Jie Shan's mouth curled up when he saw Lu Yin's shocked expression. "Our human technology has existed for so many years, and there are always outstanding geniuses. The Technocracy can create androids that can reach the level of an Emissary, and so can our Human Domain. However, due to material limitations, we can only create a few."
When Lu Yin heard Jie Shan's words, the first thing that came to mind was Giant Technology.
Rumors had it that Giant Technology had been destroyed by the expeditionary army because they had created weapons that could reach the level of an Emissary. Those technologies could not be destroyed, so Lu Yin had guessed that the Hall of Honor must have gotten their hands on them.
At first, he had thought that the Hall of Honor did not want other powers to develop too quickly and threaten their position. It could also have been a power struggle, but now that he thought about it, there was a deeper reason: materials.
The Hall of Honor had long possessed technology that could create Emissaries, but due to material limitations, they could not mass-produce them. Giant Technology had also developed similar products and needed similar materials, which meant that they were competing with the Hall of Honor.
How could the Hall of Honor allow Giant Technology to exist? They could absorb Giant Technology's research and improve their own technology while also obtaining materials. Naturally, they would not hesitate to act.
It could only be said that Giant Technology had not developed suitable research results at the right time, and they could not even keep their basic secrets. If Lu Yin was in Elder Chan's shoes, he would have destroyed Giant Technology as well.
Regardless of whether the Hall of Honor was selfish or overbearing, it was still better to give those rare materials to them than to Giant Technology.
Suddenly, a light flashed through Lu Yin's mind, and he froze in place. He had thought of something, but it flashed through his mind and he could not grasp it. What was it?
He instantly forgot what he had just been thinking. He only knew that it was very important and seemed to be the key to solving some mysteries. But what was it?
Lu Yin frowned and stopped in place to think.
The Luo Emperor and the rest looked at him strangely.
Jie Shan's eyes flashed. An epiphany?
No, it did not seem like it. It was more like he had been possessed.
Lu Yin stayed in place for a full two hours, but that light did not appear again. He even repeated every word that he had thought of, but he still could not come up with anything.
Helpless, he sighed. He had forgotten. Something like a light was gone once it was forgotten, so it should be very important.
"Let's go," Lu Yin said.
Not long after, the Sixth Mainland's cultivators set off once again. Their numbers remained the same, but some of them were replaced by Lu Yin's group.
The cultivators from the Sixth Mainland took a different route to Yi Ben City than they had taken before. They were heading towards the Sky Genesis Institute, which was a little more remote.
When Lu Yin had first encountered danger in the Technocracy, he had woken up on Fatty Huang and Yan Xiaojing's planet. He recalled that it was called Dolon, and he had met Huikong there. He wasn't familiar with the Technocracy.
The Technocracy was filled with machines, and when Ghost Monkey had brought Lu Yin to hide in the Technocracy, they had been pierced by metal that had been shot out from the void.
Back then, Lu Yin had not been able to see through the Technocracy, but now, he could see it clearly. Metallic spikes filled the void, and in the distance, there were even metallic spikes that were connected to planets. Starting from these connected planets, they formed a net that enveloped an entire region. The outer edges of the net continued to connect, forming an even larger net.
Once an enemy invaded, the entire encirclement would shrink in an instant. Unless it was an absolute powerhouse, as long as their cultivation did not reach that level, it did not matter how many people they had.
Any less would be exterminated.
This was the Technocracy.
But the strange thing was, where did these metals start?
Where does it extend from?
How was it fixed?
He could not see through it.
There were many planets in the Technocracy that were inhabited by ordinary people, such as Fatty Huang and Yan Xiaojing's planet of Dolon. There were many planets that were similar to Dolon, and to the Technocracy, humans were just another type of life form in the universe. They were like astral beasts, and the Technocracy did not reject them.
After the Valley Master's swordsman brought Lu Yin and the others into the Technocracy, they were not stopped or inspected, and they smoothly entered the depths of the Technocracy.
Along the way, Luo Huang constantly verified the route and tried to find the battlefield between Yi Ben City and the Sky Genesis Institute, but he could not find it.
A few days later, Lu Yin saw many planets in the Technocracy, as well as many androids and interstellar battleships. These interstellar battleships were not controlled by humans, but rather had their own consciousness. They were like living beings that could communicate with the androids and even have emotions. They could also absorb and fuse with each other through battle, which refreshed Lu Yin's worldview.
"You still haven't found the route?"
Lu Yin asked, somewhat anxious. They were getting closer and closer to Yi Ben City, and if they still could not find it, they would have to turn back. Yi Ben City was too dangerous, and even the Chief of Jie Shan was nervous.
Luo Huang shook his head. "The battlefield's location has changed. We passed by the same route on our way here, but that route is no longer used as a battlefield. Half of it has been taken over by the Sky Genesis Institute, while the other half is taken over by Yi Ben City. They have a new battlefield now, and I reckon …" His tone then turned gloomy. "It's not connected to the Human Domain, so it might be in the deepest parts of the Technocracy."
Lu Yin looked into the distance, somewhat unwilling to accept this outcome.
The Chief of Jie Shan was helpless. "Since that's the case, let's turn back and leave the Technocracy."
There was a loud boom, and in the distance, two mechanical objects the size of planets collided. Countless materials were sent flying in all directions.
"Those are materials that are very common in the Technocracy. When they fight, the winner can absorb the other's materials," Luo Huang explained.
Lu Yin had seen many similar things over the past few days. In the Technocracy, the ruler was not an android or a creature, but rather the brain. The brain was always in charge, and it could change bodies infinitely.
It was the same for these material creatures. As long as they were connected to the brain, they would have a body. Calling it a brain was only human knowledge, and it had other names in the Technocracy.
Not far from the two material creatures, there was a dense group of strange eight-clawed machines. These were the Scavengers that Hui Kong had mentioned, and they specialized in collecting materials.
The Technocracy had its own operating system. It was said to be lifeless, but it had a consciousness. It was said to be lifeless, but it was also said to be lifeless. These material creatures, including the Scavengers and even some androids, did not have any signs of life.
Hui Kong was trying to find out why the Hui Ancestor had built the Technocracy, and Lu Yin wanted to know why the Hui Ancestor had created it.
"Stop looking and turn back," the Chief of Jie Shan said.
The Valley Master's swordsman had an ugly expression. "We can't turn back."
The Chief of Jie Shan's gaze turned cold. "What did you say?"
The swordsman raised his hand, and a message came from his gadget. "Location locked. Please follow the designated route to First City. Thank you for your cooperation."
"This is a message from First City's Vice City Lord. First City's location has changed, and it's very close to us."
The swordsman spoke in a low voice.
The Chief of Jie Shan was apprehensive. "Then we can't go."
"Our location has been locked, and we'll be discovered as soon as we leave. First City is too close to us, and the power that Elder Chan is worried about won't care about such a small distance. We're basically right under its nose. Senior is confident in leaving, but it'll be very difficult for us," Lu Yin said. He had not expected First City's location to change, and even the Luo Emperor had not known about it.
The Valley Master's swordsman had only found out after arriving nearby.
The Chief of Jie Shan was dissatisfied. "Even I'm not confident that we can leave safely after entering First City."
"That's only if we're exposed. Right now, we're not," Lu Yin said. If they did not complete this plan, then what awaited them was an unstoppable ambush from the Cosmic Tree Domain. It was better to take the risk and go to First City. Huikong had been able to stay in the Technocracy for so long, and he had been to the Genesis Courtyard and First City. They could do it as well, and that was under the premise that they had been exposed.
Lu Yin did not think that everyone would be stupid enough to be fooled by him, so he defined this trip as an adventure rather than a mission.
Cultivation could not be smooth sailing. He had died a few times, and he believed that he had the courage to take risks.
"Senior, there's no turning back. The longer we think, the more suspicious we'll be," Lu Yin reminded him.
The Chief of Jie Shan was helpless. "I have a premonition that you'll get me killed one day." He then stared at the Valley Master's swordsman. "Lead the way."
…
The universe was vast and boundless, and it was filled with unpredictable scenes. However, Lu Yin had never imagined that he would one day see such a scene in front of him.
First City was an incomparably large city that was filled with advanced intelligence. It floated in outer space using airflow, and there was no soil or sky. If one looked up, they would see a brain that emitted light that flickered with light. If one looked down, they would see flowing clouds of gas. If one looked closely, they would be able to vaguely see flowing light. These clouds were made of light, and they supported the entire city.
From a distance, it did not look like a city at all. It was just a brain, a human brain.
The city's light source came from another brain. The brain was the Technocracy's dominant consciousness, and it was a supreme existence in the Technocracy.
However, this was not what surprised Lu Yin. What surprised him was that this city was filled with a deathly stillness and vitality.
Deathly stillness and vitality were complete opposites, but they were vividly reflected in First City.
There were cyborgs all over the city, and they were arranged neatly in every corner of the city. There were airflow tubes that transported the brains. Some brains stopped and fused into a cyborgs, allowing them to move and do things. They could even take a spacecraft and leave. Some brains flowed through the airflow tubes in the city, just like how a normal person would sit in a sightseeing car and enjoy the city's scenery. Some cyborgs stopped, and their brains left their bodies and entered the airflow tubes before fusing into other cyborgs.
Luo Huang was very familiar with this place, but Lu Yin was not prepared for this. Huikong had told him many things about the Technocracy, but he had not mentioned this. Perhaps Huikong did not know how to explain it. Right, Huikong had mentioned a very strange scene.
The brain was a single entity, while the body was a tool.
This was a city in the Technocracy. The brain was filled with vitality as it roamed the entire city. It could use the body, causing the entire city to be very noisy. However, there was no sign of life.