Cultivators of the Tongxuan Realm, not one who hasn't braved many perilous trials and battled through blood from among the thousands of cultivators to achieve their current level of cultivation.
The armors before me are equivalent to Tongxuan Spiritual Treasures, yet they are different.
Tongxuan Spiritual Treasures have developed their own consciousness, nearly akin to living creatures. Refining a single Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure requires an immense expenditure of effort and Spiritual Materials, as well as a great deal of energy to nurture and awaken its spirituality.
Each Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure is a unique existence in the world.
These armors, however, are but inanimate objects, yet they possess replicability and have condensed the Tianyao Federation's most essential and advanced technologies, possessing terrifying power as well.
Moreover, the artificial intelligence installed in these armors has an IQ far surpassing that of the average Tongxuan Spiritual Treasure.
Between the two, it's hard to say which is stronger or weaker.
"Thank you all for waiting."
Besha walked down the stairs at a measured pace, a gentle smile on her face. Her gaze first fell on Su Huafeng as she nodded in greeting:
"It seems our last meeting was over thirty years ago. I am no longer in my youth, but you, General, still look as young as ever."
"It was thirty-seven years ago, Councilor. It is my honor that you still remember me," Su Huafeng replied with a bow, his demeanor gentle.
Chu Zheng stood aside, lost in thought. According to the information from his Spiritual Eye, Besha was not a Gene Evolver, but a very ordinary mortal, for whom living past a hundred would already be quite an achievement.
A mortal could control a fearsome weapon capable of easily destroying Stars, all because of the Tianyao Federation's special regulations.
To maintain the purity of the Federation, Gene Evolvers were not allowed to serve as Federation Councilors.
Because Gene Evolvers live much longer than ordinary people, over time, their influence would become deeply entrenched, impossible to shake.
Humans, on the other hand, are different. After a hundred years, they pass away and their souls disperse, leaving behind no entanglements. Even if some complications remain, other Councilors would have the opportunity to intervene and stop them.
Every Councilor is among the most elite of their generation, and this prominence is not measured by the strength of their power, but rather other attributes, such as a strong spirit of self-sacrifice.
Federation Councilors are a group of devotees who have given up the chance of immortality, dedicating all of themselves to the Federation.
Federation citizens generally refer to them as 'Great Pioneers'.
Each Councilor's genes are among the highest quality in humanity, and should they be willing to inject a Gene Evolution Potion, the possibility of failing to evolve is almost non-existent.
To a living being, resisting the temptation of genetic evolution is tremendously difficult, especially for a group that belongs to the top echelon of elites.
This is no different from rejecting Becoming an Immortal. The things one must forsake and the temptations one must leave behind are hard for ordinary people to imagine.
Besha exchanged greetings with many leading figures from Heaven Sent Star, quickly coming to Chu Zheng.
After the greetings, Chu Zheng did not stop there but continued:
"Councilor, may I inquire when the starship wars are likely to begin?"
Upon his query, a hush fell over the surroundings. Even though this was no secret, those present did not wish to broach the topic.
War often signifies massive military expenditures. If the Federation couldn't produce the funds, they would have to be extracted from their own pockets, which would feel like bleeding them dry.
"There will be about a year's preparation time, as the assembly of the fleet takes time," Besha replied without avoiding Chu Zheng's question. Her voice was warm and her eyes, though slightly cloudy, showed a gentle radiance of someone who had seen through the veil of worldly affairs after years of lived experience, as if having perceived the essence of life.
Chu Zheng was momentarily surprised. He had only seen such a gaze in Geng Yiyang.
But how long had Geng Yiyang been alive? More than ten thousand years, whereas Besha appeared to be under fifty, and was barely over seventy.
Regaining his composure, Chu Zheng said calmly:
"I am willing to support all of the Federation's decisions. Therefore, I have decided to transfer all my assets, including my shares in Star Peak Corporation, to the Federation, to supplement the military funds."
Before he could finish speaking, a chorus of gasps sounded from around, including Su Huafeng. Everyone was at a loss as to what Chu Zheng was thinking.
To all one's assets in a single stroke meant plunging oneself from the clouds to the bottom rung of the Federation, with no prospect of rise ever again!
Especially Su Huafeng, who at that moment could hardly maintain the smile on his face. His mouth twitched involuntarily. Before he could make a move to retaliate, Chu Zheng had already self-destructed, leaving Su choked with frustration, yearning for release.
Besha, however, did not show much surprise. After pondering for a moment, she counter-questioned: "What do you want?"
Having paid such a steep price, the demanded compensation must naturally be out of the ordinary.
Uncompensated generosity was called sacrifice, and even if the words were adorned nicely, she did not see this quality in the man before her.
To give something, always one sought something in return. Such was the way of the world.
"In exchange, I hope the Councilor can provide me with a batch of Gene Evolution Potions and some of the core technology related to space travel," Chu Zheng stated his terms without hesitation, then added, "Regarding the Gene Evolution Potion, Director Su had already delivered a batch to me earlier. Councilor, you only need to provide the rest."
If one asked for nothing, it would only seem suspicious.
The Gene Evolution Potion was equivalent to a Spirit Stone, and the space travel technology would also be of great help to him.