Large numbers of soldiers stood around the base, armed and loaded. With so many big shots present, they had to put on the sharpest display of their lives.
But the moment the cargo doors of the sixty neatly lined-up transport planes opened, even their unruffled expressions twitched.
What a rush!
The sensation was hard to comprehend-a pleasure that reached into their souls, into their genes!
With astonishing restraint, they remained perfectly still, staring straight ahead.
Ying Zheng and the others had no such concerns. The moment the cargo doors opened, they shivered all over. With trembling hands, he picked up a basketball-sized chunk of spirit vein and took a deep breath through his nose.
He swore it felt like someone who had not bathed in a year sinking into a hot spring, every inch of his body soothed.
The Immortal Race really knew how to enjoy themselves. Cultivating beside spirit veins every day-how could they not be powerful fighters?
Looking at the generals around him, the Qin Emperor regained his composure and said calmly, "Come and experience it yourselves!"
Everyone gathered in a circle, studying the Spirit Stones of various sizes and discussing them fervently.
Worth it! Launching this Star War had been absolutely worth it!
Large quantities of Spirit Stones were escorted by soldiers into the Qin Kingdom's treasury, to be stored until the Star War ended and then distributed.
These things were only scarce for the moment. In a few days, they would still be scarce...
Still, they had to make an offering to Father God and see what instructions he had regarding them.
After all, the Qin Kingdom's imperial palace could not pocket all these treasures for itself. That would be detrimental to the entire Human Race, and even to Blue Star's development.
Sharing out the gold on great scales, the Qin Emperor ordered on the spot that each minister be rewarded with fifty jin of Spirit Stones. Further action would wait until they had sought Father God's instructions.
No sooner had the sixty transport planes finished unloading and departed than the next batch of sixty arrived.
The soldiers hauling the cargo swore, "For this job, I could work twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week!"
How strange! I was clearly doing physical labor, yet after hauling things for half a day, not only was I not tired, but my chronic back pain had somehow disappeared!
The more they hauled, the more energetic they became! They did not feel particularly hungry, either, and even their spirits felt cheerful. It was downright uncanny.
Ten days later.
The sealed treasury the Qin Kingdom had built in advance was already packed with Spirit Stones, and deliveries were now being sent to another treasury.
At the same time, large numbers of scientists were assembled to conduct experiments. They needed data to determine how much these things benefited the Human Race, what effects they had, and whether humans could use spiritual energy as the Immortal Race did to strengthen their bodies, prolong their lives, and achieve an evolution of life itself.
Extensive experiments showed that Spirit Stones could indeed improve human constitutions and treat certain illnesses. Over time, they could also promote longevity, indirectly extending lifespans.
Spirit Stones instantly became the most sought-after things in the world, their value beyond anything money could measure.
There were some problems, however. The most direct method of using them was to draw in the spiritual energy from Spirit Stones through the mouth and nose. After circulating through the body, only a small amount was absorbed, while the rest escaped and drifted through the air as spiritual energy. The body's utilization efficiency was less than ten percent.
How to improve the body's absorption efficiency became the newest research project for scientists across the nation.
This was, after all, an important experiment that could change the future development of the Human Race.
If humans could truly absorb Spirit Stones efficiently, convert spiritual energy into energy stored within their bodies, and then use and guide it, would that not be the very thing called immortal cultivation?
And so, renowned research institutes across the country applied to the Qin Kingdom's authorities for Spirit Stones to conduct experiments.
With a grand wave of his hand, the Qin Emperor approved them all and declared:
"Whoever manages to develop it will receive the greatest reward the Qin Kingdom can offer."
"No matter how many years pass for the Human Race, no matter how glorious its future becomes, your name will be passed down for eternity."
The lure of leaving one's name in the annals of history was irresistible. Renowned research teams across the nation worked overtime on their experiments. No one could withstand such temptation.
Experiments revealed that when Spirit Stones were left in the open, their spiritual energy slowly dissipated and diluted into the air. The process was simply very, very slow, and its underlying cause was that Blue Star had no such energy as spiritual energy to begin with.
There was far too little spiritual energy. Spread throughout all the air on Blue Star, it amounted to practically nothing.
The same applied to absorption by the human body. The most direct way to improve conversion efficiency was to fill a room with Spirit Stones and have humans remain inside. Their bodies would then absorb large quantities, improving their constitutions.
But once they left that room and returned to the outside world, the spiritual energy in their bodies would gradually drift away into the air.
Thus, the most pressing task was to raise the spiritual energy concentration across all of Blue Star.
This required more Spirit Stones, allowing their energy to permeate the air and fill all of Blue Star, so that everything in the world would evolve once again.
Experiments also showed that the smaller a Spirit Stone was, the faster its spiritual energy dissipated.
They might also need Father God to act, sealing off Blue Star's atmosphere to prevent spiritual energy from escaping the planet.
Reading the research findings compiled by the Human Race, Zhang Yang thought they made some sense. With a grand wave of his hand, he used laws to prevent spiritual energy from drifting beyond Blue Star.
The next step was simple: conquer the Immortal Race, transport their spirit veins back to Blue Star, and raise Blue Star's spiritual energy concentration.
Spirit veins were good things, but they were also consumable resources. Blue Star needed a constant supply of them to gradually raise its spiritual energy concentration. The higher that concentration became, the faster all things would evolve-and evolve in a favorable direction.
Humans might also be able to cultivate. If cultivation and technology developed together, the Human Race's future would undoubtedly be bright.
There was also the Tree of Life. If it could release natural magic elements, could humans cultivate magic as well?
Zhang Yang recalled the fantasy novels of his previous life. Humans could cultivate immortality, cultivate divinity, practice magic, and more. If the humans of Blue Star could do the same and combine the strengths of a hundred schools, they would surely stand at the pinnacle of the universe!
Among the countless races in the universe now, the Immortal Race could only practice cultivation, the Elf Race practiced magic, and the God Race cultivated laws. Other races practiced various kinds of magic as well. At its core, it was all about harnessing different forms of energy.
The Vampire Race, the Dragon Race, and even the Undead Race followed the same principle. What they converted was merely blood magic, dragon qi, and dark magic.
Having thought all this through, Zhang Yang now had a clear outline for Blue Star's future development.
Comprehensive development-that was the path. My Human Race could practice every system in the universe according to individual abilities and preferences, developing fully in morality, intellect, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor.
They would not abandon technology, either. Spiritual energy could enhance the brain's intelligence, which would also help drive technological development.
If they encountered the Machine Race in the future, they could plunder all its technological achievements to accelerate Blue Star's technological progress.
The Machine Race: "Are you being polite at all??"
Let the Human Race become the scourge of this universe!
One day, my Human Race would spread throughout the universe, trample the myriad races underfoot, rule the Cosmic Elders Council, and become the king of the universe!
When that day came, would I be able to see Earth?
Zhang Yang ended his fantasies. The immediate priority was to conquer the Immortal Race.
He closed his eyes and transmitted his voice to Ying Zheng, his destined errand boy:
"I have learned of your ideas. I have already sealed Blue Star's atmosphere, so spiritual energy will not escape.
"I also approve of the Human Race's research findings. Once the Star War ends, the resources will be brought back to Blue Star. But here is a friendly reminder from your god: the Immortal Race's soil is a treasure, too!"
"The immediate priority is to conquer the Immortal Race. You need not take captives from among them. Blue Star's environment cannot accommodate the Immortal Race."
"If you bring the Immortal Race to Blue Star, what the hell will humans have left to absorb? The Immortal Race will convert and absorb it all."
On the Cosmic Virtual Platform, the Immortal Race and the God Race became extremely powerful in the later stages, but few people bought them as slaves, because the things they needed were too expensive and too valuable.
The Immortal Race and the God Race were also destined never to become subordinate races of any civilization.
The reason was simple. If Blue Star brought in the Immortal Race, it would need spirit veins. Once those spirit veins were placed on Blue Star, the Immortal Race would absorb everything, leaving the Human Race with jack shit.
So why bring in the Immortal Race?
Ying Zheng responded respectfully. Father God really was the best. He had thought of everything!
A thought stirred in Ying Zheng's mind. Hmm? Father God said the soil contained spiritual energy? Then we could not waste the spiritual energy in Cross Planet's air, either!
He immediately ordered Bai Qi to conquer the Immortal Race swiftly. No captives were needed. They were to unleash their full firepower and take Cross Planet as quickly as possible!
He also stated that Cross Planet's soil must not be wasted. When the war was nearly won, they were to time the fulfillment of the three victory conditions precisely!
He would dispatch machinery and personnel to carry out large-scale development on Cross Planet, digging three feet into the ground and hauling the soil back. They must not waste it!
After nearly a hundred million years of permeation by spirit veins, Cross Planet's soil was bound to contain a trace of spiritual energy!
Then they would use the largest industrial equipment to draw Cross Planet's air through the Star Gate, taking as much as they could!
Upon receiving the orders, Bai Qi raised a thumb toward the Star Gate in admiration and thought, It really had to be my fucking bro Ying Zheng. He sure knew how to make every penny count!
Before you continue