Starting as a Mechanical Hunter

Chapter 958: Chapter 64: Punk Heavenly Tribulation

Ascension involves quite complex ethical and moral dimensions. Often, the reason a civilization chooses ascension is because it has no other path to take.

From a scientific perspective, ascension is an expression of a technology tree reaching its limit, leading to one of two outcomes: either a technological explosion or a technological downfall.

The former is naturally the result of successful ascension, while the latter is the consequence of failure.

To get back to the point, whether successful or not, ascension is never an individual’s affair; it inevitably involves collective consciousness.

That’s why Gao Gong was surprised.

Creating a pseudo-ascension using simulated ascension technology is uncommon, yet not unheard of across the cosmos.

However, a pseudo-ascension involving ’collective consciousness,’ even with Gao Gong’s experience, is something he has rarely witnessed.

As the mist over the sea thickened, the illusions of Immortals, Buddhas, and Celestial Generals in the sky became more real. The more celestial flowers fell from the sky, and when each flower landed on the sea, it turned large amounts of water black, resembling a burst of oil from the sea floor.

”Brother, a virus has infiltrated the 13-layered space. Shall we activate the firewall?”

Gao Yuanyuan’s voice reached Gao Gong’s ear.

”No need,” Gao Gong said softly.

When it involves the evolution of collective consciousness, merely relying on a firewall might not be effective.

After all, strictly speaking, Cyber Space is also a form of ’collective consciousness’ evolution.

The most they can be is parallel, like competitors of the same tier.

In the Xie Family Ancestral Hall, rows of spiritual tablets began to jump continuously. First, each tablet displayed code, then it transformed into the names of Xie family members, and then those names turned into virtual images of men, women, elders, and youngsters, all with expressions of great joy.

”Thank you, Third Elder, for the fulfillment!”

”When one achieves the Way, even the chickens and dogs ascend!”

”The Xie Family is becoming Immortals!”

”Electronic ascension or mechanical ascension?”

”What a vast celestial realm! Which clan member discovered this Blessed Sanctuary?”

”Hahaha, I, the Daoist Master, have succeeded again!”

One after another, rays of electronic radiance soared from the spiritual tablets, as if ten thousand immortals were paying court, or as if the Void was shattering.

Xie Daowen watched and finally closed his eyes in peace. His already decayed body showed no sign of life.

However, in the next moment, a consciousness suddenly ejected from his body, being guided above the immortal clouds. In a daze, it was as if a decree descended from the celestial realm, with loud explosions in the air.

’It is respectfully heard that a breath condenses in the void, visions hang from the Nine Heavens, opening the seasons and allowing the east wind to stir, spreading the Five Constants while benevolence conducts spring, initiating the operation of three lights, the origin of all. Today, Emperor Xie complies with heaven’s mandate, using the Way to relieve the times, merging virtue with yang harmony, illuminating on par with glorious radiance, solemnly adhering to the rules, with offerings provided, submitting to the Eastern Nine Heavens Emperor!’

A giant phantom of the celestial emperor hung high in the east, its visage almost identical to that of the Xie Family Patriarch.

”Goodness, you’ve even crowned yourself emperor! Is the celestial realm your family’s enterprise?”

Seeing this, Gao Gong finally couldn’t help but quip.

Gao Gong was certain that the Mechanical Split Star must have had a Daoist-like sect in ancient times, otherwise, where would this strong sense of déjà vu come from?

”Brother, something’s wrong. Some source code has suddenly been deciphered into a Data Concept Body; also, the database has suddenly spawned many unrecognized temporary files.”

Gao Yuanyuan’s tone carried a hint of panic, as these changes completely exceeded her expectations. Even the planet-level firewall failed to provide any defense.

”I should be thanking you,” a dark figure suddenly appeared in the sky. His face bore a thirty percent resemblance to the Xie Family Patriarch’s but was much more sinister and fierce. His black garb and aura starkly contrasted with the group of ’Immortals’.

”Xie Family’s Third Elder?”

Though it was the first time meeting, Gao Gong instantly confirmed that this was the one known as the ’Mechanical Demon Zombie,’ his entire being riddled with virus gibberish that even a blind person could recognize.

”I must thank you, General Cybertron, or Ms. Deep Web, whomever you might be, I owe you deep gratitude!”

”Without your assistance, without this entire piece of Cyber Space, if our Xie Family wanted to ascend, we would have to attack a complete Level 3 Information Civilization, which is tantamount to suicide. By occupying this virtual world, we are able to realize the dream of the entire clan’s ascension.”

Xie Family’s Third Elder spoke with extreme delight, like someone who had just won five million.

Gao Gong mocked:

”High-Orbit Industrial Clan, a Pure Mechanical Family, yet you opt for a hybrid of Flesh Ascension and Electronic Ascension instead of Mechanical Ascension. Should I congratulate you?”

Xie Family’s Third Elder’s expression turned sullen.

”If not for your betrayal, our Xie Family could have chosen Mechanical Ascension. But for the sake of your unachievable experiment, you abandoned us. Now, how can you criticize us?”

Gao Gong didn’t respond but turned his head and gently spoke to the suddenly appearing girl.

”Did you learn?”

”Brother, learn what?” Gao Yuanyuan was a bit puzzled.

”The computational power of a large server cluster, combined with flesh evolution, yields potent virtual energy. If this method of pseudo-ascension is thoroughly explored, it could even enable you to develop abilities on par with ascension architecture. Especially the Xie Family’s experimental direction on ’genetic development’ is quite interesting.”

Gao Yuanyuan displayed a visibly contemplative expression.

”Brother means that the power of the virtual world can also be converted to physical energy?”

”Correct, one flower, one world; one leaf, one Bodhi. In the palm lies forty-eight thousand doctrines. Although ancient religions were quite mystical, their imaginings of ascension are quite instructive.”

”I think I somewhat understand.”

”Perhaps you realized it too late.”

Xie Family’s Third Elder coldly remarked, waving his hand; from all directions of the sea emerged walls of junk data, expanding boundlessly toward the sky. The seawater of the Sea of Data was being wildly absorbed, transformed into a world wall composed of junk data.

This was precisely the ability of Tier 3 Information Life—the Emmett Protozoa, endlessly creating junk data.

An ability comparable to a ’Planet Firewall’.

Gao Yuanyuan’s face turned ashen.

The source code of the Sea of Data was precisely her power source.

Gao Gong softly said, ”If your Xie Family truly collected enough ascension theories, you should be aware that every civilization ascension brings about a civilization disaster-level Ascension Tribulation, and the closer the pseudo-ascension is to ascension technology in intensity, the higher the probability of encountering a tribulation.”

Unfortunately, Xie Family’s Third Elder had no desire to communicate. At his command, celestial soldiers and generals, Celestial Emperor Buddhas, all descended. Suddenly radiant, various binary data were forcibly transformed into pseudo-ascension data, aiming to forcibly convert this virtual world into the Xie Family’s ’Blessed Sanctuary’.

Gao Gong and Gao Yuanyuan gently retreated, but the 13-layered virtual space was completely sealed, leaving no escape, not even enough time to create a Local Area Network.

”Don’t you understand yet? If I didn’t have an easy method to deal with you, how could it be so easy to draw you in? Do you think the material the Collector provided didn’t include information on ’Tier 3 Virus’?”

Xie Family’s Third Elder’s expression changed, but before he could react, his head split apart like a watermelon, along with his shell.

”The Xie Family in this state is the easiest to catch in one fell swoop.”

”The whole clan’s ascension—did your sect’s teachings not include a Demon Tribulation in ascension?”

The sky turned crimson at an unknown time, then tore apart; electronic demons, nightmarish Yaksha composed of viruses, and electronic noise mixed with punk rock, along with a widely open maw, crushed a multitude of celestial soldiers and generals.

”Let me show you what authentic punk tribulation is.”