Meteor Fall Master in the 'Starry Abyss'
Chapter 407 - 50. The Secrets of Arcane Energy (Part 2)

Chapter 407: 50. The Secrets of Arcane Energy (Part 2)

"No, you don’t understand."

The old man opened a door, revealing a staircase leading down to the underground. He turned his head and said to Li Aozi:

"The endeavor we once pursued was to pull the lofty deities down from their thrones so that mortals could also partake in the secrets of eternity. This required the effort of each and every one of us, and even with the greatest scientists and magicians gathered from the entire Layer Abyss, progress was still slow."

Of course, Li Aozi knew. How could he not know?

He nodded slightly, easing his tone and putting on an air of nonchalance. He intentionally said the words according to the strategy guide:

"Actually, it’s no big deal. Ultimately, ascending to godhood through the pathway remains the most reliable choice."

"...Haha, yes, everything according to your thinking is correct."

The old man chuckled but did not refute, instead, he slowly descended the stairs:

"Young people are selfish by nature. It’s normal, because you have never experienced that era. Once, three great narrative-level civilizations, a multitude of layers of the abyss’ populace, different races, would unite for a single belief. In the past, people were servile to deities, but once the commune’s research succeeded, we would stand equal with the gods."

"In this Starry Abyss, no one doesn’t want to become better. When everyone’s interest is tied together, self-interest becomes altruism. Doing things beneficial to the group is also meaningful to oneself."

"For you to become this selfish, it certainly isn’t your fault. The fault lies with this terrible universe, this dreadful Layer Abyss, and the selfish shortcuts of the three great narrative-levels."

Li Aozi didn’t respond.

Splat.

"We’re here."

The old man stepped onto the laboratory floor and said calmly to the inside:

"Liue, a mutant kid is looking for you."

Buzz——

In the empty laboratory, blue-violet ripples suddenly appeared. In the next moment, continuous waves rippled through the cold underground space, and a humanoid figure slowly emerged from the spacetime ripples.

Li Aozi stepped forward and greeted the figure:

"Hey, Mr. Liue——"

Clang!

Before he could finish his words, a light blue light blade stopped firmly in front of his neck, and the escaping photons scorched his skin with a sharp burning pain.

Then, a deep and hoarse voice echoed:

"I didn’t permit you to bring anyone in, Zhuo, Zhuo, Zhuo————"

Her voice echoed continuously like she was in a deep valley cliff.

Li Aozi raised his head, reflecting Liue’s true appearance in his eyes: She wore a broad white lab coat, her bio-mechanical body robust and sturdy. The light blade protruded from the back of her hand, and her body was heavily modified with bio-mechanical implants, obscuring any gender characteristics.

Most strikingly, her head was completely missing.

Above her neck was nothing but a shimmering space ripple, like a mass of colorless flame, burning constantly. Each time she spoke, echoes rippled through the surrounding space.

"Liue," the old man known as ’Zhuo’ spoke up, "he means no harm, just a young mutant looking to consult you."

"Mutant?"

Liue murmured, giving Li Aozi a once-over, then suddenly extended her hand. A light blue neural tentacle shot out from her palm, piercing directly into Li Aozi’s neck.

[Establishing neural link... No malicious intent detected...]

[Link established, identity information exchange initiated.]

"What the hell!"

Liue cursed directly:

"You’re harboring this many high-energy genetic conduits inside you... Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

The more she examined, the more astonished she became. Although she had no facial expressions, Li Aozi could almost see a middle-aged woman widening her eyes, her crow’s feet spreading wide, growing more and more shocked.

"This genetic conduit looks off. Wait, I think I’ve seen this before. This ability... Sequential Arcane Energy!"

Liue flung her hand back, hastily retracting her neural tentacle, then jabbed her finger at Li Aozi’s nose and scolded:

"Why don’t you have any self-respect? How did your parents raise you? Has no one ever told you that Sequential Arcane Energy is even more dangerous than Omega-level Arcane Energy?"

"They really didn’t tell me," Li Aozi replied truthfully. "Is this thing serious?"

"Mildly speaking, this thing will get you killed."

"What about seriously?"

"I wouldn’t want to say."

Liue raised her hand, and Li Aozi immediately felt his gravity altered, forcing him onto a surgical chair beside him. Numerous bionic arms locked him into place as Liue briskly moved around to various stations, making adjustments while explaining:

"Do you know what the essence of Arcane Energy is?"

"Uh," Li Aozi genuinely didn’t know. No player had ever dug this deep.

He had to answer speculatively, "A kind of... genetic power?"

"Past physics pointed out one thing: The essence of everything is information.

[Mechanics], based on this, realized life could be continued through digital means.

[Biochemists], inspired by this, utilized information technology for direct genetic editing and accelerated biological evolution through chaotic algorithms.

[Magicians] directly constructed magic networks, allowing for spellcasting even without innate talent.

[Architects] studied further, using this to modify and program certain physical rules, like building a network architecture capable of creating an ecosystem and terrain."

Liue explained while working:

"You must be wondering what this has to do with mutants and Arcane Energy, right?"

"That’s exactly why I’m here..." answered Li Aozi, immediately getting pricked by a needle.

"Yes, you youngsters haven’t realized the biggest problem yet."

Liue sneered:

"Arcane Energy is also information, but it’s different from ordinary information."

"If the universe were like a network, Arcane Energy would be the key to accessing it."

"The essence of Arcane Energy is this: Ultra Power, Ultimate Force. The commune’s research was developed based on its special nature."

"What exactly is it?" Li Aozi couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity.

"Mandate," Liue replied, "the creator’s mandate."

"Mandate..."

"Arcane Energy grants access to the Starry Abyss rules. All Sequential Arcane Energies originate from the ten primordial Arcane Energies, which are the initial Starry Abyss treaties. Our power on the Pathway of the Sovereign essentially comes from access rights granted by the Primordial Abyss."

Liue continued, "To be precise, it comes from the deceased Sovereign lineage——Main God Morphydelia, from her Dominating Universe. It also includes Mophid’s creator mandate."

As she prepared injections for Li Aozi, she asked:

"Your body harbors at least two Omega-level Arcane Energies and a Sequential Arcane Energy. It will destroy and affect your will, especially us, who specialize in Sovereign Arcane Energies... To put it bluntly, possessing a Sequential-level Arcane Energy makes you more dangerous than a regular Transcendent, effectively a natural disaster."

"The Primeval Heavenly Sovereign will constantly influence you, praising you with words. When you truly ascend to godhood, you will only become its puppet. The Sequential Arcane Energy is an interface for it to exploit, damn it! You really don’t want to live! Carrying even one Sequential-level Arcane Energy is reckless!"

"Well... I don’t just have one Sequential-level Arcane Energy."

"Do you still want to argue? I see it clearly. You possess the Gravity Arcane Energy, just like me."

"I do have Gravity,"

Li Aozi corrected:

"But Sequential-level, I have two."