The heartfelt cheers of thousands of experts in the Building Foundation Stage, the Core Formation Stage, and even the Yuanying congregated into tides that spread out as fast as lightning.
The entire space fortress felt the shocking force. Even on the starships that were rushing at the back of the planet, some of them widened their eyes, not having the slightest clue what was going on.
Li Yao had never been used to such cheers in the first place. He was somewhat exhausted both physically and mentally. Dazed for a moment, he asked Ding Ling Dong in a low voice, "Didn't you say that it would be a simple welcome ceremony where I would introduce myself to everybody? Why are there so many people?"
"It's already very simple. What do you think?"
Ding Ling Dong lowered her voice, too. "You are the founder of the Double Dragons Union, the Glorious Sunlight Group, and Skyfire. It's only natural that the core leadership of those organizations would come to greet you, wouldn't it? Right now, they are all behemoths that span across the seven Sectors. They can easily gather three to five million people with a simple cough. They have reduced the number again and again and reduced it to around a thousand. That's already the best they can do! "
"Well …"
Li Yao held back the urge to scratch his hair.
He was not necessarily a low-key person, but it was still impossible for him to accept the compliments of a thousand experts in such a way calmly. Their eyes of reverence and even some 'fear' made Li Yao feel both awkward and uncomfortable. He was having goosebumps all over his body.
He did not belong to such occasions after all. He was not the 'dominator of three Sectors' that they were expecting!
Thankfully, the title of 'President Li' was more or less pleasing to the ears.
Li Yao had discussed with Ding Ling Dong for a long time about how they should address him, mainly because his case was rather special. There was no other similar example in the entire Federation.
In his heart, he had never considered himself to be an unreachable big shot. Except for his disciples and juniors, they could simply call him 'Li Yao' or 'Brother Yao'.
Of course, that was impossible.
In the Federation, experts such as himself, who had made great military contributions and fame but did not hold any posts in the government or any sect, could usually add the word 'Old' behind their surname as a sign of respect.
However, "Master Li" was too weird and did not sound as comfortable as "Monster Li". He would be mocked by Long Yangjun and the others for the rest of his life.
"Senior Li" was too tacky, and "Zhenren Li" was too ancient. His hometown was Floating Spear City. According to the unwritten rules, he could also be called "Li Fuge", but it still felt weird.
In the end, Li Yao discovered that Ding Lingdang established a foundation in his name with part of the assets that he had left behind years ago, which was dedicated to helping the orphans of the war.
Li Yao didn't reject the position of president of the foundation. It wasn't too much of an exaggeration to call him "President Li."
"Bear with it."
Ding Ling Dong held his arm and said, "I wasn't used to it when I returned to the Federation from the Nether World Sector and the Uranian Ring Sector, either. But it was such an occasion after all, and I couldn't do whatever I wanted.
"It's just a minor occasion right now. What if I really become the Supreme Speaker of the Federation in a couple of days, and you will be the spouse of the Supreme Speaker and have to attend a big occasion with a hundred billion pairs of eyes gazing at you at the same time?"
"Is there such a thing?"
Li Yao blinked quickly. "I thought that your mission had been accomplished after the main force of the Black Wind Fleet was crushed, and you could retire to the forest!"
"How is it possible?"
Ding Ling Dong said, "The war is far from over. Do you think that the remnants of the Black Wind Fleet will surrender so easily? What's coming next is a sloppy and crueler battle of pursuit and annihilation. Besides, the election of the Supreme Speaker of the Federation is too important to be changed so easily. Even if I want to change my mind, the Patriots Front behind me won't make me change my mind! Forget it. Let's not talk about it for now. Everybody is looking at you. Just say something to them! "
Shua! Shua! Shua!
Shua! Shua! The military base that was packed with people was caught in weird silence.
Everybody held their breath and stared at Li Yao in midair, who was not much taller than them.
That … That was Vulture Li Yao, the legendary dominator of three Sectors, the super invincible hero. What would he say?
Li Yao's face was burning.
He did not expect that so many people would come. The speech that he had prepared just now was somewhat inappropriate.
The scene before his eyes reminded him of the moment when he was surrounded by the crowd in Hundred Flowers City not long ago. He remembered the moment when everybody's soul resonated and sang the national anthem of the Federation at the same time.
Out of everybody's surprise, he closed his legs and bowed to everybody deeply, as if he were returning everybody's greeting.
"Thank you, everyone, for coming all the way here to welcome me."
Li Yao said, "I have to apologize for one thing. You may have some misunderstandings about me, but you will realize that I am not the 'Vulture Li Yao, dominator of three Sectors' in the brochures, movies, and games. I am, how should I put it, a man who is the opposite of what is described in the propaganda.
"I did not do any great feats to save the day. On the contrary, instead of saying that I saved the Federation, it was not you who made up the Xing Yao Federation — the thousands of people of the Federation — who saved yourselves and me.
"If the spectral Cultivators who were trapped in the virtual worlds hadn't awakened at the same time and granted me infinite strength, the extraterrestrial devil in Hundred Flowers City wouldn't have been crushed so easily. Chances are that even I would have been reduced to its puppet.
"If it weren't for the Heaven's Origin Fleet, the Burning Prairie Fleet, the Great White Fleet, and you, who fought the bloody battles in the Tian Yuan Realm without caring about their own lives, it wouldn't have been possible to persist until the moment we arrived, nor would it have created the best opportunity for us to destroy the space gate of the Imperium successfully.
"More importantly, if it weren't for the blood, sweat, and sacrifice of everybody in the past hundred years to build the Xing Yao Federation into such a magnificent country, it wouldn't have attracted any friends or resisted any enemies at all.
"Truly. Thank you for all your efforts and sacrifices, allowing me to return to such a beautiful hometown after a hundred years of sleep.
"It feels so good to be home!"
After saying that, Li Yao bowed deeply to everybody again, expressing his heartfelt gratitude.
Whether he was talking to his subordinates, juniors, or students in name, the 'gratitude' that was almost tangible, or the powerful and agile energy that was transmitted to everybody instantly, giving everybody a subtle feeling that a spring breeze was blowing on their faces.
The entire military base was still soaked in silence.
Everybody's mouths were slightly open, with shock and surprise all over their faces.
What shocked them was naturally Li Yao's control over his spiritual energy. His voice was neither too high nor too low, but it echoed in everyone's ears comfortably, as if Li Yao was standing one meter in front of them and expressing his gratitude to them 'face to face'. Regardless of whether they were in the front row or at the back of the crowd, everybody could hear his voice as clearly as if it were a hundred meters away from them!
What surprised them, naturally, was the content of Li Yao's speech. They had thought that even if Li Yao was not speaking in a bureaucratic tone, he would at least say something lofty and heroic!
They did not expect that his speech would be so straightforward. Such a 'dominator of three Sectors' was too different from what they had imagined.
Wu Yaxuan, Ye Liusha, and Devilish Sword Peng Lie looked at each other in bewilderment, wondering if they had misheard something.
Wu Mayan coughed dryly. He had long known what kind of character his master had, but he had never said this in front of the younger generation, especially in front of his son. Since young, he had always boasted of his master's wisdom and martial prowess. Feeling his son's eyes full of question marks looking at him from behind, he felt a little embarrassed.
Ding Ling Dong was amused. "Is that all?"
Li Yao blinked. "What else could it be?"
Ding Ling Dong said, "I thought that you would pretend to be the dominator of three Sectors!"
"Forget it. We're all family. There's no need to pretend in front of family. Of course, I'll just say whatever is on my mind."
Li Yao grinned. "Even if I have to pretend, it will be more enjoyable if I go to the center of the cosmos in front of the people of the Imperium, the Holy League, the Pangu, and the extraterrestrial devils!"
"That makes sense."
Ding Ling Dong rubbed her fists. "Had it not been for my identity as a candidate for the Speaker of the Federation, I would've gone to the center of the cosmos right now and trained with a few emperors, commanders of the Holy League, and the Pangu and extraterrestrial devils!"
"I can't wait —"
Li Yao mumbled, "I can't wait to see the marvelous picture."
…
Faced with the admiring eyes of the thousand members of the Double Dragons Union, the Glorious Sunlight Group, and Skyfire, Li Yao was already ill at ease and did not know what to do.
In the real private dinner at night, the 'juniors' greeted him in a grand way, which was even more unbearable for him.
It was not that 'senior uncle', 'grand master', 'Uncle Li', or 'Senior Li' were inappropriate. The key was that many of the 'juniors' were in their fifties or even eighties. In terms of real age, they were even older than him.
For a middle-aged man who was in a high position and had a long beard to call him 'Senior Li' respectfully and claim that he had grown up listening to Li Yao's heroic deeds and had set the goal of learning from him a long time ago, such words were indeed creepy for Li Yao.
"I'm really not used to it."
While rubbing his goosebumps, Li Yao mumbled to his two true disciples, Wu Mayan and Xie Anan, "In my mind, the last time I left the Federation was three to five years ago, and you were still young and in your twenties.
"But in the blink of an eye, I haven't changed much, but you have turned into middle-aged men more than a hundred years old. Even your children are older than you were when I left.
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