleus—command center. DNA safely stored. Transcription occurring. The instructions for everything.

Book after book. Knowledge flowing in.

Biochemistry - Molecular Interactions

Metabolic pathways appeared in stunning detail. Glycolysis breaking down glucose step by step. Six-carbon sugar becoming two three-carbon pyruvate molecules. ATP generated. NADH produced. The energy currency of cells.

Krebs cycle processing the pyruvate. Oxidation releasing electrons. More NADH and FADH2. Carbon dioxide as waste. The cycle spinning and spinning, extracting energy.

Electron transport chain—the final stage. NADH and FADH2 donating electrons. The electrons flowing through protein complexes embedded in the mitochondrial membrane. Protons pumped across. Gradient forming. ATP synthase spinning like a molecular turbine, generating ATP from the proton flow.

The beautiful cascade of energy extraction from simple sugar molecules.

Advanced Genetics

Gene regulation mechanisms revealed themselves. How cells turned genes on and off. Transcription factors binding to DNA. Promoters and enhancers. Silencers and repressors. The complex choreography of gene expression.

Epigenetics—changes that didn’t alter DNA sequence but changed gene activity. Methylation patterns. Histone modifications. How environmental signals affected genetic expression. How cells with identical DNA could have completely different functions.

Evolutionary Biology

Natural selection. Mutation as the source of variation. Selection pressure. Adaptation over generations. Speciation. The slow, grinding engine of evolution that had created all life on Earth.

But also more advanced topics. Directed evolution in laboratory settings. Forcing organisms to adapt rapidly under controlled conditions. Accelerating millions of years of evolution into months.

Immunology

The immune system’s incredible complexity. B cells and T cells. Antibody production. Immune memory. How the body recognized and destroyed foreign invaders. The sophisticated biological defense network.

Developmental Biology

How a single fertilized egg cell became a complete organism. Cell differentiation. Morphogen gradients. Hox genes controlling body plans. The programmed complexity of development.

Neurobiology

How neurons worked. Action potentials. Synaptic transmission. Neurotransmitters. The electrochemical signaling that created consciousness itself.

Microbiology

Bacteria. Archaea. Viruses. Fungi. Protists. The incredible diversity of microscopic life. Their metabolisms. Their adaptations. Their roles in every ecosystem.

Hours passed in the library space. Orion absorbed book after book. His mind expanded to hold it all. The time dilation meant he wasn’t rushing. Could take his time. Really understand each concept deeply before moving to the next.

Outside, barely a second had passed.

Inside, Orion had spent nearly three hours studying. Absorbed the equivalent of multiple undergraduate degrees in biology. All organized perfectly in his enhanced memory.

He finally opened his eyes. Back in the library space. The orbiting cloud of books had vanished—all absorbed.

"Tier 1 biology: complete," Orion said. Checked his mental stamina. Felt fine. Barely tired at all. The enhanced mind from cultivation made this effortless.

"Now for Tier 2."

He walked toward the massive glowing archway. Passed through it.

The space beyond was overwhelming.

Where Tier 1 had been vast, Tier 2 was infinite. Shelves extended not just in three dimensions but seemed to fold through spaces that shouldn’t exist. Books glowed with colors he didn’t have names for. Knowledge from civilizations that had mastered stellar engineering. That had conquered galaxies. That had transcended physical limitations.

Orion stood at the threshold, momentarily stunned by the sheer scope.

"Focus," he told himself. "Biology section first. Everything else later."

The organization was intuitive. His mind seemed to guide him naturally through the impossible geometry. He found himself in front of a section labeled:

TIER 2 - BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

The books here were different. More complex. More profound. Some of them seemed to shift and change as he looked at them.

Orion started pulling them down.

Advanced Genetic Engineering - Type II Civilization Methods

This wasn’t just modifying existing genes. This was designing life from first principles. Creating organisms that couldn’t evolve naturally. Engineering metabolic pathways that didn’t exist anywhere in nature.

Synthetic Chromosome Construction

Complete instructions for building chromosomes from scratch. Not just copying existing DNA, but creating entirely novel genetic architectures. Organisms with different numbers of chromosomes. Different genetic codes. Different molecular machinery.

Cross-Species Gene Integration

How to take genes from completely different organisms—bacteria to human, plant to animal—and make them function together. Advanced techniques that went far beyond current Earth capabilities.

Designer Organisms - Complete Specifications

Creating life for specific purposes. Living factories that produced chemicals. Biological computers. Organisms optimized for extreme environments. Life designed as tools.

Metabolic Pathway Engineering - Novel Systems

Creating new metabolic pathways. Energy systems that didn’t exist in nature. Ways to make cells produce substances they normally couldn’t. Complete redesign of cellular chemistry.

Xenobiology - Non-Carbon Based Life

This was fascinating. Life that didn’t use carbon as its structural backbone. Silicon-based organisms. Life in liquid nitrogen. Organisms that metabolized radiation instead of chemical energy. The incredible diversity of possible life forms.

Consciousness-Biology Interface

How to bridge mind and biology. Storing memories in DNA. Creating biological computers that could think. Uploading consciousness to organic substrates. The merger of mind and flesh.

Qi-Biology Integration Principles

Orion grabbed this one immediately.

The knowledge poured in. This was exactly what he needed.

The book explained how exotic energy—"Qi" in cultivation terminology—interacted with living systems. How biological structures could be designed to process it. How organisms could be engineered to generate it.

The three novel organelles from the synthesis method were explained here. Not completely—the deepest mechanisms remained mysterious even in Tier 2 knowledge. But the general principles became clear:

ALPHA ORGANELLE:

Energy reception and standardization structure. Modified from mitochondrial architecture but serving a completely different function. Absorbed various energy types and converted them to a universal biological energy currency beyond simple ATP. Created quantum-coherent states within cellular structures.

BETA ORGANELLE:

Energy processing unit. Completely novel design with no natural equivalent. Contained crystalline structures at microscopic scale within the cell. These crystals formed quantum-entangled networks. Processed energy through quantum tunneling and zero-point fluctuations. Somehow bridged normal physics and exotic energy physics at the cellular level.

GAMMA ORGANELLE:

Exotic energy synthesis core. Used processed energy from Beta organelle to trigger quantum effects that shouldn’t be possible in biological systems. The mechanism involved dimensional energy interactions, quantum vacuum fluctuations, and processes that didn’t have names in current physics. The result: exotic energy produced as a byproduct of impossible quantum biology.

The book provided mathematical models. Energy equations. Quantum mechanics that went several levels beyond current Earth physics understanding.

Orion absorbed it all. Even the parts he didn’t fully understand yet—they were stored in his perfect memory, ready to be understood when he advanced further.

"So the organisms are biological quantum processors," Orion murmured, understanding dawning. "They take in normal energy, process it through quantum structures that shouldn’t exist in living cells, and output exotic energy. The yield is low because biological systems are inefficient. Too many intermediate steps. Too much energy lost to cellular maintenance and metabolic overhead."

He continued pulling books. Learning. Understanding.

Gene Superpower Enhancement Protocols

This was interesting. Techniques for unlocking dormant genetic potential in organisms. Activating ancient genes from evolutionary history. Awakening abilities that had been lost. Psychic capabilities encoded in DNA. Enhanced strength. Regeneration. Extended lifespan. Sensory expansion.

All achievable through precise genetic modifications.

"I could enhance myself," Orion realized. "Make my body fundamentally superior through genetic engineering, separate from cultivation."

He filed that thought away for later consideration. Priority remained the exotic energy synthesis project.

Evolution Acceleration Methods

Forcing millions of years of evolution into months or days. Creating selection pressures. Guiding mutation. Accelerating adaptation. Ways to create new species rapidly.

Biological Computation Systems

Using DNA as data storage. Creating cellular computers. Living neural networks. Organisms that could process information. The foundation of biological AI.

Hive-Mind Organism Design

Creating networked biological intelligences. Multiple organisms sharing consciousness. Distributed processing across living systems. Collective intelligence emerging from simple components.

Book after book. The knowledge flooding in. Orion’s enhanced mind handled it effortlessly.

Hours passed in the library space. Outside, still less than a second had elapsed.