by <unknown>
"Nothing in particular. I only want to suggest to you that, if you truly have nobody to turn to, you can always jump to the area where Boss Bai is active to try your luck."
Li Yao smiled. "Trust me. Wherever Boss Bai is at, the army of the Imperium must be too busy resolving their own crisis to spare enough attention on the small fry like you. There will be a greater room of activities for you.
"In the meantime, if you ever have the opportunity to meet Boss Bai, just describe everything I did on the Land of Sins for him, and he will naturally realize who I am. Then, there is a 50% likelihood that he will give you selfless help and provide tremendous support for you to live through the difficulties."
"Is he an old friend of yours, senior? That's great!"
Gao Kangda said, "However, there is only a 50% chance? What about the other 50%?"
Li Yao said solemnly, "Well, the other 50% chance is that he will find you and even myself to be great troubles. When he learns that I told you to go to him, he will kill all of you at the earliest opportunity!"
Gao Kangda: "…"
Li Yao: "We are only talking about the situation where you have absolutely nobody to turn to. Isn't it even riskier to wander purposelessly in space? The death rate will certainly be well above 90%. So, it is better to try your luck at Boss Bai's place! You can try to adulate him harder. For example, you can say that 'the guy who asked me to find you thought most highly of you and believed that Boss Bai was the only person in the entire cosmos who could resist the infinite wrath of the Imperium and provide a shelter for all of us', or things as such. I imagine that he won't be too heartless… or maybe he will?"
Chapter 2124: Create Your Own Future! |
"Okay, got it!"
Gao Kangda nodded his head and said solemnly, "If we can indeed escape out of here, we will try to contact the fellow Cultivators that are now scattered in the sea of stars first, and if we really can't find a place to stay in, we will try our luck in the area where 'Boss Bai' is active!"
Han Te and Liu Li had been listening quietly the whole time. Hearing the hint of farewell in Li Yao's words, they couldn't help but say in a hurry, "Grandpa Yao, are you not leaving with us?"
"I can't leave with you."
Grinning, Li Yao pointed at the sky and said, "The Immortal Cultivators are unlikely to drop the issue quickly. It is possible that the atmosphere has been heavily guarded by them. The odds of success are rather low if you intend to break out of the siege by brute force, but if you lurk here for another couple of days, more starships of the Immortal Cultivators will definitely come from all directions for reinforcements, in which case it would be even less possible to escape!
"Your starship needs twelve hours for maintenance and injection of the fuel. So, I will break the siege in ten hours, hoping to distract the Immortal Cultivators' attention. If Li Lingfeng intends to capture me, he will certainly not be able to achieve the purpose without the coordinated work of more than half a fleet.
"It will be the greatest opportunity for your escape by then. Odds will be quite high that you can successfully get out of the place!"
"Then—"
Thinking for a moment, Han Te and Liu Li asked in worries, "Wouldn't it be very dangerous for Grandpa Yao to be chased by more than half a fleet? Also, both crystal suits and Colossi only boast the ability of normal cruise and cannot perform a space jump, right? What will you do when you run out of your fuel and spiritual energy?"
Li Yao chuckled. "Rest assured about that. I will have my own solutions. All in all, I promise you that I will be fine! I'll give you a way of secret communication later. After we are all safe again, we can always reach out to each other and fight for a common purpose again!
"Alright. I know that there are many things you want to say and many questions you want to ask, but it is very urgent right now. Every second can possibly decide whether or not we can escape. Please seize the day and go back to maintain the starship. I need to meditate and treat my wounds too, so that I can confront Li Lingfeng and his fleet in the best state!"
Li Yao was truly heavily wounded at this moment, and even his soul was more or less disordered. Knowing that it was a life-and-death moment for all of them, everybody simply bid farewell to Li Yao respectfully, not daring to interrupt Li Yao's treatment anymore.
Gao Kangda and Zuo Jingyun went back to maintain the starship and to regroup the soldiers.
The Fist King left with them. He would try to connect his crystal processors to the mainframe crystal processor of "Great Mountain", hoping to improve the performance of the starship.
Han Te and Liu Li, however, were still clinging to Li Yao.
The two of them hadn't spent a long time with Li Yao yet, but Li Yao was truly the key that changed their lives.
Before they found Li Yao, they were just two insignificant characters in the Desolate Land living a plain, hopeless life.
However, Li Yao brought them into a bizarre, greater world, allowing them to appreciate the entire sea of stars!
The two of them deeply bonded with Li Yao, who was like a "navigator" to them.
"Grandpa Yao…"
Han Te and Liu Li looked at Li Yao in hesitation. The young man scratched the electromagnetic metal rings on his left arm, while the girl played with the corner of her coat while biting her lips softly.
"What's wrong? Are you worried about the upcoming journey?"
Li Yao said in a smile, "Rest assured. I have asked the Fist King to continue taking care of you. While he claims to be a cold machine all the time, I find him much more reliable than most human beings. You'll be fine under his protection. Also, if there is anything you need to know, you can learn from him. I believe that he will certainly teach you a lot of things."
"Yes."
Han Te nodded his head. "Master Fist King is truly a good guy. We also think that he is better than a lot of the mean, bad people on the Land of Sins. He gives us the same feeling as master and Grandpa Yao. We will definitely follow Master Fist King and learn as much as possible, but…"
Liu Li added, "But we still can't bear to leave Grandpa Yao."
Li Yao was slightly dazed. The reliance of the two little fellows on him was something that he had never sensed from Wu Mayan, Xie Anan, or Jin Xinyue.
Perhaps it was because when he met Wu Mayan, Xie Anan, and Jin Xinyue, his level was not high enough, and he could barely protect himself.
But right now, it was possible that he was already qualified to provide guidance for a lot of people and protection for a world.
"It's alright. We will meet again."
Li Yao patted the young man's shoulder before he opened his hand and offered two Cosmos Rings to him. "Inside the two Cosmos Rings are almost eight jade chips, which store the techniques that I have selected for the two of you over the past few days with consideration of the sequel of your random, unorganized training previously. If you work on them diligently, they should be able to shatter the coagula that have been condensed in your veins and your brains, allowing you to reach a brand-new level.
"There are also some Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures and marrow crystals in them, which were stolen from 'Manjusaka, the City in the Sky' by me. Ha. It seemed to be a waste not to take them.
"As for the Cosmos Rings themselves, they are the ultimate treasures for the journey in space and the stealth, guerilla warfare. Come on, each of you will have one of them. Keep it safe!"
"Grandpa Yao…"
However uninformed Han Te and Liu Li were, they knew the preciousness of the Cosmos Rings. Their eyes were all red instantly.
Li Yao was scared of such scenarios more than anything else. He flicked the foreheads of the two little fellows softly and said in a smile, "Alright, this isn't our last farewell. Do not make it so sad. I've offered you the two Cosmos Rings on the following conditions—I hope that you would have already grown into the experts that do not require the protection of the Fist King or anybody else and that you would already be real Cultivator
s the next time I meet you!"
"We will!"
Han Te held the Cosmos Ring hard and declared solemnly, "Just rest assured, Grandpa Yao. We will certainly become real Cultivators before we march back to the Land of Sins and change the world that is wrong!"
Han Te, however, asked in a low voice after a moment of hesitation, "Grandpa Yao, may I ask you one last question? What exactly makes a 'real Cultivator'?"
Slightly dazed, Li Yao felt that he was blushing. He replied, "Well, this is rather awkward. I really don't know the answer to your question.
"If somebody asked me the question a hundred years ago when I just became a Cultivator, I would've told them without any hesitation that Cultivators meant friendship, slaying the evils, helping the weak, and protecting the country. Cultivators must persist in what they believed in despite all the unfavorable circumstances and discouraging comments. Cultivators had to surpass the limits of their lives, explore the mysterious levels that no predecessors had ever reached, and find a new direction for the future of the civilization of mankind.
"But as I trained more and advanced into higher levels, I got in touch with more and more people and things, both good ones and bad ones. Sometimes, I was confused by the true meaning of 'Cultivator'. Perhaps everything I mentioned just now is about the Cultivators, but the real 'Cultivators' are much more than that. They are related to everything in the entire universe.
"Many times before, I had absolutely no doubt on a certain definition of 'Cultivators', and I defended and fought for it, considering it as my firmest belief. But in the end, it often occurred to me that my understanding was not 100% correct, or rather, it was only correct on a very low level. When I leaped to higher levels, the new discoveries that I made required me to continue my training and to summarize the reasons of a higher level.
"So, I do not want to tell you what exactly makes a 'real Cultivator' or the true meaning of 'Cultivation', because it will only restrain your future development and confine you in my thinking pattern.
"I believe that everybody has their unique experiences and fate. Having been born in the dark Land of Sins, and after all the bloody and cruel things you've been through, it is highly remarkable that you can still keep the last bit of brightness in your heart.
"Then, just travel in the sea of stars with the brightness in your heart. Perhaps, a long time later, after meeting countless people and things, you will tell me what a real Cultivator is when we meet again!
"All in all, the thing about Cultivators is that you must find an answer with your own heart. No matter how the world and the universe change, I believe that something in your heart will stay the same.
"So, go and find your own answer. We'll see each other again in space!"
Han Te and Liu Li nodded their heads hard, their eyes wet.
Thinking for a moment, Liu Li took out the can of seeds that she treasured as much as her life again and delivered a handful of the Gold Barley seeds to Li Yao solemnly.
"Grandpa Yao, I've given it a lot of thought."
The girl said solemnly, "In the past, my mother's last wish always occupied my mind. I wanted to grow the Gold Barley on the entire Land of Sins so that everybody would have enough to eat, and no wars would ever happen again.
"But if the universe has always been as dark and cold as it is, even if the Gold Barleys are truly grown all over the Land of Sins, it won't take long before they all wither and perish, right?
"If the entire universe is drowned in the flames of war, how can the Land of Sins be an exception?
"So, I have upgraded my dream. I'm going to grow the Gold Barley in the three thousand Sectors in the entire universe!
"Grandpa Yao, can you help me spray the handful of seeds in space so that they will root, sprout, and spread to the entire universe?"
Li Yao took over the Gold Barley seeds carefully, and looking at the girl's eyes that were as clear as water and as unwavering as jade, he nodded his head heavily.
"No problem. You can count on me!"
Li Yao said in a smile, "I'll definitely find the most suitable place to plant the Gold Barley seeds. Who knows? It may be the splendid, inviolable royal palace of the Imperium of True Human Beings. Haha!"
"Thank you, Grandpa Yao!"
Liu Li bowed at Li Yao deeply and put on the most brilliant smile after rubbing her eyes. "Then, farewell and safe journey!"
"Safe journey!"
Li Yao took a deep breath, somehow hesitating to leave them too. But he still managed to wave his hands at the two little fellows. "Go now. Embrace your fate and create your own future!"
Chapter 2125: Who Can Stop Me? |
Ten hours later, night had fallen on the Land of Sins again.
But this time, colorful mystic rays were rising to the sky everywhere on the bleak land, ripping apart the dark sky and breaking beyond the atmosphere.
In the crevice of a mountainous area, Li Yao opened his eyes slowly and looked at the empty cans of medical drugs and strengthening nutrition. All the fluids in them had been absorbed by him without leaving a single drop. They had leaked to every mitochondrion inside his every cell.
After ten hours of meditation and recovery, his physical strength, soul, and fighting will had all climbed to the highest point.
It was time to break out!
In order not to bring trouble to Han Te, Liu Li, the Fist King, Zuo Jingyun, Gao Kangda, and the rest of them, Li Yao had been treating his wounds in the mountains more than five kilometers inland.
He was in the middle of the unmanned wilderness. The only things that could be seen were the flickering torches on the horizon. Everything seemed peaceful and quiet.
However, Li Yao knew that the tranquility was merely a disguise.
Li Lingfeng and his fleet would definitely not let go of him so easily. They must be gnashing their teeth and whetting their sabers, waiting to ambush him outside of the atmosphere when he boosted all his spiritual energy and broke out of the siege.
Li Yao only hoped that he was a big fish that was more worthy of catching than "Starlight" so that he would be able to distract the Immortal Cultivators and buy precious time for Han Te, Liu Li, and all the other people on the Land of Sins who craved freedom!
"Little Black, I'll have to count on you again. Please hang in there!"
Li Yao touched the black Cosmos Ring on his index finger and raised his arm.
Clusters of black mucus flowed out of the Cosmos Ring and emitted the brilliance of mercury before it enshrouded him in the blink of an eye. He seemed to have put on a most mysterious crystal suit.
It was exactly the original body of Little Black—the flying sword named Black Wing, which was made of materials that were even more flexible and tensile than liquid metal and boasted very powerful abilities of spiritual energy interaction and telepathic thought enhancement.
Shua!
After every inch of skin was covered and protected by Little Black carefully, Li Yao opened his arms and slowly drifted to midair.
Black-and-red streaks of brightness continued spurting out of his Cosmos Ring, drawing the outline and the framework of a Colossus around him. In the next, it was the network that looked like veins and nerves. The last to be filled was the magical equipment units that were most precise in structure and could activate thousands of techniques.
The Tartarean Skeleton stood on the Land of Sins and let out a tsunami of spiritual energy while faced with the boundless night sky!
Li Yao's soul seemed to have been completely melted with the Colossus.
He could clearly sense the heavy damage on the Tartarean Skeleton, which even led to stinging feelings at his nerve endings.
But the pain, which felt like needle stabbing, only made him even more excited. His soul was burning more intensely than ever.
Neltharion turned into a streak of redness and circled the Tartarean Skeleton rapidly like a satellite around a planet, further adding to the profoundness and the mysteriousness of the Colossus.
> "Li Lingfeng, even if you have an entire fleet in your hands—"
Li Yao's lips curled, and his eyes that were staring at the night sky were brimming with infinite fire. "—you can try and see if you can block 'Vulture Li Yao'!"
BOOM! BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!
The most violent flames of spiritual energy spurted out of the Tartarean Skeleton, which covered the land of almost a thousand square meters instantly. All the uneven hills were blown into powder by the airwaves. The pebbles the size of fingernails were captured by the force field of the Colossus first and spun around it rapidly before they hit the ground hard in cracking explosions.
Right when the hills were crumbled into stones and the stones landed heavily, the Tartarean Skeleton rose to the sky into a crimson pillar of light, piercing through the clouds like a glittering long spear!
"Grandpa Yao…"
Hundreds of kilometers away, Han Te and Liu Li held each other's hands and stared at the scene in a daze. Something wet and clear was flashing in the eyes of both of them.
The Fist King stood in silence behind them, with disordered light beaming out of his man-made eyes. He seemed deeply confused as to why the very special human being was doing all that.
All the other resistance warriors of Starlight knew that Li Yao broke out of the siege in such an eye-catching way only because he was trying to distract the Immortal Cultivators for them. Their blood boiling and their hearts racing, they all secretly clenched their fists and cheered for Li Yao in their hearts.
Li Yao's spectacular breakthrough was witnessed by countless sinners on the Land of Sins too. The red spear that pierced at the sky and did not disperse after a long time had also deeply pierced into their heart too.
Perhaps the scene would be a legend that the sinners talked about passionately even a long time later!
Outside of the atmosphere of the Martial Meritocrats Planet, Li Yao was unleashing heat and radiations, which were more than the main engine of a heavy starship could've released, in the most blatant way without hiding his existence at all, because he was hoping to catch the attention of all the Immortal Cultivators. Naturally, he was detected by the fleet of the Immortal Cultivators that was lurking beyond the gravity sphere.
