Forty Millenniums of Cultivation

Long Yangjun’s words made the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators and Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators from the Ancient Sages Sector who were unfamiliar with this place and mired in Monster Li’s home field more or less relieved.

Han Baling pondered for a moment and said, “You do have a point, Lord Wang. If Monster Li is really ambitious enough to swallow the universe, we will be of high value to him. Even if we are no match for him as individuals, we can certainly play a game with ‘Li Yao’s group’ if we join hands in order to get a good price for ourselves.

“Also, according to the situation in the federation right now, the four new worlds are in a more advantageous position. If we join the federation, we will be the fifth new world, and the counterforce of the core worlds will be completely suppressed. The situation in the federation will be steadier!

“In fact, it doesn’t matter whether the new worlds or the core worlds take the initiative as long as the final outcome is settled. The worst case will be if the two sides reach an impasse where irresolvable contradictions are caused!

“With Monster Li’s sharp eyes, he must be able to see through that. Therefore, hiring us will only do him and the federation good. There is no harm at all.

“So, the only problem right now is—where is Monster Li exactly, and how can we meet him in person and express our intention to join the federation without causing any misunderstanding?

“After all, we are bringing the commander of the Black Wind Fleet’s daughter with us. If Monster Li discovers us and regards us as the spies or scouts that the expedition army of the Imperium sent out, it will be pretty bad.”

“Fellow Cultivator Han, now that you mentioned it…” Long Yangjun sighed gloomily and worriedly. “With Monster Li’s cleverness, it is possible that he has long discovered us. Chances are that he is even observing our every move through a certain secret technique!”

Her words greatly alarmed all the Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators and Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators again.

Everybody looked at each other in bewilderment. Then, they could not help but look around in the narrow and cold cabin, as if a Monster Li was squatting in a dark corner and peeping at them in silence.

Li Yao narrowed his eyes, his teeth trembling. “I—I don’t think that’s possible. Don’t be an alarmist, Lord Wang! If what you said is true, Monster Li would be too invincible!”

“I hope that I’m being an alarmist.” Long Yangjun shook her head and smiled bitterly. “For some reason, I keep having goosebumps these days, as if a certain invisible eye has been staring at my back the whole time. Today, after hearing everybody’s analysis, if I must choose one between Black Wind Fleet and ‘Monster Li’ to be my enemy, I will certainly not choose Monster Li!

“Everyone, let’s give it some more thought. If we help the federation deal with the Black Wind Fleet, we can always rectify our strategy and attack the federation at the last second when the federation is going to lose, in which case there will still be a slim chance that the Black Wind Fleet will pardon us and spare our lives considering the ignorance of the ‘ancient Cultivators’.

“But if we help the Black Wind Fleet fight the federation, will we necessarily be able to kill Monster Li even if the federation is conquered in the end?

“If Monster Li is not dead, will he spare us and the Ancient Sages Sector?

“If he hides himself for another hundred years and plays the same sword-whetting and throat-cutting move on the Ancient Sages Sector and on us, who can ever take that? By then, we won’t even know how we are killed!

“I don’t know what you think, but for me, I would rather fight against ten Black Wind Fleets than piss off Monster Li!”

Long Yangjun’s words silenced all the other experts from the Ancient Sages Sector.

She was quite right. They were only considering which one between the Black Wind Fleet and the Star Glory Federation would be the final victor, but they had not really thought whether or not they could make sure that Monster Li was killed.

Judging from the situation right now, even if the Black Wind Fleet could really destroy the federation unstoppably, it would not necessarily be able, or rather, would be absolutely unable to slay Vulture Li Yao.

The reason was simple. Monster Li was still lurking in the darkness!

The monster was like a sharp sword that was invisible in the darkness. The most lethal poison had been smeared on the edge, and the sword could be waved at the enemy anytime!

With Monster Li’s sordidness and smartness, even if he could not finish the Imperium of True Human Beings, was he not able to finish the Ancient Sages Sector?

Even if we help the Black Wind Fleet to conquer the Star Glory Federation and earn tremendous benefits for the Ancient Sages Sector and ourselves, will we still be alive to enjoy them?

The experts of the Ancient Sages Sector looked at each other and shuddered from the bottom of their hearts at the same time.

As if it was cooperating with the anxious atmosphere, the carrier also shivered and started decelerating.

They had arrived at the Hundred Flowers Space Zone. In front of them was ‘Hundred Flowers City’, the greatest transfer station for space jumps and the transportation hub at the center of the seven Sectors of the federation.

“Hu…” Han Baling took a long breath and tapped the table. He said solemnly, “Hundred Flowers City is up ahead. We will take a brief rest here and refuel. Then, we will jump directly to the Heaven’s Origin Sector, heart of the federation.

“Perhaps, Monster Li is waiting for the Black Wind Fleet… and us, in the Heaven’s Origin Sector right now.

“With everything coming to this point, we will have to wing it now. I hope that our guesses on Monster Li are not wrong and that we can show the sincerity of the Ancient Sages Sector before he launches a thunderous strike!

“Fellow Cultivators, we have all learned of the formidability of Monster Li. The overall situation is also very clear. Is it the whole of Jin Xinyue’s plan to destroy the traditional conglomerates under Monster Li’s instruction, or do they still have a series of follow-up moves for greater purposes?

“I have a vague feeling that the most critical moment will come soon. Let’s go back to our room and rest well while we wait for Monster Li to show up in the most unbelievable way!”

“Please don’t compete with me, fellow Cultivators,” Long Yangjun said. “I will be the first one to rush forward and cling to Monster Li’s thigh!”

…

The secret meeting of the twelve experts of the Ancient Sages Sector ended in the mysterious and grave atmosphere.

All the experts returned to their respective cabins, thoughtful and full of worries. There was no telling whether or not they were in the mood for a good rest.

When Long Yangjun snuck into Li Yao’s cabin, Li Yao was making instant noodles. The small cabin was filled with the flavor of the noodles and the spiced eggs in them.

Long Yangjun locked the door and leaned against it, staying one table away from Li Yao. She was wearing such an obsequious smile on her face that she really looked like a eunuch that was serving the emperor.

“Why are you here?” Li Yao asked.

“Do you need to ask? Like I said earlier, I’m here to cling to the thigh of ‘Monster Li’,” Long Yangjun said.

“If that’s what you want, my thigh is right here. Why are you waiting at the door?”

“Because you are too horrifying, brutal, and ruthless, of course. I am so scared that my soul is threatening to flee my body. My legs are shaking hard and stopping me from approaching you.”

Long Yangjun eyed Li Yao up and down for a long time in amazement, as if she had only met him for the first time. “Han Baling and the rest of them are not aware of the real situation, but for me who knows part of the truth, I know more clearly than them that what they described is just the tip of the iceberg. The real you is definitely ten times more horrendous than that!

“Now that I think about it, back in the Ancient Sages Sector, you were dumbfounded, utterly shocked, and rendered speechless every now and then, as if you were truly confused and overwhelmed by the messes and had to rely on the instructions of us so-called experts.

“But in fact, that was all your acting, right? In fact, everything was within your calculations. This is the ultimate level of ‘playing the pig that eats the tiger’. You do not need to take action at all. All you have to do is chitchat and pretend to be shocked, and the trap is already set, turning everybody into your chess pieces and puppets!

“Terrible. Truly terrible! Faced with such a terrible Monster Li, I was even ignorant enough to bargain and negotiate with you? I must’ve been asking to be killed even if I was a Nuwa warrior reborn!”

Li Yao listened attentively and nodded. While Long Yangjun was talking, he had already made the second bowl of instant noodles. He pushed it to the other side of the table and said, “Are you hungry? This bowl is for you.”

Looking at the boiling instant noodles, Long Yangjun was completely frozen. With an indescribable expression popping up on her face, she mumbled after a long daze, “Monster Li, what—what kind of person are you? What are you up to exactly?”

“I am up to nothing.” Li Yao snapped his fingers, opening a closet behind him. “Look. There are dozens of bowls of instant noodles here. They are all the last stocks I bought in the Uranian Ring Sector. They are in all sorts of flavors, with even the eggs and the sausages!”

“…So?”

“So, after the meeting, I’ve been thinking about one thing. If I make twelve bowls of instant noodles, adding one egg and one sausage into each of them, and I deliver them to each of the fellow Cultivators with both hands, when they enjoy the noodles and are touched by my friendship, I will confess my identity and tell them that the guy who made the noodles for them is in fact Monster Li, the legendary dominator of three Sectors and the overlord of the federation. But I mean no harm for them at all, and I am seeking cooperation with the fellow Cultivators genuinely. The bowl of noodles I offer is a symbol for my friendliness and sincerity.

“Give my noodles a try first. Then think about it carefully. Is it a sound plan?”

Long Yangjun looked at Li Yao and then at the noodles.

Li Yao looked back at Long Yangjun frankly, too.

“Are you serious?”

“What do you think? Do I appear to be joking? The method is indeed a bit simple and straightforward, but I don’t find any harm in it.”

Tilting her head, Long Yangjun thought for a moment. Then she really stepped forward and sat opposite Li Yao. Picking up a forkful of noodles and sucking them into her mouth, she chewed for a moment and said with a blurred voice, “Isn’t it too spicy?”

There was no telling whether she was referring to the noodles or Li Yao’s plan.

“You can only cut a knot with a fast sword,” Li Yao said. “Also, I am really a terrible liar. The closer we get to the Heaven’s Origin Sector, the more complicated the situation will become. I don’t know what kind of mess there will be. I may lose control over myself at any time.”