Data-Driven Cultivation: I Defy Heaven and Overthrow Interstellar Domestication

The forest behind the Qingyun Sect was so damp it was practically dripping wet. The stench of decaying leaves and rotten grass mixed with wild animal droppings clung stubbornly to every inch of air. The fog never dissipated, filtering out the already sparse sunlight and making it even more dim. Only the occasional low growls echoing from the depths of the forest served as a warning to any intruders of the danger lurking there.

This is the training ground for outer disciples, and also the most realistic life-or-death arena in the cultivation world. On ordinary days, groups of three or five disciples only linger on the edge, relying on hunting low-level demonic beasts to exchange for meager cultivation resources. But further in lies a forbidden zone that even inner disciples are unwilling to set foot in—that spirit stone mine that has been abandoned for decades.

Decades ago, this place was a treasure trove for the sect, but now it's just a black hole that devours lives. The rumors about the beast horde that surged out of the depths of the mine that night, causing heavy casualties among the miners, are still a nightmare that haunts many veteran disciples. The sect's several attempts to eradicate the beasts failed, and they finally had to establish a strict rule: those who enter the cave must form teams of three, or face death for any violation.

But today, this ironclad rule has been broken by one person.

Xie Yanchen walked alone on the slippery mountain path, his pace unhurried, his expression as calm as if he were strolling in his own backyard. The small demon beasts lurking along the way sensed the faint but palpable pressure and dared only tremble in their burrows, not even daring to peek out.

Several outer disciples who were resting on the outskirts were the first to see this scene.

"That's... Senior Brother Xie?" A young man rubbed his eyes, his voice trembling slightly.

"He's heading towards the mine? That's suicide!" Someone nearby gasped.

"Going to your death? What do you know! That was a mission personally assigned by the sect leader—to venture into the mine alone!" Another person lowered their voice, their tone complex. "Have you forgotten the recent competition? Of the top ten outer sect elites, along with several inner sect senior brothers, who could withstand three moves from him?"

Everyone fell silent. Yes, for others, going would be suicide, but if it were Xie Yanchen… perhaps there was a real chance of success. Even so, watching that lone figure disappear into the dim forest, a sense of indescribable shock and awe welled up in their hearts.

Xie Yanchen naturally had no time to pay attention to the discussions behind him. In his field of vision, the semi-transparent terminal screen was silently turning.

The entire mountain forest held no secrets in his eyes. The undulating terrain, the heartbeats of the monsters, and even the hidden nests beneath the rock crevices were all transformed into precise data lines.

"Scan complete: outer area."

"Target locked: Black-striped Wolf (3), Venomous Scale Snake (7), Armored Rat (several)..."

"Combat strength assessment: Qi Refining Level 1 to 3. Threat level: Low."

The data flashed before his eyes, but Xie Yanchen remained calm. Ordinary disciples here must be constantly on edge, relying on their faint spiritual senses to detect danger; the slightest mistake could lead to annihilation. But he was merely walking on a path already marked with traps.

He stepped straight into the core area.

Almost at the same instant, a piercing wolf howl ripped through the silence!

Three dark figures shot out like arrows from different directions. The black-striped wolves, at the third level of Qi Refining, had glossy fur and protruding fangs, blocking all escape routes. This coordinated attack was enough to kill a completely unsuspecting fifth-level Qi Refining cultivator.

However, Xie Yanchen's steps never stopped.

In his vision, three scarlet lines had already predicted the wolf pack's attack path. He merely turned slightly to the side, his right palm striking out with a seemingly slow but actually swift motion, precisely landing on the soft flesh behind the ear of the lead black-striped wolf; at the same time, his left elbow sank down, using the momentum of his spin to strike the jaw of the wolf that was attacking from the side; a final cold light came from behind, but without turning his head, he struck back with a palm strike, his spiritual energy penetrating to the bone.

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"

The three muffled thuds almost overlapped into one sound. The black-striped wolf, which had been so ferocious just moments before, now lay limp on the ground like a puppet with its strings cut, its twitching seeming superfluous.

Xie Yanchen casually flicked his wrist and continued walking.

The venomous snake hanging from the tree had just opened its venom glands when a glimmer of spiritual light pierced its skull; the armored rat that was trying to ambush from the rock crevice had just poked its nose out when it was knocked unconscious by the spiritual power that blasted it into the ground.

He didn't use any fancy spells; each strike was concise and aimed directly at the vital points. Half an hour later, there was no more life breathing outside the mine.

  

On the treetops in the distance, several disciples who had been watching from afar were already dumbfounded. Normally, they were still in danger even when they were extremely cautious, but this Senior Brother Xie was acting as if he were in an empty place.

"This...this isn't training, it's slaughter..." someone muttered to themselves, their face pale.

Xie Yanchen ignored these exclamations. He walked past the outer perimeter piled with the corpses of demonic beasts and turned his gaze to the entrance of the mine, which looked like a giant maw.

A chilling aura, far colder than the outside world, billowed from the cave, carrying with it a heavy stench of blood and rotting flesh, making one's throat taste sweet. The cave entrance was pitch black; any light that entered was completely swallowed up, with only faint rustling sounds coming from the depths hinting at the terror lurking within.

He paused, not out of fear, but because the sense of unease emanating from the darkness was becoming increasingly clear.

"Deep scan initiated."

The brightness of the terminal's light screen suddenly increased, and the invisible scanning waves penetrated the thick rock layers. Soon, new data filled the field of view.

Inside the mine, a maze of branching passages stretched out before them. The red dots representing the monsters were densely packed, far exceeding the number on the outer perimeter, surpassing a hundred. But deep within this chaotic array of biological signals, a strikingly distinct piece of structural information was revealed.

That was a passageway.

In stark contrast to the rough marks left by the splitting of mountains and rocks in the cultivation world, the cut surface of this passage is as smooth as a mirror, with vertical walls and sharp angles, exuding an almost cold, mechanical rationality. Neither sect craftsmen nor ancient cultivators could possibly possess such skill.

Data comparison in progress...

Target characteristics: Non-local technology.

Judgment: Relics of an extraterritorial civilization.

Accuracy: 98%

Xie Yanchen's gaze narrowed almost imperceptibly.

The beast tide decades ago, the miners' screams, the sect's secretive abandonment... all the mysteries seem to point to the existence of this alien creature deep underground.

Without further hesitation, he stepped into the darkness.

The crunching sound of the gravel beneath his feet echoed through the deathly silent mine tunnel. Darkness was no obstacle to him; the 3D map projected from his terminal illuminated the path ahead with crystal clarity. But this time, his mind was no longer as calm and undisturbed as before.

What secrets does this darkness, which has devoured countless lives, hold?

His figure was gradually swallowed by the thick darkness, sinking deeper and deeper into the earth.