Forty Millenniums of Cultivation, page 377
There was mockery and sadness on Sha Yulan's face; telling the story seemed to be draining her. She took a few breaths. "If it was more likely to resist the apocalypse, or if the apocalypse was more likely to be unstoppable, everything would've been easier. But the problem was that each possibility was fifty percent.
"The Flying Star Sector, at that time, had the ability to perform a large-scale space migration and to provide absolute defense for one of the planets. But either choice would consume tremendous resources.
"Faced with the incoming apocalypse, the Cultivators were inevitably divided.
"Some of them call themselves 'homers'. They suggested that all the other planets of the Flying Star Sector should be abandoned and that the population and resources be concentrated on the mother planet Iron Plateau. With all the resources available in the Flying Star Sector, a super stellar-level defense array could have been established outside the mother planet, which could be used to resist the apocalypse.
"According to the advocates of such a notion, the apocalypse was definitely resistible if all the resources of the Flying Star Sector were focused on one planet. As long as the mother planet was saved, the mines and secondary planets in the periphery could have been reestablished within the subsequent hundred years.
"The rest of the Cultivators were known as 'spacers', and they maintained that staying on Iron Plateau could only lead to the doom of the entire civilization.
"Now that a large fleet was already available, and that the technology of universal sailing was quite advanced, they argued to concentrate all the resources of the Flying Star Sector to upgrade the fleet and to refine a large batch of star fortresses.
"Since the target of the apocalypse was the planets, everyone might as well be evacuated from the planets and into space. A civilization in space would be created!"
"The arguments of the two sides had their own pros and cons.
"The proposal of the homers was a gamble. If the apocalypse was successfully resisted, all would be good. But if the stellar-level defense array was broken through, the entire civilization would be destroyed.
"The spacers, on the other hand, were asking everyone living on the planets, from infants in their cribs to seniors over a hundred years old, to move into starships within several decades. It was definitely not an easy job.
"Besides, mankind originated from planets. To move away from planets and live in cold, narrow starships without having the chance to stand on real soil again was too cruel a penalty for a civilization."
Li Yao blurted out, "They could've stayed in space temporarily and moved back to Iron Plateau when the apocalypse passed."
He realized that he was not thinking at all after he heard what he said.
The resources of a sector were limited. If they were devoted to the starships and space towns, building a stellar-level defense array would definitely have been impossible.
Without enough defense, it was quite likely that Iron Plateau would have been blown into smithereens by the apocalypse. How could they move back if that happened?
Chapter 558: God Slaying! |
"The hardcore advocates of spacers were the members of the Flying Star fleet who had been preparing for the expedition across the universe. The best elites of the Cultivation world had been gathered in the fleet, including many Core Formation Stage Cultivators and Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators. Most of them were the leadership of the big sects.
"The majority of homers were made of the low-level Cultivators. Although their Cultivation was not very high, they were supported by most ordinary people.
"Space is boundless and perilous. Nobody could anticipate what the Flying Star Sector would be like after the apocalypse. It was possible that all the planets would be destroyed. If so, human beings would be floating in the sea of stars for all eternity and become a nomadic civilization.
"Core Formation Stage Cultivators and Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators might be able to live through such crisis. But faced with the endless universe, what were the odds of survival for low-level Cultivators and ordinary people?
"The entire system of Cultivation and way of life would be demolished. Without planets as bases, it would be questionable whether or not such a system could be reestablished.
"The two sides had been at loggerheads with each other since the very beginning. The homers decried spacers to be timid cowards who ran away before a fight. Even if they succeeded in escaping via starships, the torch of civilization would only diminish and eventually die down if there were no planets, no natural paradises, and no Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.
"But the spacers scorned the homers for being idiotic turtles. It seemed to be a valiant decision to stay and try to resist the apocalypse, but it was only irrational. The homers were the real cowards; they did not have the courage to explore the sea of stars. In the end, if the defense array of the homers could not resist the apocalypse, everyone would be killed in the disaster. In comparison, spacers were the real brave ones who would not only continue their civilization but also lead the human beings of the Flying Star Sector to expand their territory and explore new worlds so that the civilization would be brought to a new height!
"The debate between the two sides continued unabated, and their conflicts grew more and more intense. At the beginning, the argument was merely theoretical. But soon, when resources were going to be mobilized to implement a plan to resist the apocalypse, the theoretical argument was about to turn into blood and fire in reality!
"According to the astronomers, the apocalypse was going to arrive seventy-one years later. But both the planetary defense array and the production of thousands of starships were projects that could potentially take a hundred years. Therefore, they must seize every second and take action immediately.
"Resources of the Flying Star Sector were limited. If one of the two plans got more, the other plan would doubtlessly get less.
"Regarding the distribution of resources, the two sides almost raised a civil war!"
Li Yao couldn't help but interject. "Wasn't there a coalition government at that time? Besides, there were bound to be leaders and elders in the six major sects. Since most of them were spacers, why would the low-level Cultivators under their command not listen to them?"
Sha Yulan smiled bitterly. "The Flying Star government was co-established by the six sects. There was not a well-respected monarch who had enough prestige to win everyone's support. Besides, it was not for personal gain, but for the future of the entire civilization!
"If it were for their own benefit, the low-level Cultivators would naturally follow the arrangements of their masters, elders and leaders.
"But right now, it was the lives of tens of billions of people that were at risk!
"If you were a Refinement Stage Cultivator, and you firmly believed that the planetary defense array could resist the apocalypse and that the progress of the civilization would be disrupted if everyone ran out of the planets and simply let the apocalypse destroy all the habitable planets, would you listen to the Core Formation Stage Cultivators and Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators when you believe that only your companions could save everyone, including the crying babies in the cradles?
"Not just the Core Formation Stage Cultivators and Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators. At that time, a series of shocking crimes had happened.
"In the records of Iron Plateau, these crimes were known to be—god slaying!
"At the time, the Flying Star Sector had a highly developed Cultivation civilization. There were three super experts in the Divinity Transformation Stage, above the Nascent Soul Stage, who were all supporters of the ideology of spacers.
"The three Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators were all true gods of war; they had made great contributions through life and death during the development of the civilization of the Flying Star Sector. They were very respected both among the Cultivators and among the ordinary people.
"When the conflicts began, the three Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators spared no efforts in endorsing and preaching the spacers' theories to win the ordinary people's support.
"Under their influence, many ordinary people were convinced and willing to run away from planets together with the Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators toward the sea of stars.
"Right then, an attack against one of the Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators took place in a congress meeting of the coalition government!
"Yes. An attack against a Divinity Transformation Cultivator!
"The assailant was merely a Refinement Stage Cultivator, and an admin-type one at that. She was the recorder of the meeting!
"A Refinement Stage Cultivator trying to assassinate a Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivator!
"It was not hard to guess that no sooner had her killing intent been revealed than she was discovered.
"However, her purpose was never the assassination; she was merely taking the opportunity to root for the homers.
"The assassin gave a marvelous speech in the congress meeting in front of thousands of representatives and billions of spectators and rebuked the Divinity Transformation Cultivators for being as timid as rats when they decided to abandon their home and flee without fighting.
"She berated the spacers for leading the human beings of the Flying Star Sector to doom. Although the homers were mostly low-level Cultivators and descendants or disciples of the spacers, they would not lower their heads in front of the truth that would determine the destiny of their civilization.
"This was the greatest Dao for them. Faced with the false Dao, they would not shirk away and would rather fight until their last drop of blood was shed even if their opponents were Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators, Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators, or even real deities!
"The assailant also stated that, although she had been captured, all the low-level Cultivators of the homers had made up their mind to sacrifice themselves. From that day on, if the three Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators were still spreading propaganda for the spacers' theories in public, then…
"Every day, three Refinement Stage Cultivators would assault the three Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators!
"No. It was not an assault; it was suicidal attack!
"At that time, many representatives of the congress meeting were homers. Due to their backing, nobody dared to stop the female assassin from completing her declaration.
"The speech of such a weak girl rendered the entire hall speechless. Even the Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivator who had been the target of the attempted assassination was shocked at her valor and failed to come up with a response.
"The ordinary people who were watching the live stream of the congress meeting were deeply touched, too.
"After the assassin was taken into custody, she somehow managed to kill herself the following morning despite the various barriers imposed on her. She also wrote a few words with her blood on the wall.
"Born in Iron Plateau, die in Iron Plateau!"
Li Yao was flabbergasted.
He did not know that the Cultivators of the Flying Star Sector had been so unbendable five thousand years ago. An insignificant Refinement Stage Cultivator was bold enough to attack a Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivator, and when she inevitably failed and was captured, she ended her own life elegantly and decisively!
This was the conflict of the great Dao. It was not about one's capability but the firmness of one's belief!
"Born in Iron Plateau, die in Iron Plateau," Xiong Wuji mumbled.
He listened attentively to the valiant actions of the predecessors of the homers. Although he had heard it all a thousand times before, and he was the one who had told Sha Yulan the stories, he was still breathing fast, with brightness blinking in his eyes, as if this was the first time that he had ever heard such a story.
However, his face was somewhat grave. When he spoke the words 'die in Iron Plateau', there was a hint of depression in his eyes.
Sha Yulan sighed. "From that day on, the homers started fulfilling their promise. Every day, three Refinement Stage Cultivators would attempt to assassinate the three Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators in public.
"Of course, their endeavors all failed.
"But so what? There were too many homers. If the millions of Refinement Stage Cultivators were all willing to die for their decision, it was impossible to kill all of them.
"Besides, the two sides were compatriots in the first place. Many homers were the disciples and descendants of the spacers. How could they expect to clean out all of the homers?
"This was the 'God Slaying Initiative'!
"Moved by the homers' determination, many Cultivators who supported the spacers gradually returned to the homers' side.
"Many low-level Cultivators of the homers were in charge of the rudimental affairs of their sects. Therefore, they had quite a lot of arsenals and magical equipment bases under their control.
"Before the apocalypse consumed them all, a civil war was about to break out!"
Li Yao found it hard to breathe. He tightly clenched his fists.
"If a civil war broke out, the spacers were naturally much stronger. But strength was of little significance, because if the war broke out, a lot of resources and time would be wasted. Even worse, the civilization might be torn apart, and the two sides would completely go against each other. If so, nobody would ever survive the apocalypse!
"Thankfully, the leadership of the two sides retained some rationality. Before the civil war broke out, they reached an agreement to divide all the resources.
"After all, the resources that the planetary defense array required and those the production of starships required were not entirely the same.
"The plan seemed simple and straightforward. But it was actually only the best of the worst choices. Everybody had to carry out the agreement, however unsatisfied they were, in order to not trigger the civil war.
"From that day on, the human beings of the Flying Star Sector were gradually separated into two groups, the homers and the spacers. They are now the Iron Plateau natives and the space residents."
Li Yao thought for a moment and asked, "Since the agreement was reached, shouldn't the two parties live in harmony now? I think it was a reasonable decision to divide the resources. As the saying goes, you should never put all your eggs into one basket. If some of them were staying and some leaving, the civilization would be kept alive in some form as long as either side succeeded!"
Sha Yulan smiled vaguely. She glanced at Xiong Wuji and sighed. "That was exactly what the leadership of the two sides thought when the agreement was signed. If the two plans were implemented at the same time, one of the two sides would carry on the civilization even if the other side failed. But as the agreement was proceeded, and especially when the new generations were born, the chasm between the two parties grew wider and wider, eventually becoming irreparable."
Chapter 559: Born in Iron Plateau, Die in Iron Plateau! |
"The civilization of the Flying Star Sector was in its golden years before the apocalypse. Everything was thriving. No difficulties seemed to be stopping us from striding forward.
"However, the news of the apocalypse instantly dragged us from the golden years to the time of desperation.
"The new generation born in such a period had a different understanding of the world from their parents. They were almost born with the hostility against each other."
Li Yao was confused. "If such a catastrophe was coming, everybody should have been more united. Even if they did not look eye to eye, they could have simply avoided interacting with the dissidents. What was the hostility for?"
Sha Yulan explained, "It had been estimated that the apocalypse would occur some seventy years later. But with the development of the observation technology, the trajectory and speed of the apocalypse had been rectified multiple times, and it was determined precisely in the end that the apocalypse would arrive a hundred and one years later.
"A hundred years was enough for several generations to be born.
"Imagine you are a homer who was born in such an era. Your parents tell you, when you are still learning how to talk, that your civilization will suffer a destructive strike in several decades' time and that your only hope is to build an enormous shield to resist it.
"Your parents, your grandparents, and your brothers and sisters are all striving for the purpose. The whole significance of your life is to contribute to such a cause!
"If you are a Cultivator, you may go into space temporarily to construct the planetary defense system.
"If you are an ordinary person, you may be digging holes day and night in order to build underground shelters that can be hundreds of meters deep.
"Everybody is burning their life and soul.
"Countless Cultivators fall while they are building the planetary defense array. Some of them are even crushed to pieces by the rushing meteoroids.
"Equally many ordinary people also sacrifice themselves because of the cave collapses, poisonous gas, and the scourge of demon beasts.
"You've experience everything. When your father dies in the space, when your brother is torn apart by demon beasts, and when you dedicate everything to the construction of the shield, you are suddenly told that some other people are not willing to fight side by side with you; they are going to abandon you and their home and simply run away!
"They do not just run away; they will even take away a lot of resources with them!
"The resources could've been used to enlarge and widen your shield so that more people can be protected!
"But now, because of the cowardice of those people, the shield guarding the entire civilization is smaller, lighter, and thinner.
"What would you think of those people?"
Li Yao was deep in thought.
Sha Yulan continued her explanation. "It is the same for the spacers. The new generation of spacers were informed that their destiny was to create countless crystal warships and sail afar with their civilization.
