Chapter 154 The Mirror Theory

Duanmu Lin tilted her head, thought for a moment, and then said seriously, "I don't know either! But Master Wenrui is so famous, I think as long as you ask around, you'll know his work address!"

Ye Chuxiao smiled gently, "That's true!"

Internal assessment.

"She can effectively absorb and organize external information that I don't know, but her knowledge is limited. She's not omniscient or even generally knowledgeable. Except for the fact that she's only visible to me under normal circumstances, she behaves exactly like a stranger with her own independent life, cognition, and experiences."

"I need to continue observing and collecting more data."

The style of Yunchu City is not only reflected in its architecture, but also in the way people dress, their food, and many other aspects, which are very different from Canaan Academy.

In short, Canaan Academy is more modern, while Yunchu is full of ancient charm, somewhat similar to the 'ancient cities' of his previous life, with a classical charm, but not backward, just hiding some modern tools in a classical style.

Master Wenrui's work address was not difficult to find out. He was originally a professor at Yunchu Academy. Although he didn't teach many classes, he would go to the academy in the city center to teach for at least two days a week.

Yunchu Academy in Yunchu City stands on the mountainside, with pavilions and towers shrouded in colorful clouds and mist, like celestial palaces in the ethereal surroundings.

After Ye Chuxiao showed his Canaan Academy student ID at the entrance, he obtained a temporary pass, allowing him to enter Yunchu Academy for a visit.

Of course, not every academy has such a friendly atmosphere.

Canaan is the most powerful academy in the academy world, and Yunchu is a member of its academy alliance.

Therefore, a Canaan Academy student ID can be a relatively effective pass.

"This is Yunchu Academy! It's so beautiful."

"Thank you. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid I wouldn't have the chance to come in and visit. I could only walk around outside." Duanmu Lin said to Ye Chuxiao as she skipped around with her snow-white slender arms behind her back.

Ye Chuxiao smiled and asked softly, "I remember you are... a student of Tianshui Academy. Where is Tianshui Academy?"

In Ye Chuxiao's memory, there was also no memory of Tianshui Academy.

At this time, it was impossible to determine whether Tianshui Academy really existed and Duanmu Lin had obtained the information, or whether Duanmu Lin had fabricated a Tianshui Academy.

"Tianshui? It's in the sea!"

"It's an underwater city!" Duanmu Lin said with a smile.

"If you have the chance, Dongjun, you must go and see it!" Duanmu Lin said playfully to Ye Chuxiao, then turned around and ran towards a large group of cranes in the square, seemingly wanting to rush up and take photos, videos, and group photos with the recording talisman.

"It sounds plausible, maybe it's real."

"But Duanmu Lin said that her student ID wasn't qualified to exchange for a temporary pass to Yunchu Academy, so Tianshui... isn't it an allied academy of Canaan Academy?" Ye Chuxiao frowned slightly.

Perhaps Duanmu Lin's persona was more complex than he thought.

The academy world seemed 'peaceful', but in reality, it was full of the law of the jungle.

If it were truly peaceful, there would be no need for an academy alliance, which was an alliance to consolidate interests.

After asking a few students from Yunchu Academy, Ye Chuxiao learned that Master Wenrui was holding a public lecture today, which he could attend in Auditorium 2.

Without hesitation, Ye Chuxiao immediately dragged Duanmu Lin and followed the signs to Auditorium 2.

There weren't many students sitting in the auditorium.

And it was obvious that a considerable number of them had been dragged to the lecture by their counselors to make up the numbers.

Because a large number of people were sitting in the back row, propping up all kinds of textbooks high, and then lying on the table playing various game-like small magical instruments, while some were quietly chatting using communication talismans.

Ye Chuxiao effortlessly found a place near the podium and sat down generously.

On the podium, Master Wenrui was casually using illusions to simulate various teaching models.

He didn't care about the students not listening carefully, or casually coming in and out.

Some lectures seem to be given to everyone, but in reality, they can be seen as private teaching.

Master Wenrui obviously didn't care about the learning gains of all the students. He only needed to ensure that the few students he was paying attention to could gain something.

"Illusions are also a reflection of the mind, an extremely important part of mirror theory."

"The foundation of our illusions stems from our understanding and distorted understanding of reality. We cannot construct illusions beyond our scope of understanding. Similarly, our minds are the same. What our minds reflect is our past accumulation, which, to some extent, has a mirror relationship with our memories, understanding, and thinking." The tiny illusion in Master Wenrui's hand was constantly changing, sometimes mountains and rivers, sometimes the sun, moon, and stars.

At this time, a student raised his hand and asked, "Professor! Why do we sometimes dream of things we are not familiar with or don't know? If the mind and memory have a mirror relationship, shouldn't dreams related to the mind also follow the mirror theory?"

Master Wenrui said, "This student asks a good question. Our dreams are very magical. In cultivation, once you enter a wonderful state, there is little chance of dreaming, because our thoughts will be restrained, and distracting thoughts will be greatly reduced. But at the same time, we will also reduce our free perception of the outside world and turn it into an active sense of directional perception."

"Therefore, the unknown dream does not present a true sense of the unknown, but rather we subjectively don't know what we know."

"For example, someone may have discussed a topic around you. You didn't pay attention to it, and you don't have complete, direct, and clear memories, but in your dream, you may be able to embody that topic, evolve it into an experience, and even distort it to some extent, making it completely unfamiliar."

This explanation made Ye Chuxiao subconsciously look at Duanmu Lin again.

Could it be that the information Duanmu Lin knew was still passed on by him? Had he simply overlooked this information in the past?

"No! That's not right! A cultivator in the Wisdom Realm focuses on the self. Even if there are distracting thoughts, they can be completely restrained. Past memories and experiences, if felt, are detailed. There can't be a part that I know but can't remember," Ye Chuxiao thought.

Thinking of this, Ye Chuxiao immediately raised his hand.

Because he was sitting in the front row, he was very conspicuous, so Master Wenrui pointed at Ye Chuxiao.

"Professor! Does what you said apply to all cultivators, to all realms and levels?" Ye Chuxiao asked.

Master Wenrui shook his head and said, "Of course not! The Wisdom Realm, the Intent Realm, and even the Immeasurable Realm above it, are not within the scope of the theories I mentioned earlier."

"In my mirror theory, the individual's life and the universe have a relationship of mutual mirroring. The universe is an infinitely huge mirror, and individual lives are small mirrors. We can never know the complete appearance of the universe, so each of us sees the world with subtle deviations and differences."

"And a cultivator in the Wisdom Realm, after reaching a certain level of cultivation, completely wraps themselves up, cutting off the interference of the universe to themselves in a certain sense, and first restores themselves to a pure individual in the vast universe."

"Cultivators at this stage are more like luminous bodies."

"Because they are emitting strong light outwards, they become blurred in the mirror of the universe."

"Of course, a more common saying is that cultivators in the Wisdom Realm and above are gradually interfering with reality with their own will."

Ye Chuxiao's heart stirred, and he felt something, but it was not yet systematic.

"The light emitted by a luminous body is not controlled by the luminous body. If these lights have their own thoughts during the refraction process, will they also become new individual mirrors?" Ye Chuxiao asked again.

Master Wenrui's gaze towards Ye Chuxiao became profound.

After taking a closer look, he had a hint of realization.

His attitude towards Ye Chuxiao was no longer that of a teacher, but more equal, obviously judging Ye Chuxiao's actual cultivation.

In the academy world, cultivators at the Wisdom Realm level should not be underestimated.

This was a realm that many cultivators could not reach for hundreds or even hundreds of years.

"There is this possibility. The intent of a cultivator in the Wisdom Realm can initially interfere with reality, and the will of a cultivator in the Intent Realm can form its own domain and even exclude existing laws of reality. This also symbolizes that they all have the ability to distort reality. Below the Wisdom Realm, we are only reflecting part of the universe's appearance. Above the Wisdom Realm, there will also be parts of the universe's mirror that show our appearance."

Master Wenrui's explanation was a bit convoluted, but Ye Chuxiao still fully understood what he meant.

"If that's the case, then the appearance of Duanmu Lin can be understood."

"She is my will, and when interfering with the outside world, she has a distorted intersection with external information, forming a product."

"Unlike Xiong Mao Mao and the Clown, I didn't 'independently create' Duanmu Lin, so she can obtain information that I don't know and have memories that I didn't give her."

Thinking of this, Ye Chuxiao didn't feel relieved after solving the puzzle, but instead felt more troublesome.

The Wisdom Realm was already like this.

What if he broke through to the Intent Realm?

What kind of friend would be created due to refraction and distortion?

Would that 'friend' really appear in the real world like a new life, to the point where neither he nor outsiders could judge the truth?

"If that's really the case, then if it's controllable, it's fine, but if it's uncontrollable, it's equivalent to exposing a huge flaw for myself. Once this 'friend' who can truly appear in the real world is known and captured by my opponent, it will be an unimaginable threat to me."

"What's even more troublesome is that these 'friends' are, in a sense, a reflection of my mind. Others can observe my likes, moods, and some of my thoughts through them. After digging deep and thinking carefully, I feel increasingly uneasy." Ye Chuxiao felt depressed, but he didn't show it on his face.

Seeing that Ye Chuxiao didn't ask any more questions, Master Wenrui continued his lecture as usual.

After class, Ye Chuxiao approached Master Wenrui and said politely, "Professor, I still have some questions. Can I ask you for some private guidance?"

Master Wenrui said to Ye Chuxiao, "Fellow Daoist is too polite! You and I are at the same realm. I'm just a few years older. If there's anything I can help you with, I won't refuse."

The two talked along the way, exchanged some basic information, and arrived at Master Wenrui's office.

After activating the soundproof formation in the office, Master Wenrui said, "Fellow Daoist shouldn't be from our world!"

Ye Chuxiao wasn't surprised to be recognized.

"That's right!"

"No wonder! Cultivation is not simply about stacking resources and competing for talent. There are many places where you need to experience, think, and accumulate."

"In any case, a young man in his twenties, unless he is reincarnated, can never reach the Wisdom Realm so quickly," Master Wenrui said.

Ye Chuxiao thought to himself, "That's right, but that's because you don't know about the Barren Battle Realm."

"In the Barren Battle Realm, not to mention cultivators in the Wisdom Realm in their twenties, even cultivators in the Intent Realm in their teens have appeared and existed in history."

"The question you asked in class earlier was very interesting."

"Let me guess, you must be troubled by your habits!"

Saying that, Master Wenrui waved his hand and said, "You don't need to tell me what your habits are specifically. This is a secret that everyone needs to hide."

"For us, habits are both a gap in our hearts and a window to the outside world. They are both strong and weak. And the higher the cultivation, the more open this window will be."

"Isn't there a mature way to deal with it?" Ye Chuxiao asked.

Master Wenrui said, "Yes! And there are many. In order to solve the impact of habits, many different schools and theories have emerged in our world, which are also the prototypes of today's academy cities."

"Nowadays, they are mainly divided into three schools: the Release School, the Mind-Slaying School, and the Offset School."

"Among them, the representative of the Release School is Canaan Academy. They study deep-diving devices and connect and display the gaps in the mind through special magical instruments. Through this method, they exercise their habits and achieve the goal of transforming their habits into talents."

Ye Chuxiao nodded slightly. Canaan Academy was indeed this style.

In Canaan, it seemed that all habits were not shortcomings, but talents, and a reflection of a person's value.

Ye Chuxiao felt deeply about this, and even held the same attitude for quite some time.

It wasn't until Duanmu Lin appeared that Ye Chuxiao realized that flaws were flaws. Even if they had certain advantages, the uncontrollable parts should not be ignored.

What is uncontrollable is never a talent.

It's a disease!

"What school is Yunchu Academy?" Ye Chuxiao asked.

Master Wenrui said, "The Offset School! We advocate habit offset, using similar hobbies to the original hobby to slowly offset it, and then display it. This not only alleviates the situation, but also effectively shields malice."

"But I have to say that this is also a passive way of dealing with it, and it is not as generous and natural as the Release School."