On the other hand, T-800 closed his eyes as he took the meditative stance. He now had the sample. He had the data.
Now is the time to process the data, to find what is this meridian is all about, what does the DNA says and how he can modify his nanobots to mimic it.
Lin Feng sat away, not aware that his master has no meridians and his master's quest to create or mimic meridian based on his bloodline sample.
T-800's neural processor was overclocked and burning its nuclear core for a solution.
But despite all of it, and the new data, it reached a conclusion.
It's not possible. His nanites failed even to decipher the DNA properly.
That's understandable because his nanobots were not designed for such tasks. He can read the DNA differences but building a copy of it was impossible.
First it was the size difference between its nanobots and the meridian DNA requirement. The nanobots are called nanobots but they are not actually on same nano scale as DNA, they are actually on the same level as Blood cells.
So asking Nanobots to build something of DNA size would like asking giants to build a microchip using excavators.
His eyes opened. He needs a new nanobots or medium or completely another path.
He stood up and walked out. Lin Feng completely confused followed with a limp.
Elder Rui saw both of them walk out. T-800 face had no expression so that made Elder Rui frown, he expected some kind of defeat or frustration but nothing.
But on the other hand Lin Feng was in a mess, which made him smile with a victory.
Lin Feng bowed with respect but T-800 just left which was rude but Elder Rui considered it as part of Tie Yuan, the new enforcer's way of showing frustration.
He took this as a win and smirked again. "Is that it? Are you giving up?"
T-800 paused. Lin Feng came forward to say something to pacify the mood.
"I'll be back!" T-800 instead declared and walked away. Lin Feng didn't get a chance to say anything and quickly chased his master.
Elder Rui lips trembled as smoke kept puffing out of the side and from his nose showing his fuming expression.
"I will wait…you brute." Elder Rui glared at the T-800 back as he scratched his penance mark on his right forearm.
T-800 paused at a cross section and turned when Lin Feng caught up. "Where can I learn more about Forging?"
T-800 asked this question because his attempt at mimicking as human was failing but he is not a human but a weapon.
So his hypothesis is that to try the path of a weapon too. As per all the trash and foundational knowledge he gathered, even items can channel Qi using natural or forged spirit veins which are similar to meridians.
"Umm…master. Sure, its in this direction, let me lead…but…may I know the purpose? If you are looking to buy a weapon then no need, you can borrow a weapon from armory, its part of your Enforcer title…or are you…" He didn't finish his words, his assumptions.
T-800 thought to reveal some of his plan. "I want to forge my body as a weapon." His words direct and blunt with no context, confusing Lin Feng more.
"Forging body as a weapon? Are you thinking of trying Body or Physique Cultivation?"
That was a new term. He immediately checked his new database from everything he read but there was nothing in it.
"What is Physique Cultivation?"
Lin Feng gulped. He was still not sure why his master is asking such a basic question, is that again a test. He believed it to be a test so he continued with the answer.
"It..it..it is the path of tempering flesh like iron, Master. Unlike Qi cultivation that stores Qi in dantian, this method forces Qi into muscle and bone, forging the body itself into an indestructible weapon."
He paused as if trying to understand if his answer was satisfactory to the Master but seeing Tie Yuan just staring at him meaning it was not enough so he continued.
"But it is a path of agony. To turn skin to copper and bone to iron requires shattering them first. Most die screaming. It is crude, brutal, and requires resources our sect lacks. It is considered a dead end by true cultivators."
T-800 then opened his mouth. "Why does the library have no data about it?"
Lin Feng lowered his voice, glancing nervously.
"Because it is considered a barbaric and heretical path, Master. It leads to madness and a path of blood frenzy. Even the Unorthodox and Demonic path tries to shun away from it. Body refinement path also consumes too many resources for too little gain. Only people with latent bloodline for such physique and constitution can attempt it but that too also rare."
He took a breath. "Thats why such knowledge is not kept open, only in the higher tier we might find one or that is also too rare. To find such manuals, one must look... in the Black Market."
If T-800 had a mind or heart, it would be confused at this point on what to choose.
His hypothesis about forging is very promising but this new Body Refinement, the Physique Cultivation sounds even more compatible with his hardware.
GONG! GONG! GONG!
Suddenly loud sound of gong started to rang in the entire sect.
"...Master…this is bad." Lin Feng eyes were wide open with worry as his eyes were especially focussed on T-800's 20 strokes Penance mark.
"What's wrong?"
"Master…it's almost evening, we should retire to our cave…tonight it will be the Penance Moon night…we would need to prepare for it."
T-800 didn't understand what it meant or what was going on. But everywhere around people were running frantically to hide themselves.
Lin Feng pulled on Tie Yuan's sleeve. "Please master…we should hurry."
T-800 was not sure what was going on but again decided to trust Lin Feng and follow his suggestions.