Chapter 419: Invasion of the Wanlian Main Network Tree
At this moment, runes floated in my palm. With my knowledge of runic magic, the information stored in my Memory Shelf became the “tools” in my hands, and this composite rune served as the core of my spell.
I was perfecting it into a spell that could actually produce magical effects.
Honestly, I could have made it simpler and turned this rune into a minor spell using just a ceremony and an extraordinary structure. But I wasn’t about to be shortsighted; if I was going to refine it, I might as well build it into a complete spell. After all, that’s where the real magic happens!
Time ticked away as the rune in my hand slowly took shape, absorbing the extraordinary energy from the environment. According to my understanding of elemental theory, this energy was some kind of composite elemental energy. You can’t expect elemental energy in nature to be pure; most of the time, it’s a mix, kind of like how you never just find a single element hanging around—it’s always a combo deal. So, it was quite likely that the energy being drawn in was wood elemental energy.
Wood elemental energy is a mash-up of various elemental energies. No surprises there, really—plant technology, Tears of Wild Growth, they all hinted that this rune had a deep connection to plants.
As the ritual rune in my hand started to swirl on its own, I felt a glimmer of excitement in my eyes. It looked like I was on the right track! Although I wasn’t exactly a pro at using core runes to reverse-engineer spells, I had picked up a few handy tricks from the Academy Head while studying Reverse Summoning Spell. And boy, were they useful!
Before long, the spell was successfully cast. Casting a spell without a spellbook as a platform was indeed a bit troublesome; the lag was almost on par with a chanting mage. After another brief moment of awe at how impressive spellbooks were, I turned my attention to the effects of this new spell.
The gathered elemental energy began to coalesce under the spell’s influence, and deep down, I was pondering whether this was meant to be an attack spell or just a simple effect spell.
Soon enough, the wood elements formed intricate veins that blossomed outward from a single point.
In the pitch-black night, the brilliance of the spell illuminated my face, resembling a seed that was in the process of sprouting. It treated space as soil, reaching outward from the “seed,” and soon, the core that looked like a seed surged as if sprouting from the ground.
Everything was about those extending veins, like some strange plant dancing to its own rhythm, as the roots sought out and captured ambient elemental energy. With each gulp of energy, this vein-like plant expanded and began to bloom.
Upon closer inspection, those blossoming veins looked like branches and leaves.
Without wasting time, I directly summoned magic from the Magic Source and used a magic transformation rune to convert that magic into elemental energy.
This magic conversion rune was practically a staple in any shaping spellbook; after all, magic isn’t elemental energy—it’s a much more terrifying form of high-energy extraordinary force. Just the fact that most normal people can’t even handle magic proves how intimidating it is!
When I was dissecting spellbooks, I had already memorized the structure for this kind of magic conversion rune.
Now, with a full-fledged magic source backing my transformation, this vein-like plant shot up like it had just downed a gallon of fertilizer, quickly reaching the ceiling while continuing to grow.
Seeing this madness unfold, I hastily dispelled the spell in my hands—after all, I had no idea it could grow so aggressively! Better not risk trying it out in my bedroom again.
Once I cancelled the spell, this condensed little sapling remained upright, as if it were thriving even without the spell’s support.
However, it didn’t take long for reality to set in; lacking that hyper-elemental energy support, the ambient elemental energy couldn’t sustain its growth anymore. It started to “wither,” the veins dimming… until it ultimately perished.
Just like that, a “plant life” came to an end in its short lifespan.
But I was genuinely amazed by the whole process—if this tree had been in a nutrient-rich elemental energy environment, would it have had a longevity similar to that of a spellbook?
No, no, no… it still had a transient spell effect. The only special thing about it was that it was birthed from the insights of Extraordinary Knowledge!
What’s more, I had a Great Spellbook myself, and with the added wisdom it provided, I quickly realized that the nature of this spell’s effects was entirely different from that of the long-lasting effects of a Great Spellbook.
“Looks like trying it out in my bedroom isn’t a good idea anymore; let’s head somewhere else.” I muttered to myself. After all, I had only conducted a brief experiment and almost filled my room to the brim with that leafy chaos. It was clear that I didn’t want to repeat that mistake.
Thinking this, a spatial teleportation portal appeared before me, and in the next moment, my figure vanished from my bedroom.
In the dark sky, I looked down at the glowing streetlights below—evidently, these were products of plant technology, even if I couldn’t quite discern the botanical characteristics of these artificial constructs.
It was clear that the people in this world had used their ingenuity to flourish these plants.
And I was certain these plants were still alive; however, they no longer relied on photosynthesis. Instead, they thrived thanks to colossal underground networks of earth energy roots.
This was the rooftop of the top floor where I lived, though I still felt it wasn’t the safest spot.
With a snap of my fingers, a mirror-like barrier cloaked the entire rooftop, reflecting the sky at a tilted angle so that in the pitch-black night, no one could spot any anomalies here.
This was just my go-to little mirror spell, but now, it served as the most convenient cover in the night.
Next, I repeated the steps I took in my bedroom once more.
This time, I directly used magic to convert it into elemental energy.
The spell coalesced into a glowing seed that flashed a slightly green aura, while golden veins sprouted up once more.
This time, I watched blandly. If this spell was merely sprouting a tree, then what was its purpose?
Could it be that it contained something insightful?
Or maybe it was just a one-time tree-planting spell.
As I observed the continuously extending tree, I suddenly realized that it even had a ghostly outer bark. I had originally thought it was merely showing the extension of its internal veins; but with the growth of the veins, it developed a rough texture that resembled elemental bark.
As it continued to expand, it was starting to exceed the height of my mirror barrier.
“No, this can’t go on.” I constantly observed it, using my n*ked eye and Spirit Vision—whatever means I had available—I was trying to glean various insights from it, but nothing significant surfaced.
And now, I couldn’t allow it to continue any longer. If someone discovered a glowing tree sprouting out of nowhere, I might have to pack my bags and move at lightning speed; the first ones to respond would likely be the Excavators. Once they showed up, restful days would be out of the question!
So, I swiftly decided to annihilate the spell effect. A colossal branch crashed down, but there wasn’t even a hint of noise; the internal elemental energy dissipated in that instant.
Immediately after, those energies obliterated the fragile mirror spell, leaving behind cracks that shattered against the night sky. Yet, no one witnessed this striking scene.
I didn’t stop, letting it all happen as I felt the night breeze high atop the rooftop. My gaze wandered far away, and then I sent out a spell.
“Looking afar won’t necessarily give you any great ideas, you know?” My voice echoed in my ears.
I didn’t turn back; after all, it was a comment made by my Illusionary Clone.
“Then do you have any ideas?” I slightly tilted my head.
At that moment, another me stood beside me, raising a hand and pointing in a direction.
It was the giant tree that stood as a landmark near Lanas University, where I had borrowed a girl’s identity earlier.
But I knew the Illusionary Clone wasn’t pointing to the university itself; instead, it was zeroing in on that most prominent tree—the Wanlian Main Network Tree.
This was the very foundation of the plant network in this world.
“You’re right. The Wanlian Main Network Tree is the pinnacle of plant technology development in this world. Maybe I should take action against it,” I nodded.
After all, they were both trees, and who knows what fascinating reactions the Wanlian Main Network Tree might have with my spell-generated tree?
Though, there was the slight issue that the security around the Wanlian Main Network Tree was ridiculously tight. Although it was situated within this university, even the students here didn’t have the privilege to view it up close—only distant glances were allowed.
Moreover, this tree was encased in a gigantic transparent protective sphere, employing advanced plant technology, and it was said that it had been “grafted” to the Wanlian Main Network Tree, making it more resilient than the strongest weapons in the world. But I was skeptical; after all, who knew if it could withstand a rain of fire without any debilitating spell effects?
I must admit, I was rather tempted by this protective facility. If I could derive a corresponding protective spell from it, it would undoubtedly have formidable strength, right?
Putting those trivial thoughts aside, my mind drifted back to the Wanlian Main Network Tree.
Infiltrating it shouldn’t be too hard; a single teleportation spell would suffice. But the internal surveillance systems were something else entirely! Besides, it wasn’t as if there weren’t people in there; in fact, there were tons of them. They were all maintenance personnel who dedicated their lives to the Wanlian Main Network Tree.
Each and every one of them was among the most elite talents from Lanas Island, living under this protective facility. They could only leave during designated times of the year for personnel rotations.
If I used a teleportation spell to enter, I’d probably trip the alarms sooner than a cat on a hot tin roof. At that point, it would be less about investigating the Wanlian Main Network Tree and more about launching a full-out assault! I obviously didn’t want to resort to the most direct method unless absolutely necessary.
Though that was my thought process, my body was unconsciously moving in that direction.
Leaping between the buildings, I didn’t even need to use a flying broomstick; my powerful physique was enough to span the distance across the buildings.
In no time at all, I was inside the university.
The university was dead silent in the dead of night, and I didn’t see many people around.
Before long, I spotted that massive protective facility resembling a landmark.
The base still retained a rugged wooden structure, leading up to a translucent dome that resembled resin. Its interior lacked any support, yet it held its own weight without buckling—a material as sturdy as I could ever imagine!
Beneath this colossal structure, I sensed an immense supply of earth energy. The Wanlian Main Network Tree was continuously receiving and transmitting a torrent of information and data, and even beneath my feet, waves of massive data flow surged.
At that moment, I halted my advance. This area was technically off-limits to pedestrians; even at night, there were patrolling personnel, and those on patrol dared not slack off, leaving me no chance to sneak by.
While scanning the surroundings, I noticed traces left behind by battles—noticeable explosive and burning marks clearly the handiwork of Excavators.
It seemed those Excavators also had a keen interest in this thing. The signs of conflict weren’t ancient but rather fresh.
“Perhaps… I can frame those Excavators.” After pondering for a while, I realized I couldn’t come up with a better plan to slip in unnoticed.
Unfortunately, some arrangements wouldn’t be made for a while here. The only entrance was sealed tight, and there was no way to sneak in from above or below.
After thinking it over… maybe a direct assault was my best bet…
Then quickly cut off their “surveillance.” After all, any mess I caused, someone else would clean up!
Because at the end of the day, my hesitation came from not wanting anyone to know I was the one causing such a ruckus. I had plenty of tricks up my sleeve, like bypassing these protective barriers through spatial teleportation; meaning my only concern was dealing with the detectors and monitors.
So… cutting off the facility’s earth energy supply would resolve all issues. As for potential consequences like plant network paralysis or whatnot? Frankly speaking… I couldn’t care less.
And the darker side made me curious—what would happen if the plant network ceased to exist?
Also, such large-scale anomalies would likely lead to martial law, but that’s where I thrived on timing. In such a vast area, finding someone who deliberately hid would not be easy.
Once I got close to the Wanlian Main Network Tree, the worst-case scenario would be them hesitating due to fear. At that point, what was there to fear?
They should be the ones afraid of me.
From the beginning to the end, my target was just to approach that Wanlian Main Network Tree. I wanted to see what insights I could gather about the world’s pinnacle technological creation shaped by the influence of Extraordinary Knowledge and to leave a teleport mark for a return visit.
When my strength and abilities were sufficient to deliver a dimensional blow to the other party, I really didn’t need to care about their attitude or overthink things.
Having come to this conclusion, I wasted no more time and swiftly sprang into action.
…
Early morning.
Qiu Ruxin, sleepless and tossing in bed, finally felt the weight of fatigue tugging her into a restless sleep.
But just then, a jarring alarm blared from afar, illuminating Lanas University and putting all surrounding areas on high alert. Alarms installed everywhere screamed at maximum volume, announcing that the Wanlian Main Network Tree was under attack!
“Huh?” Qiu Ruxin’s eyes, which were nearly closed, suddenly sprang open in alarm, confusion washing over her. What on earth was happening?
Struggling with her lethargic body, she turned on the lights and, leaning against the wall for support, made her way to the window.
“That’s… Lanas University?” Qiu Ruxin gasped, her drowsiness vanishing by a third in an instant.
With such a dramatic alarm and city-wide alert, was the Wanlian Main Network Tree being assaulted?
Qiu Ruxin couldn’t believe it. Who would be reckless enough to touch that thing?
Could it be the Excavators?
From what she knew about those Excavators, it wouldn’t be out of the question.
Even though the state let the Excavators rampage within the country, they wouldn’t dare touch the Wanlian Main Network Tree; should that happen, the whole world would turn against them!
Because they couldn’t fathom what a society without a plant network would regress into.
“Sister Xiao Han… Sister Xiao Han? Something’s happening outside… Huh? Where is she?” Qiu Ruxin stepped out of her bedroom. She couldn’t believe that with such a commotion, Xiao Han wouldn’t have noticed. But no matter how much she knocked on the door, there was no response.
“Sorry…” she said softly, then opened my bedroom door, revealing an empty space inside. “Sister Xiao Han… no one? Wait… could that intruder actually be Sister Xiao Han?”
