I was just fishing, how did I become a Great Old One?

"Space jump complete."

"Exiting the faster-than-light passage..."

With a slight tremor from the Deep Blue spaceship, the dazzling torrent of data outside the window gradually faded.

Instead, there was a deep and cold starry sky.

however.

In this starry sky, there floats a gigantic planet that would make anyone who sees it for the first time hold their breath.

It is no longer the natural azure blue, nor the desolate earthy yellow.

It is a... [Metal Star].

From space, the entire planet's surface is covered by thick steel armor and dense clusters of buildings. Countless neon-lit orbital elevators reach into space like tentacles. A giant holographic GG sign hovers in near-Earth orbit, playing a dazzling stream of runes.

At the outermost layer of the planet, there is a huge defensive array consisting of golden lasers and floating turrets.

The turrets were designed in an antique style, like magnified Bagua mirrors.

They rotated according to some mysterious law, constructing a magnificent array in space.

[Current location: Volume 9, First Instance – Neon Heaven.]

[World-class energy level: High magic/high technology hybrid.]

[Warning: High-intensity spiritual scan detected!]

……

"Beep! Beep! Beep!"

Inside the cockpit of the Deep Blue, red lights flashed wildly.

"What kind of demon dares to trespass at the Southern Heavenly Gate!"

A powerful, cold, and distinctly electronically synthesized divine thought wave struck the spaceship's shield directly.

Followed by.

The "Bagua Mirror" defense array surrounding the planet was activated.

Countless dazzling golden lasers converged to form a giant photon sword tens of thousands of kilometers long, hovering above the Deep Blue.

[Nantianmen Air Defense System - Activated]

[Target locked: Unknown flying magical artifact.]

Threat Level: Nascent Soul Stage and above.

[Annihilation countdown: 3...2...1...]

……

"Goodness."

Jiang Li stood in front of the porthole, looking at the giant photon sword that was powerful enough to cut through a planet.

"This is a blend of cultivation and science fiction; the art style is quite unique."

"Nantianmen Air Defense System? That's a really auspicious name."

"Archbishop, it's up to you now."

Jiang Li turned to look at the mechanical archbishop beside him.

Since leaving the pixelated world, the Archbishop has regained its sleek, silver-white mechanical body. At this moment, it is in a state of extreme excitement.

Its hundreds of data tentacles had already been inserted into the spaceship's main control panel, and a frenzied waterfall of data flowed through its electronic eyes.

"Praise be to the god of all machines..."

"What a perfect firewall... what an ingenious logic lock..."

"This is... [Formation Code]!"

The archbishop's voice trembled.

"Boss, this isn't just technology! This is compiling cultivation formations into binary code!"

"This is wonderful!"

"Since it's code, then it's under my jurisdiction!"

"Soul Invasion...Activated!"

hum-

A massive, invisible stream of data, following the Deep Blue's transmitter, crashed into the so-called "South Heavenly Gate System."

This is not a clash of spiritual forces.

This is a battle of computing power.

In that virtual digital world, the archbishop is transformed into a colossal data deity, tearing apart firewalls with his bare hands and treading on logic locks with his feet.

In just three seconds.

The giant photon sword hanging overhead suddenly trembled, and then... vanished.

Followed by.

The booming electronic voice sounded again, but this time, the tone was much gentler:

"Identity verification passed."

"Welcome... to the powerful rogue cultivator from the edge of the Milky Way—[Ancestor Deep Blue]."

"Your flying boat has been registered as a legal magical artifact."

"Please proceed to Kowloon Airport, District 9 for landing."

"May you... enjoy great fortune and achieve immortality, and may your electronic abilities soar to new heights."

……

"Done."

The mechanical archbishop retracted his tentacles, a hint of disdain flashing in his electronic eyes.

"Tch, its defense level is only equivalent to the computing power of a Golden Core cultivator at the peak."

"I simply forged an electronic visa for a 'Rogue Elder,' and it believed it."

Jiang Li gave a thumbs up.

"Well done."

"Let's go down and see what this cyber cultivation world is really like."

……

Deep Blue passed through the thick atmosphere (or perhaps the industrial exhaust layer) and slowly landed in the so-called "Sector 9".

When the hatch opened, a humid air mixed with the smells of engine oil, incense, and the sour odor of some kind of synthetic food rushed out.

This is... [Lower District].

That is, a slum.

Above them was not the sky, but the towering steel foundations of the Upper City. Huge pipes and cables hung down like veins, dripping an unknown liquid.

The ground was damp and greasy, and the reflections of the neon lights were shattered in the puddles.

The surrounding buildings are densely packed like a honeycomb, with an extremely eclectic style.

There are prosthetic clinics with signs that read "Taiqing Biotechnology" and "Hehuanzong Holographic Foot Bath Center" with red lanterns hanging around the entrance.

On the street, pedestrians hurried by.

Their attire was even more bizarre.

Some people wore tattered Taoist robes, but their arms were rusty mechanical arms; others carried traditional sword cases, but the swords were actually plasma flying swords emitting blue light.

What shocked Jiang Li the most was a group of drug addicts on the roadside.

They were not using drugs.

Instead, they were like zombies, squatting in the corner, with data cables plugged into the back of their heads, connected to an electronic incense burner that emitted a faint red light.

Their eyes rolled back, their faces showed a look of fascination, and they muttered to themselves:

"Inhale... Such pure... electronic incense..."

"Ah... I see it... That's... the pleasure of the Nascent Soul stage..."

Jiang Li frowned.

"Electronic incense?"

"Using electrical currents to stimulate the cerebral cortex to simulate the exhilarating feeling of sudden enlightenment during spiritual cultivation?"

"This is simply... cyber opium."

……

"Please, be kind."

"Give me some Bitcoin."

Even a few megabytes of data would be fine.

While everyone was still observing this bizarre and wonderful world.

A deep, booming voice came from the shadows on the street.

Jiang Li turned his head to look.

His pupils contracted slightly.

That was a... [monk].

Or, to put it another way, a "prosthetic monk".

He sat cross-legged on a discarded circuit board, wearing a red robe stained with oil.

However, what was revealed beneath the robe was not a flesh-and-blood body.

Instead, it was a heavy, black iron-cast mechanical body.

His left hand was a sophisticated mechanical claw, which was now holding a string of beads made of nuts and crystals.

And his right hand...

It was a large, six-barreled, rotating... Gatling gun.

This machine gun was modified into a golden prayer wheel.

The gun barrel was engraved with dense Sanskrit mantras.

Every time he turned the barrel, it made a "click-clack" mechanical clicking sound, as if he were chanting a mantra.

The most outrageous thing is his head.

His head was completely metallized, and instead of the rings, it was inlaid with nine red signal indicator lights.

His eyes were two electronic prosthetic eyes emitting red light, which looked particularly ferocious in the darkness.

[Target: The Ascetic Mechanical Zen Master.]

[Danger Level: Peak Foundation Establishment Stage (80% Physical Modification)]

[Equipment: Six-barreled Gatling gun, depleted uranium armor-piercing relic.]

……

"master……"

Jiang Li couldn't help but twitch his lips as he looked at the monk with his extremely hardcore appearance.

"You... are you also a monk?"

"Amitabha."

The monk raised his head, and his electronic eyes flashed twice, focusing on Jiang Li.

"You are attached to appearances."

"Flesh and blood are weak and feeble, while machinery soars."

"This body of mine is merely a raft for saving the world."

He shook the Gatling gun prayer wheel in his hand.

"This isn't a gun."

"This is my... [physical ritual implement for the deceased]."

"The so-called: Namo Gatling Bodhisattva, the depleted uranium bomb with the six senses purified."

"With each breath, three thousand six hundred revolutions are made; with great compassion, one saves all beings."

"As long as the rate of fire is fast enough, there is no karmic obstacle that cannot be overcome."

Jiang Li: "..."

That makes so much sense, I'm speechless.

"Master, you just said...you want Bitcoin?"

Jiang Li looked at the monk's depleted energy bar (a display screen on his chest showed that the battery was low).

"This humble monk... is hungry."

The monk sighed, making a grinding sound like gears grinding.

"These days, begging for alms is hard."

"All those patrons have gone to inhale electronic incense; no one is topping up the money for this humble monk."

"This monk's reactor... is about to shut down."

"If you don't mind..."

Jiang Li looked around and realized this was a perfect spot to set up a stall.

Moreover, when you first arrive, it's always good to make some good connections.

Moreover, he was very interested in the physical structure (food composition) of this cyber monk.

Talking about money is so vulgar.

"Meeting is fate."

"This humble Taoist priest has just arrived in your esteemed land and doesn't have much of a good stuff to offer."

"Please have a bowl of... [Cyber ​​Stew], Master."

……

Just do it.

Jiang Li took out a portable stove from his spatial backpack.

But in this cyberpunk world, using a regular gas stove is clearly not stylish enough.

He pulled out a... [laser cutter] (which he had previously obtained from a certain technology dungeon).

There's one more... [Plasma Suspension Pot].

"As for the ingredients..."

Jiang Li thought for a moment and took out some [Abyss Monster Offal] (internal organs) that he had collected in the Abyss dungeon before and had not yet used up from his backpack.

It mainly consists of the intestines, lungs, and liver of monsters.

These things are extremely tough; they can't be cooked through with ordinary fire.

But in the cyber world...

"Ergou! Breath fire!"

"No, we don't need fire here."

"Mechanical Archbishop! Connect to power!"

"Sizzle sizzle—"

The archbishop extended a finger and inserted it into the joint at the bottom of the pot.

The high-voltage current instantly heated the bottom of the pot to several thousand degrees.

"Raise the blade!"

Jiang Li held a laser knife.

hum-

The red laser beam lit up.

He aimed at the monster intestines on the cutting board.

brush brush --

The laser cutter not only instantly sliced ​​the large intestine into perfect segments, but the high temperature also instantly sealed the cut, preserving the juices inside.

"Put it in the pot!"

The chopped offal was thrown into the boiling plasma brine.

This broth is no ordinary broth.

Jiang Li added a handful of [nano-seasoning particles] (a future seasoning redeemed by the system).

There are also a few pieces of [high-energy compressed sugar cubes].

"Glug glug—"

The broth was bubbling, emitting an aroma that was not just ordinary meat.

Rather, it's a blend of the aroma of caramel, the smell of ionized ozone, and some strange energy fluctuations... [the fragrance of data].

"Come, Master."

"Eat it while it's hot."

Jiang Li ladled out a large bowl of dark, yet neon-like braised food and handed it to the monk.

"Be careful, it's hot. There's high voltage in this soup."

……

The monk looked at the bowl of braised food.

The red light in the electronic eye flashed wildly.

"this……"

He extended his mechanical claw and picked up the bowl.

They didn't use chopsticks.

Instead, it directly opened the oral cavity... [crushing the feeding opening].

"Click-clack".

He poured the bowl, soup, and even the spoon into his mouth.

"Buzz—"

As food enters the stomach.

The energy bar on the monk's chest, which was originally a red low-battery warning, instantly turned green and full!

And it's overflowing!

"what……"

The monk let out a long sigh.

On the surface of his body, rings of golden light, composed of 0s and 1s, appeared.

"This taste..."

"This humble monk sensed it..."

"This is not ordinary sewage."

"This contains... [Buddha-nature] (high-dimensional data flow)!"

"This humble monk's firewall... I've grasped it!"

The monk suddenly stood up.

The Gatling gun prayer wheel in his hand began to spin wildly, emitting a pleasant buzzing sound.

"Thank you for the meal, benefactor!"

"My system... has been upgraded!"

You actually broke through after just one meal?

From the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, he jumped directly to... the Golden Core stage (Fusion Core stage)!

……

Just as the monk was immersed in the joy of upgrading,

A piercing roar shattered the tranquility of the street.

"Buzzing—"

At the end of the street, a dozen hovercars roared in.

These flying cars were covered in blood-red graffiti, and skulls hung on their front ends.

A group of thugs with exaggerated appearances were sitting in the car.

They were shirtless, their skin covered in glowing neon tattoos.

Everyone underwent extreme physical modifications.

Some replaced their handles with chainsaws, some replaced their eyes with searchlights, and some even replaced their lower bodies with tracks.

[Target: Members of the Flesh and Blood Ascension Cult.]

[Area of ​​influence: Local tyrant of District 9.]

"Squeak—"

The car came to an abrupt stop in front of Jiang Li's stall.

The leader was a burly man with half his face made of iron, and he was carrying a spiked club (with an electric function).

He jumped out of the car and kicked over an electronic incense burner next to him.

"Who gave you permission to set up your stall here?"

The burly man with the iron face glared fiercely at Jiang Li.

"Don't you know the rules?"

"District Nine is our 'Flesh and Blood Cult' territory!"

"I want to do business here..."

He stretched out his huge, oil-dripping mechanical hand.

"Pay protection money!"

"One thousand spirit stones (cryptocurrency) per person!"

"or……"

He glanced at Odin and Abel beside him.

A glint of greed flashed in his eyes.

"Take off your prosthetic bodies to pay off your debt!"

"I think this old man's golden armor is quite nice; it could fetch a lot of money if we took it apart."

……

"Tear me apart?"

Odin, who had been quietly eating his braised pork belly, put down his bowl.

He slowly stood up.

At this moment, he had regained his imposing two-meter-tall physique.

His golden armor gleamed under the neon lights.

But there was no trace of mechanical modification on him.

It's all pure, explosive... [muscles].

Odin looked at the burly man with the iron face, and then at his mechanical hand that was still sizzling and sparking.

A disdainful sneer appeared on his face.

"Young people these days..."

"In pursuit of power, you've turned your body into this piece of junk?"

Odin clenched his fist.

It made a crackling sound as if its bones were popping.

The sound was even louder than the other side's mechanical engine.

"Fancy and overly complicated."

"In the face of absolute muscle..."

"You parts..."

"It breaks at the slightest touch!"