by <unknown>
"Ever since your civilization was awakened, you have been fighting against the demon race all the time. The fire of your civilization was forced into being under the tremendous pressure of the demon race.
"The Star Glory Federation has only been established for five hundred years. It is in the most vigorous era of growth. Faced with the strong enemy that was the demon race, you were united and striving without retreat, and you were able to suppress the dark side of humanity.
"Therefore, in your heart, humans are good, kind, pure, righteous by nature, and the non-humans such as demons are evil.
"Good and evil are clearly distinguished, and evil never laughs to the end. This was once your belief.
"But after the incident of the Patriots Partnership, in which you saw how evil humans can be, many of you have wavered and begun to be suspicious about humanity, even including many representatives. I have felt that very clearly when I've been talking to them.
"But the Flying Star Sector is different.
"Our world was already highly developed in the era of the Star Ocean Imperium. There were never any organized demon forces.
"Over the past ten thousand years, we were divided into 'homers' and 'spacers' at first, fighting among each other. Then, we were faced with the scourge of space pirates and the extraterrestrial devils. Even the extraterrestrial devils, our greatest banes, had to look for the loopholes in humanity and attach themselves to human beings in order to cause damage.
"It is safe to say that, for the last ten thousand years, we have been fighting against ourselves! On one side, our enemy is the vast, cold, dark universe. On the other side, our enemy is in our heart, something colder and darker than the universe.
"On a starship that has lost momentum with limited food, floating at the edge of a desolate space zone, anyone can turn into something a hundred times more evil than demons and extraterrestrial devils, trampling all the moral standards and causing indescribable tragedies.
"Such tragedies have happened countless times throughout history, and they are still not entirely avoidable to this day.
"Therefore, we know the dark side of humanity much better than you do. The space pirates, the Immortal Cultivators, and those guys who killed all their companions on board in order to survive a couple of days more after an accident, are they not human beings?
"However, on the other side, the space pirates and the Immortal Cultivators who nearly destroyed the Flying Star Sector are human beings, but aren't those who prevented them from doing so and protected the world human beings, too?
"Let's take this incident for example. It is true that the chief criminals such as Lu Zui and Zhou Hengdao are federal citizens, but aren't you, who stopped them, one of the most excellent representatives of the federal citizens? Aren't the tens of thousands of veterans and citizens who waved the flags and sang the national anthems in front of parliament federal citizens? Isn't the so-called Star Glory Federation made of people like you?
"Why did Lu Zui and Zhou Hengdao have to turn to the clandestine approaches? They must've been well aware that people were not on their side, mustn't they?"
Li Yao was dazed. "Senior Luo Xingzi, after experiencing so much darkness, are you still willing to believe in the federation and believe in humanity?"
"Humanity?" Luo Xingzi smiled. "Human beings are giant, contradictory objects in my eyes, a double swirl that is revolving in two opposite directions simultaneously.
"Whenever I trust humanity without reserve, the ugliest, most potent black foams always pops up from the swirl.
"However, when I cover my nose and run away, not trusting it any longer, the black foam will explode one after another and give out the most brilliant colors!"
He patted Li Yao's shoulder and said, "However, if I have to choose, I think I will still choose to believe in humanity and human beings. I will not suspect it no matter how much darkness I experience, no matter how much ugliness I witness, and no matter how many times I am betrayed!"
"Because…"
He paused for a moment before saying with a bitter smile, "Do we really have a second choice?"
Li Yao was deep in thought. Then, together with Luo Xingzi, he put on the sunniest smile under the setting sun.
Taking a long breath in relief, Li Yao was clearly much more at ease than before. "Right, there's one other thing. I'm told that you were about to jump to the Blood Demon Sector while I was on my way. Then, a boy scout of the Burning Prairie Fleet made a mistake and broke the space jump array. You were delayed for a few hours as a result. If that's the case, the boy scout was the greatest contributor who helped stop the war!"
"What kind of contributor is he?" Luo Xingzi could not help but snort when he mentioned the boy. "Don't mention him. He is still in detention!"
"Why?" Li Yao was greatly surprised. Almost three months had passed. Even if his mistake caused the malfunction of the space jump array, it still seemed to be too harsh a punishment.
Seeing his confusion, Luo Xingzi was amused. "You don't need to bother about him. Honestly speaking, he didn't delay us on purpose. It was just a lucky accident.
"After we learned the whole thing, we thought that he had made great contributions, although by accident, and that we would set him free after locking him for ten days or so. But on the seventh day, the boy somehow escaped from the fully-enclosed detention room and swaggered to the living area to gamble! All the tutors were almost deformed in fury! Do you think that locking him up for two months is still a heavy punishment?"
"Well…"
Li Yao scratched his nose but did not know what to say. Before, he had been quite interested in the guy who had accidentally stopped the war and wanted to meet him. But since the guy was still in detention, he might as well drop the idea. Burning Prairie had its own rules after all. It was inappropriate for an outsider like him to intervene.
"Anyway, everything has been settled now. The war is finally over!" Li Yao held his head with his hands and stretched his arms comfortably.
Looking at the distance, Luo Xingzi said with mixed feelings, "Yes. The war between human beings and demons is over, but the war between human beings and human beings has only just begun."
"But why do I feel that there's still something I forgot to do?" Li Yao tilted his head and thought hard for a moment, only to come up with nothing. "It seems to be something very important that will threaten my life if I don't do it."
"Master." At this moment, Wu Mayan reminded him in a low voice, "You haven't proposed to masteress yet."
"Huh?" Li Yao blinked rapidly.
"Didn't you say that you were going to be married after you were back home?" Wu Mayan said. "Also, Masteress asked me the other day if you were 'prepared'. Note that she asked while gnashing her teeth and rubbing her fists!"
"Right!" Li Yao slapped his head. "I've been too busy with the important affairs of the country and the universe to give it any thought!"
Chapter 1178: If You Want a Fight, Let's Have One! |
BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!
In the suburbs of the capital city, inside the most advanced VIP room of a training field with full facilities, Ding Lingdang was training.
What was shrieking under her fists was the debris of a crystal tank. It was more like she was savaging it than attacking it.
She had beaten the debris of a crystal tank five meters long, two meters high, and weighing dozens of tons into a cluster of iron no more than one cubic meter with her brute force.
Struck by dozens of heavy punches every second, the sharp edges of the cluster of iron were gradually polished, and all the gaps were pressed into nothing. The surface of the debris was wreathed in an orange glow. The temperature inside could be a thousand degrees, burning and twisting the air!
But Ding Lingdang could not care less about it.
She was only wearing a thin sports vest and a highly-elastic shorts, which revealed the honey color of her skin and her elegant curves without any reserve. Her sweat was vaporized into a
hazy mist around her before it escaped from her body.
Boom!
After a heavy punch, leaving a hole more than half a meter deep on the iron cluster of unimaginable density, Ding Lingdang blew at her fist where steam was popping up and turned around.
Li Yao crept in stealthily and grinned at her.
"What's the hurry?" Ding Lingdang raised her eyebrow. "Didn't you say that you would have dinner with your three disciples?"
"Nothing. Just wanted to come back early." Li Yao scratched his face, not knowing where to put his hands. "Are you training?"
"Of course!" Ding Lingdang turned around and tortured the debris of the tank again while she said, "Now that the war is over, the Grand Desolate Plateau is a peaceful area again. Many natives of the Grand Desolate Plateau are returning to rebuild their homes. The Grand Desolate War Institution will be reestablished at the original location. This time, we are going to be the largest of the Nine Elite Universities!
"Professor Mo Xuan is rubbing his fists and can't wait to build the Refining Department of the Grand Desolate War Institution into the 'holy land of refiners' in the place of the Refining Department of Deep Sea University. Your old dream might be realized soon!
"The old principal contacted me, too, and asked whether or not I would like to be the dean of the Combat Department of the Grand Desolate War Institution. Why would I refuse such an awesome-sounding job? However, it is not going to be easy to work as the dean of the Combat Department. I have to train myself well for the challengers!"
Li Yao's eyes suddenly shined. "Dean of the Combat Department? That's a good thing. Not bad. Not bad. You have my full support!"
"Why are speaking nothing but jibber-jabber today? Who else will you support if not me? Who else will I count on if not you?" Ding Lingdang turned around again and eyed him up and down suspiciously. Narrowing her eyes, she said, "No, something's wrong. What's in your hand? Let me take a look!"
"N—Nothing."
Blushing, Li Yao finally made up his mind and said, "I'm just saying that—well, since we are going to stay in the capital city for a couple of more days, and there is nothing important to do, why don't we get married sometime, you know, if you are free?"
He opened his hand. Inside his palm was a bright gold ring. There was a bunch of tiny bells that looked like grapes on the surface of the ring. All the bells were embedded with crystals of different colors and emanating the most dazzling brilliance.
Ding Lingdang widened her eyes and looked at him solemnly.
Li Yao was sweating hard and felt that his throat was dry. He had never felt so anxious, even when he was faced with Yan Xibei, Xiao Xuance, Bai Xinghe, the star child, Jin Tuyi, Lu Zui, or Zhou Hengdao. Looking back at Ding Lingdang, he stammered, "Is this too formal?"
"A little bit?" Holding back her laugh, Ding Lingdang snatched the ring and examined it under the light. "You made it yourself? Anything special about it?"
"Of course there is!" Li Yao was excited the moment he started talking about his magical equipment. He put the ring on Ding Lingdang's fourth finger on her right hand while he elaborated. "This ring is named 'Crimson Glow Dragon Slaying Ring'. Look. Eighty-one attack rune arrays have been carved on the tiny area. Once they are triggered, they will produce a colorful armor around your right arm and shoulder, which will improve the force of your fist by ten percent!
"Also, it has two modes. As long as you input some spiritual energy, the ring will automatically expand. Not only can you wear it on the finger, you can also cover it outside the crystal suit and strengthen the attack of the crystal suit with the ring!
"The most critical point is that, other than the dozens of unpredictable attack methods, it is also a tiny Cosmos Ring itself with a storage space of three cubic meters. I have filled half a cubic meter with crystals that will be the power source for the ring. So, you will be saved the trouble of charging it every day. I know that you hate trouble more than anything else.
"The remaining space is definitely enough for you to store powerful weapons, magical equipment, or even a light crystal suit!
"In fact, I produced it a few days ago, but the stripes on the surface were not carved, so I couldn't give it to you until now.
"Compared to the rings on the market, maybe it is not very beautiful, but its combat ability is definitely impressive enough. You can certainly blow up a tank with a single punch!
"What do you think? Do you like it?"
Li Yao waited, his tongue and lips dry.
Ding Lingdang's eyes creased into two crescent moons as she observed the ring in delight. Having no intention of taking it off her finger, she said gently, "You know that I am not a materialistic woman. I like whatever you give to me!"
Li Yao was overjoyed. "So, you've agreed?"
Ding Lingdang leaned over and drew circles on his chest while rubbing his certain other body part with her round, firm thigh. "I'm not done yet. I am not a materialistic woman. Rings and such are just formalities that I don't care about. Even if you gave me the ring of a can, I would be happy as long as you meant it.
"Also, for other woman who are fond of romance, they always demand grand proposals that are watched by so many people. I do not have such habits, and I don't think it's a big deal. So, the simpler, the better. It's not bad to propose in a training room at all!"
"Okay. Okay." Li Yao nodded quickly. "That's right. That's right. You are saying exactly what is on my mind. We must recover our original simplicity!"
"However…" Ding Lingdang's eyes became more and more dangerous, and she was drawing circles on Li Yao's chest harder and harder. "I don't care about materials or romance, but there still seems to be a minor disagreement between our beliefs. Do you think it is necessary to find a place where we can have a proper competition?"
"Huh? Another competition?" Li Yao's face suddenly became pale. His legs were shaking as he said, "Fellow Cultivator Ding, there are still years to come. Why do we have to rush all the competitions right now? How about we call it a tie in the spirit of peace?
"Also, our last competition was too noisy. Right now, a team of specialists is still exploring the Flora Satellite IX. They have even established a station. Many crystal cameras are flying here and there. It's not like we can have a competition of beliefs in right of so many people, right?"
"Of course, the Flora Satellite IX is unavailable."
Nibbling her lips, Ding Lingdang leaned toward his ear and said in a low voice, "I've found another good spot. The Dragon Paw Trench in the South Sea is the greatest trench on the Heaven's Origin Planet with a depth of more than fifty thousand meters! We can dive to twenty thousand meters into the trench. It will be a cool, quiet place without any disturbance. We will be able to completely focus and have a competition of beliefs of three days and three nights!"
"Well, the ecological system of the sea will certainly be damaged. The fish and shrimps living in the area, as well as the innocent little animals such as the Nine-Headed Ocean Monsters, might be affected. Is it really a good choice?"
"You don't love me!" Ding Lingdang cried.
"How so? You must be kidding!" exclaimed Li Yao.
"Or are you indicating that your belief is not hard enough?"
"You—you are asking to be killed. It's not my fault! Alright, let's go to the Dragon Paw Trench. We'll have a competition if you want one!"
…
Ten days later, inside a large, luxury salon in Floating Spear City, an important town of training at the southeast of the federation…
The time was too early for the center to open. Several beauticians were cleaning the room. The host and the hostess, on the other hand, were having breakfast while watching the news with their two babbling daughters.
"It has been reported that immense spiritual waves have been bursting out of the Dragon Paw Trench inside the South Sea recently. Many Nine-Headed Ocean Monsters, which are known as the dominators of the deep sea, have fled from their home and are looking for new habitats.
&
nbsp; "All signs suggest that a super undersea volcano that was undiscovered previously is now awakening inside the Dragon Paw Trench. The magma that it spurted out showed that the volcano is active again and triggered the mutations of the undersea environment.
"The specialists have concluded that this is further proof of the accelerated integration of the Heaven's Origin Sector and the Blood Demon Sector after the consecutive meteor showers on the Flora Satellite IX."
Such news was too far away from the city folk. The couple listened absent-mindedly and played with their chubby daughters once in a while. It was quite a warm scene.
Soon, the local news was broadcast.
"Mister Zhao Liang, a famous local expert of Floating Spear City, has established the ninth branch of his Empyrean Fighting Club. Master Red Pine, leader of the famous local sect Crimson Nimbus Guild, will cut the ribbon personally.
"Zhao Liang is one of the most distinguished Cultivators in the younger generation of Floating Spear City. Born and raised in the Crimson Nimbus Guild, he has advanced into the Building Foundation Stage before the age of thirty! His Empyrean Fighting Club has adopted the advantages of the training models of multiple sects, including the Crimson Nimbus Guild, the Soaring Clouds Sect, and a few others. It is the most renowned brand of training facilities in Floating Spear City. Supported unanimously by all local sects, it is about to walk out of Floating Spear City into the entire federation!
"The most interesting story about Zhao Liang is his incident with the legendary Vulture Li Yao in the past.
"Zhao Liang and Li Yao were once both students of No. 2 Crimson Nimbus High School. Back when they were in the school, they were competitors at loggerheads! It is said that Li Yao crushed Zhao Liang twice, but Zhao Liang stubbornly stood back up every time and went to challenge the formidable Li Yao again! It is perhaps such determination and fearlessness that has supported Zhao Liang to achieved what he has today!"
[Note: For Zhao Liang and Li Yao's encounter please refer to the first fifty chapters of this novel.