The Ultimate Question of a Tech Nerd! The Dao Ancestor's Answer Was a Broken Rock!
Xing Tian's sudden enlightenment stirred up waves in the hearts of all beings in the Three Realms that have yet to subside.
The word "protect" became the most sought-after term in the Metaverse almost overnight.
Countless cultivators began to re-examine the swords in their hands, wondering why they wielded them.
At this moment, before the Six Paths of Reincarnation Tunnel, the focus of all eyes had shifted.
The second opportunity to ask a question fell to that Genius Mechanist.
He was neither as upright as Xing Tian, nor as elusive as Ling.
He adjusted the slightly crooked Crystal Goggles on the bridge of his nose, exuding a nervous tension and unease.
Before the boundless will of the Dao Ancestor, the wisdom he had been so proud of his entire life seemed as insignificant as dust.
He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white from the force, his voice trembling uncontrollably, yet he asked with exceptional clarity the ultimate question that had plagued the Luban Academy for 30,000 years.
"Reporting to... Dao Ancestor."
What, then, is the ultimate Dao of Creation?
His voice suddenly rose, carrying a hint of scholarly obsession.
"It is imitation! It is replication! It is transcendence! It is using the Mortal Wisdom to exhaust the principles of heaven and earth, ultimately creating an ultimate creation that surpasses even the Innate Supreme Treasure?!"
"Or is it creation! It's about forging a completely new path, one that doesn't exist within existing laws, and belongs exclusively to our Mechanical Creation... New Dao?!"
This problem is even more acute than that of Xing Tian.
It directly addresses the ultimate dilemma of all "creators": to be a perfect imitator, or to be an unpredictable pioneer?
Within the Order Divine Court, the eyes of the Yuanshi Tianzun Venerable, devoid of sorrow or joy, narrowed slightly.
This also touches upon the very foundation of his "expounding the Way of Heaven".
In the void, the voice of Hongjun Daozu rang out once more, this time with a hint of amusement.
"Your question is very good."
"But the answer may not lie in the two directions you've anticipated."
Before the words were finished, the giant hand formed from endless Dao principles reappeared.
This time, it wasn't directed at anyone.
It first pointed to the "Mantis" next to the Mechanist, which had completely broken down due to exhaustion and become a pile of expensive scrap metal.
The streamlined shell and the intricate structure, once so arrogant as to cleave through the Blood River, have now turned into a cold, lifeless silence.
A flicker of barely concealed pride and heartache flashed in the Mechanist's eyes.
That was his most perfect work!
Immediately afterwards, the Dao Ancestor turned his large hand and pointed to a spot not far away.
Pointing to the stone pot that Xing Tian had casually discarded and used to cross the river... a large, round pot with several rough chips on its edges...
The pot still bore the dark marks of the All-Heavenly Divine Fire, and even emitted a faint aroma of meat.
"You see."
The voice of the Dao Ancestor drifted over.
"Which of these two things is more 'perfect' in your eyes?"
This question left the Mechanist speechless.
He almost thought he had misheard.
Do I even need to ask?
He pointed to his "Mantis" and almost roared it out, his tone full of the dignity of a creator.
"Naturally, it's my 'Mantis'! Every single part of it contains the supreme secrets of Art of Mechanisms! As for that pot... what is that? A river-crossing tool that a bunch of barbarians just casually chipped together with stones! It doesn't even qualify as a 'creation'!"
"Oh?" The Dao Ancestor chuckled lightly, neither confirming nor denying.
"Your 'Mantis' certainly moved with elegance even on the edge of a mountain of knives."
"Even in the Sword Tree Jungle, they are quite ruthless."
"But it has trapped you on the banks of the Blood River."
The Dao Ancestor paused, each word like a heavy hammer blow.
"And that stone pot you looked down on carried a group of what you called 'barbarians' safely across that Sea of Death."
"Now, tell me again."
Which is more 'perfect'?
The Dao Ancestor's question was like a bolt of Chaos Divine Thunder, striking the Mechanist's crown chakra!
The pride on his face vanished instantly, turning ashen.
Yes.
His "Mantis" was ingeniously designed and had many functions, but at the most critical moment, it broke down due to the most foolish "energy" problem.
The stone pot was ridiculously simple in structure; it served no purpose other than to float.
Yet it perfectly fulfilled its sole mission of "crossing the river."
"Child, you have fallen into the trap of 'technique'."
The voice of Hongjun Daozu became gentle.
The ultimate wonder of creation lies neither in 'complexity' nor in 'innovation'.
"But it lies in -- 'appropriateness'."
"A creation, whether simple or complex, whether following old methods or forging New Dao, is fulfilled as long as it completes its assigned mission at the most appropriate time, in the most appropriate place, and in the most appropriate way."
"Then it is the most perfect creation in this world."
The voice of the Dao Ancestor became ethereal.
"A single boat on a river is worth more than a thousand Star Battleship."
"Within a vast void, even a single Mustard Seed can contain Three Thousand Great Thousand Worlds."
The Way is not found in objects.
"It resides in people's hearts."
"What you need to create is not a stronger mechanism, but an Exquisite Heart that can understand when to use a small boat and when to use Mustard Seed."
These words shattered the temple in the Mechanist's mind that was built upon "technology" and "parameters".
He understood.
He has always been pursuing faster speeds, stronger firepower, and more complex structures.
What he pursued was creation itself.
However, they overlooked the most fundamental purpose of creation—to serve humanity and solve problems.
The true Dao of Creation is not to work behind closed doors and fantasize about some castle in the air, an "ultimate creation".
Instead, we step into this bustling Mortal World to observe and listen.
Go and offer a cup of water to someone who is thirsty.
Go and roast a sweet potato for the hungry.
Go and build a boat for those who need to cross the river... even if it's just a simple boat made of stone.
"I was wrong..."
The Mechanist's body trembled violently.
His eyes, which always shone with wisdom, were now unfocused, empty and lost.
His aura did not surge like Xing Tian's.
But his "Dao" first shattered completely at this moment, and then began to be rebuilt on the ruins.
He bowed deeply to the void.
Then, he turned around and staggered to the broken-down "Mantis".
He didn't fix it.
Instead, he took out a small, greasy wrench from his pocket.
He reached out and gently stroked the cold hull of the "Mantis," as if saying goodbye to his most beloved child.
The next moment, he raised the wrench.
"Snap!"
He personally removed the most ornate yet useless decorative part from his "masterpiece".
He wanted to dismantle all those over-designed, flashy, and impractical things one by one.
He wanted to transform it into a simpler, more reliable, and more "appropriate" tool.
At this moment, the "technology tree" of the Luban Academy, and even the entire Primordial World, was completely reversed.
The focus has shifted from pursuing "high-tech" technologies to pursuing "practicality" and "benefiting the people."
In the Primordial World, perhaps there will be no world-destroying Star Battleship.
But then there will appear Mechanical Puppet that can cultivate crops automatically, Miniature Array Disc that can purify water sources, and Transportation Tool that allow ordinary people to travel thousands of miles a day.
This is the true power that can change the world.
And the final suspense has finally arrived.
All eyes were drawn to the dark purple figure that remained hidden in the shadows.
Ling.
What questions will this mysterious assassin ask?