"Huh? What is this... the power of faith?!"
At this moment, Gu Chuan halted his research on opening the Prehistoric World. He sensed an additional sphere of multicolored light deep within his sea of consciousness.
This sphere of light was vast and boundless, containing the power of countless scattered thoughts. It bore some resemblance to the power of sentient beings, yet it was more intricate and tainted with numerous impurities.
Moreover, this sphere seemed to be interwoven with countless threads of void, stretching into the unknown, as though they extended across every corner of the chaotic void.
He quickly realized that these were threads of faith, and the colorful sphere was a condensed manifestation of the power of faith, brimming with unfathomable mystical energy.
"This is the faith of the Machine Race. Let me take a closer look."
A glimmer of light flashed through Gu Chuan's eyes as his Divine Sense permeated the multicolored sphere. Instantly, he was overwhelmed by the flood of prayers pouring from the machines, as though an explosion had erupted within his sea of consciousness.
"Oh, great Father God, please bless our reclamation mission, and may we avoid those damned demon gods."
"Great Father God, please grant me wealth. If I become rich, I shall offer you barrels of engine oil as tribute!"
"Great Father God, please bless me so that I may win the heart of the beautiful Lilith. I have admired her for a long time, and tonight, I will confess my feelings. May you grant me success!"
"Praise be to the great Father God, who granted us life, provided us sustenance, ensured our safety, and bestowed upon us happiness. All that we have is a gift from you!"
Rumble~~
In an instant, Gu Chuan sensed the thoughts of billions upon trillions of machines surging toward him like an endless sea of faith, threatening to drown his very consciousness.
He immediately understood—this was the power of belief generated by the Machine Race he had created.
Clatter~~
In the next moment, the Chaos Eight Trigrams Technique within his sea of consciousness activated, swiftly classifying and organizing the prayers of the billions of believers in an instant.
Fortunately, his Chaos Eight Trigrams Technique had already advanced to a profound level, allowing his computing power to reach the Dao Realm. Otherwise, such an overwhelming influx of data would have shattered his sea of consciousness in an instant.
But to the present Gu Chuan, such a mere amount of information was insignificant. With but a single breath, he had processed it all, leaving not even the slightest burden on his mind.
"The Machine Race has grown to such an enormous scale..."
Gu Chuan was astonished. Before his Closed-Door Training, he had expected rapid development from the Machine Race. However, its current expansion had far surpassed even his wildest imagination.
During his seclusion, Brain Zero had continuously calculated, gathered vast amounts of data, and manufactured endless machines, spreading them across the Chaos World.
No, rather than saying they had spread across the entire Chaos World, it would be more accurate to say that within the known chaotic regions, the presence of the Machine Race was deeply rooted, forming an ever-growing empire.
At this point, their numbers were no longer quantifiable by conventional means but could only be measured in megascales.
The greatest strength of the mechanical race lay in their limitless productivity. As long as materials were available, they could manufacture an endless supply of machines—an advantage beyond the reach of other races.
Biological races required time to grow, fall in love, reproduce, and nurture the next generation. But for the Machine Race, none of this was necessary.
As long as their factories could assemble the necessary components and manufacture chaos chips imbued with souls, an infinite number of machines could be produced. This was the driving force behind their explosive population growth.
Currently, the primary factor restricting the Machine Race's development was the chaos chip itself. The materials required to forge these chips remained scarce, and the process of absorbing chaotic energy and converting it into soul energy was time-consuming.
Because of this, unrestricted expansion was impossible, and there was a limit to their growth.
Nonetheless, Gu Chuan now realized the sheer magnitude of faith power residing within his sea of consciousness. It connected billions of machines, allowing him to hear the prayers of countless believers.
"This truly is the mysterious power of faith..."
Gu Chuan was filled with wonder. When he first created the Machine Race, it had been unintentional, yet he had never imagined that they would generate such an immense amount of faith power.
Moreover, this power was fundamentally different from other forms of energy—it was ethereal, emotional, and possessed infinite mystical applications.
It could enhance the world's chaotic energy, reinforce the world's barriers, increase one's Cultivation Base, and even aid in comprehending the Dao.
By receiving the faith of these sentient beings, it was equivalent to gaining the recognition of a portion of the Chaos Source, making it easier to comprehend its laws.
Furthermore, this faith energy could be transformed into various forms of energy, used to refine pills, artifacts, and other treasures.
Its value was no less than the Light of Merit.
No wonder, in later eras, countless immortals who struggled to tread the Immortal Path instead turned to the Divine Path, gathering the faith of innumerable beings. Through this method, their cultivation speed far surpassed that of conventional immortals.
As long as they possessed sufficient faith power, their Cultivation Base could advance endlessly.
Moreover, through their believers, they could extend their perception and influence into every corner of existence.
"However... the power of faith is not without its flaws. Faith is poisonous."
Gu Chuan narrowed his eyes. With his All-Seeing Eye, he immediately analyzed the nature of faith power and uncovered its intrinsic components.
Though faith power possessed boundless applications and tremendous benefits for cultivators, it was also tainted with impurities—distracting thoughts and negative emotions originating from its believers.
After all, most believers were inherently selfish. Some sought protection from disease and disaster. Others wished for longevity, wealth, power, and success.
These self-serving desires manifested as impure thoughts, corrupting the faith power.
If a deity indiscriminately absorbed this energy, without filtering it, they would be corrupted over time.
At first, it might seem harmless. However, if vast amounts of impure faith continuously flooded their consciousness, even a Demon God would eventually succumb, losing themselves to the will of countless sentient beings and falling into madness.
Of course, among believers, there existed true devotees who sought nothing in return, dedicating themselves fully to their deity. These individuals would even sacrifice their lives for their faith.
The faith of such fanatics and saints was pure and untainted, devoid of any corruption.
It was these fanatics and saints whom the gods cherished most. They were the source of divine power, the pillars that could not be lost.
However, the vast majority of believers were merely casual worshippers, incapable of reaching the realm of true saints.