Forty Millenniums of Cultivation

“It is indeed illogical, but it is a sad fact, because the system of ‘global sword net’ was not established to resist the Immortal Cultivators from outer space at all.”

Wei Longtao sighed and furrowed his eyebrows that were as thick as a broom.

“In the years when the ‘global sword net’ was established, the Martial Meritocrats Civilization did not know the first thing about the horror of the Immortal Cultivators yet. The imaginary enemy of the system was the people of the Sand Primitive Sector.”

The Fist King, Xiahou Wuxin, and all the bandits were stunned. “Sand Primitive Sector?”

Even Li Yao was somewhat taken aback.

Of course, he knew about the Sand Primitive Sector. Years ago, the Martial Meritocrats Sector, which was relatively developed, discovered the Sand Primitive Sector, which was relatively uncivilized and underdeveloped. A lot of bottom-level workers were introduced from the Sand Primitive Sector and given excessive rights. Eventually, the contradictions in various aspects escalated, which led to such an evil freak named ‘Blackstar the Great’ and his even eviler Imperium of True Human Beings.

Once he heard the familiar name from Wei Longtao’s mouth, it was at least evident enough that what he said was partly trustworthy.

“The Sand Primitive Sector is a world very close to the Martial Meritocrats Sector,” Wei Longtao explained. “You may understand it as a habitable planet next door. When the two parties were most intimate with each other, the Martial Meritocrats Sector and the Sand Primitive Sector almost entirely merged. But in the end, they somehow ended on bad terms and tried to destroy each other through whatever means possible.

“The Sand Primitive Sector was far weaker than the Martial Meritocrats Sector in terms of civilization level and technology reserves, but it had a greater population who were good at fighting skills. It had also received tremendous military aid from the Martial Meritocrats Sector, which allowed it to build a swarm of starships that were like locusts. Although the starships were crude and nothing more than iron coffins, they would still deal a heavy blow to the Martial Meritocrats Sector if a war of attrition arose.

“That was why the Martial Meritocrats Sector built such an enormous ‘global sword net’ after so much trouble, hoping to resist the assault of the Sand Primitive Sector that would be like pestilence.”

The sinners in the Land of Sins considered themselves the descendants of the Martial Meritocrats Sector. Naturally, they took their ancestors’ side and clenched their fists, asking, “What happened later? Was the aggression of the Sand Primitive Sector stopped?”

There were hints of mockery and pain in Wei Longtao’s eyes as he shook his head. “No. Technically speaking, the ‘global sword net’ could probably have resisted the attack of a super fleet. But the strongest fortresses are always breached from within. The ‘global sword net’ was not activated at all before it was secretly sabotaged by a certain virus that the spies of the Sand Primitive Sector implanted.

“Another theory holds that the plan to build a global sword net was a scheme of the Sand Primitive Sector after all. The gigantic, wasteful super system was meant to drain whatever remained of the resources of the Martial Meritocrats Sector after a hundred years of struggles. But everything happened a thousand years ago. Who can tell what really happened?

“All in all, there is no need to sigh for the idiocies of the people of the Martial Meritocrats Sector or loathe people of the Sand Primitive Sector.

“Firstly, soon after the Sand Primitive Sector completely defeated the Martial Meritocrats Sector and controlled it, they were all brutally suppressed by the Immortal Cultivators from outer space. Almost all of them were slaughtered. They became the victims of their own scheme.

“Secondly, the sinners in the Land of Sins today are in fact the descendants of the Martial Meritocrats Sector and the Sand Primitive Sector after assimilation. It is possible that our ancestors dozens of generations ago were the tough, brutal, and bloodthirsty people of the Sand Primitive Sector. That is probably why the blood of the sinners today is filled with so much violence and cruelty.

“In any case, the conflicts between the Martial Meritocrats Sector and the Sand Primitive Sector date back to a thousand years ago. It is not the key of our discussion today. All we need to know is that such a long-sealed control center of a global sword net likely exists in perfect condition, despite the temporary paralysis because of some viruses implanted on the mainframe crystal processor.

“The viruses from a thousand years ago, on the other hand, should be more or less decryptable with our technology today.”

The Fist King’s man-made eyes glittered for a long time before he nodded. “If you put it that way, the whole thing is at least self-consistent in logic.”

“Of course. This operation is a wild gamble for ‘Starlight’. We will certainly not joke on the precious lives of countless warriors,” Wei Longtao said. “During the ‘Judgment War’, and in the period of chaos after the war when the sky was not blocked, a lot of our resistance warriors escaped into space. They never abandoned their beliefs as Cultivators but simply regrouped and continued fighting unpredictable guerilla battles!

“Today, in order to cope with another enormous war, the Imperium of True Human Beings has been levying heavy taxes, and its tyranny is even crueler and more rigorous, raising the opposition of the common folk. The voices of the Cultivators that had sunk for hundreds of years are now loud again. Countless people cannot wait to overthrow the reign of the Imperium and create a universe of brightness and justice!

“Now, the branch of Starlight that persists in resistance in the sea of stars has secretly gathered an enormous fleet and snuck to somewhere near the Martial Meritocrats Sector.

“As long as we can find the control center of the ‘global sword net’ and launch a destructive strike at Manjusaka from the ground, our fellow Cultivators in space will immediately collaborate with us to shatter the nightmare that has continued for hundreds of years. Those high and mighty Immortal Cultivators will taste the feeling of the fall of the firmament!

“We have spent decades exploring the underground world and searching for traces and intelligence that were hidden among the rocks. Finally, we ascertained that the ‘control center’ is not far away from here.

“But to locate the specific coordinates and to defeat the hunting and besieging Immortal Cultivators, we have paid a heavy price. Countless fellow Cultivators embraced eternal sleep in the sunless rocks and holes.

“We are now seriously short of hands. Should we encounter emergencies in the ‘temple’, it may be difficult for us to deal with them.

“But the arrows are already nocked on the bow, and they must be fired. The Immortal Cultivators have more or less learned of our operation, and our secret fleet in space cannot hide for long. A general attack must be launched within a fortnight!

“Therefore, we had to invite you here by resorting to tricks, hoping that you could join the great cause!”

Wei Longtao’s eyes grew brighter and brighter. He extended his hands toward the Fist King and Xiahou Wuxin and said in the most sincere way, “Whoever you were in the past, and whatever ideals and ambitions you might have, we are all caught in desperation with no way out now.

“It is absolutely impossible for the Immortal Cultivators to let go of you. I have released all the most classified information to the public, too. So, please give us a hand. Help us, help yourselves, and help everyone in the Land of Sins to shoot down the City in the Sky!”

The eyes of a lot of tough bandits were bloodshot.

Even the bandits and thugs who remained calm understood their situation perfectly. Killing someone to keep their mouth shut was certainly not strange to them.

Now that they had already been dragged onto the boat, it was impossible for them to get off without drowning.

A lot of the bandits were breathing heavily.

The Fist King’s man-made eyes were still flashing.

Xiahou Wuxin hurried to say, “This is an important decision. The brothers here need to think about it.”

Wei Longtao smiled and said, “Of course. We will rest here for another two to three days. I hope the time is enough for all of you to think everything through. You can also get more familiar with Starlight and see with your own eyes what ‘Cultivators’ actually are.

“I believe that none of you are scared of death after fighting through mountains of corpses and oceans of blood in the Land of Sins. You only want to die a valuable death. What kind of death could be more awesome and spectacular than perishing together with Manjusaka? If we are truly able to accomplish such a feat, our names will still echo in the wind in the Land of Sins for hundreds of years!”

The Fist King’s man-made eyes were uttering cracking sounds as he thought quickly. He asked one last question. “Commander Wei, there is one other thing that I want to know. The Immortal Cultivators’ forces must include more than just Manjusaka. Even if we can truly destroy it, how are we going to deal with the reinforcements of the Immortal Cultivators that will swarm over?”

“It is true that a minor City in the Sky is just a drop in the bucket for the enormous forces of the Immortal Cultivators.” Wei Longtao did not disguise their weakness at all. Or rather, the weakness only made the light of daydreaming in his eyes even more brilliant and scorching. “As the saying goes, well begun is half done. If we cannot clear the drop of water from the bucket, how can we expect to break the bucket that has swallowed the entire universe?

“For the past thousand years, the sea of stars reigned by the Imperium of True Human Beings has been absolute darkness. Not only is there no light at all, it has also raised a batch of people who absolutely do not believe that light exists in the world.

“Our operation to destroy Manjusaka may not be enough to drive away all the darkness, but it will at least raise several feeble sparks, which will tell the people who are living in the darkness that light does exist, and this is exactly what so-called ‘light’ is!

“When there is a first, there will be a second; when there is a second, there will be a third. Even if we have all sacrificed ourselves and turned into burning moths, we will at least spray the brilliant sparks in every direction in the sea of stars and to the hearts of the people who are swallowed and nurtured by the darkness. They will no longer bear the darkness that they are used to. They will shout, they will riot, and they will release their own light and heat!

“This is the significance of Starlight’s risky all-out attack on Manjusaka.

“Whether we win or lose, as long as somebody rises to resist as the first rebel, more and more followers will crush the Immortal Cultivators’ reign that is not half as steady as it appears, until the old world is smashed into pieces and a new world that is much brighter is established!”

Wei Longtao waved his fist hard, as if he had really bashed the Imperium of True Human Beings into smithereens.

His big eyes that were as bright as morning stars made everybody, including Li Yao, grow respectful for him.