I can see experience bars after being transported to another world.

The vast ocean of knowledge, with its intense aura, was completely isolated on the other side of the rift, without leaking out in the slightest.

This is what's blocking it.

Lu Yuan took a deep breath and tried to use his forbidden knowledge to touch that barrier.

It's very light.

It's like reaching out a finger to touch a thin piece of paper.

The moment they touched, Lu Yuan's expression changed.

That's not paper.

That's a wall.

His senses were jolted back.

It's like pushing a mountain with your hands.

It's not that the mountain is resisting you; it's that you're simply not within its consideration.

Unshakeable.

Lu Yuan tried a second time.

It's still the same.

the third time.

The senses didn't even linger on the barrier surface for more than a second.

This thing isn't "very hard".

It is "impossible".

At least with his current methods, it's impossible.

Lu Yuan frowned.

Forcing it open is definitely not an option.

Let's not even talk about whether I can break through this barrier.

If this layer is torn apart... no, it doesn't even need to be torn apart, just torn open an uncontrollable gap... the aura of the Sea of ​​Knowledge will flood in, and at this concentration, not only the North Textile District, but half of Bronze City will be in trouble.

This is not on the same level as the thing sealed in the main tower of the Pagoda of Learned Scholars.

That was just "effluent".

This is... the sea itself.

Just as Lu Yuan was at his wit's end, gray and white text appeared at the edge of his field of vision.

[Target of detection: The Wall of Knowledge...an "absolute" barrier separating reality from the sea of ​​knowledge...but it's difficult to prevent forbidden knowledge from being discovered...?]

Lu Yuan stared at the line of text.

Especially the last three words.

"Difficult to prevent".

It was followed by a question mark.

Even the gray and white text itself is uncertain?

Lu Yuan stared at the question mark and remained silent for a few seconds.

Then he looked back at the barrier in front of him.

Absolute barrier.

It is absolute over all power.

However, taboo knowledge... is "difficult to prevent".

It is not "invalid".

It is "difficult to prevent".

These two words are very different.

Lu Yuan suddenly remembered what happened at the Viscount's mansion last time.

How are seashells activated?

He didn't open it on his own initiative.

It was his taboo studies that resonated with the seashell, and then his reason was uncontrollably mobilized, and the seashell just opened.

Throughout the entire process, he did not apply any "force" to the barrier.

It was taboo studies itself that broke through that barrier.

Is learning forbidden knowledge itself part of the ocean of knowledge?

Or rather, forbidden knowledge can pass through that barrier directly without triggering any obstacles.

Lu Yuan's heart beat faster.

If that's the case...

He doesn't need to force open that wall.

He needs to use taboo knowledge to "seep" a hole in the wall.

To be precise... let that barrier "give way" to taboo knowledge.

But what's the cost?

The last time the shell was activated, it consumed sanity.

If we use taboo knowledge to penetrate the barrier this time, it won't be rationality that's being consumed.

It is the taboo study of experience itself.

Lu Yuan gritted his teeth.

[Taboo Studies - Seekers of Knowledge: 25.9/100]

This is the taboo knowledge he has accumulated from scratch, bit by bit.

Every 0.1 is hard-earned.

"Let's give it our all."

Lu Yuan gripped the seashell tightly again.

I've decided to give it a try.

The size of a pinhole.

Only the size of a pinhole.

If successful, it's possible to catch the worm of knowledge.

If it doesn't work, the lost experience can be made up for later.

Lu Yuan closed his eyes.

In his mind, he actively activated the senses that belonged to those seeking knowledge of forbidden subjects.

The surging colors, the flowing fragments of knowledge, the dizzying sense of oppression... he gathered all of these together and pushed them into the seashell in his palm.

The crack was detected.

The colors surging through the cracks suddenly accelerated.

The endless colors stirred even more violently.

Then... the barrier reacted.

It's not a reaction to being breached.

It is loose.

Extremely slight loosening.

It's like a brick in a wall with a slightly wider gap.

The sense of taboo seeped in through that crack.

[Taboo Studies - Seekers of Knowledge: -0.1...25.8/100]

Lu Yuan's brow twitched.

really.

My experience is waning.

But he didn't stop.

Instead, it increased the output.

At this moment, Lu Yuan's perception was like an extremely fine needle, drilling into the almost non-existent gap in the barrier.

With every point gained, the experience gained from forbidden techniques diminishes.

[Taboo Studies - Seekers of Knowledge: -0.1...25.7/100]

The gap is widening.

No...it's not that the gap is widening.

The barrier is making way.

That "absolute" barrier, in the face of taboo knowledge, behaves like a door that recognizes its owner... it wasn't forced open, but rather moved open by itself.

But a "toll" is charged for every little bit of the road that is moved.

[Taboo Studies - Seekers of Knowledge: -0.1...25.6/100]

Lu Yuan stared intently at the fluctuations in his experience.

Three 0.1s.

Approximately how big is the gap?

He uses his senses to measure.

It's less than the tip of a needle.

not enough.

carry on.

[Taboo Studies - Seekers of Knowledge: -0.1...25.5/100]

Lu Yuan's palms began to sweat.

One last push.

[Taboo Studies - Seekers of Knowledge: -0.1...25.4/100]

A pinhole-sized passage pierced through that absolute barrier.

Lu Yuan sensed it.

The other end of that hole...

It is the sea.

The aura of the ocean of knowledge seeped through that pinhole, so faint that it didn't even trigger any rational fluctuations.

But Lu Yuan's forbidden senses detected it.

It was an extremely faint aura, carrying countless afterimages of color.

Distant, vast, and unshakeable.

Lu Yuan slowly opened his eyes.

The seashell in my palm is still the same; the cracks haven't gotten bigger, and the color swirling has returned to its previous speed.

From the outside, nothing has changed.

But Lu Yuan knew...

Deep within that rift, on that invisible barrier, now lies an invisible pinhole.

He glanced at the numbers at the edge of his field of vision.

[Taboo Studies - Seekers of Knowledge: 25.4/100]

0.5 was deducted.

A full 0.5 of forbidden learning experience.

In return, I got a pinhole camera.

Lu Yuan felt a pang of heartache.

Normally, it would take several high-intensity contacts to accumulate that 0.5.

But it's too late now.

The pinhole has been opened.

The passage exists.

It's time for the next step.

Lu Yuan looked down at the seashell in his palm, slowing his breathing to its lowest point.

fishing.

It's time to bait the hook.

But how do we do it?

Lu Yuan stared at the invisible pinhole, his mind racing.

The knowledge worm is attracted to systematic knowledge.

The most systematic knowledge I possess is taboo studies.

Lu Yuan tried to use his forbidden knowledge to touch the edge of the pinhole, while simultaneously releasing the aura of his own knowledge pathways.

Very careful.

It was like sticking a finger into the crack of a door and gently shaking it.

Can you smell it?

He wasn't sure if he was doing the right thing.

To be honest, there is no precedent to follow when it comes to "using knowledge to catch bugs".

Laurinna's research notes are titled "capture," but how to capture, what tools to use, and what process to follow—all that information has been obliterated by the sea of ​​knowledge, leaving only a fragmented framework.

Lu Yuan had to figure it out on his own.

He muttered the basic concepts of taboo studies in a low voice, pushing his breath towards the eye of the needle as he did so.

It's neither about releasing reason nor activating abilities.

Just... to let my existence emanate through that pinhole.

It's like standing on the riverbank, dipping your hand into the water and stirring it up, letting the scent drift downstream.

one second.

two seconds.

Five seconds.

No response.

ten seconds.

One minute.

still none.

Lu Yuan was not surprised.

Think about it too.

A pinhole.

In a boundless sea.

They wafted their scent through a tiny hole, hoping the fish in the sea would smell it and swim over...

What's the difference between this and standing on the beach, throwing a piece of meat into the water, and waiting for the fish to bite?

Lu Yuan gave a wry smile, but did not stop immediately.

Because he discovered something strange.

At the edge of my field of vision, gray and white text is dancing.

[Sanity: +1...68/120]

Lu Yuan was taken aback.

It went up?

[Sanity: +1...69/120]

rose again.

Lu Yuan stared at the number, confirming that he hadn't misread it.

He did nothing.

I didn't take any medicine, didn't rest, and didn't use any recovery methods.

It merely attaches the perception of taboo studies to that pinhole, maintaining a weak connection with the sea of ​​knowledge.

Then my rationality started to rise.

[Sanity: +1...70/120]

Lu Yuan's expression became subtle.

Can the sea of ​​knowledge restore sanity?

He took a closer look.

Something was definitely seeping through the pinhole.

It was not breath, nor knowledge, but a very thin kind of...nourishment.

The tension deep within my mind caused by long-term strain is being smoothed out little by little.

It's like parched soil absorbing a drop of water.

It's minuscule, but it does exist.

'That's too extravagant.'

Lu Yuan did some mental calculations.

0.5 points of forbidden knowledge experience, exchanged for a pinhole.

Using this needle hole to regain sanity only increases it by 1 point every few minutes.

This efficiency is less effective than taking a nap.

But then again...

[Sanity: +1...71/120]

This thing doesn't cost anything; you just need to stay connected.

Lu Yuan thought for a moment and decided to wait until his rationality returned before turning it off.

Since the needle hole is already open, might as well use it.

As for fishing... we'll think of another way later.

[Sanity: +1...72/120]

[Sanity: +1...73/120]

Lu Yuan leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and let the faint connection remain.

My mind is already starting to plan the next step.

The pinhole is too small; we need to find a way to make the opening bigger.

However, unleashing the full power means losing more experience from forbidden techniques, and there's also a greater risk of energy leakage...

Lu Yuan's train of thought suddenly stopped.

Because at that moment, Lu Yuan sensed something.

It's not a rational fluctuation.

It was the perception of taboo science that detected the anomaly near the pinhole.

Something is moving.

Lu Yuan suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze falling on the seashell in his palm.

Pinhole.

Something is squeezing out from that invisible pinhole.

A line.

An extremely fine thread, thinner than a strand of hair, is slowly pulled out from the eye of a needle.

Its color is unpredictable, sometimes dark gold, sometimes deep blue, just like the colors surging in the sea of ​​knowledge.

Lu Yuan's breath caught in his throat for a moment.

After the thread was squeezed out of the needle's eye, it didn't fall, but hung in the air, swaying gently, like a spider silk being blown by the wind.

Then, the front end of the line began to expand.

A little bit.

A little bit.

Its form gradually unfolded, transforming from a line into a ball the size of a grain of rice.

Lu Yuan could see it clearly now.

A tiny, translucent, worm-like object.

It has no eyes, no limbs, and its entire body exudes the flowing colors unique to the sea of ​​knowledge.

It hovered about an inch above the shell, quiet and motionless.

[Detection Target: Insects of Knowledge (Large/Primary Stage)]