Forty Millenniums of Cultivation, page 1502
But of course, the ability to use "telepathy" to transmit information directly through brain waves was still retained to control the generic flesh puppets such as "human beings".
As the resources were running out, and their contradictions against each other escalated, many people within the Pangu civilizations' alliance raised doubts on language communication. They believed that it was because of the existence of languages that there were misunderstandings, contradictions, and social differences, and only by completely shifting to "telepathy" could they achieve real harmony and equality.
When the civil war between the Pangu Clan and the Nuwa Clan broke out and went to the most heated phase, to resist the Nuwa Clan that was corrupted by the extraterrestrial devils and who were overzealous about individuality, the opinions that fully supported "telepathy" prevailed within the Pangu Clan. Since Long Yangjun had the legacy of the Pangu Clan, she was naturally capable of such an ability.
Seeing that Long Yangjun had confessed the fatal flaws of "telepathy" dutifully without hiding anything, as if she were truly being honest, Li Yao couldn't help but ask why she was spreading such an ability below the ground when she knew that "telepathy" had so many shortcomings.
Long Yangjun opened her hands and replied, "I don't really have a choice in such a situation. While using a language is a more advanced way of communication than telepathy, those underground wildlings have forgotten most of their languages in the past ten thousand years of wars in darkness. They can only talk with a few simplest syllables.
"However capable I am, it is impossible for me to teach the wildlings to speak the language of human beings in only a couple of days, right?
"However, because of the entanglement of the many negative factors, including their feud and the shortage of resources caused by earthquakes, their contradictions have been intensified to the point that a total war will break out at any moment.
"The Stupa Sect of the Ancient Sages Sector, from which Master Bitter Cicada came, has a saying that 'saving one life is better than building a seven-floored pagoda'. I was too desperate to stop the conflicts that had lingered for ten thousand years and to save the lives of thousands of wildlings. Therefore, I had to talk to them through 'telepathy' by activating the brainwaves in the emergency. It was a helpless choice!"
"Seriously?"
Li Yao bulged his eyes and tried to search for a loophole on Long Yangjun's sacred and flawless face. "Since when have you become so great?"
"I am a dual successor of Pangu and Nuwa after all, alright?"
Long Yangjun's lips curled before she said casually, "The Pangu Clan is mankind's father civilization, and the Nuwa Clan is mankind's mother civilization. As a representative of the parent civilizations, shouldn't it be natural for me to try to save certain individuals of the child civilization? What's great about that?"
Thinking carefully for a long time, Li Yao became more grave than ever. "Is that a subtle way of implying that I am your son?"
Long Yangjun: "… Why are you always so lowly? It has occurred to me that talking about civilizations and philosophies with you is just a complete waste of time!"
Li Yao: "Fine, I withdraw my question. Let's say that you can communicate with those wildlings through 'telepathy'. Then, how did you persuade them to give up their hatred? Did it really not involve the creepy and evil stuff about 'brainwashing'?"
Long Yangjun was amused. "Why are you still bothered by things like 'brainwashing' even today? Back in the Star Glory Federation, your textbooks stated to the citizens of the federation that the leadership of the Imperium transformed all the people whose spiritual roots were awakened into selfish, bloodthirsty Immortal Cultivators through evil brainwashing.
"In the Imperium, the textbooks of the Imperium stated to its people that the Covenant Alliance turned all the people into emotionless idiots through evil brainwashing.
"But as a matter of fact, isn't the education that the Star Glory Federation imposes on the adolescents who are like blank paper another kind of brainwashing? Why are you certain that your ideas are absolutely correct?
"All in all, brainwashing may be real, but it is not exactly how you pictured it. It was impossible for me to be so omnipotent as to control the minds of a thousand people and brainwash all of them!"
Li Yao's curiosity was almost overflowing. "Then how did you make the wildlings obey you?"
"Very simple."
Long Yangjun said, "I found the battlefield where the Black Armors, the Night Wings, and the Red Rings were about to fight on. Then, I intimidated them with my daunting spiritual energy before I demonstrated my strength by blowing up a stone column of almost five meters with one punch.
"Even the most ignorant beasts should know that it was better to retreat, not to mention that they were still human beings with some wisdom after all. Naturally, they did not have the courage to defy me.
"After that, I transmitted certain fuzzy information into their heads by way of 'telepathy', letting them know that I had inexhaustible food and resources and that I could lead them to live in a heaven that was a hundred times better than this place. Those Nepenthe believers did bring tremendous compressed food from the upper towns, which were enough for the wildlings to have a great meal.
"The hatred among the wildlings had lasted ten thousand years. They did not have to fight their final war that day. It was just because the frequent earthquakes and volcano eruptions destroyed their sources of food that they had to fight a war to reduce the population as much as possible. Now that the food problem had been resolved, why would they fight at all?
"Do you understand it now? There is nothing superstitious at all. If it were you, you probably would've done the same, wouldn't you? The only difference would be that you would only shout aloud and make silly speeches, before you and the wildlings look at each other in awkwardness, while I could simply send brainwaves through telepathy and prevent the disaster in the simplest way.
"But as it turned out, right after I finally managed to complete everything through so much trouble, and when they laid down their weapons and sat with each other in harmony, you popped out of nowhere and lambasted me when you did not know what was going on at all. You also questioned my purpose without the slightest proof, as if I would certainly bring disasters to the world, and you were on the moral high ground as a Cultivator and could judge other people freely.
"It may be too much to say that I feel wronged, but I do feel that my heart is more or less chilled when I see you so furious. I really want to dig out my heart and ask myself why I bothered to save you at such great risks, and why I did those things which were not beneficial for me at all. Wouldn't it have been much easier for me to just stand by and watch the wildlings fight and kill each other until everybody is gone? In that case, I wouldn't be blamed and cursed at all, right?"
"Well…"
Li Yao was rendered speechless and scratched his head hard. Then something suddenly occurred to him. "Wait, that's not right. You said just now that you would lead the wildlings to a heaven that was a hundred times better than this place. Where exactly is this heaven?"
"Up."
Long Yangjun extended her narrow and long finger and pointed at the top of the cave. "One of the four-digit or three-digit towns. Although they are still filthy, murky places compared to the surface of the planet, aren't they much better than this inferno at the border between the crust and the mantle? Rest assured, I never thought to lie to them even though they are wildlings."
"But how is it possible?"
Li Yao found it hard to believe. "Most of the underground towns are already crowded with people with barely any living spaces, aren't they? Even the residents of the 10,084th town can barely move upward even if they want to, much less the hideous, brutal, and disobedient wildlings! Why would the residents in upper towns welcome them? How are they going to make a living even if they are up?"
"That's not a problem. They will be welcomed!"
Long Yangjun said with a smile, "Nepenthe has everything planned out! Nepenthe is recently organizing a great uprising that involves dozens of towns and hundreds of factories. It is now in dire need of valiant, fearless warriors as vanguards. Those wildlings are the best warriors for the uprising. That's why the Nepenthe believers have come here to sincerely invite them to join the noble cause!"
Chapter 2357: Father Li's Tutelage |
"That explains a lot!"
Li Yao was greatly enlightened. "And here I was wondering why you suddenly became so great. I thought you had come here to stop the war of the wildlings because you were sincerely trying to save the people. But that did not seem like your style at all!
"As it turns out, you are just deceiving those wildlings to go upward as the cannon fodder of your scheme!"
"Wrong. It's not a scheme but an uprising. They will not be cannon fodder but the warriors of a righteous army!"
Long Yangjun said with a smile, "The life of the Imperium's people is already insufferable because of the dual oppressions of the Immortal Cultivators and the external enemies. Even the situation tens of thousands of meters below the ground is the same.
"The past ten years of Imperium's counterattack almost drained every last drop of blood in every person of the Imperium, and the drastic changes in politics over the past few months, particularly the fall and collapse of the Dongfang family, have led to severe consequences too. It is inevitable that all the classes below the ground are affected as collateral damages.
"Many factories and energy bases below the ground originally belonged to the Dongfang family, but now that the 'reformists' are determined to eradicate the Dongfang family, all the major forces are attacking it together. Those factories and energy bases are certainly fat meat that everybody drools over.
"When the high and mighty big shots fight each other in the struggle for power up above, even the losers will have a chance to maintain their basic dignity, but for the small fries living below the ground whose livelihood depends on the factories and the energy bases, if the factories stop for one day, their whole families will be hungry for one day, and if the factories stop for ten days, none of them will survive. That is still not counting the collapses of buildings, fractures of tubes, fires, and leakages of poisonous gas caused by the battles of the Immortal Cultivators below the ground.
"The critical assets of the underground towns have changed their owners multiple times. To make up for the losses, the new owners further exploit the workers through whatever means possible, to the point that the workers are either starved because they do not have a chance to work, or die in exhaustion because of too much work, or accidentally get killed when they are unfortunately involved in a fierce battle between the Immortal Cultivators.
"In short, most of the hominoids living below the ground have had enough oppression! By launching a magnificent uprising to occupy the factories and energy bases, they will have enough food, compressed air, and coolers. This is their instinct for survival. Is there anything wrong about that?"
Li Yao said solemnly, "There is certainly nothing wrong about that. If I were on the spot, I would certainly participate in such an uprising in person. But how is it related to those wildlings?"
Long Yangjun chuckled. "Since they have decided to go big, they will certainly need to unite all the forces that can be united. The wildlings are a part of the underground civilization of mankind, and they are natural-born tough and dangerous hunters. Of course they must be invited for the great cause!
"It's true that the uprising is risky and 99% of them will likely be suppressed, but those wildlings were preparing to die with each other in the first place. In the war among the Black Armors, the Night Wings, and the Red Rings, there would be no winner at all. Even if somebody managed to survive, it wouldn't take long before they go extinct.
"Since they would be dead either way, don't you think that it is more meaningful if they die in a noble cause by resisting the tyranny?
"Speaking of which, I actually learned my ideas from the legendary, glorious, sacred, and lofty Vulture Li Yao, the founding father of the Star Glory Federation and the dominator of three Sectors! Father Li once taught us that the federation was too weak and the Imperium was too strong, and that the federation would certainly be smashed into pieces if it were hit by the Imperium's iron fists.
"However, the Imperium could not win the support of the people with its governance of violence and cruelty. The hominoids that took up 99% of the total population must be very dissatisfied with the reign of the ruling class. They were like a powder keg filled with infinite energy that could be detonated with a single spark.
"Therefore, if anybody had a chance to sneak into the Imperium, they must find a way to awaken the hominoids and ignite the fire of resistance that would illuminate the universe. As long as all the hominoids were roused and resisted the tyranny bravely and relentlessly, no matter how huge and overwhelming the Imperium of True Human Beings was, it would collapse without being attacked!
"That is exactly the tutelage of our noble Father Li. I have always regarded Father Li as the greatest man in the entire universe. I recite Father Li's quotes three times every night before I go to sleep, and I've been carrying out Father Li's directions in my work scrupulously. That's why Nepenthe came into being and why such a great uprising is to take place! Why, are you bold enough to suspect Father Li?"
Li Yao was stunned for a long time before he took a deep, deep breath.
"Why do you look so angry?"
Long Yangjun said casually, "Your nostrils are widened enough to be stuffed with two eggs. It seems that you are truly dissatisfied with Father Li."
"Do not twist what I said. That was not what I meant at all."
Li Yao frowned; his veins protruding. "It's true that I said the strengths of the billions of ordinary people of the Imperium must be activated, and that they should fight for the rights that they deserve when the time comes. But it is based on two things. Firstly, the ordinary people must be really awakened first to make them realize their situation and the way to completely change their fate, and then they will launch the charge following the Cultivators because the blood of the strong should be shed first! Secondly, in any case, there is no reason to suppress the feelings, desires, and will of human beings and transform them into ignorant beasts. That's not how you should achieve the purpose!
"Let's just talk about those wildlings. Having lived below the ground for ten thousand years, they have lost most of their wisdom, and their intelligence might be as good as a five-year-old kid! Are you able to make them understand the idea of fighting for their own freedom by resisting the tyranny in only half a day? How is it possible? Even though they are following you willingly on the surface, it is still just a deception!
"Is such an action any different from tricking a bunch of five-year-olds into going to a war with fancy talks?
"As for the Nepenthe believers from upper towns, they perhaps boast fundamental wisdom and judgment, and they have abandoned their feelings and desires to be your tools of their own will, but ask yourself with your conscience, will you lead the charge as the 'Serenity Seraph' and face thousands of aggressive Immortal Cultivators, or even Blackstar the Great who has come as a reinforcement, before everybody else? Will you?"
"I'm sorry, but my body structure is different from yours, and I don't have an organ named 'conscience' inside my body."
Long Yangjun said with a smile, "However, I do not need a conscience to give you a straight answer, which is that I certainly won't. I will never charge in the frontline. That's a stupid thing that only an idiot like you would do. I will not even lurk in the rear and command the battle. As a matter of fact, the upcoming great uprising barely has anything to do with me. The most that I've offered is a tiny bit of guidance to push the situation to where I want it to be. Don't forget that I had been in the royal palace first and then with Dongfang Wang as the director of the Association of Demon Hunters for the past two years. It was impossible for me to have planned this… meaningless and suicidal uprising in person!"
Li Yao thought for a moment and realized that it did make sense. Neither Queen Li Linghai nor Prime Minister Dongfang Wang was easy to deal with. Long Yangjun must've devoted all her attention to them while she was dealing with them. It was impossible and unnecessary for her to instigate such an uprising of hominoids.
"As for your criticism, it may be very reasonable, but it is too ideal."
Long Yangjun said, as peaceful as before, "If it were you, how would you have cleaned up the mess below the ground? Were you going to teach them languages and what made a human a human for ten years, the ideas of the Cultivators for another five years, before you finally let them awaken their determination of resistance?
"What if all the wildlings killed each other during the ten or so years?
"What if they did not kill each other, but all starved because of the shortage of food?
"What if the Immortal Cultivators noticed your tricks in your protracted preparation and suppressed all the wildlings who were half awakened?
"Li Yao, you are a good man, and you are an out-and-out good Cultivator. Perhaps it is because of people like you that I am not entirely disappointed at the civilization of mankind. But just by being a good man cannot solve the complicated, infinite problems in reality. In many cases, you cannot afford to wait in an emergency, and you must be cruel and heartless to settle the problems quickly. In the drastic changes, if a few ants are accidentally sacrificed, although it is very pitiful and not quite right, is there anything else you can do?"
Li Yao completely calmed down.
He suddenly discovered that Long Yangjun was adopting a different approach to infuriate him and locate the loopholes of his beliefs so that his mental defense line could be breached easily.
After more than a hundred years of life-and-death adventures and collisions of beliefs with so many great men of the time, Li Yao's soul had already been polished and indestructible, and his heart was also as pure as a newborn baby. Even though he looked shocked and angry now and then, his mind and his soul were never shaken easily.
