111: Chapter 111 The Industrial Immortal Cultivation Era: Ascension Requires Crossing the High-Voltage Line
Central Province, Tianhe Academy High-Energy Physics Branch (formerly the ruins of the Wanfa Immortal Sect).
The blue pillar of light soaring into the sky has now become a new landmark of the Central Province. It no longer emits a hum, but a low-frequency pulse full of power; with every beat, a ring of blue electric sparks bursts into the surrounding air.
"Zizizi—ah!" A Golden Core Disciple from the former Wanfa Immortal Sect tried to sit cross-legged and meditate as usual to absorb the surrounding "Spiritual Qi." As a result, just after taking one breath, his whole body twitched as if struck by electricity, his hair stood on end, a puff of black smoke came out of his mouth, and he rolled his eyes on the spot.
"Idiot! How many times have I told you!" Butcher Xiao (the current branch construction foreman) walked over and wrapped the Disciple's mouth with electrical tape, frustrated by his lack of progress. "The current Spiritual Qi is 'industrial grade'! The voltage... oh no, the Spiritual Pressure is hundreds of times what it used to be!" "Absorbing it directly? Do you want to become a roasted pig?" "Go! Put on that **[Voltage Stabilizing Transformer]** (remodeled from a Pill Furnace)! Filter it through the transformer before absorbing!"
The Disciple looked miserable as he picked up a heavy iron lump covered in runes, plugged in a tube, and cautiously took a breath. This time, although the Spiritual Qi entering his body was violent, it became incredibly pure after being filtered. With just one breath, he felt the Bottleneck of his cultivation, which had been stagnant for ten years, actually... loosen?
"This... this efficiency..." The Disciple was stunned. In the past, cultivating was like drinking soup with a spoon, but now it was like pouring it into his mouth with a high-pressure water gun! Although it was a bit choking... it was truly amazing!
...
Temporary Command Center (Shipping Container).
Li Mo took off his oil-stained overalls and changed back into his Dean's robes. He stood before a huge floor-to-ceiling window, looking out at the bustling "power plant."
The once immortal-looking Cultivators were now each wearing yellow vests with the words "Safe Production" written on them, carrying transformers, and queuing up to "charge" around the light pillar. Those abyss Tentacle Monsters had turned into dutiful "electricians," using their naturally insulated skin to maintain the surrounding spiritual power pipelines.
"Dean, here is today's report." Lei Wanjun (Head of the Physics Department) walked in excitedly, holding a stack of data sheets. "The engine is running stably! The Spiritual Qi concentration in the Central Province has risen by 500%!" "Moreover, through the 'combustion sacrifice' of those three Old Ancestors (fuel rods), we found that the energy produced carries a trace of 'Law Fragments'." "Now, not only are the students cultivating faster, but they're also gaining enlightenment faster! Just now, ten people have formed their Nascent Souls on the spot!"
"Forming Nascent Souls?" Li Mo raised an eyebrow. "Was there a big commotion?"
"Not big," Lei Wanjun pushed up his glasses. "Because the Spiritual Pressure is too high, as soon as the Heavenly Tribulation thunderclouds gathered, they were 'neutralized' by the high-voltage arcs on the ground. Now, the Heavenly Tribulation striking down is about the same as a tickle."
Li Mo nodded. "That's right." "In the past, Cultivation was 'acting against heaven,' so you'd get struck by lightning." "Now we are 'acting on behalf of heaven' (helping the Ancient God repair the engine). The Heavenly Dao is too busy being grateful to us, so why would it strike us?"
Just then, the door to the command center was pushed open again. True Lord Tianfa (the former Sect Head, now the branch Vice Principal) walked in with a complex expression. After these few days of "reform through labor," he had resigned himself to his fate. Especially after seeing his own Old Ancestor burning quite brightly in the furnace, without his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, but instead transmitting a message saying "it's so warm in here, the Great Dao is so clear," his mindset had completely shifted.
"Dean..." True Lord Tianfa hesitated for a moment and took out a blueprint. "While clearing the ruins, we found an underground secret chamber. Inside... there seems to be a fragment of an 'Operation Manual' left by the previous generation's civilization."
"Oh?" Li Mo's eyes lit up as he took the blueprint. It was a yellowed piece of special metal foil. On it were drawn several complex symbols and a section of text that wasn't completely worn away.
[Emergency Braking Guide] [If the spacecraft experiences uncontrolled acceleration, please immediately cut the connection shaft between the 'Western Desert' and the 'North Sea'.] [Warning: The Western Desert area is the 'cooling System,' which is high temperature year-round and parasitized by 'Flame Giants'.]
"Cooling System?" Li Mo looked at the Western Desert sector on the map. That place was a forbidden zone in the Cultivation World, known as the "Flaming Mountains," where fires burned year-round and nothing grew. So it wasn't because of some fire-attribute supreme treasure, but because... the radiator was broken, leading to overheating?
"It seems the next destination is decided." Li Mo put down the blueprint and tapped his finger heavily on the location of the Western Desert. "Notify all teachers and students." "Bring all 'Water-Attribute Magic Treasures,' and... all 'iced drinks'." "We are going to the Western Desert... to fix the air conditioning."
...
Rumble—
Just as Li Mo gave the order, a violent tremor suddenly came from the ground beneath their feet. But this tremor was different from the previous earthquakes; it had a distinct sense of **"being pushed back in one's seat."**
The thrust from the Central Province light pillar (engine) had finally been transmitted to the entire tectonic plate. The Cultivation World... this biological battleship "pangu-003" that had been silent for hundreds of millions of years, moved.
At this moment, if someone could stand in the Void Realm outside the planet and look down, they would see a soul-shaking scene: that huge planet, which was originally dead and gray, suddenly lit up with a brilliant point of blue light at its midsection (Central Province). Under the influence of this thrust, the cloud layers on the planet's surface began to flow backward frantically. With a slow but unstoppable Aura, it broke away from its original orbit and set sail toward the depths of the vast Universe...
[System Announcement: World speed increased to 1.0 knots.] [Inertial Compensation System activated (no need to worry about buildings collapsing).] [Destination Navigation: The Abyss (Distance: Three million light-years).]
Li Mo looked at the slowly receding clouds outside the window, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. He picked up the broadcast microphone, and his voice spread throughout the entire "charging" Cultivation World:
"Attention all passengers (Cultivators)." "Welcome aboard this flight." "I am the captain (Administrator) of this flight, Li Mo." "Our ship has just started; we may encounter some turbulence ahead (such as smashing a few small meteorites)." "Please fasten your seatbelts (hold onto nearby buildings)." "Next stop: Flaming Mountains (Western Desert)."
In the square, those Cultivators who were originally panicking because "the world moved" felt an inexplicable sense of peace upon hearing Li Mo's voice. Although this Dean was not quite human and used them as batteries... following him... it seemed they really could go to the legendary—sea of stars.
"Depart!" Butcher Xiao waved a large flag, standing on a "desert off-road vehicle" modified from a Demon Pig Tank, looking high-spirited. "Target: Western Desert! Let's go cool down the world!"
The grand "maintenance army," illuminated by the blue light of the engine, embarked on a new journey. Meanwhile, Li Mo sat in the command room, silently noting down a new memo in his small notebook: [To-do list:]
Repair the radiator in the Western Desert (don't know if the Flame Giants there are easy to talk to; if not, just eat them like ice cream).
Repair the radar in the North Sea (it's said there are giant monsters there).
Give the Ancient God a full-body SPA (deal with those parasites that are still dormant).