Ming Dynasty, New Rome, and Infinite Divine Machine

[Calm down, you're the one who wants to take the pill.]

"I'd like to see what other people's Taiyi Jinhua looks like."

Having outlasted the two cars ahead, Shangluo raced through the first lap unimpeded. Bawangjiao was still following closely behind, never lagging behind for a moment—but they didn't try to overtake, not even once.

When Shangluo drove all the way back to the stadium and passed the maintenance station, Ba Wang Jiao finally broke away from contact.

Shangluo glanced back and saw only the Lan Fang team's maintenance station. The door opened, and out drove another car, identical to the Bawangjiao, their shadows overlapping.

"Taiyi Jinhua: Dragon Transformation Technique!"

A distant dragon roar echoed through everyone's communication channel, the might of Taiyi Jinhua. Then, the paint on the Overlord Banana began to change color. The patchwork-like paintwork transformed into crimson dragon scales, and lightning erupted where the wheels should have been. Lightning—that's what Shangluo knew about the technology behind the Overlord Banana the first time he heard about it, because the Overlord Banana was said to utilize some kind of superconducting technology. At the time, Shangluo speculated that they used superconducting energy storage or a superconducting motor to generate the vehicle's continuous burst of power.

It was later discovered that they didn't charge the vehicle because there wasn't actually a vehicle running on the track. However, the intelligence provided at the time should be correct; the name obtained through the "Sou Shen Talisman" was "Macroscopic Malone Effect High-Temperature Superconducting Experimental Vehicle."

[Wait, it seems to have changed.]

Apollonia once again projected the latest observations.

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Name: Dragon Transformation: Immortal-Slaying Sword Shadow

Jianxin: Macroscopic Malone Effect High-Temperature Superconducting Experimental Vehicle

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"Hey, hey, hey, what is the Immortal-Slaying Sword?! Isn't the Immortal-Slaying Sword Chi Jingzi's magical weapon?"

[It seems Jianying and the others are serious.]

Before he finished speaking, the second command sounded:

"The Supreme Transformation Dragon: Dragon Legs Soar!"

The lightning within the superconductor, harnessed by dragon force, slowly lifted the car's hull off the ground, levitating. Less than a foot above the ground, the car was firmly anchored, motionless. Arcs of electricity radiating from the four wheels connected with the earth, repelling the entire car from the ground.

"So you're waiting here! You can fly, right?"

[It seems... not. Look.] Apollonia flashed the screen, and the dragon image on the banana tree suddenly vanished, but the lightning remained. The entire vehicle remained suspended a foot above the ground, its wheels seemingly retracted. The armament remained the same patchwork uniform.

"This is."

The dragon shadow you just saw was seen through the Baihong Mirror. From a bystander's perspective, they simply activated superconducting levitation.

"And this superconducting levitation is actually maintained by Taoism, right?"

The entire racetrack erupted in excitement. A groundbreaking technology appeared on the track, and both competitors and spectators watched in astonishment as the car slowly rose into the air.

After all, the macroscopic Malone effect is still under investigation. They seem to have found a relatively stable solution. Oh, it starts! They're moving!

The Overlord Banana, and the dragon shadow attached to it, began to slowly accelerate. The acceleration wasn't rapid, but it was incredibly stable, and it kept moving forward. Ignoring the resistance of the ground, the entire vehicle hovered a foot above the ground and began to accelerate.

[Wait, this acceleration is slow, but there's no resistance other than wind resistance. They're getting faster and faster!]

The roar of the engine erupted from behind. It was just a moment ago, but now it has entered Shangluo's rearview mirror, and the distance is still shrinking.

They'll be passed. They don't have to overcome ground resistance, just keep accelerating. And since they're locked at that altitude by the superconducting effect, they don't have to try to push the car down. This is the second lap. There are only three laps left.

"Tsk, then I'll just have to stay the same in the face of ever-changing circumstances."

Still driving forward, the intersection of the two sides began at the city wall. Because Shangluo had to slow down and turn around, the floating Overlord Banana directly passed the guardrail, pulled up in advance, and then locked onto the wall and climbed vertically, demonstrating its super maneuverability and passing Shangluo directly.

"Good peach torpedo! Did you hit it?"

[Hit! As expected, their true forms have emerged this time, and we can lock onto them.]

"Hey kid." Shang Luo reached into his arms and pulled out his [Taiyi Jinhua: Heaven and Earth Great Harmony]. "No matter how fast you are, you're just pulling a cart. If I use Heaven and Earth Great Harmony to freeze you in place, how will you respond?"

My new book, The Killing Code, has been released, and I'm trying something quite new—a ghost story of the original. The two books share similar themes, but with different worldviews and stories. I'm writing two versions of the same material, giving me two different flavors to choose from.

Chapter 514 Dream Dragon

Overlord Banana hovered not far from the ground, with the Heavenly Dao Shadow Puppet closely following behind. Both parties seemed to maintain a peaceful pace, but the competitive element had almost disappeared.

The two sides were completely engaged in a battle of wits. The Overlord Jiao's speed was ridiculously fast, as the entire car was operating using a miracle. If it weren't for the miracle, the superconducting effect of the car body would never have been triggered.

Shangluo only needed to stick to the back. As long as he could stick to the back, he could lock onto it. As long as he could stick to it, the opponent would be pulled and slowed down.

Why did you take your hands off the steering wheel?

"Because I found that the lock is so stable. How can I describe it with just one word - stable?" He took his hands off the keyboard and took the time to glance at his phone.

However, Lin Chengyang on the opposite side did not seem to have his hands on the steering wheel - or rather, he only held it with one hand.

Once suspended, the situation should have become even more complicated. However, using superconducting levitation, he remained directly locked to the ground, effectively riding on an infinitely extended, perfectly horizontal foam pad. The vibrations from the ground were not transmitted to him at all, and the effects of his own actions were further filtered out.

"Shang Tianjun, you are so comfortable."

"Thank you. Why, do you want to talk?"

"I'd like to ask what you think of the Ascension Plan."

"Why do you have time to ask this?"

"Because... the court seems to be advancing the Ascension Plan according to your wishes. You secured the Pure Land, and the court followed suit without further ado, deciding to plunge everyone's fate into an illusory virtual world. Why is this?"

"Hmm," Shangluo was silent for a while, "I really don't know."

"So they believe it?"

"Yes, that's it."

"Are there any specific details?"

"Yes." Shangluo replied, "Because Daozu supports me."

"..." Lin Chengyang was silent for a long time. "I think this will definitely be the final word."

"Hasn't anyone told you this before?"

"Not really. The connection between Nanyang and the imperial court isn't as close as it seems. For example, we don't actually join any sect in Kinei. There are also many immortals in the South Sea. You may not know what the fundamental purpose of Lan Fang's establishment in Nanyang is."

"Isn't it for the purpose of developing resources in the South Seas?"

"It's to find the immortal."

"It's actually to find immortals???"

"Yes, that's the ancient and classic answer: it was all about seeking immortals. Later, the rich resources of Southeast Asia were discovered, which laid the foundation for the prosperity of Lan Fang. But from the beginning, the imperial court promoted the reclamation of Southeast Asia precisely for the purpose of seeking immortals."

"Will the immortal stay in the miasma?"

"Nanyang isn't just about miasma. The 'miasma' our ancestors saw was a generalized description of uncultivated land—of course, my hometown of Pontianak is truly a barren land. There are foehn winds there, and several times a year, we suddenly fall into a furnace."

"There are no immortals in Pontianak. What are you doing living there?"

"Because there are gold mines in Pontianak, well, that's another matter. Seeking elixirs and medicines also costs money."

"That's right. Eh?" Shang Luo suddenly realized something that puzzled him the most: "Why did your temper suddenly become better? Is this you?"

"it's me."

"That's unlike you. When we first met, you almost blocked me at the door, and just now on the phone, you thought I'd ruined the game and were about to punish me. Why are you asking me questions now?"

"Well, that's a trade secret."

[Oh, by the way, I overheard the conversation between Guoxing and your senior brother earlier. They didn't have a secure channel; they were just chatting. Guoxing and your senior brother also said the same thing. This is a business secret.]

"???" Shang Luo asked Lin Chengyang directly, "Since this is a trade secret, how about doing me a favor? Tell me what's going on?"

"Deal." Lin Chengyang replied, "Because I'm dreaming."

"Are you driving in a dream?"

"No, I'm not in the car. Before, the car's shadow came out, but the car itself didn't. And now, the car is out, but I'm still sitting in the garage."

"Is this what you dreamt about?"

"That's not the case," Lin Chengyang replied. "A dream centered around me can't produce continuous consciousness, because dreams themselves have no time. So, I chose you as the dream master. Haven't you noticed that my current speaking style is very similar to yours? Because people can't imagine things they don't know. You're used to your own speaking style, so you subconsciously assume that I'll talk to you the same way. So, I speak that way. Tsk, objectively speaking, the way you speak is quite interesting, with a lot of modal particles. You really have a leisurely life."

"Hey, hey, hey, you're actually peeking into my mind, aren't you?"

"Not really. It's just a mirror, a mirror hidden behind the smoke. So I advise you not to let your imagination run wild, or else what's coming next might come true. After all, you're the one dreaming. And I can see for myself that your ambition is stirring. Something very interesting might happen next."

"Good fellow! Am I talking to you, or am I talking to myself?"

"Follow me. Because although I can't control what I want to say, I don't have to say it if I don't want to. So remember, you just said you owed me a favor, don't forget it. I will make you pay it back in the future."

"Is this what you learned in Nanyang?!"

"Correct answer. As expected of Lord Shang Tian."

"Don't praise me. If you praise me in this situation, I will just feel like I'm being narcissistic."

"Your hair is pretty cool, too. White hair and red eyes, you're truly divine."

"Ahhh! Are you performing a mental attack?" Shangluo turned the steering wheel awkwardly and almost lost the lock.

[Calm down! He's already told you not to overthink things. He's just looking in the mirror.]

"I can't tell if he's dreaming or I am. This is truly an interesting ability. So I'll take this opportunity to ask, what do you think I need to know most?"

"Oh~~ Wise choice, taking this opportunity to ask for divination, right? To examine your true heart. Then think carefully, what of life's three questions do you still have unanswered? You already know where you're going. Where you came from, no one knows it better than you. So the most crucial question is—who are you?"

"who am I?"

"That's right. Who are you? Because who you are isn't entirely determined by you, but also by your appearance in the mirror. You want to know who you really are in front of the court, in front of the Daoist Patriarch, and in front of everyone else."

"Then who am I?" Shangluo asked.

Chapter 515 Transcendence

"You don't know mine, so I can't tell you. The dream master now is you, not me. I'm just a bystander. But, Shang Tianjun, um...ah..." He suddenly stopped, "Do you think the following part is a secret? I can't read what you think can't be said."

"Very good." Shangluo replied, "You'd better not ask about things you shouldn't know."

The part that can't be read is that he and Daozu have an agreement to give him a gift after the game. Daozu's words to him are of course secret, so they won't be seen in the "mirror".

[By the way, why don't you ask him about the 2 sets of equipment that Guoxing promised to give your senior brother.]

Shangluo restated the question.

"Ah. You asked that," Lin Chengyang replied. "That's what we're doing now. The Dream Master isn't a specific person, but something more reliable. Using 20000 sets of equipment, His Majesty the Holy Emperor intends to deploy soldiers on a virtual battlefield, allowing them to demonstrate their training results without restriction. As for the specific effects...would you like to try it? Has your hand already touched that golden elixir?"

At the edge of Xuanwu Lake, the two cars had driven to an area where no one could observe them.

"Guess what it is? Sometimes it's quite interesting to talk to yourself. Can you do it a few more times when you have time?"

"I'm not your psychiatrist! If you want to play again, come to Pontianak. There are more people playing. Wait, you want it!"

As Shangluo began to launch [Heaven and Earth United], his intentions could no longer be concealed—

"Taiyi Jinhua - The Harmony of Heaven and Earth!"

In an instant, everything fell silent. Shangluo thought everything was normal, but everything around him had come to a standstill. The Overlord Banana had come to a complete stop, and Shangluo had circled around it—unlike last time, this time he carefully observed his surroundings. Interestingly, everything seemed to be operating smoothly. In the corner of his eye, Xuanwu Lake shimmered, and the midday traffic beneath Xuanwu Gate thronged. But when he looked directly at it for confirmation, everything stopped again.

It was as if everything around him was trying to please him, trying its best to maintain normalcy, to preserve the robustness of the world's order. Only when he looked closely did he see the effects of the stagnation of time.

"Oh~~ So that's why we didn't react last time after driving around for a whole time. Is this what it feels like to be in the Golden Core stage? I always feel like the whole world was created just for you. Maybe if you come here a few more times, you'll reach the Golden Core stage!"

"I feel like it's not that simple. But it does seem pretty good."

At least during this time he can do his own thing, and.

"Huh?" Just as he was wondering if someone would follow him, a sound of thunder rang out from behind him.

"You guessed right! If you think I'm behind you, I can really follow you!" Lin Chengyang, with horns on his head and a tail behind him, was wrapped in lightning and flew towards him in his flesh. The distance was getting closer and closer, only 100 meters, 80 meters, 50 meters, 40 meters.

With a "pop", Shangluo pushed open the hatch, stepped on the car body with one foot, and pulled out a 40-meter-long lightsaber with the other hand.

The two remained relatively still, and the beam of light stopped in front of Lin Chengyang.

"Let's try it out. You want to play some violent racing?"

"No, no, no, just kidding. I can't beat you."