New Star Valley's development shone ever brighter through year after year of accumulation.
The city's skyline kept rising, and its energy rail network stretched into every emerging district like vines through a forest.
Old, low stone houses were systematically demolished, replaced by skyscrapers built with new alloy frameworks.
The streets grew wider, public hover pods ran more frequently, and plans began for an even larger multilevel transportation hub in the city center.
The communications department led by Qi Ming successfully upgraded Spirit Talk to its third generation, achieving stable, real-time voice transmission.
A torrent of information raced through New Star Valley's neural network, making the city run efficiently.
Lie Zhua's Thunder Armor Project had already reached its fifth generation.
Thunder Armor Type Five comprehensively improved every aspect of a warrior's performance, achieving close integration with individual Crystal Energy Guns and legion-wide tactical data sharing.
New Star Valley's military might resembled a meticulously armed steel behemoth, with sharp claws and fangs and keen senses.
Meanwhile, although Jing Si's Path of Inner Seeking had produced no earth-shattering breakthroughs, it was quietly changing the foundations of their people.
Under the effects of the Spirit Guiding Breathing Method and improved genetic optimization potions, the new generation of Rongling showed a marked improvement in average physical fitness and a greater affinity for energy than their forebears.
Though slow, this change laid a firmer foundation for their people's future.
Everything presented a picture of flourishing prosperity.
Resources flowed steadily back from conquered lands, technology bore fruit in every field, the population continued to grow, and the flame of civilization had never burned so brightly.
Tu Hu witnessed it all.
His chronic physical affliction clung to him like rot in the bone, never disappearing, forcing him to drink increasingly potent liquor to suppress it.
Yet in contrast,