This is really not mechanical ascension
Chapter 850 - 440: The Information State of the Azure Dragon?

Chapter 850: Chapter 440: The Information State of the Azure Dragon?

According to his interrogation, and these were the accumulations at the peak of the Sister’s Heretical Cult, the Conservative faction hasn’t obtained any piece over the years.

Unlike the Radical faction, the Conservative faction has never actively expanded its influence, or rather, their expansion differs from what Li Ming considers expansion.

They still follow the old methods of the Holy Mother Church, secretly recruiting girls from the major noble powers, thereby expanding their branches.

Due to their severe decline now, their business scope is almost confined within the Empire, thanks to a large network left over from the peak Holy Mother Church within the Empire.

For many years, they have been recuperating and slowly expanding, so the remaining resources have been continuously consumed without any income.

In fact, such lair-like bases didn’t exist within the peak Holy Mother Church organization; every high-ranking member was necessarily someone else’s wife or mother, never gathering together.

Aside from these Terrax Stones, there are still some weird and bizarre materials left, which have now been collected. Any that weren’t damaged amidst the energy aftermath are not ordinary materials,

Li Ming had his mechanical body estimate them roughly, and the total value should be around 50 billion Star Coins, approximately capable of absorbing six billion metal energy.

"That’s not bad..."

Li Ming was very satisfied, the true strength of the Conservative faction lay in those members scattered throughout the Empire, not a resource-concentrated organization.

In addition, there was an X-Level Genetic Essence, and five S-Level Genetic Essences, quite a harvest.

"Hmm, this list..." He pondered as he looked down at the virtual screen densely packed with a string of names.

These are all Holy Mother Church members still secretly active within the Empire, the result of the Conservative faction’s efforts over the years.

The highest-ranking one is the wife of a Prince, the legitimate wife.

When Li Ming found out through interrogation, he was indeed taken aback, the Conservative faction is not to be underestimated.

From high to low, the number of members reaches 1,300, these people are not ordinary citizens within the Empire, more than 300 are administrative leaders of a planet, indirectly or directly affecting countless people.

The Conservative faction also learned many lessons, adjusted their organizational structure, no longer in a web-like pattern, basically maintaining single-line contact, unaware of each other’s identities.

Greatly reducing the likelihood of being uprooted entirely.

"This list, invaluable indeed." Li Ming thought, without a fortunate coincidence, it would have been very hard to obtain.

The Swearer fundamentally ignored the Azure Dragon threat because it was Kayna who seized him from the Radical faction, and thus subconsciously assumed the Radical faction had dealt with the Azure Dragon.

Storing the list away, Li Ming glanced at a few S-Level life forms before him, he also learned the biggest secret—why Adam was so responsive, and the core reason why the Holy Mother Church was universally condemned.

Previously, when studying Adam’s experiences, he found that this guy’s highlight was after he ascended the throne and launched a major crusade against the Holy Mother Church.

At that time, his authority wasn’t particularly strong, yet the crusade against the Holy Mother Church was almost an irresistible call.

But during the large crusade, he didn’t manage to unify all interstellar forces.

And through interrogation, he understood it was because of the Holy Mother Church’s core method—transmigration.

This is a method possessed only by the Swearer, the Prophet, and the Holy Mother at the core of the Holy Mother Church.

It allows the consciousness of a life form to be fused into a newborn through a special way, temporarily stored, and gradually awakened from the age of ten, fully merging with the original spiritual body by eighteen, indistinguishable as one.

If the interference of the original life form’s consciousness is reduced to the lowest, it’s nearly like a resurrection, allowing the transmigrated to perfectly become a new life form.

"Isn’t this just usurpation..." When Li Ming learned this, he understood.

Once this secret gets exposed, which civilization could tolerate the existence of the Holy Mother Church?

Who could bear their sons and daughters becoming someone else?

But in reality, such transmigration isn’t without cost and isn’t easily performed.

"Such an ancient organization truly cannot be underestimated." Li Ming exhaled deeply, his apprehension towards the Holy Mother Church reached another level.

"Are the Swearer, Prophet, and Holy Mother continuously transmigrating? It doesn’t seem so..." Li Ming glanced at the black sphere held in the Tank Guard’s hand, is it related to this?

While he pondered, the mechanical body had organized everything, mainly some spaceship wreckage.

After some time, Li Ming managed to piece it into a semblance of a ship, sufficient to enter a leap state, supporting him in reaching the nearest Star Gate shortly.

...

Days later, a fleet silently appeared nearby, carefully releasing probes at first, then gradually exploring, finally daring to release radars.

When the Commander saw what the radar captured, his face turned horrified, and it took a long time for him to react, swallowing hard, he quickly connected to the headquarters.

Soon, the Holy Mother’s imposing face appeared on the large screen, speaking lightly: "Leasia, have you reached the coordinates?"

"Ho-Holy Mother, just arrived, preliminary explorations are complete." Leasia’s voice was bitter, "However, it’s somewhat different from the estimation."

"What happened? Have they already withdrawn?" The Holy Mother frowned slightly but wasn’t surprised.