Chapter 427: The Terrifying Prospects of the Knowledge Tree
As my journey continued, I found myself visiting some of the most famous places in this world.
I remember when I first heard the term “Small World,” I instinctively dismissed it as trivial. Yet, such worlds undeniably exist, brimming with the potential to foster civilizations and create breathtaking natural wonders.
The descriptions of these places were simply a name on the Plant Network, accompanied by a brief overview and stunning images. Despite this ease of presentation, these were destinations that the vast majority of people in the world would never visit in their lifetimes, even if they were born and raised in the same region.
A sense of nostalgia washed over me. Wasn’t I just like that not too long ago? I could relate to it deeply.
Now that I was truly here, I began to understand what a Small World meant. It wasn’t just a name; it had its own magnificent rivers and mountains. The contrast between the vastness of this world and my own insignificance was staggering. Even standing at the peak, I felt that this was not a conquest of nature.
I trod upon lands adorned with wonders and hailed as tourist destinations, leaving my footprints in seldom-visited places.
From the snow-capped peaks of the Golaoqiu Mountain on the equator to the Great Rift Valley—flanked by the largest fault lines bridging the hemispheres, its roots intertwining across the landscape, forming the most spectacular “Sky Garden.”
Then there was the Sea of d*ath, a corridor ravaged by hurricanes and wild wolves, where the unique Earth Vein resources entangled the Plant Network roots beneath the surface, their tendrils floating above the surf, dancing in the air with giant waves.
This was a place to dare the fates of ships, where one famed location on the Plant Network commemorated a man who, with his life, proved that such a treacherous spot could forge a connection to the Plant Network. In his dying moments, he even took a selfie with the towering waves, captioned “Save me!” The photo depicted a middle-aged, slightly plump man grinningly facing his imminent demise.
…
Each of these vistas constantly expanded my horizons, reminding me of a certain comment I stumbled upon on the Plant Network: “Only when one quiets their heart to observe the world can they hope to construct their own worldview.”
At that moment, I had to concede the truth in those words. The sights here were devoid of any written description, yet they surged forth with a shock that transcended language.
This journey had been incredibly rewarding, but words failed me. It was the accumulation of my own experiences, the broadening of my understanding, the honing of my patience, and my grasp of grand scenes—each of these lessons could never be learned in the Academy.
However, my global adventure had concluded prematurely, not because I had seen everything, but because I realized that continuing was meaningless.
Everything has its limits; exceeding them only leads to exhaustion.
I had also returned Qiu Ruxin to the cozy inn midway through the journey, which had become a temporary residence for the Academy Head and my mentors. I felt reassured leaving her there.
Qiu Ruxin’s choice to part ways stemmed from my relentless pursuit of physical limits. While I was into Body Cultivation with robust physical prowess, she was not as fortunate. Her marginally enhanced physique barely outweighed an average person’s.
I wasn’t surprised by her withdrawal; her stamina and energy had long hit their cap. I had warned her that following me further would bear no significance.
Of course, there was one other crucial aspect: during this journey, I had preliminarily enhanced the connection between my Illusionary Clone and the Knowledge Tree.
After Qiu Ruxin left, I was left alone. But hey, I was not completely solitary; my Illusionary Clone—now dubbed “Knowledge Tree Manager” or “Subconscious Me”—still accompanied me. Yet, she remained unchanged; I suppose, like my subconscious, she had always been constant.
With the addition of the Illusionary Clone, the Knowledge Tree had undergone colossal changes.
This transformation rivaled the fusion of spell execution with the Knowledge Tree from earlier.
Once my subconscious forged an indelible link with the Knowledge Tree, my ability to utilize knowledge became instantaneous.
Moreover, thanks to the clone’s characteristics, the knowledge within the tree could now be “projected” into reality.
With a flick of my wrist, a bright green leaf materialized in my hand, showcasing countless scenes. I tossed it aside, and those very visions unfurled before my eyes.
This was my memory projection, akin to an illusion, with awareness mechanisms that mirrored those of the Illusionary Clone.
The Knowledge Tree had shed the shackles of merely recording text from the old Memory Shelf. At this moment, it had transformed into nodes resembling vivid memories—with auditory experiences, my thoughts at that moment, and the emotional fluctuations I had felt.
It was as if I had relived those moments, savoring them endlessly.
And that was just one of the many abilities. The Knowledge Tree’s potential extended far beyond that; its roots tunneled into my memories, becoming an integral part of me.
With the foundational link between the Illusionary Clone and the Knowledge Tree established, the growth path of the Knowledge Tree should have stagnated. However, during this journey, I stumbled upon a revelation.
I yearned to anchor the Knowledge Tree’s roots into the Earth Veins. I aspired to use the Knowledge Tree as a springboard to witness the history and past the Earth Veins had absorbed over this land.
Once that thought sparked in my mind, it became a relentless wildfire. If I could do this, the Knowledge Tree might very well mimic the portable Earth Vein Operating System!
No, it would be even more outrageous; it could accomplish far greater feats than what the Earth Vein System managed. The capabilities of the Earth Vein System were merely a branch of what it could achieve.
It was evident… As long as thought doesn’t flounder, no idea is too far-fetched. People in this world could construct a colossal Plant Network from just a spark of inspiration, and I too could employ the Knowledge Tree to achieve similar feats—wasn’t it just like programming?
If I succeeded in constructing it, success would be a mere formality!
But what I truly desired was to forge a connection with the Earth Vein.
Unfortunately, my initial attempt to establish a communicative link with the Earth Veins ended in total failure.
Subsequent attempts also foundered.
Yet, my intuition told me that my failure wasn’t due to faulty reasoning on my part, but rather an issue with the Earth Veins; I was unable to establish any informational connection with this world.
The continuous string of failures shattered my unyielding fervor, and I had to approach those witch mentors for guidance. However, I didn’t disclose any details about my Knowledge Tree; I masked my inquiries under the guise of the Earth Vein Operating System, just to get a feel for the Earth Veins’ characteristics. My understanding of the Earth Veins remained at a rudimentary level.
Through diligence, I managed to discern the bare bones of the matter: I lacked Earth Pulse Shackles.
A brutally mundane reason.
Earth Vein Energy is an extraordinary force, with a low power level but fundamental to the existence of a world.
Even after the emergence of a world, Earth Vein Energy carries a locality attribute; only those entities born from the Earth Veins of a formed world—those possessing Earth Pulse Shackles—are eligible to harness Earth Vein Energy. Note that this is merely eligibility, not a guarantee.
Since I had neither Earth Pulse Shackles nor was I a native of this world, I found it almost impossible to connect with its Earth Veins. For instance, the Earth Vein Operating System from the Main World could barely function here, managing only minimal operations with Earth Vein Energy and unable to access this world’s Earth Veins.
Learning this was a bitter pill to swallow. The confirmation dashed my previous hypotheses into smithereens.
The envisioned “Earth Vein Information Appraisal Technique” became a joke at my expense based on the idea of linking to the Earth Veins for informational exchange.
This technique was a hasty conceptualization built on the premise that the roots of the Knowledge Tree could delve into the Earth Veins, extracting information and insights—a kind of basic appraisal skill like what you’d find in a game. While commonplace in gaming, this was real life!
So, its potential was astronomically powerful!
The effectiveness of this ability hinged on the theory that the Earth Veins accurately recorded everything that flows in this world—its events and information.
Thus, I could theoretically search for information on any item within this world using Earth Vein data.
This ability’s concept was quite similar to the dream-rewriting spell I developed in Ninglan New City; it wasn’t a rigidly constructed spell but rather an application of environmental rules to achieve what I wished.
If successful, the scope of this Earth Vein Information Appraisal Technique would encompass any fully developed world with Earth Veins or merely locations possessing them.
Its practical applications would outstrip the dream-rewriting spell by leagues!
But—
Right now, all of that stood behind a thick wall— the incompatibility of the Earth Veins…
Still, I didn’t regret severing my Earth Pulse Shackles; otherwise, I wouldn’t even qualify to step out of the Main World.
At this juncture, I needed to figure out how to utilize Earth Vein Energy. I hadn’t given up—not a chance! If I cringed at a minor setback, I wouldn’t respect myself.
Besides, I refuse to believe there’s nothing usable about Earth Vein information in this world, and… isn’t my Spirit Vision just the most “primitive” means of obtaining Earth Vein data?
The simpler and more direct the method, the fewer restrictions it faces. Perhaps, before uncovering how to wield Earth Vein information, I could use Spirit Vision to construct a rudimentary “appraisal technique.”
On some level, Spirit Vision seemed to function as a form of “appraisal technique”—though harder to control, it didn’t fit the swift and convenient essence of typical skills.
Yet, upon integrating the Knowledge Tree, I could exploit the “database” I’d built with it and my knowledge for “appraisal.” This would be a fresh approach to enhancing Spirit Vision!
So theoretically, the more I learned, the better I could “appraise” the information and insights regarding the unfamiliar.
With Spirit Vision in hand, intertwining the appraisal technique to utilize the Knowledge Tree as a bridge would maximize its effectiveness!
Moreover, if this technique could be “authorized” for others to use through my Knowledge Tree, I could gather even more experiences and knowledge through them. That way, even without leaving my home, my horizons would…
Just thinking about it filled me with trepidation. This ability was so awe-inspiring and over-the-top.
However, similar to any concept, there were many hurdles to overcome: chief among them was figuring out how to communicate between the spell and Earth Vein information.
Then there was the issue of how to “authorize” others for its use. Once they utilized it, how would all that data, information, and knowledge be received by my Knowledge Tree? What if the storage capacity for knowledge was maxed out? As knowledge increased, how would I manage the rising demands for reactions and computations?
These were all dilemmas, but thankfully, they were future problems to tackle.
For now, I merely needed to resolve the immediate issues at hand.
……
After wrapping up my travels, I decided it was time to return to the cozy inn for a bit of rest. I had reserved it for such an extended period, and the owners were likely raking in profits because of me.
This long journey left me quite drained, not physically, but mentally.
Along the way, I didn’t just bask in stunning sights; I had also been diligently working on Knowledge Tree matters. It’s safe to say, during this time, I led a fulfilling life, fully immersed in the moment.
However, this rich life came at the cost of energy. I had to concede that this lifestyle wasn’t suited for me. While it might be enjoyable on occasion, it wouldn’t become my norm.
“Hmm? Huh?! Sister Xiao Han, you’re back? Has your round-the-world trip ended?” Upon spotting me, Qiu Ruxin jumped to her feet, wide-eyed with surprise.
“Pretty much, yes. The journey has ended,” I smiled and explained. What came next would naturally be a return to normalcy.
By this time, I was starting to feel a pull to return to the Witch Academy, primarily to gather more information about the Earth Veins from the library.
The mentors at the inn were quite busy. I reached out to those with occasional free moments, but unfortunately, they weren’t well-versed in Earth Vein studies; after all, even extraordinary witches are not omniscient.
Each of them had their projects, their paths, and their research areas, occasionally dabbling in other topics without delving into them.
In the days that followed, I indeed rested as planned. Outside of daily meditation and body training, I didn’t engage in anything else.
I even put my Knowledge Tree research on hold for the time being.
Some things can’t yield results from constant pursuit; sometimes, you need to pause and allow time for your thoughts to settle. That was also a lesson I learned during my travels.
But don’t mistake this for idleness; I wasn’t lounging around.
I utilized the Plant Network permissions to gather all pertinent results on Plant Technology. While I knew the genuine achievements could never be documented within the Plant Network, I wasn’t here to deeply study these technologies.
I sought to cultivate a primal interest in these curious inventions without diving deeply into understanding them. Only in this mindset could I even conceive outrageous ideas.
Sometimes, inspiration defies logic; it doesn’t have to fit into established cognizance, as long as it points me in the right direction—the rest is up to my skills to fill in.
I must say, the Plant Technology creations in this world were impressive. I encountered several imaginative works that truly expanded my horizons.
Yet, clearly, the totality of this world’s achievements and masterpieces couldn’t possibly be grasped in just two days.
I was also aware that I didn’t approach this exploration with the aim of complete understanding.
Thus, I downloaded a plethora of materials from the Plant Network for keepsakes. For that, I made a special trip back to the Wanlian Main Network Tree for the operation.
Once again, many people were around, but I was no longer the timid soul I had been on my first visit.
After wrapping everything up, I suddenly sensed the aura of a Summoning Ceremony. However, after some contemplation, my zeal dimmed.
“So it’s the Main World, huh? I wonder who it is. I thought it might be those Excavators… Oh well, they’ve been out of commission for quite a while… what a pity…”
