The Martial Unity

Chapter 3263: Project Nature Path

A smile of confidence emerged on his face. “I can just create a system of thought to help me interpret the electromagnetic signals coming from nature.”

The Mother of Nature was left confused by his words. ’You mentioned that before as well. What is a system of thought?’

“A system of thought is exactly what it means,” Rui replied. “A system of protocols of mental thought and cognitive process. It essentially is doing with thought what techniques do with physical action. Once I understand how to decrypt the messages from nature, then I can create a system of thought that can help me decrypt them in real time, allowing me to communicate with nature in real time like you elves do.”

’…I see, fascinating,’ the Mother of Nature murmured with an interested tone. ’I am unable to evaluate the practicality of your approach, for I don’t have enough information on the Martial Path and on Martial Art.’

“Well, it’s easier said than done.” Rui’s expression grew serious. “One thing that concerns me is that up until I met you elves, I didn’t even know it was possible to communicate with nature to such an extent. This is despite the fact that I was a Martial Sage living in the Beast Domain for ten years. My senses are extremely powerful, and yet, I couldn’t sense nature trying to communicate with me.”

This meant that even though flora relied on extremely dim electromagnetic activity, it had been dim and insignificant enough that Rui never picked up on it specifically. He had lived around it for ten years with his powerful senses as a Martial Sage, and yet, he never sensed that the trees could communicate with him.

That meant that it likely wasn’t easy for him to replicate what the elves were doing.

There was loud electromagnetic activity around him. The Sun bathed the planet with powerful light that swept the entire place with immense radiation of all wavelengths. There was also radiation from the universe itself, the microwave radiation background specifically.

Gaia had her own radiation on top of that that came from her hot core.

These all dwarfed the mild electromagnetic activity that trees never had, making it so that he had never even noticed it, even with his powerful senses. It was very well hidden from his senses.

“I will need to begin by studying elven communication with nature up close,” Rui declared. “Preferably in an isolated environment. I need to identify exactly what the signals of communication are because I have no idea even at this moment. Once I identify all the signals, then I can begin developing a sensory technique to detect them, and later a system of thought to interpret them.”

And even that was only half of the process, for he needed to learn how to transmit those signals as well. That would require its own technique, although the same system of thought would work for both reception and transmission.

’We have an extremely developed and vast research and development sector,’ she informed him. ’We, too, have studied our own ability extensively. We can help you conduct your own experiments, or you can skim through our data as well.’

“I’ll definitely do both,” Rui nodded. “I have a pretty solid set of steps in my mind to lead me to develop my own communication interface with nature. Even if it doesn’t immediately pan out how I plan it to, this plan should allow me to eventually arrive at the place I want to. The biggest issue is not the communication interface, but instead the thing you mentioned earlier.”

He directed a complicated expression at the Mother of Nature.

“Harmonizing with nature, that is. The communication interface is worthless if I can’t harmonize with nature, is it not?”

’Correct,’ she confirmed. ’Harmonizing with nature is essential to manipulating nature. You must learn to understand how to beckon nature to your aid. To put in technical terms, you must identify what signals yield what response. You need to understand nature the way you would a person or people. It requires time, effort, and dedication. The more you understand nature, the more you will be able to harness its power. That is what harmony with nature means.’

“…It doesn’t sound like something I can speedrun, but I do have some ideas.” Rui’s eyes lit up.

What he had in mind was using the SOUL System to study elves and their relationship with nature, and then try to mimic the same signals to trigger the same effects. This way, he didn’t need to go through all the pains of cultivating a relationship with nature from scratch. He could just ’copy’ the relationships with the elves and mimic that, allowing him to manipulate nature as well as they could.

STEP

Rui got up with a determined expression.

“Alright, time to begin Project Nature Path.”

And thus, Rui set off, determined to master the path of nature. His first destination was the Elven Institution of Research and Development. It was best to skim through the data they had collected on themselves rather than trying to rediscover something that was mainstream elven science.

There was no issue with getting clearance for visiting the Elven Institution of Research and Development, either. The Genora-Panama Alliance Treaty contained clauses that specified the exchange of some knowledge and information regarding each other’s Paths. The Panamic Alliance was already compiling a curated briefing on Martial Art and the Martial Path for the dark elves.

He traveled further south into West Genora, going deeper and deeper into the continent as he enjoyed the vast expanse of nature, illuminated by the bright light of the morning Sun. A cool breeze brushed past his entire body, rejuvenating as he traveled to his destination.

Soon enough, he arrived.

“Woah…” Rui’s eyes lit up with amazement as he beheld an impenetrable forest.

At first glance, it was as though he was simply looking at a tall forest with an extremely dense canopy.

However, the elves had converted the branches and leaves of a forest into a singularly fused ceiling for their research and development institution, spanning a tremendous area. The anti-surveillance biotechnology scrambled the information his senses received, making it extremely difficult for him to spy on the dark elves.

“Incredible.”