Forty Millenniums of Cultivation

Li Yao’s words rendered Heiye Lan speechless. It was not until a long time later that she said in a low voice, “As long as we sabotage the heartland of the federation, we are never going to lose!”

“No.” Li Yao shook his head. “If the true path of immortality really entails the most magnificent combat ability, the Black Wind Fleet should be able to win easily even without our help. After all, when you set off, you did not expect that twelve experts in the Nascent Soul Stage and the Divinity Transformation Stage would join your expedition army.

“Fellow Cultivator Hei, I am talking sincerely with you right now not because I want to surrender to the federation but because it is indeed necessary for us to examine all the possibilities in the future.

“After all, we are not only standing for ourselves. I have the Ancient Sages Sector, and you have the Black Wind Fleet. Countless compatriots are behind us, right?

“If everything goes as smoothly as you say, and the Black Wind Fleet crushes the federation unstoppably, then I’ve got nothing to say. A tiny Ancient Sages Sector is definitely not bold enough to challenge the invincible Imperium of True Human Beings.

“But what if the Black Wind Fleet fails? What are we going to do?”

Confusion and resistance flowed out of Heiye Lan’s eyes as she shook her head. “I haven’t thought about the question before.”

“Then you’d better start now,” Li Yao said casually. “You and I are both clear that the Ancient Sages Sector is only taking the Black Wind Fleet’s side because we are forced to. You don’t think that the experts of the Ancient Sages Sector will still be loyal to the Black Wind Fleet if the war does not go well and sacrifices are required, do you?

“Hehe. If I really make such promises to you, they will be the most brazen lies, right?

“You are lucky, Fellow Cultivator Hei. You are truly lucky that they gave you to me.

“Unlike the cunning Cultivators from central plateaus who are habitual liars, I am a barbarian from the woods of the Southland of Sorcerers. I hate lying more than anything, and I just say whatever is in my heart. What’s there to hide?

“Let me tell you the truth. The experts of the Ancient Sages Sector only pledge loyalty to the Imperium because of the Imperium of True Human Beings’ invincibility. Should the Black Wind Fleet show signs of failure, even if I don’t change my mind, it cannot be guaranteed that none of the eleven of them will join the federation’s side and make matters worse. Then, the odds of the Black Wind Fleet’s failure will certainly be higher than 10%.

“Therefore, you might as well think of a way out for yourself, your compatriots, and the Black Wind Fleet if you fail. Better prepare an umbrella before it rains!”

Heiye Lan thought hard and mumbled, “A way out after failure? What do you mean? I don’t understand!”

“It’s simple.” Li Yao patted her shoulder and casually said, “You said just now that the Imperium has hundreds of Sectors and that new expedition armies will be organized to conquer the Star Glory Federation even if you fail.

“Let’s forget whether or not the Imperium, which is confronting and even being suppressed by the Covenant Alliance, can spare new expedition armies from the frontline that is already extremely tight. Even if some of the armies can be spared, how long will it take for them to launch a second expedition?

“For elite forces that involve multiple Sectors to be prepared, mobilized, and marched toward the federation on a long journey, it will take at least a couple years, right?

“Should the Black Wind Fleet be crushed, a couple of years will be more than enough for the Star Glory Federation to destroy your remnants without leaving any bones. Even if some of the lucky dogs run back to the Imperium, will they end any better in the Imperium where the strong prey on the weak?

“Same goes for the Ancient Sages Sector. If we wager everything on you right now and help the Black Wind Fleet attack the federation, a couple of years will be more than enough for the federal fleet to roast the Ancient Sages Sector over and over after we fail!

“Even if the second wave of expedition armies really demolishes the Star Glory Federation in a couple years, will it help at all? The skeletons of the Ancient Sages Sector and the Black Wind Fleet will have been made into drums!”

Heiye Lan’s shivering teeth left deep marks on her lips. She continued struggling. “No. Perhaps it won’t take a couple of years. If the Imperium pays enough attention to the federation—”

“Hehe.” Li Yao chuckled. “In my opinion, even if a second wave of expedition armies is to be sent, the date of their arrival will be later than a couple of years from now. Chances are that it will even take them ten to twenty years.”

Heiye Lan bulged her eyes. “Why?”

Li Yao smiled. “In the Ancient Sages Sector, you confessed that the disobedient folks of the Black Wind Sector are scary mobs from the central area of the Imperium. Your relationship with other Sectors is not very good, and your standing in the emperor’s court is not high, right?

“Fellow Cultivator Hei, if you were His Majesty of the Imperium, or one of the ‘Sector Master’, powerful lords, or great nobles from the central districts of the Imperium, after you hear the news of the Black Wind Fleet’s failure, will you simply abandon your defenses, cross countless unknown galaxies and worlds, and save the Black Wind Fleet? Or will you simply… watch the insubordinate and arrogant people of the Black Wind Fleet die?”

Heiye Lan’s eyes bulged wider and wider until they were entire bloodshot.

“No second expedition army will come,” Li Yao said mercilessly. “Not until the last drop of blood of the last Black Wind soldier dries. Nobody will come to help you.

“Even if the odds of such a future are only one percent, it is enough for you to think about it carefully, right? As the daughter of the commander of the Black Wind Fleet, this is your responsibility.”

“You’re quite right, Master Spiritual Vulture.” Heiye Lan took a deep breath. “Then, what should I do?”

“How would I know? Why don’t you consider it yourself?” Li Yao replied. “All I know is that there is bound to be a war between the Star Glory Federation and the Black Wind Fleet. Until their backbone is broken by the enemy, it is impossible for the federation to surrender or for the Black Wind Fleet to give up on their conquest.

“However, assuming that the Star Glory Federation crushes the main force of the Black Wind Fleet, it still doesn’t mean that they can annihilate you quickly and conveniently, right?”

“Of course!” Hideous brilliance beamed out of Heiye Lan’s eyes. “Even if the Black Wind Fleet does fail, the federation will have to pay a gory price in order to completely destroy us! Hehe. Even if we cannot conquer the federation, we will at least die with it!”

Li Yao sighed and said, “You are free to die together with the federation. Just suit yourselves. But the people of the Ancient Sages Sector haven’t lived enough yet. Don’t drag us into this!

“If we are involved, and the federation, the Ancient Sages Sector, and the Black Wind Fleet destroy each other, who will take all the advantage if not the Imperium of True Human Beings?

“All in all, courtesy calls for reciprocity. The Imperium of True Human Beings hasn’t done any favors for the Ancient Sages Sector. It is not a big deal if we help the Imperium in an easy war, but I don’t think we deserve to die for the Imperium, right? As for you, I don’t know what benefits the Imperium has promised you to make you sell your life, but that doesn’t seem right. Wasn’t the Black Wind Fleet kicked out by the emperor like a stray dog after losing a war? The nobles and lords in the court must’ve been ridiculing you for the past hundred years! Do you think that you will earn yourselves a high and magnificent monument in the capital city if you all sacrifice yourselves for the Imperium?”

Heiye Lan grew excited again. “We are not going to lose. This is a war for the Black Wind people to reclaim our honor!”

“I know. This is just a casual discussion to help us sort things out for each other. I am not saying that the Black Wind Fleet will lose at all.” Li Yao paused for a moment. “I merely want to say that, under certain extreme circumstances, the interests of the Black Wind Fleet are not necessarily the same as the interests of the Imperium of True Human Beings.

“On the contrary, if the Black Wind Fleet does fail, chances are that the federation, the Ancient Sages Sector, and the defeated remnants of the Black Wind Fleet will share mutual interests and stand on the opposite side from the Imperium.

“Don’t glower at me. Think about it. If the Black Wind Fleet summons reinforcements from the Imperium after it fails, even if the second wave of the expedition army arrives as fast as lightning, do you think that they will be here to rescue the Black Wind Fleet?

“Give up your fantasy. You know about the life-and-death struggles within the Imperium better than us. It may be true that the Star Glory Federation will be demolished, but the remnants of the Black Wind Fleet will most likely be ‘regrouped’ by the second expedition armies. As for the Ancient Sages Sector, if the second expedition armies discover our coordinates during the process, things won’t end well for us, either.

“Do you want to see such a thing? After the Black Wind Fleet plus the Ancient Sages Sector and the Star Glory Federation both suffer great losses in the war, the second expedition armies of the Imperium are here to take all the advantage?

“Hehe. Then, chances are that the experts of the Ancient Sages Sector will be able to work under the new masters in exchange for the autonomy of the Ancient Sages Sector, but what about the previous leadership of the Black Wind Fleet? What will become of them?”

This time, Heiye Lan was breathing fast with a pale face beyond her control. Even her teeth were trembling hard.

“Do you understand now? The Black Wind Fleet can win the war quickly and unstoppably, but if you fail, you must find a way out instead of hoping for reinforcements!”

Looking at Heiye Lan, Li Yao said, “If that happens, the remnants of the Black Wind Fleet will definitely be disrupted and disorganized. Someone must step forward to clean up the mess, save the strength of the Black Wind Fleet, and even help it return to the center of the cosmos in a different appearance a long time later!

“That person will be the new commander of the Black Wind Fleet and the greatest hero in the history of the Black Wind Sector!”

Heiye Lan struggled to ask, “Master Spiritual Vulture, what are you trying to say?”

“Nothing.” Li Yao smiled. “I remember you tell us that you have two elder brothers, one elder sister, one younger brother, and one younger sister. Your father may retire after finding a new home for the Black Wind Fleet after the war due to his age and his heavy wounds in the crushing defeat a hundred years ago, but there is no way that you will be his successor, right?”

“Yes.” Heiye Lan lowered her head. “I’m a pure battle-type Immortal Cultivator, and I can only pilot a Colossus. My mother’s family isn’t very powerful. She has never been the one that my father loves most, either. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been sent to a tiny claw fleet. Even if my father does retire, my brothers and sisters all have greater advantages than me, not to mention other ambitious families!

“Strength matters most in the competition of leadership for us. Bloodline has never been a big deal. Therefore, I never thought…”

“Oh? Strength?” Li Yao patted Heiye Lan’s shoulder softly and smiled. “What, do your brothers and sisters all have ten experts at the peak of the Nascent Soul Stage and two in the Divinity Transformation Stage, plus twelve Colossi, to support them?”