Forty Millenniums of Cultivation, page 1315
Zuo Jingyun coughed lightly and began to hesitate. With a bitter smile, she replied, "In fact, I do not know much more about the Cultivators than you. I often question whether or not someone like me is qualified to be called a real Cultivator, or if I'm just a counterfeit among those great people. Sometimes, I also wonder about the significance of Starlight's struggle."
"Well…" Liu Li and Han Te looked at each other in bewilderment. Then, they glimpsed at Li Yao in confusion, too. "Why?"
"The dull theories are always boring to talk about. How about this? Let me tell you my story." Zuo Jingyun combed Liu Li's hair with her cold, rigid metal fingers subconsciously. "Do you want to hear it?"
"Yes, of course we do!" Liu Li and Han Te nodded at the same time.
"I was sort of born into 'Starlight'. Unlike you, who were born and raised under the violent and vicious sunlight in the Land of Sins, I grew up inside a fulminating earthly dragon deep below ground."
Caught in the memories from a long time ago, Zuo Jingyun was somewhat in a daze. She mumbled, "My hometown was a very, very long earthly dragon. My mother was a mechanic of the vehicle, and my father was a warrior and an explorer.
"Ever since I can remember, the noise of drills shattering rocks has filled my ears. There was nothing but bumps and quakes below my feet. As far as my eyes could reach, the whole world was a long, narrow pathway, and it was the pitch dark rocks outside of the pathway. Occasionally, the starry, colorful minerals could be found.
"Do you know? For a long time, I even thought that the whole world was just a hard and suffocating rock, and human beings made their living by digging holes in the rocks like metal bugs. I could not imagine mountains, rivers, the blue sky, or the white clouds, not to mention the infinite sea of stars that's millions of times vaster than the sky.
"My whole world was exactly such a long, narrow channel, with the complicated gears and dials, the leaky tubes, and the flavorless synthesized food.
"The adults were busy at work twenty-four hours a day. The earthly dragon would encounter all kinds of bizarre faults every second, and we often encountered rocks or even metals that were too hard to pass through. Everybody screamed and shouted in the middle of the steam, banging their wrenches and drills loudly. The children like me would follow them and learn how to maintain and maneuver the earthly dragon and how to distinguish the thousands of minerals and metal resources from the moment we knew how to talk.
"At that time, everybody was occupied with only two things.
"Firstly, drilling the underground world and searching for the mines and city ruins left by the Martial Meritocrats Sector a thousand years ago. The pitiful fuel, food, and other resources that we excavated maintained the functioning of the earthly dragon and our internal organs.
"Secondly, avoiding the penetrators sent by Manjusaka. If we could not, we would be engaged in fierce battles with them in the underground world.
"The penetrators sent by the Immortal Cultivators did not need to carry civilians but only accommodated the most fundamental warriors. So, they were much swifter and more violent. But after all, they were searching a large range. All we needed to do was lurk and hide in silence. Also, because our ancestors had lived hundreds of years below the ground, we were practically the natives of the place, and we were as familiar with the complicated terrain as we were the lines on our palms. Therefore, the two parties were generally on par with each other. We were able to slip through their fingers every single time.
"Of course, I was too young to know what Manjusaka was or the difference between 'Cultivators' and 'Immortal Cultivators'. I thought that the brutal penetrators were our natural enemies and that they were attacking us by the same logic as eagles hunting rabbits.
"Every earthly dragon was a moving village. Occasionally, a lot of earthly dragons would gather to exchange assets and information and to perform large-scale maintenance and upgrade. Those days would be the greatest festival for all of us. The children would even decorate the earthly dragon of their 'village' with all kinds of paint and compete on the awesomeness and beautifulness of the earthly dragons.
"However, in my childhood, such festivals were rare. The sieges of the Immortal Cultivators on us increasing in frequency, and the dragnets they established grew ever more thorough. A lot of earthly dragons were discovered by them and blocked in tunnels and caves when billions of tons of rocks were detonated by their crystal bombs. Our earthly dragon suffered several attacks, too. We lost a third of our cars and almost half of the crew.
"In such a desperate war, I gradually learned everything from my parents. I learned about the glorious history of the Cultivators and Starlight, and how foul the 'Immortal Cultivators' from Manjusaka were.
"At that time, I laughed at many of my parents' theories, and I did not think that the Cultivators or Starlight were 'glorious' at all.
"My parents told me that the Cultivators were the pride and hope for the civilization of mankind, and Starlight would certainly deal a heavy blow to the Immortal Cultivators after resisting for hundreds of years below the ground.
"At that time, I was younger than you are right now, but I could vaguely tell that my parents were bluffing. There was the blue sky, the white clouds, and the boundless sea of stars outside, as well as countless sinners suffering miserable tortures who were waiting for us to come to their salvation. But we were pressed and beaten hard in the underground world like tortoises, living nomadic, panicked lives every day. What kind of 'pride' and 'hope' could such Cultivators have brought? And how were they 'glorious' in any sense?
"Also, we were attacked all the time, and the situation looked worse and worse. I met a lot of my friends only once in the gatherings before I heard that their earthly dragons had been discovered by the Immortal Cultivators and crushed together with themselves. Then, what kind of 'heavy blow' did we deal to the Immortal Cultivators? Was it the drills and the fuel of the enemy's that we forced them to consume?
"All in all, I was in the rebellious phase of my life. I did not feel that being a Cultivator was anything remarkable. I even thought that I was terribly unlucky to have been born in an earthly dragon of 'Starlight' and to be forced to live such a lackluster and hopeless life. I dreamed every day of escaping from the underground world, from Starlight, and from the goddamn Cultivators, to the brilliant sunlight where I could live an unburdened, unrestrained, and entirely different life.
"Such a day finally came.
"Because of the serious shortage of hands, we were forced to recruit new members on the surface. It was the first time I had gotten in touch with real sunlight, breathed fresh air, and seen the large, fluffy clouds in the sky. I screamed and roared in such ecstasy that my voice must've flown to the horizon.
"To this day, I cannot forget the feeling when the first ray of sunlight pierced through my pupils and made me blind for ten minutes.
"We found a bunch of bandits or slaves in one of the Bloody Worlds. They used to be a very influential gang in the local area, but because they were too big, they were annihilated by the coalition of almost ten gangs. The few survivors left had turned into slaves.
"We destroyed the gangs and rescued the slaves. After interrogation and vetting, some of them who could be educated were brought to the underground world with us.
"After that…"
Zuo Jingyun's voice became hoarse and disrupted. Pain quickly flashed on her face, and she could not help but scratch the joint of her left shoulder and the metal arm.
Intrigued by the story, Liu Li and Han Te could not help but ask, "What happened after that?"
Frowning, Zuo Jingyun said, "Later, one of the slaves betrayed us and led a large batch of Immortal Cultivators to us. The earthly dragon that I was born and raised in was completely destroyed. Both of my parents died in fighting. I lost my left arm but struggled to escape to the ruins of an underground city, managing to survive the disaster."
"Ah!" Liu Li's eyes widened as she lowered her head somewhat in embarrassment. Thinking for a moment, she grabbed Zuo Jingyun's right hand and said, "I'm sorry, Sister Yun."
It was not until this moment that Li Yao and the Fist King finally realized why Zuo Jingyun was so hostile to the bandits and thugs from the Land of Sins. They could not help but grow fonder of the one-armed female warrior.
Zuo Jingyun smiled and touched Liu Li's head with her artificial arm. She said, "It was something that happened a long, long time ago, which I have almost forgotten. You have nothing to feel sorry for.
"Ever since that moment, I have stopped thinking of the golden sunlight, the blue sky, the white clouds, and the winds of freedom. All that is on my mind is revenge.
"Although I do not understand the concept of being a 'Cultivator' very well, it can't be wrong to go against the 'Immortal Cultivators' and butcher them as well as their accomplices, right?"
Chapter 2054: What Are You Suspicious Of? |
Liu Li watched the scar on Zuo Jingyun's left shoulder where the flesh was connected to the metal arm pitifully. She wanted to touch it, but she did not have enough courage. She asked in a low voice, "Then, how did you survive in the end, Sister Yun?"
"Wei Longtao saved me."
Indescribable brilliance suddenly beamed out of Zuo Jingyun's face, and even her voice was more refreshing than before. "He is a real hero and a real Cultivator. Many people in Starlight today were saved by him. They have all been united by his charisma and his dominating strength.
"Before Wei Longtao, 'Starlight' had lost its significance as a real organization although it was still catching its last breath. The descendants of the Cultivators in the past such were merely dodging the pursuit of the Immortal Cultivators with the 'earthly dragons' or launching suicidal attacks at the Immortal Cultivators with our hot blood, consumed by the fury of revenge. We could not hurt the Immortal Cultivators at all.
"Starlight at that time was a tray of loose sand where everybody minded their own business. We were ghosts and homeless dogs wandering below the ground.
"Wei Longtao's arrival completely changed everything. He was both the most excellent master of maneuvering and modification for the earthly dragons and a strong, fearless warrior. He drove one earthly dragon against dozens of 'Sandworm-type' penetrators on the Immortal Cultivators' side countless times and accomplished dazzling, unbelievable results every single time, retreating in one piece after blowing up countless penetrators of the Immortal Cultivators and saving a large batch of descendants of the Cultivators. He is the greatest legend of the underground world in the recent hundred years!
"After earning their reputation below the ground and scaring the Immortal Cultivators, he reorganized the disorderly, hopeless descendants of the Cultivators and established new rules and goals for Starlight. He told the confused, desperate, angry, or despondent people what the word 'Cultivator' really meant.
"What was most unexpected was that he even figured out a way to reach out to the Starlight that was active in the space, allowing the two branches of the organization to reunite. He even excavated important intelligence on the global sword network.
"It was with his arduous effort that we were able to concentrate all our forces to perform an ultimate counterattack. For hundreds of years, we have been hiding and fleeing in panic below the ground, living in fear every day. Such a cutthroat attack that will likely destroy the City in the Sky is something that we did not dare dream of in the past!
"So, if you ask me what it means to be a Cultivator, I don't think that I can give you an answer. But I can bring the two of you to Wei Longtao if we have the opportunity so that he can explain it to you in person. Don't be intimidated by his eyes that are bigger than lamps. He looks rather ferocious, but he is actually quite friendly."
"So, I am not the only one who thinks that Commander Wei Longtao's eyes are like lamps!" Han Te blurted out.
Everybody laughed.
Biting her lips, Liu Li said, "That explains a lot. With the leadership of such a great hero like Commander Wei, we will certainly be able to shoot down Manjusaka!"
Zuo Jingyun glanced at the Fist King. With a complicated expression, she said gloomily, "Perhaps you will think that our plan is a bit rash, bordering on daydreaming, but we do not have a choice.
"In fact, the Immortal Cultivators' searches and sieges in the underground world of the Land of Sins were much weaker more than a hundred years ago. There were even decades when they bothered little about what was going on below the ground. Something happened among them, which gave us an opportunity for a brief development.
"However, in the recent decades, Manjusaka has been supervised by a new leader named Wuying Lan. This is a very tough guy. He has been building up the forces of the sky every day like magic tricks, and the sieges over the underground world are intensifying on a daily basis.
"Even though such a smart and brave expert like Wei Longtao has been leading us to deal with the Immortal Cultivators headed by Wuying Lan, our strength is being diminished every day like a person whose blood is being let out. If we do not perform a counterattack right now, we will die.
"Now that we have reached out to the Cultivators in space and discovered the control center of the global sword network, the legendary 'temple of Cultivators', this is certainly the best opportunity we have right now. If we do not take our chances while we still can, we will not even have the strength to fight a desperate counterattack in the future even if we want to!
"Of course, the difficulties and dangers of this mission have been well considered. Everybody is prepared to die a hero's death. We are scared of neither death nor failure. Even if we fail this time, I believe that everything we've been doing will spread into the sea of stars like burning dandelions and into the hearts of countless people. One day, new Cultivators will be born and accomplish what we failed to, overthrowing the evil tyranny of the Immortal Cultivators!"
Han Te and Liu Li were deeply fascinated. They looked at Zuo Jingyun even more admiringly.
Zuo Jingyun smiled, somewhat embarrassed. She pinched Liu Li's cheeks softly and said, "I seem to be bluffing about us. In fact, we might not be so influential, but we have been hiding below the ground for hundreds of years like turtles, mining and scavenging in the dust or fleeing in panic every day. If we are going to live such a life for another hundreds of years, what kind of Cultivators will we be qualified as?"
Han Te waved his fists and declared solemnly, "Sister Yun, you do have a point. Then, let's fight side by side with you and shoot down Manjusaka together?"
"You?" Zuo Jingyun was amused. Looking at the Fist King, she remarked, "We were only thinking to recruit some bandits who were caught in a dead end to build up our forces. After all, we thought that everybody involved in the chaos of Liberty City was an atrocious bandit who had also been pushed into desperation by the Immortal Cultivators. Even if they were indeed killed in our mission, that would not be the worst outcome for them, right?
"But I did not expect that the Fist King would grow interested in your spiritual puppets and even bring you with him. As a result, you have been involved in the perilous mission that you do not deserve at all."
Pouting her lips, Liu Li said, "Please don't say that, Sister Yun. If you hadn't shown up in time to rescue us, we would've been swallowed by the disgusting giant lizards!"
"In that case," Zuo Jingyun said, "I cannot watch you be killed for nothing. Let me think how I should deal with you…"
"There's no need to think about it. We will stay by Sister Yun's side on Cloud Penetrator, your earthly dragon!" Han Te bulged his eyes, full of expectation. "This is the Land of Sins. No place is absolutely safe until Manjusaka is blown up! We swear that we will obey your words and never add to your trouble. So, please bring us with you. I want to see Manjusaka falling from the sky with my own eyes!"
"Yes. We will certainly be of great help!" Liu Li also clung to Zuo Jingyun's clothes and begged. "Let us stay on your train, Sister Yun!"
Zuo Jingyun obviously did not have much experience with kids. Frowning and thinking for a long time, she hesitated. "Well, just get some rest. Let's talk about it tomorrow. We'll see what Commander Wei thinks."
She put Liu Li aside softly and was about to turn around and leave.
Han Te, however, suddenly put on a weird expression and asked abruptly, "Right. Sister Yun, how did you decide to recruit new blood from Liberty City? Was it Commander Wei who came up with the idea?"
"Yes. We would not have done it. After all, if a lot of disobedient guys of unknown backgrounds join our team in a hurry, they will bring forth many unstable factors, which can be even more severe than the inadequacy of personnel." Zuo Jingyun looked at Han Te suspiciously. "However, since it was Commander Wei's proposal, there must be deeper meanings to his plan that we cannot understand just yet.
"But it doesn't matter whether or not we understand it. Commander Wei is never wrong. Before, he proposed many suggestions that sounded even more ridiculous, but the suggestions achieved amazing results every time. It shouldn't be an exception this time.
"Why do you ask, my young friend?"
"Nothing important." Han Te scratched his hair rather unnaturally. "I'm just asking because I suddenly thought of the question. Also, about the branch of Starlight in space… How did you reach out to it exactly? Have you seen the Cultivators from space in person? What do they look like?"
"Sort of… Yes." Zuo Jingyun nodded, somewhat hesitantly. "For safety reasons, Commander Wei has always been talking to the Cultivators in space singlehandedly. The less we know, the better. After all, the Immortal Cultivators have too much technology that can force the critical intelligence from us.
"However, Commander Wei has brought us a lot of video files and promotional pamphlets. I think that it means I have sort of seen the fellow Cultivators from space, haven't I? Except for being slimmer and lighter, they do not look very different from us. You can stop your random thoughts, kid!"
