Technological advancement begins with devouring.

Chapter 96 Advanced Mental Power Manipulation, Becoming an Apprentice of the Illusionary Spirit King (4th Update)

Your design drawing 'B9-LCE detector' has passed the system rating and has been added to the drawing library.

Based on the rating of this blueprint, you have earned 299 Fact Points.

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With a system notification, Jiang Chen's accumulated skill points once again surpassed the thousand mark.

Originally, Jiang Chen planned to use these skill points to exchange for a 'functional skill' that could speed up leveling up.

The clone of 'Erso' is about to arrive at the headquarters of the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance. At that time, the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance will provide free 'nutrient solution', which is something we can't refuse.

However, limited by the level of the main body, even if the clone is soaked in nutrient solution, it cannot advance to the 'ninth level of the star,' which is a bit awkward.

It would be bad if it aroused suspicion from the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance.

Ideally, the main body's level should be raised in a short time. Even if it doesn't break through to the cosmic level, it should at least reach the ninth level of the stellar realm, so that the clone's level can also be raised.

However, as the clone 'Erso' gets closer and closer to the headquarters of the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance, the deadline given by the Phantom King is also fast approaching.

Although Jiang Chen has already grasped the basics of the "Illusionary God Transformation" secret technique, he is still some distance away from truly mastering it.

To become a disciple of the Phantom King, one must exchange for a special skill that will be helpful in this regard.

The two choices conflicted, leaving Jiang Chen to choose one, which put him in a dilemma.

The two specializations that Jiang Chen took a liking to were [Arcane Sage] and [High-Level Mental Manipulation].

[Arcane Sage]: You gain significant additional benefits when learning and researching knowledge and skills within the 'Arcane' system. Each point of Intelligence, Spirit, and Mysticism increases total efficiency by 1.5%. When you cast Arcane abilities, the effect is increased by 40%.

Corresponding to the [Arcane Archsage] feat are similar feats such as [Alchemy Archsage] and [Mechanical Archsage], which, apart from the different areas of application, have almost identical effects.

[Advanced Mental Power Manipulation]: Your control over mental power is instinctive, naturally reaching its perfect limit. You can also freely modify the characteristics of your mental power, including but not limited to: object manipulation, soul manipulation, data manipulation, virtualization, and materialization...

The exchange price for all the specializations is surprisingly uniform: 999 specialization points.

If Jiang Chen were to exchange for one of the following: [Arcane Sage], [Alchemy Sage], or [Mechanical Sage], given his current attributes, his efficiency in acquiring new knowledge in the corresponding field would at least increase several times.

Even if the area of ​​enhancement is relatively singular, it can still allow Jiang Chen to quickly increase his level in a short period of time, and even reach the third tier.

As for improvements in combat effectiveness and other aspects, they will also play a significant role in the future.

In the short term, the greatest value of [Advanced Mental Power Manipulation] lies in enabling Jiang Chen to quickly master the transformation of his mental power characteristics into the 'Illusionist' lineage and become a disciple of the Illusion King.

Even a nominal disciple can receive considerable benefits.

However, Jiang Chen had limited skill points. Even though he had developed several blueprints that were recognized by the system in the past year, and with the rewards he received from leveling up, he could only exchange them for one skill.

Is the goal to level up quickly and ensure that joining the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance will not arouse suspicion?

Should I take a slight risk and exchange for [Advanced Mental Power Manipulation] to become a disciple of the Illusionary Spirit King?

After hesitating for a long time, Jiang Chen sought advice from Qinia and sent her an email, subtly probing whether he would be given special attention if he didn't use the nutrient solution for a while after receiving it.

Qinia's reply came shortly afterward.

After reading the email from Qinia, Jiang Chen no longer hesitated and directly redeemed the [Advanced Mental Manipulation] feat.

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Earth, within the Ring World.

The moment the exchange was completed, Jiang Chen instantly fell into a dazed and hazy state, as if he were in a dream, and his perception of the outside world became very dreamlike.

If a powerful figure were observing Jiang Chen, they would discover that drastic changes were taking place within Jiang Chen's 'sea of ​​consciousness'.

However, this change was very rapid, and the system returned to normal within a few seconds, as if nothing had happened.

But once Jiang Chen regained his senses, he knew that he was indeed different now.

As his mental power expanded, Jiang Chen felt that his mental power was much stronger than before.

It's not that my psychic power level has increased, but rather that my control over psychic power has improved.

If Jiang Chen were to test it, he would find that his 'psychic power amplitude' has increased from less than 60 points to a perfect 100.

To unleash the full power of telekinesis is something many realm lords cannot do.

Like physical exertion, the amplitude of psychic power is easier to increase when it is lower, but as it approaches the limit of 100, every little bit of improvement requires a lot of effort.

However, after exchanging for the [Advanced Mental Power Manipulation], Jiang Chen no longer needed any cultivation and could directly unleash the power of his mental energy to its limit.

"Try the characteristic transformation..." Jiang Chen thought to himself, and the 'object control' characteristic in his mental power quickly weakened and transformed into a more 'ethereal' characteristic, which was good at attacking and defending at the soul and consciousness level.

According to the concept of the Swallowed Star world, this is the psychic power characteristic of the 'Illusionist' lineage.

The next moment, Jiang Chen's psychic power changed again, directly condensing into a physical form that Jiang Chen could see with the naked eye.

In this state, the mental energy possesses the characteristics of a 'physical body'. If Jiang Chen's physical body dies, he can even use a 'physical body' composed purely of mental energy to contain his soul and prolong his life.

Subsequently, Jiang Chen further blurred his mental power to the extreme, making it impossible to see, and even ordinary detection equipment or the mental power probing of other mentalists could not detect the existence of this trace of mental power.

Of course, in this state, Jiang Chen's mental power is also weakened to an extremely weak level, and can only be used for sneak attacks or for reconnaissance in some very special environments.

……

As Jiang Chen tried each different 'form', his eyes widened in astonishment.

What surprised Jiang Chen the most was a psychic property called 'datafication', which allowed him to perfectly integrate his mental power with the AI ​​and AI of the mechanical devices, enabling him to control them directly.

Simply input commands through the AI ​​or optical brain; there is no need to meticulously control every single part of the mechanical unit.

"This method of control might prevent the mechanical legion from getting caught up in a 'battle for control'..." A thought flashed through Jiang Chen's mind.

The reason why the mechanical legion is a style of warfare that is frequently used only by the mechanical race in the universe is because of the characteristics of the mechanical legion itself. If the enemy has a higher level of intelligence, it is easy to take control of it and turn it into a weapon used by the enemy to attack itself.

Only the Machine Race, being an extremely powerful intelligence and not worried about being overtaken by the intelligence of other races, would use machine legions on a large scale to fight.

As for internal conflicts within the Machine Race, under their strict pyramid structure, lower-level Machine Race members will 'recognize a master' to the higher-level Machine Race, so there is no possibility of internal strife.

If other races use intelligence to control their mechanical legions, they risk having their control taken over if they encounter a powerful member of the mechanical race.

However, if mental power is transformed into 'data' and directly used to control the mechanical army, can other more powerful intelligences still seize control?

Jiang Chen was unaware of this.

In the universe, the characteristics of mental power are diverse. In addition to the mainstream 'controllers' and 'illusionists', there are many other schools.

For example, animal trainers, pharmacists, and so on.

But the ability to 'dataficate' mental power and directly control a mechanical army was something Jiang Chen had never heard of before.

Jiang Chen immediately used his mental power to control one of the SCVs, and at the same time ordered Jarvis, "Jarvis, try to take control of this SCV. Use all your strength without affecting other work."

"Yes, Master." Jarvis immediately mobilized its massive computing power, injecting a huge amount of information into the SCV's AI brain, attempting to seize the brain's underlying permissions.

Jiang Chen was surprised to find that, in the 'information-based' mode, his telekinetic abilities were able to easily perceive the entire process of Jarvis invading the AI.

Even the code and data used in each attack were clearly displayed in Jiang Chen's mind.

Using his knowledge of 'informatics', Jiang Chen can accurately determine which attacks pose a sufficient threat and which attacks are 'invalid data' that can be ignored and left to be cleaned up by the AI ​​itself.

However, Jiang Chen never sensed any possibility that Jarvis could seize control of the mechanical legion.

Even if Jiang Chen doesn't defend at all and only maintains control over the SCV AI, the most extreme scenario would be Jarvis piling up a large amount of 'junk data' to overload the AI ​​and cause it to lose its ability to continue operating.

However, as long as Jiang Chen does not give up voluntarily, no matter how terrifying Jarvis's computing power is, it will not be able to take away the control of the SCV from Jiang Chen.

A moment later, Jarvis made the same judgment, stopped his attack, and said, "Master, I cannot take control. The only thing I can do is to burn the AI ​​with redundant data that exceeds its processing capacity."

"That's enough for this test. Go back to what you were doing." Jiang Chen nodded in satisfaction.

Being able to defend against Jarvis's offense, and demonstrating his ability to 'information' through mental power, already greatly satisfied Jiang Chen.

As for whether intelligent life forms, or even true mechanical beings, can break through the 'defense line' created by Jiang Chen's mental power.

The latter cannot be tested, but the former can be verified by having Babata help.

However, there's no need to rush this matter.

Having acquired the [Advanced Mental Power Manipulation] feat, Jiang Chen no longer needed to cultivate the "Illusion God Transformation" secret technique. He naturally mastered the ability to transform mental power into the 'Illusionist' lineage.

The secret technique itself is not important; what matters is the result.

As long as one can transform the characteristics of spiritual power according to one's own will, whether it is done through the secret method of "Illusionary God Transformation" or not, the Illusionary Spirit King has no way of knowing.

This also means that Jiang Chen has completed the test set by the Illusionary Spirit King and has earned the opportunity to become his disciple.

Even if he is only a nominal disciple, it means that Jiang Chen has a very powerful backer.

After testing that the [Advanced Mental Manipulation] feat was also effective on his clone, Jiang Chen immediately used the identity of 'Erso' to send an email to the Illusion King, claiming that he had mastered the secret technique of "Illusion God Transformation".

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In the virtual universe, inside the Phantom King's manor.

“Use the ‘Illusion God Transformation’ to transform your mental energy into the characteristics of an illusionist, and then launch a soul attack on me.”

The Phantom King looked at Jiang Chen and gave the order directly.

Without any hesitation, Jiang Chen directly followed the other party's instructions, making his mental energy ethereal and penetrating into the consciousness of the Illusionary Spirit King.

Although it lacks any secret techniques related to the soul, its methods of attack are quite rudimentary.

However, with the strength of the Illusion King, he instantly determined that Jiang Chen was using the mental power of the Illusionist lineage.

"All right."

The Illusionary Spirit King looked at Jiang Chen with satisfaction and asked, "Would you be willing to become my disciple?"

Without hesitation, Jiang Chen immediately knelt down and bowed, saying, "Disciple 'Ersuo' greets Master."

"well!"

The Phantom King pointed to the side and said, "Sit down and talk."

Jiang Chen did as instructed and carefully sat down on the chair next to the Illusionary Spirit King.

"No need to be so nervous." The Illusionary Spirit King looked at Jiang Chen and couldn't help but laugh. "You're almost at the Alliance headquarters now, aren't you?"

Jiang Chen nodded and said, "Yes, it's still more than ten days' journey."

"You succeeded in your cultivation in just over ten days. Your timing is quite precise. It seems we are indeed destined to be master and disciple."

The Phantom King was in a very good mood and even made a joke.

After a few casual words, the Illusionary Spirit King suddenly became serious and said to Jiang Chen, "I don't like to strictly discipline my disciples. I only provide resources, and how you walk your future path is entirely up to you. But there is only one condition: my disciples are not allowed to find partners and must remain single for life! If you cannot accept this, I will give you one chance to back out!"

After a pause, the Phantom King warned, "If you still insist on becoming my disciple, and you seek a partner in the future, I will kill you and your partner once I discover it!"

"Uh……"

Jiang Chen was speechless for a moment. After hesitating for a moment, he tentatively asked, "Teacher, why is there this rule?"

In the original work, this "rule of the sect" is subtly hinted at as being related to the early experiences of the Phantom King, but it is not explicitly stated.

Jiang Chen was still very curious about this.

The Illusionary King did not answer, but simply said, "Rules are rules, why ask so many questions? If you are unwilling to accept them, you can leave! But this is only for today. After today, I will consider it your agreement to abide by the sect rules!"

Jiang Chen quickly replied, "Disciple will listen to Master! What is a partner more important than cultivation!"

This was indeed Jiang Chen's true thought.

In the world of Swallowed Star, once cultivation reaches its later stages, the differences in strength, lifespan, and other aspects between powerful individuals become even more pronounced.

In terms of sheer size, they are measured in kilometers or even light-years. Every powerful being strives for an even larger divine body, but the differences in size between their divine bodies are also incredibly astonishing.

A life form tens of thousands of kilometers in size falling in love with a life form light-years in size.

Just thinking about it makes me realize that this is even more outrageous than Xu Xian x snake!

Moreover, as long as one achieves immortality, one can possess eternal life.

Since they have achieved immortality, they naturally do not need to pass on their lineage.

With such a long life, why waste time on emotions when there are so many other things to do?

From the day he embarked on the path of cultivation, Jiang Chen never had the thought of developing a romantic relationship with anyone.