Days passed as DAVID continued his experiments, the temple masters would occasionally check in with DAVID, but seeing that he didn't respond, they would leave. Vetior, on the other hand, was deeply engrossed in practicing according to the continuation of his practice method that was made by DAVID. He had been practicing diligently, pushing the boundaries of his abilities with the newly upgraded techniques.
However, as he delved deeper into the new method, Vetior began to notice subtle differences. The techniques felt strangely familiar yet distinctly altered. It was as if the core essence of his practice method had been shifted. Vetior's curiosity grew, and he couldn't help but ponder DAVID's origins. It seemed that DAVID's own practice method, vastly different from his own, had left its mark on the continuation he now followed.
What Vetior was experiencing was the result of DAVID's unique approach of merging higher concepts from hundreds of practice methods into Vetior's. The resulting practice method felt like a fusion, with elements of both Vetior's original method and DAVID's rough approach. While Vetior had reservations about this change, he knew that continuing with his previous practice method would mean a drastically shorter lifespan.
So, Vetior persisted, practicing according to DAVID's method for over a week. On the ninth day, the temple's disciples were jolted awake by a sudden disturbance in the surrounding aura. They rushed outside and looked up at the sky above the temple, where they witnessed an astonishing sight.
There, hovering in the air, sat the old man, Vetior, cross-legged and serene. His eyes opened, and he took a deep breath, feeling a newfound sense of tranquility. As he looked around, Vetior realized that his vision had undergone a profound transformation. His previous eyesight had been incredibly precise, allowing him to see distant horizons with clarity. But now, he saw more than just the physical world.
Vetior's enhanced vision allowed him to perceive the intricate flow of aura in the air. He watched as it entered into his disciples, mingled with their own energies, and then poured out as refined aura. With a simple glance, he could gauge the strength levels of those around him, sensing the tidal flow of their aura.
The temple's disciples stared in awe at their grandmaster's newfound abilities. Vetior had transcended the boundaries of ordinary practitioners, and his connection to aura had reached an entirely new level. They could feel the aura nearby the temple master vibrating, as if celebrating.
In the central temple's quiet study, DAVID continued his experiments, unaware of the extraordinary development that had occurred with Vetior.
---
Vetior sent news of his successful advancement to the other temple masters, and their replies were filled with congratulations. They decided to schedule a small celebration for the coming week to mark the occasion.
While awaiting the celebration, Vetior often wandered aimlessly around the temple, observing the intricate flow of aura throughout its various areas. One day, as he strolled past the door to DAVID's study, he noticed a peculiar phenomenon involving the aura within. It seemed to be rhythmically pulsating, moving in and out of the room. At first, he thought it might be DAVID's idle aura intake and output, similar to what he had observed with his own disciples. However, upon closer examination, Vetior realized that the entering and exiting aura had the same density. Normally, when a practitioner absorbed aura, the output was more refined and denser.
Intrigued, Vetior decided to investigate further. He cautiously opened the door to DAVID's study and was met with a rather surprising sight. DAVID's metal body remained completely motionless, just as it had been for the past week. However, the aura surrounding DAVID was in a state of rapid movement. Instead of being drawn into DAVID's body like it was with practitioners, the aura was swirling rapidly around both the cube and the mechanical body.
What Vetior witnessed was the culmination of DAVID's intensive study of aura over the past week.
During the initial two days, DAVID had immersed himself in reading data from his archives, focusing on long-extinct tech-based civilizations. He delved into their research on aura to gauge the extent of their knowledge.
Unfortunately, these civilizations appeared to have limited experiments on the fundamental nature of aura itself. Their primary interest seemed to lie in harnessing aura to create weaponry, often relying on practitioners to control these weapons. Instead of exploring how to manipulate aura independently, they essentially piggybacked on the existing practitioner system to power their inventions.
With the remainder of his time, DAVID conducted experiments on aura autonomously. Given his current body's limitations, he couldn't perform intricate technical manipulations. However, he recognized that aura could be detected using electromagnetic waves, so he began exploring their interactions with aura.
The results of his experiments yielded intriguing insights. Aura exhibited weak interactions with electromagnetic waves, exerting minimal influence. Even more fascinating was the way aura particles interacted with each other. They naturally repelled one another, keeping them in perpetual motion. However, when aura particles collided, depending on the angle and force of the collision, they released various types of energy. For instance, a head-on collision between two aura particles produced heat, while a simultaneous collision of three particles generated kinetic energy.
DAVID's current capabilities allowed him to explore the collision of three particles, as attempts involving four, five, or six particles required more precise tools than he had at hand.
Delving deeper into practitioners' methods of manipulating these particles, DAVID uncovered an intriguing possibility. Practitioners, through an enigmatic process, appeared to be able to shape small amounts of aura within their bodies. DAVID remained uncertain about how practitioners created these collisions since their influence on aura was generally weak, insufficient to overcome the particles' natural repulsion.
Nonetheless, DAVID hypothesized that practitioners might be forming tunnels of aura within themselves using their limited influence. These tunnels could act as accelerators, ultimately leading to collisions of aura particles. The implications of this newfound understanding left DAVID speechless, shedding light on why practitioners dedicated themselves to physical training. The strenuous exercises they undertook were likely intended to control and manage these unpredictable aura collisions, which could produce bursts of heat and kinetic energy, potentially endangering less experienced practitioners.