Chapter 868 — Setting Out Anew
Blade of Dawn · Page 1 of 4
The boundless green fields rose and fell in gentle swells across the plain, and a breeze tinged with the clean scent of soil and grass drifted over him at a strength that soothed the mind and lifted the heart. Norris stood amid this world that was still far from "complete," feeling the ease and comfort radiating from every part of his body—sensations he had not known for decades—and could not help drawing a deep, rapturous breath.
"This really is a fine place, Your Majesty," he said, turning his head and smiling at Gaoyang. "I only hope that in the future, the young people who enter the network purely for entertainment won't lose themselves in it too deeply."
Gaoyang gave a soft laugh. "We'll establish corresponding regulations and safeguards—after all, entertainment is one link in the chain of human civilization, but any entertainment can make people lose themselves in it."
"Everything you do is always thoroughly prepared," Norris said with feeling. "The Undying... now that is truly a bold idea..."
"Since ancient times, transcendents have always had all manner of ways to prolong life, even to attain something close to immortality—from necromantic arts to elemental ascension, and even 'resurrection' through chance and circumstance, as in my case... A long lifespan has become another privilege of transcendents besides power, and that privilege is tied solely to 'power,'" Gaoxi said slowly, shaking his head. "So long as one grasps sufficiently powerful transcendent strength, there is a chance to transform into a long-lived being. And if one then abandons humanity and chooses a path that stops at nothing, the success rate for gaining a long lifespan rises even higher—the dark sects are full of 'ancients' who have lived several centuries. The forbidden life-exchange art Beiyila showed you is only one of the traditional transcendent methods of prolonging life, and it isn't even the most abhorrent...
"If these 'traditional methods' did not all have such low success rates, and if many of them did not carry aftereffects of memory corruption and loss of personality, there would no doubt be far more transcendents resorting to desperate measures than just those in the dark sects.
"Beyond that, there are many races that were long-lived or even nearly immortal to begin with. Their long lives require no price at all, and the reason these powerful ancient races have not yet annihilated humanity and taken the whole world for themselves is simply that this world is still... roomy enough.
"From ancient times to the present, death has never fallen fairly upon every mortal head—this is an iron law of this world, and it is also the greatest injustice when humans compete with other races, and even when humans compete among themselves. The Undying project can be counted as an attempt to strengthen humanity's capacity for development, and in the distant future... perhaps it will also be the契机 for a transformation of the human race as a whole."
"I'm not good at imagining things too far off, especially in this sort of field," Norris said, shaking his head. "But in my view, your Undying project at least does not prolong the lives of some by harming the lives of others. Though the chance to preserve a soul can itself easily become a 'privilege,' a hidden danger of that degree is at least still within the scope that institutions can resolve. And besides..."
Here Norris paused. He gazed into the distance at the city under construction, at this world that on the whole was still quite desolate, and a hint of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "It seems being an 'Undying' isn't a post for living in ease and comfort..."
"Exactly. I'm afraid you'll be serving the Empire for a good deal longer," Gaoyang said with a laugh, looking into Norris's deep, calm eyes. "Though it may be a little late to ask now, I'll ask anyway—are you willing to become an Undying, Norris?"