Chapter 74: I'm Here
In the wilderness, Su Hao continued his research according to his previous rhythm, changing locations every once in a while.
Occasionally, he would enter towns to rest and recover.
He even once arrived at the major human city, He'an Capital, in order to search for information. He needed to learn more about the materials and knowledge of this world.
He had a hypothesis. If he could find materials that could constrain blood essence, then recording runes in advance would no longer be a fantasy.
In Su Hao's imagination, the blood essence-constraining materials would be similar to how wires constrain electric currents. These materials could be embedded with rune patterns in advance in weapons and armor, allowing the runes to be activated instantly by infusing blood essence.
Yes, Su Hao still wanted to find a foolproof way to activate runes. In this way, the threshold for using runes would be much lower. As long as one had blood essence, anyone could manipulate runes, just like anyone with hands could play a video game.
However, Su Hao found nothing. It seemed that such materials didn't exist in this world. There was no mention of them anywhere.
He even captured many runemasters who secretly studied runes, engaging in in-depth discussions with them, but he returned disappointed.
Could it be that there really were no materials capable of constraining blood essence?
Impossible!
Su Hao believed that there must be some material that could constrain blood essence.
Otherwise, how did he control his blood essence? Almost every elite warrior could control their own blood essence, which was a form of constraint.
Su Hao's brain quickly turned, contemplating the differences.
"Perhaps... maybe we don't necessarily need constraints?"
Blood essence was essentially biological energy. This kind of energy had a stronger compatibility within living organisms, but once it detached from the physical body, its control greatly diminished.
For example, infusing blood essence into a longsword would only result in blindly stuffing it inside, gaining powerful explosive force, but unable to perform any delicate actions on the blade.
Su Hao came to a conclusion about blood essence: "In other words, living organisms have a much stronger adaptability to blood essence than metallic substances."
Therefore, to achieve the early recording of runes, there was no need for strong constraining materials. It would suffice to embed rune patterns in weapons and armor in advance and then fill the rune patterns with substances that had stronger compatibility with blood essence than metal. This would enable the assisted activation of runes.
Because the flow of blood essence would prioritize materials with stronger compatibility.
A gleam of light flashed in Su Hao's eyes. "So, what should I fill it with? Should I crush flesh and blood and stuff it in?"
It's worth a try.
So, Su Hao first engraved a rune on a metal plate and then filled it with crushed flesh and blood, attempting to activate the rune with blood essence.
It failed!
The crushed flesh and blood had essentially become lifeless matter, lacking the overall nature of living beings.
Moreover, such crushed flesh and blood could not be preserved for long.
What should he do?
Countless ideas flashed through Su Hao's mind, only to be rejected.
Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck him!
Nematodes!
He suddenly remembered the parasitic worms he had studied during his dissections, which were often found on the bodies of many ferocious beasts. He named them golden threadworms, as they resembled long threads of gold.
He endured the nausea and researched them for a while.
He discovered that golden threadworms had slim, tough bodies and incredibly strong vitality. They could survive with just blood essence, but they seemed to have no practical use.
Now it seemed that they were more than useful; they were a gift from this world!
Su Hao eagerly caught several unfortunate ferocious beasts and found a large number of golden threadworms inside their bodies.
He then used the thickness and length of the golden threadworms to re-engrave the metal plate, making grooves. He used tweezers to carefully fill the grooves with golden threadworms. Whenever they intersected, he made wider grooves and pressed them firmly.
After connecting the golden threadworms end to end, Su Hao infused them with blood essence and tried.
The array plate rune successfully activated, unleashing a powerful light.
It worked!
Su Hao excitedly clenched his fists and waved them.
Looking at the golden threadworms, they were unharmed! Instead, they were full of vitality, as if they had just eaten a satisfying meal.
They could be reused!
This discovery kept Su Hao awake for two whole nights, filled with endless imagination about the future.
In his hands, where would this world eventually lead under his influence?
...
A year and a half later.
Su Hao turned fifteen during this year.
He completed the integration of basic runes, making notes and analysis of all the basic runes he discovered, labeling them with numbers.
There were over 800 basic runes in total.
Based on the characteristics of the basic runes, he divided them into nine sequences, with each sequence further divided into ten levels based on common usage.
All the more than 800 basic runes were included in this sequencing system.
For example, the first sequence, level one, rune number one, was the Basic Power Rune; the second sequence, level one, rune number one, was the Basic Power Rune II; the third sequence, level one, rune number one, was the Low-Efficiency Energy Conversion Rune, and so on.
When conceptualizing array plate runes, he could quickly index and select suitable basic runes from the array plate based on the desired effect.
In this way, most of his imaginative ideas could be achieved through the array plate.
Su Hao even developed relatively simple uses of runes like Fireball Rune, Ice Cone Rune, Corrosive Beam Rune, Earth Spikes Rune, Electric Discharge Rune, and so on. These rune effects were something he had never seen from the bodies of ferocious beasts.
There were also more complex versions like the Laundry Rune, Fan Rune, Diffusion Dust Removal Rune, High-Pressure Water Gun Cleaning Rune, Writing Replication Rune, Barbecue Rune, Steam Cooking Rune...
One of the purposes of runes was to improve life, right?
He even successfully developed rune weapons and rune armor.
Even an elite warrior, with some practice, could use a dagger engraved with runes and activate the effects within the blade.
For example, Su Hao engraved a rune longsword with three runes: "Hardness," "Sharpness," and "Penetration." Its effects were extraordinary.
If the warriors in Lingyun Town had used this sword against the ferocious beast, Montu Beast, back then, each of them would have left a small wound on its body.
Although making a small wound on a Montu Beast was not of great use, it meant that the damage went from +0 to +1, a qualitative leap.
He also engraved runes on his armor: "Hardness," "Deflection," "Barrier," "Resonance." The defense effect was extremely strong, making it almost impossible to pierce the armor even if one stabbed it with the Montu Beast's tusks.
What was this?
This was the summoning of an era!
This was the true meaning of change for humanity!
And as long as the buried golden threadworms were occasionally fed blood essence, they could live for at least a year and a half.
The first batch of golden threadworms Su Hao captured had not died yet. They were still
emitting light and heat for the runes, although they appeared somewhat listless.
But did it matter? It didn't matter. The fact that such a powerful function of the golden threadworms had been developed was a glory in itself.
The golden threadworms probably never imagined that they would be so awesome in their lifetime, capable of releasing various powerful attacks. They would surely be able to bring honor to their ancestors.
In addition, Su Hao wrote two books.
One was titled "The Path of Warriors."
It consisted of "Introductory Volume," "Blood Essence Bottleneck Principles and Breakthrough Volume," "Advanced Elite—Centrifugal Volume," "Blood Essence Enhancement Wave and Flesh Enhancement Wave Contemplation Volume," "Advanced Master—Array Plate Engraving Volume," "Advanced Master—Array Plate Encyclopedia Volume," and "Objective Exploration of Warriors." At the end, he added the venom of the soul, "The Warrior's Heart, the Strength of Humanity."
It was a thick booklet, and Su Hao was very satisfied with it.
He wanted to spread this book, "The Path of Warriors," to various parts of the Eternal Harmony Continent.
Later on, for easy circulation, he also made a second version, separating each chapter into individual booklets, creating a loose-leaf format.
By spreading both versions simultaneously, those who obtained the complete book would cherish it, and those who obtained individual chapters would certainly be encouraged to collect them. The book would quickly become popular.
In addition, he wrote another book titled "Rune Complete Guide."
It was divided into several sections, including "Animal Patterns and Runes," "Three-Dimensional Runes," "Array Plate Structure Theory," "Comprehensive Explanation of Basic Runes," "Rune Case Practice Workbook," "Beauty of Nature—Golden Threadworm Volume," "Application of Runes in Life and Battle," and "Objective Exploration of Runes." Finally, there was the venom of the soul, "Enlightenment of Thoughts, Exploration of the Universe."
Su Hao looked at the two thick books in his hands, signing them as "Passerby" at the end.
Perfect!
He extended his hand and clenched it into the void.
"I'm here! World!"
(Translated by begs)