Ming Dynasty and New Rome and Infinite Magic Machine

Chapter 1665 Critical Point

After the landing site was secured, the first rapid response team took their positions.

The rapid reaction force deployed much faster than before because they had all been equipped with torch-wielding storm rifles. Like the squads seen in Shangluo before, they replaced all their old equipment with handheld 20mm integrated projectile systems.

Infantry can use high-explosive shells, tanks can use armor-piercing shells, obstacle breaching can be done with shotgun shells, and anti-aircraft can be done with proximity fuses. In its over-caliber configuration, it can also be used as a grenade launcher.

20mm is an excellent caliber. It can accommodate a wide variety of ammunition types, is effective in various situations, and is sufficient because all remaining hypothetical enemies on Earth are within the range of this projectile system.

This "sufficient" is actually quite subtle, because it falls precisely on the line between "insufficient" and "completely sufficient." If it's smaller than this size, the warhead can hold less explosives. If it's larger, it will be difficult for the largest number of cultivators, those on the verge of breaking through to the Qi Refining stage, to control.

The advantage of this size is that it's now usable by everyone within the Imperial Guard. This is because, with the rise in the overall spiritual energy level of the world, a large number of personnel from the already elite Imperial Guard have entered this boundary.

A simple increase in spiritual energy isn't enough to make everyone a cultivator, but it can greatly enhance one's physical abilities. At this level, everyone will understand that the cultivation stage is a tangible and visible realm; they only need to put in a little more effort to break through. However, they are still a step away from becoming true cultivators.

When Shangluo first met Lu Liang, she was at this stage—but at that time, her main problem was insufficient spiritual energy, rather than a lack of the qualities a cultivator should possess.

As for what "the true qualities a cultivator should possess" are, this is a rather complex question, even more complex than the question of the Foundation Establishment stage. After all, the Foundation Establishment stage is merely about finding one's own extraordinary uniqueness and entering a beautiful state of being one with the divine. The conditions for breaking through to the Qi Refining stage, however, remain unknown, because truly everyone is different.

For example, why Lu Liang was inexplicably unable to break through, and why Han Xingzhi was able to break through inexplicably, are things that Shang Luo still doesn't understand.

Zhang Sanfeng once said: "Following the natural order is mortal, going against it is immortal, it's just a matter of reversing it in the middle." Cultivating immortality is a way against the heavens, but no one can clearly explain what the heavens themselves are, let alone how to reverse them—but overall, not being "reversed" enough is indeed a big problem.

Lu Liang wasn't crazy at all; she was too normal. On the contrary, Wen Yuan and Han Xingzhi were quite "crazy" in some ways. Perhaps it was precisely because they could never let go of their mortal desires that they could never transcend the realm of ordinary people and enter the realm of "madness" among cultivators.

From this perspective, most people in the world would find it difficult to truly "rise above the rest." Therefore, even if one's spiritual energy level increases significantly, without external interference, only a minority can become Qi cultivators. Most people will only gradually become stronger under the influence of spiritual energy, rather than becoming more like immortals.

The current state of being a "strongman" is the best possible state to achieve before true ascension. Many in the Imperial Guard can reach this state because they regularly consume various spiritual medicines, such as the Immortal Root Radish. Therefore, when spiritual energy rises, they are the first to receive its blessings. However, although they haven't yet attained enlightenment, it doesn't prevent them from wielding the Torchshot Gun. The essential requirement for using the Torchshot Gun is mastering the basic use of spiritual energy—using spiritual energy out of thin air is extremely difficult, even for true cultivators. But if the spiritual energy is refined into Torch Essence, the remaining work is similar to unscrewing a bottle cap. After all, the truly troublesome process lies in refining the Torch Essence; once refined, it becomes a tangible object, not requiring profound understanding of the mysteries of immortality to use.

The rest is just overcoming the recoil. It's not necessary to be an immortal to overcome recoil; all you need is to be strong enough.

The mighty have descended upon the outskirts of Alexandria. Before their torch-wielding muskets, all beings are equal—at least in the present state.

After all, even with the enhancement of pyroxen, the power of a 20mm bullet has its limits. Its current strength lies in its ability to provide a single soldier with heavy firepower. As Shangluo had previously explained to Victoria at the firing range, its firepower density far surpasses that of any old combat unit, capable of unleashing a series of heavy attacks from unexpected locations that would normally require a weapons team. This allows a single soldier to complete the cycle of observation, adjustment, decision-making, and elimination.

If the enemy were stronger, then this firepower density might not be enough.

This "strength" is quite subtle. A single tank isn't strong enough; what's truly powerful is the ability to present them with comparable firepower, armor, and speed. Because if it's simply heavy armor mounted on tracks, even with a meter of armor thickness, it can't be fully armored everywhere—that's basic physics.

In other words, this is actually a contest of "density." Just like when two people fight, the outcome is often determined by the parts that can directly contact each other. That's why a fist is more lethal than a slap, and there are various weapons on a fist. Although both are physical, strength can also be exerted through weapons and the like.

Even if one uses divine weapons, it ultimately boils down to relying on the strength of muscles.

Qi cultivators, however, are different. The power born from sulfur and elixirs shapes both the path to immortality and chemistry. Just as gunpowder can exert power through explosive reactions, it achieves an unprecedented concentration of energy density. This concentration is not due to human effort, but rather to the creative power beyond human control.

The same applies today. The "energy level" that humanity can reach at different levels of civilization is limited. The existence of Qi cultivators creates a suppression in terms of energy level compared to ordinary people; such a person, carrying a 20mm machine gun and walking around, is an absolute superhuman in the eyes of ordinary people. And what Rome lacked most was the ability to concentrate "energy" in the mortal realm. Even the commander of the Imperial Guard could be killed by a large truck.

While suppressing the Romans in areas where they were not adept might seem overly cruel, it was crucial when the Romans themselves couldn't solve the problem.

(End of this chapter)