by <unknown>
"Alright. Now that we have agreed on the same decision, there is no need to talk about anything else. Fellow Cultivator Wang, you are almost the 'mastermind' of the twelve of us. What's your take?"
Meng Chixin resolved the argument and accelerated the pace of the meeting again.
Everybody looked at Long Yangjun, or Wang Xi, at the same time.
Long Yangjun's opinion was indeed very important. One might even say that she was the most important speaker, only secondary to the two Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators.
Although, theoretically speaking, the twelve participants of the meetings were equal, they were still different from each other because of their specialties.
When it came to the technological issues concerning the Colossi or other magical equipment, Li Yao doubtlessly had the loudest voice and was the highest authority.
When personal combat ability was in need, Yan Liren would be the right person. Even the two Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators would have to respect the opinion of the Sword Maniac.
If the topic in question was about life, souls, and ghosts, everybody would have to listen to Wan Mingzhu, the mother of all ghosts, no matter how mean and acrid her words were because she was the real professional.
Qi Zhongdao was fondest of and best at setting up rules. Perhaps he could work as the organizer and the supervisor of the twelve of them and sort out the internal relations among them.
Han Baling and Meng Chixin, the disciple and the master, were both generals and commands who had ambitions and strategic views. When it came to long-term plans, they would be able to offer much more valuable opinions than Yan Liren and Ba Xiaoyu could.
What about Long Yangjun?
She was a wicked official who had dominated the court, helped the emperor manipulate the major sects, and seized power for decades. She had also established Ghost Character, a super intelligence and assassination agency that had caused a storm of blood to the world of Cultivators!
If she had to be labeled, in the eyes of most of the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators and the Divinity Transformation Stages, she was an out-and-out 'schemer'!
Of the other eleven participants of the meeting, many might dislike, if not loathe, Long Yangjun.
But none of them would overlook her opinion on the issue!
Her opinion could possibly change many people's minds and prompt them to reconsider their decisions!
Thankfully!
Li Yao's heart was racing. He thought to himself that Long Yangjun was thankfully on his side. As long as she raised an objection, the whole issue would certainly be reviewed from a new perspective. Chances were that there would be a turning point!
Ba Xiaoyu and Master Bitter Cicada were not firm about surrendering to the Imperium. It was only because they did not have better options. They could still possibly be persuaded!
Himself, Long Yangjun, Ba Xiaoyu, and Master Bitter Cicada made four dissenters. Four dissenters against eight supporters, of whom Yan Liren was not firm about the surrender, too, but merely echoing with other people. As for Han Baling and the rest of them, surrender was no different from drinking water. Rebelling again soon after surrendering was a common practice for them.
Their stances could all be changed. Therefore, the situation was still hopeful, as long as Long Yangjun—
"I choose the Imperium," Long Yangjun said shortly.
"…" Li Yao.
"That's all."
Long Yangjun looked quite at ease. When she glanced at Li Yao, her face was quite natural and honest, too, as if she did not recall the deal that she had made with Li Yao two days ago or care about the consequences if Li Yao exposed her identity.
"As for the reason, I believe that the few fellow Cultivators before me have concluded it quite well. I have nothing to add for now. The Imperium of True Human Beings is our only option!"
After Long Yangjun, Wu Suiyun, the other Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivator who represented the Great Qian Dynasty, said, "I don't like the Imperium of True Human Beings very much. However, we actually don't know the first thing about the real situation in the universe. So, there won't be much difference no matter what we choose. The most critical thing is that we must be united and stick together!
"Therefore, now that so many fellow Cultivators have chosen the Imperium, there is no need for me to add more trouble and conflicts. Let's just surrender to the Imperium for now and figure out what to do after we get to know the situation in the universe!"
Now, the two Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators and eight Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators had all chosen the Imperium of True Human Beings.
Only two Cultivators had not spoken yet, namely Master Spiritual Vulture and 'Emperor Phoenix' Zhu Zongyou.
Everybody's eyes and all the pressure were on their faces and bodies!
The pressure that was as heavy as a mountain, as overwhelming as an ocean, and as smothering as a swamp turned into sweat the size of beans on the forehead of the young emperor. His countenance was changing nonstop, suggesting that he was in quite a dilemma. "I—I—I—"
Honestly speaking, Emperor Phoenix certainly did not want to surrender to the Imperium.
On one hand, Heiye Lan, the female warrior of the Imperium, had lied to him for such a long time and even pretended to be one of his ancestors. Who could bear such humiliation?
On the other hand, he was the sovereign of the Great Qian Dynasty, and now he was asked to bend to somebody else just like Ba Xiaoyu, who was a beggar; Master Bitter Cicada, who was a monk; and Qi Changsheng and Wan Mingzhu, who were bandit leaders?
Did that not mean that his ancestors' hard work would end in his hands?
For a moment, the miserable outcomes of the countless last monarchs of their dynasties in the past flashed inside the head of Emperor Phoenix. He would rather not accept such an ending no matter what!
"Your Majesty," Long Yangjun said to Emperor Phoenix respectfully, but she 'happened' to be looking at Li Yao. "How can a dragon soar in the sky if it hasn't been concealed in the abyss for long enough? Right now, the enemy is strong, and we are weak. What's the big deal about conceding briefly?
"Just think about when you hadn't risen yet, Your Majesty. Did you not hide in the Thunderous Martial Temple and keep distance from the conflict in the royal palace before you made your great accomplishments? Where are the royal princes who fought heatedly in the palace right now?
"Our temporary surrender is just a means to an end. The independence of the Great Qian Dynasty will not be affected. You will still be the supreme sovereign of the Great Qian Dynasty!
"Even if the country is doomed, it can always be revived again as long as its seeds are kept. However, everything will be gone for good if you are killed and your soul is dispelled. You must think carefully before you leap, Your Majesty!"
"You—" Emperor Phoenix glared at Long Yangjun. It was obvious that he hated the powerful eunuch who had messed up the court more than anybody else.
Long Yangjun smiled. Completely ignoring Emperor Phoenix's obvious hostility and Li Yao's very clandestine fury, she casually said, "Your Majesty, you should be more or less a 'disciple' to Heiye Lan, the female warrior of the Imperium of True Human Beings. You must have a deeper understanding about the formidability of the Imperium than we do, right? As the saying goes, it is better to be the head of a hen than the tail of a phoenix. Do any of the twelve of us really mean to surrender to the Imperium of True Human Beings? But what choice do we have except to lower our head for now? This is just a means to an end, a humiliating compromise!
"Even the Cultivators in the Divinity Transformation Stage and at the peak of the Nascent Soul Stage can grit their teeth to bear the humiliation. You have great prospects ahead of you, and your accomplishments will be sung throughout all eternity, Your Majesty. Can you not be perceptive and preserve part of the strength for yourself and for the Great Qian Dynasty?"
Emperor Phoenix was rendered speechless. He wiped his sweat and closed his
eyes. His eyelids shivering, he struggled to say, "I… agree to negotiate with the Imperium of True Human Beings and cooperate with them!"
Eleven of the twelve top experts of the Ancient Sages Sector had chosen the Imperium.
Eleven versus one.
Li Yao was the only one left.
Li Yao's head was in a mess. Thousands of thoughts were dancing and colliding in his head like snowflakes.
What was Long Yangjun up to? Why did she suddenly change to the Imperium's side? Was she not scared that he would expose her secrets in his desperation?
However, her stance did not seem very firm.
All her talk about 'better to be the head of a hen than the tail of a phoenix' and even the high-level Cultivators having to bear the humiliation were obviously meant to arouse the discontent deep inside every participant's heart.
However, what would happen even if their discontent was aroused? It was eleven against one right now. Did she and he have any solution to reverse the situation?
"Fellow Cultivator Spiritual Vulture!"
While Li Yao was thinking quickly, Meng Chixin's voice came over coldly.
"The eleven of us have made up our minds. I wonder whether or not you have a different opinion. If not, it will be settled now. Sincerely or insincerely, the Ancient Sages Sector has to join the Imperium of True Human Beings for now!"
Chapter 1537: New Choice! |
"I—"
Li Yao glanced at the faces of all the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators and the Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators, observing their complicated and mysterious expressions. His eyes stayed particularly long on Long Yangjun's seemingly frank face. Finally, he made up his mind and slowly shook his head. "I… I'm not sure. It seems necessary to join the Imperium of True Human Beings. However, I do feel that this is too important an issue for us to reach a decision so quickly!
"Even if the Imperium can offer us the greatest benefits in the world, it seems to me that we have to carefully consider our other options. However ridiculous and impractical those options are, we should at least give them a fair amount of time for discussion!
"After all, we are certainly not the first Sector to choose to surrender to the Imperium of True Human Beings. The fact that the Imperium has stood in the universe for a thousand years without falling suggests that it certainly has methods to keep the local forces in check. It will not be easy for us to rebel later even if we want to!
"It's easy to join the Imperium, and maybe there is very favorable treatment in the beginning, but after we are too deeply mired in the swamp, it will be difficult for us to get free from it. What do you think, fellow Cultivators?"
Meng Chixin nodded quickly. "Fellow Cultivator Spiritual Vulture does have a point. It's true that we cannot regard the Immortal Cultivators of the Imperium of True Human Beings as idiots that we can take advantage of casually. We must consider them as the most cunning, cruel, and terrible opponents!
"To fight for the autonomy of the Ancient Sages Sector is probably not going to be as easy as Heiye Lan said. Rebelling after surrendering will be hard to do, too. One moment of carelessness, and the Ancient Sages Sector will be devoured by the Black Wind Fleet without leaving any residues. Such cases where a mediocre troop is swallowed by an ace troop are very common in any dynasty and in any place!
"Fellow Cultivator Spiritual Vulture is truly insightful enough to give all of us a warning.
"However, getting back to the original topic, we do know the dreadfulness of the Imperium, but exactly like Fellow Cultivator Wang just said, the expedition army of the Imperium, which is too strong for us, is now knocking on our door. If we are determined not to lower our head, what can we do? Fight a bloody battle to death?"
"Fighting a bloody battle to death under siege will just be suicide. Such a choice is too reckless." Li Yao gritted his teeth and finally said, "However, we do have a potential ally. Why hasn't anybody given any thought to the Star Glory Federation?"
"The federation?" The many Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators and Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators all looked at each other in bewilderment.
"The insignificant country at the edge of the cosmos according to Heiye Lan?" Wan Mingzhu said impatiently. "If Heiye Lan was speaking the truth, the Black Wind Fleet is marching toward the Star Glory Federation aggressively right now and will reach the destination in three to five years! That country is on the brink of destruction and can barely protect itself! It's not like we should just shut the door on such a behemoth as the Imperium of True Human Beings and join this unknown country that is in peril, right?"
Emotionlessly, Li Yao pretended that he was not involved and calmly analyzed the situation. "The Star Glory Federation may not be as useless as Heiye Lan described. Otherwise, her fleet wouldn't have suffered a crushing defeat, and she wouldn't have been forced to flee to the depths of the dark nebula in a hurry."
"Didn't Heiye Lan say that hers was just an insignificant 'claw fleet', which equaled to a scout squad?" Wan Mingzhu snorted. "Is it a big deal for an army to lose a scout squad when a great war is about to begin?"
"Stay calm, Fellow Cultivator Wan," Meng Chixin said. "We agreed to say whatever is on our mind freely, didn't we?
"Now that Fellow Cultivator Spiritual Vulture has proposed the option of 'Star Glory Federation', I believe that he certain has his reasons. Let's just hear Fellow Cultivator Spiritual Vulture's enlightenment first and discuss it later."
"I can't say that it is enlightenment. It's just something that I've been reflecting on lately."
Narrowing his eyes, Li Yao cautiously said, "The Imperium of True Human Beings has hundreds of Sectors. The participation of another Sector won't be anything significant. Even if we do join them sincerely, we will merely be the icing on the cake for the Imperium. Will the Imperium of True Human Beings really appreciate us and grant us the most powerful magical equipment and techniques?
"Let's be honest here. For the leadership of the Imperium of True Human Beings in the Empyreal Terminus Sector far, far away, the Ancient Sages Sector will merely be a dog that has approached them wagging its tail and begging for mercy. If they are pleased, they will throw their leftovers to us. If they are not, they might kick us. If they are hungry, they can butcher and devour us. We are nothing better than that!
"Although we are not omnipotent and invincible, we are certainly dominators of the Ancient Sages Sector who are basically free to do whatever we want. Are we really in such a hurry to work as somebody else's dog?"
BAM!
Qi Changsheng bashed the table heavily. He said gravely, "Why are you saying that, Fellow Cultivator Spiritual Vulture? Who would be willing to be somebody else's dog if they had a choice? We are simply forced to do that under the pressure!"
"That's why I'm pondering whether or not the Star Glory Federation can be another choice," Li Yao said solemnly. "Think about it. If the Star Glory Federation is an insignificant country at the edge of the cosmos like Heiye Lan described, it will have only a handful of Sectors at best. Also, it is faced with the threat of the expedition army of the Imperium and in dire need of powerful reinforcements!
"Joining the Imperium means that we will be the icing on the cake. However, if we join the Star Glory Federation at a time like this, we will be firewood in a cold winter!
"It goes without saying that firewood in a cold winter will be much more appreciated than the icing on the cake!
"Also, if we join the Imperium, we will only be one of hundreds of Sectors and among the weakest ones. We won't have any say at all but can only wag our tails hard, waiting to be manipulated and exploited!
"However, considering that the Star Glory Federation may have less than just ten Sectors, if we join them, we will probably be one of the five or six giants in the country. With the Nuwa warship and so many Colossi, we can even become a highly influential force within the federation. Not only will we be able to maintain the independence and autonomy of the Ancient Sages Sector, we will also even hav
e the chance to influence and control the future of the Star Glory Federation!
"Is such a future not attractive at all? Is it not worth considering carefully?"
Li Yao's speech raised rounds of whispers around the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators.
However, they were not convinced by him.
The Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators and Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators were not idiots. What Li Yao had thought of had occurred to them, too.
"Fellow Cultivator Spiritual Vulture, you do have a point," Han Baling said solemnly. "We will have a larger say if we join the Star Glory Federation than if we join the Imperium of True Human Beings. It is even possible that we can be a guest who supplants the host and controls the federation one day!
"However, the Star Glory Federation is in peril right now and will soon be destroyed by the Black Wind Fleet. What do you have to say about that?"
"Long expeditions are discouraged in the military because the army will be exhausted." Li Yao frowned. "Who can guarantee that the Black Wind Fleet will surely defeat the Star Glory Federation?
"In the Ancient Sages Sector, an expedition after several months of journey is practically impossible to win. Even the strongest and most well-trained army will lose their combat ability and morale after staying in a harsh, remote area for a year and a half, eventually being defeated by the locals who are not strong at all!
"The Black Wind Fleet has voyaged in the sea of stars for a hundred years. A hundred years! Who can guarantee that they will absolutely defeat the Star Glory Federation instead of being crushed by the locals at the edge of the cosmos?
"Fellow Cultivator Han, in the eyes of the people from the central plateaus, we are both such 'locals'. You should know how the war between the 'locals' and the 'invaders' should be fought more clearly than anybody else, right?
"If we join the Imperium right now, only to find that the Black Wind Fleet is crushed by the Star Glory Federation later, won't we be in a dilemma?"
