I Arrived At Wizard World While Cultivating Immortality Chapter 699: Divine Armament

An absolute hush fell over the entire research institute, with the corpses of Tentacle Trees strewn throughout the corridors.

One of the creature's tentacles remained plugged into a data port, even in death.

“We were a step too late,” Alaric lamented, his voice tinged with regret.

“As soon as we located the institute, we breached the outer shield, but they had already initiated the internal self-destruct sequence beforehand.”

He gestured towards a decimated control room in the distance. “While we managed to prevent the complete detonation of the space station, the toxin elimination system had already discharged its contents through the life-support pipes prior to our arrival. The database, logs, and communication records were all physically obliterated.”

Jie Ming observed a still-smoldering circuit board, a subtle smile gracing his lips. “It makes no difference. Though the souls are gone, the information persists.”

He knelt beside the remains of a young researcher. The accompanying Tentacle Tree was rather juvenile, its crown tentacles not yet fully developed. This individual was likely a junior researcher, newly recruited by the institute.

Jie Ming slowly rose, his spiritual power extending to encompass the entire space station.

Buzz…

A soft, golden luminescence radiated outwards like tranquil water, swiftly permeating every inch of the institute.

Causal Trace Shadow Technique, engaged!

Concurrently, the Fate Subsystem was activated to its maximum capacity.

Causal threads rapidly wove together in the void, forming an immense tapestry that enveloped the entire space station.

The residual informational imprints, left behind by the deceased researchers, began to materialize.

Within Jie Ming’s field of vision, echoes of the space station's past flickered into existence: researchers engaged in heated debates within laboratories, others meticulously recording data near fragments of armor, and still others persistently refining some form of activation program.

These were not mere memories held within souls, but rather ephemeral traces of information.

Much like footprints left in fresh snow.

Even after the individuals had departed, their traces remained.

Jie Ming’s three eyes meticulously scanned all the unfolding images, dissecting and classifying the incoming information.

He soon spoke again. “They referred to that armor… as the Divine Armament.”

“The Tentacle Tree Civilization achieved their spectacular leap from a basic industrial society to a spacefaring one precisely because they unearthed the very first Divine Armament.”

“Shielding, energy weaponry, instantaneous spatial transit… all of their foundational technologies were derived from reverse-engineering these artifacts.”

He paused briefly, his gaze fixing upon a specific informational fragment.

“Moreover… there is not merely one Divine Armament. They have unearthed comparable suits of armor in various star systems.”

“The dominant hypothesis within the Tentacle Tree Civilization posits that these relics originated from a supremely advanced civilization that once reigned supreme across the entire universe.”

Alaric interjected in a hushed tone, “So the Trifolite Star System was merely a diversion. The true center of their research has perpetually been concealed deep within the gas giant.”

“Precisely,” Jie Ming replied with detached calm. He slowly retracted his spiritual power.

The interwoven causal threads gradually faded, and the institute once again succumbed to silence.

In all honesty, Jie Ming harbored no great surprise at this revelation.

From the very first encounter with the Tentacle Tree fleet, he had harbored a nagging suspicion that something was amiss.

This civilization’s technological framework exhibited stark discontinuities.

Certain domains had experienced sudden, disproportionate advancements.

Their defensive shields and energy weapons were rudimentary, yet they possessed sophisticated spatial manipulation capabilities… even if that spatial technology itself was relatively crude.

Collectively, their technological prowess far surpassed what their materials science and fundamental industrial base should have permitted.

It created the impression of disparate puzzle pieces, belonging to another set entirely, being forcibly integrated into their own system.

Even more anomalous was their classification system for energy levels.

The defined standards for Levels One through Five were impeccably precise.

Both the energy thresholds demarcating each level and the underlying logical framework were remarkably consistent with the Wizard civilization's established system.

…Or, perhaps more accurately, consistent with civilizations that had achieved a profound comprehension of the universe's fundamental laws.

However, commencing from Level Six, their theoretical framework for measurement abruptly degenerated.

Superficially, their theoretical and technological advancements appeared synchronized, yet this starkly contrasted with the natural developmental trajectories of civilizations.

Within a typical civilization, a disparity between theoretical understanding and practical application would exist, with theory invariably preceding practice—not this peculiar, synchronized progression.

Only one logical conclusion presented itself.

Their grasp of the initial five levels stemmed from an external, more mature system.

Beyond Level Six, they were left to grope blindly in the dark, resulting in significant deviations.

Now, the definitive answer lay before him.

Jie Ming wasted no time. His form sliced through the ammonia crystal storm belt, becoming a streak of dark gold light as he descended directly towards the outermost satellite. This region had been designated a "protected zone" by the Tentacle Tree Civilization.

The surface was blanketed with low-lying purple flora, and artificial constructs were minimal, comprising only a few observation posts and extensive enclosed ecological reserves.

The garrison forces stationed here had already yielded. The Tentacle Tree soldiers lay prostrate on the open terrain, their forms trembling.

Upon Jie Ming's arrival, every tentacle was pressed flat against the ground. Not a single creature dared to lift its gaze.

Disregarding them, Jie Ming proceeded directly into the heart of the protected zone.

Within lay a man-made shallow sea.

The abundant ice strata beneath the satellite had been melted, with the resulting water channeled into lower elevations to replicate an environment akin to the liquid layers of the gas giant. Countless translucent beings drifted within the seawater.

These entities bore a resemblance to colossal jellyfish, though their internal structures were considerably more intricate.

Their bell-shaped bodies spanned diameters from two to five meters. Delicate tendrils swayed languidly with the currents, and a faint bioluminescence pulsed across their forms.

These beings lacked sophisticated neural networks and did not appear to possess any form of intelligence.

Jie Ming stood at the sea's edge, observing them with quiet contemplation for a period before speaking deliberately.

"Their intelligence shouldn't be this rudimentary. Evolution doesn't regress. A species with such complex physical forms must have once housed a nervous system of corresponding complexity."

"Unless… their intelligence genes were deliberately deactivated."

Alaric grasped the implication behind Jie Ming's pronouncement and added in a subdued tone, "So, these indigenous inhabitants were the genuine custodians of the Divine Armament. Indeed, their physiology was originally engineered for the internal milieu of a gas giant."

Jie Ming affirmed with a nod. "These custodians were likely not the creators of the Divine Armament, but they almost certainly held usage rights. It's probable that the activation permissions for the Divine Armament were tied to genetic verification."

"After the Tentacle Trees realized they couldn't activate the armor, they kept these creatures alive."

"It wasn't an act of compassion, but rather a necessity for their genes. To facilitate control, they engineered this species' regression."

The jellyfish in the shallow sea continued their slow, aimless drifting. They exhibited no discernible reaction towards the shore.

No fear.

No curiosity.

They resembled hollow husks, their civilizational memory severed.

Jie Ming observed them silently for another moment before turning his gaze away.

"Arrange for additional Black Giant priests to be dispatched here for garrison duty. Compile all genetic data from the institute, collect samples from every jellyfish, and preserve the protected zone precisely as it is."

"From this moment onward, we assume control."

"As for the Tentacle Tree garrison personnel… they are to be processed according to standard prisoner protocols."

Alaric inclined his head, acknowledging the command.

Jie Ming directed his gaze upwards, towards the heavens.

Beyond the encompassing dome, starlight cascaded down, tracing the edges of his robe's shoulders with a subtle golden trim.

In the distance, the gas giant continued its majestic, unhurried rotation, its ochre-hued storms churning like colossal whirlpools across the planet's entirety.

The Tentacle Tree Civilization had merely stumbled upon a key that was never meant for them.

They had ascended through its use, yet true comprehension eluded them.

And concealed behind the Divine Armaments scattered throughout the cosmos… lay the undeniable presence of an even grander, more ancient civilization.

Jie Ming's eyes narrowed slightly.

It appeared his future strategies would require significant revision.