Forty Millenniums of Cultivation

Li Yao opened his mouth, meaning to argue, but Jin Tuyi simply shook his hands and said, “You must feel that I am embellishing us and smearing the federation and that I am talking as if the demons of the Blood Demon Sector are all innocent rabbits, right?

“That is absolutely not what I meant.

“In fact, it didn’t matter whether the Star Glory Federation issued war bonds targeting the Blood Demon Sector or not. From the second that the Heaven’s Origin Sector was discovered, the Blood Demon Sector has been actively planning invasions against the Heaven’s Origin Sector.

“However, two factors hindered the invasion plan.

“First of all, the Heaven’s Origin Sector and the Blood Demon Sector were still too far away from each other back then. The super-large demon beasts, devilish warships, skeleton tanks, and demon emperors could not pass through the narrow, unstable wormholes. Even if they did, it was barely possible for them to survive in the Heaven’s Origin Sector due to the lack of supplies.

“Secondly, the Blood Demon Sector was seriously divided at that time. The Feather Clan, the Insect Clan, the Horn Clan, the Sea Clan, and the Claw Clan—the five main clans were conspiring and attacking each other every day.

“In the decades after the Heaven’s Origin Sector was discovered, a civil war was fought in the Blood Demon Sector in which the Feather Clan, the Insect Clan, the Sea Clan, and the Claw Clan joined hands and split apart the ‘Horn Fire Kingdom’, a country ruled by the Horn Clan, forcing the Horn Clan to become the vassal of the other four clans.

“So, as you can see, we were equally ambitious, and we wouldn’t hesitate to swallow each other.

“The only difference is that the Blood Demon Sector has developed to the peak. We are strong right now, but we are short of resources, and our future isn’t very promising. Therefore, the Blood Demon Sector decides to attack actively.

“In comparison, the Star Glory Federation is still developing. Your capability becomes higher with each passing day. Your resources are slightly more abundant than the resources of the Blood Demon Sector, too. Therefore, you choose home defense.

“But are we any different from each other essentially? We are both… two cold, cruel, and yet nervous and paranoid hunters in your ‘dark forest’, who are willing to do anything for survival.

“Hehe. Vulture Li Yao, even if your ‘same-origin’ theory is not supported by any proof, I still believe you because the two races are too similar. We are equally cruel, equally greedy, equally brutal, equally ambitious, trying to conquer everything that we see!”

Li Yao sniffed, with intense brilliance beaming out of his eyes, like a rooster whose glamorous feathers were standing up.

Jin Tuyi smiled. “I can see disdain and contempt in your eyes. Although you are saying that ‘human beings and demons are of the same origin’ and ‘human beings and demons are the same’, deep down in your heart, you still feel that we are not the same, don’t you?

“How can the unified, equal, free, and democratic Star Glory Federation be the same as the ruthless, bloodthirsty, backstabbing, evil demons? Isn’t that what you are thinking?

“Let me tell you something. No race is born brutal. Everything is just a matter of resources.

“The Blood Demon Sector does not have sufficient resources to feed too many experts. Therefore, when the number of the silver-blood demons grows too large, the excessive part must be eliminated by cruel internal strife or by invading the Heaven’s Origin Sector!

“It is like how two tigers cannot live on the same mountain. There can only be a limited number of tigers in a forest. If the tigers don’t fight each other and there are more and more of them until their population surpasses what the environment can support, the entire ecological system will collapse.

“We have to be ruthless. We have to attack each other. If we don’t, the only result will be that the number of the silver-blood demons will grow exponentially, and all the resources will be drained in several decades. Then, all demons will starve.

“On the other hand, since the Star Glory Federation has been at war with foreign enemies for hundreds of years without rest, naturally, it is in your culture to be unified and to fight against a common foe.

“If we swap our environment and you’d lived in the barren Blood Demon Sector all the time while we’d lived in the Heaven’s Origin Sector surrounded by foes, you would certainly be as ruthless and heartless as us, and we would be as unified and hotblooded as you.

“I’ve told you a lot of stuff because I am trying to enlighten you. It is useless to convince me, the commander-in-chief of the coalition army. It is even more useless to convince the entire Blood Demon Sector. You must also convince the Heaven’s Origin Sector, the Flying Star Sector, and your ambitious compatriots who are craving to expand their territory and gain their fame by slaying demons!

“Trust me. It will be a hundred times more difficult to convince them than to convince me!”

“Senior Jin,” Li Yao said solemnly, “I don’t want to discuss whether one is born kind or vicious. It is a question that carries no answers. If you really think that all the Cultivators are such degenerates, I don’t want to change your mindset right now. But right now, with the threat of the Imperium of True Human Beings drawing near, even the most ambitious Cultivators who hate demons the most will still calm down and think about how to survive, won’t they?”

Jin Tuyi smiled. “In your opinion, under the threat of the Imperium of True Human Beings, the Heaven’s Origin Sector, the Flying Star Sector and the Blood Demon Sector should be united, right?

“The Flying Star Sector boasts advanced universal sailing and space jump technology. The Heaven’s Origin Sector has been well developed and boasts a high construction ability and abundant experience in the operation of a super-large government. The Blood Demon Sector boasts state-of-the-art biochemical technology and can provide the strongest miners. We will work together to develop Boneyard, the resource planets of the Flying Star Sector and even vaster worlds. That is the only way to fight against the Imperium of True Human Beings, right?”

“Exactly!” Li Yao replied resolutely.

“Then,” Jin Tuyi continued, “what is the position of the miners of the demon race in the new alliance? Slaves?”

Li Yao shook his head. “Of course not. Even though the two parties cannot be integrated shortly, we will still be able to reach a reciprocal agreement at least. Demon miners will be exactly like human miners. They will have their own salary, rights, and benefits. I believe that, after tremendous resources are excavated, both the civilians of mankind and those of the demon race will have a better life than theirs right now.”

Jin Tuyi smiled and said, “Alright. Let’s say that I believe the Imperium of True Human Beings does exist, that I believe that it is necessary for the Heaven’s Origin Sector, the Flying Star Sector, and the Blood Demon Sector to be united, and that the physically strong miners from the demon race who are more adapted to the harsh environment is an indispensable part in the fight against the Imperium of True Human Beings.

“Then, take a guess. If I were the Speaker of Parliament of the Star Glory Federation or the leader of the Cultivators, what choice would I make when I am given such information?

“I could resist the pressure to force me to resign, stand the humiliation where I am labeled a spy, soothe fury of the public, and suppress the hatred that has lasted hundreds of years, just in order to reach a total peace with the Blood Demon Sector.

“But as a result, the tremendous war bonds and victory funds will never be redeemed, a lot of sects and Cultivators will go bankrupt, and the economic system that is built on ‘conquering the Blood Demon Sector’ will be on the verge of falling apart. As for the administration under my lead, there is no doubt that it will collapse.

“Yes. We are now able to develop Boneyard and the resource planets of the Flying Star Sector on a large scale, but it will take decades for a virtuous circle to be created and yield high returns. The benefits are too far away to resolve the imminent problem.

“Besides, after the peace agreement is reached, demons will legally be equal to human beings. If demons are hired as miners, they will certain claim salaries and benefits. Since they are going to be sent to places far away such as Boneyard or the Flying Star Sector to work, how much do you think I should be paying them?

“The cost on every miner will certainly be extremely high!

“Besides, since we are all in total peace now and are prepared to fight against a common foe, then the major forces of the Blood Demon Sector will certain have a say in the future alliance, right? Who exactly will lead the alliance in the fight against the Imperium of True Human Beings?

“There are too many questions that cannot be solved by just the word ‘peace’.

“However, I do have a second choice.”

Two black flames suddenly burnt in the bottom of Jin Tuyi’s eyes. Baring his sharp teeth, he smiled and said, “Young man, let me tell you what I would do if I were the leader of the Star Glory Federation.

“Step one, I would publicize the threat of the Imperium of True Human Beings and send a delegation to the Blood Demon Sector, hoping to reach total peace with the Blood Demon Sector, exactly as you are going right now.

“Step two, I would send a large number of delegations to the Blood Demon Sector in the next three to five years. They would be offering mediocre technology to the demons while investigating and surveying the Blood Demon Sector.

“In the meantime, I would develop the crystal suit and starship technologies through the large-scale communication with the Flying Star Sector. Also, I would expand the crystal suit legions under the pretext of making preparations for the Imperium of True Human Beings. My aim would be to establish at least thirty crystal suit legions in five years.

“Step three, three to five years later, with the comprehensive survey on the Blood Demon Sector completed, the thirty crystal suit legions as well as the powerful fleets from the Flying Star Sector would be ready, and the demons would have been intoxicated by the delicious wine named ‘peace’. I would mobilize all the troops and attack the Blood Demon Sector, destroying the central armed forces of the Blood Demon Sector!

“Of course, a decapitation strategy could be played first. For example, I could invite the leaders of the demon race to the Heaven’s Origin Sector for a peace gala where I would kill all of them easily… There is no need to talk about such details.

“Step four, after suppressing the resistance of the demon race, I would group and train all the demons into slaves before sending them to mine on Boneyard or the Flying Star Sector!

“If so, the war bonds and victory funds I issued earlier could be redeemed by the land of the Blood Demon Sector, the towns of the demon kingdoms, and the slaves themselves, and the stability of the federal government and the economic system would be maintained.

“More importantly, slaves cost nothing. They could be driven to mine on Boneyard and the resource planets of the Flying Star Sector however I wanted, until the last bit of strength in their bones is exploited. It would not matter even if they were exhausted to death on the glittering crystals they have collected!

“I believe that this is the only solution to collect the most resources in the shortest amount of time with a minimal cost in order to compete with the Imperium of True Human Beings!”