by <unknown>
"Stop talking. That's exactly what you meant!"
Li Yao interrupted her defense ruthlessly. "Anybody with the slightest wisdom could realize that there is no way that I would betray His Majesty, because the situation right now is too messy to be resolved by stopping His Majesty's plan or, god forbid, killing His Majesty.
"We are far weaker than His Majesty and cannot hurt His Majesty at all, but even if something happens to His Majesty, so what? What next? It must be noted that the greatest enemies right now are still the ace fleets of the four families as well as the main force of the Covenant Alliance that hasn't shown up yet!
"I am absolutely incapable of settling the chaos in the capital, and His Majesty is the only person who can. Whatever stance I may have, do I have a second option other than submitting to His Majesty? I am a Cultivator, not a cuckoo who doesn't consider the consequences of my action!"
Long Yangjun blushed hard under Li Yao's barrage. It was not until a long time later that she finally said, "Unless—"
"Unless I have a way to settle the mess in the capital after committing regicide, right? But how is it possible?"
Li Yao snorted and eyed Long Yangjun as if she were an idiot. "Unless I have a way to hijack part of the crystal cameras and crystal processors here and perform a live stream to Lei Chenghu who is in the Seven Seas Space Zone despite the double blockades of the reformists and the four families so that he can realize what is going on in the capital.
"Unless Lei Chenghu has finished Yun Xuefeng, Song Yushi, and the eight Adamantine Fleets in unbelievable ways, subduing all the Adamantine Super Arsenal Warships as well as the starships of the warlords!
"Well, it's not going to work out even so, because His Majesty has already learned of Lei Chenghu's insubordination. Therefore, when Lei Chenghu sends a request for reinforcements to the capital, His Majesty will definitely not respond with the signals of the space gate. Without the space gate, how is Lei Chenghu's fleet going to jump over in an organized manner? He'll be committing suicide if the starships jump over one by one!
"Therefore, my scheme will only work out if an elite battle squad has already secretly snuck into the capital and set up ambushes near a space gate, and it can hijack the space gate at the critical moment without alarming anybody, opening the space gate to the Seven Seas Space Zone.
"Right, above all the 'unless', there is still another major 'unless', which is that I have mastered a certain brilliant way of mental immunity that prevented me from His Majesty's enlightenment!
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, so many crucial factors to the victory have all happened? Is it really possible? Even the lousiest mind could've come up with better lies!
"You knew everything clearly, and yet you poured dirty water on me and fabricated such ridiculous things to slander me. You are insulting my—no, you are insulting His Majesty's wisdom! It doesn't matter if you slander me, but it is too vicious of you when you try to shake His Majesty's beliefs. You should be executed!"
"You—"
Her body shivering in fury, Long Yangjun shouted, "Your Majesty, you must not listen to the random talks of this scoundrel. There's no way that I do not believe in Your Majesty's 'enlightenment'. I'm only hoping that Your Majesty's plan can be safer!"
"Are you suggesting that His Majesty's plan would not be safe if we have the Colossi in our hands?"
Li Yao sneered, "His Majesty's magnificent plan that has been worked on for a hundred years can be sabotaged by two Colossi?"
Wuying Qi was silent. The brilliance in his eyes was bouncing like fire in a wild wind.
"Of course—"
Li Yao offered to give the Cosmos Ring that stored the Arsonist to Wuying Qi as he said, "Now that you have vilified me again and again, in order to prove my loyalty, I would like to ask His Majesty to protect my Colossus for me. Does it really matter? I believe that His Majesty will do me justice!"
Long Yangjun scorned and presented her own Cosmos Ring too.
The two of them glared at each other and then looked at Wuying Qi's hands earnestly.
Wuying Qi narrowed his eyes and stared at the Cosmos Rings in their hands. Pondering for a long time, he still took over the two Cosmos Rings.
Li Yao and Long Yangjun gritted their teeth tightly. Under the astonishing self-control, their biophysical parameters did not change much, but their pupils and their nostrils were widened by 5% at the same time.
Holding the two Cosmos Rings in his hands, Wuying Qi filled them with spiritual energy and made them chase after each other like two minor shooting stars. While playing with them casually, he observed Li Yao and Long Yangjun, as if he were trying to dig out their hearts and see what was on them.
In the end, he smiled and absorbed the two Cosmos Rings back into his palm. Clenching his fist, he tossed the Cosmos Rings back to the two of them.
"A gentleman does not take somebody else's love. The whole universe is my possession. Why would I seize two Colossi that belong to you?"
His hands on his back, Wuying Qi said casually with the most intense confidence beaming out of his eyes, "Li Yao is right. There can't possibly be any flaw in my deduction. The Next Sun Plan is the only solution to save the Imperium and the civilization of mankind. Whatever stance you may have, you should support me without any reservation!
"The technologies of enlightenment cannot be resolved so easily. So, neither Li Yao nor Long Yangjun can betray me.
"If I cannot even trust Li Yao who has been enlightened, and I have to control you by depriving you of your beliefs, how can I have the face to carry out the Next Sun Plan, and where can I possibly keep my beliefs?
"Take back the Cosmos Rings that store your Colossi. Look, the sky is already open, and we're about to be embraced by sunshine. Now, enter the Gold Crystal Pyramid with me and appreciate the most glorious sun!"
Chapter 2629: White and Black |
Together with Wuying Qi's laughter, the noises of fractures and explosions in the rocks above the dome were more and more intense. There truly seemed to be a pair of godly hands that were tearing apart the hard crust of the planet brutally.
Even the so-called "safe area" was no longer safe. Massive rocks were falling nonstop, making the Imperial Guards cry and flee in panic. One moment of carelessness, and they would be heavily wounded, if they were not smashed into pieces in the first place.
Even though the Imperial Guards had minds as tough as iron due to Wuying Qi's repetitive brainwashing, they were still greatly shocked at the magnificent changes.
It was not the fear of death but the perception of their own insignificance when faced with the enormous nature.
Li Yao and Long Yangjun looked at each other and were both appalled, wondering what kind of terrifying influences that underground movements would cause to the surface of the planet.
However, there was absolutely nothing they could do under Wuying Qi's intimidation. In order to retrieve their Colossi from their Cosmos Rings and be ready for battle, it would take them quite a few seconds.
For a horrifying expert in the Divinity Branching Stage such as Wuying Qi, a few seconds were more than enough for him to have breakfast, smoke a cigarette, and read a newspaper before blowing them up!
Thankfully, the collapse of the crust did not last. After reaching the maximal quake, it gradually died down.
The Gold Crystal Pyramid was not lifted to the ground but still lay at the bottom steadily.
However, a glittering crack had been opened in the rocks where the sharp tip of the Gold Crystal Pyramid pointed at. As they watched through the gap, the spot of light that was only the size of a needle could be seen, implying that the crack led to the surface of the planet.
Pondering for a moment, Li Yao was greatly enlightened and realized how foolish he was in the past.
Since the Gold Crystal Pyramid did not sink for natural reasons but was hidden by the zealots of the Houyi Clan below the ground on purpose, they had naturally established all kinds of facilities around it so that it could be
activated immediately after it was triggered. Tearing apart the whole crust and raising it to the surface of the planet was too complicated.
All that needed to be done was to tear a tiny crack through the rocks. No, there should've been some sort of vertical tube in the first place that was aimed at the tip of the Gold Crystal Pyramid, which could let the waves shot by the Gold Crystal Pyramid to pierce through the rocks without any hindrance and reach the sky!
Considering such a structure, the place was actually a well-hidden "underground silo"!
Li Yao was half delighted and half worried.
He was delighted that such a structure ensured the stability of the tectonic structure. No drastic changes would be caused to the surface of the planet. Then most of the towns on and below the ground nearby could probably be saved.
What worried him, on the other hand, was that the activation of the Gold Crystal Pyramid had been greatly advanced. Li Yao estimated that it would take at least half a day for the Gold Crystal Pyramid to be completely raised to the surface of the planet. He did not know that it also had a silo, which made it possible for Wuying Qi to carry out his "Next Sun Plan" immediately!
So, who was delaying whom just now?
Wuying Qi was only fearless because he knew that his plan could start any minute, right?
Li Yao thought quickly, but on the surface, he could only put on an overjoyed expression and said, "As you wish, Your Majesty!"
Long Yangjun said nothing but also nodded her head.
Very satisfied with their performances, Wuying Qi smiled. Then he recalled that he was suppressing somebody else next to him.
Waving his tentacles of spiritual energy, he picked up Li Jialing who had almost passed out and grabbed him to his face.
Li Jialing looked even more awful than a dead person. With fury and desperation beaming out of his eyes, he stared at Wuying Qi without blinking.
When he realized that the face belonged to his birth father, his eyes became sorrowful and helpless again.
"How do you feel right now?"
Wuying Qi smiled and said, "You must keep a good mood. Only if you are in a good mood will this body be vigorous and healthy enough."
His lips twitching, Li Jialing glared at Li Yao and Long Yangjun. Then, he looked at the vague light on the rocks and declared stubbornly, "Let me down!"
"You do have some guts, but that's absolutely useless."
Observing the young man carefully, Wuying Qi said, "I'm very curious about one thing. I can understand Li Yao and Long Yangjun's attempt to sneak into the capital and sabotage my plan. After all, they are both above the peak of the Divinity Transformation Stage. Together with the two extraordinary Colossi, it is possible that they may hurt me one way or another. Also, they are either burdened with great responsibilities or boast mysterious backgrounds. They had to come here.
"But what about you?
"Even though you have been modified in 'Manjusaka, the City in the Sky' for years and you experienced a series of fortuitous incidents, I don't think you are higher than the Nascent Soul Stage, are you?
"A twenty-year-old in the Nascent Soul Stage is indeed awe-inspiring, but you are no more than an ant in my eyes, which you know clearly too. Then, why did you step into this fatal game? Just because of the tiny trap on the back of your neck?"
Wuying Qi intentionally jabbed the wound on the back of Li Jialing's neck with a tentacle of spiritual energy, until Li Jialing was quivering and sweating.
However, the scene triggered an insignificant wave inside Wuying Qi's eyes as they saw it.
"I…"
Gritting his teeth, Li Jialing stood straight and shouted, holding back the pain, "I'm here for the queen!"
"Is that so?"
Wuying Qi said, "Why do you want to meet the queen?"
"I want to ask her why she did not destroy me in time when I was an embryo!"
Li Jialing exclaimed, "Even though she did not have the time for it years ago, she had ten thousand opportunities to kill me in the Martial Meritocrats Sector a year ago and after I returned to the Deep Sea Fleet with her, but why didn't she do it?"
"What's the problem with that?"
Wuying Qi was amused. "You were deeply associated with me. You are the best carrier for my soul that I carefully prepared. Naturally, the queen cannot kill you."
"Is that… all?"
Li Jialing's eyes became dim. After a brief silence, he raised his head and roared again, "I don't want to hear it from you! I want the queen to say it herself! Queen, come out and tell me why you gave birth to me at the beginning, and why you now tried to kill me and now let go of me! Did you consider me as a 100% soul container, or was it something else? Come out and tell me in person! What am I? What am I in your heart?"
"How bold of you!"
A hint of struggle appeared in the eyes of Wuying Qi—or Li Linghai, which was immediately replaced by fury. He closed his right hand, and Li Jialing's neck immediately collapsed so deeply that the young man's nerves, bones, and veins were almost cut off.
"Ugh… Ugh…"
Li Jialing was unable to move at all while being choked by Wuying Qi, but a wild smile suddenly appeared on his face. He somehow squeezed his voice out of the unbelievable gap and said, "You… You won't kill me! You still need my body! Hehe, that's why you can't kill me just yet!
"Your Highness, do you hear me? I know that you can hear me! Perhaps… Perhaps I don't have many hours left. Life has been a nightmare and a torture for me in the first place, and death is not so horrible. I only want to know before my death… What am I exactly? Is my life of the slightest significance for you at all? Tell me, alright? Please tell me!"
"You…"
Wuying Qi's hands were shaking.
Or rather, it was Li Linghai's hands that were shaking.
His—Her pure black hair was revealing whiteness at the end again.
Even her black eyes that looked like abysses were bursting out white stars that exploded like brilliant fireworks.
There were too many indescribable feelings hidden in the fireworks.
"You—You were the one who gave me life."
Li Jialing cried miserably, "If my body can help you get rid of the poor life of being possessed by this old ghost in the past hundred years and earn real freedom, it couldn't be better. I only… I only want to see the real you before my death. You seem to have never revealed 100% of your true self before.
"I want to know what the real Li Linghai looks like below the mask of 'queen'. Years ago, in the Supreme Emperor's mausoleum, even an emotionless native of the Covenant Alliance was influenced by you and liberated his humanity. What was the Li Linghai at that time like? I hope that such a Li Linghai can show up before me and tell me the truth. Am I only a product of a cold plan, or am I something else?
"Don't lie to me! You can't trick me! In the Martial Meritocrats Sector, in the Deep Sea Fleet, in the Godly Might Prison, and in the capital, during our so many contacts, I can feel the real you! You are my… mother! Are you going to hide and watch me die without giving me a single answer? What am I? What am I to you?"
The white hair on Wuying Qi—Li Linghai's head grew more and more, swallowing the blackness like surging white tides.
The brilliance in his black eyes almost burst out of his eye sockets.
He was an expert in the Divinity Branching Stage, and even Li Yao and Long Yangjun could not compare to him, but there seemed to be nothing he could do about an insignificant Li Jialing.
Furthermore, he could've grabbed Li Jialing's throat and prevented him from making any sound, but he failed to do it although veins were bulging on the back of his head!
In the end, he finally roared. With appalling brilliance beaming out of his eyes, he knocked out the young man directly, who fell into his arms.
The movement seemed to have consumed his tremendous soul power and physical energy, making him more exhausted than when he had recruited Li Yao and Long Yangjun consecutively just now.
He looked at Li Yao and Long Yangjun in fury and embarrassment, only to discover that the two of them were staring at the ground solemnly, as if they did not catch his disgrace a moment ago at all.
Gloomily, Wuying Qi thought for a long time and placed the unconscious Li Jialing under his armpit, before he said to the two of them coldly, "Come with me. Although it isn't the best time yet, we cannot afford to wait anymore and have to activate the plan right now!"
Chapter 2630: The Only True God! |
Inside the Gold Crystal Pyramid, holding Li Jialing under his armpit and leading Li Yao and Long Yangjun, Wuying Qi went forward on a side road, not toward the control room that Li Yao saw just now but a place below the control room that was even vaster.
Although it seemed inappropriate to describe an underground, enclosed space as "vast", it was exactly what Li Yao was feeling right now.
As far as the eyes could reach, there was not the slightest sign of boundary. The wall had been made out of certain black, energy-absorbing materials, allowing them to swallow all the light like a black hole. The place looked as deep and profound as the night sky.
Only the diamonds embedded on the wall in the shape of eggs were emanating demonic brilliance, both like the stars in a night sky and countless weird eyes that were staring at everybody in the room without blinking.
When Li Yao walked in, a hundred people were already waiting respectfully inside.
Everybody had shaved their hair and cleaned their body. With a solemn expression on their faces, they were only wearing a black robe while surrounded by a holy vibe, as if they were devout monks.
Li Yao glanced at the sacred men and women and recognized them to be the most famous experts in the Imperium of True Human Beings. Most of them were the core forces of the reformists, but of course, some were assassins and mercenaries who were after money too.