Chapter 1197: 推衍

The Wind of Kyushu Rises

Lu Ye had long suspected how the various spirit patterns and insights into the way of spirit patterns came to be embedded on the leaves of the Talent Tree.

Setting aside the spirit patterns themselves, just considering the insights: since they are insights, they must naturally be related to cultivators and spirit pattern masters. It was as if the profound insights of past great masters were infused into them, allowing later generations to benefit. This embodies the saying, "One generation plants trees, another enjoys the shade." That's why these many insights were so profound, allowing Lu Ye to progress smoothly on the path of spirit patterns.

However, not all Talent Tree leaves bore these inscriptions; many were blank. Or perhaps they once did, but the inscriptions faded over time due to their immense age. Since acquiring the Talent Tree, Lu Ye had always played the role of one enjoying the shade, benefiting from the legacy of his predecessors. Now, with the Talent Tree's second evolution, he was about to start planting trees himself.

In other words, if he could construct spirit patterns on these blank leaves, he would be able to use them at will in the future. If this were true, it wouldn't be a bad thing for him; on the contrary, it would be a great benefit. Although the Talent Tree carried a considerable number and variety of spirit patterns, it was still quite limited. Some spirit patterns Lu Ye had learned from books were not present on the Talent Tree. For instance, the Void Spirit Pattern he had longed for!

He had originally thought that some leaves on the Talent Tree must contain this spirit pattern, and that by continuously feeding the Talent Tree fire-elemental energy, he would eventually obtain the Void Spirit Pattern. But now it seemed the situation wasn't as he had imagined. If things were truly as he now suspected, he could completely construct the Void Spirit Pattern on the Talent Tree, fully master it, and use it at will in combat. Previously, the Talent Tree's spirit patterns were passively received, leaving Lu Ye with no choice. But now, he might be able to actively choose. Many thoughts churned in his mind, and the more Lu Ye considered it, the more he believed it was possible. If so, the benefits the Talent Tree's second evolution could bring him would be immense. As for whether it was true, he would know once he tried!

Lu Ye immersed his mind and began constructing the Void Spirit Pattern on the blank leaves. The Void Spirit Pattern was very complex, involving thousands of variations of Yin and Yang primals. It couldn't be contained on a single leaf; Lu Ye estimated it would require at least a dozen leaves. Fortunately, the number of new leaves burned this time was sufficient to meet the requirements for constructing the Void Spirit Pattern. For him, this wasn't too difficult, as his success rate in constructing the Void Spirit Pattern had always been high, with rare failures. However, even the fastest construction still took some time, preventing him from using it in combat.

As numerous Yin and Yang primals unfolded, connected, and interlocked on the first leaf, Lu Ye suddenly entered a state of profound clarity. Numerous insights continuously burst forth in his mind, as if the entire world had transformed into a realm solely of Yin and Yang primals. These two fundamental elements constantly shifted through various combinations, allowing him to glimpse countless variations and possibilities. The first leaf quickly filled with Yin and Yang primals, followed by the second, then the third... Lu Ye became completely engrossed, utterly lost in the process and unable to extricate himself. He was oblivious to his own changes at that moment; the phrase "two ears deaf to matters outside the window" perfectly described his state.

During the process of activating the Talent Tree leaves, Lu Ye had gained many insights and practical applications related to the path of spirit patterns. He had thought he had fully grasped these insights and applications, but in reality, he had only scratched the surface. After all, they were the legacy of numerous predecessors; no matter how deeply he understood them, they were still someone else's creations. Yet at this very moment, these previously acquired insights and applications truly became his own foundation. It was in this state of complete self-forgetfulness that his understanding of the path of spirit patterns ascended to a new level, leading to a burst of colliding inspirations in his mind.

The unfolding of Yin and Yang primals did not simply continue endlessly; instead, under Lu Ye's control, they sometimes increased and sometimes diminished. He was like an artist painting on the Talent Tree leaves, erasing and restarting unsatisfactory parts, striving for perfection. During this process of revision, Lu Ye suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head and was instantly jolted out of that ethereal state. Without his continued input, the unfinalized Void Spirit Pattern on the Talent Tree leaf could not proceed, remaining a half-finished product.

Lu Ye opened his eyes dazedly, seeing stars and feeling an unprecedented weakness within his body, as if he had been completely hollowed out. With a shift in his thoughts, he immediately understood what had happened. His Divine Ocean was almost dry! In other words, his soul power was severely depleted, almost to the point of exhaustion. Lu Ye was shocked, considering his current Divine Ocean seventh-level cultivation and his previous consumption of much Soul Cleansing Water, which meant his soul power was not inferior to any of the old seniors in Kyushu. Even so, in this short period of less than half a day, the intense fluctuations of thoughts and possibilities had caused an enormous drain on his soul power.

He quickly took out a drop of Soul Cleansing Water, swallowed it, closed his eyes, and focused, carefully contemplating everything that had just occurred. The state he had just been in was clearly abnormal. The second evolution of the Talent Tree seemed to have a miraculous guiding effect while he was constructing the spirit pattern, guiding him to deduce and comprehend the changing ways of spirit patterns. The path of spirit patterns was unpredictable. The same spirit pattern didn't have just one construction method; some required more Yin and Yang primals, some fewer, some were faster, and some yielded stronger effects. It could be said that during the construction process, even a slight change in a single primal could completely alter a spirit pattern or greatly enhance its effect.

Deducing new spirit patterns was a favorite pastime for spirit pattern masters once they reached a certain level of mastery. His master, Yun Xuechu, often deduced spirit patterns when in seclusion. It was precisely because numerous spirit pattern masters continuously delved into and deduced patterns that the current cultivation world possessed such a diverse array of available spirit patterns. However, the birth of a new spirit pattern was no easy feat. Any spirit pattern master who could deduce one new spirit pattern in their lifetime would be worthy of being immortalized in history.

Lu Ye had never intended to deduce new spirit patterns; such a task was too time-consuming and effort-intensive. He was a combat cultivator, and his cultivation ultimately centered on himself, with the path of spirit patterns merely being supplementary. Perhaps when his cultivation reached an extraordinary level someday, he would have the leisure to pursue this. But for now, his priority was to quickly improve his cultivation and strength, rather than spending time on the path of spirit patterns. He hadn't thought of doing this, but just now, he had unconsciously done it!

Clearly, it wasn't due to him; the only possible reason was the second evolution of the Talent Tree! He felt this distinctly; perhaps he hadn't noticed it at the time due to his ethereal mental state, but looking back, everything was clear. When he was constructing spirit patterns on the blank leaves, the Talent Tree miraculously guided him to begin numerous deductions that consumed mental energy. In that state, thousands of thoughts and possibilities flashed through his mind in an instant. He instinctively chose more precise and effective ways of constructing Yin and Yang primals, with the aim of simplifying a complex spirit pattern and enhancing its effectiveness.

The most direct evidence was the semi-finished Void Spirit Pattern currently on the Talent Tree. This spirit pattern was not yet complete, but Lu Ye could clearly see that the constructed portion differed in many subtle ways from the Void Spirit Pattern he had learned from books previously. For now, it appeared more streamlined, with at least a hundred fewer primals. As for its effectiveness... since it wasn't complete, he couldn't compare. For a long-standing spirit pattern to lose a hundred primals in a single deduction was an incredibly terrifying achievement. This signified progress in spirit patterns. If Lu Ye were willing to promote the finalized spirit pattern, it would become much simpler for spirit pattern masters to construct the Void in the future.

The Talent Tree had such a miraculous function! Lu Ye clicked his tongue in wonder. Originally, after the Talent Tree completed its second evolution, he had thought the changes wouldn't be very significant. Who would have expected such astonishing alterations in the Talent Tree? This was just a semi-finished product; what would its effect be if the deduction was complete? If the Void Spirit Pattern could be like this, what about other spirit patterns? Lu Ye suddenly felt as if he had pushed open the door to a new world. For now, this change in the Talent Tree didn't seem to bring him any substantial immediate benefits. However, if he took a long-term view, it would have a tremendous impact on his progress in the path of spirit patterns. He was eager to re-enter that state and complete the deduction and construction of the Void Spirit Pattern. But even with the Soul Cleansing Water he had consumed, and given his current powerful soul, full recovery wouldn't be simple. He could only wait.

Just then, an earth-shattering roar suddenly came from a certain direction, accompanied by tremors throughout the world. Lu Ye was startled, flashed out, and stood in mid-air, looking. He saw nothing, as the source of the sound must have been very far away. Yet, it felt as if someone was engaged in a fierce battle there. This left him perplexed. Kyushu was currently quite peaceful. The old seniors had all advanced to the Star Constellation realm and gone to explore the starry sky, and cultivators of Patriarch Long Bai's level were also gradually departing. Who was fighting, and for what reason, to cause such a massive commotion?

"When in doubt, ask Xiaojiu!" Lu Ye immediately raised his hand, tapped his battlefield imprint, and softly called out, "Xiaojiu!" In the past, Xiaojiu would always respond immediately whenever called. But to Lu Ye's surprise, Xiaojiu gave no response this time. Lu Ye called several more times, finally realizing that something was amiss.