358: Chapter 293: A Fortuitous Encounter in a Secret Realm, Obtaining a Seedling of an Innate Spiritual Root

Deep within the Tian Gong Institute of the Hundred Schools Palace at Xinghai University.

Light blue data streams refreshed like waterfalls on the holographic projection, the air filled with a faint energy hum and the scent of some precision lubricant. Li Mo was leading a group of core researchers in analyzing and reverse-engineering the massive amount of data collected by the Logic Virus during simulated combat. On the giant projection screen, an area labeled "Logic Temple Rule Loophole (Suspected)" flashed with a dangerous red light.

"Here, in the final 0.0001 seconds before being 'formatted,' the virus captured the periodic oscillation frequency of the target's logic firewall... If we can synchronously modulate the virus coding, we could theoretically disguise it as the firewall's self-check harmonic during the next intrusion, significantly increasing the initial latency success rate..." Li Mo's voice carried an irrepressible excitement, his fingers moving rapidly in the void, outlining a complex mathematical model.

Not far away, Zhao Hao was shirtless, soaked in a pool of amber medicinal liquid that emitted a thick aura of life and a faint dragon pressure, gritting his teeth as he endured the itching and stinging from his wounds. The injuries left by the confrontation with the Mechanical God Kingdom were extraordinary, mixed with subtle rule erosion and energy residue, requiring special treatment. Nearby, Su Yueyao was carefully controlling a wisp of moonlight like the most precise pair of tweezers, helping him strip away a nearly invisible wisp of silver logical turbulence from deep within the wound.

Qin Qing was in her own quiet room, with several thick phantoms of Law classics floating before her. Combining her experience from fighting the Zerg and the mechanical civilization, she was attempting to expand the authority of "Defining Illegal" to more abstract concepts, such as "Unnatural Evolution" and "Absolute Logic Tyranny," in hopes that the Net of Law would have broader applicability and deterrence when facing different civilizations in the future.

The entire Hundred Schools Palace was immersed in a high-intensity, high-pressure state of "wartime" research and recovery. Although they had achieved tactical victories by continuously challenging two major simulated enemies—the Zerg Mother Empress and the Mechanical Prime God—it had also exposed many problems and consumed a vast amount of energy and Foundation from the core members. The pace of the special training needed to slow down temporarily for deep review, healing, and consolidation.

Lin Zhou stood before the control console in the center of the Tian Gong Institute, his calm gaze sweeping over the busy crowd before looking out the window at the simulated, eternally quiet night view of the palace. His state was relatively the best; the solid Foundation brought by the baptism of the civilization's legacy gave him amazing recovery power, but the mental exhaustion from continuously commanding high-intensity, high-risk cross-civilization confrontations was equally massive. More importantly, he needed time to thoroughly digest and integrate the valuable experience and insights regarding how the "Way of the Hundred Schools" responded to different civilization forms into his own System.

"Li Mo, proceed steadily with the data analysis and virus optimization; there is no need to pursue speed excessively. Zhao Hao's injuries must be completely cured within three days without leaving any hidden issues. Yue Yao, Qin Qing, you two should also pay attention to balancing work and rest; insights must be gained step by step." Lin Zhou's voice echoed through the busy research institute, peaceful yet carrying an unquestionable power. "Special training is suspended for three days. Everyone, perform deep review, recovery, and free research. In three days, we will conduct the next stage of practical training for 'Team Limit Coordination.'"

Upon hearing this, everyone's spirits relaxed slightly, though they knew this was only the brief calm before the storm, and they all responded in agreement.

Lin Zhou himself left the Tian Gong Institute, walking slowly through the quiet corridors of the palace. The simulated moonlight spilled mottled light and shadows through the carved window frames. His thoughts, however, were not completely relaxed. The river of civilization flowed quietly in the depths of his consciousness, where countless fragments of information about the Zerg, machines, and even more distant unknown civilizations were like pebbles at the bottom of the river, waiting for him to pick them up and ponder them.

"Insights... require an Opportunity, require accumulation, and also require a bit of... inspiration," Lin Zhou murmured to himself. He thought of the "Secret Realms" hidden within the academy that were rumored to hold ancient opportunities and natural wonders. These Secret Realms were usually open to high-clearance students for training, enlightenment, or searching for rare resources. Perhaps going there for a walk and a change of environment would allow his tense nerves to relax, and maybe he could try his luck?

Acting on the thought, Lin Zhou used his personal terminal to query the list of currently open Secret Realms suitable for his clearance level (Special Grade). One Secret Realm named "Echoes of the Forgotten Forest" caught his attention. The introduction stated that this was a small dimensional space suspected to be formed from a fragment of a broken divine kingdom of an ancient natural pantheon. The internal time flow differed from the main world (approximately 3:1), and it was rich in Spiritual Qi and full of natural vitality, but the rules were relatively gentle and stable, suitable for quiet cultivation and comprehending the Way of Nature. Occasionally, ancient spiritual plants or natural spirits would appear.

"The Way of Nature... perhaps it can provide inspiration for the School of Agriculture, the School of Taoism, and even the parts of the river of civilization regarding 'ecological balance' and 'sustainable development.'" With a thought, Lin Zhou submitted an entry application to the Secret Realm management office. With his current clearance, the application was approved almost instantly.

Through the academy's internal directional teleportation array, Lin Zhou's figure appeared in a world completely different from Xinghai University.

Overhead was a crystal-clear azure sky with a few wisps of white clouds floating by. The sunlight was warm but not scorching, spilling over an endless, lush forest that was almost primitive. The air was filled with the thick fragrance of vegetation and pure Spiritual Qi; every breath was refreshing, as if it could wash away the fatigue and dust within the Divine Soul. The crisp chirping of birds and the sound of gurgling water came from the distance, adding a touch of tranquility.

[Entered Secret Realm: Echoes of the Forgotten Forest]

[Environmental Attributes (Core Zone)]:

Spiritual Qi Concentration: Approximately 5 times that of the Xinghai University main campus; gentle in nature and easy to absorb.

Time Flow: Secret Realm Time : Main World Time ≈ 3 : 1 (Three days in the Secret Realm is one day in the Main World).

Natural Rule Manifestation: Faint but clear; provides a slight bonus (approx. +10%) to nature-related, life-related, and wood-related abilities, aiding in the comprehension of relevant Laws.

Mental Soothing: The environment has an inherent tranquilizing effect, accelerating recovery from mental fatigue.

Potential Risks: Low. There may be a small number of natural spirits or guardian beasts below LV100; their temperaments are usually gentle unless actively provoked.

"What a fine Grotto-Heaven," Lin Zhou praised softly as he stepped into the forest. He had no specific destination, simply following his heart and letting his Divine Sense spread out relaxedly, feeling the natural rhythm flowing through this ancient forest and experiencing that primitive and harmonious "Dao" that was entirely different from the artificially regulated nature within the Hundred Schools Divine Kingdom.

He walked along forest paths covered in soft moss, crossed streams clear to the bottom where small glowing fish swam, paused in forest clearings filled with exotic flowers, and looked up at towering ancient trees that required ten people to encircle and whose canopies blotted out the sky... Under his unconscious guidance, the river of civilization rippled slightly, and the sparks of thought belonging to the School of Taoism's "Tao Follows Nature" and the School of Agriculture's "Adapting to Local Conditions" seemed to produce a subtle resonance with the rhythm of this forest, becoming more active and clear.

Unknowingly, he had already ventured deep into the heart of the forest. The surrounding trees became even taller and more ancient, with many trunks entwined with shimmering vines, and the flowers and grass on the ground became increasingly peculiar—some even swayed gently as he approached, as if possessing spirituality.

Just then, Lin Zhou's footsteps suddenly halted.

His Divine Sense captured an extremely faint but essentially high-level abnormal fluctuation. That fluctuation did not come from a powerful creature or spirit, but rather seemed like... a condensation of pure "spirituality" and "Dao Rhyme," carrying an inexpressible sense of age and affinity. This feeling had a vague resonance with the Fire of Civilization, the god-king fragment, and even the civilization's legacy within him, but it was more restrained and closer to the "Origin of Nature."

The direction the fluctuation came from was located within a nearly enclosed small valley crack surrounded by several giant ancient trees. The entrance to the crack was extremely hidden, covered by thick hanging vines and glowing lichen; if not for Lin Zhou's keen Divine Sense and special perception, it would have been nearly impossible to find.

Lin Zhou's heart stirred. He stepped forward and gently pushed aside the hanging vines. A strange fragrance, fresher and more heart-cleansing than the outside—as if it could directly wash the Soul—wafted toward him! The fragrance contained a hint of bitterness but left a sweet and long-lasting aftertaste; just one sniff made his mind feel clear, and his thinking seemed to become a bit more active.

He carefully crawled into the crack. Inside was a small stone cave that could only hold a few people, illuminated by soft natural light. In the center of the stone cave was a washbasin-sized pool of milky-white stone marrow, clear to the bottom. In the center of the pool, a small tree seedling barely a foot tall, emerald green and dripping with vitality, with a natural form that seemed to contain some ultimate truth, was growing quietly atop a slightly protruding piece of dark green jade.

[part:gemini-2.5-flash]

The small sapling had only seven or eight leaves, each a perfect oval. The veins were as clear as the Texture of the Great Dao, and the leaf surface was as smooth as the finest jade, emitting a warm, lustrous glow. Most miraculously, a faint but real chaotic Qi subtly lingered around the sapling. These wisps of Qi perfectly blended with the stone marrow pool water, the dark green jade, and the natural rhythm of the entire stone cave, forming an independent and harmonious miniature ecosystem.

And the supreme spirituality and Dao rhyme that Lin Zhou sensed originated precisely from this seemingly delicate sapling!

“This is...” Lin Zhou’s pupils contracted slightly, and the river of civilization fluctuated violently, transmitting vague information about certain rare heavenly treasures, absorbed from the “legacy.” Combining this with what he saw before him, a name was on the tip of his tongue!

He cautiously approached, not daring to touch it rashly. Instead, he slowly extended a wisp of the gentlest Fire of Civilization towards the sapling.

The sapling seemed to sense this wisp of Qi. Its verdant leaves gently swayed, and instead of repelling it, it actively absorbed a trace of the Fire of Civilization. Immediately, its precious glow intensified, and the faint chaotic Qi around it also became slightly more active, as if after a long drought, it had finally received sweet rain.

“Found Heavenly Spiritual Root: enlightenment tea tree (sapling stage)”

Quality: Innate (Above Myth, Origin-level) · Sapling (Extremely Fragile)

Status: Naturally gestating (located at a special stone marrow jade vein node, nourished by weak chaotic Qi and the Secret Realm’s natural rules), slow growth (estimated natural maturity requires over 100,000 years).

Characteristics:

Source of Enlightenment: Its leaves contain Innate Dao rhyme and pure spiritual energy. When brewed into tea, it can allow one to enter an ultimate enlightenment state of “Heaven-Human Interaction” and “Clear Mind” for a short period (about one hour), significantly boosting the efficiency of comprehending rules, principles, Cultivation Techniques, and skills (+100%). The effect varies with leaf maturity (current sapling leaf effect is about 30% of the fully mature form) and the user’s Realm (effects are significant for those below God King).

Spiritual Connection to Dao: The Spiritual Root itself has a natural affinity for the Great Dao’s rules, slightly enhancing the rule activity and Spiritual Qi quality of the surrounding environment.

Origin Weakness: The sapling is extremely fragile. If it leaves its current special environment (stone marrow jade vein + chaotic Qi + Secret Realm natural rules) or does not receive continuous nourishment from sufficiently high-level energy (such as Innate Spiritual Qi, Fire of Civilization, God King-level nurturing, etc.), it will quickly wither and its spirituality will dissipate.

Current Output: Sapling stage, approximately every three days (Secret Realm time) one ‘enlightenment tea leaf (Elementary)’ can naturally condense and be harvested (effect is about 30% of fully mature tea leaves). After full maturity, yield and quality will significantly increase.

Transplant Risk: Extremely high. Requires transplanting along with its growth Foundation (dark green jade and part of the stone marrow), and continuous provision of energy nourishment no lower in quality than the current environment (suggestion: daily nurturing with Fire of Civilization for at least a quarter of an hour), otherwise it will surely die.

Value: Inestimable. For anyone aspiring to comprehend the Great Dao and advance their Realm, it is a coveted treasure.

It really is it! The Innate Spiritual Root—enlightenment tea tree! Even as a sapling, its value far exceeds ordinary Myth-level items! This is simply a Heaven-Defying Opportunity!

After the initial ecstasy, Lin Zhou quickly calmed down. How to safely transplant it into his Divine Kingdom was the primary problem. This sapling was too fragile and had extremely demanding requirements for its growth environment.

He meticulously observed the stone cave environment, his Divine Sense scanning every inch. The dark green jade was a rare [Soul Nurturing Jade Marrow], which had an excellent effect on nurturing and stabilizing the Divine Soul (spirituality) of spiritual plants. The milky white stone marrow was even [Ten Thousand Year Stone Heart Milk], containing pure earth-elemental and life essence. Coupled with the Secret Realm’s special natural rules and that trace of faint chaotic Qi from an unknown source, they collectively formed the Foundation for the sapling’s survival.

“I must transplant it along with the jade marrow and part of the Stone Heart Milk, and simulate a similar rule environment in the Divine Kingdom... At least, I need to provide energy nourishment no less than what is found here.” Lin Zhou pondered. His Divine Kingdom, having been baptized by the Civilization legacy and reinforced by the [Star Core Stabilizer], had abundant Spiritual Qi, stable rules, and a superior ecological environment, but it lacked this natural “chaotic Qi” and the specific “Soul Nurturing Jade Marrow” environment.

“The only alternative... is my [Fire of Civilization].” Lin Zhou’s gaze was firm. The Fire of Civilization encompassed all things, containing the power of creation and enlightenment. Its essence was extremely high, perhaps able to replace or even surpass the nourishment that the faint chaotic Qi provided to the Spiritual Root. Moreover, daily nurturing could also deepen his connection with this Innate Spiritual Root.

No sooner said than done. Lin Zhou first carefully enveloped the basin-sized [Soul Nurturing Jade Marrow], along with the tea tree sapling growing on it, and the connected part of the [Ten Thousand Year Stone Heart Milk] pool bottom, with Divine Power, then cut and peeled it out as a whole. Throughout the process, he held his breath, as if performing the most precise surgery, fearing to harm even the slightest fragile Spiritual Root of the sapling.

After the separation was complete, the sapling seemed to sense the environmental change, and the luster of its leaves dimmed slightly. Lin Zhou dared not delay, immediately opened the Divine Kingdom passage, and sent this precious “clump of earth” directly into the core area of the Divine Kingdom—near the source of the river of civilization, in a valley where Spiritual Qi was most abundant and rules were most stable and peaceful.

He personally dug a depression in the center of the valley, similar to the stone cave environment, placed the jade marrow along with the tea tree, and then introduced the purest spiritual spring water from the Divine Kingdom mixed with some life essence to simulate the Stone Heart Milk environment. Then, he sat cross-legged in front of the tea tree, activating his own Fire of Civilization.

Pure golden flames surged from his palm, yet there was no burning sensation at all. Instead, it was like the warmest sunlight, the wisest enlightenment, slowly enveloping the entire tea tree sapling.

A miracle happened!

Under the illumination and nurturing of the Fire of Civilization, the tea tree sapling’s previously dimmed leaves quickly regained their verdant luster, becoming even more vibrant than when they were in the stone cave! The newly arranged “soil” and “spring water” in the surroundings, permeated by the aura of the Fire of Civilization, seemed to be endowed with a unique “spirituality” and “Order,” becoming more suitable for the Spiritual Root’s growth. That faint wisp of chaotic Qi, in the Fire of Civilization, seemed to find its home, not only not dissipating but being assimilated and transformed, becoming part of the Fire of Civilization’s nourishment for the Spiritual Root.

“enlightenment tea tree (sapling) successfully transplanted!”

“Current Status: Stable (well adapted due to continuous nurturing by Fire of Civilization).”

“Growth Environment: Divine Kingdom core area, abundant Spiritual Qi, stable rules, daily nurturing by Fire of Civilization replaces original chaotic Qi nourishment.”

“Stable Output Cycle: Three ‘enlightenment tea leaves (Elementary)’ can naturally condense daily (Divine Kingdom time) (due to Fire of Civilization nourishment, yield and quality are slightly superior to natural growth in the Secret Realm).”

“Warning: Daily nurturing with Fire of Civilization for at least a quarter of an hour must be ensured. If interrupted for more than three days, the sapling will suffer irreversible spiritual damage; if interrupted for more than seven days, it will inevitably wither.”

It’s done! Although it added a “nurturing” duty that must be performed daily, this harvest is absolutely worth it!

Lin Zhou let out a long breath, a genuine smile on his face. He carefully picked the three verdant tea leaves that had just condensed today, exuding an enticing Dao rhyme. The leaves felt cool to the touch, light as nothing, yet seemed as heavy as a thousand jun.

He returned to his quiet room in the Divine Kingdom, fetched the best spiritual spring water, slowly boiled it over a gentle flame, and then placed one enlightenment tea leaf into a specially made jade cup. As boiling water poured in, the tea leaf unfurled, and an indescribably clear fragrance instantly filled the air. This aroma not only affected the sense of smell but also reached deep into the Divine Soul!

Lin Zhou took a light sip.

In an instant, it was as if myriad Dao sounds resonated in his ears, and infinite wisdom illuminated his mind! The obscure rule connections in his past cultivation, the tactical details in battles that he had pondered over fruitlessly, and various confusions regarding the Fusion of the Hundred Schools of Thought... all became clear as if the clouds had parted, and inspiration gushed forth like a spring! His speed of thought, comprehension, and deductive abilities all soared to an incredible level!

“Good tea! Worthy of being an Innate Spiritual Root!” Lin Zhou praised in his heart, immediately seizing this precious “enlightenment time” to thoroughly sort out his recent gains, especially the inspiration for the deduction of the “Scroll of Civilization” divine technique, which was becoming clear and complete at an unprecedented speed...

When he recovered from that profound enlightenment state, the tea in the cup was finished, a lingering fragrance on his lips and teeth. His Divine Soul was clearer and more transparent than ever before, many problems that had troubled him for days were easily solved, and his understanding of his own Dao had deepened further.

“Three leaves daily, providing one hour of enlightenment time... This will be an excellent aid for future preparations and cultivation!” Lin Zhou carefully put away the remaining two tea leaves, his eyes filled with anticipation.

This Secret Realm trip yielded far more than expected. Not only did it relieve his tense mind, but he also obtained such a Heaven-Defying Opportunity. The existence of the enlightenment tea tree will undoubtedly add a crucial Foundation for his and the Hundred Schools Society’s future!

With satisfaction and renewed motivation, Lin Zhou’s figure disappeared into the Divine Kingdom, preparing to face the upcoming special training challenges in a more invigorated state. And that verdant sapling, in the core of the Divine Kingdom, quietly absorbed the warmth of the Fire of Civilization, awaiting the next condensation of tea leaves, and also awaiting the day when it would truly be lush with branches and leaves, and its Dao rhyme naturally perfected.