Han Xiao shook his head, temporarily putting the conjecture out of his mind.
The location of the World Tree itself is still nowhere in sight, so let's not get our hopes up too high.
He turned to look at the [Terx Mechanical Legacy] talent panel. This ability would unlock a new exclusive blueprint at level 360. Although he now had a very rich technical foundation, no mechanic would complain about having too many gold blueprints.
Back when [Terx Mechanical Legacy] was at level 320, it unlocked the Sovereign's Robe and the Great Emperor's Robe, with the former still playing a significant role today.
This time, reaching level 360 unlocked three gold blueprints. Han Xiao opened the blueprint descriptions and glanced at them:
[[Blueprint - Dark Energy Golden Furnace Beast]: After witnessing the Mechanical Deity, the Saint Terlex Race became obsessed with researching a series of special equipment specifically for Mechanical Deity.]
[[Blueprint - Emperor's Space-Rending Blade]: After witnessing the majesty of the Mechanical Deity, the Saint Terlex Race became obsessed with developing a series of special equipment specifically for Mechanical Deity.]
[[Blueprint - Space Constant Debugger (Incomplete)]: The ultimate technology of the Saint Terlex Race, not yet fully perfected]
"This..."
Han Xiao's lips twitched slightly.
Of the five golden blueprints brought by [Terx Mechanical Legacy], three were specifically for equipment used by Mechanical Deity, which showed him just how enthusiastic this race was about Mechanical Deity.
The Dark Energy Golden Furnace Beast is a special external mecha that is described as being able to share the power of a descending Mechanical Deity, possessing independent consciousness, and serving as a mount for the Mechanical Deity. The Emperor's Space-Rending Blade, on the other hand, is a high-tech, composite, giant weapon resembling a double-headed broadsword with a straight, wide blade and numerous slots for integrating various components.
Han Xiao summoned a 3D model and sketched out the appearance of a Mechanical Deity's body. He then added the Great Emperor's Robe, the Dark Energy Golden Furnace Beast, and the Emperor's Space-Rending Blade onto it. Although the image was majestic, he felt it was becoming more and more familiar.
"He's starting to look more and more like Second Master Guan? It's just that the weapon doesn't quite match... Wait, why does he also look a bit like Thanos?"
Han Xiao muttered to himself, unsure of what to say.
These Saint Terlex Race scientists, who are fanatical devotees of Mechanical Deity, spend all their time researching dress-up games, as if they're playing a mechanical fashion dress-up game?!
Moreover, the names given to these blueprints... these Saint Terlex Race scientists are a bit too chuunibyou (a Japanese term for someone with delusions of grandeur)...
Han Xiao possesses the technological foundation of the Jiebach and a portion of the Sanctuary, and has no shortage of metal blueprints for exclusive Mechanical Deity. Although these two blueprints are quite powerful, they are not of much help. However, he discovered that the Great Emperor's Robe, Dark Energy Golden Furnace Beast, and Emperor's Space-Rending Blade actually have set effects, which is quite rare.
When all three pieces of equipment are activated simultaneously, a special set effect called "Terx Fanaticism" is triggered, granting a 1.1x increase in overall mechanical affinity, as well as comprehensive bonuses to attack, defense, and mech performance, which is quite good.
What really lifted Han Xiao's spirits was the last blueprint. The Saint Terlex Race had a profound understanding of space, and this Space Constant Debugger, as its name suggests, could adjust the spatial structure of a region and change the cosmological constant.
The principle of this device involves the microscopic expansion and collapse of the universe, as well as the technology of dimensional increase and decrease. According to theory, it should have special functions such as extending or shrinking space, overlapping regions, intercepting or grafting space, and the changes to the region are permanent and have no time limit. It is a strategic-level mechanical device.
For example, if the enemy is only three days away from our side, this device can expand or shrink the strategic depth area between the two sides. Depending on the limit of its effectiveness, it can extend the three-day journey to more than ten days or even several months, or shrink the area to an inch and engage in close combat instantly.
Unfortunately, these are all theoretical conjectures. The Saint Terlex Race were wiped out by their rivals in the Exploration Era before they could perfect this device. If they had perfected this technology, perhaps the Three Universal Civilizations today would have become four great civilizations, or even a single civilization. However, there are no "what ifs" in life.
"Most of the technology left behind by the Terlex Race was inherited by the Federation of Light. I wonder if they have this incomplete blueprint..."
Han Xiao stroked his chin, lost in thought.
The Space Constant Debugger is even more powerful than the World Tree's Raelbo Space Protection Belt. If the Federation of Light had this technology, it would probably have used it back then. However, it's also possible that they hadn't perfected it yet.
After thinking for a while, Han Xiao shook his head and stopped dwelling on the matter.
Regardless of whether the Federation of Light has it or not, I already have it. If I hadn't obtained the [Terx Mechanical Legacy] talent, I wouldn't have had a chance to get my hands on it at all. So, I'm not at a loss either way.
"Beep beep beep..."
Just as Han Xiao was studying his new ability, his communicator suddenly rang, and he received a message—an invitation to a meeting between the leaders of the Three Universal Civilizations.
"Hey, you're finally here."
Han Xiao glanced at it, unsurprised.
Having opened up a new level of individual power, the Three Universal Civilizations would definitely be restless and would seek him out for a talk sooner or later. However, they did not approach him immediately after his advancement, probably because they learned from Urnos that he wanted to familiarize himself with the power, so they deliberately waited a day, not daring to disturb him rashly.
After replying to the message, Han Xiao the remote projection. In an instant, his vision shifted, and he found himself in the joint conference room of the Three Universal Civilizations leaders, where he saw the three hanging figures sitting side by side.
The three of them carefully examined Han Xiao, their faces expressionless, their thoughts unknown.
"Ahem, Black Star, I heard you've broken through the upper limit of Beyond Grade A and entered a new level of power. Congratulations on setting a precedent."
Mabrus twitched the corners of his mouth, forcing a smile, and nodded.
Han Xiao didn't take it to heart and humbly replied, "Just luck."
"Is that so...?"
Mabrus paused, his expression stiffening slightly.
It seems like you're the least qualified person to say that...
Han Xiao then smiled at the leader of the Arcane Sect and said, "Oh, right, I haven't thanked you for your help yet. Thanks to you for agreeing to lend me the Arcane National Treasure, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to advance."
"..."
The leader of the Arcane Sect twitched his eye.
This is a provocation! This is absolutely a provocation!
He felt deep regret whenever he thought about it.
Han Xiao bringing it up to his face was seen as mocking him for making a bad deal!
Looking at Han Xiao's smile, the leader of the Arcane Sect felt utterly detestable and wished he could grab the cup on the table and smash it over the guy's head.
At this moment, Mabrus and Louis turned to look at him with strange expressions, conveying a sense of accusation that "you've betrayed the revolution."
However, contrary to their expectations, the two did not see the Arcane Cult Leader appear angry. Instead, the Arcane Leader took a deep breath, suddenly calmed down, revealed a profound and unfathomable smile, and spoke with righteous indignation:
"You're welcome. Your advancement to a higher level will benefit the battle, so we certainly won't be stingy with our resources."
Han Xiao raised an eyebrow, a slight thought stirring within him.
It seems that Urnos did indeed report to the higher-ups of the Arcane, and he must be eager to learn his method to advance. The Arcane leader's behavior this time clearly shows that he believes Urnos will soon be able to reach the level of a transcendent god, so he feels it's worthwhile and has confidence.
'Tsk, then don't blame me, you just couldn't help yourself...'
Han Xiao curled his lip.
To be honest, when he invited Urnos to help him advance, he didn't intend to deliberately trick him. At least the Arcane National Treasure and the unification of the five elements were genuine advancement requirements.
However, Han Xiao doesn't plan to tell anyone the secret of the Beyond Divine Remnant Power for the time being. If Urnos is determined to advance, then he can only watch helplessly.
After all, Urnos didn't seem to intend to participate in the war; whether he lived or died was irrelevant to him. Even if he died, he could still contribute his Beyond Divine Remnant Power, so Han Xiao didn't mind at all...
However, fulfilling two advancement conditions will increase the success rate of advancement by at least two-thirds. As long as Urnos's luck isn't as bad as mine, advancing shouldn't be a problem... However, lacking the Beyond Divine Remnant Power, he can only trigger a regular advancement. When he excitedly completes the advancement, he will find that his strength has not broken through the limitation of his rank. I wonder what kind of expression he will have.
Han Xiao were in turmoil. He composed himself and casually asked, "You all came to me just to congratulate me?"
"This is a momentous event that will go down in history. We'd like to ask if you'd like to make it public to the interstellar community?"
Louis nodded and asked.
"Let's skip the public disclosure. We're still at war, and we're unsure if the World Tree will steal intelligence from the internet in the future. It's enough for the higher-ups to know."
Han Xiao shook his head.
Seeing that the three had no objections, he suddenly turned to look at Mabrus and said:
"Speaking of which, there's something else I need the Empire's help with."
"What's up?"
"I plan to send the Sorokin to the Netherland in a while, so he can still contribute on the battlefield."
"This..."
Mabrus hesitated.
The Empire sealed the Sorokin for so long mainly to study his remains after his soul was destroyed. Mabrus was reluctant to agree to this request, and he also did not want to see the Netherland gain any more powerful beings.
Seeing his hesitation, Han Xiao's eyes flashed.
"In exchange, I can offer you some very interesting information."
"What intelligence?"
"Gaud's whereabouts." Han Xiao's lips curled into a smile.
Mabrus' pupils suddenly contracted.
Although he had a vague suspicion that Black Star was responsible for Gaud's disappearance, he was still incredibly shocked and furious to hear him admit it himself.
Thinking back to how Black Star had tricked him and caused such a huge uproar, Mabrus's face darkened. Suppressing his anger, he gritted his teeth and roared:
"... So it was you!"
Han Xiao didn't take it to heart, waved his hand, and said, "Don't be angry yet. I have my reasons for doing this. If you're willing to agree to this deal, I'll tell you why, and I'll also give you Gaud's whereabouts."
Mabrus clenched his fists, his mind racing.
Black Star's decision to reveal his secret only now is undoubtedly related to his recent advancement. There is only one reason for this: his Beyond God Grade power is beyond imagination, and he no longer needs to worry about retaliation from advanced civilizations. Therefore, Black Star can reveal this secret as a bargaining chip without any hesitation!
The power of Beyond God Grade being remains a mystery. It is known to be above Beyond Grade A, but apart from Black Star, no one knows exactly how strong it is. The unknown is the most terrifying thing.
Given Black Star's current confidence, his Beyond God Grade power is clearly extraordinary. In fact, his decision to reveal his hand at this time may well be an attempt to establish his authority!
Thinking of this, Mabrus felt a deep sense of apprehension. The situation did not allow for internal strife, so he had to suppress his anger and consider Black Star's proposal.
After a while, he nodded expressionlessly and said coldly:
"We can give you the Sorokin, but we want to exchange it for Gaud. I just hope your reasons will satisfy us by then."
"Don't worry, you'll be satisfied."
Han Xiao didn't take it seriously.
His decision to reveal his hand at this moment was impulsive, mainly to strike while the iron was hot. With his own strength improving, if he didn't show any results and continued to maintain the existing relationship, it might make the Three Universal Civilizations think that he lacked confidence. It was time to take a step forward and put pressure on them to extract more benefits. At the same time, he wanted to show the Three Universal Civilizations his "unscrupulous" attitude, so that they would be more wary of and more eager for his advanced power.
Of course, the confidence to do this stems from two factors: first, the Three Universal Civilizations can no longer do without the association's help; and second, with its own strength, it no longer needs to be afraid of the Three Universal Civilizations.
Some historical "criminal" acts can now be brought to the forefront, since the Three Universal Civilizations can no longer overturn the table.
Besides, keeping Gaud locked up indefinitely isn't a long-term solution. The matter needs to be resolved. By telling the Empire the whole story, if Evans were to acquire the power to Energy Manipulation in the future, he could use it openly and legitimately.
Han Xiao glanced at the three of them one last time, said nothing, deactivated the remote projection, and disappeared from the room.
Only then did the three of them relax, exchange a glance, and have subtle expressions.
Their probing was mainly to see if Black Star's attitude had changed after his advancement.
When the Beyond Grade A was first created, it also impacted the cosmic landscape. Although we don't know how much the power of this new level will be, it certainly won't be weak. Black Star is already recognized as the leader of the Beyond Grade A. With this breakthrough, the three of them have to reconsider how to deal with Black Star.
Before the meeting, the three had reached a consensus that it would be best to remain unchanged in the face of any eventuality. If Black Star's attitude remained the same, they would treat him the same way they had treated Black Star before, and simply pretend that the advancement had not occurred, without making any additional remarks.
But Black Star's attitude dashed their hopes. Seeing his fearlessness, the three felt increasingly heavy-hearted, their apprehension running deep. They knew that the balance of cooperation between the two sides was about to tip in favor of the association again.
However, with external enemies at hand and Black Star indispensable, the three dared not make any further moves, completely at a loss, and felt utterly helpless.
Two days later, the Beyond Grade A Association.
The meeting room was packed; all association members had been summoned to attend this extraordinary meeting.
All eyes were frequently drawn to Han Xiao, who sat in the main seat, their expressions a mixture of surprise, excitement, and disbelief.
In recent days, a rumor has been circulating among the association's senior members, claiming that Black Star has broken through the boundaries of Beyond Grade A and opened up a new level.
At first, few people believed it, but there's no smoke without fire. As more and more association members learned about it, many people became skeptical.
Han Xiao scanned everyone's expressions and said with a smile:
"I've gathered you all here today to announce something, and judging from your expressions, you've probably all heard about it these past few days."
Upon hearing this, many people's gazes sharpened.
"Black Star, is that rumor true?" Manison frowned, somewhat incredulous.
Han Xiao glanced at him, then at the expectant looks on everyone's faces, nodded, and said in a firm and resolute tone:
"That's right, I have stepped into a realm beyond Beyond Grade A, which I will call Beyond God Grade. From now on, Beyond Grade A will no longer be the limit of individual power... Everyone, there is still a road ahead!"
The moment the words left his mouth, everyone present was astonished!
Everyone stared blankly at Han Xiao, deeply shocked, speechless for a moment, and an eerie silence fell over the room.