Volume One: A Thousand Years of Streams Chapter 49: Talisman Spirits and the Path of Evolution

Jiang Yujin’s condition was far from optimistic. Sun Zikai’s vital energy could not seamlessly integrate into her body. Although he had learned from his previous mistake and injected the vital energy with extreme caution, only ten percent of the energy proved useful.

Frustrated, Sun Zikai laid Feng Yueyi and Jiang Yujin side by side. Using the method he had originally devised to explore his own vital energy and energetic structure, he began to probe the human vital energy current bit by bit, discovering that the vital energy pathways within every living creature were unique.

Yet, the pathways among humans bore striking similarities, suggesting a shared underlying pattern. Sun Zikai temporarily named this pattern "Runaura."

Once he had treated their injuries, Sun Zikai immediately crossed his legs and focused on his cultivation. He pulled up a blade of grass. Within the grass, vital energy also flowed, and quite strongly at that. However, at this moment, the grass's vital energy was leaking in a dispersed manner; while a tiny fraction managed to enter, the intake fell far short of the outflow.

Sun Zikai was suddenly enlightened. For lifeforms like grass, their survival—or rather, the existence of their vital energy—relied heavily on external factors. Comparing humans and grass side by side, one would realize that no living creature's vital energy is ever static or unchanging. On the contrary, vital energy is in a state of permanent flux. Every single moment, living beings are not only absorbing vital energy but simultaneously releasing it.

He lay flat on the ground, intently exploring the vital energy current of an unexcavated blade of grass. Half an hour later, he had grasped a general understanding. The vital energy current of grass was simple, yet different types of grass still possessed distinct currents, albeit governed by similar laws.

Sun Zikai formed a hypothesis: living beings themselves ought to be stratified. The more ordinary a lifeform's vital life pattern—meaning the lower its Runaura tier—the more it had to depend on external forces to maintain the equilibrium of its incoming and outgoing vital energy.

For instance, grass cannot survive without soil and water. The form of vital energy (nutrients) found within soil and water had essentially become a part of the grass's Runaura.

Clearly, humans belonged to a higher-tier Runaura entity, yet they still relied on air, food, and water to survive. It was just that, relative to grass, humans possessed a greater degree of autonomy and freedom.

If he could thoroughly decipher the structure and laws of Runaura, could he use vital energy currents to forge a void lifeform? And if he were to attach flesh-like matter to this lifeform to achieve a simple circulation of energy, would that be equivalent to creating a life?

If so, he would also be able to evolve low-tier Runaura lifeforms into high-tier Runaura lifeforms. Having witnessed the evolved variant of the Ghost-Horned Rhinoceros in the Xiake Mountains, the thought of guiding beasts to complete evolution had naturally sprouted in his mind. Could he rely on Runaura to realize this idea?

Furthermore, what would happen if two different Runauras were fused together? As he pondered this, Sun Zikai suddenly noticed that the uprooted blade of grass not only had failed to die, but was actually bursting with a surge of vitality. The volume of flowing vital energy was roughly thirty times that of its normal state, and the moisture and nutrients in the air were being rapidly devoured and absorbed by its roots and leaves.

Compared to the two agonizing maidens lying on the ground at death's door, the grass torn from the soil seemed to possess an even greater potential for survival.

A question arose in Sun Zikai's mind: could it be that lifeforms with lower Runaura tiers possessed stronger vitality? Or perhaps greater regenerative capacity for life?

Yet, he quickly dismissed this notion, leaning instead toward the idea that the structural laws of flora Runaura had endowed plants with such vitality. Humans, as higher-tier Runaura entities, ought to possess even superior vital capabilities.

If so, would grafting the Runaura structure of grass into the Runaura structure of a human temporarily grant the human formidable life regeneration?

At that moment, Sun Zikai noticed the mutation trend in the uprooted grass. Its Runaura laws were shifting—or rather, evolving—in an attempt to adapt to survival conditions devoid of soil. However, the energy required for this process clearly exceeded its own energy reserves.

Soon, because the energy supply could not keep pace, the grass began to show signs of withering and decline. Yet this process remained agonizingly slow; it would take at least a day for its self-rescue process to conclude, at which point its life would also reach its end.

A sudden flash of inspiration struck Sun Zikai: what would happen if he provided the grass with sufficient energy?

He immediately poured his own energy into the grass, replenishing its deficiencies, and the Runaura of the grass once again attempted to save itself.

Sun Zikai muttered to himself, "Both humans and grass behave this way. When their lives suffer a catastrophic upheaval, their Runaura initiates a self-rescue. However, a human's Runaura structure is more advanced and less easily altered, which is why their regenerative power is not as pronounced. Conversely, the Runaura structure of grass is simple and can be easily modified. I see! The process of Runaura modification is the process of evolution. Not just beasts, but humans, plants, fish, and insects—any living entity can achieve evolution. Yet, Runaura dictates a lifeform's energy tier (unless one is an existence like Sun Zikai, who has comprehended the Dao defying the heavens). For Runaura to become more advanced—in other words, to evolve—it must acquire energy surpassing its current life tier. Therefore, the evolution of living beings is extraordinarily difficult. Only when both energy and vital energy Runaura meet the requirements can success be achieved."

Sun Zikai was exceptionally thrilled. He felt as though he had discovered a fourth path of cultivation, jointly forged by vital energy and power—an untamed, imaginative Path of Evolution.

He resolved to thoroughly master the Runaura laws and structures of different living beings, and subsequently realize their modification and evolution. When that time came, perhaps with a mere thought, he could cause an ant to evolve tier by tier, ascending continuously until it possessed omnipotent power capable of shaking the heavens and earth. He would become the true King of Beasts—no, the King of all living creatures.

Jiang Yujin uttered a faint moan. Upon waking, she felt utterly exhausted, her entire body weak and sore, haunted by the sensation that something foreign was still intermingled within her bloodstream, slowly eroding her flesh and blood.

Sun Zikai glanced at her and said, "You are fine now. Just rest quietly."

"There... there was a person. Yueyi was struck unconscious from behind by him. I didn't have time to react; I was no match for him."

"I know," Sun Zikai said calmly. "I've already killed him. It's over."

"How strange," Jiang Yujin said, sitting up and touching her neck. "It feels as though something is flowing inside my body, and it's not energy."

"It's vital energy, life force. I am repairing your body."

Half an hour later, Feng Yueyi also awoke. Having no recollection of what had transpired, she was easily placated by a fabricated story coordinated between Sun Zikai and Jiang Yujin.

Sun Zikai told Jiang Yujin that she must not leave this residence for the next two months, advising her to seek permission from her master to stay in this courtyard for a period of time as well, so as to diligently cultivate the Water Spirit Method. Moreover, regarding the wooden token, he still held a secret that he wished to witness alongside Jiang Yujin.

Jiang Yujin was already captivated by the profound Dao of the Water Spirit Method and readily agreed. To her surprise, the very next day, Hu Xincheng came knocking at the door of Anmian Residence in the company of Gao Yang.