Forty Millenniums of Cultivation

Brilliance shone in Li Yao’s eyes. He held his breath and craned his neck, asking, “What do you mean?”

Han Baling smiled casually and confidently, as if everything was under his control. “Of Vulture Li Yao’s three disciples, the last disciple Jin Xinyue appears to be the most independent and disobedient one.

“Unlike the other two disciples who were raised from scratch, Jin Xinyue was already an expert in the demon king stage when she met Li Yao. She had her knowledge when she was recruited as a disciple. Also, she had her own force behind her, which was the entire Blood Demon Sector. After taking over her father’s enterprise, she was the well-deserved ‘master of the Blood Demon Sector’.

“Many biographies and unclassified materials state that the master-disciple relation between Li Yao and Jin Xinyue was a political deal that was only carried out for the peaceful coexistence of the Blood Demon Sector and the Heaven’s Origin Sector. In fact, Li Yao did not mean to recruit Jin Xinyue as a disciple, and Jin Xinyue was too ambitious a woman to sincerely pledge loyalty to Li Yao, either.

“Yes. On the surface, it does appear to be the case.

“When Vulture Li Yao was still present, he was still able to suppress Jin Xinyue with his invincible techniques and unparalleled reputation, but after Li Yao disappeared from public sight, Jin Xinyue’s ambitions immediately consumed her. Together with all the resources of the Blood Demon Sector, she joined the traditional conglomerates. Not only did she barely show any respect for the Glorious Sunlight Group, the Double Dragons Union, and other sects that belonged to Li Yao, she also even went at loggerheads with those sects to defend the interests of the traditional conglomerates, inevitably impressing everyone that ‘Li Yao’s group’ was divided or that it simply did not exist at all.

“Therefore, many core members on Li Yao’s side, such as Ding Lingdang, Wu Mayan, and Xie Anan, and even the relatively peripheral persons such as Mo Xuan, Bai Kaixin, Xiong Wuji, Fiend Blade Peng Hai, were not particularly fond of Jin Xinyue. They criticized her and believed that she was a vicious and disloyal woman.

“Later, Guo Chunfeng, the director of the Secret Sword Bureau, was the only one who was still supporting Jin Xinyue for the sake of his old friend Li Yao. He helped her rise in the Secret Sword Bureau and allowed her to establish the ‘Dim Moon Squad’, an independent force that was loyal only to her.

“But as it turned out, Jin Xinyue bit back after she got enough of what she wanted. The contradiction between her and Guo Chunfeng escalated, and they eventually went their separate ways. She led the whole team to grow independent and established the ‘Dim Moon Fund’, the greatest competitor of the Secret Sword Bureau right now, continuing to serve the traditional conglomerates in the core worlds dutifully.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Judging from what Jin Xinyue has done on the surface, she is certainly ungrateful and disgusting. No wonder Ding Lingdang’s Patriots Front decided to try their best to fight her!”

Captivated, Li Yao nodded quickly. “Exactly. That is exactly what it looks like on the surface, but since you’re putting it that way, Fellow Cultivator Han, there must be things below the surface, right?”

Han Baling sneered and said, “If we only see the surface, we will underestimate the amazing woman Jin Xinyue as well as Vulture Li Yao’s methods to manipulate his disciple too much!

“Hehe. At first glance, Jin Xinyue did join the traditional conglomerates, but the so-called ‘traditional conglomerates’ were not completely united, either. The internal competition was also very intense. There were the bigger conglomerates and the smaller conglomerates.

“At that time, Li Yao had already gone to travel in space, and Ding Lingdang’s Patriots Front had only just begun to develop. Most of its core members were still in prison, smacking rocks on the desolate planets. Jin Xinyue, who boasted the greatest influence, also joined the side of the traditional conglomerates. ‘Li Yao’s group’ was nonexistent from whatever perspective.

“Since they did not need to worry about ‘Li Yao’s group’, during the years when the New Federation developed rapidly, naturally, the traditional conglomerates fought each other hard!

“Jin Xinyue’s strategy, on the other hand, was to join the ‘smaller conglomerates’ that were slightly weaker and less deeply-rooted. With the abundant labor forces of the Blood Demon Sector, her position in the Secret Sword Bureau, and her own vicious and sordid methods, she helped them deal with the few greatest conglomerates!

“Please look, fellow Cultivators. This is the Deity Slaying Sect, one of the top three sects on the comprehensive rank of the federation. It was a super conglomerate founded six hundred and fifty years ago, and one of the sects that was most involved in the scandals caused by the exposure of the Dim Moon Plan.

“However, according to my investigation, the Deity Slaying Sect ranked only around fifteenth in the Old Federation in terms of comprehensive capabilities a hundred years ago. It was by no means one of the largest ‘giants’ and only grew to what it is today through the cooperation with Jin Xinyue by exploiting the resources of the Blood Demon Sector and eradicating the competitors with clandestine methods!

“This is the case for most of the traditional conglomerates on the list.

“All in all, through such a strategy, Jin Xinyue pretended to join the smaller conglomerates and helped the smaller conglomerates defeat the bigger conglomerates. While building up herself, gaining the trust of the smaller conglomerates and turning into a spokesperson for their interests, she also grasped tremendous dark secrets about the smaller conglomerates!

“Hehe. Hehe. Did you know, Fellow Cultivator Spiritual Vulture? One of the greatest hobbies of Vulture Li Yao was to build crystal bombs!”

Li Yao nodded solemnly. “I’ve heard a thing or two about it.”

“This monster has crafted millions of crystal bombs in his life, but the most powerful and malicious one of all is certainly ‘Jin Xinyue’ herself!” Han Baling bashed the table hard and widened his eyes. “Jin Xinyue is a powerful crystal bomb that is filled with venom. She bound herself to the traditional conglomerates that won the fierce competitions and waited patiently for a hundred years until the traditional conglomerates were completely reassured about her and supported her to run for Speaker. Then, she detonated herself and blew up all the decayed and worthless conglomerates that were standing in the way of Li Yao’s group!

“One moment! In only one moment, when the tyrannosaur finally rises from the darkness after lurking in the abyss for too long, there is already a clear sky and fresh air in front of ‘Li Yao’s group’. Nothing at all can compete with them and the name ‘Li Yao’!

“It was the whole plan of Monster Li!

“Jin Xinyue is in fact his most beloved true disciple who has been most loyal to him!

“Monster Li was absolutely not content being a vain ‘federal hero’. He hid himself for a hundred years just to rise and really control the federation. Not just the dominator of three Sectors, he was determined to become the dominator of a thousand Sectors and make the Star Glory Federation carry out his will in the next millennium!”

The more Han Baling talked, the more excited and convinced Han Baling became. Slapping the table hard, he stared at Li Yao and said, “Fellow Cultivator Spiritual Vulture, this is my analysis on the whole event. What do you think? Are you rather shocked?”

“Indeed. I—I am very shocked!” Li Yao took out a vintage bamboo cylinder from his pocket and poured out a few balls that looked like goat turd. “Let me calm myself with a few pills first.”

“I am more than shocked. When I inferred Monster Li’s arrangements and his entire plan based on my abundant experience when I swept across the Dark Cloud Prairies, destroyed the old sects, and grasped power, I was almost overwhelmed by boundless horror!”

After a long sigh, Han Baling put on an indescribable expression, as he shook his head with a bitter smile. “Back in the Ancient Sages Sector, I always thought that I might not be as good as some people such as Fellow Cultivator Yan Liren in terms of combat ability, but when it comes to strategies, I was as good as anyone!

“Even after we just arrived at… the modern Cultivation civilization and saw their starships and metropolises in space, I thought that such things were just fancy whazzits and that the modern people were no match for us at all in terms of wisdom and tricks!

“But today, after I witnessed part of Monster Li’s hundred-year plan, I finally understood the thoughtfulness and dreadfulness of the experts of this Sector! Vulture Li Yao truly deserves the title dominator of three Sectors. Overturning the entire world with a snap of his fingers and killing people without even showing up! Such an old monster is truly admirable!”

Not only was Han Baling sighing with mixed feelings, the other Nascent Soul Stage Cultivators and Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators were also amazed and fearful after he pointed out the subtleness of Monster Li’s plan.

“Well, Fellow Cultivator Han,” Li Yao said, “I don’t think we need to underestimate ourselves so much…”

“We are not underestimating anyone. We are just being honest!” Han Baling said solemnly. “Fellow Cultivator Spiritual Vulture, with all due respect, please don’t be mad. You were born in the wilderness in the Southland of Sorcerers, and your main business is forging and refining. Even though you have followed Lord Wang for a few days to learn the art of politics, how can you fully understand the essence of power struggles and the horror of Monster Li? Do you know what is most scary about him?”

Scratching his chin, Li Yao narrowed his eyes and said, “What is it?”

“His control of timing!” Han Baling said carefully. “The time of detonation that Monster Li selected for Jin Xinyue couldn’t have been better. Do you see it?”

Li Yao shook his head. “I’m afraid not. Please enlighten me.”

“It is very simple but marvelous nonetheless!” Han Baling explained. “Why did he choose the moment the Black Wind Fleet was about to arrive, not any time earlier or later?

“Firstly, after a hundred years of development, the various branches of ‘Li Yao’s group’ have grown to the point that they can compete with the traditional conglomerates openly!

“Secondly, the traditional conglomerates are deeply-rooted. If it were peacetime, such a scandal wouldn’t necessarily have been able to kill them, although they might have been heavily wounded. If they were not killed, their counterattack would definitely have been fierce, which may even have led to the division of the federation. That’s not something that Monster Li wants to see.

“But now is different. A ‘wartime Speaker’ is being elected. Once the new Speaker is inaugurated, it is certain that they will announce that the federation will enter the highest warring state.

“Think about it. In the highest warring state, preparations for war will be the top priority, and the power of the new Speaker will greatly expand. Then, won’t the traditional conglomerates that are mired in scandals be meat on a chopping block waiting to be butchered?

“Thirdly, and most importantly, if the federation defeats the expedition army of the Imperium under the lead of ‘Li Yao’s group’, then the war benefits left by the Black Wind Fleet will most likely be entirely devoured by ‘Li Yao’s group’ without leaving any residues for the ‘traditional conglomerates’.

“As a result, through the glorious victory, Li Yao’s group will expand more than ten times in terms of capabilities. As for the traditional conglomerates that were seriously diminished during the war and hungered after it, will they still be qualified to be ‘conglomerates’ at all? Based on what can they compete with Li Yao’s people?

“As the saying goes, ‘whet a sword for a hundred years, and cut the throat in one attack!’ Monster Li seems to have become a figure in the tales, but he launched a critical strike the moment he acted, leaving no chance for the traditional conglomerates at all!”