The Heavens: A Qing, the Yue Girl at the beginning

Because the time flow rates in the two worlds are different, with a ratio of 1:4, only twenty-odd days have passed for Zhao Qing, while the corresponding period of over a hundred days has taken place, during which many events have occurred.

Just like the asteroid Toutatis 4179, which is "draggled" by the Qingxiao No. 1 magic array, it rotates slowly and unstablely, revealing its gray-red, scarred, and rugged appearance in turn. Different cross-sections are exposed to the sun's rays in turn, casting shadows of varying depths.

When Zhao Qing had an emergency and could not directly use "Star Guide," Shi Yiguang hastily took over, and the perturbation effect was naturally reduced. In the case of difficulty in slowing down, he could only make it fly past the Earth in a high-risk manner to successfully reduce the Earth's escape velocity below that point.

In summary, if asteroid 4179's normal velocity were not around 10 km/s, which is less than the second cosmic velocity of 11.2 km/s, the project would likely have been a publicity failure.

However, it is quite far from the first cosmic velocity of 7.9 km/s, and the conditions are harsh. Although the capture was successful, this behemoth with a mass of about 50 billion tons is now confined to a rather awkward highly eccentric elliptical orbit:
The perigee is only 1,800 kilometers from the Earth's surface, as if it were just skimming over the top of the atmosphere; the apogee goes deep into space at 220,000 kilometers, almost touching the Moon's gravitational boundaries and being disturbed by it.
The cycle is 4.4 days, like a restless heart, beating repeatedly between near and far ground.

This is not a stable berth; the shadows of perturbation effects and tidal forces constantly loom over it. If not for the maintenance of the array and the network, it might have already fallen apart under the curse of the Roche limit.

However, in a sense, No. 4179 also became a testing ground for Shi Yiguang's focused cultivation.

After being taught and learning "Star Attraction" and the aura of the moon and the sun, trying to counteract the tidal forces acting on the asteroid is undoubtedly an excellent training ground, which can quickly enhance the mastery of new forces.

The so-called "Mountain-Building Pill," as the name suggests, is a seventh-level pill created by Zhao Qing after in-depth reference and research on the eighth-level "Heaven-Stealing Pill." It allows sixth-level cultivators to directly obtain the explosive power and reserves of true essence comparable to the seventh-level Mountain-Moving Pill, replacing it with extremely abundant pill energy.

Relying on the Pill Tribulation and the Cave Extreme Pill, Shi Yiguang cultivated her Yuan Qi power to the point of approaching the seventh realm at an astonishing growth rate. After replenishing herself with this new pill, she naturally made another step forward.

It might sound like forcing growth, but it has no hidden dangers whatsoever, and at least it can suppress some of the side effects of "Eight Apertures Separated from the Void Heart," helping Shi Yiguang switch to the Sword Dynasty's system.

Normally, with about ten years of "dream-entering" time, Zhao Qing could easily reach the Lower Six Qi Realm of the main world. With her efficient assistance, even if it were Ape Gong, it probably wouldn't be a big problem.

But for Shi Yiguang, it would be quite difficult, at least not feasible the first time.

This is not because the ape's talent far surpasses that of the latter, but because their attitudes toward cultivation are very different. The former does not rely on diligence, intelligence, vision, or methods, but on a pure heart for the Dao.

Having reached Zhao Qing's current level, she clearly understands that cultivation is easy, but the path to enlightenment is difficult.

The former only needs to follow the path opened up by the sages, practice diligently step by step, and make some innovations;

The latter is not merely a spiritual leap, but also a transcendence of the framework of the laws of heaven and earth, a first knock on the door of the Great Dao.

The initial form of the Dao is indescribable.

No words can fully describe or depict it.

Its size has no bounds, its smallness has no limits; its essence lies in the mind.

It is not about the level of spiritual cultivation, but about the state of mental tranquility, the true nature of enlightenment, and the change in perspective.

In Zhao Qing's eyes, although the ape had not yet kept up with the growth of his spiritual realm, its "angle" of seeing and understanding the Dao was almost the same and extremely similar.

This is equivalent to obtaining the correct "Observation and Practice" diagram of the Five Symbols of the Dao, pointing out the location of the "gate," making cultivation and practice of the Dao twice as effective with half the effort.

In contrast, Shi Yiguang's "divine manifestation of the Dao" is quite different from her own. Her mind is not empty and void, but immersed in another vast ocean, as if she has changed to another "map". Therefore, she is unfathomable and cannot be guided.

Therefore, temporarily switching to an easier-to-improve system, prioritizing the growth of her vital energy, perception, and computing power, and even employing a series of elixirs for this purpose, was actually her personal choice.

"It tastes a bit salty. There wasn't enough juice from the Lingzhu flower and Pudu fruit, so it doesn't taste very refreshing."

Inside the core control room of Qingxiao-1, located at the center of the space station's rotation axis, it is in a state of microgravity. Countless crystal screens float in the air, displaying complex star maps, energy flow data, and structural stress models, with dazzling data constantly pouring out.

The slender, bright filaments of light, like living neural networks, intertwine and connect in an orderly fashion in the void, transmitting information and instructions.

Several elixir bottles and unfurled ancient scrolls of calligraphy and painting float around, coexisting strangely with the modern, technologically advanced control interface, exuding a tranquil and mysterious aura.

Shi Yiguang was among them.

She sat upright in the main seat, dressed in an elegant dress, her hair, which spread out like an ink lotus due to weightlessness, fluttered slightly.

With one hand lightly touching the light filament, she modulated complex information, while with the other hand she pressed a report that gleamed with a cold light and was titled "A Field Investigation of the Soviet Union's Artificial Black Hole Project Based on Multidimensional Space Theory." She replied to Zhao Qing's question casually, as if she were making a joke.

Does the taste of the elixir really matter? Why are you discussing this so seriously?
"Salty-warm? Or salty-cool?"

Zhao Qing, however, didn't take it seriously and asked earnestly, "How does your Du Meridian feel? The Qi is leaking out and dissipating rapidly. Perhaps it's due to the weightless environment? Should we try changing cabins for now?"

"Good!" Having immediately grasped the crux of the problem from this brief exchange, Shi Yiguang revealed an expectant smile, tossed the documents aside, waved to summon a "scroll" "painted" with nuclear warheads, and headed outside with many crystal screens and light filaments.

Without needing a spacesuit or airlock, she directly opened the transparent ice panel above her head, floated several dozen feet away, and a flash of purple light appeared in her eyes. As if drawn by some force, she launched herself into a new acceleration.

Soon after, Shi Yiguang arrived at the nearby construction observation platform.

From here, Tutatis's colossal form almost fills the field of vision, like a clumsy and enormous dance partner, stumbling and spinning in the dimly lit space dance floor.

The terraforming of this asteroid has been underway for some time.

In the distance, hundreds of engineering vessels are busy at work.

Their appearance is rough and practical, mostly angular geometric shapes. Only the functional protrusions and interfaces are truly remarkable. Few people would imagine that these ships were originally the rubble that accompanied Flight 4179, a natural "satellite" group of more than two hundred pieces of varying sizes with a total mass of millions of tons, born hundreds of millions of years ago.

After being indirectly captured, the rubble naturally became readily available raw materials, which were gradually transformed into these kinds of objects.

They crisscrossed the nearby airspace, sometimes spewing out golden threads containing the true fire of the sun to perform cutting and welding, and sometimes using condensed sword energy several meters long to precisely dissect stubborn rock.

They might shape the partially melted ore, removing excess material, or they might further carve and inscribe runes. The trails left by the moving ship, the afterglow of its refined hull, intertwined in the vacuum to form fleeting, dazzling clouds of light, merging with the pale orange glow stirred up by massive celestial bodies sweeping across the higher atmosphere, adding a touch of dreamlike color.

The molten rock did not dissipate, but under the guidance and control of the invisible yin and yang energy field, it was slowly stretched, extended, and forged, gradually outlining a slightly hazy thin-walled cylindrical prototype: about nine thousand meters long and more than eighteen hundred meters in diameter.

This was the initial form of the O'Neill Cylinder, designed to eventually become a vast, self-sufficient man-made world. By rotating around its central axis to simulate gravity, its inner walls would be paved with soil, supporting mountains and rivers, and constructing cities and fields, becoming a new home for hundreds of thousands of people to be self-sufficient and enter the age of space.

Of course, at this moment it is just an empty ceramic skeleton outlined by flames, far from being habitable.

With the material reserves from asteroid 4179, building a hundred or so of these cylinders would be a piece of cake.

However, according to Zhao Qing and Shi Yiguang's plan, since it has already become such an elliptical orbit with an astonishing eccentricity, it might be more appropriate to retain most of its mass and use it as a space elevator, in conjunction with the momentum exchange rope, to transport personnel and supplies, which would at least save 70% of the fuel.

Hundreds of thousands of sword-shaped puppets, shimmering with a pale golden luster—known as "little golden men"—formed the main force of the construction.

They work tirelessly and silently, efficiently coordinating this complex engineering system on the surfaces of celestial bodies, inside and outside ships, and among the megastructures under construction.

A few engineers and scientists, dressed in light protective suits, could also be seen recording data on sightseeing boats or under the protection of the aura, or conducting on-site investigations in small areas, their faces showing a mixture of shock, awe, and bewilderment.

“George! Do you remember the warning NASA issued three months ago when it detected this asteroid? ‘Potential extinction threat,’ ‘Once-in-a-millennium impact risk’… But now? It’s like an elephant tied up in the yard.”

A gray-haired European scientist, secured by a safety rope, whispered to his American counterpart beside him, his voice trembling slightly, whether from fear or excitement, it was unclear.

George, his American colleague beside him, gave a wry smile and adjusted the microphone inside his helmet: "Buddy, arguing about this now is pointless. The Pentagon has held seventeen secret hearings, and the final statement is still 'unknown natural gravitational anomaly.' Look over there—"

He gestured to a group of people with Asian features who were adjusting a spectrometer not far away. “Their country’s Academy of Sciences published a paper entitled ‘On a New Paradigm for the Orbital Evolution of Near-Earth Small Bodies’. It was full of formulas and didn’t mention ‘capture’ or ‘artificial’ at all.”

Another Russian engineer, his expression complex, gazed at the celestial body being "skinned and dismembered," and murmured in response:
"Remember that Washington Post article? Oh, it called it 'an unprecedented, irresponsible, and super-terrorist act that puts all of humanity at unknown risk'..."

"But privately, every capable organization is desperately trying to squeeze its own people into this 'study tour' list. Look over there, even India has sent a team... Who can refuse the opportunity to personally touch the 'doomsday' and turn it into a 'home'?"

"Although the trajectory of this homeland... is truly unsettling."

"Fear and greed remain unchanged."

George sighed, “Countless people, while horrified and condemning ‘almost hit it!’ and ‘a devastating oversight!’, began to call her ‘the woman who controlled the god of war (Tutatis)’... both fearing what she might capture next and desperately craving that power.”

“Look at the efficiency of those ‘little golden men,’ look at the nascent O’Neal cylinder… This technological leap is enough to make any country willing to take huge risks to engage with it.”

Nearby, a Chinese engineer was explaining to his colleague in fluent English: "...Yes, energy guidance is key. They seem to be able to directly utilize starlight or some kind of... field we don't yet understand to induce phase transitions in matter. It's like... ancient alchemy has been elevated to an interstellar scale."

"Alchemy? I prefer to call it... an engineering marvel based on deep physical laws."

Another colleague responded with astonishment: “And they don’t seem to care about conventional radiation protection at all… those construction workers, and her,” he said, looking in Shi Yiguang’s direction, “are directly exposed to the space environment.”

These conversations act like a prism, reflecting the complex attitudes of various countries around the world toward this interstellar project.

Official channels are filled with condemnations of "potential risks" and dissatisfaction with "technological monopoly"—the Security Council held an emergency meeting where more than ten countries jointly demanded an "immediate halt to the modification of near-Earth objects," arguing that "their elliptical orbits may fall into the atmosphere due to unforeseen disturbances."

However, within 72 hours of the meeting's conclusion, at least six protesting countries, under the guise of academic exchanges and business cooperation, sent a total of over 200 researchers to Qingxiao-1, using other countries' spacecraft.

Fear and longing, criticism and praise, words and deeds are always at odds.

After all, this is a power that can turn a celestial body capable of causing intercontinental extinction into a plaything in the palm of one's hand, and knead and modify it at will.

Shi Yiguang ignored all of this, or rather, she had long been used to it.

Her attention was focused more on the flow of internal energy within her body.

The change in environment and the difference in gravity do indeed have a subtle effect on the flow of Qi, and Zhao Qing's reminders are always just right.

"How are you feeling? Is the medicinal power of 'Zhushan Dan' easier to guide under simulated gravity?" a new communication followed up.

After a moment of internal reflection, Shi Yi replied, "Indeed. The elixir descends and condenses at the coccyx of the Du meridian. When it loses its balance, it disperses and slows down, instead stimulating the Dai meridian. Should we then use the 'Rotating Elixir Method'?"

“Good.” Zhao Qing’s response was calm yet clear. “You should guide the Yin Qi to circulate around the Danfu three times, forming a small vortex, and the Qi will dissolve on its own. Comprehend the stillness within movement and the constancy within change, and then temper it with true fire.”

As the other party complied, she casually glanced at the stress distribution map that was being updated in real time on the main control screen: "Dispatch three more groups of 'golden men' to reinforce areas B7 and C12, adjust the smelting sequence in the seventh zone, and prioritize the treatment of the fragile surface crust..."

After giving a few brief instructions, Zhao Qing showed the bag in his hand and added, "The pollen of the Nirvana Flower will serve as your natal item from now on. Take some time to prepare for refining it."

Under normal circumstances, this rare relic of the cold weather would not produce anything like pollen. However, since it is a manifestation of the Dao of a great being from ancient times, it can be endowed with new characteristics.

“Understood!” Shi Yiguang nodded, then, as if suddenly remembering something, continued, “These past few days, we have dispatched dozens of special operations teams, led by Xia Mi, to search for those military cities in the Siberian no-man's-land and have received a large amount of top-secret research data…”

"Including complete controlled nuclear fusion, time travel and artificial black holes, 'Soviet Union Captain', the immortality project, the Delta Project, and so on, as well as a lot of information left over from the Nibelungen former base of the Doomsday Faction... The latter has just been compiled and sent to Kassel College."

"Based on the latest starship route tracking and data decryption progress, this group should have adopted an improved version of the Daedalus Project, started the construction of the Doomsday Ark a long time ago, and made countless layers of disguise to keep both the Secret Society and their own people in the dark."

She added, "Now, after nearly ninety days, they have arrived at a temporary destination, a transit point."

"Saturn's rings?" Zhao Qing asked.

...(End of chapter)