135: Chapter 135 Triumphant Return, Cultivation

In the dark universe, a giant spaceship moved forward rapidly, but relative to the entire universe, its speed was like a snail's crawl.

This journey covered a total distance of 22 light-years, requiring 22 years to return to the Solar System.

During such a long time, Su Fan and the others did not stay inside the spaceship; instead, their consciousnesses returned to Mars to resume their normal lives.

The independent research and development of the Tianyuan Mothership was still progressing slowly, with an estimated 20-plus years until it could be manufactured autonomously.

It was time to develop the Level 3 Gene Optimization Fluid. Through discussions with the system, Su Fan learned the similarities and differences between technological civilizations and cultivation civilizations regarding the evolution of living organisms.

The cultivation levels of the Shenyuan Clan are divided into two major realms: the Body Refining Realm and the Soul Forging Realm.

Nine levels for the Body Refining Realm, and nine levels for the Soul Forging Realm.

Someone who has injected Level 1 Gene Optimization Fluid is equivalent to Level 1 Body Refining.

Someone who has injected Level 2 Gene Optimization Fluid is equivalent to Level 4 Body Refining.

Someone who has injected Level 3 Gene Optimization Fluid is equivalent to Level 7 Body Refining.

Someone who has injected level 4 gene optimization fluid is equivalent to God-Forging Level 1.

...

And so on.

Injecting gene optimization fluid cannot achieve Level 2 or 3 Body Refining, Level 5 or 6 Body Refining... or Level 2 or 3 God Forging.

In summary, regarding individual enhancement, a technological civilization only provides the lower limit for each level of life form.

In contrast, a cultivation civilization allows an individual to reach the upper limit of their life form level.

Converting the levels between the two...

For example, if a Level 1 life form in a technological civilization is divided into three grades—low, middle, and high—injecting Level 1 Gene Optimization Fluid only reaches the low grade.

By extension, Su Fan, having injected Level 2 Gene Optimization Fluid, is at the Level 2 low-grade; without cultivating, he could only reach the Level 3 low-grade after developing the Level 3 Gene Optimization Fluid.

In terms of strictly pushing individual limits, the cultivation civilization has the advantage.

However, if the goal is to rapidly evolve all individuals within a civilization, the technological civilization has the advantage.

...

Time flew by, and 22 years passed in an instant.

During this waiting period, Su Fan accomplished many things.

First, the independent research and development of the Level 3 Gene Optimization Fluid was successful and was distributed for nationwide injections!

Whether in terms of lifespan or physical strength, the enhancement provided by the Level 3 Gene Optimization Fluid was heaven-defying.

Lifespan increased by 1,000 years, reaching a staggering total of 2,000 years.

The increase in strength was even more exaggerated; after injecting the Level 2 Gene Optimization Fluid, the average punch force of an adult male could reach 5 tons.

But after injecting the Level 3 Gene Optimization Fluid, the average punch force of an adult male reached a terrifying 50 tons!

A tenfold increase!

Moreover, this was just 50 tons of punch force; the legs are much stronger than the fists!

Besides great strength, the body's overall defensive capabilities also skyrocketed.

After all, without a solid physical body, it would be impossible to exert such immense power.

In a human body, power and defense are always coordinated; the phenomenon of high attack and low defense found in online games never appears in reality.

Unless it involves different domains.

For example, mental attacks versus physical defense.

After injecting the Level 3 Gene Optimization Fluid, the people of the Xia Nation were now like mini-supermen; tearing apart cars with their bare hands or kicking down houses were trivial matters!

It is worth mentioning that after this nationwide injection of gene optimization fluid, no riots occurred, aside from widespread damage to buildings and items caused by people being temporarily unable to adapt to their physical strength.

This was because everyone had evolved into Level 3 life forms, returning to the same starting point.

The source of riots is always injustice and inequality.

As the old saying goes: "One should not worry about scarcity, but rather about inequality!"

Second, the Tianyuan Mothership was successfully developed independently!

In August 2090, the Tianyuan Mothership independently developed by the Xia Nation successfully completed its test flight. To distinguish it from the previous Tianyuan Mothership, Su Fan named this one: the skyfire.

As usual, he was terrible at naming things!

Because the skyfire Mothership was successfully developed independently, Heavy Fusion technology naturally saw a breakthrough.

However, the system had not upgraded for a long time, giving the reason that the energy technology of the Blue Star and Mars had not yet been upgraded and needed to be switched to Heavy Fusion power.

Third, Su Fan and Zhou Xiaoxiao had a second child!

The eldest, Su Mingxia, became increasingly restless. For the past 20 years, he hadn't worked at the research institute, instead running off to the entertainment industry to make movies, even producing several blockbusters.

For example: "The Sinking of the Little Japs," "The Sorrow of the Eagle Nation," "Wandering Mars," and so on.

In his personal life, Su Mingxia had also changed, dyed in the many colors of the entertainment industry's melting pot; he changed girlfriends every day, each one fair-skinned, beautiful, and long-legged.

Zhou Xiaoxiao was so angry every day that her liver hurt because, despite having so many girlfriends, Su Mingxia would not produce any offspring!

In a fit of pique, Zhou Xiaoxiao and Su Fan discussed it and decided to have a younger brother for Su Mingxia.

On October 1, 2092, Su Fan's second son had just turned one month old.

On this day, the Tianyuan Mothership returned in triumph!

The people of the entire nation were ecstatic!

The feat of crossing the starry sky and launching an expedition against an alien civilization—their Xia Nation had done it!

To express his joy, Su Fan consulted with the Great Elder and decided to grant the entire nation a month-long holiday!

A month of paid leave! The state would foot the bill for the wages!

Countless workers still on the job were thrilled, and the bosses of numerous enterprises cheered; after all, they did not have to bear the cost of the holiday.

The whole nation was having a blast!

Su Fan did not participate in any of this because he had something more important and attractive to do.

Cultivation!

At this moment, Su Fan sat cross-legged in his study, playing with a crystal-clear stone in his hand.

This was the thought stone brought back from the Shenyuan Star.

Beside him was a cardboard box, inside which square dark energy crystals, cut to the size of a thumb, were placed quietly.

Through Jiang Zibo's guidance, he had learned how to cut these dark energy crystals.

After observing for a moment, Su Fan decisively pressed the thought stone against his forehead.

At first, there was no reaction, but soon, he felt a stream of information suddenly flow into his mind, as if he had entered another world—the world of knowledge!

Half a day later, Su Fan gently put down the thought stone. By now, he fully understood the steps and precautions for cultivation; all that was left was to try it himself.

Su Fan had already injected the Level 3 Gene Optimization Fluid and was a genuine Level 3 low-grade life form, corresponding to Level 7 Body Refining in the Shenyuan Star's cultivation system.

For someone of this level, both the Guidance Technique and the God-Forging Technique could be practiced.

According to the cultivation steps, one must first practice the Guidance Technique.

Su Fan picked up a dark energy crystal and held it in his palm, then silently circulated the Guidance Technique.

As soon as he began running the Guidance Technique, he felt a difference.

From the dark energy crystal in his hand, wisps of cool air slowly flowed into his arm through his palm, and then followed the path of the Guidance Technique, slowly spreading throughout his entire body.

Su Fan only felt that his whole body was comfortable to the extreme, and the faster the Guidance Technique circulated, the more comfortable it felt!

Finally, he was so comfortable that his whole body was shivering!

Just then, the airflow in his hand suddenly disappeared, and the feeling of comfort throughout his body also abruptly stopped.

Su Fan opened his eyes with some reluctance and clenched his palm, only to find that the dark energy crystal in his hand had vanished.

...