Chapter 780: The Mortal Transformation Star Domain
Throughout history, the Empire's numerous True Immortals had been exploring other spatial layers, but perhaps due to a lack of luck, they had never discovered worlds with life forms above the Immortal tier.
Of course, one could also say their luck was too good; if they had opened a spatial layer far stronger than Terra and been inversely invaded, that would have truly spelled their doom.
The more than ten spatial layer coordinates with existing civilizations now under the Empire's control had all been fully transformed into Terra's colonies.
As for the natives originally living on these worlds, the more human-like they appeared, the better their fate.
However, this "better" was merely a relative improvement; becoming the private property of nobles in a semi-slavery state was, after all, still "better" than being instantly killed.
The best outcome among them was to become a freeman within a noble's flagship, which was still as different as clouds and mud compared to a Terra citizen protected by Imperial law.
To discover these more than ten spatial layers where civilizations had been born, the Empire had, over time, attempted tens of thousands of coordinates, expending countless resources. Every new discovery was a crystallization of the wisdom of innumerable explorers.
...
"We subsequently plan to construct and dispatch two hundred Void Warships to the Dao Chen Realm."
Void Warships were transport vessels developed by the Empire using Xierdesi technology, capable of traversing spatial layers. The Empire relied entirely on these Void Warships to ensure firm control over their colonial holdings in other spatial layers.
Without Void Warships, life forms below the Immortal tier would face ninety-nine deaths for every one survival when crossing the spatial layer gaps on their own.
But if True Immortals were needed to pave the way every time, not only would the cost be prohibitively high, but no Immortal would be willing to constantly act as such a demeaning professional transport captain.
"Where there's a will, there's a way. We don't hope to control the Dao Chen Realm, but we must at least gain satisfactory rewards."
They knew very well that in a world with an eighth-tier Zerg Mother and an eighth-tier Bai Mo, it was simply impossible for them to seize decisive control of the situation.
Not to mention, the native inhabitants of the Dao Chen Realm capable of confronting the Zerg Mother most likely had equally powerful existences.
Casting a wide net, bringing more people to infiltrate the Dao Chen Realm, and fishing in troubled waters for some gains was their optimal choice for maximizing profits.
...
"In these few decades you've been absent, the Empire has been very peaceful," Xu Xuanling said, laughing unreservedly.
Since the Human Federation reorganized into the Divine Terra Empire sixty years ago, the structure of the Seven Electors had not undergone any significant changes.
The only point of contention was the vote belonging to mortals within the Mortal Transformation Star Domain.
Initially, the Mundane Empire held unchallenged dominance, but soon, as new mortal factions established under other super-organizations also got involved, the situation became increasingly complex.
"Tell me about the Mortal Transformation Star Domain?" Bai Mo suddenly asked.
Over these past few decades, he had been busy digesting and analyzing the Main God, while simultaneously advancing the Sun Transformation Project, preparing for his ascension to True Sun Star Lord. He had paid no attention whatsoever to the Mortal Transformation Star, this casual move he had made.
"The Mortal Transformation Star Domain now has a total of fifty-two zones, with each zone carried by a Great Thousand Flagship. It occupies approximately three percent of Terra's total 'territory' and houses over sixty billion mortals... Last year, it received nine million visits from cultivators undergoing Mortal Transformation Heart Tempering."
Xu Xuanling began introducing the current Mortal Transformation Star like a tour guide.
As they spoke, they chatted from the ground to the heavens, and then from the heavens to the outer reaches of the Mortal Transformation Star Domain.
"Palace Master!" The cultivator on duty, responsible for guarding the periphery, immediately recognized, via surveillance satellite, the direct superior of his direct superior's direct superior.
The vast Mortal Transformation Star Domain had hundreds of thousands of entry and exit points, and this hurriedly arriving minor cultivator was merely in charge of one of these gates.
"You're from the Yellow Division?" Xu Xuanling's subordinates were simply too numerous. Even a True Immortal, possessing a nearly photographic memory, couldn't be entirely certain, as she might not have seen some of the people working for her various factions for decades.
"Yes, I am Private First Class Hirata of the Yellow Division!" the guard replied with a mighty, heroic voice.
"I can hear you. You don't need to speak so loudly."
"Yes!!" Hirata's voice softened slightly, but still sounded spirited.
"But Officer Morishita said that soldiers whose voices are too quiet are not qualified to pilot warships..."
"Open the gate." Xu Xuanling, having matters to attend to, no longer bothered with the young soldier's strange remarks.
"Yes!!" His voice weakened just a little more.
...
Xu Xuanling had initially thought this was yet another opportunistic individual trying to gain attention, deliberately putting on a show to leave an impression and get noticed. But after perceiving his emotions, she realized that this fellow was simply a blockhead in his everyday life... he was merely acting true to himself now.
"Why did your officer say that soldiers whose voices are too quiet are not qualified to pilot warships?" Bai Mo suddenly stepped forward and asked.
"Warships have spirits! Only a sufficiently resonant voice can resonate with the warship and unleash one hundred and twenty percent of its power!"
...
Upon hearing this explanation, Xu Xuanling was about to call it absurd. The Empire's space warships were fundamentally equipped with onboard artificial intelligence, which was nothing more than cold program code. How could it possibly resonate with crew members? But then, on second thought, why argue with a mere soldier...
Moreover, arguing with him within his own logical framework would be endless.
"Not bad. Keep up the good work." Ultimately, Xu Xuanling's myriad words, when spoken, transformed into a mundane platitude from a superior encouraging a subordinate, preemptively ending a pointless debate.
...
"Era of Dharma Decline Domain?" As he stepped inside the Mortal Transformation Star Domain, Bai Mo immediately felt the power of his current projection rapidly dissipating.
He estimated that if he remained here for more than thirty years, this projection might vanish due to the exhaustion of its spirit energy.
"This is the Dharma-Ending Labyrinth we designed, referencing the Era of Dharma Decline Domain of that year. Its effects are considerably milder compared to the Era of Dharma Decline Domain."
"As long as the cultivator's main body does not use spirit energy-related powers within the Dharma-Ending Labyrinth, there will be no issues whatsoever. Since this is a place for Mortal Transformation Heart Tempering, there is no need to use spirit energy."
"The mortal world should not be mixed with the transcendent."
"Are you a True Cultivator?" Bai Mo asked after hearing Xu Xuanling's words.
"It was the same in the Manghuang Realm before. Our Bloodline Houses protected mortals, but we never had the habit of integrating into mortal life."
The super formation, the Dharma-Ending Labyrinth, which enveloped the entire Mortal Transformation Star Domain, made it almost impossible to use transcendent powers within it. Therefore, ordinarily, apart from a few cultivators who were determined to undergo Mortal Transformation Red Dust Heart Tempering, other superhumans kept a respectful distance from this area.
PS: Not sure what the problem is, but the updated chapters aren't showing notifications on Qidian; you have to click in to see them...
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