Chapter 753: 3 Theories, All Knocked Sideways

“The dream of every Low-Tier Disciple!”

“…”

With his hands clasped behind his back, Zhang Deming strode across the surface of the lake, an air of indifference about him. He ignored the murmurs of the surrounding disciples and walked up to the Lake Heart Pavilion, pausing before Fanx Dexian.

Sensing someone’s approach, Fanx Dexian frowned slightly and opened his eyes. He was stunned to see Zhang Deming, and as his emotions wavered, the already unstable ball of light before him fluctuated even more violently.

“Center your mind. Focus your spirit. Hold fast to your core!”

A faint ripple of Spiritual Power spread out with Zhang Deming’s words. The combination of Law Level Oratory and Law Level Heart Spirit Dream Technique was no joke.

In a single sentence, Fanx Dexian’s condition stabilized instantly. But while his aura had settled, the condensation of the Rune before him showed no change, still progressing slowly and arduously.

Zhang Deming glanced at the Rune Ball, which was emitting the fluctuations of the Heart Spirit Dao, and shook his head. “Always causing trouble. Your path of Planting Dao and Nurturing Spirit, using a vine to cultivate your spirit, is a fine path. The idea itself is quite good.”

“But couldn’t you have waited a bit? So reckless. Do you think it’s that easy to lay a foundation for the Heart Spirit Dao during the Tai Chi Stage? I have no idea how you became the top Inner Sect Tai Chi Core Disciple!”

Fanx Dexian’s gaze faltered under the slightly reproachful words, but thanks to the effect of Zhang Deming’s Oratory, the Rune Ball didn’t waver and remained quite stable.

Of course, Fanx Dexian was holding his breath. He didn’t dare speak, afraid that if he exhaled, he would fail completely.

Zhang Deming paused, then said, “Oh, well. I suppose us meeting again today can be considered a matter of karma.”

With that, Zhang Deming flipped his hand and produced three peculiar Spirit Nurturing Beads. “I see your Three Lives Rune. It should be an extension of the Growth Technique, correct?”

“This bead contains the most primitive, undeveloped Tier Two Growth Technique Rune. It will be of great help to your technique and should assist you in completing this Rune condensation.”

He then tossed one of the beads to Fanx Dexian, who didn’t hesitate at all, immediately diverting a sliver of his Spiritual Power to activate it.

Countless motes of Spiritual Light surged out, forming a hollow sphere of dense light that enveloped him. A miniature, emerald-green vine shot into Fanx Dexian’s mind.

He was completely taken aback. As the most outstanding disciple of the Fanx Family’s new generation, it wasn’t as if he had never used a Spirit Nurturing Bead before. But he had never used one so perfect, so utterly pure and free of any personal imprint.

His eyes suddenly glazed over as countless Runes swirled within them. A complex Rune Core materialized between his brows.

Immediately after, before the hollow sphere of light even began to flicker, his body started to transform.

Fanx Dexian sat cross-legged with vacant eyes, having entered a strange state. A vibrant, jade-green vine sprouted around him. The vine swayed and began to grow, coiling around his entire body until only his face was left exposed.

Next, three flowers bloomed from the swaying vine above his head. From one flower grew a medicinal plant. From another grew a strange fruit. And from the last flower grew… a peculiar vine? Or was it a white thread?

The entwined vines resembled a dandelion, but upon closer inspection, all the filaments were connected. Moreover, it wasn’t shaped like a normal spherical dandelion, but rather like a strange brain.

Seeing the dandelion formed by the strange vine on the third flower, Zhang Deming froze. Others might not have known, but he knew perfectly well that the overall shape of this dandelion, formed by tiny vines, resembled a brain—or more precisely, brain matter.

The fine, crystalline white vine filaments interconnected, flickering with Spiritual Light. It looked like a three-dimensional light-based computer made of threads.

‘What is this…?’

‘A spontaneous mutation and development from the fusion of multiple techniques? To put it simply, he developed a new technique!’

‘Holy crap, is he that much of a genius? No wonder the condensation process was so difficult! So it wasn’t that he was being impatient; it was that the opportunity was too great, and he almost choked on it!’

While Zhang Deming was still stunned, the hollow sphere of light on Fanx Dexian’s body flickered and vanished. As the sphere disappeared, Fanx Dexian shuddered, and the plants dissipated, leaving only the vine-like structure that resembled brain matter.

Fanx Dexian’s aura also began to skyrocket, as if he were a Duality Cultivator.

…

“Oh my god!”

“Not only did he finish condensing the Three Lives Rune, but he almost broke through to the Duality stage! Ancestor Zhang is truly… a walking fortuitous encounter, just like the legends say!”

“Why wasn’t it me? I’m so jealous!”

“Give up on that dream. If it were you, do you think he would’ve even given you the time of day?”

“My eyes aren’t sharp enough. What kind of Magic Rune did Senior Brother Fanx condense for his third life?”

“It looks like the Jade Flower Vine Dandelion Technique, but… its appearance is so bizarre. What is that shape?”

“That’s a brain. I think it’s called cerebrum, or maybe cerebellum? They talk about it in the Outer Realm’s Healing Path. I’ve read a little about it.”

“Summoning Path, Planting Dao, Heart Spirit Calculation Path… what direction is his technique headed in?”

“It should still be Plant Demon Summoning. After all, Senior Brother Fanx can’t just switch his path like that, right?”

“…”

As Fanx Dexian completed his breakthrough, the surrounding discussions grew even more clamorous.

After completing his advancement, Fanx Dexian remained dazed for a moment before coming to his senses. Once he did, he immediately bowed to Zhang Deming and said, “Fanx Dexian, Core Disciple of the Miscellaneous Affairs Department, thanks Ancestor Zhang for his guidance and assistance!”