"No, I'm not brainwashing you this time. I'm only helping you see the truth."
Wuying Qi 3.0's lips curled. His face and his white robe were covered in ash, making him look like a black and a white man. "Well, perhaps the so-called 'help' is unnecessary. With your wisdom and your insight about the darkness of humanity, you should've known your destiny a long time ago, right?
"Since you're capable of such sordid methods, you should've had the clearest understanding of the despicableness of human beings. You knew that you had no choice but to become the master of the Gold Crystal Pyramid, but you're still delaying yourself and unwilling to face the sad truth. Am I right, Li Yao?"
Li Yao's body was obviously shivering, blurring like a reflection that had been thrown into a stone.
"I … I don't know what you're talking about!"
Li Yao gnashed his teeth. "I won't. I won't become the master of the Gold Crystal Pyramid. I'm going to destroy it. I'm going to … destroy it."
"No, you won't destroy it. You'll seize it, study it, upgrade it, and make it part of your body and your will. It will be the last defense line between the Imperium and the Federation, and between the Immortal Cultivators and the Cultivators. You'll protect your motherland and your beliefs with it."
Wuying Qi 3.0's smile was more and more brilliant. The ash was dancing around him like thousands of gray butterflies. "It's your only choice. It's the only leverage for you to compete with the 'real Immortal Cultivators' such as Lei Chenghu. You know it. You've always known it.
"It can't be helped. You, Lei Chenghu, Li Linghai, Jin Yuyan, and the millions of Immortal Cultivators who are ruling the center of the cosmos right now are different after all. When 'Blackstar the Great', the most evil supervillain, was still alive, you might've been able to let go of your grudges and cooperate with him, but it was just a temporary measure that everybody knew wouldn't last long. The moment 'Blackstar the Great' collapsed, the alliance of the Cultivators and the Immortal Cultivators was broken. You were destined to rekindle the flames of war!
"Even if you don't intend to hurt Lei Chenghu, Li Linghai, and Jin Yuyan, even if the few Immortal Cultivators who once fought side by side with you are loyal to you, what about the other Immortal Cultivators? What about the thousands of Immortal Cultivators?
"Right now, you are a Cultivator and a country of Cultivators at the edge of the cosmos. The existence of the Star Glory Federation is no longer a secret. No matter how you try to hide it, more and more Immortal Cultivators will learn of it before long. By then, how can you guarantee that the Immortal Cultivators will not decide to swallow you?
"Even if Lei Chenghu, Li Linghai, and Jin Yuyan are rational and loyal enough, can they remain unchanged forever? Can they completely control the Imperium? Can they rule the Imperium forever? If they change, grow old, and die, what will the Immortal Cultivators of the new generation think of the Xing Yao Federation? Will they feel that it's a fishbone in their throat and think that they can't tolerate other people snoring next to their bed?
"Hehe. You know very well that your motherland won't be able to compete with the Imperium of True Human Beings in the next three to five hundred years. The resources at the edge of the cosmos are limited after all. I believe that you've reached a bottleneck and can't be in the golden period of rapid development all the time, right?
"Therefore, faced with such a malicious behemoth like the Imperium of True Human Beings, is there anything that can serve as the first and last defense line for the Xing Yao Federation except for the dagger that stabbed into the heart of the Imperium?
"Only by threatening the Imperium with the Gold Crystal Pyramid can a fragile peace be reached between the Imperium and the Federation. If the Gold Crystal Pyramid is destroyed, how are you going to 'persuade' the ferocious and ruthless Immortal Cultivators with your sincerity, your kindness, or your pathetic singing?"
Li Yao was lost for words and was deep in thought.
"Also, it's not just about the survival of the Xing Yao Federation but also about the path of the Cultivators that is of paramount importance to you."
Wuying Qi 3.0 extended his hand and grabbed a handful of volcanic ash, injecting the last information of life into it. The volcanic ash truly shivered like a butterfly. He blew the gray butterfly at Li Yao and said with a smile, "You are a real Cultivator and a pure and determined warrior. So, you can't cooperate with the Immortal Cultivators such as Lei Chenghu and Li Linghai just to destroy 'Blackstar the Great', can you? That's because you're just replacing another demon with another one.
"Li Linghai's idea of 'renewing the Imperium' to bring 'openness, fairness, and justice' to everybody, and Lei Chenghu's belief in the glory of the soldiers, were the keys that moved you. You believed that, under the leadership of Li Linghai and Lei Chenghu, the decayed Imperium would be reborn in the reform and develop toward a brighter direction. Most of the ordinary people would live a better life and develop toward the ideal society in your heart step by step. The Cultivators, on the other hand, could also add fuel to the fire and change the nature of the Imperium without anybody noticing.
"That's why you could cooperate with Lei Chenghu to save Li Linghai while maintaining your belief as a Cultivator.
"That's a good idea, but how can you put it into practice?
"How can you guarantee that Li Linghai can really fulfill her promise? How can you guarantee that Lei Chenghu can really become a soldier who fights for the civilization? How can you guarantee that their so-called 'reform' will develop toward the civilization of the Cultivators according to your will?
"If they go back on their word, or if the 'reform' that you've been talking about is not the same since the beginning, or if they refuse to liberate the hominoids living below the ground of the capital planet, or if they, especially Lei Chenghu, intend to sacrifice thousands of ordinary people for a certain purpose, what will you do? How can you supervise and interfere with them?
"Only the Gold Crystal Pyramid, right? You know very well that only by controlling the Gold Crystal Pyramid, which is a piece of stellar magical equipment that can destroy the capital, can you and the Cultivators behind you establish the highest supervisory agency of the Imperium that is above the Council of Elders and participate in the great cause of the renewal of the Imperium.
"Of course, you can destroy the Gold Crystal Pyramid on impulse, but in such a way, the Cultivators will lose the only weapon to restrain the Immortal Cultivators. What will you do if the Immortal Cultivators massacre the hominoids in the future? Will you kill the Immortal Cultivators one by one and save the hominoids one by one?
"Wake up, Li Yao. Stop deceiving yourself and running away from the truth. This is your responsibility. This is your destiny. This is the most glorious power that belongs only to you! You must let all the Immortal Cultivators know that you have the ability to destroy the entire Empyreal Terminus Sector. You can infuriate the sun and swallow the capital instantly. Also, your mind is as tough as iron. You will use the power without any hesitation when necessary.
"Only in such a way can you awe all the Immortal Cultivators, protect your tiny Federation from the pressure of the Imperium, ensure that the reform of the Imperium is carried out according to your direction, and save the thousands of hominoids who are suffering right now!"
"Do you really think that I'm a devil like you? Whatever happens, I won't destroy the Empyreal Terminus Sector!"
Li Yao burst into fury and shouted desperately, "This is not just the capital of the Imperium of True Human Beings but also the most prosperous Sector of mankind. It is the transportation route of the three thousand Sectors and our most precious home and wealth. I will never be crazy enough to destroy the Empyreal Terminus Sector like you!"
"Your fury is just like your hot-blooded voice. It's just a cover for the weakness and panic in your heart."
Wuying Qi 3.0 picked up another handful of ash, but a gray flower appeared from the ashes. He blew at it softly, and the petals flew up and glittered like the fire of life. Gazing at the dancing petals for a long time, he smiled and said, "Maybe you won't, but you have to convince all the Immortal Cultivators that you will. If that makes you feel better, you can consider the whole thing as a strategic deception. The starting point of the deception is that you have to become the master of the Gold Crystal Pyramid first.
"Also, there's one thing that's very ironic. Do you know what it is?
"Do you remember what I said to you just now? The criterion for the Pangu alliance to absorb new civilizations is that they must have the ability to destroy themselves. That's what a real civilization is.
"However, among the thirteen carbon-based life forms that formed the Alliance, none of the abilities to destroy themselves were invented by 'demons'. The terrifying abilities that could tear apart the earth's crust, destroy the surface, change the magnetic field, and even manipulate the stars were all invented by some wise men, some geniuses, and some peace-loving people. Their original intention when they invented the abilities that could destroy their own civilization was to protect their civilization, to destroy the evil enemies, to protect their homes and loved ones, and even to end … the ugly war forever.
"It sounds ironic that the intelligent lives invented the abilities to destroy their own civilization in order to protect their own civilization, but that's always the case.
"So, even if you do lose control one day and turn into a devil in the Gold Crystal Pyramid, you won't be the first one, and you won't be the last. Never."
Li Yao listened in a daze and wiped the volcanic ash that had fallen to his face.
The ashes were like dirty snowflakes that melted in his palm and seeped into his body.
"Rest assured. It's just ash, snowflakes, and illusions. It doesn't contain any mental power."
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