Forty Millenniums of Cultivation

Li Wuji extended his foot and kicked Zuo Tianying in a relatively clean part on his body in order to see his face clearly. After recognizing him, he snorted without giving approval or disapproval.

A personal guard immediately moved forward and kneeled on the ground respectfully, wiping the tip of Li Wuji’s foot with a giant handkerchief.

It was almost like his delicate, sharp-pointed boot had been tarnished by Zuo Tianying’s clothes.

Li Wuji accepted the service of his guard fully at ease. Glancing at Boss Bai who was still on one of his knees and who seemed loyal and dutiful, he said casually, “Rise. You’ve done a good job this time.”

“Thank you, my lord!”

Boss Bai rose in a rather sleazy way, with his small eyes rolling quickly. He rubbed his hands, as if he were greatly delighted. He looked like a totally different person from the great bandit who drank juice in Zuo Tianying’s office with his legs akimbo a moment ago.

“Of the many rebels of the Business Alliance of Ten Thousand Sectors, this Zuo Tianying is not among the most important ones, but he is still something. It wasn’t easy to catch him.”

Expressionlessly, Li Wuji said in a high-pitched voice, “We couldn’t have caught this thief in time if you hadn’t snuck into the Blue Sky Market. If we can send him back before the new emperor is crowned, it will be a fairly fabulous gift. Commander Bai, you have made great contributions!”

“I daren’t say that!”

Boss Bai declared passionately, “It was all thanks to my lord’s planning and your marvelous fleet that those scoundrels were suppressed. I barely did anything.

“Even though—hehe—even though I have made any minor contribution, I do not have any courage to ask for rewards, and I only hope that the things that I did before can be pardoned. About that…”

Boss Bai rubbed his hands, as if he did not quite know how to phrase it, fearing that the four Kurfürst families would punish him for what he did in the past.

Amused, Li Wuji glanced at Boss Bai’s shoulder.

The guard nearby immediately understood. Throwing away the handkerchief that was used to clean his boot, the guard took out a new one that was big, soft, and fragrant and covered Boss Bai’s shoulder with it.

With the handkerchief in the middle, Li Wuji patted Boss Bai’s shoulder neither too heavily nor too lightly and said in encouragement, “Have you ever heard that even the gods will condone the mistakes that young people make?

“I like young people best, particularly those who are both smart and loyal. You have shown your loyalty in the conquest of the Blue Sky Market this time. Are the absurdities you did in your younger days really a big deal?

“Of course, there are indeed many dissidents within the family who have been speaking ill of the space pirates. Also, your robbery of the coalition auction of the four Kurfürst families was truly quite huge and pissed off a lot of people in the families.

“But so what? Only the capable guys are able to achieve something that huge. If you were an unknown, useless man, you wouldn’t have been qualified to be the leader of dozens of pirate gangs and the commander of the ‘National Protection Army’, would you?

“Therefore, I have already told all the dissidents that you—Boss Bai, Commander Bai—are recruited by me in person, which means that you are my man! I have vouched for you that you have recognized your wrongdoings and changed into a different person. Whoever goes against you will be insulting me! Tell me about it, is there anything that you should be worried about?”

“Thank you, my lord!”

Moved to tears, Boss Bai fell on his knees again. “My-My loyalty for my lord is certainly unquestionable. I will always follow my lord’s instructions in the future! As long as my lord wants it, I will simply march forward with my eyes closed even if a mountain of blades and an ocean of fire are ahead of me. So much as I waver for a single moment, ‘Boss Bai’ shall be cursed in the Imperium for all eternity!”

“Haha. Hahahaha!”

Li Wuji burst into laughter. “Rest assured. Rest assured. When I recruited you, I promised you that I would offer you a great future. Why would I put you in danger?

“However, well, so many pirate gangs have been gathered here under your command, and half of my starships have to stay here for maintenance due to the heavy losses in the assault just now. They will be under your command after they are repaired too!

“So many of the most advanced starships and bravest warriors have been given to you. I’m sure that you know what I want in return. I only hope that you can distinguish yourself or even play a vital role in the conquest of the Seven Seas Grand Market later.

“If you can achieve that, even greater wealth and glories will be waiting for you. The fourth quadrant is the hometown of ‘God of War’ Lei Chenghu. Years ago, he fought his way out of this place through real battles in person too. But he is old now. It’s time to let the new-generation fleet commanders emerge. From a pirate to a general, and from a general to a lord—such examples are not rare in the history of the Imperium. Who knows whether or not you are going to be the next?”

“Rest… Rest assured, my lord!”

Hot steams spurted out of Boss Bai’s nostrils. His face was red, and veins were protruding on his forehead. “I will die to return my lord’s appreciation!”

“Okay!”

Li Wuji nodded his head in satisfaction. He was about to pat Boss Bai’s shoulder again, but his hands stopped in the midair.

Slightly frowning, he glanced at his personal guard.

His personal guard, as if slapped hard by an electromagnetic whip, almost jumped to his feet in fear. He hurried to take away the second handkerchief and replaced it with a third clean, new one.

Observing carefully to make sure that there was no dust or sweat on the handkerchief, Li Wuji finally patted Boss Bai’s shoulder again. “A prodigal who returns is more precious than gold. Young man, work hard. Remember that you are a glorious lieutenant-general of the regular army right now. As long as you serve the country dutifully, I will certainly take care of all the other things for you. There’s no need to worry about anything.

“Alright, the mess in the Blue Sky Market will be left to you to clean it up. I am leaving now for other duties. Let’s meet again in the ‘battle of Seven Seas’ to come.”

“My lord…”

Boss Bai hesitated for a moment. Glancing at the huge, one-horned warship behind Li Wuji, he said, “I do have another request. I wonder, is it possible that my lord could stay here for another half day?”

“Oh?”

Li Wuji retreated his feet that stepped forward. “Why?”

“The Blue Sky Market has been occupied by the space pirates—no, the ‘National Protection Army’. In the next second, I’m planning to hold a grand celebration dinner. Although it is a celebration dinner, it is meant to awe the disobedient heads of space pirates and make them completely obey me.”

Boss Bai said earnestly, “My lord, you should know that those space pirates are all brutal and rebellious. Even though they all agreed that I should be the commander of the ‘National Protection Army’ on the surface, a lot of them actually do not want to obey me and even want to replace me.

“While I have earned a tiny bit of fame in space during the past few years, I am not deeply-rooted after all and may not be able to compete with the seniors who have been infamous for decades. If I cannot suppress them hard, it will be inconvenient to command them in the future.

“Therefore, while my lord is still here, if you could join our celebration dinner and endorse me to intimidate those seasoned thieves, it will be easier for me to mobilize and command them!”

Li Wuji slightly frowned. “Huh…”

“My lord—”

Boss Bai continued, “The battle of Seven Seas is underway. My National Protection Army will be an unexpected army in the battle. What matters most in a surprising attack is commanding and administration. If the pirate gangs cannot be united, the surprising attack will not be as effective as planned. Even though I am really determined to die for my lord, I would not be able to return your appreciation if those seasoned thieves do not obey me!”

His words convinced Li Wuji.

“Fine.”

The third-level lord who was loyal to the four Kurfürst families nodded his head and said after a moment of consideration, “I’ll stay for another half day to back you up!”

Half a day later, on the major square of the Blue Sky Market, the scents of meat and wine were soaring to the sky. The brutal bandits from dozens of pirate gangs, mostly in bizarre clothes with scars all over their faces, had been gathered. Donned in the fancy garment they just stole from the warehouses and holding the alluring whores in their arms, they drank and ate and roared to their hearts’ content.

Of course, theoretically speaking, those hideous fellows were no longer notorious space pirates but the “National Protection Army”, a regular army acknowledged by the Council of Elders.

“Haha. This is truly a gratifying battle and also a gratifying loot! The Business Alliance of Ten Thousand Sectors is truly affluent. Even the Blue Sky Market, which only ranks in the top five, has so many treasures. I truly wonder what the ‘Seven Seas Grand Market’, which ranks top, looks like.”

“Hehe. You’ll have an opportunity to check it out in a few days. When the day comes, we will loot the hell out of it exactly like we did today!”

“What ‘loot’? Remember, we are a legitimate army of the government now. Haha. We are not space pirates in a robbery, but government soldiers settling a rebellion. Naturally, we will need to confiscate the belongings of the rebels after they are settled!”

The space pirates were all drunk, but Boss Bai was still toasting them while carrying a giant tank of wine.

The space pirates were all experienced, high-leveled Immortal Cultivators who were highly wary when they were sober. They would not be drunk even if they drank a thousand cups of regular alcohol. Also, they often forbade themselves from getting drunk and kept themselves a hundred percent sober every second.

But today was different. What Boss Bai offered today was the wine mixed with powerful excitants and Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures that could paralyze the nerves and the soul of the high-level experts.

Everybody on the spot was aware of that. Even Li Wuji had given connivance.

Drinking and getting drunk was not because they were drunkards; it was only a demonstration of power.

I am the commander of the National Protection Army and the leader of the alliance of space pirates. When I offer you wine, what I want to see is how you make a fool of yourself after you get drunk. Will you drink it and get drunk?

If you don’t, you will be showing no respect for me, violating my order, and not regarding me as a commander and your boss, won’t you?

If you do not drink any wine and never get drunk, how can I trust that you will completely follow my command and carry out my orders without any hesitation on the battlefield in the future?