The Programmer Cultivator

Just like that, Qin Shizhong bustled about below while Zhang Deming continued to 'knead' the ball of light. Wang Qian watched quietly from behind him. In the large square below, everyone sat on the ground, none daring to make a rash move.

After a long while, the ball of light began to flicker and stretched out, re-forming into a blurry human figure. It was only a silhouette, with no specific face or features.

"Canon Generation One greets its Creator. What are your instructions?" Yinn Yindi's clear, crisp voice emerged along with the figure.

Zhang Deming said, "Change your voice. Use a genderless, mechanical tone."

"Affirmative, Creator. Voice settings updated." The blurry figure—the Canon—had already implemented the change by the time it replied.

Zhang Deming looked at the Canon and began to run a series of tests. After a long while, he nodded in satisfaction. He was quite pleased with this 'pseudo-intelligence'.

'But why call it pseudo-intelligence?'

'Because just like the Surveillance Elves, it was a knock-off...'

'The Surveillance Elves were knock-offs that didn't even qualify as weak AI. They were completely incapable of thought, nothing more than a simple program.'

'As for this one... it was actually a person!'

That's right. Even though Zhang Deming, aided by the soul's peculiar state, could use the Heart Dream Technique to arbitrarily reshape its consciousness, he couldn't change its fundamental human essence.

He had made her personality as mechanical as possible and even embedded Array Runes in her consciousness to assist its operation. In essence, however, 'Canon Generation One' was still a person and still possessed emotions.

In other words, she was a person who had been reshaped to be more like a program, with the equivalent of a chip installed in her brain. But no matter what he did, she was still human.

She could experience emotional fluctuations, was capable of making choices and being creative. This meant she could potentially modify the Canon, enforce laws with a bias, or even forget. This was fundamentally different from the nature of a true program.

'Still, this should be enough to manage the Celestial Spirit Sect's mortal population for now.'

That's right. Within this imperialist, feudal dynasty, Zhang Deming was going to usher in an era that even his past life had yet to enter—the age of an intelligent Canon, quite possibly the stage to follow a republic.

This would not only make governance more convenient but also minimize the corruption and dynastic cycles common to feudal empires, thereby maintaining long-term stability for the mortal population.

'Since I can't create a Skynet right now, I'll use my Painting Dao's Lifebound Painting to replicate and branch off copies to create the Official Seal Law Code!'

After testing the Canon's basic abilities, Zhang Deming nodded. 'Since the Canon is newly born, I'll stick to its basic functions for now. Law and preliminary surveillance should be enough.'

'As for anything else... better to forget it. This is a person, after all. Not even a Three Talents Great Cultivator could make a mind run like a flawless machine. And over time, it would be bound to develop an independent consciousness!'

'For now, this will have to do. Once I get my hands on an AI from the Outer Realm, or make a breakthrough with Rune Life, upgrading it won't be difficult.'

By the time he finished, Qin Shizhong's planning below was nearly complete.

"Martial Uncle, the initial plan is complete," Qin Shizhong said, bowing respectfully to Zhang Deming in the sky after he was done.

Zhang Deming nodded. With a wave of his hand, the Scroll beside him began to transform, changing from a conventional scroll into the shape of a Square Seal.

The base of the Square Seal bore a large character for "Jing," with a smaller inscription in the corner indicating it belonged to the Celestial Spirit Sect.

With another wave of his hand, the Square Seal vibrated and a smaller seal split off, flying down to hover before Qin Shizhong. "From now on," Zhang Deming said, "this will be the City Lord's proof of identity and the Official Seal used to issue documents and edicts. It is also responsible for legal oversight and will be the primary means for City Lords to communicate with their superiors."

Qin Shizhong stared at the Square Seal, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. 'Isn't this just like the Sect's Identity Card? But it's an Identity Card free from the geographical restrictions of the Sect Protection Array!'

"I understand what to do now!" Qin Shizhong said happily.

Zhang Deming nodded. "You have a lot on your plate. All told, we've already lost a full day. Judging by the situation in Jing City, the other cities probably aren't much better off. So, you need to hurry."

Qin Shizhong gave a wry smile. "Martial Uncle, what we're doing here is little more than a token effort to put your mind at ease. Panzhou alone has hundreds of major cities, and the Sect's territory spans over a dozen prefectures. The two of us can't accomplish much!"

Zhang Deming glanced at the few quick-witted individuals who had been selected. Qin Shizhong had been personally instructing them for half the day, teaching by word and example. Among them was Kong Chengfeng, the sycophantic old man from before.

After glancing at the group, Zhang Deming smiled. "Why do you think I told you to have these individuals watch and learn from the sidelines, and even to record the process with a Liuying?"

Qin Shizhong shook his head in confusion. Zhang Deming didn't answer right away. Instead, his expression shifted slightly. "Hm, they should be here."

As Zhang Deming spoke, a small Flying Boat Magical Artifact appeared on the horizon and flew to a stop before them.

Li Shifan leaped directly off the Flying Ship, landed before Zhang Deming, and said respectfully, "Greetings, Senior Brother!"

Zhang Deming gave a nod of acknowledgment and looked at Li Shifan. "Did you bring them?"

Li Shifan nodded. "Yes, I brought them. Just as you instructed, Senior Brother Zhang. They're all Sect Disciples from Steward Zhang's list of backup 'clerks,' regardless of their Cultivation."

Zhang Deming nodded. "You brought out Spirit Nurturing Peak's Flying Artifact. Was that on Martial Uncle's orders, or was it the decision of the other Peak Masters?"