Newt

[nosediving]

Comments

[nosediving]

[I'm new to technology, said Shang Qinghua. AI systems and robotics, said Newt. What? asked Shang Qinghua.]

I don't completely understand, but your world sounds incredible. An innovative place like that should definitely be kept safe.

[arockstar]

[Newton has never been good at dialing back his muchness, sorry bud.]

Oh, right, uh... So like, robots like the ones we have here? There's two components to them, sort of. There's their physical build, which is pretty self explanatory, and then there's the mechanical equivalent of their brain. My world has tech that could build stuff that looks like Ava or Connor or Luna, but they wouldn't be capable of AI—that's artificial intelligence. That make sense?

[nosediving]

[There's a long pause before he nods.]

Your explanation is quite clear. I think I understand.

This sort of technology is something far beyond the imagination of the people in my world. Those who came up with the idea in the worlds beyond are possessed of truly brilliant minds.

[arockstar]

Heh, well, thanks. Your world will probably get there eventually. It took humankind a long, long time to advance as far as we have.

[Though maybe it depends on your definition of "long".]

Once the age of technology starts, though, things move pretty quickly. Computers like the ones here were only invented about a hundred years ago where I come from.

[nosediving]

[What was invented a hundred years ago in his world? Probably something that nobody cares about.]

I wonder . . . if I will still be there when that age starts. I can't imagine it beginning within the next few hundred years.

[arockstar]

Eh, not to rain on your parade, but probably not. Unless you're one of those immortal types that has been alive for hundreds of years or whatever.

[Since apparently that's just a thing here.]

But, hey, that's just one more cool thing about this competition, right? We get to see stuff from different worlds. Now you can go home and invent the computer.

[nosediving]

[It . . . sure is!]

Inventing something like this is beyond what this one can do. But if it's in another hundred or so years, I should be around to see it happen . . . [He ducks his head.] Probably. After all, I'm one of those immortal types.

[arockstar]

[!]

Whoa, really? That's awesome, dude. How does that work?

[nosediving]

By cultivating my spiritual energy throughout the years, I eventually achieved a state of immortality that doesn't require sustenance and maintains this youthful appearance of mine. As long as I remain vigilant, a long life should await me.

[arockstar]

[.............]

Are you saying you meditated yourself into a vampire?

[nosediving]

Vampire?

[What.]

[arockstar]

Nevermind. It was sort of a joke. But you're immortal because you, like... Willed it to be that way? Through, uh, prayer and stuff?

[nosediving]

Meditation is but one part of the process. A disciple trains in both the martial and mystical arts, and he can only cultivate as much spiritual energy as he was born with. And so, not all cultivators have the potential to become an immortal.

This one's cultivation is nothing special, but it was enough.