Forty Millenniums of Cultivation, page 344
Huangpu Xiaoya gnashed her teeth. "We might be out of the Skyhill Domain now. But so what? We are still in the Thousand Sails Space Zone, the home camp of all free Exos! As long as somebody finds that we are missing and lets out the message, everyone in the Thousand Sails Space Zone will take action! Since your starship has been ported in the Skyhill Domain, it must've been disguised as a business ship or a carrier. Its firepower is definitely not strong!
"Where can you run to?"
Huangpu Shiyi nodded. "Xiaoya, you do have a point. When the Skyhill Domain finds that you are missing, we will run into a dead end.
"However, what if they are occupied by something more important and have no time to bother about you two?"
Huangpu Shiyi clapped his hands softly. More than ten light beams appeared beside Li Yao and Huangpu Xiaoya.
Inside the light beams were the pictures of the Skyhill Domain right now.
The first phase of the elimination matches of the Skyhill Sword Seminar had almost come to an end. Audience inside the match field was scarce. Two top 32 players were having their competition.
A few product release conferences, on the other hand, were lively and packed with people.
Quite a lot of tourists were gathered in the Museum of Sabers and Swords, talking and laughing.
There was a bouncing number which appeared to be a countdown on all the pictures.
Three, two, one…
Li Yao's pupils constricted violently. The nerves all over his body were tense!
The countdown reached zero!
BOOM!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The main field of the Skyhill Sword Seminar, the Museum of Sabers and Swords, the product release conferences, fan meetings of the famous refiners, hotels that the top 32 refiners stayed in…
Serial earthshaking explosions took place simultaneously at more than ten important locations in the Skyhill Domain!
The explosions were so powerful that the anti-gravity rune arrays of two floating mountains were completely wrecked. The two mountains weighing billions of tons tilted in midair and smashed at the ground!
The Skyhill Domain had turned into a living hell!
Countless ordinary people and Cultivators were sobbing, screaming, and struggling in the flames, blasts, and earthquakes!
Huangpu Xiaoya was dumbfounded. Her body trembled beyond her control; she couldn't believe what was happening. She cried, "You—you blew up the Skyhill Domain! You've blown up the Skyhill Domain!"
Queer brilliance was reflected on Huangpu Shiyi's face as he was gazing at the inferno in the light beams. He said casually, "For now, nobody will notice that you have gone missing for maybe half a month. There will be enough time for us to perform a space jump and escape from the Thousand Sails Space Zone."
Huangpu Xiaoya yelled. She jumped to her feet, trying to lunge at Huangpu Shiyi. But she was a pure refiner with insufficient combat ability. The barrier around her was triggered and bashed her to the ground. She screamed, "Just in order to capture the two of us, you've slain thousands of people. So many innocent people!"
Huangpu Shiyi said calmly, "It's not just about you two. A lot of elite refiners have gathered for the Skyhill Sword Seminar. If I can blow several of them up, it will be a major strike to the Cultivators."
Huangpu Xiaoya's face was red, her eyes bulging. She shouted, "You—you don't deserve to be a refiner of the Huangpu family. You… you don't deserve to be a human!"
Bizarre brilliance beamed out of Huangpu Shiyi's eyes, as he replied with a smile, "Of course, I'm not a human."
Huangpu Xiaoya was dazed, not knowing what to say next.
Li Yao went tranquil again at the moment of the explosions. His eyes were hollow, his pupils almost purely black.
Taking a deep breath, he asked, one word after another, "Then what are you?"
Huangpu Shiyi's face was glowing. He said softly in a weird voice, "There are billions of paths leading to the pinnacle of Cultivation. I only ask you this, do you want to walk on the immortal one?"
Chapter 507: The Temple of Immortals |
"Our organization is called the 'Temple of Immortals', whose influence far exceeds your imagination. The space pirates on Spider Den are but dogs it has tamed! Without the support of our organization, what makes you think that this bunch of thieves could fight against all the Cultivators and subsist for thousands of years?
"As for members of the Temple of Immortals, we are no longer regular Cultivators. You may call us… Immortal Cultivators!"
Li Yao's eyes stopped at the burning picture on the light beams. They swallowed the raging flames without letting out any as if two blackholes. He replied coldly, "What are Immortal Cultivators?"
Huangpu Shiyi smiled. "Cultivators who recognize how supreme they are without being bound by the ethics of mortals, who pursue the ultimate destination of immortality, and who explore the endless mysteries in the sea of stars. They are Immortal Cultivators!"
Before Li Yao opened his mouth, Huangpu Xiaoya quivered and shouted, "They are Demonic Cultivators! Huangpu Shiyi, you've been enticed by extraterrestrial devils and fallen; you're a Demonic Cultivator!"
Huangpu Shiyi sneered, "What's the difference between immortal and devil? If ants were intelligent enough, their survivors would berate you and call you the most merciless devil in the world after you stomp on dozens of them accidentally, but what would you feel?
"I believe that the only feeling you would experience is—that you simply don't care.
"Immortals or devils, our destination and sole purpose is the pinnacle of Cultivation. Who cares about what ants have to say?"
Li Yao said, "So to speak, this Temple of Immortals is an organization of Demonic Cultivators, or, if you will, Immortal Cultivators? You do seem different from usual Demonic Cultivators."
Huangpu Shiyi observed, "There is a kind of righteous energy in the world called spiritual energy. Those who train themselves with spiritual energy are good people and Cultivators. There is a kind of evil energy called tenebrum energy. Those who train themselves with tenebrum energy are bad people and Demonic Cultivators. They are as horrible as anyone could possibly imagine.
"I thought that such nonsense could only fool three-year-olds and that refiners who have a deep understanding about the essence of spiritual energy would never buy it.
"Energy is just energy. The only thing that differentiates spiritual energy from tenebrum energy is the wave structure and the vibration frequency. How is it possible that one of them is good and the other bad, one of them is righteous and the other evil?
"Of course, compared with spiritual energy that is relatively stable, tenebrum energy is brutal and unsteady. Those who practice tenebrum energy are more likely to suffer from metal derangement. When tenebrum energy surges beyond their control, they may need to resort to blood and slaughter to calm it down. This is why some of the Immortal Cultivators are called Demonic Cultivators.
"However, the Immortal Cultivators who have advanced to a higher level are nothing like that. Look at us. Do you think we are any different from regular Cultivators?"
Li Yao said, "So, your purpose is to invite us to join the Temple of Immortals so that we can be Immortal Cultivators?"
Huangpu Shiyi nodded. "Don't refuse it hastily. I'm well aware that you must be furious at this moment. Whatever I say to you, you won't hear it at all. But the last thing we lack at present is time. We can talk later. Right now, you should have a good rest first."
Li Yao changed his posture and aimed himself at Huangpu Shiyi, and he asked, "Where are we heading to?"
Huangpu Shiyi smiled. "Aren't you from the Great Horn Exo Society? That's where we are going to."
Li Yao was dazed. His body suddenly relaxed as he asked, "Is that so?"
Huangpu Shiyi's eyes were quite mysterious. He asked in return, "Are you curious about how we infiltrated the Skyhill Domain and planted so many bombs so easily, considering that the safety measures should've been thorough due to the many celebrities in the Cultivation world gathered for the Skyhill Sword Seminar?
"The reason is simple. This Skyhill Sword Seminar has the sloppiest safety measures and the fewest guards in the recent hundred years!
"In the past Skyhill Sword Seminars, dozens of Core Formation Stage Cultivators would come as sentinels. But this year there were only four. The Skyhill Domain is such a vast place. How can four Core Formation Stage Cultivators have every location under control?
"Take a guess. Where did the rest of the experts go?"
Li Yao pondered for a moment and raised his head. "They went to ambush Fengyu Zhong?"
Huangpu Shiyi clapped his hands. "You saw through the whole thing with the first clue. My young friend Li Yao, I like you better and better now!
"Not only did many experts who should've participated in the Skyhill Sword Seminar join the ambush against Fengyu Zhong, many other renowned Cultivators of the Flying Star Sector participated in the battle in different degrees. This time, the Cultivators have made up their mind to have Fengyu Zhong slain!
"But as a result, other than the Skyhill Domain, many important places for the Cultivators have far fewer guards than before.
"Hehe. The death of Fengyu Zhong's only son was purely an accident, but it created a rarely-seen opportunity for the Temple of Immortals!
"Do you really think that Fengyu Zhong, the old and cunning leader of the pirates, would rush out of his home base in rage for revenge just because his only son was killed?
"Right now, the tremendous bounties have spread to every corner of the cosmos. Even a pig in the Cultivation world knew that Fengyu Zhong was coming for the Great Horn Exo Society!
"In the eyes of the Cultivators, they set up a trap that Fengyu Zhong could never avoid.
"But they didn't know that Fengyu Zhong himself was bait; his sole mission was to draw the expert Cultivators away from their homes!
"The Temple of Immortals has been lurking in the darkness for long enough. It was the greatest opportunity for us to reveal ourselves!
"The Flying Star Sector won't be tranquil in the coming days. Much blood will be shed. Many people will die. When everything is over in a few days, you will be awed by the formidability of the Temple of Immortals!"
Huangpu Xiaoya struggled hard and screamed, "Huangpu Shiyi, how insane you are! I don't care what you call yourself, but you will never bend us! I am a Cultivator, and I always will be. I will never be same as devils who consider ordinary people to be ants!"
Huangpu Shiyi sighed. "Xiaoya, don't be overconfident in yourself, especially when we all know what happened in history.
"Battle saber of humanity? Protectors of mankind? Ha. If I didn't know 'that thing', I might have been fooled by you.
"You are the strongest successor of the Huangpu family in your generation. I wonder, did the leader of our family tell you about the event five thousand years ago?"
Huangpu Xiaoya tremored, as if somebody had punched her heavily, and collapsed.
"If you know what happened five thousand years ago, you should understand why we are drifting in the sea of stars, far away from planets, and why we are too ashamed to return to our real homes to this day.
"It's ridiculous that you call yourselves that battle saber of humanity. Cultivators and Immortal Cultivators are ravens and crows!
"Besides, why did so many Cultivators demean themselves to be space pirates in the first place? I believe you must know the reason.
"Is the identity of a Cultivator really something to be proud of?"
Huangpu Xiaoya's face was cold and rigid, yet she failed to respond.
Huangpu Shiyi said, "Alright. You can go and take a rest now. We will talk soon when everything is over in a couple of days.
"Right, you must have Cosmos Rings with you. Maybe you are even hiding some gadgets that might help you escape. As a signal of my sincerity, I will allow you to keep those items. However, try not to let Black Stone or White Dew catch you using them.
"Their sabers are fast.
"You may be unafraid of death. But as a refiner, if your hands end up like mine…"
Huangpu Shiyi waved his two withered hands that looked like dry wood with a self-mocking smile. He continued saying, "… after suffering some irrecoverable injuries, it will be more miserable than killing you, will it not?"
Li Yao stared at Huangpu Shiyi and took a long breath. "I understand it now. At first, you lure the strong Cultivators away from their homes with Fengyu Zhong as the bait. Then, you assault their homes while their guardians are out.
"When the Cultivators receive the message, they will naturally realize that it is a trap and go back to defend their homes.
"After that, you can go back to the Great Horn Exo Society and annihilate it!
"The most important thing is that the Cultivators only know Spider Den. All their evaluations are based on the assumption that the space pirates on Spider Den are their enemies. But they didn't know that, behind Spider Den, a terrible organization of Immortal Cultivators, or Demonic Cultivators, named the Temple of Immortals, has been watching everything!
"Therefore, Cultivators have no chance of winning at all, and the Great Horn Exo Society is doomed to destruction!"
Huangpu Shiyi applauded his analysis. "Very excellent extrapolation. But don't worry about it. I know that you only joined the Great Horn Exo Society in Star Lord Temple. The hunting of Fengyu Ming basically had nothing to do with you. If you are willing to join the Temple of Immortals and become an Immortal Cultivator, I believe that Fengyu Zhong will be lenient enough to let go of you as long as I talk to him."
Li Yao scoffed and stopped talking.
Huangpu Shiyi waved his hands. Black Stone and White Dew walked to him, grinning at them hideously.
Li Yao followed them nicely out of the cabin.
He thought as he walked—
Who was the mysterious expert in the corner?
A moment ago, he had been about to summon the Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit and put down all four of the Immortal Cultivators.
However, the moment he took action, he suddenly sensed that an invisible expert was lurking in a corner of the cabin!
The man's scent was feeble, but it was terrifying nonetheless. His capability might be as good as his own, if not higher!
Black Stone, White Dew, and Fei Ming were not weak people. Although Huangpu Shiyi was a pure refiner, he would be carrying a lot of defensive magical equipment with him.
Considering that there was still a mysterious expert whose capability almost equaled to his own, Li Yao had no confidence that he could take down all five Immortal Cultivators at once.
Of course, even counting the mysterious expert, there wouldn't be much trouble if he wanted to flee from the starship safely with his skills and the formidable Mystic Skeleton Battlesuit.
However, now that he had learned that the starship was joining a battle to destroy the Great Horn Exo Society, there was no way that he would simply leave like that.
Moreover—
The picture of countless ordinary people struggling in flames inside Skyhill Domain had been etched into Li Yao's brain and wouldn't be erased forever.
The Temple of Immortals? Immortal Cultivators?
Li Yao's eyes turned deep and dark. He gradually vanished in the dim pathway.
…
After Li Yao and Huangpu Xiaoya were taken away, a cluster of airwaves appeared in a corner behind Huangpu Shiyi and unveiled a short, skinny man.
Huangpu Shiyi put on a different expression and greeted him respectfully.
"Master Su!"
Chapter 508: Secrets After Secrets |
The skinny, sharp-jawed old man was named Su Jiuzhen. He was an important figure in the Temple of Immortals as well as an ace assassin of Black Spider Tower. Although he was merely at the peak of the Building Foundation Stage, he was adept at disguise, poison, assassination, curses, and various other dark arts.
At least seven Core Formation Stage Cultivators had been killed by him. None of them were battle-type Cultivators, but they had all been elders of major sects who were protected by numerous body guards wherever they went.
It was by no means an easy task for Su Jiuzhen to break through the protection and assassinate them. He had been known as 'Killer of Cores' ever since.
Although Huangpu Shiyi was in the Core Formation Stage, he was a pure refiner with limited combat ability. He was definitely no match for Su Jiuzhen if the two of them were engaged in a fight.
Moreover, the man had spent quite a few years in the Temple of Immortals. Therefore, Huangpu Shiyi was very polite to him. He asked courteously, "Master Su, what is your opinion?"
Su Jiuzhen's voice was annoying to listen to, like iron needles scratching glass. "It won't be difficult to convert Li Yao.
"He is a young man who was born and raised in the edge of the sector. He has been wandering away from society basically his whole life. How much feeling would he have for ordinary people? Chances are that he has already slain some of them when he was traveling in the sea of stars!
"You saw his performance in the Skyhill Sword Seminar, too. He was brutal, aggressive, and merciless!
"Such a young man must be proud and desire to be acknowledged by other people.
"Also, it's safe to infer from that fact that he trained crazily with Purple Ring Sword Ants that he is a maniac who is interested in nothing but magical equipment!
"As long as you lure him with magical equipment and the arts of refining, with a few lessons, I'm sure that he will recognize who he really is and embark on the path of immortality!"
Pausing for a moment, Su Jiuzhen then continued. "As for Huangpu Xiaoya, she is the tricky one. I fear that she has a deep misunderstanding about Immortal Cultivators. We'd better make preparations for the worst. She is your blood niece, but you won't hesitate when the moment comes, will you?"
Huangpu Shiyi smiled. "Why would I? Now that I've joined the cause of immortality, mortal affairs have nothing to do with me. What can the mundane relationship of the ordinary people do for us? Moreover—"
