Forty Millenniums of Cultivation, page 413
Li Yao was utterly overwhelmed. He swallowed and managed to answer, "I am truly not a space resident. Chief Xiong has been treating me very well like a nephew. Naturally, I believe every word he said.
"In the dungeon, Chief Xiong told me that everything was part of a plot and that the center of the plot was the Oasis Tribe. He asked me to investigate the Oasis Tribe with all that I could!
"Since I was alone and my capabilities are limited, I could only steal the tremendous Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures and refine them into magical equipment!
"After I crafted a lot of magical equipment and repaired the armor on my body, I immediately headed north and happened to run into a tank of the Burning Sun Tribe on my way.
"I grew suspicious about the tank and tried to block it. However, several experts suddenly dashed out of the vehicle.
"After I defeated them, I found that twenty hostages were locked in the carriage, and they were all Cultivators!
"After that…"
Li Yao glared at Yan Chifeng and continued talking. "Yan Chifeng told me to come to this valley. Later, a hundred Cultivators arrived, too. However, they were not malicious, merely misled by the Temple of Immortals to come here to rescue the hostages!"
"Excuse me?"
Yan Chifeng was so angry that he was laughing. "Sand Scorpion, you have picked a great name. You are trying to sting me even before your own death!
"I told you to come to this place? I've never been here before. How did I know that there was a valley here?
"Besides, my father was murdered only a few days ago, and you were likely to be one of the suspects; I only hated that I couldn't skin you. Why on earth would I offer help for you escape?
"There are too many loopholes in your terrible lie!"
Li Yao blushed and shouted, "It is not a lie! I am not a space resident!"
Yan Chifeng bulged his eyes and burst into fury. "Shut up! The evidence is right here. How can you craft such exquisite armor if you are not a space resident?"
As if he were hit by a lightning, Li Yao was rigid for a long time, before he replied miserably, "It is—it is related to my background. It's personal. Please don't push me!"
Yan Chifeng sneered, "Of course it's about your background. It's not strange at all that a space residence can produce such finely-made armor!"
"Bulls*it! Bulls*it! Bulls*it!"
Li Yao was like an erupting volcano that had been suppressed for a long time. Two hot streams spurted out of his nostrils, while spiritual gas was circling him and sweeping sand and dust!
He pointed at Yan Chifeng's nose and yelled, "Yan Chifeng, this is all your trap. You are framing me up! I am an out-and-out warrior of Iron Plateau. I'm not a space resident. Definitely not!
"It's the greatest disgrace for a man of Iron Plateau to be vilified for a rat from space!
"Yan Chifeng, you are discrediting me. I… I'm challenging you to a duel!"
Li Yao was going to jump at Yan Chifeng, when Shi Meng and Xiong Zhenzhen strode forward and blocked him in advance. They both aimed their blades at Li Yao.
The hundreds of qi-trainers also pointed their guns at Li Yao.
Shi Meng shrieked, "Stop there! One step closer, and you will be immediately minced into pieces!"
Yan Chifeng took a few steps back and screamed, "Sand Scorpion, on any other occasion, I would definitely accept your duel and avenge my father in person!
"But right now, don't even think about messing things up in such a way. We are not going to be fooled!"
Li Yao was so anxious that he was sweating hard. He was waving his hands desperately like someone about to be drowned, while he shouted at Shi Meng and Xiong Zhenzhen, "I'm truly innocent! Believe me! I'm not a space resident!"
"Enough!"
The chief of the Giant Axe Tribe suddenly roared on the heavy tank and almost deafened everyone on the spot.
"Sand Scorpion, you said that you were not a space resident and that Yan Chifeng is framing you. We cannot determine the validity of your words in the haste.
"Thankfully, before we moved north, we foresaw such scenarios!
"Do you dare to prove your identity in the Truth Cabinet?"
Li Yao changed his face color greatly when he heard 'Truth Cabinet'. He scratched the back of his head subconsciously while he replied restlessly, "Going to the Truth Cabinet is the biggest insult for a warrior of Iron Plateau. Why do I have to go to the Truth Cabinet?"
Hearing his words, everybody was whispering to each other. Shi Meng and Xiong Zhenzhen were even more disappointed.
Yan Chifeng laughed. "Sand Scorpion, cut your useless excuses. You don't dare go to the Truth Cabinet at all because your true face will be unveiled when you are there!"
Chief of the Feathered Snakes Tribe stood up on the commanding tank and shrieked, "Sand Scorpion, we all agree that going into the Truth Cabinet is an insult, which equals to saying that we don't believe the charged. However, the issue at hand is of paramount importance. We can only assume that you are a spy from space if you are not willing to go to the Truth Cabinet!
"A few days ago, in order to push Xiong Wuji to go to the Truth Cabinet, the five tribes proposed quite a lot of compensations. Today, as the chief of the Feathered Snakes Tribe, I promise you that the conditions are still valid if you prove your innocence in the Truth Cabinet!
"As long as you prove that you are not a space resident and you were framed by somebody else, the portion of the trophies belonging to the Feathered Snakes Tribe that you stole will be considered our gift. Moreover, you will be an honorable guest in the Feathered Snakes Tribe anytime!
"Same goes for the Giant Axe Tribe!"
"Same goes for the Heaven Wolves Tribe!"
"Same goes for the Silver Moon Tribe!"
While talking, the qi-trainers drew close to Li Yao and gradually surrounded him.
Oppressed by the intimidating aura, Li Yao was speechless for a long time. He suddenly pointed at Yan Chifeng and said, "If the Truth Cabinet is a must, why am I the only person asked to do the test?
"Yan Chifeng has accused me of being a spy from space. However, I say that he is an agent of the Temple of Immortals! We should go to the Truth Cabinet together!"
Yan Chifeng had known that he might have such demands. He said unhesitatingly, "Sand Scorpion, I didn't expect you to be so insane. Not only did you murder my father, you are also trying to blame me for it?
"Alright! As long as you prove yourself to be not a space resident first, what harm is there if I have to do the test myself?"
The chief of the Feathered Snakes Tribe waved her hands. "Someone! Deliver the Truth Cabinet here!"
Wu—
Lengthy horns echoed in the Feathered Snakes Tribe as a special heavy tank drove out of the formation slowly.
Eight muscular men were pulling enormous chains from the two sides of the tank. They exerted all their strength, and veins were bulging out all over their body, before they finally managed to open the carriage.
Inside was a weirdly-shaped cabinet.
The cabinet was supported by four copper pillars on which countless shocking patterns were carved.
The patterns were pictures where people of different ages and genders were cutting out their hearts from their chest and murmuring something to the organs. It was both terrible and eccentric.
Behind the cabinet was a black iron chair. The back of the chair was a hat that had been embedded with countless crystals. It was connected to the Truth Cabinet via hundreds of zigzagging crystal wires.
On the front side of the Truth Cabinet, two words in a vintage style, one on the left and the other on the right, were written, which were 'True' and 'False'.
Then, another four heavy tanks drove forward slowly. The eight muscular men connected several thick tubes to the Truth Cabinet.
The four heavy tanks were fully loaded with high-purity crystals to provide sufficient energy for the Truth Cabinet to function normally.
Li Yao narrowed his eyes and observed. The 'Truth Cabinet' seemed to be piled up by two pieces of magical equipment that were in completely different styles.
On the outside, it was full of gears, chains, rivets, and other crude components from which spiritual gas was spurting out nonstop.
At the center of the Truth Cabinet, through the gaps between the gears and the chains, however, Li Yao could see the core of the magical equipment, which was translucent and seemed to be made of jade. It was floating slowly in midair, releasing a mysterious aura.
Like a weird eye, it seemed to be piercing through his heart directly.
In the bottom-left corner of the Truth Cabinet was a rusted sign that had already been worn out after thousands of years of erosion.
Li Yao maximized his sight and distinguished a few words on it.
"Special Polygraph of the No.[--] Fleet of the Star Ocean Imperium!"
Li Yao suddenly figured out that the core of the Truth Cabinet was a polygraph of the Star Ocean Imperium from ten thousand years ago. No wonder it required so much energy to be activated and even the Cultivators could not fool it.
"Sand Scorpion, please go into the Truth Cabinet!" shouted the chief of the Feathered Snakes Tribe.
Li Yao nodded his head and strode forward.
Yan Chifeng suddenly interjected, "Wait. Space residents all have uncanny gadgets. He might have magical equipment that can bypass the Truth Cabinet. Search him first!"
The chief of the Feathered Snakes Tribe nodded. Two gold snakes suddenly crawled out of her colorful robe and slithered toward Li Yao, as she said, "Sand Scorpion, do forgive me!"
Li Yao scowled. He adjusted his armor and allowed the snakes to creep in.
Yan Chifeng said again, "The Truth Cabinet mainly targets the head. His hair must be carefully examined."
The chief of the Feathered Snakes Tribe glanced at him but didn't say anything. The two gold snakes crawled into Li Yao's hair and searched for a long time, only to find nothing.
The chief of the Feathered Snakes Tribe nodded her head. "Other than his weapons, Sand Scorpion does not carry any special magical equipment."
Yan Chifeng rolled his eyes, but he did not question the result. He simply remarked, "Alright. Now that the chief of the Feathered Snakes Tribe has examined him in person, it should be all good!"
Li Yao sniffed and leapt onto the Truth Cabinet. He looked down at everybody, with a smile of victory curling on his lips, before he shouted, "You will soon believe that I am truly not a space resident."
"Sand Scorpion!"
The chief of the Feathered Snakes Tribe said, "If you are indeed not lying, just declare in front of thousands of compatriots of Iron Plateau through the Truth Cabinet that you are an Iron Plateau native!
"If the Truth Cabined proves that you are telling the truth, the Feathered Snakes Tribe will believe your story!"
Chapter 614: Tell You… Honestly? |
The smile on Li Yao's lips instantly froze. A drop of cold sweat rolled down to the tip of his nose.
"Sand Scorpion, I'm confused right now. Just announce that you are an Iron Plateau native on the Truth Cabinet!"
Shi Meng shouted, "As long as you prove your innocence, the Furious Bears Tribe will support you to the end until there are none of us left!"
"Yes! If you pass the test of the Truth Cabinet and prove yourself to be an Iron Plateau native, the Giant Axe Tribe will believe every word you said, too!"
"Same goes for the Silver Moon Tribe!"
"Same goes for the Heaven Wolves Tribe!"
The elite warriors of the six tribes all started shouting.
Two priests of the Feathered Snakes Tribe in colorful clothing made of feathers leapt onto the Truth Cabinet. They operated on the magical equipment and gestured for Li Yao to proceed. "Please!"
Li Yao raised his head and looked at the yellow sky. He took a long, deep breath. Ten thousand thoughts were rolling through his mind.
Should I take the risk with a homophone? After all, 'Grand Plateau' and 'Iron Plateau' sound similar. If I say 'I'm a Grand Plateau native', I might be able to fool the Truth Cabinet!
But Li Yao immediately dismissed the idea.
It was a horrible plan. The core of the Truth Cabinet was a military polygraph from the Star Ocean Imperium that monitored the soul of the charged directly. How could it be conned by such petty tricks like homophones?
Li Yao quickly thought of many things. Finally, he clenched his fists and said with much hesitation, "I—I can't say that!"
"What!" Shi Meng gasped. "You still daren't? You are not an Iron Plateau native?"
The chief of the Feathered Snakes Tribe furrowed her brow and cawed like a crow, "Are you admitting that you are not an Iron Plateau native?"
Yan Chifeng tried to hold back the joy in his eyes, while he said coldly, "Of course, he is not an Iron Plateau native. I said he was a space spy long ago!"
"It's not like that!"
Veins were bulging on his forehead, and resentment seemed to be pouring out of his eyes as tears. He waved his hands and shouted desperately, "I—I don't know whether or not I am a real Iron Plateau native. It is also the biggest secret about myself!
"But I am absolutely certain that I am definitely not a space resident!"
The chief of the Feathered Snakes Tribe was curious. "You are either a space resident or an Iron Plateau native. What do you mean by saying that you don't know whether or not you are a real Iron Plateau native?"
Everybody stared at Li Yao who was struggling in pain. There was grief in his anger and loneliness in his grief.
For a moment, he did not seem to belong to this world. While smiling bittering, he replied, "Everyone, especially brothers from the Furious Bears Tribe, I'm truly sorry!
"There are many things that I haven't confessed to you yet. There's indeed a great secret buried inside my body that makes me unclear who I am!
"I once thought that, as long as I fought side by side with everybody against the apocalypse like a real warrior of Iron Plateau would, I would be acknowledged by everybody and regarded as a real Iron Plateau native!
"Hehe. I was wrong. Very wrong!
"Whatever I do, however many apocalyptic beasts I slay, however much blood I shed… I'm afraid I will never become a real Iron Plateau native! Never!"
"But I swear that I am not a space resident. Definitely not!"
Shi Meng was baffled. He strode forward and cried, "Sand Scorpion, what are you talking about? I don't understand! What's your secret? Just tell us!"
Li Yao smiled miserably. His body was shaking so hard that he seemed like he would fall out of the Truth Cabinet at any point.
The previous speech seemed to have drained him. He shook his head and murmured, "It will be useless. Whatever I say right now, nobody will believe me. You will only consider me to be a liar!
"Hehe. It's not your fault but mine. There are too many suspicious points about me to be washed away by the bit of blood I spilled in the battle of apocalypse!"
His words rendered everyone bewildered. Many qi-trainers thought of Li Yao's brutal performance in the battle of apocalypse and lowered their heads while they thought to themselves, Have we really wronged him? Does he really have something personal that he would rather not tell?
The chief of the Feathered Snakes Tribe said solemnly, "Sand Scorpion, stop delaying. After all, you are either a space resident or an Iron Plateau native! Since you said that you did not know whether or not you are a real Iron Plateau native due to private reasons, then just sit on the chair and state 'I am not a space resident'. It will be the same!
"If the Truth Cabinet proves that you are speaking the truth, you can tell us your identity and background then. Everybody will believe you after that, won't we?"
Hearing that, many qi-trainers nodded their heads in approval.
"Indeed. You are either a space resident or an Iron Plateau native. Prove that you are not a space resident first. Then you can tell us where you come from. Even the longest and the most sophisticated story has a beginning and an ending!"
"Yes. Prove that you are not a space resident first. Let's talk about the rest later!"
Yan Chifeng frowned in silence. He felt that something was wrong, but he failed to determine where the loophole was.
Li Yao sniffed and said, tears in his eyes, "Alright. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. After I prove that I am indeed not a space resident, I will share my background and secrets with you, and you will be judges to decide whether or not I am a real Iron Plateau native!"
Then, Li Yao seated himself on the iron black chair unhesitatingly. The two priests of the Feathered Snakes Tribe put on his head the hat embedded with dozens of crystals and carved with countless rune arrays, before they fixed it with belts.
The chief of the Feathered Snakes Tribe declared slowly and solemnly, "The Truth Cabinet… is now activated!"
After a while of humming sounds, the four thick tubes connected to other heavy tanks were dancing up and down as if they were alive.
Immense spiritual energy flooded into the Truth Cabinet unstoppably. The gears and chains started spinning rapidly. Hot steam popped out from the exhaust tubes, wreathing the entire Truth Cabinet in an ocean of fog. Li Yao, who was sitting on top of it, looked like a deity!
Shua! Shua! Shua! Shua!
Rune arrays inside the hat were illuminated one after another brilliantly, as if half a sun was covering Li Yao's head!
Li Yao was seeing all kinds of hallucinations. The whole world turned into chaos. The desert and the qi-trainers were all gone. The only thing in the entire universe was a lonely, monolithic eye that was gazing at him without blinking!
The stare of the eye seemed to be piercing through his flesh and his brain deep into the center of his soul!
Li Yao shuddered. He felt that the eye had become a weird hand that was touching the deepest part of his soul coldly.
Vaguely, he heard the chief of the Feathered Snakes Tribe shout, "Sand Scorpion, you may speak now!"
