Forty Millenniums of Cultivation

“Master Gui…” Having just killed a member of the Pangu Clan in personal, it would have been too hypocritical for Li Yao to say that he did not feel particularly good about it. “Do you still insist that ‘a son will be dead if his father wants him dead’?”

Gui Suishou smiled causally. “Of course I still do. After hearing the history of the Imperium of True Human Beings’ rise and the truth about the Path of Ultimate Benevolence, I am even more convinced!

“I believe that the Pangu civilization might’ve implemented their version of the Monument Plan when they were coming to their doom. However, it was not monuments that they sprayed into the sea of stars but seeds.

“Now, after hundreds of thousands of years of growing, the seeds are sprouting, blossoming, and yielding fruit again.

“Li Yao, my young friend, you are truly worth complimenting for killing a member of the Pangu Clan, but the greater enlightenment of the incident should be that a living member of the Pangu Clan can survive hundreds of thousands of years or even longer through hibernation!

“The universe is a boundless place with infinite worlds. You don’t think that there is just this one member of the Pangu civilization in the hibernation state in entire universe whom you have accidentally encountered and killed, do you?

“What if other members of the Pangu civilization wake up from their hibernation elsewhere, not to be killed by heroes like you but to be embraced by the people of the Covenant Alliance dominated by the Path of Ultimate Benevolence?”

Clear, innocent brilliance beamed out of Gui Suishou’s dirty eyes.

Li Yao was so angry that his teeth were itching. It was what the old tortoise did all the time. He always liked to propose theories that would extinguish other people’s delight but were irrefutable!

“Then, you are free to study the relics of the Pangu Clan carefully, Master Gui. What are you doing here?” Li Yao snapped with a gloomy face.

“I’m here specifically for you, my young friend,” Gui Suishou said unhurriedly. “I wonder, can we talk more after you finish your conversation with the Immortal Cultivator?”

Li Yao scratched his head. “Is it for the Monument Plan? We can talk about it later. Most of the resources of the Glorious Sunlight Group will still be focused on the development of Kunlun for the time being.”

“Yes and no,” Gui Suishou said. “It’s true that the Monument Plan is in dire need of funding, but it is not a project that can be rushed. I’m simply curious about you, Li Yao, and I’m hoping to record your words and actions, as many as possible!”

This time, Li Yao was truly puzzled. “Why?”

“I am a historian. I want to keep the marks of the last glory of our civilization as best as I can. But the so-called civilization is not just about cities and relics but, more importantly, about people!

“Cities are not a civilization, and magical equipment is not a civilization. Only people are what makes a civilization!

“I feel that you are a very interesting example of our civilization. Your life experience, your quotes, and your anecdotes should be built into a vivid ‘monument’ to tell the brand-new civilizations in billions of years what a ‘Cultivator’ really is.

“Therefore, I’m planning to write a biography for you to add to the ‘monuments’ in the future, which will be passed on for millions if not billions of years!

“To some extent, you will be sort of ‘immortalized’ in such a way, my young friend Li Yao!”

Gui Suishou spoke delightedly with a ‘now-come-on-and-thank-me’ face.

However, Li Yao had goosebumps all over his body as he put on an extremely weird expression.

He had never thought that his tales would be passed on to others millions of years in the future, not even in his wildest dreams. It was… too creepy!

The old tortoise’s head was indeed abnormal!

For a moment, Li Yao felt that he had turned into a relic himself, or perhaps a well-preserved dry cadaver, which was being sliced for research and commented on by some green-skinned, three-headed, and six-armed creatures.

Shuddering in coldness, he made a few empty promises to Gui Suishou and walked into the prison cell.

“Senior Su!”

Su Changfa and Guo Chunfeng were alone in the prison cell, one sitting and the other lying.

The place was not creepy at all for a prison cell. Instead, the ivory ceiling and the wall that was the color of a green apple made it look more like a ward with full facilities. Except for the barriers around the sickbed, there was not the slightest intimidating vibe of interrogation.

Compared to five days ago, Su Changfa looked much better. It seemed that he had adapted to the lifestyle in the world of Cultivators. At this moment, he was sitting cross-legged on the bed with a crystal processor in his hands, reading a jade chip carefully.

The five days did not prove to be entirely futile. Su Changfa had traded some valuable intelligence for a crystal processor and a brief introduction to the Star Glory Federation.

Right now, the two parties both had a basic understanding about each other.

“Fellow Cultivator Li, we meet again.” Seeing Li Yao walk in, the old Immortal Cultivator put down the crystal processor and smiled calmly. “I didn’t know that you have achieved so many astonishing accomplishments despite your young age. You are truly a pillar in the world of the Cultivators of the Heaven’s Origin Sector. How blind I was!”

Li Yao’s lips curled up.

He did not find Su Changfa too distasteful.

Perhaps, it was because the two of them had once fought side by side, or perhaps it was because Su Changfa had not committed any inhuman crimes in his presence.

“Is there anything you want to say to me, Senior Su?’ Li Yao directly got to the matter at hand.

“Yes. In the past few days, I have exchanged some intelligence for your files. The more I read, the more I was surprised. Such a young hero like you is a rarely-seen talent even in the Imperium!”

Su Changfa glanced at Guo Chunfeng and sneered, “If I must confess, I would rather communicate with a frank and forthright Cultivator such as you than fall into those who are willing to do anything to achieve their goal!”

Guo Chunfeng scratched his nose. Even if he was embarrassed, his face certainly did not betray his feelings.

Li Yao raised an eyebrow and said, “Senior Su, have you thought everything through? Are you ready to confess?”

“Yes, I can confess, but I want to confirm something first.” Su Changfa smiled. “Fellow Cultivator Li, if you consider yourself to be the most standard Cultivator, you will definitely persevere in your bright and righteous belief and will not waver easily, right?”

Li Yao nodded. “Of course!”

“I’m aware that there is a ‘Constitution of Cultivators’ in the Star Glory Federation. The law is the lowest criterion of the Cultivators’ belief. Therefore, you will certainly abide by the law. Correct?”

“Yes!”

“If somebody else is violating the law, a ‘true Cultivator’ such as yourself will absolutely not idle by but help serve justice, right?”

“Naturally.”

“If you watch and do nothing, your belief will be sullied, and you will not stop questioning yourself. In the worst case-scenario, your belief will collapse, and your level will plummet, right?”

“So what? What are you trying to say, Senior Su?”

Su Changfa nodded quickly. “Then, I’m truly confused now. Fellow Cultivator Li, you and I have fought a bloody battle together. We should be acquaintances even if we are not friends. Why are you doing nothing while I’m in prison, Fellow Cultivator Li?

“If I may ask, what law of your country have I violated exactly, and why do I deserve to be confined and even interrogated by the agent organization of your country without good reason?

“This is a heinous action that is seriously in violation of human rights. Are you not going to stand out and serve justice, Fellow Cultivator Li? Where’s your belief?”

Li Yao was dazed for a moment before he blurted out, “Are you not an Immortal Cultivator?”

“So what?” Su Changfa replied frankly. “Is it a crime to be an Immortal Cultivator in your country?”

Dumbfounded for a long time, Li Yao turned around and asked Guo Chunfeng, “Brother Guo, is it a crime to be an Immortal Cultivator?”

Guo Chunfeng frowned. “It… doesn’t seem to be a crime to be an Immortal Cultivator.”

“That’s it. Whatever the law does not forbid, you are free to do. Now that being an Immortal Cultivator is not a crime in your country, for exactly what reason have you captured me?”

Su Changfa leaned against the wall and said like a rascal, “Even if being an Immortal Cultivator is truly a crime, how do you determine that I am an Immortal Cultivator? Are there any unique physiological features about the Immortal Cultivators? Are the two words ‘Immortal Cultivator’ on my forehead? Or is it simply because I said I was one?

“Yes. I’m indeed from the Imperium of True Human Beings, and I mentioned that I was an Immortal Cultivator, but is it really evidence?

“Tang Qianhe was from the Imperium of True Human Beings, too. She claimed to be an Immortal Cultivator, too. What happened later?

“You are convicting me based on just a few words and tales that I told Fellow Cultivator Li. I don’t think it is appropriate, is it?”

Li Yao blinked. “Indeed, it is not.”

“There must be a misunderstanding, Senior Su.” Guo Chunfeng coughed and said, “We did not capture you because you are an Immortal Cultivator. Part of your freedom is only limited because you are believed to be a threat to the national security of the federation. That’s why we are investigating you.”

“What a joke!” Su Changfa snapped. “I had not heard the name ‘Star Glory Federation’ before I jumped to this area. Also, my original destination was not the Heaven’s Origin Sector, either. We were merely using this place as a platform because we were attracted by the waves caused by the integration of the Heaven’s Origin Sector and the Blood Demon Sector!

“How could I be a threat to your national security when I didn’t even know the name of the Star Glory Federation?”

Li Yao frowned. “But you were planning to launch an invasion to us!”

“As far as I know, the Imperium of True Human Beings has never declared war on the Star Glory Federation or any other political entity in the universe,” Su Changfa replied innocently. “What’s ‘invasion’ all about?

“Even if a war between the two nations does break out, does it have anything to do with smallfolk such as myself? I’m just a traveler in the sea of stars who enjoys the ecstasy of discovering more Sectors!”

“Smallfolk?” Li Yao sneered. “Anyone who is not blind can see the huge war base outside! Besides, are you not an official of the ‘Immigration Bureau’ of the Imperium?”

Li Yao took out the ‘green card’ that Su Changfa had issued him.

“I’m just a regular civil official.” Su Changfa did not even bat an eye when he was lying. “I can’t see how an official of the Immigration Bureau is a threat to the national security of your country. As for the war base… the universe is a vast and perilous place. Everybody brings some self-defense magical equipment with them. Are the carriers of your country not armed at all?

“Most importantly of all, even if I was indeed armed to my teeth, I didn’t land on the territory of your country! Your territory is the Heaven’s Origin Sector. Is this place Heaven’s Origin Sector? This is not your jurisdiction. On what basis are you arresting me?

“Fellow Cultivator Li, you are a kind, noble Cultivator. How can you do nothing about such absurd actions? Can the law be overlooked and the innocent such as me be sacrificed easily just because a groundless indictment of ‘national security’? How is it different from the Immortal Cultivators’ actions?”