173: Koi imitation and "research-based" bubbles

The "Dao Rhyme Contamination" incident concluded with the unexpected "enlightenment" and gains of several Holy Land Leaders, causing considerable shock in the outer regions of the Cloud Court.

Scientists from the Logic Federation were busy updating their data models, trying to understand this metaphysical method of enhancing cognition through "immersive experience of Chaos"; meanwhile, the Artifact Spirit Collective silently recorded the entire process of rule change in the contaminated area, from Chaos to order, and the stability of its spirit network seemed to have slightly improved as a result.

However, the most unexpected change occurred within the Cloud Court, specifically involving the Golden Koi that had always shown immense interest in the "interaction crystal" and external developments.

It seemed to have "watched" the entire process of the Holy Land Leaders achieving "enlightenment" in the contaminated zone, and developed a strong desire to... imitate their method of abandoning conventional means and purely using perception to contact and understand the rules?

On this day, Long Qianyuan was relaxing with his legs crossed, enjoying a "holographic sunbath" gifted by a technological plane outside the Star Gazing Hall, when he suddenly felt something and turned his head toward the pond.

He saw the Golden Koi was no longer blowing bubbles around the "interaction crystal," but had swum over to a seemingly ordinary pebble in the pond—a pebble whose internal structure had become extraordinarily complex due to long-term immersion in Chaos Dao Rhyme.

Instead of casually blowing a bubble as usual, it adopted an extremely "focused" posture—its fins slightly retracted, its tail gently swaying, and the golden glow on its forehead shining steadily, like a detector switched to scanning mode.

It slowly swam around the pebble, its fish eyes wide and round, as if meticulously observing every texture of the stone and sensing the intricate network of rules within it.

After observing for a long while, it suddenly opened its mouth and cautiously blew out a bubble... entirely different from its previous ones!

This bubble was not round and transparent; instead, it presented a polyhedral structure, with fine, data stream-like light patterns flowing across its surface. Inside, it seemed to contain a miniature, constantly calculating model of rules—clearly imitating the state of analysis and deduction performed by the scientists of the Logic Federation!

The bubble slowly approached the pebble. It did not burst, but acted like an invisible probe, beginning to "contact" and "analyze" the complex rule structure inside the stone.

The light patterns on the bubble's surface flickered rapidly, and the internal rule model continuously adjusted and optimized itself accordingly.

A moment later, the bubble vanished with a soft "pop." It didn't completely burst, but transformed into a wisp of pure information flow carrying the meaning of an "analysis report," merging into the golden spot on the Golden Koi's forehead.

The Koi blinked, seemingly "reading" the report, and then turned to another angle of the pebble, starting a new round of "observation" and " analysis." The structure of the bubble it blew out was subtly adjusted.

Long Qianyuan watched dumbfounded, even forgetting to chew the "virtual spirit fruit" in his mouth.

"What the hell! This fish... is doing scientific research?!" He rubbed his eyes to confirm he wasn't mistaken. "It's actually imitating those metal shells from the Logic Federation analyzing data?! And it even uses bubbles as analysis reports?!"

He felt this whole thing was utterly ridiculous! A fish, instead of properly blowing its auspicious bubbles, was learning scientific techniques?

Over the next few days, the Golden Koi's "research" activities escalated.

It was no longer limited to the pebble, but began to show intense "research interest" in the aquatic plants, the mud at the bottom of the pond, and even... the other ordinary Koi.

Facing the swaying aquatic plants, it would blow out light-structured bubbles containing life fluctuation analysis models.

Facing the mud at the bottom of the pond, it would blow out deep-colored bubbles marked with light patterns for material decomposition and reorganization deduction.

It even swam next to a foolish ordinary Koi that only knew how to snatch food, and blew a complex-structured bubble at it, seemingly performing "behavioral pattern and social analysis," startling the ordinary Koi so much that it flicked its tail and fled.

What made Long Qianyuan's mouth twitch even more was that the Golden Koi seemed to have mastered "recording" and "classification" without a teacher.

The bubbles it blew, containing different research information, didn't immediately dissipate. Instead, they would drift gently to a corner of the pond, suspending themselves in an arrangement following some incomprehensible pattern, subtly forming a small "Research Results Archive"!

Scientists from the Logic Federation, utilizing the extremely limited authority of the "visitor network," vaguely captured this strange, newly emerged pattern of rule fluctuations inside the Cloud Court.

When they analyzed that this fluctuation seemed related to the Golden Koi's "research behavior," and that its analysis pattern bore a striking similarity to their Federation's scientific methodology, the entire "Eye of Logic" was once again thrown into turmoil and self-doubt!

"It... it's learning our research methods?!" A young scientist felt like he was on the verge of a breakdown. "A fish?! Using bubbles?! To perform rule-level data analysis?!"

Dr. Li looked at the monitor screen showing the blurred but vaguely discernible model of the "polyhedral analysis bubble." He remained silent for a long time before slowly saying, "Perhaps... we have always underestimated the level of intelligence existing within 'GOD-001'."

"It's not that they cannot understand our science, it's just that... the methods and mediums they use are fundamentally different from ours."

He even entertained an absurd idea: Should he try using the "visitor network" to send the Koi some more advanced "data analysis algorithms" or "research tool models"? Just to see if it could simulate them using bubbles?

The Holy Land Alliance, naturally, also detected the unusual actions of the "Sacred Koi" inside the Cloud Court through special sensing methods.

When they learned that this Koi was actually imitating the Logic Federation and engaging in "scientific research," their feelings became indescribably complex.

"What is the profound meaning behind the Sacred Koi's actions?" The Master of Heavenly Secrets Pavilion stroked his beard, his brow furrowed. "Could it be suggesting that science and metaphysics will eventually lead to the same destination?"

"Or is the Yunting Master suggesting that our previous methods of cultivation are too... backward?" The Master of Wan Cao Gu looked at his Spirit Medicine, which required meticulous care, and then thought about the Koi that could analyze rules using just bubbles, feeling inexplicably ashamed of himself.

For a time, both those pursuing technology and those practicing metaphysics were plunged into deep contemplation (or perhaps confusion) because of one fish's "cross-disciplinary research" behavior.

Long Qianyuan reported the external reactions and the Golden Koi's "scientific achievements" to Yun Feng.

Yun Feng was still fishing by the pond. Hearing the report, his gaze fell upon the rows of suspended "research bubbles" of various structures, and that subtle smile reappeared at the corner of his mouth.

"If it finds it interesting, let it be," Yun Feng said calmly. "All things have their nature; if the fish finds joy in knowledge, why should it not?"

He paused, then added, "Besides, its 'research' is not entirely useless."

With that, he flicked his finger, and a wisp of Chaos Qi merged into the bubble that was currently performing "material analysis" on the pond mud.

The bubble instantly brightened, its internal model optimized instantly, and its analysis speed skyrocketed. It quickly fed back a wisp of purer information regarding the "Chaos Soil Fertility Optimization Plan," which merged into the Koi's golden spot.

The Koi happily wagged its tail, apparently quite satisfied with the improvement in "research efficiency."

Watching this scene, Long Qianyuan suddenly felt that his Revered Master wasn't raising a fish, but probably a "Scientific Pioneer" wearing fish scales!

Within the Cloud Court, a Koi obsessed with "scientific research" was exploring the rules of this world in its unique way.

Its behavior, like another pebble tossed into the lake, stirred up layers of increasingly strange ripples both inside and outside the Cloud Court.

No one knew what kind of shocking "achievements" this fish's "research" would eventually concoct.