Spiritual Consciousness Sea.
Over a thousand Talent Orbs circled the dark-gold Origin Orb, dragging behind them brilliant, colorful trails.
Below them surged a golden sea.
After Mo Yu left, Feng Qi remained seated cross-legged in the center of the consciousness sea, his eyes closed as he continued sensing everything within the space.
In his perception, he could see countless nearly-transparent clusters of consciousness drifting through the sea.
These were the faithful believers of humanity. By linking through their Faith Bracelets, they connected to the spiritual sea and selected Talent Abilities to borrow from within.
When Feng Qi reached out with his consciousness, the voices of countless prayers echoed in his ears.
His compatibility with the spiritual sea was exceptionally high. That's why he didn't lose himself here in the main timeline. But the same couldn't be said for others who entered via the faith connection.
They could easily lose themselves in this place.
That was one of the reasons why the faith-based path couldn't be opened in the previous timeline.
As for the cause of this disorientation, Feng Qi had discussed it with upper-level members of the Crimson Research Institute, the Narrator, and even Old Mist.
The leading theory had to do with the power of negative emotions.
Negative emotional energy had already merged into his consciousness sea, subtly influencing it in ways that couldn't be seen.
Thanks to his refined mindset from the Path of Heart Refinement trials, Feng Qi could withstand it.
But the believers lacked similar tempering. Even just the residual negative energy could overwhelm them. Eventually, they would succumb to spiritual corrosion and lose themselves entirely.
Still, this was just a hypothesis. The real truth remained unknown.
The reason he stayed here in spiritual form was to observe those drifting clusters of consciousness, guiding them toward the Talent Tracks so they could pick abilities to borrow. Or, when they wanted to leave, he helped them find their way out—so they wouldn't get lost.
A few minutes after seeing Mo Yu off, Feng Qi decided to contact Xiao You.
Mo Yu's intent to create mechanical nanobots had completely caught him off guard.
He had expected Mo Yu to continue refining and upgrading mechanical components. He didn't expect such an abrupt pivot.
Now, he needed to arrange a meeting between Mo Yu and Tian Shu.
The anti-magic metal Tian Shu possessed was, in Feng Qi's eyes, the most suitable material for creating mechanical nanobots.
After all, mechanical nanobots were essentially designed based on Little Black's characteristics.
One of Little Black's traits was magic immunity. All energy-based attacks were absorbed and turned into nourishment. They couldn't harm it at all.
The anti-magic metal couldn't match that level, but it could still suppress energy-type damage.
And it offered strong physical defense as well.
The monument in the Star City Shelter of the future was made from this anti-magic material—its defensive strength was exceptional.
By using that as the primary material, and combining it with a secondary material capable of absorbing and converting energy, they could replicate the early traits of Little Black.
Still, Feng Qi was fully aware.
Even if everything went perfectly, the final product would only be a low-quality imitation of Little Black—nowhere near the real thing.
After all, Little Black was forged from Laws themselves. Even its creator, Mo, couldn't control it. Its power far exceeded anything he could currently comprehend.
But even so, mechanical nanobots held immense growth potential.
Maybe this casual decision could lead to the creation of a powerful war weapon for humanity.
With that thought, Feng Qi focused his consciousness and began moving toward the coordinates where Xiao You remained within the consciousness sea.
His awareness followed the faith coordinates and quickly linked with Xiao You.
From his point of view, her blurry outline grew clear.
She was happily munching away, surrounded by half-finished energy tools piled up on her desk.
Maybe she sensed his arrival, because she suddenly choked. She shoved the rice ball into her mouth and swallowed it, face turning red. Then, clearly flustered, she released energy threads from both hands and started working on constructing a new energy tool.
"Boss, I'm working hard, really! You spying on me just shows your lack of trust. Hup, hup! So exhausting, poor me…"
To prove she was actually working, Xiao You even added her own silly sound effects.
With other believers, it always took Feng Qi some time to establish a connection. Even once connected, their spiritual conversations often suffered from unstable "signal," cutting in and out.
Like his link with Mo Yu, for example.
Bringing Mo Yu into the spiritual sea had required nearly ten minutes of prep.
But Xiao You was different.
Whenever he needed her, a single thought was enough. The connection was instantly stable—never any interference.
So now and then, he relied on her to help get things done.
Right now, Xiao You was his messenger in Star City. Whatever he needed arranged, she handled it.
"Next time you try to argue, remember to wipe the grease off your mouth first."
"That was left from the last meal!"
Watching Xiao You trying to justify herself with a straight face, Feng Qi could only sigh inwardly, but he didn't push the matter. He simply said, "Xiao You, help me pass a message to Dean Qi of the Tiger Soul Division. Tell him to bring Mo Yu from the Mechanized Transformation Department to the underground prison of the Tiger Soul Branch to meet Tian Shu…"
Xiao You nodded solemnly after listening carefully, then raised her hand in a salute toward Feng Qi.
"∠(°ω°)/ Boss, I'll get it done!"
"Alright. You can go back to eating. I'm heading off."
"Okay... wait a minute—Boss, why did you say 'go back'? I wasn't slacking off and eating just now!"
"Mhm, sure. I believe you."
As his words fell, Feng Qi's figure gradually faded, leaving behind a pouting Xiao You fuming in silence.
...
Three days later.
Tiger Soul Branch Base, underground prison.
As the elevator doors opened, Mo Yu stepped out.
He looked up at the passage ahead. It was dark and damp.
It was clear that this underground prison had existed for a long time. Large patches of the wall coating had peeled away, and green moss covered much of the surface.
He moved forward along the corridor, the sensor lights above his head flickering constantly.
Most of the lights were broken, their wires hanging out. The metal switches embedded in the walls were rusted.
At the end of the corridor, Mo Yu turned a corner.
In front of him was complete darkness.
His cybernetic eye rotated as he switched to night vision mode—yet, to his surprise, the thick darkness remained impenetrable.
Even thermal imaging failed to pick up any radiated body heat.
Curious, he stepped into the room.
Sweeping his gaze around, he pressed the light switch on the wall.
The overhead lights flickered several times, then turned on, finally dispersing the darkness and revealing a cold, bleak prison.
Yet even the lights couldn't reach the deepest corners of the cell.
Mo Yu could faintly make out a shadowy figure curled up in a corner, hugging their knees, like a statue—completely motionless.
Thanks to the introduction from Dean Qi of the Tiger Soul Division, Mo Yu had already learned a bit about this elder Feng Qi had mentioned.
And what amazed him the most—
According to Dean Qi, this human senior had lived for over four hundred years, possibly even longer.
He had surpassed all known limits of human lifespan—something not even the best Blood-Refining Warriors could achieve.
Mo Yu couldn't begin to understand how Tian Shu had managed it.
Living over four hundred years meant Tian Shu was born in the early days of the Cataclysm.
At that time, cultivation techniques did exist, but the whole system was still in its infancy. Even the most talented bloodlines back then didn't compare to an average cultivator today.
In those days, living past one hundred was considered a blessing and a cause for celebration.
Unlike his current era—wishing someone to "live to a hundred" was now considered rude.
So for someone born over four hundred years ago to still be alive—having not eaten or drunk anything, locked in an underground prison for so long—Mo Yu saw it as nothing short of a miracle.
He couldn't help but wonder:
Had Tian Shu also undergone some sort of life transformation—like his own mechanization?
Driven by curiosity, Mo Yu called out toward the cell, "Senior Tian Shu, are you there?"
There was no response from inside.
Just as he was about to speak again, the sound of chains dragging echoed through the air—clink, clink.
The blurry figure in the dark corner slowly stood up.
Once standing, his body made a crackling noise like firecrackers going off.
He turned and walked forward, stepping out of the darkness, and gradually coming into Mo Yu's view.
As Tian Shu reached the iron bars of the cell, Mo Yu finally saw his face clearly.
He didn't look anything like what Mo Yu had imagined.
He was skin and bones, like a skeleton wrapped in skin without the slightest trace of muscle. His cheeks were sunken deeply, like a starving vagrant on the brink of death.
His pale gray eyes held no trace of life.
Still, Mo Yu bowed his head respectfully and said sincerely, "Senior Tian Shu, I am Mo Yu. I have an important request and hope for your help."
At his greeting, a purple mist swirled within Tian Shu's lifeless eyes.
"I... am Tian Shu."
As he slowly opened his mouth, the grotesque divine mark etched on his back seemed to come alive. It slithered forward to the front of his body, coiling around him.
His once emaciated form began to swell like an inflating balloon.
Beneath his expanding skin, streams of blood-red energy surged and pulsed, continuously filling him out.
Under Mo Yu's stunned gaze, Tian Shu began to reverse age. The wrinkles on his skin disappeared as the rush of blood and energy flushed through him, and black hair sprouted from his once-bald head.
From a dying, skeletal old man, he transformed into a young and handsome youth in just three minutes.
As the renewed Tian Shu stood in front of Mo Yu, the two met eyes across the metal bars. Mo Yu's curiosity peaked.
"Human junior, what year is it now?"
"Year 116 of the Breaking Dawn Era."
"Year 116 of the Breaking Dawn Era?" Tian Shu's expression turned puzzled.
"That's the new era name recalculated using the time of the human hero Feng Qi's death as the starting point. If counted from the end of the Cataclysm, it's been over 600 years."
Hearing Mo Yu's explanation, a trace of confusion flickered in Tian Shu's eyes. Then he looked at Mo Yu and asked, "You said you're a descendant of the human race?"
"I am."
"I can feel the aura that a human should have from you... but I can't sense any blood energy flowing within you. Your whole body is cold like metal. This isn't a lifeform a human should have."
As he spoke, a crimson glow appeared in Tian Shu's eyes, and his aura changed.
He seemed like a beast ready to devour its prey. Slowly, bloodthirsty fangs were revealed.
"And you... why exactly have you come to me?"
"Please don't misunderstand, Senior. That's exactly why I'm here. I need the anti-magic metal in your possession to craft a new kind of weapon. It's related to my mechanized body." Without hesitation, Mo Yu laid his intentions bare.
"Explain in detail."
Hearing that it involved a new weapon and body metalization, a glimmer of curiosity showed in Tian Shu's eyes.
Mo Yu didn't hold anything back. He shared all his thoughts clearly.
This was, after all, someone even the great Feng Qi had called "Senior." Mo Yu maintained a respectful attitude throughout, not daring to be careless in the slightest.
After listening to everything, the confusion in Tian Shu's eyes deepened.
Little Black, psionic tech, mechanized modification... these were all completely foreign terms to him. He was utterly lost.
But through Mo Yu's explanation, he managed to grasp the gist of it.
The human junior in front of him, calling himself Mo Yu, was a member of a tech development department in Star City. To gain greater power, he had undergone a full-body mechanical transformation.
In the process, he had abandoned flesh and blood, replacing his heart with a core made of energy to power his metallic body.
Once he understood the reason, the killing intent in Tian Shu's eyes faded.
But the beast-like pressure still rising from his body hadn't stopped. It felt as if a demon hidden inside Tian Shu was slowly waking up, opening its eyes.
"Senior, do you understand now?"
After finishing, Mo Yu looked at Tian Shu with anticipation and asked again.
Tian Shu didn't reply immediately. The divine mark on his body started twisting and shifting once more. Then it detached, spinning as it tore open a fist-sized spatial black hole that quickly began to expand.
Piles of rune crystals, armor, and weapons spilled out from it.
In the blink of an eye, a small mountain of treasures formed inside the prison, and dense spiritual energy filled the air.
When Tian Shu clenched his fist, the divine mark returned to his body, and the prison gate slowly opened.
"Come take it. These are the treasures I personally selected and kept. Spoils from the enemies I've slain. They're all yours now. The anti-magic metal you need is in there too. Take what you want, and then leave."
As he said this, Tian Shu's eyes gleamed with fierce light.
Grateful for the gift, Mo Yu immediately expressed his thanks.
He stepped into the cell and used the bracelet Xiao You had crafted to store all the treasures into his personal space. Then, as if remembering something, he turned to Tian Shu and said:
"Senior Tian Shu, Elder Feng also asked me to pass along a message. Mu Yan will be returning soon. When the time comes, he'll guide her to you."
At those words, Tian Shu's body suddenly trembled.
"Mu... Mu Yan."
"That old woman... she's still alive?"
As he murmured to himself, Tian Shu's eyes were filled with uncontrollable excitement.
Finally, he took a deep breath, looked at Mo Yu, and gave a solemn nod.
"I'll wait here for her to appear. Pass a message to your Elder Feng—thank you."
Once he finished speaking, Tian Shu slowly stepped back. Accompanied by the dragging sound of chains, he returned to the dark corner.
Mo Yu nodded. He bowed respectfully toward the shadows, then turned and left.
With the anti-magic metal in hand, the first step in crafting mechanical nanobots was complete.
But Mo Yu knew clearly—this was only the beginning.
He still had many tough challenges ahead before he could create the ideal mechanical nanobot.