I Don't Agree to the Terms
Chapter 485 - 268: Four Sacred Beasts·System (Quarter Version)_2

After everyone had left, Gu Shanhai finally took out the Nine States Instrument and started to check the data.

"It’s not that I don’t want to help you; I just really can’t spare the brainpower..." Gu Shanhai sighed. To develop this entirely new Four Saints Beasts System, he simply couldn’t afford to divert his focus to help.

Fortunately, the current phase was finally complete.

"Open data."

Then, a panel full of various pieces of data appeared in Gu Shanhai’s eyes, which was the Four Sacred Beasts System transformed from the Goddess System.

With the breakthrough of Gu Shanhai’s Divine Skills and with the Azure Dragon, his Companion Spiritual Beast, a high-intensity test was underway.

As for artificial intelligence, it had already been born—it was the Azure Dragon, which was not merely an artificial intelligence, but a unique artificial life form situated between an Artifact Spirit, a Companion Spiritual Beast, and artificial intelligence.

What’s more important was that the Azure Dragon was not the primary authority but the secondary one; Gu Shanhai was the first. Therefore, if the Azure Dragon wanted to mobilize the computational power and other resources of the Four Sacred Beasts System, it had to go through Gu Shanhai’s approval.

This served as a safety measure, but there was no need to worry about an AI crisis anymore. Mainly because the Azure Dragon was part of Gu Shanhai, and the human body has certain protective mechanisms for itself. As a part of Gu Shanhai’s body, the Azure Dragon naturally fell under those protective mechanisms and could not harm Gu Shanhai.

Moreover, the Azure Dragon wasn’t just any artificial intelligence; it was also a Companion Spiritual Beast.

"Bring up the full power operation test data." Gu Shanhai called up the test data and began reviewing it.

"It can improve my efficiency by about one percent, not bad, barely enough."

Given the limitations of hardware, one percent was already decent in the early stages. Gu Shanhai’s research and learning efficiency were naturally not low; he himself was a manufactured genius. Coupled with the support from Spirit Plants, the nascent Four Sacred Beasts System had decent power. It could continue to be perfected in the future.

"Next up, integrate with Magic Domain, Green Emperor Longevity Scripture."

After that, Gu Shanhai conducted the final test, integrating the Four Sacred Beasts System into his own system. Once successful, his self-monitoring would rise to a new level.

Previously, his self-perception was a kind of experiential awareness, but if the Four Sacred Beasts System were integrated, he would be able to see the quantified data throughout his whole system much more clearly, like short-term fluctuations, long-term changes, and so on.

The integration was successful in no time. The Four Sacred Beasts System itself was derived from the "Green Emperor Longevity Scripture," so it was a sort of returning to its origins.

"More precise control, just this alone pays for itself."

Although Gu Shanhai’s Mana had become ample, he had always been frugal, usually exerting a small amount of effort for a high yield.

"Moreover, the friendly or foe recognition in the Mana halo within the Magic Domain is much more precise now. Only now can it be considered a true halo effect."

With the Four Sacred Beasts System, the Mana halo could directly distinguish between allies, enemies, and neutrals, providing appropriate effects.

For instance, it would enhance and protect allies, weaken and attack enemies, and as for neutrals—if you run fast you might live; if you’re slow, just wait to die.

If they’re not helping Gu Shanhai, then they’re not allies, and Gu Shanhai had no obligation to help them.

In addition, it could integrate external information to form a corresponding database, and it could also create combat models by analyzing together with the constant divination-based Spells on Gu Shanhai. This combat model was a bit redundant, though: against enemies Gu Shanhai could defeat, he’d sweep them away before the model could even produce an analysis. Against evenly matched opponents, the model’s processing speed couldn’t keep up with the exchange of blows, and against those he couldn’t defeat, it was even more useless.

Fortunately, Gu Shanhai didn’t mind these matters; the Four Sacred Beasts System was there to assist him, not to replace him. Essentially, it was a special computer; scientific research still relied on people, not solely on a computer.

"Success..." A massive amount of data emerged in Gu Shanhai’s eyes, as the Four Sacred Beasts System was now operating in full swing.

Through Gu Shanhai and the Nine States Instrument, along with hardware like Spirit Plants, a vast amount of data was generated. The most straightforward aspect was the constant prophetic magic on Gu Shanhai’s person. Acting as a combat model was merely a trivial function; its true purpose was to organize all spells used for revealing information into classifications.

For example, forming an all-encompassing three-dimensional map in conjunction with Spiritual Sense, or monitoring and summarizing information about oneself and the surroundings, or even recording and sorting past and future observations through retrospective vision and the Oracle’s Eye—all these prophetic spells were always consuming mana, whether used or not.

Now that he had the Four Sacred Beasts System, it was naturally time to maximize its development and utilization.

"My physical body has not improved in energy or other aspects, but my combat strength has indeed increased nearly threefold," Gu Shanhai noted. The efficiency of his use of the environment, such as enhanced mana abilities in the Magic Domain, greatly improved his protective capabilities.

Through quantification and more in-depth monitoring, several flaws were addressed by Gu Shanhai. He could even directly apply update patches to them through the Four Sacred Beasts System.

"The initial goal is achieved; now it’s time to create a second Four Sacred Beast."

This was Gu Shanhai’s original objective, and the natural phenomenon required more time.

The second Four Sacred Beast would target the White Tiger, still akin to a Companion Spiritual Beast, but the realization of this goal depended on the General and Daoist Soldiers.

Just like the Azure Dragon, the White Tiger was not only part of enhancing his combat power but also served as a hardware system to upgrade the Nine States Instrument and the Four Sacred Beasts System.

So the next step was to research Daoist Soldiers.

In fact, he had considered using the Goddess system to create an artificial intelligence to assist Jiang Lu, but after consideration, he found it unsuitable.

The first issue was materials; if Gu Shanhai wanted to roll out artificial intelligence, the first step was to solve the problem of raw materials.

He wasn’t certain whether the materials required existed in this world, as differences between worlds could result in many missing elements.

Even if substitutes could be found, there was no telling how long it would take to successfully find them.

The second issue was promotion; if artificial intelligence was only used for clerical work, that seemed a bit short-sighted. It would be better to use it for societal restructuring, but this would require significant resources. Moreover, rapid development could attract unwanted attention.

If Gu Shanhai were the strongest in this world or if Jiang Lu possessed a vast power, it would be a different story. If the former were true, there would be no issue, but if the latter, it would mean Jiang Lu already had numerous talents under his command, rendering the artificial intelligence unnecessary.

The General’s capabilities were far superior to any artificial intelligence, unless the complete Goddess system were transported, which could truly be overwhelming; otherwise, any artificial intelligence produced by Gu Shanhai would be less efficient than the General, due to hardware limitations.

However, setting up some production lines and forging processes was possible. After all, in this world, victory was never determined by these aspects but by the Generals and Daoist Soldiers. Developing the economy could be much quicker.

Once the economy grew, money would flow, which could be exchanged for resources, and resources could strengthen Daoist Soldiers.

However, it seemed that the world’s Generals had not considered this, resorting to less effective means of accumulating wealth and more often plundering the common people.

To this, Gu Shanhai could only say there wasn’t much to take from the poor; it was better to take from the rich.

The Generals didn’t do this because they were part of the wealthy, who doesn’t rob themselves. On the other hand, Jiang Lu wasn’t one of them, so he could do the taking.

Another reason was Li Yu, who came from a merchant background, certainly more adept in this aspect.