No matter how much Ian dislikes the Sunbird’s actions, the guests who are to be welcod must still be welcod.
"Prince Carlos, your arrival truly makes my humble abode shine!"
Ten seconds later, Ian had just reached the entrance of his castle when he saw a beam of light shooting straight from the defenses of the Imperial Capital, landing right at the gate, and the sowhat lancholic face of Crown Prince Carlos appeared before him.
"To be honest, neither of us really wants to be here."
Carlos sighed, patting Ian on the shoulder: "You surely know why I’m here, let’s go inside and talk."
Carlos’s purpose was indeed clear; he was acting as the emissary of the Imperial Capital, demanding the Silverpeak Domain provide the relevant technology and data regarding the Artificial Soul.
"Father already knew that my little brother gave you the data from the Avak Laboratory, and you would certainly make those technologies practical."
Carlos stated succinctly: "The Empire has tacitly allowed you to use these technologies, ensuring smooth passage, and I have facilitated your actions... Now, the Empire needs your technology and power, it’s ti for you to contribute."
"Alright!"
But contrary to Carlos’s expectations, Ian agreed so readily, extrely readily: "I will let Gu Ying explain to you later, he understands the details better than I do."
"...Too readily, have you longed to popularize this thing?"
Carlos looked at Ian suspiciously, hinting: "Having souls is not entirely a good thing. Ian, although the Domain of Void can be influenced without souls, with souls, the influence is even greater."
"Once a situation akin to full-scale war arises, if souls are not widely spread, the disturbances in the Domain of Void aren’t significant, but if souls are widespread..."
Carlos paused here, and Ian understood his aning, nodding slightly: "This is also why for hundreds of years, no one considered this technology."
"Humans, as a species, spend 90% of their ti in gloom and worry, even when there is occasional joy, it is fleeting, and they want more of what they get, this greed curtails humans from maintaining lasting happiness."
"Thus, there are always curses and resentnts in the Domain of Void, no eternally unchanging beautiful holy land, because it takes only a generation or two for people to beco accustod to even the most perfect world, take it for granted, even beco bored, and want to change it."
Raising his head, Ian’s gaze was profound as if he could see through everything, piercing the Domain of Void: "If all ordinary people had souls and thought this way, the Domain of Void would swiftly devolve into a terrifying realm of desire, where myriad greed demons and lust demons would spawn rapidly, and after people die, their souls scatter, becoming sustenance for the impulse, making it grow faster, transforming into the most frightful Abyss of Craving."
Lowering his head, Ian looked at Carlos, who raised his eyebrows, and the prophet smiled: "The developnt of technology and civilization is mutually reinforcing—if it were in a civilization from the Precursors Era, such a stable and orderly one where everyone is self-actualizing, desires in their hearts can be controlled, and evil thoughts suppressed at the lowest level, it would be possible to realize everyone having a soul."
"Because in such a world, positive feedback would continuously accumulate, eventually creating a Heavenly Kingdom in the Domain of Void, which would accommodate all souls, making both the Domain of Void and reality more beautiful."
Ian sighed: "It’s just a pity that the civilization of the Precursors Era is already gone, and the current Terra, full of war and slaughter, is the reality."
"Indeed. Do you not understand this?"
Carlos questioned with so confusion: "I have been researching souls and faith; there is no one more knowledgeable in this area—today’s Empire is not only materially deficient among the commoners, but their spiritual world is also lacking."
"The Carlin’s Flower of those years spread rapidly to the entire Yanjiang Territory and transford into a weather disaster because the spiritual world of the Yanjiang People was a blank at that ti, and any foreign entity could quickly occupy their minds."
"Therefore, I want to create faith, using dreams as a source to fill the hearts of Imperial People. This way, the curses and grievances in the Empire can be greatly reduced, paving the way for further developnt."
It was the first ti Carlos so openly declared his path, and Ian speculated it was because he realized that so things need not be hidden, as the people above had long known the outco.
Even Ian could see what the other party wanted to do, so how could the Guardian not know? He must have given his son a cautionary tap.
As for Carlos’s idea, it was not entirely wrong.
Religious faith is indeed the opium of the masses, and in Terra where faith truly has power, where Sublimators can indeed be like deities, if dreams, beliefs, and even faith are firm enough, one can really awaken spiritual power; religious faith is indeed a viable choice.
Carlos’s actions were, in fact, akin to what Ian wanted to do on the Spirit Disaster Path, he wanted to establish a sect, make himself a god, or if possible, a Divine Emperor.
Then, guide the direction of the populace, reduce internal friction, and rally the entire nation to work single-mindedly towards the direction he desires.
Ian suspected that the Guardian allowed Carlos’s actions because there was a part of Carlos’s plan that he could utilize in his own plan.
User Comments
0 comments from readers