Multiverse: In Little Garden, Becoming a God Through Once Proven, Forever Proven

"The first grade has the highest level of intelligence and combat modules. These are for our own community to use."

"The second grade has a slightly lower level of intelligence and is loaded with skill modules for every profession. They'll handle work in the shops under our control and the like."

"The third grade has an even lower level of intelligence and is loaded with a single work module, so each one can only handle one skill. These are the ones we'll sell to outsiders."

"The fourth grade also has the highest level of intelligence, but no combat or skill modules. It only needs intelligence and nothing else."

A lot of the work under Qin Qi required manpower, but now that he had these puppets, he could have them handle the simple, repetitive jobs.

That would free up those talented people to go out and develop new markets, allowing his forces to keep expanding.

"Hmm, can I ask something? Why design a fourth grade? If you don't install any modules, it can't do anything, can it?"

Ma Xianhong asked in confusion.

"It's not that you don't install anything. Give her a voice module and focus on emotional companionship. Modern people are under a lot of pressure, after all."

"They always need someone to understand and comfort them. Even a puppet would do."

"Put yourself in their shoes and think about it."

Qin Qi wasn't trying to make automated sex dolls. He wanted to make AI therapists that offered emotional comfort. No touching or handling them; they could make money just by chatting.

That was far more profitable than sex dolls.

"Yeah, that does seem right!"

Ma Xianhong thought about it. If someone comforted him when he was sad and helped him when he was helpless,

he would definitely be happy. Even if it were a puppet, he would still feel happy.

"Brother, you're so smart! I never would've thought of that! Emotional companionship is important too!"

Ma Xianhong looked at Qin Qi. He felt that Qin Qi was truly too smart to have thought of even a detail like that.

"All right, stop praising me and get started on the research."

"I've also gotten to the bottom of Qu Tong. She's used Twin Hands to control quite a few deathsworn, and she's also learned your Divine Machine Hundred Refinements."

"If you fought her head-on, you probably wouldn't win. Want me to help you get rid of her?"

Qin Qi spoke. Qu Tong had considerable influence in this world, and her strength was decent too, but none of that meant anything to Qin Qi.

Killing her would take no more than a raise of his hand. Before absolute power, the Eight Extraordinary Skills and Twin Hands were all useless.

"No, let me try first. If I can't do it, I'll leave it to you."

Ma Xianhong still wanted to take revenge personally.

"All right, then. I'll find you a way to get stronger later. Build up your strength first, and wait until you're strong enough before taking revenge."

"Don't just charge in like a fool. Learn to use your head."

Qin Qi was quite worried that Ma Xianhong would go straight at her head-on. Normally, an ordinary person wouldn't do something that stupid.

But Ma Xianhong wasn't an ordinary person. He was in the special class.

"Yeah, thanks."

Looking at Qin Qi, who supported him and let him go ahead, Ma Xianhong felt grateful. Being trusted like this really was a nice feeling.

[You said goodbye to Ma Xianhong and then went to attend the Luotian Grand Ceremony. After reaching the mountain, you ran into Lu Lin, Lu Linglong and the others while passing through the back mountain.]

"Lu Lin, Linglong, morning. Have you eaten?"

Qin Qi stepped forward to greet them.

"Martial uncle."

Seeing Qin Qi arrive, Lu Lin hurriedly greeted him.

"Hmm..."

Lu Linglong looked at Qin Qi with a troubled expression. She and Qin Qi had been of the same generation before.

But now Qin Qi was Lu Jin's junior brother, putting him in the same generation as Lu Linglong's second great-granduncle. It wouldn't be very polite to address him as she had before.

"Don't worry about it. You can just call me Qin Qi."

Qin Qi saw her predicament and spoke up.

"Mm, morning, Qin Qi."

Lu Linglong breathed a sigh of relief. She had even been wondering whether to call Qin Qi Second Great-Uncle. Fortunately, she hadn't said it in the end.

After chatting with Lu Linglong and Lu Lin for a bit, Qin Qi went to talk to the young Taoist keeping watch there.

"Layman Qin Qi, long time no see."

The young Taoist knew Qin Qi-or rather, the Taoists on Mount Longhu all knew him. They were very welcoming toward him.

"Layman Qin Qi, this is a test set up by our grandmaster. Those who have the ability can use whatever skills they have; those who don't can cross on the rope."

The young Taoist pointed to the rope bridge behind him as he explained.

As the young Taoist spoke, someone approached. Deng Youcai and Deng Youfu, the two brothers who practiced the Northeast's Chuma Xian tradition, came over and leaped across.

"Martial uncle, let's cross too."

Lu Lin started to walk straight across the rope bridge, but Qin Qi grabbed him just as he took a step.

"Didn't you hear what the Taoist priest just said? Those with ability cross using their skills; those without it take the rope bridge."

"If you just walk across like that, won't it make the Three-One Sect look like it has no ability?"

Qin Qi looked around. Quite a few people had already arrived, each displaying their own abilities, while some kept a very low profile and crossed the rope bridge.

"No... I figured you liked keeping a low profile, martial uncle, so I thought we'd take the rope bridge."

Lu Lin remembered that when he had accompanied Qin Qi on visits and sparring matches before, Qin Qi had always kept a low profile. He had assumed it would be the same this time.

"There's a time and place for keeping a low profile. If you do it here, people will look down on you. Sometimes it isn't that you want to put on a show."

"It's that you have to. You have to put on enough of a show for people to see before they'll know how formidable you are."

"Lu Lin, Linglong, follow behind me."

As Qin Qi spoke, he stepped out into the air. In an instant, white Innate Primordial Qi formed a bridge in the void.

As he continued forward, the white Innate Primordial Qi formed buildings in the sky: twelve towers and five cities in all, complete with every kind of pavilion and terrace!

Clouds and mist curled around them, as though a heavenly paradise had been projected down from above!

Qin Qi walked step by step among the towers and cities, like an immortal strolling through the immortal realm, otherworldly and beyond the mundane!

"S-so handsome!"

Lu Linglong couldn't help exclaiming. Compared with simply jumping or walking across, Qin Qi's move was just too cool!

Being powerful was a temporary thing, but being cool lasted a lifetime!

"Stop staring and hurry up after him!"

Lu Lin pulled Lu Linglong along in a hurry, afraid that if they were a second too slow, the bridge before them would vanish.

When they stepped onto it, the bridge floating beneath their feet suddenly became solid, and the two of them crossed it step by step.

The surrounding crowd immediately erupted!

"Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap!"

"Why's that guy making himself look so cool? How come it feels like he's in a completely different art style from us?!"

"Weren't there supposed to be no immortals in modern society? How did this guy start flying just by taking a step?!"

"The Taoist priest lied to me! He clearly said no one was allowed to become an immortal after the country was founded!"

"Who the hell is that?!"

The crowd gazed at the towers and bridges that had formed in the sky and had yet to disperse. To them, it was just like a real immortal realm!

"Third Brother, Fourth Brother, who's that? He's making such a flashy entrance. Are Outcasts this powerful now?!"

Seeing the scene, Zhang Chulan suddenly felt that his Golden Light Mantra had lost its appeal. He and the others were still practicing Qi, while that guy had already ascended!

"The Three-One Sect's Mr. Qin Qi. He was unknown before, but over the past two months, he's challenged the major sects."

"We don't know who won or lost, but his name has become very well known. His reputation, connections, and fame in the circle are all considerable."

"What he's using should be the Three-One Sect's secret art, Threefold Reversal, but... according to our records, Threefold Reversal shouldn't be able to do this, right?"

Xu San pushed up his glasses and carefully studied the pavilions and towers Qin Qi had created in the sky.

He wanted to find a flaw in them, but no matter how wide he opened his eyes, it was no use. In fact, the more clearly he saw them, the more shocked he became!

"Those pavilions and towers are far too realistic! You can clearly see the patterns carved into them, the dragons and phoenixes!"

"Looking farther inside, I can even see what seems to be a pond in the courtyard, with carp swimming in it!"

"And in the middle of the pond, it looks like..."

Xu San frowned and tried hard to see more clearly, but he couldn't. His eyesight wasn't good enough.

"A big white bird is standing on one leg on a rock. Farther inside, it looks like someone's feeding the bird."

Feng Baobao pointed at the pavilions and towers in the sky. Deep within them, she saw someone feeding a bird.

"That person seems to have heard us talking. He's turned around. Hello."

Feng Baobao stared at the person in the deepest part and waved a greeting.

"Baobao, you really see someone in there?"

Xu Si's expression grew serious. He didn't believe there were immortals in this world; the pavilions and towers before them had to be an illusion.

But an illusion this lifelike and vivid also showed just how powerful its user was.

"Mm."

Feng Baobao nodded. She saw the person waving back at her, but she didn't tell Xu Si. She didn't think there was any need.

Zhang Chulan stared fixedly at the pavilions and towers. There was no wind on the mountain today, yet he felt a chill all over.

It was because nervous sweat had broken out on his body, lowering his temperature.

"Martial uncle... isn't this a little too grand?"

Lu Lin looked at the eyes gathered on them and grew a little nervous. He felt this might be too ostentatious.

"What's this? Lu Lin, sometimes you keep a low profile because the other party already knows how formidable you are, so there's no need to show it."

"But sometimes others don't know. At a time like that, you have to make a name for yourself. For a major sect,"

"reputation is an intangible asset."

Qin Qi smiled and continued maintaining the pavilions and towers. Today, he would let everyone who came to Mount Longhu see this sight.

He wanted to announce to all the Outcasts under heaven that the Three-One Sect had returned!

"I think I understand. When I was little, I heard Great-Grandpa talk about the Three-One Sect in its glory days. Their presence was even grander than this."

"Wherever he went, everyone present had to stand and greet Sect Leader Zuo as soon as he appeared. Only after he sat down would the others follow."

"And wherever he went, he was always given the seat of honor. Back then, who wouldn't offer a few polite words and a toast to a member of the Three-One Sect?"

Lu Linglong recalled the stories Great-Grandpa had told them about the past when she was little. She hadn't paid them much attention at the time.

But now, seeing this, she suddenly understood why Great-Grandpa had worn such a proud expression when he spoke of it.

Meanwhile, in a pavilion in the distance, Lu Jin, the Old Celestial Master, and several other people of high seniority and standing were gathered.

"In heaven stands the White Jade Capital, with twelve towers and five cities. An immortal strokes my crown, binds my hair, and grants me eternal life."

"Old Lu, that junior brother of yours is quite arrogant. He's likening himself to an immortal descending from heaven into the mortal world."

Seeing the sight, Lü Ci suddenly recalled that verse. He might usually seem like a brute,

but he was a young master of a great family, after all, and had done plenty of reading in his youth. He still knew a verse or two.

"Young people. That's how they are."