Chapter 661: The Extremely High Learning Threshold of Totemology

“Xiao Han, how did you come to think of studying the totem? Don't misunderstand, I'm not preventing you from learning anything; I'm just astonished that you dare to learn it now.”

“Perhaps… the ignorant are fearless… I exchanged some insights from the Reincarnation Spell with a few Witch Big Sisters for equivalent knowledge. I originally wanted Runology materials, but I noticed Totemology and requested that it be sent to me as well.”

I explained, looking at Academy Head Mei.

“The ignorant are fearless, huh… what an enviable state. I also dabbled in Totemology, but I didn't have your mindset back then.”

Hearing my words, Mei Linde seemed to recall her past self.

“However… if that's the case, I should even less send you my research materials.”

“Huh? Why?”

I looked at Big Sis Mei, slightly surprised.

This sharp turn was truly unexpected for me.

I thought, with this development, Big Sis Mei was about to agree.

“Because Totemology is not learned through conventional methods. The current teaching methods in the Academy, including most self-study methods, are less about learning and more about imitation. Although imitation is an important part of learning, the imitative learning method of the totem is an absolutely dead-end road. Its approach is completely opposite to the learning of Runes.”

Academy Head Mei seriously shared her insights with me.

“A completely opposite approach…”

Being told this, I seemed to have a vague inspiration, but I couldn't visualize it into my own thoughts.

“I also have similar thoughts, because I found that no matter how much you study a finished totem, it has no effect. So… it cannot be learned through a process like remembering, learning, and mastering, like Runes. Is that what you mean?”

“I don't know, but at least it deviates greatly from a way that is guaranteed not to work.”

Academy Head Mei shook her head and said.

“So, I won't give you my research materials. It's not that I'm unwilling to share my research results; it's that the approach is wrong. If you follow mine, the best result is only learning what I teach you. If you don't master the learning method, you will forever be dependent on others. This relationship is like the relationship between an Apothecary and a Potion Alchemist.”

“If it's just this kind of relationship, isn't it still okay? Analogous to Runology, where one can't master the Compound Rune technique, and thus can't self-study, before mastering a large number of Runes.”

I rarely raised a counter-argument, but this was only out of curiosity, not because I was truly willing to take this path of reliance on others.

“The difference lies here. Your thinking is not wrong, but analogy is to help you understand a problem, not to allow you to use it to solve a problem. Runes can be perceived in a general way, but totems cannot. This is the fundamental reason why the learning methods of the two are similar, yet one is feasible and the other is not.”

“So… that means the learning threshold for totems is too high?”

“Yes.”

Academy Head Mei nodded, confirming my statement.

“Learning general knowledge is very convenient. For example, Runes: you can directly start by learning the finished Rune. Spells: you can understand the principle by learning the spell prototype. But the finished prototype of a totem is meaningless.”

“It belongs to a rootless product, with a lapse in information. Neither the perception of True Time nor your Spirit Vision, even Floating World-level Spirit Vision, will help you take a shortcut. It is more troublesome than the [Transcendent Knowledge] of things without origin or Revelation.”

“At least [Transcendent Knowledge], with a rich foundation of accumulation, can be slowly researched. Perhaps in a thousand years, one might roughly understand what that [Transcendent Knowledge] represents. But the totem is a helplessness of having nowhere to start, a chasm that accumulation cannot cross.”

After saying these words, Big Sis Mei paused, allowing herself to calm her emotions.

She was a very seasoned Transcendent Witch.

But facing a chasm that even she couldn't cross, she would subconsciously reveal a form of unconscious pressure, embedded in her words, applying stress to the listener.

“Let's not talk about this anymore. I apologize; I seem to have sounded too serious. Actually, Totemology heavily relies on talent and comprehension. Xiao Han, don't put too much pressure on yourself. Your talent and comprehension are top-notch in my view. The fact that you can be interested in Totemology is the qualification to study it boldly.”

Mei Linde encouraged me.

However, she also understood that whether it was describing its difficulty to make Xiao Han recognize the obstacles, or simply encouraging her and imposing unnecessary pressure, neither seemed like a good choice.

She should have suppressed her curiosity and desire to express herself from the beginning.

When Xiao Han asked this question, she should have taught her with a normal mindset.

This way, she wouldn't crush Xiao Han's enthusiasm, nor would she feel guilty for her own dashed expectations if Xiao Han failed after encouragement.

“Then… Big Sis Mei, how should I learn?”

I asked my question at this moment.

Since the research materials were not very useful for pure learning, and the summarized experience couldn't serve as nourishment to promote the learning process, there must be a way to learn it, right?

Since Totemology could be summarized as Totemology, there must be a way to learn it, but this method was tantamount to a threshold; not everyone was qualified to learn it.

And I also had some conjectures.

Earlier, when I was thinking about how to learn, I already had two methods: one was understanding how to "trace the source," and the other was understanding how the totem was born.

They corresponded to the method of attempt and the path of the method.

“Totems do not have a systematic learning method. The scholars who ended up studying the totem mostly contacted the totem by accident or coincidence first, and only then did they work backward to study the totem.”

Big Sis Mei explained this outrageous fact to me, trying her best to articulate clearly.

“It's because this kind of coincidence or an unintentional idea aligns with the totem, and this breakthrough is the threshold for learning the totem. Moreover, everyone's learning method is different, and the method cannot be replicated.”

“Uh… the threshold is that high?”

Hearing this requirement, I was instantly stunned.

Weren't these coincidences exactly my method of "tracing the source"?

Was tracing the source really just a concept, without any technique or method, relying entirely on luck?

“Yes. So… Xiao Han, are you still planning to study it?”

“Mm, of course. Even without a learning method, I will still contemplate it in my spare time.”

“Alright…”

Big Sis Mei seemed quite satisfied with my answer.

“In that case, I will give you an opportunity.”

Before I could react, Big Sis Mei spoke again to explain to me.

“The Witch Academy has innumerable Secret Realms. Many of them are gifts from graduating students after they leave, and more are experimental grounds opened by us mentors ourselves, similar to the Fool's Village Secret Realm.”

“Since you want to study the totem, I have a Secret Realm here that can help you learn.”

“Really!”

Hearing such a sudden turnaround from Big Sis Mei, I could hardly believe it!

“Be aware, it can only inspire you in many ways, but it cannot directly give you knowledge to study. You might gain nothing from this trip, or you might gain some inspiration but ultimately achieve nothing… But I don't think you will refuse, right?”

“No! I won't refuse! Which Secret Realm is it? Should I go now?”

I quickly asked eagerly, aligning with Big Sis Mei's words.

“No rush.”

Seeing my impatience, Big Sis Mei immediately soothed me and explained.

“That place is an experimental site for totem research that I have abandoned. Going directly will not help you. I need to spend time setting it up, arranging it in a way that I can understand. So, you must understand that because this is arranged according to my concept, you must have your own thoughts.”

“I understand! I'll have to trouble Big Sis Mei again…”

I quickly said.

“Then… how long will I have to wait for this matter?”

“So impatient? It will take some effort to tidy up and arrange the place. How about after the holidays? After all, I'm quite busy right now, and you only see me as idle because this Clone is idle.”

Big Sis Mei said with a smile.

“Oh right… well, okay.”

It was only at this moment that I realized it was Big Sis Mei's Clone I had been talking to the entire time.

“However, I do have some materials here that you can refer to.”

“Huh? Didn't you say I couldn't refer to them?”

I asked hesitantly, feeling that Big Sis Mei was messing with me and I couldn't keep up.

“I said those materials couldn't be given to you because I don't want you to waste time. Being addicted to momentary cognition is not good for you. But that doesn't mean you can't see parts of the material. At least some basic, objective knowledge and introductions that won't cause misunderstanding can help you gain a higher level of cognition about the totem.”

“Oh, I see.”

I nodded quickly, indicating that I understood.

After finishing the questions related to Totemology, Big Sis Mei also shared that knowledge with me through the Great Knowledge Sharing Technique.

However, now was not the best time to study this knowledge.

Afterwards, Big Sis Mei and I discussed matters concerning the Myriad Connection Main Network Tree and the Seed of Knowledge.

Of course, it wasn't a very professional technical discussion, but rather a conversation and communication with me, telling me how important the things I was currently doing were.

For example, the model of the Myriad Connection Main Network Tree, the plant root network—these technologies were not difficult to realize, and there were even equivalent Transcendent networks.

These technologies existed in many Void worlds that had developed to modern times and touched upon Transcendent power.

Catching a world in the Void could almost always yield different Transcendent networks.

But why was my Myriad Connection Main Network Tree so highly valued?

Because the Myriad Connection Main Network Tree had two foundations.

The first foundation was its extremely strong compatibility.

That is, it could almost be compatible with the vast majority of current Transcendent networks.

This was the powerful compatibility built on its plant characteristics, and it spanned multiple types of Transcendent Energy and the Earth Vein.

Transcendent networks were roughly divided into two types.

One was a network assembled from Transcendent Energy.

This energy included common energies like Elemental, Magic Power, Witch Power, and Power of Nature.

As long as one was a person who mastered Transcendent power, they had the means to adapt to the energy network.

The other was the more advanced Earth Vein Network.

Due to its special nature, the energy alone was listed separately, which was enough to show its uniqueness, because it was more compatible with the world itself.

And the Myriad Connection Main Network Tree's compatibility spanned both at once.

It was a Transcendent construct itself and could also interconnect with the Earth Vein.

Although it was not perfectly universal, its ability to be compatible and adaptable was the most important thing.

Compatibility issues could be solved as long as there was a foundation.

The second foundation was that it was a construct of the technique under my Great Tree of Knowledge Grand Spellbook system, and it was perfectly compatible with the Great Knowledge Sharing Technique—a naturally advantageous symbiosis.

What was the Great Knowledge Sharing Technique?

It was a terrifying technique tested in extreme Void environments, the foundation for cross-world interconnection in the Void.

These two foundations alone made it worthwhile for so many Witches in the Expansion Realm to establish a massive laboratory dedicated to one Myriad Connection Main Network Tree.

As for the advantages like easy deployment and simple repair, they had already become supporting roles.

I also brought up some of my ideas regarding this, such as the Witch race's technique for logging into the Primal Dream State, which could also achieve communication that ignored Void boundaries, but this was only limited to Transcendent Witches and not applicable to an entire world.

Even to use the Primal Dream State for non-Transcendent Witches, specialized equipment and corresponding permission applications were needed.

Just thinking about how the Witch Academy didn't even have one device per student was enough to know the ability of this thing to be popularized.

It should be noted that the Witches' footprint spanned the Void, but it was not based on a world-by-world basis spanning the Void.

Many worlds that did not reject the Witch race also needed means to connect with the Void outside the world upon contact.

Many Witches did not mind helping them if they had the ability.

As for the current communication between worlds in the broader Void environment, there were many ways, such as relying on specialized personnel to traverse the Void to transmit messages.

If several worlds were close to each other on the Void level, they might initiate the massive project of Void Interconnection, and this prerequisite required mutual trust between the worlds.

Another method was to master the technique, establish massive cross-world Teleportation Channels, and constantly measure the Void position at all times to prevent deviation in positioning and consequent tragedy.

But no matter the method, there needed to be a foundation: a huge number of Transcendent powerhouses, or extremely terrifying techniques.

Therefore, Small Worlds almost had no qualification for Void Communication.

The most numerous things in the Void were Small Worlds, yet they couldn't send the slightest information or data outside the world into the Void.

So, without possessing powerful Void detection capabilities, they could only conduct Void Exploration.

Only by exploring to the doorstep of that world could they discover it; otherwise, they wouldn't even know there was a Small World there.

Therefore, the Myriad Connection Main Network Tree + Great Knowledge Sharing Technique could interconnect the worlds that the Witch race had currently discovered through this technology.

Although there were still many problems, such as promotion, civilizational gaps, and so on, from a macro perspective, this was definitely beneficial.

Even if there were no benefits, there were plenty of Witches in the Witch race who liked to find things to do when they were bored, not for any other reason but for the fun of it.

For example, connecting two worlds with conflicting developments and clashing cultures through a network, and watching the two worlds argue with each other when they were idle.

And since the two worlds could not physically contact each other, only virtually, if a gaming platform were established, a virtual network world war might happen every year.

How much fun would that be?

No doubt, if Witches possessed this ability, Transcendent Witches would absolutely do this kind of thing.

They would even have a good excuse: promoting cultural exchange between different worlds.