- Extensive corvee recruitment, continuous military conscription, large-scale construction projects, and extravagance.
It is said that when the emperor was still alive, all men over the age of sixteen in the empire were conscripted into the service, and he also built a huge palace in the imperial capital that was unprecedented and unheard of among other countries.
In addition to this time, he went even more aggressive. At the same time, he deployed more than a million troops in Junling Castle, Flying Flame Land, Ushtalaf Mountains and Kalan Mountains, forcing the Cangtian Royal Court in the east to retreat to the Star Chaser Plain.
It not only frightened the citizens, but also frightened the enemy countries. Like the black sun, it suppressed an era.
Hearing this pronoun, Hilliard was silent for a moment.
Then, he sighed: "He is not a black king, nor a tyrant."
"But that's not important."
The old knight passed this point and said calmly: "In short, the Imperial exploration team discovered that there are relics of pre-era civilizations in the South China Sea - and the original mission of Harrison Port was to serve as a forward base for the development of the relics group."
"But because ruins have been discovered in other areas, development is more convenient. However, the Nanling Province is too primitive and difficult to develop, and the local indigenous people are even more difficult to deal with. Therefore, Harrison Port, which was first built, has developed slowly... Thanks to the empire's continued development
We have not forgotten it, so we have been transporting resources to Harrison Port, and this has stabilized the situation."
At this point, Hilliard's expression was even a little bitter. If Ian's vision hadn't been awakened to spiritual power, he could see things in the dim light of the rainy night, and he might not have been able to detect it at all.
He said softly: "But then, Dark Moon was in turmoil, the late emperor passed away, and the original prince also left due to conspiracy. The remaining three princes and one princess competed for the throne, and the empire was on the verge of civil strife... It was not easy...
After it stabilized and the new emperor ascended the throne, the empire was also severely weakened. All the pioneering territories shrank, and the support resources of all frontier pioneering cities, including Harrison Port, were completely cut off."
"Until recently, the empire's support began to resume... but it was not for the purpose of developing the ruins, but because of the need to trade with Canaan Moore and Whale Song Cliff. Harrison Port can be used as a relay point to open up a new trade route."
After hearing this, Ian also had some enlightenment in his heart.
——It seems that Teacher Hilliard may have been the failed party in the Dark Moon Coup?
But this is not a particularly important thing. His attention is entirely on another keyword.
"Previous era?"
Ian repeated the word seriously and stared at the old knight: "Relics from the previous era?"
"Teacher, what is that?"
"how?"
But Hilliard was surprised: "You haven't read a history book?"
But soon, he felt relieved: "That's right, the popularization of culture only lasted for thirty years, and was abolished after the Dark Moon Rebellion."
"You missed a good era."
Stretching out his hand and patting the boy's shoulder sympathetically, Hilliard briefly explained: "This world once encountered an incredible natural disaster. Scholars generally believe that it may have been a huge meteorite that fell from the sky.
That disaster destroyed the entire previous era and completely destroyed all ancient civilizations. As a result, that era that only existed in legends perished."
"We are all the surviving descendants of our ancestors, the descendants who have re-reproduced on the land after the disaster. Between heaven and earth, we can always find some traces left over from the previous era. Among them, the larger and more complete ones are
It’s a relic.”
"Most of the ruins are very dangerous, and they are very likely to be converted into a labyrinth, an ecological circle that accumulates a large amount of psychic energy fields, and a super giant lair surrounded by many magical beasts."
Raising his head and looking out the window, Hilliard stared at the thunder in the sky outside the window: "These visions, storms, thunder and showers, are all precursors of the birth of a large maze. It is only the settling period now, and we have to wait until
It will take the next seven to eight years, or even more than ten years, to fully take shape."
"But even during the precipitation period, it will cause a large number of monsters to breed and the weather will change suddenly."
"According to my guess, the crisis that Harrison Port is about to encounter is related to the yet-to-be-formed maze - the maze's soon-to-be-formed 'core' will attract many beasts, monsters and aliens from all directions on the sea and land.
"
"This is actually not bad, because monsters have brains and care about their lives. As long as they are not crazy, they will never attack human cities."
"But if there are indigenous people who want to use the power of the gathered beasts...or even plan to use the power of the maze...then Port Harrison will indeed be in danger."
Shaking his head slightly, Hilliard's eyes looked worried.
He didn't tell the whole truth, but that was how it appeared on the outside.
——That ruin is not an object that can be used casually.
"It's time to rest."
Standing up, Hilliard said calmly: "I came back this time just to check on your situation. I will go to sea later and I will be back before dawn."
"No matter how things develop, the most important thing is to ensure that you have sufficient physical strength and practice smoothly."
Ian always obeyed Hilliard's instructions.
But this time, the boy shook his head slightly.
"Now," he said, "I might not be able to sleep well."
"Um?"
Hilliard looked at the boy suspiciously.
Naturally, he didn't think that Ian would suffer from insomnia or be unable to sleep because of fear - how could a child who could initially learn breathing techniques overnight be so fragile?
The old knight carefully studied the boy's situation, and then opened his eyes wide: "Wait... your virtual source is very active..."
He thought of a possibility and couldn't help but said in shock: "Have you figured out the structure of the source seed and can drive it normally?!"
Being able to drive virtual source seeds normally means that the sublimate apprentice has started and can start trying to condense real source seeds.
Generally speaking, a talented person can achieve it within a month, while a genius can try to condense it within a week or two.
But now, it has only been three days since Ian came into contact with the road to sublimation...
Hilliard observed solemnly, but he understood something in his heart - no wonder Ian couldn't sleep. How could the energy provided by the running source seed be consumed by a child? Even an adult man could consume it for three days and three nights.
Not sleeping is the norm!
In response to Hilliard's incredible expression, Ian nodded seriously: "Yes, I already know the structure of the source seed. Although there is not enough source material to condense the real source seed, I have corrected some of the virtual source seeds.
The structure makes it operate more efficiently..."
"Nonsense!"
This time, before Ian could finish his words, Hilliard raised his voice and scolded sternly: "Modify the structure of the Source Seed in private? It's too dangerous, how can you do this! The Source Seed is the source of life for the Ascended, so it's needed
It’s not about efficiency at all, it’s about stability and peace!”
"Although the source seed structure I selected for you is not the most efficient, it is relatively the safest and most stable structure. You can modify it at will..."
Before he even had time to finish his words, Hilliard had already strode forward. He raised his right hand and pressed it on Ian's chest with a stream of blazing heat.
Of course he can also use the highly efficient source seed structure, but for an eight-year-old child, what's the use of speed? As long as nothing goes wrong, Ian has practiced six or seven years earlier than others, which is enough for him to occupy
A huge advantage.
What's more, the source seed structure is not impossible to change in the future. Every time an ascendant climbs the ladder and advances to a higher level, he has an opportunity to optimize his source seed structure. With Ian's talent, it would be impossible to change it at that time.
Late!
"Students who are too smart have their disadvantages... At least students who are a little bit more obedient will be more careful and will not make such dangerous operations..."
Sighing in his heart, Hilliard was trying to use his spiritual power to sense the operation of the virtual source seed in Ian's body. He had made up his mind that even if there was a slight mistake, he would immediately decompose the virtual source seed in Ian's body, etc.
After a month, rest and give it to him again.
He has no other students or disciples, and the old knight will not allow his last successor to make any mistakes because of such a low-level accident.
but……
"This..." The moment he discovered the situation of Ian's virtual source species, Hilliard frowned, but his expression became extremely weird: "How is it possible..."
He was shocked to find that at this moment, the virtual source seed in Ian's body was operating perfectly, extremely fast, and after the overall structure was optimized... it even had a simple mechanical beauty!
Now it seems that the virtual heart in Ian's body is more like the virtual source seed of the virtual engine. At this moment, it is continuously using the power of heart pulsation and breathing to quickly absorb the scattered source essence in Ian's body and condense it.
It is formed into extremely high-quality source matter chips, which are piled up in its body, waiting for future shaping and explosion.
"genius……"
The old knight couldn't help but murmur to himself: "The Chosen One...is this the Chosen One? For apprentices who have not yet truly embarked on the road to ascension, this is already the highest level, flawless source seed structure."
"No, even those chosen ones who know it from birth would never be able to do this!"
"Teacher, this is good news, isn't it?"
Hearing Ian's smiling voice, Hilliard looked at his disciple's face.
The white-haired boy smiled slightly, like an elf walking out of a fairy tale book. He was even a little dazed for a moment, and he couldn't figure out whether he was hallucinating.
But soon, he realized that Hilliard stared deeply at Ian.
"Hope..." He whispered to himself in his heart: "After so many years, I finally see it."
"Humph." After a moment of silence, he grinned. The gray-haired knight's eyes changed from complicated to sharp in an instant.
Raising his head slightly, Hilliard looked at Ian. While making the other person suddenly tremble, he said in a deep voice: "I really underestimate you, my disciple."
His tone was unprecedentedly solemn, and one could even hear his firm determination: "Since you can do far more than I imagined, then I can't train you according to the way I thought in the past, or train you according to the method of training ordinary geniuses."
"You are definitely not your limit now."
"Just wait, little Ian, don't think that this is the end."
The old knight withdrew his right hand, put his hands behind his back, and said sternly: "Now, you go to bed first."
"Starting tomorrow, the process of condensation of the source species will be suspended. At the same time, the amount of training will be doubled, and cultural classes will also begin. I will tutor you, from sublimated knowledge to historical common sense, from experience to concrete practice. I will put all my knowledge into practice.
I will pass on my summary and experience to you!”
"After you have the same level of sublimation knowledge as ordinary knights, you can gather the source seeds under my supervision."
"Believe me. You can definitely do better!"
"ah?"
The smile on Ian's face suddenly solidified.
Facing Hilliard's serious and solemn expression, as well as the faint pressure, he suddenly realized that being too talented was not entirely a good thing.