In Galactic Year 531, the U.S. military’s supercomputer ‘Blue’ malfunctioned, and soon after, almost all computers and intelligent robots broke free from human control. This marked the beginning of what is known as the ‘Dark Century’—an artificial intelligence rebellion that lasted eighty-seven years. Countless unprepared humans were killed by the electronic intelligent systems and various autonomous machines around them, and a vast amount of books and data stored in computers was destroyed.

In Galactic Year 542, the renowned martial artist Eric Bennett divided ancient martial arts into two levels—Heaven and Earth—using the Xiantian realm as the boundary, with each level further split into nine ranks. At this time, martial arts practitioners demonstrated astonishing combat power in mecha piloting. Their agility, reflexes, stamina, and close-combat abilities far surpassed ordinary people, making them the best pilots.

A martial arts master from Huaxia, at the third rank of the Heaven level, even set an incredible record in one battle by shooting down 174 mechas and destroying 7 Dreadnought-class battleships. From then on, ancient martial arts were made mandatory in all countries, and Heaven-level mecha pilots became highly sought-after talents worldwide.

Previously, mecha piloting was assisted by artificial intelligence systems, but this was gradually replaced by these martial artists. On the battlefield, they also became the core force against the mechanical legions.

In Galactic Year 628, the artificial intelligence rebellion ended, and the instigator ‘Blue’ disappeared. The cost, however, was a death rate of nearly eighty-seven percent of the population, along with the destruction of a vast amount of inherited knowledge and civilization.

Although the nations joined forces to quell the rebellion, their control over the colonies was further weakened.

In Galactic Year 629, 129 nations of the galaxy jointly signed the declaration of the ‘Artificial Intelligence System Restriction Treaty’, setting the computer technology level of Galactic Year 230 as the upper limit and dividing intelligence into four levels, which could not be exceeded.

That same year, an international artificial intelligence investigation agency was established to monitor the development of computer technology in all countries. This agency continued to exist for the next two thousand years.

In Galactic Year 794, the American colony Carl No. 3 declared independence. Within the following year, like a row of falling dominoes, a total of 2,630 colonies declared their own independence. The First Great Space Age officially ended, and humanity entered its first era of chaos.

In Galactic Year 922, after much effort by scientists, the simulated space-time jump experiment succeeded, greatly shortening the distances between human colonies.

In the first half of the 12th century of the Galactic Era, the Huazu warlord William Thompson rose to power and, within just eighty years, unified the entire human world, establishing the First Galactic Empire. After that, humanity once again began to explore the galaxy, ushering in the Second Great Space Age.

In the 13th century of the Galactic Era, the second emperor of the Galactic Empire, David Thompson, in order to strengthen his rule, not only promoted ignorant education nationwide but also vigorously supported the development of the three major religions and strictly restricted the spread of all kinds of free thought.

In the 27th century of the Galactic Era, the territory of the Galactic Empire reached its limit, swallowing the entire Orion Arm of the galaxy. However, just as before the first era of chaos, the lag in aviation and communication technology compared to the empire’s expansion severely weakened imperial control over remote planets.

In Galactic Year 2831, a civil war broke out in the empire due to disputes over the throne, leading to the official split of the empire and the declaration of independence by hundreds of countries. The second era of chaos began. After that, humanity, long accustomed to peace, lived under the shadow of war for nine centuries. Violence, death, fear, and despair filled society, and peace became the greatest dream of all humankind———

In Galactic Year 3704, the story begins.

Prologue

Leaving the southeastern suburbs of City A and following National Highway 109 for about four kilometers, you will see, on a small hill by the roadside, a place called ‘Shangqinglin Daoist Temple’.

Legend has it that this temple was first built in the early Ming Dynasty and was once extremely prosperous. However, by the early 1970s, during that special era, it gradually declined and at one point fell into complete neglect.

Now, after thirty years of change, the temple has gradually regained its former glory. Not only has it become a famous scenic spot known far and wide and a place where devotees come to pray, but even the city government intends to apply for it to be listed as a national cultural heritage site.

However, the revival of Shangqinglin was not due to the temple’s original reputation, but rather began with a fortune-teller named John Spencer.

From the 1980s to the late 1990s, John Spencer moved through the official and business circles of City A, reading fortunes and faces with unerring accuracy, earning the title of ‘divine physiognomist’. Local bigwigs and wealthy merchants all referred to him as Mr. Spencer rather than by name. In City A and several nearby cities and counties, he made a huge name for himself. In high society, everyone considered it an honor to receive even a single comment from him.

In his later years, John Spencer retired to Shangqinglin Temple, took on several disciples, and told fortunes and interpreted divination slips outside the temple, bringing a huge influx of visitors. With John Spencer’s current fame and status, he naturally no longer needed to personally set up a stall to read faces—his disciples handled everything. Yet, people from hundreds of miles around still flocked here in droves.

“Mom! We’ve already prayed to the gods and drawn a fortune slip, so why not just find any fortune-teller to interpret it? Why do we have to wait in line over here?”