Forty Millenniums of Cultivation

Other than the videos about the origins and evolution of life, the remaining storage of the crystal chips was naturally occupied by the tremendous data including the Grand Encyclopedia of the Federation. Some of the rough star maps that had been publicly published were inside them, too.

If the alien civilizations in billions of years’ time understood such information, those star maps could possibly help them locate the three thousand Sectors that the civilization of mankind had once flourished in.

Of course, such data and files would not be given away easily.

According to Wei Qingqing, the several hundred psychologists in the Tinder Base had devised a series of secret tests regarding the ‘succession of civilization’, which could examine the morals and worldview of the potential inheritors without them knowing.

“I have recorded all the test content,” Wei Qingqing said. “The ‘old grandpas’ to be sent in the future will be installed with such test procedures, too. The old grandpas will only release a tiny bit of information and techniques at first and run a series of tests, while they observe the behavior of the acceptors of the knowledge. Only after they ensure that the morals and worldview of the acceptors are similar to ours will they release all the remaining information including the star maps.

“For example, after our old grandpa locates an alien world that has a not-so-developed civilization, he will perhaps find an ordinary, if not underprivileged, ‘specimen’ in the alien world first and fall to the side of the ‘specimen’ as a Cosmos Ring. Then, he will release part of the information and techniques and fabricate an origin for himself according to the myths of the alien world by claiming he is a prehistoric god, a sealed demon, or a lost artifact. Later, he will arrange a series of fortuitous events and adventures and secretly observe what the acceptors will do with the old grandpa’s techniques.

“If the specimen is interested in nothing but murder and entertaining himself, then we’ll have to say sorry. Such an alien race is probably not suitable to pass on all the information from the civilization of mankind. It is also too dangerous to let them know it. The old grandpa will automatically destroy most of the remaining information and prevent the alien race from learning of the civilization of mankind’s existence. Then, the old grandpa will release special waves and slowly corrode the brain of the specimen. In the end, the specimen will live in the illusions created by the old grandpa, unable to free itself. To people who are sober, the ‘specimen’ will be a complete psycho whose words must not be believed.

“In such a way, nobody in the alien world will know anything about the truth of the civilization of mankind.

“On the other hand, if the ‘specimen’ makes good use of the old grandpa’s knowledge by helping other people and protecting the ordinary people, it will suggest that the alien world has a worldview that is similar to ours and that it is qualified to accept our legacy.

“In the meantime, the old grandpa will arrange a series of tests for the ‘specimen’. With every test passed, more common morals and worldviews will be confirmed, and the old grandpa will release more techniques and information accordingly to make the specimen grow stronger to reform and lead their world in our way.

“In the end, after all the tests are passed, the ‘old grandpa’ will reveal all the truth and inform the specimen of the existence of mankind. He will also give our star map to the ‘kind and upright’ specimen so that they and their offspring may be able to return to the home of their ‘teacher’ one day.

“We believe that an alien race that can pass all the tests will definitely share a similar worldview to ours. It will be possible for us to understand and communicate with each other. We will also be able to give each other a hand and pass on each other’s knowledge!”

Wei Qingqing paused and smiled brilliantly. “Now, do you understand? We never underestimated the ambitions and lust of the alien species that are possibly lurking in space, and we will certainly look for a suitable inheritor according to the highest standard. In fact, the slow progress of the old grandpa’s development is mostly because we need to devise the ‘test procedures’.

“It is also for this reason that I have been selected as a member of the first batch of ‘tinder’.”

Li Yao was rather curious. “I don’t quite understand.”

“Because I am an ‘Illusionist’!” Wei Qingqing smiled. “Because of our unique skills, the Illusionists are able to affect other people’s brains through words and language and construct vivid illusions for them. Therefore, if we can really locate a rather underdeveloped alien civilization, I will be able to find an individual in the civilization and fabricate a series of bizarre, intriguing adventures for them, allowing them to achieve anything they want in the world of illusions, in order to test their morals and see if they are suitable to accept the great legacy of the civilization of mankind.”

Tilting his head and thinking for a moment, Li Yao was amused. “If the specimen does have evil thoughts, they will be quite pitiful.”

“It can’t be helped. I believe in the brightness of the universe, but I can’t turn a blind eye to darkness and evil,” Wei Qingqing said. “We have to be responsible for the future of mankind. All village teachers have a whip in their hands to discipline their students!

“For the success of the Tinder Plan, I’ve spent the last few years in deep meditation. With the help of hundreds of other Illusionists, I have constructed many wonderful ‘virtual worlds’ for test to ensure that our legacy will not fall into the wrong hands. So, there is no need to worry at all!

“Ah. We’re here.”

Passing through a long silver pathway, they reached a magnificent round hall. The wall of the hall was embedded with countless light beams and mystic ray launchers that projected tremendous holograms. Together, they built a vivid ‘Half-Step Grand Illusionary Land’.

All the light and shadow interweaved with each other into an unworldly paradise.

They seemed to be placed in the most perfect scenic spot. Quiet lakes that were as smooth as a mirror were nearby, and mountains covered in snow were far away. At the foot of the mountain was a town in an ancient style. Laughter and songs faintly drifted over from the town.

Li Yao was getting used to the style of the Tinder Base where reality and illusions were mixed. He was aware that most of the views were false illusions created by the mystic rays that were projected to his retina.

He blinked and covered his crystalline lens with feeble spiritual energy. Then, he immediately ‘saw’ the staff and the group of enormous crystal processors hiding behind the illusions.

There was also a black cube that was two meters tall, one meter long, and half a meter wide at the center of the hall. The surface of the cube was as smooth as a mirror without the slightest flaw.

“This is the super-strong silicon chip that can be stable for a hundred million years. It is going to be my new home,” Wei Qingqing said with a smile. After pausing for a moment, she added, “Our new home!”

“Our…” Li Yao pondered the deeper meaning behind the world.

So to speak, Wei Qingqing was not going to be the only spectral Cultivator sent in the ‘tinder’?

While he was thinking, a man of liquid metal who was glittering in silver strode toward them with a confident smile. “Representative Lin, Representative Long, and Miss Ling, greetings. I am Mo Xuan, supervisor of the Tinder Plan. Welcome to the Tinder Base!”

It was his professor!

Observing Professor Mo Xuan whom he had not seen for a hundred years, Li Yao immediately felt that something was wrong.

He could not describe it precisely, but Professor Mo Xuan a hundred years ago always gave a feeling that he was a dutiful researcher who did not like causing unnecessary attention.

However, in the video where Mo Xuan and Xie Wufeng debated on the ‘Spiritual Nexus’ and ‘virtual life’, the professor already looked a bit aggressive and radical.

Professor Mo Xuan appeared to be glowing even more than in the video. The moment he showed up, everybody was unable to move their eyes away from him.

The 3D projection technology in the federation was quite advanced. If Professor Mo Xuan wanted to, he could have covered himself in illusionary clothes and made himself look like a vivid human being—as Wei Qingqing did.

But he kept his liquid metal body nonetheless, not disguising the difference between him and a ‘living person’ at all. There was no telling whether it was because he did not care about such details or for some deeper reason.

Li Yao vaguely felt that it was no longer the professor that he was familiar with.

Then he realized that it made perfect sense. Professor Mo Xuan had not hibernated in the past hundred years. He had been through many things and even an affair. Of course he had changed!

Despite that, looking at Professor Mo Xuan who appeared both familiar and strange, Li Yao was suddenly reluctant to expose his identity or contact Ding Lingdang and Jin Xinyue through him.

Professor Mo Xuan glanced at Li Yao and Long Yangjun and smiled. “Representative Lin, Representative Long, Firefly can be compared to a piece of tiny tinder launched to the edge of the cosmos by the Star Ocean Republic a thousand years ago. I believe that it’s easier for you to understand the significance of the ‘Tinder Plan’ with your background, right?”

“Exactly.” Long Yangjun hurried to reply. “Miss Wei has explained a lot to us on our way here. The Tinder Plan is truly inspiring. We were moved by Miss Wei’s ambitions to march into the future and pass on the tinder of mankind. However, Miss Wei just mentioned ‘our home’. Also, can such a giant, black cube called a ‘chip’? So to speak, you are not going to send one soul but a virtual world with countless spectral Cultivators?”

“Yes,” Professor Mo Xuan replied sharply and thoughtfully. “But I’m afraid it’s a poor choice of words. What do you mean by ‘virtual world’? For those who live in it for a long time, the world constructed by the Spiritual Nexus and the crystal processors is as real as the world outside. It is neither ‘virtual’ nor ‘simulated’.

“Also, you may not know this, but I worked as the president of the Association of Spectral Cultivators in the federation for a long time. Now, ghosts are an important part of the federation, too. However, we are not very satisfied about the name ‘ghost’. Ghosts are human beings after they die, but we are not dead yet. Our life is changed into some sort of virtual form, but we are still alive. Why are we called ‘ghosts’?

“Ghost is an unpleasant and inaccurate name. So, the Association of Spectral Cultivators is now preparing a motion to change our name.”

“Oh?” Long Yangjun rolled her eyes and looked at Li Yao. “Excuse us, we don’t mean to be rude. Then, according to you, what should we call you if ‘ghosts’ and ‘virtual world’ are inappropriate?”

“The Spiriters.” Professor Mo Xuan condensed another arm from his body of metal liquid, which pointed at the black cube at the center of the hall, before he said, “We are not ghosts; we are the Spiriters, the third evolution form of mankind after humans and demons, who can live in crystal processors with just our soul!

“The ‘virtual worlds’ created by the Spiritual Nexus and the crystal processors are the best home for the Spiriters. So, we have named them the Spiriters’ Realms!

“Welcome to the Spiriters’ Realms, honorable guests from afar. Yes. The Tinder Plan is finally having its first launch after decades of hard work, but it is not one Spiriter that we will send but a small Spiriters’ Realm!”