Ascension involved highly complex ethical and moral dimensions. In many cases, a civilization chose ascension because it had no other path forward.
From a scientific perspective, ascension was the result of a technology tree being developed to its limits. This led to one of two outcomes: either technology erupted, or technology fell into ruin.
The former was naturally the result of a successful ascension. As for the latter, that was the outcome of failure.
Returning to the matter at hand, whether successful or not, ascension could never be the business of one person. It necessarily involved a collective consciousness.
That was why Gao Gong was surprised.
Using simulated ascension technology to create a pseudo-ascension was not common, but across the universe, it was indeed not rare.
However, even with Gao Gong's knowledge, he had seen only a few pseudo-ascensions involving a "collective consciousness."
As the fog over the sea grew denser, the illusions of immortals, Buddhas, and heavenly generals in the sky became increasingly real. More and more celestial flowers drifted down from above. Every flower that landed on the sea turned a large amount of seawater black, as though underwater oil had burst to the surface.
"Big Brother, a virus has invaded the thirteenth layer of space. Should I activate the firewall?"
Gao Yuanyuan's voice rang in Gao Gong's ear.
"No need," Gao Gong said softly.
When it came to the evolution of a collective consciousness, a firewall probably would not be effective.
After all, in the strictest sense, cyberspace was itself a form of evolving "collective consciousness."
At most, the two sides were evenly matched. They were players of the same caliber.
Meanwhile, within the Xie family's ancestral shrine, rows of spirit tablets began to flicker incessantly. Each tablet first displayed code, then changed into the name of