"I didn't expect to refine such a treasure just after leaving seclusion."
Gu Chuan smiled slightly.
With a wave of his hand, he put away the Primordial Ancient Serpent Talisman, hiding it deep within his sea of consciousness. The talisman continued to absorb the power of faith from the depths of the chaotic void, constantly tempering and strengthening itself.
To be honest, Gu Chuan had no need for the power of faith to cultivate. The light of merit surrounding his body was already more than enough for him to absorb and refine. However, the power of faith had other mystical uses, such as comprehending the Dao and refining treasures.
"If the Machine Race can generate such an immense amount of faith power, it seems their development during my seclusion has been remarkable."
His consciousness stirred as he immediately contacted the central intelligence of the Machine Race—Zero—seeking an update on recent events.
"Father God, you have emerged from seclusion?!"
Upon sensing Gu Chuan's thoughts, Zero was ecstatic, transmitting waves of joyous emotion.
"Yes, it's time. Tell me what has transpired during my absence."
"It's like this…"
Zero wasted no time and directly transmitted the collected data to Gu Chuan.
The sheer volume of information was staggering, rushing in like an endless sea. Any ordinary Demon God would have been instantly overwhelmed, their mind crushed under the torrent of data. Many would likely be reduced to mindless fools under such an assault.
But Gu Chuan was no ordinary Demon God. Having comprehended 108 Daos and elevated the Chaos Eight Trigrams Technique to the Dao-level, he effortlessly assimilated the data.
In an instant, he absorbed everything Zero had compiled over countless years.
"Hmm?"
Gu Chuan's eyes gleamed with a flicker of surprise. The development of the Machine Race had far exceeded his expectations.
First and foremost, their population had surpassed billions of trillions. If not for the constraints imposed by the Chaos Chip, their numbers might have multiplied a hundredfold.
Furthermore, the Machine Race had diversified into various specialized categories.
There were life-assistance robots, including waste disposal units, cleaning drones, resource recycling machines, service bots, and childcare automatons.
Traffic management systems, maintenance robots, medical assistants, reconnaissance drones, and intelligence-gathering units were also fully operational.
Gu Chuan spread his divine sense, instantly covering all of Chaos City. He saw how seamlessly the Machine Race had integrated into daily life. Countless robots filled the city, assisting Demon Gods in various capacities. Even the architecture reflected the aesthetic of a futuristic mechanical civilization.
In addition to the life-assistance and support robots, there were research-oriented automatons—scientists of the Machine Race. These units specialized in fields such as biogenetics, medicine, weapon engineering, and theoretical physics.
What intrigued Gu Chuan most was that the Machine Race had successfully developed space-jumping technology. Each jump covered 100,000 light-years, and by executing thousands of jumps, they could reach unimaginably distant locations within the Chaos World.
They had also perfected space storage technology, creating countless interspatial rings and storage vaults, reaching a level akin to the mythical "mustard seed concealing a universe."
Their advancements in biotechnology were equally astounding. Genetic enhancement serums could dramatically strengthen individual lifeforms, while restorative energy fluids could instantly heal even soul-level injuries.
These research achievements alone demonstrated the Machine Race's rapid and astonishing technological progress.
But above all, what mattered most to Gu Chuan was combat strength. In the brutal environment of the Chaos World, power was the only true safeguard.
"Interesting," he murmured, rubbing his chin.
Zero's data revealed that the Machine Race had constructed countless warships, each equipped with energy cannons, inscribed with dense Chaos Runes, and layered with restriction formations. The firepower of a single fleet, numbering in the millions, could rival a Demon God who had comprehended a Dao.
However, they were still no match for Dao-level Demon Gods, as the gap between Dao and non-Dao beings was insurmountable.
Beyond warships, they had also developed liquid combat robots, whose strongest units could rival Quasi-Saints, while even the weakest were as powerful as Human Immortals. These robots could seamlessly merge with warships, amplifying their combat capabilities to an extraordinary degree.
At this moment, the Machine Race had evolved into a fully realized civilization—one of brilliance and power. Their bases extended throughout Chaos City and beyond, spreading to every habitable corner of the Chaos World. Wherever there was land, the Machine Race had a presence.
"Father God, in addition to technological advancements, we have also compiled extensive records on the Chaos Demon Gods, creating a comprehensive Chaos Demon God Archive," Zero reported.
"Well done."
Gu Chuan nodded approvingly. He had long desired to document the countless Demon Gods emerging from Chaos, but the sheer magnitude of the task had always made it impossible. His focus had always been on comprehending the Dao—he simply lacked the time.
Unexpectedly, the Machine Race had taken the initiative to complete this endeavor.
This was only natural. With surveillance drones spread throughout Chaos, the Machine Race had spent hundreds of epochs collecting and analyzing data on countless Demon Gods, constructing a near-complete archive.
Of course, some Dao-level Demon Gods remained enigmatic, their full details elusive. But the vast majority of Chaos Demon Gods had already been meticulously recorded in this grand database.
"It seems that the Chaos World is gradually splitting into two dominant paths: the technological path and the cultivation path. I wonder... which will ultimately prove to be the stronger?"
A spark of interest ignited in Gu Chuan's mind.