Su Changfa, Professor Mo Xuan, and Lu Zui showed up one after another. Their beliefs flowed into Lu Qingchen's memories and soul incessantly.
"A real patriot does not need flowers, cheers, or medals. He does not need any recognition from anybody or in any form. He does not even care if he is misunderstood, forgotten by the people he protects, or buried in the dust of history."
Lu Zui said solemnly, "The greatness of our motherland is the best reward for him."
"Solitary Yin does not grow, and solitary Yang does not grow. The harmony of Yin and Yang is the most perfect coexistence of the true path of Immortality and the true path of Cultivators," Su Changfa said.
"Qingchen, when you understand the logic and are able to switch between the Cultivators and the Immortal Cultivators freely, or even completely abandon the shackles of the narrow concepts of 'Cultivators' and 'Immortal Cultivators', it will be the day when you break out of seclusion and realize your true self!
"Human beings have been bound by the shabby, weak, and short-lived form of naked apes for too long. It is the most perfect form for the intelligent lives in the planetary age and even the most perfect form for dominating the universe in the three thousand Sectors. However, if we want to break out of the three thousand Sectors one day and explore the universe beyond this universe, such a form must be abandoned without mercy!"
Mo Xuan said. "The path of cultivation is ruthless, and only after destruction can it be rebuilt. It is indeed not an easy task to abandon a form that has lasted for hundreds of thousands of years. It can't be achieved without being cold, ruthless, and evil!
"However, no matter how evil and cruel the mission is, somebody has to carry it out. Somebody has to play the role of darkness in order to bring brand-new brightness to the civilization of mankind!"
"Little Chen!"
Lu Zui's voice grew louder and louder. "If you are destined to do something that is good for your country and your compatriots but against laws and morals one day, don't hesitate and just do it. Then, hold your chest out like a man and face the sanction of laws and the trial of morals openly!
"In such a way, the interests of the country will be guaranteed. Laws, morals, and so-called 'justice' will be upheld, too!
"Just let the self-righteous' men of justice 'receive the flowers, cheers, and medals under the sunlight. We only need to watch our motherland grow stronger and stronger in the darkness. That will be enough for us!"
"Qingchen!"
Su Changfa's voice became more and more fanatical. "Hahahaha, what a surprise! I thought that my life and the beliefs that I persevered for a hundred years would perish in a remote village at the edge of the cosmos without a sound. I did not expect that I would find such an unpolished gem like you in this place!
"Believe me, I've never misjudged you. You're the one and only. You're the child of destiny. You're destined to unify the path of cultivation and the path of immortality, balance light and darkness, and bring new hope.
"Don't waste your potential, and don't forget your mission …"
"Lu Qingchen, now is the time!"
Heavenly Demon Mo Xuan's voice was filled with indescribable anxiety and agitation. "Don't hesitate anymore, think carefully! Right now, the Black Wind Fleet was approaching. The Xing Yao Federation was definitely no match for the ferocious army from the center of the cosmos. Even if the 'Apparition Plan' was not activated, the only outcome for the Federation would be destruction. Countless compatriots would die miserably for nothing or even end up as the slaves of the Immortal Cultivators. They would be oppressed and savaged for a hundred years, a thousand years, and even ten thousand years!
"We're going to die either way. What's there to hesitate about?
"Is it better to be reduced to 'hominoids' and savaged to death by the Immortal Cultivators than to be a brand-new life form that is fully computerized?
"This is an opportunity. This is our only opportunity. Only by activating the 'Apparition Plan', swallowing the Black Wind Fleet, and then fully computerizing and virtualizing the Xing Yao Federation can the Federation rise and compete with the superpowers in the universe such as the Imperium of True Human Beings and the Alliance of the Holy Covenant!"
Lu Zui said, "Little Chen!"
Su Changfa said, "Qingchen!"
Extraterrestrial Devil Mo Xuan said, "Lu Qingchen!"
Lu Zui said, "…"
Su Changfa said, "…"
Extraterrestrial Devil Mo Xuan said, "…"
Just like that, the three experts, who were definitely not kind-hearted according to normal standards, ground their beliefs into powder, soaked them in the most intense blood, and injected them into Lu Qingchen's mind as strengthening drugs. After a hundred years of polishing, 'Extraterrestrial Devil Lu Qingchen' was finally refined into the complete form of 'Extraterrestrial Devil Lu Qingchen'!
At this moment, the most secret section of 'Extraterrestrial Devil Lu Qingchen''s mind was revealed to Li Yao, allowing Li Yao to completely understand his upbringing, the shaping of his worldview, and the most subtle changes of his feelings.
Faced with Lu Qingchen's life and his mental journey when he finally decided to activate the 'Apparition Plan', Li Yao could only sigh, but he did not know what to say.
Was Lu Qingchen guilty?
Definitely not.
Leaving everything else aside, he hijacked the mainframe crystal processor of 'Black Swirl', the flagship of the Black Wind Fleet, at the last moment of the 'Federation Defense War', triggering the arrival of extraterrestrial devils on an enormous scale. Countless soldiers of the Imperium were possessed by extraterrestrial devils and turned into Demonic Cultivators. Their combat ability was greatly boosted, and too many soldiers of the Federation were killed because of him.
If Lu Qingchen's original intention was merely 'patriotism', and therefore he should not be belittled and reprimanded, then what was wrong with the soldiers of the Federation who had sacrificed themselves for nothing?
They could've lived on, reunited with their families, and had happier families. They could've spilled their precious sweat and blood in places that were more worthwhile. They could've had wonderful lives and created infinite possibilities instead of turning into cold bones and shattered stardust in the sea of stars!
Therefore, Li Yao would never forgive Lu Qingchen for that. He insisted that any reason or excuse would be useless. Lu Qingchen had to be given a fair verdict in order to comfort his deceased soul.
However, as Lu Qingchen's mental journey and his memory pieces were exposed, and he learned every level of Lu Qingchen's mind, Li Yao was more and more able to 'understand' his choice.
Perhaps Professor Mo Xuan was right. Under the circumstances at that time, the Federation was bound to fail. They did not have a choice at all.
The victory of the Federation's defense war was largely based on a series of unexpected factors.
Including the twelve experts of the Ancient Sages Sector led by Li Yao, who descended from the sky and appeared at the center of the battlefield in an enormous cluster of Colossi.
Including Bai Xingjian who suddenly tore apart his camouflage of a hundred years and turned from 'Mouse Bai' into 'Boss Bai' and performed the commanding arts of the Divinity Transformation Stage, transforming the Great White Fleet into an unstoppable saber.
Even the most common bottom-level soldiers of the Union Army such as' Rabid Dog 'Helian Lie sacrificed themselves fearlessly!
It was because of the confluence of many unexpected factors that the final, glorious victory was achieved.
At the very least, Li Yao's return and Boss Bai's rise were not foreseeable by Professor Mo Xuan, Lu Qingchen, and everybody else.
Even Li Yao himself was not confident that he could persuade the twelve experts to stand on the Federation's side.
Without the unexpected factors, the Xing Yao Federation would've certainly been defeated by the Black Wind Fleet. The best outcome would've been that the Federation would rather die than surrender and fight a bloody battle to the end, burning the entire Federation into a wasteland and delaying their destiny for another one or two hundred years.
Then, countless people of the Federation would've died miserably for nothing, just like Professor Mo Xuan said.
Therefore, did Lu Qingchen have a choice at that time?
Li Yao did not know what kind of path he would've taken if he had been in Lu Qingchen's shoes, with Lu Qingchen's unique growth experience, and faced with such a difficult choice.
He could only watch in silence as Lu Qingchen failed miserably in the colorful memory pieces and ended up as a remaining soul. He lingered around the Xing Yao Federation for a long time, but he still activated the instincts of the star child resolutely and dived into the deepest part of the universe through the four-dimensional space.
Then, Lu Qingchen's remaining soul was discovered and captured by Fuxi.
Li Yao could sense Fuxi's temptation, deception, and modification for Lu Qingchen.
He could also sense Lu Qingchen's stubborn resistance and indestructible will in the face of all kinds of temptations and suppression.
In the end, it was the deafening roar just now.
"Even if I am just an insignificant speck of dust in the sea of stars, the deities and devils above the universe will never be able to control my trajectory!
"Who do you think I am? I am Lu Qingchen of the Xing Yao Federation!
"Hahahaha. If you want to mess with the Federation, just give it a try. Even if I am dead, thousands of people of the Federation will rise against you and make you pay a high price. They will annihilate you like how they annihilated me!
"Li Yao, you must protect the Federation. Otherwise, I will haunt you even if I become a ghost!
"Federation, my Federation …"
Lu Qingchen's soul waves and memory pieces came to an abrupt halt.
It was like a supernova explosion that released all the light, heat, radiation, and high-energy particles. What he left to Li Yao in the end was nothing but complicated, conflicted ripples that he wanted to talk about.
Before Li Yao grasped the ripples tightly, the ripples were completely obliterated, as if they were Lu Qingchen's helpless sigh.
Lu Qingchen of the Xing Yao Federation had perished!
"Lu Qingchen …"
Li Yao bellowed, his soul burning.
"Look. The defense wall of Fuxi's crystal processor has been breached by Lu Qingchen's self-explosion. It is mired in temporary data chaos and logical contradictions. It has no time to defend or track us!"
The mental devil shrieked. "Li Yao, now is the time. Let's go in!"
As it turned out, after the light spot that contained all of Lu Qingchen's feelings and will exploded brutally, even the defense wall of the crystal processor that Fuxi had built with astronomical computational ability could not resist his attack anymore. Thousands of holes appeared on the defense wall. Part of the core data and logic circuits were even exposed.
It was like the shell and the external skeleton of a ferocious beast had been blown apart, revealing the soft internal organs and the complicated neural network.
"This … is impossible …"
Fuxi sounded so shocked and infuriated for the first time. Thousands of tentacles of light waved crazily, trying to fix the loopholes on his data and logic.
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