Chapter 421: The Concept of the Tree of Knowledge Spellbook
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 421: The Concept of the Tree of Knowledge Spellbook
"I've really stirred up a hornet's nest this time."
After confirming my gains, I turned my attention to the situation in the outside world. Such a bizarre transformation occurring within the Omni-Link Main Network Tree—something of paramount importance to them—compounded by the deaths of several maintainers inside, meant that settling this matter would be no small feat.
If this hit the news, it would undoubtedly be a massive headline.
But… what did that have to do with me?
As things stood, I was the one who had profited the most. The benefits were already in my hand; the mess, naturally, belonged to them.
As for this Omni-Link Main Network Tree, I had no intention of taking it with me. It was a massive thing, making it extremely difficult to move. Moreover, it served as one of the vital nodes for the global Plant Network's root system. If I were to uproot it and take it away, I might as well just package the entire world and take it with me—it simply wasn't realistic.
Furthermore, the Omni-Link Main Network Tree gave rise to the Plant Network, which held no practical use for me. However, it did provide a source of revelation. It demonstrated its potential applications and served as a tangible reference; its very existence proved its value.
And now, I even possessed the ability to log into the Plant Network from anywhere at any time to look up any information. Theoretically, as long as the data was linked to the Plant Network, I could find it.
The mere thought of such an ability was terrifying, but unfortunately, I couldn't be bothered to use it to "eavesdrop" on the entire world. I wasn't that bored.
Having finished organizing my haul from this trip, I prepared to depart. I had made quite a scene; if I didn't leave soon, I might be discovered.
I expected this place would attract quite a few Secret Diggers… No, listening to the commotion outside, those Secret Diggers had likely already arrived.
Just as I was about to use a teleportation spell to leave, a thought suddenly struck me.
"I almost forgot. I disabled access to the Plant Network. If I force the people of this world to go back to sending messages by hand like errand boys, I'd be a real villain."
After a bit of tinkering, I restored the access permissions. Before long, the Plant Network would open to everyone once more, albeit in a brand-new form.
As for how the people of this world would deal with the Omni-Link Main Network Tree after I left, that was no longer my concern.
I doubted they would dare destroy it. After all, once I was gone and the Plant Network came back online, they wouldn't want to gamble on whether destroying the tree would cause the network to crash again.
I also set the permissions for the smart assistant within the Omni-Link Main Network Tree. The maintainers could still log in, but if they tried to ask why this sudden event occurred, they would only receive the answer: "The Omni-Link Main Network Tree has autonomously revitalized and is undergoing proactive maintenance and upgrades."
In truth, this answer wasn't wrong. Under the integration of my rune, the Omni-Link Main Network Tree was indeed undergoing a form of maintenance and upgrade. Once the Plant Network reopened, they would certainly have a better user experience.
So, they would have to accept it. I had even provided them with a perfect excuse for the global network outage. In a way, I was being quite considerate of the people of this world. Shouldn't they be singing my praises?
But I was generous and had no desire to leave my name behind. This blame… or rather, this credit, could go to the Secret Diggers.
At that thought, a faint smile played on my lips. I felt a sense of clarity, as if the grievances between me, this world, and those Secret Diggers had been wiped clean.
Because from this moment on, they could no longer be considered my enemies.
The malice and discomfort I felt when I first arrived were trivial compared to the benefits I had just gained.
Without further ado, I left a teleportation mark behind. If fate allowed, I might come back for another look.
As for the truth behind the Omni-Link Main Network Tree's transformation, it would likely remain a mystery forever.
In that moment, my gaze pierced through the various obstacles, looking toward the areas where heavy artillery was exploding. I didn't need to guess to know the Secret Diggers were there, and that a conflict had broken out.
This gave me another amusing idea.
Hadn't I left those Secret Diggers some materials regarding summoning rituals earlier? Yet, I hadn't felt anyone successfully complete a ritual. I figured I'd use this opportunity to add some fuel to the fire.
Weren't they called Secret Diggers? Didn't they want to unearth the secrets of this world?
They certainly wouldn't ignore a major event like this happening right now.
I decided to arrange the summoning ritual for my Reverse Summoning Spell around the Omni-Link Main Network Tree. I didn't need to say a word; those players would fill in the blanks with their own imaginations.
With a wave of my hand, a rune circled the ritual, forming a highly complex array. Leveraging the Omni-Link Main Network Tree, the ritual manifested above it. The massive, glowing ritual illuminated the entire night sky, instantly drawing the attention of the surrounding crowds.
Having finished, I brushed off my hands, indifferent to the shocking display I had just created, and vanished into space.
When I reappeared, I was back in my bedroom.
The moment I returned, I noticed something was off. My bedroom door was open, and there was an extra silhouette in the room.
"Hmm? Qiu Ruxin? It's so late; what are you doing in my room instead of sleeping?" I looked at the figure in the darkness, somewhat surprised.
"Sister Xiao Han? You're back? Where did you go?" Qiu Ruxin hurried forward, asking with concern.
"I went out to take care of some business. Aren't you going to sleep? It'll be dawn soon."
"Well… with the city-wide martial law and those sirens blaring outside… I can't sleep," Qiu Ruxin said, looking quite distressed.
"Hmm… I suppose that's true…" Hearing her words, I realized that the alarm had been triggered specifically because of me. "Go back to sleep. I'll cast a Soundproofing Spell on your bedroom. You look like you're about to pass out; don't force yourself. Staying up late is bad for your health."
"Thank you, Sister Xiao Han…" Qiu Ruxin said quickly. She was indeed exhausted, but she seemed to hesitate, unsure of how to speak her mind.
"What is it? Is there something else you want to ask?"
"Um… just, did Sister Xiao Han… go to hack the Omni-Link Main Network Tree just now?"
"Oh? You're so sure it was me?" I asked with a smile. Qiu Ruxin's guess was spot on.
"Mhm… just a feeling."
"Well, your feeling is very accurate."
"Was it really you?"
"Sorry. I wanted to verify a few things and ended up waking you." I sighed and walked to Qiu Ruxin's bedroom. With a flick of my hand, I cast a Soundproofing Spell, and the entire world instantly fell silent.
"I understand, Sister Xiao Han. You're so amazing; nothing you do would surprise me," Qiu Ruxin said.
She had completely lost any sense of belonging to this world. Moreover, now that she had become a Prospective Witch, she was looking forward to a better life ahead, rather than just waiting to die in this malicious world.
As for the fate of this world?
Had this world ever cared whether she lived or died during her darkest moments?
Not to mention the fact that the so-called World Will had been exploiting her.
"Get some rest. I'm heading back."
After parting with Qiu Ruxin, I returned to my own bedroom.
Back at the Omni-Link Main Network Tree, efficiency had been the priority, so I hadn't had the chance to carefully study the spell model I had acquired.
Yes, a spell model. It wasn't a complete spell yet; it needed to be refined to become something new.
This was precisely why I was interested in the other sub-plants of the Omni-Link Main Network Tree in this world. I suspected I could gain similar insights from them.
I had previously learned through the Plant Network that the main Omni-Link Main Network Tree at Lanas University was vital. However, after gaining full control over it and its derived root system, I realized that without my intervention, the tree had become almost redundant. Even if it were cut down, it would at most cause the global Plant Network to stutter for a moment and lose some data—a loss they could easily bear.
No wonder I felt the nation of Lanas Island was so weak on the international stage; it had been hollowed out into a mere figurehead.
But now that I had tinkered with it, they would be forced to take it seriously again. By completing the Omni-Link Main Network Tree, I had turned this main tree back into the absolute core of the global network.
And after making such a scene, the phenomena I left behind would surely pique the curiosity of the Secret Diggers. The high-ranking officials of these nations were likely pulling their hair out right now.
The Secret Diggers wouldn't listen to reason in their quest to unearth the world's secrets. Though they weren't particularly strong, they didn't fear death—they could even respawn. Now, I could just sit back and watch them fight amongst themselves. I wondered if it would spark another world war.
Thinking of this, I felt a spark of anticipation, even a slight urge to fan the flames.
But unfortunately, I didn't have the time to indulge in that fun. I truly had more important things to do.
Back in my room, I flopped onto the bed and cast a Soundproofing Spell for myself to block out those annoying sirens. It was the middle of the night; didn't people need to sleep? Such a disturbance would surely have the local residents cursing up a storm.
Lying there, I began to manifest runes one by one. These were all acquired from the Omni-Link Main Network Tree. Combined with the rune I had obtained from the Tears of the Mad Plant, they formed a very interesting spell model.
While not a complete spell, it could be cast.
It would be another prototype of a Plant Network in spell form, and one with a far superior foundation than the network of this world.
Unfortunately, I didn't need to recreate a Plant Network. There was no point in deploying it for myself. While it might be highly valued by a civilization, it was unnecessary for an individual. I also had no intention of collaborating with the Witch Academy on it, as they already had the well-established Academy Network. There was no need for such a massive undertaking.
So, the moment I acquired this spell model, I knew it wasn't something that would provide immediate benefits just by owning it.
It was better suited as a source of inspiration for derivation.
Derivation of what?
A spell, of course!
The concept of a Plant Network, or rather this model, had stood the test of time within a civilization, making it a successful concept.
When I saw this spell model, my first thought was that it could be used for spell derivation.
And which spell?
The "Memory Bookshelf Spellbook," naturally!
I had spent several days modifying that spellbook with Teacher Ji Niang, so I was very familiar with it. I wanted to use this new spell model to evolve that spell into a more advanced "Learning Spell."
The moment the thought formed, I even had a name for it.
Even if I couldn't achieve the full effect, it was at least my intended goal.
I called it the "Tree of Knowledge Spellbook."
Using the Plant Network as a guiding framework and the Memory Bookshelf as the database, I would structure it. Originally, the memories and knowledge I recorded in the Memory Bookshelf required me to organize them myself. But if this spell evolved into a model like the Plant Network, the efficiency it would bring me would be doubled!
In fact, "Tree of Knowledge" was the original code name for the Omni-Link Main Network Tree project—something I had learned from the AI. So, I borrowed the name. Using the memories and knowledge within the Memory Bookshelf as leaves for categorized management, and the branches of the tree to represent the flexible invocation of knowledge—that was my initial vision.
This would be far more convenient than the bookshelf mode of the Memory Bookshelf. Previously, I had been bold out of ignorance. Before modifying it, I had wondered how the Memory Bookshelf could possibly fill up so quickly. Now, as my learning speed increased and the knowledge I acquired became more vast and complex, it was a problem I would inevitably face in the near future.
It wasn't just a matter of capacity, but also of categorization.
Thus, deriving the Tree of Knowledge Spellbook was imperative.
I dispersed the runes before me and closed my eyes. In the darkness of my mind, a rough framework began to take shape, followed by more detailed planning.
Once I confirmed it was feasible, I opened my eyes and took out the Ley Line Operating System.
With an idea in mind, I naturally had to use this to simulate it. The Memory Bookshelf Spellbook was a gift from Sister Bai. While it might not be the only one in the Witch Academy, such spellbooks were certainly rare. I couldn't be reckless. If a single mistake caused the spellbook to collapse entirely, I would have nowhere to go to cry.
Even if I could construct the spell directly without the spellbook to maintain the knowledge I had acquired so far, I would have to keep the spell active constantly afterward. That was nowhere near as convenient as a spellbook and would be a massive drain on my energy.
So, I had to be cautious.
As the Ley Line system started up, I began to run simulations with practiced ease.
I had to record all these ideas while my passion and inspiration were still fresh. If I forgot even a little bit, my heart would ache so much I'd struggle to breathe.
I remained in this state until the sun rose the next morning.
I looked up at the sunlight outside. It was a beautiful day. I stretched my body and got up to move around.
I felt a hint of fatigue, but I wasn't particularly sleepy. A round of meditation and body arts practice would fix that.
When I stepped out of the bedroom, I found that Qiu Ruxin hadn't woken up yet. It seemed she really hadn't slept well after being tossed around all night, so I had no intention of disturbing her.
I simply went through my daily meditation and headed to the rooftop to practice the Ritual War Dance. Body arts were a skill no less potent than spells; I couldn't afford to let them slide.
After finishing, I returned to the residence. Since my focus had shifted slightly, I had appropriately compressed my meditation and body arts training time. It was only around mid-morning when I returned.