Free Web NovelChapter 382: Chapter 369: Kept After Class
"You listened to the class of Array Master Elder Huo and fell into a state of epiphany."
"Foundation Establishment Evolution Method experience +1,000!"
"You have had an epiphany, and your understanding of Foundation Establishment Evolution has deepened."
Gu Ming felt a hazy sensation, as if he had just listened to a lecture on scriptures in the Hall of the Great Dao.
It was as if tens of thousands of scriptures were unfolding before him, and practicing the Daoist Skills allowed him to draw parallels and understand more.
Inspiration was like a blossoming tree, its branches and leaves all unfurling.
It allowed him to dissect the Foundation Establishment Evolution Method he knew from every possible angle.
He saw the various flaws in the current, simple Foundation Establishment Evolution Method, as well as areas for potential improvement.
So, even though Gu Ming had only attended one class, it felt as if it was worth ten years of study.
’Is this the class of the Elder Huo from thirty years in the future, whose academic achievements would reach an even higher level?’
Gu Ming’s eyes widened.
When he came back to his senses, the first class had ended. It was break time, and there were more of Elder Huo’s classes to follow.
A crowd had gathered around him again. After listening to the lecture, everyone had come to ask Gu Ming, the foremost expert on Foundation Establishment, for advice.
"Gu Ming, can we use our Divine Sense to look at your Pet Beasts? We’re very interested in the Foundation Establishment Method."
The students were quite enthusiastic. A female student with a sunflower-like Pet Beast walked over, and the crowd automatically parted for her, leaving plenty of space.
After listening to one of Elder Huo’s classes, everyone’s understanding of the Foundation Establishment Evolution Method was no longer partial or incomplete.
Moreover, they were all Low-star Beastmasters who had not yet chosen between the new and old paths.
They had more freedom than their predecessors.
Zeng Daoru, a student from a family of Cultivation Technique experts, developed a deep interest in the Foundation Establishment Method.
Gu Ming didn’t know her identity and just assumed she was from a wealthy family. He shook his head and politely refused her and the other geniuses watching from behind.
"I know everyone is eager to learn the Foundation Establishment Method, but Pet Beasts have their privacy too. Please don’t probe them without my permission."
Gu Ming’s calm refusal made the students’ expressions cool slightly.
But everyone understood.
After all, geniuses have their pride.
The various Cultivation Techniques being practiced within one’s own Pet Beasts were all secrets.
Probing them at will would only invite resentment.
Only High-star Level teachers could use Divine Sense to probe, under the pretext of teaching.
Otherwise, casually probing another person’s Pet Beast with Divine Sense was considered rude.
Meanwhile, Gu Ming kept his Divine Sense focused on his own Pet Beasts to perceive their condition.
If someone’s Divine Sense were to intrude, he would be able to detect it immediately.
So for now, the internal states of his Pet Beasts remained confidential.
Gu Ming closed his eyes, organizing the knowledge he had just gained from the class.
He organized his thoughts for a moment, then switched to communicating with Ah Ji using his Divine Sense.
He had it further refine the structural concept of the Foundation Establishment Method.
Thirty-two years in the future, the Foundation Establishment Method was still in its infancy.
It hadn’t been widely adopted and was considered a cutting-edge field.
But as his prerequisite Heart Method appeared nationwide, it sparked a national debate.
With more people researching it, the Foundation Establishment Evolution Method underwent a small round of iterative updates in a very short time.
The future Elder Huo, as an Array Master at a top university, had top-tier abilities to digest and improve upon information.
He could always get firsthand information on the most cutting-edge knowledge in academia.
After just a few days of processing it, he shared the latest iteration of the Foundation Establishment Method with everyone in class.
Gu Ming benefited from this as well. He saw the direction for improving the Foundation Establishment Method to forge a true path of the Self: making the Pet Beast Inner Core the central focus.
This meant having the Non-Self elements revolve around the Pet Beast Inner Core.
In other words, during Foundation Establishment, one must clearly distinguish between primary and secondary elements, not letting those overly powerful, ancient carriers of the Great Dao take the dominant position.
Of course, overcoming this was extremely difficult.
After all, Ah Ji had already observed the Ancient Dragon Race’s Dragon Pattern Tripod and the Yin Yang Eye left behind from a failed ascension.
Both were artifacts from a previous era that carried immense Dao Practice; they were the tears of a bygone age.
Suppressing the influence of these two items was simply impossible with the strength of a One-star or Two-star Pet Beast.
The future Elder Huo had provided the answer: there was only one way to do it.
This was also the latest iterative theory from the past few days.
By using a Divine Sense akin to an "Ultimate Thought," one could gain a slight upper hand in terms of status and snatch back control.
This way, the Pet Beast’s foundation would be laid more solidly, eliminating the hidden dangers of an improper ’Self’ Foundation Establishment.
It was precisely because Gu Ming realized this that he first provided theoretical guidance and corrections to Ah Ji.
Ah Kun and Cyan Treasure had already completed their Foundation Establishment.
However, things like the Foundation Establishment Platform could be adjusted later through cultivation to refine the Great Dao Foundation, since it was a Great Dao Foundation they had built themselves.
Tearing it down and rebuilding it wasn’t difficult; at most, it would just stall the Pet Beast’s cultivation progress for a while.
It wasn’t much of a loss, as it was all for the sake of having a better Great Dao Foundation—one more imbued with its own Dao Practice—when it came time for its Three-star Evolution.
Gu Ming spent most of the morning in these four classes.
Mr. Huo’s throat was dry after lecturing all morning, so he quickly dismissed everyone.
"By the way, Gu Ming, Lu You, come with me after class," Elder Huo said calmly, then left the classroom and walked out.
The students in the classroom looked at each other in dismay. They had wanted to corner the two to discuss the Dao, but it seemed today wasn’t their chance.
Zeng, the student from the family of Cultivation Technique experts, had an envious look on her face.
Lu You raised her book, hiding her face.
She had just been receiving a series of Divine Sense transmissions from Gu Ming, learning about the latest modifications to the Foundation Establishment Method.
So, she had also been stumbling through guiding her own Sunflower Seed-eating Hamster to reconstruct its Foundation Establishment Method.
However, she didn’t shatter its Great Dao Foundation. She only made minor repairs, trying to reclaim dominance without completely shattering the influence of the Dragon Pattern Tripod.
Elder Huo, on the stage, hadn’t used his Divine Sense to probe the Pet Beasts, but he could remotely sense the information from their Foundation Establishment Platforms and feel that there was something unusual about their cultivation.
It wasn’t a state of vigorous, upward progress.
That’s why he specifically kept the two of them behind. When they arrived at his office, he asked them directly, "What bottleneck have your Pet Beasts run into with their Foundation Establishment now?"
"It’s like this, I had a sudden idea..." Gu Ming didn’t hold anything back and began to explain slowly.
In his eyes, Mr. Huo was a guiding light for the future.
He explained the new modifications he had conceived.
He emphasized the dominant role of the Pet Beast Inner Core and the choice of a "Self" path.
Elder Huo looked dazed.
He never would have imagined that Gu Ming, at the One- and Two-star stage, was already making cultivation plans for choices that would affect the High-star Level path.
"What you’re talking about is too far off. It’s hard to say if they can even evolve to that Star Level."
Gu Ming nodded. "But the path of cultivation is all about pursuing the ultimate breakthrough. Otherwise, how can a Pet Beast evolve? There is no Evolution without breaking one’s limits."
Elder Huo was silent for a few seconds, then gave a rare nod of approval. "Your determination and temperament are both of the highest caliber."
"Speaking of which," he added, turning his head, "why don’t you join my Array Society? I can guide you both."
"I’ve seen that your recent Cultivation Techniques all use Brain Arrays. I know you have a remarkable Talent for creating Arrays, but you still lack the right learning environment."
"Arrays aren’t something you can invent behind closed doors. You can’t just pile up Dao Practice by relying on sudden flashes of inspiration."
"No matter what, you have to study extensively and build up your fundamentals first. Only then can you stand on the shoulders of giants to continue innovating and bring the Brain Array type of Cultivation Technique to prominence."
Gu Ming never expected that Elder Huo had kept them behind not to discuss the new improvements to the Foundation Establishment Evolution Method, but to poach him for the Array Society.
"But I’ve already joined the Outdoor Adventure Club, and an activity is coming up in the next day or two," Gu Ming said hesitantly. Due to his contractual obligations, quitting the Ruan Clan Association wasn’t an option.
"Then publish your paper first," Elder Huo said. "Before your exploration, Elder Chen and I will jointly recommend you for publication in the Seven-star Level Pet Beast journal, *Peak*."
