The Magic Empire for 20,000 years

Chapter 51 A bunch of illogical nonsense
"If cows, horses, and lions had hands and could paint and sculpt like humans, they would each paint and sculpt their own likenesses: the horse would paint and sculpt a horse-shaped deity, and the lion would paint and sculpt a lion-shaped deity."

………………

When I wrote, "[Before the human race was born on earth, were the gods also in human form?]",
The text describes how the goddess of knowledge developed initial consciousness and personality, opened her eyes, and saw the mortals on the continent who worshipped her and chanted her name—those "mortals" with enormous bodies like mountains, wings, and scales.
The following is a passage from a poem: "Some thoughtful elf children asked curiously, 'Why is our omniscient mentor, Aion, in the form of us elves?'"

In that instant, I did feel it; for a brief moment, my soul trembled.

For a period of time, I was obsessed with science fiction, but I couldn't quite put my finger on what elements of science fiction I liked.

I can clearly sense that what I like is not cyberpunk, not quantum mechanics, not giant mechs and spaceships, and not the lightsabers in the hands of heroes exploring interstellar space.

Among the science fiction works I like, what moves my soul is something else entirely—a sudden, enlightening, tingling sensation that electrifies the spine.

In Ted Chiang's "Breath," the story is told from the perspective of a mechanical race that survives by relying on pressure differences and pneumatic lungs. The decreasing pressure difference is used as a metaphor for the infinite increase in entropy.

In Liu Cixin's novel *The Mountain*, an alien race living in a hollow underground cavern on a planet recounts their civilization's history, their superstitions, their scientific explorations, and their evolving understanding of the world—a narrative strikingly similar to the history of human science. The novel concludes by suggesting that "perhaps the entire universe itself is just a giant void," a chilling statement.

Now, I somewhat understand what that profound, enlightening feeling is like—

[By taking a detached perspective and deconstructing the things we are familiar with, we arrive at a conclusion that is "counterintuitive yet perfectly consistent with rational logical deduction." From this subtle and aesthetically pleasing contrast between reason and emotion, we gain a moment of shock and pleasure.]

For example, perhaps when aliens first arrived on Earth and discovered that primitive humans had 10 fingers, they believed that this was a "hopeless race".

Because, "such a race will only develop decimal as its main counting method in the future, and will never be able to reach the pinnacle of mathematics and develop a brilliant civilization that spans the stars like we do with base-12."

Regardless of whether this conclusion is right or wrong, this way of thinking is quite interesting!

In fact, this flavor is not limited to science fiction stories, and it does not necessarily have to be closely related to high-tech elements such as quantum mechanics, giant machines, spaceships, biological mutations, and interstellar travel.

It represents an element closer to the essence of science—a rational, deconstructive, and logic-based detached perspective.

Just like Ted Chiang's "The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate" and "The Tower of Babel," these special science fiction novels do not involve any high-end science and technology. The alchemist's gate that travels through time and space and the tower that leads to heaven are almost like magic.

But what they contain is the same way of thinking.

Including fantasy novels, which, theoretically, could provide me with the same points of excitement.

For example, in the pseudo-D&D I'm writing now, the universe has the concept of "factions," and the will of the universe will judge all beings as good or evil, or as chaotic or disordered.

Factions also truly affect the operation of many spells, the attitude of hell, the abyss, and the heavens towards visitors, and the reincarnation of mortals after death as initiators.

As a pragmatist, a technologist, and a seeker of truth, how would Elian view this natural judgment of the universe?
How should we view a fixed and unchanging universal morality and a gradually developing society? How can we study the patterns of "alignment determination" from a purely rational perspective?

How will this faction system be used to artificially control factions, and even reshape the laws of cosmic judgment for those who are reborn after death?

"When morality and ethics become universal laws, they are like the natural laws that apples fall from trees—something we need to study and can utilize." There is much room for further exploration here.

Let's revisit the book "The Magic Empire for Twenty Thousand Years".

In countless fantasy stories, authors depict an era like this—

In the beginning, dragons, elves, and other extraordinary races ruled the land, and gods roamed upon it. Humanity, newly born and a weak race without innate supernatural powers, humbly sought survival.

For example, the second era of Lord of Mysteries, the "Dark Age," is a typical example of this setting.

Even the fantasy genre, which borrows elements from the prehistoric era, also features an era before the Lich Wars and before the rise of humanity.

In typical works, this ancient era serves as a backdrop before the main story unfolds. It is a myth so ancient that it is difficult to trace back to the past.

Few authors would actually describe in detail how this ancient era was used as the setting for their main story.

However, I want to write about such an era!

The era before humankind became the masters of the earth.

I want to write about the beginning of time, about the gradual rise of humanity, and how Elion developed humanity's first city-states into a great empire that spanned all planes of the universe and conquered all gods.

Just like in the mystery, the ancient sun god led humanity to rise up and emerge from the dark age, bringing light into the darkness.

From this ancient era, I have had the opportunity to witness the changes of all things.

For example, I could write about the protagonist creating a level system from 1 to 20 from scratch, compiling a "Monster Compendium," and setting challenge levels... I could write about how extraordinary professions such as Druids, Paladins, Atheists, Bards, Warlocks, and Psionicists were born in the Empire, and how, under Elion's influence, they changed in a direction that deviated from history and was more beneficial to the Empire... I could write about the story of the Raven Queen usurping the throne of Death and ascending to godhood from mortal... I could write about the emergence of golems and elemental binding technology, turning the Empire into a high-magic kingdom like "Eberron"... (I might not be able to write all of these, these are just some ideas that popped into my head)
Write about how "the things we are familiar with in today's fantasy stories" came about and gradually became what they are today.

I have never written on this subject before, and I don't know whose books to refer to. I'm also unsure if the road ahead will be smooth.

The road ahead is shrouded in mist and strewn with thorns, making it long and arduous.

I hope you have a safe journey.

I'll walk with you until the end of time.

Finally, let me say that it's not that I don't want to update more, it's just that I write slowly and I need to save up some drafts for the book's release, 5555.

When I'm not stuck, I can write pretty well, but I get stuck from time to time. I really envy those authors who can write a lot in a day without getting stuck.

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(End of this chapter)