Chapter 901. Growth! Growth! Empire Growth!

Chapter 901: Chapter 901. Growth! Growth! Empire Growth!

[<Temple Of Order> has been completed!]

[You’ve gained 74 <Temple Of Order Seeds> from World Trees met+Sylvan Quest Complete.]

Liu Shu blinked at the message that suddenly popped up. Her gaze moved back to Ceperet, as she had been checking some nearby <Structure Zones> for <Astraelis> that Sarlos warned her about.

Sarlos told her that the Hive species threatening this area of the Solar System used host <Astraelis> to move around sometimes. The species that could become hosts were limited, and they had already been analyzed for several thousand years. There had even been organized hunts for them, but sweeping the void for particular <Astraelis> was just impossible.

Still, if they were found, they were usually killed. As <Astraelis>, creatures that lived in the very void intelligent species feared so much, they had powerful bodies and were a good source of materials for weapons, equipment, and other items. Some of their organs were used to create Star Maps, along with other Starship materials made from bones and similar parts.

They were quite a good source of specialized and even common materials.

Creating a farm of <Astraelis> was a bit too hard, though. Since they lived in space and reproduced in space because of their absurd size, a farm on a world didn’t work. Even if you wanted to farm in a structure zone, it used more resources than you would ever get.

In short, it was best to leave them as free creatures and hunt them from time to time when you encountered them.

Going back to the main thing she just unlocked.

"Baby Order has been born~. Hello dearest."

The Temple of Order answered in a young but calm tone. "Hello, Mother."

"Oh my. Look at my baby, acting all grown up. You are so cute~."

The <Temple of Order> was a massive structure, like all her other sisters. Slightly smaller, since she was a structure without merges. Even then, the bluish edges, white bark, and golden undertones caused the <Temple Of Order> to have a solemn and gorgeous appearance.

Unlike the other Temples, though, Liu Shu didn’t spread her blessing to everyone in range. "The <Temple of Order> effect is... difficult to handle. It reduces variance, and that’s good in places like industrial zones and chains of production where you seek perfect precision. However, if I were to give the <Order Blessing> to an artist... Heh."

Thinking that way, Liu Shu had already talked with Flor and created <Order Zones>. These were places where the <Order Blessing> would cover. As for who would use it, it was up to the individual.

Liu Shu had already given enough warnings about the blessing. If some business went there and, due to lack of variance, became bankrupt, it was their problem, not Liu Shu’s.

"As for the over 70 <Order Temple Seeds>... They are not enough to cover all my worlds."

Surprisingly, the total habitable celestial bodies Liu Shu controlled within the ten Solar Systems exceeded 120! There were over 50 worlds and around 60 Moons where living creatures could live. Taking into account that, on average, each world needed at least 2 <Temples> and each moon needed one, Liu Shu’s <Temple Seed> usage in total was over 170.

As for <Soulseeds>, Liu Shu used 2 per Solar System. One in the Capital World. One in the outermost World.

So, there were not enough <Order Temple Seeds> for all locations yet. She would get ten every five years, but at that pace, it would take a while.

"Let’s first cover Ceperet in a comprehensive manner. <Temple Seed: Order>."

Several seeds appeared within the prepared locations for Temples in each major city. Liu Shu had already built two main cities in each habitable world she conquered. As for those that could be terraformed... Liu Shu was not too focused on that yet.

She terraformed all of Ceperet’s worlds because it was her "main house," so to speak. The surrounding 10 Solar Systems would eventually be the same. As for Solar Systems beyond them... If she needed space, Liu Shu would get to terraforming.

"Mother."

As she was pondering, Liu Shu heard Little Order’s young voice. Looking at her, Liu Shu asked gently. "What’s wrong, baby?"

Order asked, somewhat confused. "Why don’t you spread my blessing to everyone, Mother?"

Liu Shu caressed her gently. "Your blessing is powerful, love... But it is also dangerous. That’s why we need to keep it under control. Even then, don’t hold back your own personal blessing. If you see someone who’s capable of being <Order-Touched>, do so. They are those who are attuned to your powers the best."

Little Order answered softly. "Mother is attuned... Do I give it to you?"

While <Order> was about keeping things without much variance, it also took into account the very ability to keep things in <Order>. As ever-changing as Liu Shu was, she was also the central axis of her own domain. Therefore, an unmovable existence that was ever-present. The central cog of the massive system.

Liu Shu was ever-changing, but... she was also <Order> itself.

So, Liu Shu answered with a loving voice. "I would love to have my baby’s blessing."

Right as she said that, Liu Shu felt Little Order’s happiness bloom like a flower. It seemed she had hesitated because Liu Shu had limited the extent of her influence. Hearing that she would love it, Little Order felt some relief and deep happiness.

[You’ve gained <Title: Order-Touched>.]

***

<Order-Touched>: You subconsciously perceive irregularities in familiar patterns, allowing you to notice actions, objects, or phenomena that noticeably deviate from their surroundings.

***

Liu Shu was deeply influenced by this blessing. Irregularities manifested in several areas and cities, allowing her senses to feel far beyond what they could before. She didn’t rush to fix these irregularities.

First, Liu Shu checked them and the cause of these irregularities. Most of the time, they were caused by different people living in different places, and therefore creating different zones. Even if it was Liu Shu’s architectural design in most cities, there were slight differences depending on what types of shops, people, and talents lived in them.

"This is good to check, but there is no need for change. What irregularities are harmful? That would be irregularities in environments. When an environment changes too much from its usual development, it needs to be checked."

In addition, Liu Shu also fixed infrastructure irregularities that caused minor problems. She spent about two years checking and fixing these small irregularities to ensure everything functioned smoothly.

Even though they were small problems, once they were fixed, people felt their absence positively.

’Wow... when crafting, <Ingenuity-Touched> and <Order-Touched> synergize deeply."

***

<Ingenuity-Touched>: You gain a subconscious ability to see structural patterns and design flaws, allowing you to improve or stabilize creations without prior planning according to your education level and comprehension level of the craft.

***

"What about the <Dungeons>?... Oh my. So many quests I’ve created that could be optimized. There are many that are lacking and somewhat redundant. Even some stories drag for slightly too long..."

<Order-Touched> turned out to be much more deeply influential than expected, and in a good direction.

Speaking of <Order Blessing>, Liu Shu had decided not to use it herself. She only used <Order-Touched> and not the rest of the effects. Once more, Liu Shu liked the variance that came with her actions. She could fix the problems later, as long as they weren’t too big.

Humming as she worked, technology made another small jump as Liu Shu rectified some of the Biological Computer’s parts and made them more efficient.

Speaking of them, their development had reached a point where they could start to rival some outdated computer technology. They still lacked compared to the mid-range models. Nevertheless, their use had become deeply attached to the daily lives of many people. For instance, a portable Biological Computer that grew together with a child could become a big asset in their daily life.

"They are similar to Artificial Intelligence. It’s quite interesting to see the differences between them."

Liu Shu chuckled and moved on to check the <Eternity of Stars> Runic Array. This massive Runic Array, which helped her enter and take over Ceperet Star before she reached Level 200, had already been deployed in the new Solar Systems. Liu Shu also used <Order-Touched> to perfect them and increased their rank from S- Tier to S Tier.

The numbers almost doubled, and now it was incredibly comfortable to enter average stars. As for supermassive stars... Liu Shu had not met one yet, but she knew it would be difficult. For instance, Solar Systems around those types of stars were more barren than usual because their stars were far too powerful.

No matter how thick a magnetic field, when the Solar Winds of a giant red star struck the world constantly, you could not have much development.

Not much meant that there was some development, though. And that was the case. If the average for "common" stars was between three and six habitable worlds per Solar System, giant stars had between one and three.

"Looking at these numbers again, Ceperet is quite a barren Solar System. Ceperet’s star was large, but not too large. So having only two worlds with life was... pitiful. Well, hehe. I’ve already fixed that and changed the two to six worlds and three habitable moons. Hohoho."

Solkara, her little darling, had become more stable. Nevertheless, it was still a big molten rock to this day. ’I need to become a little bit stronger before I can completely terraform it for high-temperature species.’

If Vorathen would become a world for volcanic species, Solkara would become a world for lava-swimming species... Of which there were very few.

"Hngggg! I love this! Hehehehe. Seeing everything fall into place, develop, and catch up to the previous super-powerhouses that suppressed me greatly is... Ha... FUN! HEHEHE."

Liu Shu wriggled her roots, delighted about the changes. It had been almost 50 years since the end of the war, 16 outside, and the impact of the technology she snatched from the Covenant and Nexus was half-digested.

Now, even if someone from a central capital world decided to visit, they would find little change to their daily lives. If anything, thanks to her Lignified darlings and other unique resources, they might find it better to live in her Golden Sap Empire than there.

"I have also perfectly strengthened the domain around the ten solar systems and created root expansion locations."

Even if Liu Shu wanted to completely take over the void, it was not feasible for now. ’With my perfect <Energy Cycle>, it is not impossible. I just need a bit of patience to grow. Now... Let’s begin the true expansion!’

Fifty years was enough to recover and even surpass the number of soldiers Liu Shu had before the war. In terms of <Second Ascension> powerhouses, Liu Shu’s army had enough to crush the previous numbers.

"There are even some Level 290s..."

Her lovers had never stopped diving into <Dungeons>. Plus, if Rhazor’s <Dungeon> was perfect for gaining Experience Points in the low 200s, the new <Dungeons> she created from Carter’s war <Feat> were perfect for the high 200s.

"I need to open them, though... Before that."

Her eyes moved toward the tickets, her eyes sparkling. "Hehehehehe. TIME TO GAMBLE! HOHOHOHO!"