Martial force can only conquer the body.

It is manipulation that can conquer the mind.

Cultural output turns some people into walking traitors who continuously boast and praise the sweet air of freedom in their country, making others eager to work hard in school and study abroad in the "Upper Realm."

To be honest, bullying the small with the big and scheming against a nascent civilization—how could they resist?

It would be a miracle if it escaped from my grasp!

"Gradually taking control of the other civilization allows for deducing the order of technology-side civilizations."

Li Qing pondered,

"They seem so strong, as if they surpass me in every aspect."

1. Their civilization's development speed surpasses us completely.

While we advance gradually in cultivation, others aren't stuck in physical cultivation; their technological research can just explode exponentially.

There are no limits to the use of external power.

2. Combat power at the same level in civilization is overwhelming.

They have numbers, mass production, have opened weapon processing factories, and they overwhelmed us to the point of death.

To be honest, Li Qing has been a bit confused lately, starting to doubt his path.

The martial artists of the Qing Dynasty once proudly faced armed forces with martial arts, using their hands to block gun muzzles, becoming a joke, eventually labeled as barbarians.

Back then, their martial artists realized after thousands of years: Gentlemen, the times have changed!

A Gatling gun on the scene—can you withstand it?

After all, as they say, all fear stems from insufficient firepower.

Caliber equals justice, range equals truth.

Li Qing pondered, "Could I be the truly unique one, foolishly taking the slow and cumbersome path?"

"Sylph Brain, simulate the potential for naturally occurring species in the cosmos with capabilities above the Thirty-Three Rings." Li Qing suddenly commanded.

[Simulation in progress]

[The probability of such a species occurring naturally in the cosmos is 1 in 131 trillion.]

Li Qing chuckled.

Only above the 33 Rings can you fully maintain a True God state and reside permanently in the True God Domain... others are incomplete True Gods, unable to maintain that state, and can't withstand the focused fire from technological civilizations.

In other words, the cosmos virtually has no truly complete True Gods!

"It means technology is the mainstream; in today's universe, I might be the first extraordinary-side civilization in this world; could it be I'm really naive, watching too many novels and diving into these middle-two extraordinary paths?"

"Fist-shattering space, traveling the cosmos with a mortal body?"

Li Qing smiled wryly.

Reflecting back, he found that he plugged into a dead-end, thinking he could actually compile life and pursued a route where flesh rivals steel.

Your alloy is tough?

Fine.

If you have it, I must have it too! Combing life's code with metal synthesis, enriching various minerals, naturally generating alloy skeletons within the body, turning the bones into alloy—doesn't that frustrate you?

Your laser cannon can emit lasers?

Then I must do it too.

I compile the laser cannon into the flesh, using alloy skeletons to create gears, torque, and electrical currents within.... the flesh can then emit laser cannons.

Now I think I seem to be competing all along!

Essentially, life is like a mechanical program. I've been compiling life's underlying code, equipped with various super-technological instruments within my body... then constantly growing stronger, mass-producing advanced battle mecha in my belly.

This is extraordinary.

Everyone adheres to the fundamental cosmic laws differently, leading to the same end.

However, my production line appears very natural, having become genuine extraordinary beings, containing the cosmic principles and various cosmic laws.

Yet others do it via mass production.

Although mine is custom-made and obviously much stronger—an artistic miracle of the universe—there's no resisting their overwhelming numbers.

Under siege, I'm doomed.

"That means, as I am now, facing other civilizations of the same technological level in the cosmos... I wouldn't stand a chance," Li Qing speculated. "They are frantically amassing troops, unknown how many armies are reserved."

"I've strayed down a baffling path, that damned perfectionism of mine."

Indeed, the extraordinary is cool!

Very flashy, but it truly seems a bit impractical, as I, a powerful cultivator who worked so hard, end up targeted by their mass-produced machinery.

Although in a real fight, it might not be the case.

Their mass-produced Demigod Mecha appear to be quite crippled, lacking flexibility and with significant flaws, whereas my "mechas" are crafted with artisanal spirit.

"Let's take a look at the mainstream and orthodoxy," Li Qing, representing a non-mainstream civilization, decided to observe the development of formal civilizations.

Star Domain Calendar, 1581.

The nation's conscription policy was initiated; every citizen has the obligation to serve, becoming border soldiers for exploration and expansion. Initially, the people protested on the streets.

Two hundred years of service was indeed too long, and the workload was extremely high.

Eventually, people were persuaded by a wave of patriotism:

"We are laying the foundation for our descendants!"

"Isn't having more land for us to better enjoy?"

"Don't just think about your own comfort, not participating in work makes you no different than a parasite!"

Eventually, people were swayed by this argument.

Meanwhile, perhaps due to the constant outward expansion of the interstellar exploratory fleet, all kinds of alien movies and cosmic civilization stories appeared frequently.

Even various alien spaceship sightings started appearing in cities all over, with blurry videos continuously circulating.

People were passionately discussing the possible existence of extraterrestrials.

Little did they know that this was the Black Star high-ups testing the grassroots, continuously using entertainment media to let the people gradually adapt to the concept of aliens, preparing for a formal appearance.

Star Domain Calendar, 1621.

Various fundamental sciences of humanity completely stalled, coming to a standstill.

The realms of gravity, space, nanomechanics... entered eighty-year-long bottleneck periods, nearly stagnant, while applied sciences continued to climb.

Meanwhile, they built more advanced signal reception devices, listening to the signals and information in the cosmos, but found nothing.

Star Domain Calendar, 1710.

Numerous top universities emerged from the Black Star government.

Top talents were sent to the Upper Realm, while most remained in the Lower Realm, waiting for life, aging, and death, shepherded to push the civilization's technological progress.

In June of the same year,

The National News Department issued significant news:

[We have broken a historic record, with territories expanded to twice the size of our original lands for the first time!]

With territory doubling, a larger population also meant more prosperity.

Star Domain Calendar, 1891.

Civilization was still stagnant, while secretly, the higher-ups of the entire civilization completely let down their guard, with the twelve kings of the Black Star Empire and the Black Star Emperor residing in the Upper Realm, becoming citizens of the Empire and managing their world.

Only they truly understand how to shepherd themselves.

"But that individual still hasn't appeared."

Li Qing hesitated.

To be honest, gathering those twelve kings, even the Emperor, was a remarkable batch, with considerable depth.

Yet, it still lacked that strategic-level presence.

Li Qing even started to suspect whether he had made a mistake, that the person doesn't exist at all, and is it the more than ninety talented individuals in front of him pushing things forward?

"Whether they're around or not, I only need a few more days to know, whether or not you'll live beyond two thousand years... can you endure that long?"

Li Qing had a firm grasp.

With its throat in a vice, how could it resist?

The treachery was widespread, and the national high-ups had all surrendered.

Just like Atabia back in the day, why did he gamble everything to build the Tower of Babel? Wasn't it because I incited the people against him, leaving him isolated?

Li Qing, however, sighed with some emotion:

"However, this Black Star Empire's civilization is truly a huge spender, obviously still at the Demigod level, yet consuming dozens of times more resources than the neighboring Martial Arts Civilization Continent filled with True Gods."

This is a mighty project!

It was his first time playing on such a grand scale.

On the Martial Arts Continent, providing them with more support wouldn't necessarily be consumed, for cultivation isn't something you can pile up resources on.

But things are different here.

No matter how much you provide, it's consumed, and they even complain about making too few Demigod Armors.

In summary.

Expand, expand, and expand further!

Subspace land should naturally be as vast as possible.

Simultaneously, Li Qing's gaze also thoroughly locked on to another aspect, "It's been stagnating for centuries; perhaps it's time to break through to the next realm!"

"The True God is something worth looking forward to."

"Don't let me down."

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