Chapter 179 - Universal Civilizations

"Fortunate one, do not be discouraged. Although the genetic fusion device cannot help you with your life transition, you were fortunate to have come here. I will give you some opportunities."

"Opportunities? What opportunities?"

"Certain things that Master allowed you to obtain, of course. Things that lesser lifeforms like you dream of obtaining."

Lin Feng frowned. His mind was in a mess, so he wanted to organize his thoughts.

To put it simply, this Longbetham had only come under orders. It had drifted in the universe for a long time before landing on this planet. After more than three billion years had passed, it still had not found a suitable candidate.

Right now, Lin Feng was very lucky to have found this spaceship. It seemed like he could obtain some kind of gift from Longbetham. What was this? Luck?

"Wait a minute. What is this lesser lifeform you mentioned?"

When Lin Feng heard this Longbetham's repeated mentions of "lesser lifeform", he actually felt a little uncomfortable. After all, he was an inhuman expert who had undergone one life transition. How could he be a so-called lesser lifeform?

Moreover, he did not feel that this robot called Longbetham could be that high-level.

Longbetham curled its mouth and said, "Low-level lifeforms are lifeforms that live on planets and lack the ability to enter the universe. To be precise, all lifeforms that have not attained six life transitions are lesser lifeforms."

"Six life transitions?"

Lin Feng was very surprised. Currently, even the Sages had only undergone four life transitions. Whether the fifth life transition existed at all was still under discussion.

However, according to Longbetham, all lifeforms under six life transitions were lesser lifeforms. This meant that even the Nine Sages were lesser lifeforms. How was this possible?

"That is right. Those who have not attained six life transitions are all lesser lifeforms. There are only two kinds of life in the universe. One is lesser lifeforms, and the other is superior lifeforms, otherwise known as cosmic lifeforms. Only after six life transitions and reaching the level of planetary lifeform can one be considered a cosmic lifeform, or an superior lifeform." Longbetham said proudly.

"Are you actually a superior lifeform?" Lin Feng asked curiously.

Longbetham shook its head and said somewhat dejectedly, "I'm not a superior lifeform. The civilization I am from is a technological civilization, and I am one of the best among technological civilizations. I belong to a mechanical civilization! Our mechanical civilization takes the path of a technological civilization, which is different from a cultivation civilization."

"Are technological civilizations very powerful? How are they compared to cultivation civilizations?"

Lin Feng's interest was immediately piqued. Actually, there was also a debate in human society about which was better between martial artists and technology. Some people advocated vigorously developing a technological civilization. Everyone could personally experience the conveniences brought by a technological civilization. For example, airships, various means of transportation, networks, and so on all came from technology.

As for martial artists? Apart from dealing with those dire beasts, what else were they good for?

These debates had always existed. If not for the fact that those dire beasts were not afraid of most of the technological weapons in human society, humans would probably have chosen technology over martial arts long ago. Then, martial artists would be far out of the picture.

Lin Feng was a martial artist, so he had naturally heard of such debates. Now that he had encountered Longbetham, he was interested in seeing which was more powerful in the universe, the technological civilization or the cultivation civilization.

Longbetham pondered for a moment before saying, "They are not comparable. There are many civilizations in the vast universe, but they are generally divided into cultivation and technological civilizations. In elementary civilizations, technological civilizations have the advantage. However, once lifeforms reach the planetary level, cultivation civilizations will gradually gain the advantage."

"However, overall, technological civilizations are comparable to cultivation civilizations in the early stages. For example, the mechanical civilization I am from can easily kill planetary-level lifeforms. Technological civilizations more advanced than ours also have weapons that can kill galactic-level lifeforms, which are stronger than planetary-level lifeforms."

"However, it is possible for a cultivation civilization to give birth to a universal-level lifeform, which is not attainable for a technological civilization. Perhaps it is, but at least I have never heard of a technological civilization that is comparable to a universal-level lifeform. Therefore, cultivation civilization and technological civilization basically coexist in advanced civilizations of the universe, or they mainly focus on cultivation civilizations and have technological civilization as a supplement."

Lin Feng nodded thoughtfully. Indeed, coexistence between cultivation civilization and technological civilization was the most appropriate. Just like now, martial artists and technological development did not conflict, but promoted each other and progressed together. The technological boom also greatly improved the strength of martial artists, and even gave birth to Sages with four life transitions.

Similarly, if martial artists were powerful, they could also allow some researchers to study them and obtain huge technological developments. These two could complement each other, and there did not have to be just one.

"What are the planetary lifeforms, galactic lifeforms, and so on you mentioned?"

Longbetham did not get impatient. It knew that Lin Feng was a "native" within a planet and was very unfamiliar with the cultivation system of the universe, so it explained in detail.

"This is the cultivation system classified by the current cultivation civilizations in the universe. It start with lesser lifeforms within the planet. From the first life transition to the fifth life transition, these are all lesser lifeforms. Above lesser lifeforms are planetary lifeforms. They are also divided into basic planetary lifeforms, intermediate planetary lifeforms, and advanced planetary lifeforms."

"Above planetary-level lifeforms are galactic-level lifeforms. They are also divided into basic, intermediate, and advanced levels. Above galactic-level lifeforms are the great universal lifeforms. Every universal lifeform is a hegemon of a universe. Often, only one universal lifeform can be born in a universe! There are very few that can give birth to two or three."

Lin Feng's heart skipped a beat. "Are there other universes?"

In Lin Feng's opinion, a universe was already vast and nigh infinite. With the current power of human technology, they could only observe some galaxies. To the massive universe, a galaxy was just a drop in the ocean and completely insignificant.

"I once heard Master mention that the universe we belong to is called the Bartmon Universe. It's named after a great universal lifeform. There are many other universes outside our Bartmon Universe. It is useless for you to know these now. You are just a lesser lifeform that cannot even leave a planet."

Lin Feng fell silent. That's right. His horizons had been greatly broadened today. If Longbetham was not lying, the vast cosmos was actually such a wonderful and varied place. He even hoped that he could one day travel through the vast cosmos.

Unfortunately, according to Longbetham, he was only a lesser lifeform now, and low-level even among lesser lifeforms, classified at the bottom of lesser lifeforms.

"By the way, what else can you give me apart from the genetic fusion device?"

Lin Feng was also curious. No matter what, Longbetham's offer should not be too bad. Although he was a lesser lifeform at the lowest level now, he yearned for the universe. One day, he would also be able to travel the vast cosmos and become an advanced cosmic lifeform!