Forty Millenniums of Cultivation

Faced with Di Feiwen’s questions, Li Yao was silent for a long time, but then he grinned and replied, “In fact, Su Changfa and a lot of Immortal Cultivators who were captured by us raised similar questions. I can’t help but wonder if all Immortal Cultivators have received the same brainwashing procedures to deceive other people with extreme dilemmas.

“Of course, I thought about such questions before and was even caught in a predicament, feeling that the Immortal Cultivators’ theories had a point, too. But on second thought, when such dilemmas take place, all the choices are wrong choices and will make me fall into the logic of your fallacy. How can I prove that I’ve made a sensible choice then?

“So, I believe that the key is not how you act in such dilemmas but how to prevent such dilemmas from happening in the first place.

“For example, you said that when a crisis comes, mobs inevitably show up in the maddest way. Why? Because the Immortal Cultivators have always despised and exploited ordinary people. You do not believe in the strength of the ordinary people, and you do not promote real ‘education’ to awaken the ordinary people as ‘defenders of humanity’. Instead, you have always inculcated into their heads survival of the fittest and all thosetheories.

“You have planted the seeds of brutality and selfishness deep down the hearts of the ordinary people and treated them as ‘animals’ in peacetime. Then, how can you expect them to obey orders or even sacrifice themselves when a crisis comes?

“Besides, although you claim to be ‘elites’, you are actually the most selfish and arrogant people in the world. I believe that when a crisis comes, the guys who are willing to sacrifice themselves like ‘Bloody Spear’ Zhou Tailong are few, aren’t they? Most Immortal Cultivators will flee for survival in a hurry, claiming ‘I am strong, and my life is more valuable, so I’m more qualified to live’, right?

“You have set very bad examples yourselves. When ordinary people learn from you, how can they not become ‘mobs’?

“However, consider such a possibility. In an ideal society, everyone receives comprehensive citizenship education from childhood. They will understand that whether or not their spiritual root is awakened and no matter how strong they are, they are all defenders of the civilization of mankind with unshakable responsibilities on their shoulders. They will consider ‘protection’ and ‘self-sacrifice’ as the highest values, which will be deeply branded into their subconsciousness.

“In the meantime, they will always maintain a sense of alert. Even before the crisis arrives, they will have performed a lot of drills to deal with emergencies with the combination of Grand Illusionary Land and real-life rehearsals.

“When the real crisis does come, under the lead of the Cultivators, countless people will stand up and sacrifice themselves to stop the enemy, and the rest of the people will maintain basic order thanks to their training before when they evacuate and retreat in an organized way. That way, the number of people that have retreated in the end will be maximized.

“Such an ideal society is exactly what the Star Glory Federation and I pursue!”

Di Feiwen stared at Li Yao. “For what you described to happen, commander, how high will the average moral level of this ideal society need to be? Won’t everyone in it be a saint?”

“The progress of civilization naturally means a higher and higher moral level,” Li Yao said solemnly. “But of course, this is just our vision, or dream. To build a world where everybody is a saint is even more difficult than to destroy a world. However, we still have technology. I believe that technological progress will make up for the underdevelopment of morals and help us avoid as many dilemmas as possible.

“For example, the second dilemma you raised just now, the question of saving the specialist of power rune arrays or the little girl.

“At first glance, it is indeed a very cruel choice. It does not feel right to save either of them.

“But on second thought, to make the choice so cruel, you have intentionally set up a lot of premises. For example, the engine compartment of the starship is malfunctioning, the space and resources on the starship can only save one person, the time is too limited to prepare a second starship, and so on.

“What if those problems do not exist?

“What if we are able to build starships with greater capacity and resource recycling efficiency, allowing us to take both of them?

“What if our engine compartment is more stable and boasts advanced self-examination and self-maintenance methods?

“What if there is a mysterious ‘wisdom succession’ technology that allows the specialist of power rune arrays to pass on his knowledge to the little girl?

“What if the technology of ‘human virtualization’ prevails and the specialist of power rune arrays can extract his own soul and crawl into a ring on the little girl’s finger when his physical body cannot be taken away, leaving as an ‘old grandpa’?

“The bottom line is, the most fundamental difference between human beings and animals is tools and technology. As a refiner, I believe in technology. Technology is certainly not an elixir, but the progress of technology can indeed solve a lot of problems, prevent us from making cruel and painful choices, and make our world a more civilized and beautiful place.

“This is my answer.”

Li Yao’s eyes were clear but firm.

Di Feiwen’s eyes, however, were filled with a hint of pity. Amused, he shook his head and said, “Morals? Technology? Is this your answer, commander? That is rather… too self-willed.

“Having lived at the edge of the cosmos for a long time, I am beginning to understand your outlook and the ideology that you persist in. Sometimes, I truly feel that the Cultivators are like ignorant, innocent kids who lie in a nest that is temporarily warm and safe, not knowing the darkness and treacherousness of the outside world at all. You think that your insignificant ‘persistence’ and ‘strength’ can solve all problems.

“When the Immortal Cultivators tell you the cruelty of the outside world out of good will and the ways to survive in the cruel world, you simply cover your ears, unwilling to hear it, and think that as long as you persist in your doctrines, the dark world will go, and the cruel laws will change on their own.

“Face the reality! Both morals and technology have their limits, but the cruelty and brutality of the dark universe are infinite. There are always problems that you cannot resolve. There are always cruel, painful choices that have to be made!

“The innocent kids will grow up into adults one day. They will have bones of iron and hearts of stone when they learn to live in the dog-eat-dog universe!

“You are still living in your nest at the relatively stable and secure edge of the cosmos. Naturally, you are free to brag about such useless stuff. But believe me, after you reach the center of the cosmos where you experience some cruel choices that cannot be resolved with either morals or technology, chances are that you will become the next Blackstar the Great, and the Star Glory Federation will become the next Imperium of True Human Beings.

“If there is any difference between the Star Glory Federation at that time and the Imperium of True Human Beings right now, it will only be crueler, more brutal, and more tyrannical! If it is not, it will not be qualified to continue fighting in the universal slaughterhouse in the place of the Imperium of True Human Beings!”

Seeing Di Feiwen’s twisted face and hysterical performance, Li Yao suddenly chuckled.

His eyes were not focused, implying that he was absent-minded.

Di Feiwen was slightly dazed. He seemed to be rather angry, which was rare for him. He asked solemnly, “What are you laughing for, commander?”

“Nothing, nothing. I suddenly thought of a joke from a long, long time ago that was not very funny.” Li Yao shrugged. “Ignore me. Just go on.”

“A joke…” Di Feiwen frowned. “Does it have anything to do with what we are discussing?”

“Well, perhaps not. I just couldn’t help but laugh when I thought of it. Please do excuse me.” Li Yao squatted on the ground and said, “The joke is about the solution when one encounters a tiger.

“It is common sense that most tigers are fond of attacking people behind. Once they bite the main artery on the neck of a human, one attack will be enough for them to finish the victim!

“Therefore, if an ordinary person runs into a tiger in the wilderness by accident, they must not turn around and run away in panic. Naturally, they also must not kneel on the ground and beg for mercy with their legs shaking, thinking that they can survive the disaster as long as they are humble enough in front of the animal and even turn themselves into the tiger’s lackeys or slaves. All such attempts will be futile, and they will be dead for sure.

“The correct approach is to confront the tiger by widening their eyes, waving their hands, and roaring as loudly as possible. If there are tree branches or twigs around, just pick them up and even poke them at the tiger brutally.

“While poking, they must also shout at the top of their voice to declare their resolution. For example, ‘You fu*king filthy tiger, come on and eat me if you have some balls!’ It’s all up to their own vocabulary.”

Di Feiwen blinked in confusion for a long time and frowned harder and harder. “Wait. You said that a strengthless ‘ordinary person’ encounters a tiger in the ‘wilderness’, didn’t you?”

Li Yao nodded. “Yes!”

Di Feiwen was baffled. “What then? They can escape the tiger with twigs and… cursing like a vixen?”

“Not exactly,” Li Yao said. “But at the very least, they will die with dignity in such a way!”

“…” Di Feiwen.

“Well, is it a bad joke? I said that it was a joke that was not very funny.”

“Please wait a moment, commander. I am still trying to understand how it is funny at all.”

“In fact,” Li Yao said, “I did not laugh because the joke was funny. It just occurred to me that the dark universe and all the magnificent beings in it—the Pangu Clan, the extraterrestrial devils, or other bizarre alien species—might be one, no, a bunch of tigers, and the civilization of mankind is an unlucky guy who has come across them in the wilderness.

“Then, the Immortal Cultivators like you focus on how to escape the tigers—by resorting to any means necessary and abandoning and twisting everything. You would even give up the essentials of human beings and change from inside out, living on as the lackeys and servants of the tigers.

“The Cultivators, on the other hand, focus more on something else—we consider how to die with dignity.”