Helping each other with countless me.

Chapter 517 Ancient Laws and Modern Laws

Li Zhongren pushed open the door to the private room.

To his surprise, there was a little girl inside.

Then, very quickly, the little girl's data came to mind.

This is the Empress of the Central Plains Empire.

The first one since the beginning of time.

And she was a twelve-year-old empress.

However, no one objected to her becoming emperor.

Because at the age of twelve, she was the strongest person in the Central Plains Dynasty.

As a Nascent Soul cultivator, Li Zhongren swept his divine sense over the girl and discovered that her ultimate combat power seemed to be not much weaker than his own.

Unfortunately, he had the skills but lacked the principles.

The natural lifespan is only around a hundred years.

However, this is also terrifying.

Think about it, a cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage like him would normally require hundreds or thousands of years, as well as the nurturing of people and resources across a vast land, to produce someone like him.

The extraordinary individuals in this world are geniuses enough to master such power at the age of twelve.

Even though such power is not lasting.

However, when it comes to maintaining the stability of royal power, their method might be more practical.

More importantly, the lifespan is maintained at over a hundred years, which means that the royal power will be passed down indefinitely, unlike the solidified system in the cultivation world.

Being complacent and stuck in one's ways is always a terrible thing.

Moreover, let's address the issue at hand and discuss the future.

This also means that the world's system is stronger.

Once they solve the problem of lifespan, it's equivalent to mass-producing extraordinary individuals, including even Nascent Soul stage cultivators. Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine.
"Please take a seat."

The girl appeared delicate, but sitting there, she exuded a domineering aura.

It can be said that a person's profession can indeed cultivate their temperament.

Li Zhongren didn't speak, but cupped his hands in greeting and sat down opposite the girl.

"Senior, is it alright to call me that?"

"I am Mr. Lee."

"Then I'll call you Mr. Li."

The girl raised an eyebrow. In that era, someone surnamed Li, and even more powerful than her, was a cultivator. She thought of one person: Li Er.
Of course, the person in front of me can't be that person, since their temperament is different. But they are probably related to that person in some way. In that era, having a surname was a form of proof of social class.

"My name is Zhang Daoling, and I am the emperor of the Central Plains Empire."

"The first female emperor."

"I know."

Li Zhongren nodded with a smile.

"What, sir, aren't you surprised?"

"Not surprisingly."

Li Zhongren shook his head.

"Your power is no less than mine. With such power, the opinions of ordinary people are no longer important."

"Hehe, it seems Mr. Li has been learning very quickly these past few days. His speech already has the accent of modern people."

"It's okay."

Li Zhongren shrugged.

"I really like this era. Although we haven't reached the point of universal harmony, it's already very good. Ordinary people can eat their fill, stay warm, and receive medical treatment when they are sick."

"But there are still people who are not satisfied."

"Then go and fight for it. There is no such thing as fairness in this world. What they have today is the benefit that you gave up."

"But they say that because of the different starting points, they lost from the very beginning."

"Then they should blame their ancestors for not working hard enough."

"Mr. Ha Lee is really funny."

"The fact is that fairness, in the final analysis, is the shining of goodness in human nature. However, we should not take this goodness for granted, otherwise, it will be counterproductive and society will go to another extreme. As the emperor, what you need to do is to maintain this balance."

"Been taught a lesson."

The girl cupped her hands in a respectful gesture.

"After meeting you today, I feel relieved."

"They're worried I'm too old-fashioned."

“A bit. After all, three thousand years have passed, and our values ​​are bound to be different. Moreover, your strength is so great that even the blockade by my Second Fleet could not contain you.”

"Life is a continuous learning process; those who are complacent and stagnant are nothing more than withered bones."

"Besides meeting with you to confirm your personality, I have another matter to discuss with you this time."

"Alien invasion?"

“Sir, you know all that.”

"Just a little bit of ability."

"Then, may I invite you to join my Central Plains Empire and fight against the aliens together?"

"can."

Li Zhongren nodded.

"We were born on this land, and we naturally have the responsibility to protect it. If any extraterrestrial demons dare to cause trouble, I will surely slay them!"
-
"Sir, this is the Scientific Research Institute of our Central Plains Empire. We use a scientific perspective to explain the extraordinary and compile clear data on the extraordinary from ancient times for future generations to use."

After leaving the restaurant, the Empress took Li Zhongren directly to the Royal Academy of Sciences.

The main point is to speak frankly and directly.

"It can be said that all the extraordinary systems of the Central Plains Dynasty, including myself, are here, and this place will be fully open to you, sir. I hope you can put aside your sectarian prejudices and integrate the extraordinary systems of the past and present, so that the strength of my Central Plains Dynasty and my Blue Star can reach a new level." "Aren't you afraid that I will obtain your inheritance and take it to the next level? At that time, even you will find it difficult to pose any threat to me."

"Ha, that's a blessing for humanity."

Looking into the clarity in the girl's eyes.

Li Zhongren nodded.

As expected of someone who became empress at the age of twelve, such magnanimity has not tarnished the reputation of the Zhang family.

"Since you trust me so much, I assure you that once I integrate the past and present, you will share in the results."

"Hehe, then thank you very much, sir. Ahem, the Royal Academy of Sciences, at your command!"

As she spoke, Zhang Daoling straightened her body.

"From this day forward, Mr. Li will be the Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Academy of Sciences. All data of the Royal Academy of Sciences will be fully disclosed to him, and Mr. Li will not need to report to me on anything he does. So be it."

"Your humble servants obey!"

The scientists had no objections; after all, the person before them was a legendary ancient cultivator, and they were overjoyed.
"In that case, I shall take my leave now, Mr. Li, as there are still many matters to attend to."

"Your Majesty, please do as you please."

"Hehe, come to the palace after you get off work tonight, and I'll treat you to dinner."

"it is good."
-
"The integration plan of the extraordinary systems of ancient and modern times has officially begun."

Following Li Zhongren's announcement, the entire Extraordinary Academy of Sciences sprang into action.

Of course, the first step after the integration was to scan Li Zhongren's physical condition.

After all, this research is two-way.

The Academy of Sciences will provide all support.

But Li Zhongren will also provide his own data.

From the body, to the soul, and then to the cultivation method.

Li Zhongren nodded and calmly stepped into the huge circular testing area that shimmered with soft blue light.

The equipment in the field is not ordinary metal equipment, but consists of countless suspended crystal arrays flowing with energy runes, perfectly integrated with a sophisticated sensor array.

The energy flowed slowly around him, like a living galaxy.

"Mr. Li, Phase One: Basic Physiological Scan."

A chief researcher's voice came through the clear loudspeaker, filled with barely suppressed excitement. After all, this was the first time he had ever seen a living ancient cultivator.

An invisible energy beam swept across Li Zhongren's body.

A waterfall of data burst forth on the holographic screen in the control room.

Scientists held their breath, their eyes following the wildly fluctuating numbers:
Cell activity index: The value soared, instantly breaking through the instrument's preset "legendary warrior" upper limit by several orders of magnitude. The curve rose uncontrollably, pointing to a previously unrecorded area.

Energy density (spiritual power): The reading unit automatically switches from "standard units" to "mega-level units" within a few seconds, eventually settling on a value that makes even a supercapacitor array appear dim. Its storage capacity is comparable to a small nuclear fusion reactor, but its deep structure is far more sophisticated and complex than any artificial energy source.

Bio-force field strength: The instrument issued a sharp overload alarm, and the simulated light sphere representing the force field strength on the screen expanded rapidly, instantly breaking through the virtual binding frame. The toughness of the invisible shield was initially estimated to be sufficient to withstand a saturation attack from a tactical-level kinetic weapon at close range without damage.

Spatial affinity: An unprecedented pointer swung wildly on a special dashboard, eventually settling in the "extremely high disturbance zone." The data showed that the spacetime around his body produced a subtle but measurable ripple effect, as if space itself had become... flexible? This is the cornerstone signal of the theory of space jump!
"Incredible... This is practically a living starship core!"

A young physicist muttered to himself, oblivious to the fact that his glasses had slipped off his nose.

"Can humanity really reach this level?"

Is that incredible?

Li Zhongren stood up and looked at the scientist beside him.

"Your empress is not much weaker than me in terms of strength."

"Different."

The scientist shook his head.

"You represent the 'Ancient Method,' the natural transformation and sublimation of life's essence over countless years. Our extraordinary system today, however, is the 'Man-Made Pinnacle'—a completely new system forged by our Central Plains Empire after the revival of spiritual energy, using all our national resources to integrate alien technology, modern science from Earth, and fragments of revived ancient cultivation theories. It's codenamed 'Stardust.'"

He pointed to a huge holographic screen on the side of the main control room and brought up detailed information about modern supernatural systems.

"Its power lies in its terrifying explosive force and replicability. We no longer need to rely on the ethereal 'spiritual root' or the once-in-a-millennium 'comprehension'. As long as we have enough willpower and mental resilience, coupled with the empire's massive resource investment and technological assistance, we can selectively catalyze powerful individual combat capabilities!"

Several key features were displayed on the screen:

Energy: The core power of modern superhumans comes from the "planetary energy matrix".

"They are deeply bound to the ley lines, man-made spirit towers, and the ultimate energy core of their home planet, which allows them to mobilize almost limitless energy on the surface of Earth, especially near the core of the Empire! Their instantaneous burst of power, as Her Majesty the Empress demonstrated, is comparable to several planetary warships, and their maneuverability is ten thousand times greater than that of warships."

Intelligence and Algorithms: Combat is no longer about instinct or mysterious insights, but about precise energy manipulation equations, real-time battlefield models, and perfect control of the implanted "psychic coprocessor." Without sufficient intelligence, one cannot understand the complex "algorithms" that drive this system, and therefore cannot bear its power.

"This is also why Her Majesty the Empress was able to reach the summit at the young age of twelve—her talent for calculation far surpasses that of ordinary people."

Explosive power: The advantage of the "Stardust" system lies in its extreme instantaneous output. It abandons the ancient pursuit of energy restraint and long duration, focusing on how to transform planetary energy into destructive power in the shortest time. Under extreme conditions, a top "Stardust" warrior can unleash an energy torrent comparable to a strategic weapon in a few seconds.

"However, as the saying goes, what makes Xiao He successful can also make him unsuccessful. It is precisely because of this that today's superhumans cannot leave the planet. The essence of the power of modern superhumans is a deep resonance with the energy network of Earth. Once they leave the planet's atmosphere and enter the boundless void, this connection will be completely severed."

"The artificial energy circuits and coprocessors in their bodies will lose their energy source and computing support, making them not much stronger than ordinary people. The so-called 'void crossing' is a fantasy for them. They are the guardians and prisoners of the planet, whose power is tied to the planet's survival."

"Then there is lifespan. The powerful explosive force comes at the cost of overdrawing life potential by frequently mobilizing and carrying surging energy far exceeding the body's natural limits. This will accelerate cell aging and wear and tear at the gene level. Even with the most advanced biotechnology and nano-repair technology for 'regular maintenance,' the theoretical lifespan of top-level 'Stardust' warriors is only 150-200 years, far shorter than the long lifespan of ancient cultivators who often live for thousands of years."

"Once they lose the empire's massive logistical support and technological backing, their strength will rapidly decline, and they may even backfire due to system collapse."

The Curse of Wisdom: While wisdom is the foundation for harnessing power, maintaining such high-intensity calculation and energy control places a tremendous burden on the mind. The risk of mental exhaustion, computational overload leading to mental confusion or even collapse always exists.

"Most importantly, their understanding of 'enlightenment' is limited to the level of quantifiable and calculable physical laws. Their deeper understanding of the 'Tao' in ancient methods, which involves the essence of life and the mysteries of the universe, is almost completely blocked by this efficient but cold system."

The chief researcher's voice lowered, carrying a hint of awe and gravity.

"So, Mr. Li, as you can see, our 'stardust' system is essentially a planetary force that we humans forcibly leveraged in order to survive in the cruel universe after losing the accumulation of countless years."

"It is the sword and shield that protects the empire, sharp and unparalleled, yet it also has inescapable shackles. We cannot leave our home planet. We are fleeting flames, requiring constant maintenance from the massive machine of the empire to shine. What we pursue is not immortality, but to unleash a light powerful enough to shake the stars within our limited lifespan."

The laboratory was silent, save for the low hum of the instruments and the silent scrolling of the cold data stream on the holographic screen.

The power and fragility of modern supernatural systems, like two sides of a coin, are clearly displayed before this Nascent Soul powerhouse from "three thousand years ago".

Li Zhongren's gaze swept over the data that symbolized power and shackles, finally settling on the simulation model representing the "countdown to the end of lifespan," and he remained silent for a long time.

He suddenly remembered that the empress had once said that she liked watching Days of Being Wild.

There is a kind of bird in the world that has no feet. It can only fly and fly, and when it gets tired, it sleeps in the wind. This bird can only land once in its life, and that is when it dies.
(End of this chapter)