That is information regarding the ’Meditation Technique’.
And the method of using ’Spirit Substance’ to create ’Calculation Units’.
Through the Meditation Technique, ordinary people under the Swarm will quickly gain significant computational power—even if they themselves can’t learn the technique, Ian of the Swarm can transform their souls on their behalf via the swarm network.
In a sense, this is a form of ’Power of Faith’.
The Deity (Swarm Overlord) assists the followers (swarm units) in shaping their souls and transforms them into soul forms with higher computational power, allowing the followers to gain advanced computational ability without the need for long-term training and with no adverse effects.
One moment of enlightenment is no longer empty talk—but as a price, this computational power is essentially part of the swarm.
When the Swarm Overlord, or rather, the Devil King, decides to wage war against the entire world.
Then the Hellish Demons, which is the swarm itself, must also declare war alongside their God and King.
Ian, who holds the Guiding Star, would never do such a thing.
"Alien Gods with the ability to corrode minds, akin to deities, have been defeated by Terra; even if I truly tread the Devil’s Path, I’m afraid, as a Swarm-formed entity, I still lack the ability to breakthrough Star Prison Tianyu and evade The End."
The light on the Guiding Star completely faded, signifying the end of Ian’s communication with Ian of the Swarm.
It’s not that Ian looks down on the Swarm and Devils; rather, if the Devil’s Path truly succeeds, it actually combines the advantages of the Spirit Disaster Path and the Swarm, forming a completely new path.
But to Ian, who knows the truth, this continent is nothing but another cycle of reincarnation. Thɪs chapter is updated by 𝔫𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔩·𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖·𝘯𝘦𝘵
He needs to transcend reincarnation, not just a mundane victory on the Tella Continent.
After resolving issues with the Dao Path of the Swarm, Ian also stood up.
The Ian of the Spirit Disaster Path did not respond.
Evidently, this short amount of time is not enough for significant changes to occur on the Spirit Disaster Path side, as opposed to the positive feedback with the Swarm Path.
During the last exchange, Ian obtained the ’Life Spirit Energy Refinement Method’ from the Spirit Disaster Path, which he later integrated into the ’Arcane Pathway’ as the foundational cultivation method for refining his Origin Quality and coagulating Sublimation Organs.
Whether referred to as a Qi Refinement Technique or a Breathing Technique, or even considered as internal energy or true qi, its effect remains the same, transforming oneself completely into a newer, stronger existence.
The Arcane Pathway is built upon this.
Hence, Ian also shared the ’Essence Furnace Core’, a ’Foundation Building Method’ that perfectly utilizes internal Origin Quality, with the other side—both sides obtaining the ’key’ to cultivate in the world of Swords and Magic.
Now, Ian’s Arcane Pathway has reached the ’Third Stage’, with himself as the experimental subject. Once he returns to Xiawei Territory, Ian will summarize his findings and fully establish the third stage of the Arcane Pathway realm.
However, he finds the higher fourth stage elusive.
It’s not that Ian isn’t intelligent, but rather his accumulation and inspiration are lacking, and time is too short. Even if he truly were a god, he couldn’t conjure the Fourth Energy Level out of thin air.
"Perhaps by that time, the Spirit Disaster Path can provide me with further inspiration."
Ian remained quite calm at this moment, even smiling as he stood up from his chair and walked towards the door: "It seems that the first version of myself who created the ’Guiding Star’ was truly a genius—when a lifetime isn’t enough, a single choice or even foresight isn’t enough either."
"Then create a platform that can connect to parallel universes, allowing me to draw strength from my various selves."
The alchemy materials sent by Marquis Barton had arrived at the doorstep. Ian planned to craft the ’Alchemical Potion’ needed for his speech and prepare to stir up the populace of the South Ridge.
In the end, what difference does it make whether it’s methods of the soul or of alchemy?
Ian never cared about these things.
Just as the populace never truly care whether the ’prophecy’ is true or false.
They only wish to hear what they want to hear.
On a brilliantly lit night.
Nauman City’s grand square.
Ascending the stage, facing countless onlookers, Ian silently surveyed the area, took a deep breath, and then began to speak.
[Dear compatriots, I understand that you are here, not to hear meaningless pleasantries and introductions from the nobles, nor vague and incomprehensible prophetic verses.]
[You are here to hear from me, a prophet recognized by the Four Great Churches and fully acknowledged by the Empire, the true direction of the future, and to know where the road beneath your feet ultimately leads.]
[I know, you wish for me to say that tomorrow will be better, the future will be happier, and everyone will achieve what they hope for.]
Standing alone on the high platform, the white-haired prophet extended his arms, and the cool breeze swept across the square, causing everyone to shiver slightly, with a pleasant ’floral scent’ sharpening their focus.
And Ian, in a tone imbued with pain, said: [But I am a prophet, I cannot and will not lie.]
[I am about to tell you a distressing and infuriating truth.]
Surveying the silent scene, Ian’s lips curled slightly, then he continued with a voice mixed with anger and pain: [Our lives are indeed filled with suffering and hardship, and the future will be as well, like victims trapped in a swamp, the more they struggle, the harder it is to escape.]
[We will face suffering, war, exploitation, and oppression, sinking in hatred and despair with no escape.]
Noises of astonishment arose from the square.
But surprisingly, there was not much anger or accusations of deceit against Ian... apart from momentary shock at Ian’s candor, few had any additional complaints or reflections.
Because... contrary to most people’s imagination.
The populace does not want to hear too many ’good news’ or ’bright futures’.
For they have always lived in pain.
On Terra, in South Ridge, on this land, where is there so much happiness? Where are so many good things?
Insufficient wages, high costs, the commercial difficulties brought by war, grain disasters not long over, skyrocketing ’capital region’ housing prices, men fearing conscription, women fearing chaos... Having just waged war with Fiery Flame Land isn’t enough; they are still facing off with the Azure Sky Royal Court to the east.
There is no peaceful land on Terra.
To say to such people, ’Your future will be very happy’?
Occasionally mentioning a piece of good news is fine, but ignoring the pain and only reporting positive news is what truly makes people distrust you.
So prophets never easily predict happiness; they only predict disasters, just as if a doctor only tells you that your body is completely healthy, anyone would instinctively doubt, ’Really?’
Humans are such a complicated, yet shallow kind, filled with hope for tomorrow, yet desiring destruction to come immediately.
Ian gazed at the thousands eager to listen before him,
The white-haired youth slightly parted his lips, beginning to declare ’the prophecy of the prophet’.
—I shall depict for you the inferno... I shall tell you of despair.
—And then, I will tell you.
—The path that leads to Paradise.