High Above

When Master Grave woke up, in addition to feeling the dull pain in his forehead, he was also shocked to feel that the numbness that was spreading all over his body had subsided a lot.

The sluggishness and stiffness caused by transforming oneself into a member of the Divine Tree Familiar should have continued to worsen until one really turned into a motionless plant... but this state has actually been alleviated.

This really made him feel incredible from the bottom of his heart, so he tried his best to wake up as quickly as possible.

"What... happened to me?"

The old man shook his head, expelling the messy thoughts and chaotic memories in his mind - he remembered that he noticed that a killer wanted to take action against him, and that there was also a monster attacking, so he came to the fragments of the tree of life in the storage cabin and prepared everything Prepare and decide that if there is really no way out, release the fragments of the Tree of Life for a last-ditch effort.

As a result, both the number of killers and the number of monsters were beyond expectations. Master Glawei had already planned to use this last trump card... No matter what the dream is, the most important thing is to stay alive first.

It's strange to say that he obviously didn't have this character before. Gravi remembers clearly that he was originally the type who would never risk his life for the sake of the future and truth. If his mentor wanted to do any experiments, he would definitely be the first to take the lead and use himself as the experimental material.

It was precisely because of his courage and determination to risk his life for the truth that he received the true inheritance from his mentor.

But he didn't know whether it was because he was old or because he had seen too much death. He cherished his life more and more... and wanted to live more and more.

Grave suppressed these chaotic thoughts. The old man squinted his eyes and stood up. He felt that the quilt under him was familiar and warm, which made him realize that this was his room.

The master remembered. He remembered the killers who seized the last chance to eliminate him. He also remembered the scene where those killers were eliminated in an instant. He also remembered the ending when he was easily knocked unconscious and finally passed out...

Master Glave opened his eyes and looked forward.

What caught his eye was a white-haired scholar who was flipping through information.

The dark silver Silent Silver sealed box was next to his hand, and the fragments of the Tree of Life were in it.

"you're awake?"

The white-haired scholar turned around. He was smiling and his eyes were light green, flashing with bright spiritual light. It was impossible to forget. With this appearance, Grave recognized in an instant that the other person was the alchemist he had met by chance... the famous genius in the imperial capital and the lord of Xia Hui.

"Ian Silverpeak."

Straightening up on the bed, the master whispered: "The strength of the third level - you killed the elite killers of the Three Kingdoms in an instant. No one in the second level can do it, even if I use the fragments of the Tree of Life. I can’t be as relaxed and content as you are.”

"Hidden it from everyone, young man. But why do you reveal your secret to me?"

"It's a long story." Ian said. He turned his head and continued to browse the information in front of him: "Speaking of secrets, there are many masters. I don't have information about Outer Gods, Lost Era, and these primitive sublimators. I don’t know these things…my authority is still too low to know these ancient histories.”

"Interesting, Terra hides so many secrets."

The young researcher concentrated on reading the information in front of him, showing his back to Grave without any defense.

But the old man had no idea of ​​sneak attack on the opponent... Even though he was at the second energy level and transformed himself into half a member of the sacred tree, he was still vulnerable to the young man in front of him, just like a child facing a tiger. Just like ants facing humans.

——The third energy level. This is too exaggerated, the third level of seventeen years old.

Master Glave closed his eyes. he thought.

This matter may even be more incredible than his own research. He just used the power of a mere foreign god to strengthen himself, and planned to do some not too outrageous research to benefit the elves. This kind of thing has happened since ancient times, and at most it is Raw materials are hard to find, and there are only a few qualified researchers.

In the final analysis, it is ‘there were ancients before us’.

All these things combined are not as incredible as Ian's strength.

The third level of seventeen years old...

This is unique and unprecedented in the world, and it can be seen that it will be difficult for others to do so in the future.

"you……"

Speak, then pause for a moment to collect your thoughts. Master Grave said slowly: "You have suppressed the changes in the higher life factors in my body... This method is very sophisticated, and it is obviously the result of long-term research and practical experiments."

"Are you from the Spiritual Knowledge Academy?"

"No. I have some minor friction with the Gnostic Academy."

Ian did not look back. He was browsing the large amount of relevant research information recorded in Master Grave's room at an almost flying speed: "I'm just very curious and want to know everything."

"This box."

The young man turned his head, stretched out his hand, and lifted up the Silent Silver Box: "The contents of this box are what I want to know most about the entire Siren. To be honest, Master Grave, I can take it away secretly. I'll sit back and watch you die and be killed by a killer. Then I'll come back and recycle the information."

"Simple, easy, fast, won't leave any trouble, and I can get everything I want."

"But I still spared your life. You know why."

"You want to know more." Master Gravey was a little confused. He could completely understand Ian's thoughts... The other person, like himself, was a person who pursued the truth. This young man realized that his information was incomplete, and A lot of key information was in his head, so he didn't kill himself.

"What do you want to know? Just ask and I will answer."

He clearly knew that according to common sense, as long as he wanted to survive, he had to grasp this information and not tell Ian all at once... But he didn't know whether it was because of his nature, or the silence of the sacred tree factor in his body, which made the old man regain his youth. character at the time.

At this moment, Master Glavey sat upright by the bed and said calmly: "And I also want to know your true purpose - I am also very curious about your secrets, young man."

"We can swap."

Boom!

The entire Siren experienced a violent shock, and the sounds of artillery fire and battle outside the room could be vaguely heard.

Heavy rain and thunder were sweeping across the sea and sky outside the cabin, and sea beasts were attacking the Siren's defense line. Captain Elden blocked the three kings of sea beasts, but this could never last long.

But neither of the two people present was nervous at all.

Faced with Master Grave's invitation, Ian turned his head.

He looked at the other party carefully, then smiled: "A fair and just transaction. Master, I have a feeling."

"I'm definitely interested in what you want to do."

[Ladder Life Tree Fragments]

[Fifth energy level·Fragment·Damage·Power·Edible]

[The Lariel civilization located in the center of the Mairotary Galaxy created the fire before its hometown fell into darkness. It was hatched on the satellite of Deus, the sixth planet in the Terra star field, and grew into a complete form of fire. Finally, after traveling to Terra, it was defeated by Terra's local civilization and lost all its soul and self-awareness]

[This fragment is part of the remains of the Ladder of Life Tree. Although it has lost its soul and wisdom, the body of the immortal still has powerful effects]

[Long-term contact, the beings below the third energy level will be gradually and forcibly promoted to the family members of the ladder of life tree]

[Contains source quality: 825.8733 authority unit]

【……】

This is the true appearance of the small tree root stored in the Silent Silver Secret Box.

A tinder.

A super life form hatched from fire.

The information revealed by the silver chip made Ian a little confused at first, but then he suddenly realized it.

Yes, fire, fire... this is it!

From the beginning, Ian was full of doubts about the fires of these alien planets - if they are just tombstones of civilizations, storing all the information of a civilization, then what is their significance?

Is it just for civilizations on other planets to pick up these technological and cultural gift packages, select some of them that are useful to them, and then put them in a collection cabinet to preserve them?

Perhaps some civilizations without technology can only do this. Their so-called fire can only be a tombstone, and they can only place their hope in waiting in nothingness, waiting for fate to guide a miracle to happen, waiting for an incredible miracle to make everything come out of the cycle of chaos and reappear in the world again.

As long as the tombstone remains, as long as these data continue to exist in the universe, then there will always be hope.

However, as long as it is a civilization with corresponding technology, it will definitely make the fire of its own civilization the real 'fire'.

With the right fuel, it can burn again and become the 'tinder' of a raging fire!

"The Lariel civilization located in the center of the Malian Light Galaxy created the fire before its homeland sank into darkness. It was hatched on the satellite of Deus, the sixth planet in the Terra star field, and grew into a complete fire. Finally, it traveled to Terra Later, it was defeated by Terra’s local civilization and lost all its soul and self-awareness.”

Ian repeated this sentence in his mind, emphasizing the message: "The Lariel civilization should be a plant-based civilization based on biotechnology. The fire they created flowed to Terra and was incubated in the satellite of the sixth planet. .”

"There it absorbed matter and energy and grew, eventually becoming a 'complete fire body'... that is, a fifth-energy level super life, an existence that sits on the 'top' of all things."

"Yes. This is the top. A civilization, all information, all power, all integrated together can create a fifth energy level, and only the fifth energy level can sit at the top of civilization and nature."

"The Ladder of Life Tree is the complete form of the fire of Lariel civilization after it has been unfolded. It is essentially a civilization recovery device that will create new Lariel people on an alien planet, and like a super factory, it will create products that can revitalize the civilization. The tool that created the entire Lariel civilization."

"The so-called 'Familiar sub-strains' may be the Lariel people in a certain sense... It may be okay for an empty planet, but for Terra, which already has a native civilization... this is tantamount to Alien invasion.”

This is the cause.

Ian knew clearly at this moment, he knew that the Lost Era lasted for nearly a thousand years, and there was absolutely no chance of peace and quiet during this process. The Terrans also lost almost all knowledge of the civilization of the previous era after the Lost Era, which had many problems for them. It is difficult for pre-era civilizations to understand large-scale refuges. After all, as long as the population in the refuge is large enough, they can preserve the civilization.

But if the thousand-year loss of the Lost Era refers to the fact that after the disaster of falling from the sky, the Terran civilization continued to fight against various alien civilizations during various natural disasters, and hatched from these fire seeds. It makes sense that civilization was lost in the flames of war, or was reshaped into something completely different from before.

"In the Lost Era, the system of the civilization of the previous era was gradually transformed into a civilization dominated by sublimators... This must be a 'assertion of force' that can only occur during wars... Yes, perhaps in the beginning, human sublimators did not Without such powerful power at the fourth and fifth energy levels, the survivors of Terra's pre-era civilization relied on the remaining pre-era civilization technology to kill these alien gods, and used the flesh and blood of these alien gods to create the first high-energy Super powerful!"

To be honest, when Ian learned about the Ascended System from Teacher Hilliard, a basic doubt popped up in his mind.

"Ordinary people gather in groups and can barely hunt the first-level monsters. They use their flesh and blood to refine magic potions and make people become ascendants. Then with the sublimators, it becomes more convenient to hunt monsters. In this way, the sublimators' The quantity can increase.”

At that time, the boy expressed his confusion to the teacher: "Then, a large number of first-level sublimators gathered in groups, armed themselves with technology, and perhaps hunted second-level monsters. I can still understand it until this point, It still makes sense.”

"However, even if there are ten thousand second-level monsters, it is absolutely impossible to hunt a third-level monster... This is impossible, teacher!"

A person whose average physical fitness is 20% higher than others can easily defeat several ordinary people who are only 20% lower than him, but he will definitely not be able to defeat five or six people together.

However, if this person's physical fitness is 100% higher than other people's, with twice the physical fitness, he can easily break through the encirclement of more than a dozen or even dozens of people with one punch, and even continuously use sports combat to annihilate the opponent.

Beyond a certain limit and reaching the power of qualitative change, quantity can be ignored. Of course, if these dozens of people use firearms and use various technologies, then the former may still lose.

But what if the former’s comprehensive data is dozens of times that of ordinary people? For him, the speed of firearms is not half as fast as his running. Such an existence cannot be limited by any number of people and technology.

A simpler truth: a tank can completely dominate the medieval battlefield. Even if it is restricted by various methods and defeated by medieval people using various fire bombs, fuel and other methods, the price paid by the opponent is definitely far greater than that of a tank.

However, can people in the Middle Ages deal with space-based strike systems located in outer space?

Impossible, they couldn't even detect each other's existence.

This is a ‘qualitative change’.

The third energy level, in Terra, a world with a large number of sublimators, has also reached the level of the smallest unit of 'qualitative change'.

A third-level person with a heart-light shield, intact and free of injuries and diseases, would not have any fear in the face of ten thousand fully armed or even armored second-level people.

It is absolutely impossible for sublimators of the second energy level to use their own individual strength to obtain materials of the third energy level... This is why in the continent of Terra, the first and second energy levels may be more common, but the third energy level The reason is that the number is very small.

Because access to third-level materials can only be provided by ‘organizations’ with stronger people.

But here comes the problem.

The third energy level is already so difficult to achieve, so what about the fourth and fifth energy levels going up?

You know, generally speaking, an entire planet may not be able to nurture a fourth-level life!

Where did Terra's original fourth and fifth energy levels, as well as their potion materials... come from?

Ian didn't know it originally, but now, he understands.

It’s all fire.

They are all extraterrestrial things.

The remnants of Terra's pre-era civilization used their remaining power, the last remaining power of civilization, to defeat the alien gods who first descended on Terra - they were already covered in scars and their civilization was in dilapidated condition, but the enemies continued to come.

To this end, in order to fight against the continuous invasions and wars, destruction and doomsday, these first ascendants took the most critical step.

They devoured the corpses of the gods, transformed themselves into gods, and transformed themselves into gods walking on earth, standing on the top of the throne of all living beings.

——This is the origin of Terra’s original fifth-level inheritance.

Those are the beginnings of the initial ‘bloodline inheritance’ sublimators.

"Yes. This is inevitable."

Ian whispered to himself.

He still remembered how he complained when he saw the information about the Flower of Karin when he was watching the precognitive dream - even the Earth in his previous life, an interstellar civilization that had begun to build light-speed spaceships, could not stop several times similar to Karin. Super beings like Lin Zhihua invade.

Obviously, the Flower of Karin is probably a kind of fire that was preserved and contained by the civilization of the previous era, but was released in later generations.

In the face of this kind of invasion, it may be possible once or twice, but as the number of times increases, the more people die due to the war, the weaker the earth's civilization will be, and then decline.

This has nothing to do with technical strength. Unless there is a generational difference and one side can overwhelm the other side, otherwise, the result of the war will inevitably be that both sides will suffer.

The civilization of the earth and the civilization of the pre-Terran era are both civilizations built on "everyone"... Everyone contributes to civilization, everyone is part of civilization, and is the power of civilization.

Such a civilization is relatively equal and is better at cooperating to overcome difficulties. But civilization cannot be perfect. Such a collective civilization will face the invasion of alien fire creatures that will never stop, causing huge damage and casualties every time. Even if it wins, it will seriously damage its own potential.

Human death is very important to such a civilization.

Therefore, in order to exist, in order to continue... facing the interstellar invasion war that has never ended in the Lost Era, the Terran civilization can only choose to embark on another path that does not know right or wrong, but can survive.

The road to sublime civilization.

Maybe it's because of the inspiration brought by the super life form of fire, or maybe it's because the enemy and the enemy share the same origin.

The first sublimators were probably created according to the fire model of 'one person is civilization'... This is very similar to the existence of true dragons, so a considerable part of the inheritance of the fifth energy level is a variety of true dragons. .

This may also be some "cooperation" between the True Dragon and the civilization of the previous era - the true dragon provides power to the civilization of the previous era, and the civilization of the previous era needs to make another contribution to the true dragon.

Anyway.

In a sublimation civilization, all individuals are the descendants and nourishment of the final sublimation. The strong people created by such a civilization can single-handedly deal with disasters that can destroy the civilization, and can defeat powerful enemies several times in a row. The required Restoration materials can even be taken from the enemy, unlike humans, who are dead when they are dead. To recover, it is as complicated as educating another one.

Just like today's Terra Continent - the four orthodox religions and other countries joined forces to suppress countless alien gods and alien fires. They devoured the power of these existences and converted these powers into human power.

The power of the strong.

"The director of the Alien Research Institute, the 'Forerunner'...perhaps it was he who developed the potion system, the cornerstone of modern Terra Ascendants, and that is why he became a pioneer recognized by the chip civilization."

Ian understood clearly in his heart: "His research saved the Terran civilization. But the existence of sublimated civilization has restricted himself... Today's Terra has stagnated due to the existence of the strong, and the disputes between the countries and contradictions cannot bring all living beings to peace."

"But the arcane path I developed can solve, or in other words, hopefully can solve these problems."

“So, I’m also recognized as a pioneer.”

Ian does not think that he is the being who can definitely save something and solve all problems. But he believed that he could open a door in the dark house.

that's enough.

"war."

After thinking for a while, Ian asked Master Gravi: "Do all the gods outside the sky wage war with humans?"

"No."

The red-haired elf shook his head. Although he was not sure why Ian asked this question in the first place, he still answered Ian in detail: "After the alien gods arrive on Terra, most of them will start to corrode and transform our world... We Our ancestors had no choice but to fight against them."

"However, there are some alien gods who are wise and can understand our civilization and choose to communicate with us. They are not our enemies and have even become a part of us."

"The tree people of Canaan Moore, the spirit tribe of Yanjiang, the blood inherited from the ancient tribes of Jiuhan Silent Mountain, and even among the people of your empire, there are also ethnic groups with the blood of the distant sky. They are everywhere , they are already human beings, they are no longer fire, but the fire that is intertwined with us."

With this said, the bio-alchemist master showed a cheerful smile to Ian: "Of course, this is not without cost."

"Aberration. The threat that all ascendants face is the result of this price."

"distortion……"

Ian thought thoughtfully: "I see. But the theory circulating among the public is also correct - the intertwining of the blood of many monsters eventually polluted the human gene pool."

"However, there were originally many Warcraft, which were the primitive bodies left behind after the aliens lost their intelligence... just like the dependents of the Ladder of Life Tree. If they have intelligence, they are branches of the tree people. If they don't, they are branches of the Tree of Life. They are monsters that will be hunted by us."

"That's right." Master Glawei sighed with emotion: "The truth has not been concealed, but the method of interpretation is in the hands of a few people - the same thing can have many different meanings. This is the most ridiculous and most dangerous thing. True Lies."

"But I still feel weird."

Ian frowned. His perspective has always been unique and he can grasp some of the most critical issues in things: "The reason why these alien gods came to Terra is to propagate their own race and civilization. They should actually communicate, Because everyone knows that if they land on a planet with advanced civilization and then spread regardless, they will definitely be wiped out."

"It is true that many outer gods have been wiped out, and their fire has become the fragments in your box and the trophies of us humans. But this should not be the case. I don't believe that the wise men of other civilizations have not thought of this possibility. As fire whose continuation is important, it is impossible for them not to communicate."

"Perhaps." Regarding Ian's thoughts, Master Glawei was noncommittal: "It's just Ian, you may have imagined civilization too uniformly."

Having said this, the old man raised his hand and raised his fingers: "Because we humans have ten fingers, we use the decimal system. This inference may not be correct, but let's leave it at that."

"Then, civilizations with different numbers of fingers will use other different systems... In addition, creatures without fingers, they only exist in the virtual world, and they can understand many truths of this world without even mathematics, and construct Civility, consensus.”

"Such a civilization cannot communicate with us at all...even mathematics and various constants cannot communicate, because they observe the universe in their system, and we who use material bodies, use optical sensing systems to observe the world, and use flesh and blood to Human beings who use electrical signals to sense the world are completely different."

"Think about it, civilizations are all kinds of strange and biological possibilities are infinite - the knowledge that we humans can recognize and the common sense that we can understand is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. Expect us to understand all civilizations, or in other words, expect all civilizations to understand us. When It’s really a bit too arrogant.”

"It is what it is."

Master Gravey sighed: "Even between people, as long as they have different concepts and different levels of knowledge, it is difficult to understand each other. You are concerned about the future of your country in a hundred years and thinking about its future after a hundred years, while ordinary people People only think about how to buy more goods tomorrow to survive... The same is true for civilization. Everything we humans take for granted is completely different, unreasonable, and even sinful to another civilization. "

"To those outer gods, our Terra may be just a broken stone full of pus, with many hateful little bugs, dangerous man-eating beasts, a group of monsters with powerful unknown power... In order to survive, He They must destroy us."

"They may even not be able to recognize our existence at all. For example, a mayfly can only live for a day or two. How can it understand the life span of us humans, spring, summer, autumn and winter? Our seasonal changes are very important to us. As far as the mayfly clan is concerned, it is one unbelievably vast era after another.”

"Yes."

Hearing this, Ian also understood something. He sighed: "Indeed. It is impossible to expect the entire universe to speak a common language, and it is also impossible for all aliens to be humanoid life forms and have similar social forms... Communication is also a laborious matter.”

"Yes."

Master Glawei shrugged. He had been troubled by this matter in the past and was a person who had experienced it, so when he saw Ian who was similarly confused, he couldn't help but feel close to him: "Ian, you don't need to understand and think about these alien gods, unless they They understand us. We just need their strength."

"It's arrogance and it's humility. They go together."

really. Ian nodded slowly, hoping that it would be wonderful for Terran people and alien life to understand each other.

Soon, he continued to speak.

"Master Grave, I think I understand the true purpose of your research."

Putting aside the documents he had read in his hands, Ian sat on a chair, crossing his legs and holding the Silent Silver Box containing the Tree of Life novel.

He stroked the smooth surface of the silver box and said calmly: "The reason why you stole the fragments of the Tree of Life from the Gnostic Academy was not to provide them to Canaan Moore so that Canaan Moore could also obtain the pieces related to them. The research materials have made some progress in biology... You don’t want to extend your life by transforming the sacred tree into a clan."

"What you really want to study is a transformation."

"A powerful life form transforms and strengthens other weak life forms. That is, becoming a dependent."

"This process only requires source material, no magic potions, no need to hunt monsters, no need for alchemists... only a god."

"This is a method that can be popularized by all people and transform an entire nation into extraordinary beings."

Having said this, Ian smiled at Master Glavey, whose expression changed slightly: "It sounds like there are endless consequences - turning oneself into a dependent is indeed equivalent to handing over one's life and soul to the hands of other gods... But what if God dies?"

"As long as the god is killed and the fragments of the god's body are used as materials to promote and transform the dependents...as long as the god is turned into a 'divine pillar' that cannot be resisted, it can be turned into a force that can be controlled by us humans, a kind of power. natural phenomenon."

"Then the so-called dependents can be free, transcend the so-called dependents, and transform into a more superior existence."

"Become a more advanced being."

"A new type of sublimator."

Speaking of this, Ian couldn't help but think of the conversation he had with Adelbert in Xiahui Territory.

——As long as the AI ​​that can gather computing power and create the structure of sefirot is hidden in the virtual world, humans in the future will only regard it as a natural phenomenon. As long as they meditate, pray, and sign a contract, they can gain power.

If this is the case, then there may be no essential difference between the AI ​​giving the source material structure and the dead god transforming his family members.

Yes... it gives humans new possibilities, changing from the 'wartime path' of sublimation, and once again gaining more choices and possibilities...

Although it may not be right, it may cause more disasters, and it may go astray... But this heart, this heart that wants to go far, is definitely not wrong!

Master Gravi is his fellow traveler.

Yes, although it is not comprehensive and has many consequences, but... Master Glawei, like the eldest prince, does have the same 'arcane path' in his heart as Ian, but a different one!

"Incredible..."

Master Grave's expression changed dramatically at this time. He could not imagine that Ian could actually see his purpose. The old man's expression was extremely complicated at this moment. He looked at Ian as if he was looking at a dangerous person who had completely seen through him. , and like the ecstasy of a lonely person who finally meets a fellow traveler.

"Who are you?!" The elf master couldn't help but ask: "It is impossible for ordinary alchemy geniuses to see through this step! Who is behind you, and whose disciple are you?!"

"I can't tell you their names, it's a temporary secret."

Sitting on the chair, Ian replied calmly: "As for me... you can think of me as the 'Forerunner'... No."

The boy changed his tune. He thought for a moment, and then said softly: "You can call me..."

"【pioneer】."

Of course Ian is not the great being [Pioneer] in the previous books, but there is never just one Pioneer, and the future will take a different path.

But now, there is no doubt that Ian is the pioneer who will lead the future of civilization and open up a new direction. There is no ambiguity about this.

Today's chapter is very difficult to write. I will try my best to update it every day at 8 o'clock. I will wait until my body fully recovers. Everyone is actually having a hard time during this period. Please be considerate and considerate to each other ()