Forty Millenniums of Cultivation

When compared to Sky Fantasy Academy’s booth, it was quite obvious that there weren’t as many students congregated here. The sign written on their booth read the words “Star Nebula University”. A white ashen, bearded old man stood next to an enormous model artifact. In high spirits, he faced several dozen students to explain as his spittle flew all over:

“Each and every student here is an elite youth of the Federation, people who are determined to become cultivators! What is most important you may ask? In the eyes of a cultivator? And that is, of course, to absorb and refine the spiritual energy from the heaven and earth! Whether everyone knows or not, the spiritual energy we speak of, what is it? Fundamentally? I’ll tell everybody. The fundamental nature of spiritual energy is that it’s an elementary particle called a ‘spiritual energy particle’. We, Star Nebula University, are the sole and only university who are doing research on the spiritual energy particle, the strongest in the Federation! Each and every student, please watch this demonstration!”

The white-bearded old man pointed towards the model which had quite a strange and bizarre shape. Its core was a large tube in the shape of a ring, sealed from beginning to end; it looked like a metal tire.

After a short period of time, a glowing ball of light came into being at different times from the opposite sides of the ring. They headed to the center at the speed of a flint’s spark. They collided violently together with a “Bang”. Thousands of flaming stars set off like fireworks; it was dazzling to the extreme.

The white-bearded old man was extremely proud as he spoke:

“This is the ‘Spiritual Energy Particle Collider’ crafted by our Star Nebula University. The spiritual energy generators on both ends, in theory, can simulate the strikes of two Yuanying stage cultivators using all their strength. The two colossal energies collide directly with each, creating a large explosion, making it highly probably for a few discrete Spiritual Energy Particles to leap forth for capture in the end. Soon, we will be able to unlock the mysteries of spiritual energy! What do you all think, students? If you want to crack open the final mystery of spiritual energy, then apply for our Star Nebula University!”

“So it was like this all along! All this time, spiritual energy is fundamentally a type of elementary particle!”

“A spiritual energy particle collider! It really is amazing! I want to apply for Star Nebula University!”

All the students were in awe of the lecture given by the bearded old man, and so they discussed amongst themselves heatedly.

Even Li Yao had a ripple of emotion stir in his mind. He felt that choosing Star Nebula University would not be a bad choice.

Right at this moment, an ear-splitting voice came ringing ferociously from behind him. “Each and every student, do not be fooled by all means by the words of this old geezer. They’re all completely false!”

A tall silhouette parted the crowd, walking on stage.

This person was eight feet tall. His skin was tanned and dark. His hair was grizzled. And on his sternum, he wore the crest of the “Federation’s First Military College”.

Immediately, the face of the white-bearded old man went scarlet with rage. “Zhao Tiange, why aren’t you staying at your school’s booth like a good boy!? What the hell did you come to our Star Nebula University for!?”

Zhao Tiange snickered and his tiger gaze swept over the many students. He said, “Zhong Boya, I could not stand to watch you use these preposterous fanatical and absurd words and demonstrations to lead these people astray. What do you mean that the fundamental nature of spiritual energy is the spiritual energy particle? Simply ridiculous! All students! You all must not be misled by his words. There still hasn’t been an authoritative accepted theory for the fundamental nature of spiritual energy in the circle of academia! However, I can tell everyone here with absolute certainty that spiritual energy is not a particle, but an inseparable wave! Spiritual energy particles do not exist! It’s spiritual energy waves that do exist!”

“How absurd! How laughable! You’re simply the biggest laughingstock under the heavens! Zhao Tiange. If you want to spew out rubbish, go fart in your own booth. Don’t fart at my place!” the white-bearded old man Zhong Boya seemed to have a violent temperament as he had howled back in rage.

Contrary to his military background, Zhao Tiange was not indignant and did not rise to anger. He said composed, “In rational debates of logic, there is no need to insult the other person. Professor Zhong Boya, you spoke so heatedly just a moment ago. Why don’t you show these students just how many discrete spiritual energy particles were captured by your Star Nebula University’s Spiritual Energy Particle Collider?

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhong Boya’s expression was like that of a chicken whose neck was stuffed and choked; he was immediately struck speechless. The wrinkled old face turned deathly pale. He hemmed and hawed for a period of time before saying, “At present, we have not captured any discrete spiritual energy particles, but according to our analysis, this is because our Spiritual Energy Particle Collider is not at a high enough level; the Yuanying stage strikes it emulates does not create a sufficiently powerful explosion. As soon as we can simulate the strikes of two Spirit Transformation Stage experts giving their all, the resulting collision will produce the discrete spiritual energy particle with absolute certainty!”

“THAT’S ENOUGH!”

Zhao Tiange glared with his eyeballs. The complete iron blooded aura of a military personnel burst forth as he shouted, “For the sole sake of crafting this Spiritual Energy Particle Collider to be able to emulate the strikes of Yuanying stage experts, just how much funding did your school ask and receive from the Federation? To cause our few military colleges to live on scraps for several of years! And now, you even say that your Spiritual Energy Particle Collider needs to emulate the strikes of Spirit Transformation Stage experts at their full strength? Then I’m afraid that even 10 years of the Federation’s budget won’t be enough for you! This much money is enough to craft the military several main battleship forces, or to craft several tens of thousands of crystal tanks and arm several battle platoons to flatten the Fiend Beast Wasteland! The Federation gave you this much money, and you can’t even capture a single fart particle. Yet, you still dare to beg for more money? Indeed, the money would have been better off going to feed our military Spirit Beasts. At least they can look after and protect our yards!”

The shame and humiliation caused the white-bearded old man’s face to be flushed red. With his loss of face, his anger was at its peak. And the imposing aura of Zhao Tiange further antagonized him. The white-bearded man suddenly exploded. Veins leapt up and beat wildly all over his body. His entire body expanded, in a flash, by a fold. With violent palpitations, he said, “Zhao Tiange! Any further words are pointless! It would be better for us to go outside to settle this!”

Zhao Tiange retreated a step, staying away from the burning imposing aura of Zhong Boya. With a sneer, he said, “Zhong Boya, aren’t you a professor of Star Nebula University? Do you think you’re a barbarian of the Ancient Cultivator Civilization of 40,000 years ago? Academic disagreements, debates, and arguments are a truth that will always exist throughout eternity. What’s the point of destroying my fleshly body? Even if you crush and grind my bones to ash and shatter my soul so that I will be unable to reincarnate for eternity… Spiritual energy… will always be a wave! Never will it turn into some bullshit particle!”

These words were like a bolt of lightning that struck Zhong Boya motionless in a flash. Only after much time passed did his entire body crumble and shrink down, like leaking ball of air. With a wave of his hand, he said, “Fellow Daoist Zhao, what you said is absolutely correct. Arguments about the truth have nothing to do with the physical strengths of both parties. It was my fault. I nearly fell into madness! My loss of self-control just now was due to my lack of self-cultivation and maturity. It has nothing to do with the path I persist in. Spiritual energy is a type of elementary particle for certain. In the end, we of Star Nebula University will prove it! Each and every student, if you approve of my theory, then you can stay behind and we can discuss it some more. If you feel that Fellow Daoist Zhao’s words are correct, then you can go walk along with him. Walk to the booth of the First Military College and listen to his lecture.”

“I have no sort of lecture. The Federation’s First Military College emphasizes practical application. We don’t have excess resources to go research the mysteries of the Spiritual Energy Wave. All we can do is slay Demon Beasts and defend our nation! Each and every student, if you’re willing to come stand side to side with me on the battlefield to slay Demon Beasts, then you might as well come with and join our cause for defending the nation! We need hot-blooded men!”