Forty Millenniums of Cultivation

Zhang Daniu still didn’t understand, but Li Yao had already understood what the Red Pole meant.

It was true that too much was as bad as too little. If the six billion earthlings living in the prison of reincarnation—six billion unyielding and defiant heroes—were regarded as ‘energy sources’, they would be extremely unstable and dangerous sources of energy. If one wanted to use such energy as fuel, they would have to be extremely prudent.

From the end of the twentieth century to the middle of the twenty-first century, it was the golden period for the steady and efficient utilization of such energy. Later, as the information explosion and the space technology grew more mature, it was very likely that mankind would develop the universe beyond Earth. At the very least, it was possible to develop the Moon and Mars on a large scale.

Li Yao recalled a joke that claimed that Earth was in fact a virtual world created by God, and that the angels were responsible for maintaining the splendid illusion for God. It was a pity that the angels were not capable enough to build a vast, vivid universe. All they needed to do was to perfect all the details within the observation range of human beings.

Everything beyond the range of observation, such as the glittering stars, was just a simple background of meaningless light spots.

Therefore, as the observation and exploration ability of human beings improved, the angels had to create more scenes and details to fool human beings. When human beings were in the dark medieval era, all the angels had to do was perfect the details of the molecular level on Earth and smear the brilliance of the sun and the moon.

But when human beings developed telescopes and electron microscopes, the angels had to carefully paint the fuzzy celestial bodies and arrange their trajectories for every atom, nucleus, electron, and proton.

Even for the angels, the real-time computation and rendering work was too exhausting and complicated. The angels were complaining about the speed of human beings’ evolution while they calculated and rendered the pictures in a hurry. They even made mistakes every once in a while, leaving a lot of bugs that made many human beings doubt their own world.

Although the joke was just a joke, the problem faced by the will of the earth was the same as that of the angels, wasn’t it? As the output power of the ‘engine’ increased, the ‘engine’ was gradually awakening its own will and was no longer under its control.

Therefore, it had to be stopped before the engine went out of control, or rather, before the middle of the 21st century. After it cooled down for a while, it had to be restarted in the 1970s and 1980s.

Of course, combined with Red Pole and Lady Grey Mist, another possibility could be inferred. When the civilization of mankind developed into the middle of the 21st century, it was destined to collide with the limits of the civilization of a single planet. The contradiction between population and resources could not be more intense. If the civilization could not break out of the mother planet and embark on the journey to the endless sea of stars, it would inevitably be destroyed in the cruelest bombardment and smoke.

It was inevitable for civilization. Even the will of the earth could not be changed after countless reincarnations.

Either way, at least one thing was proved.

Even if the will of the earth was truly a four-dimensional life form that was above the three-dimensional universe, it was impossible for it to completely control everything about the three-dimensional life form—at least, it could not completely control the dream, pride, and hope of the three-dimensional life form.

Life would always find a way out, even if one lived in an indestructible virtual reincarnation.

Mistake, loss of control, creation and destruction. This was the true meaning of life.

While Li Yao was deep in thought, Zhang Daniu suddenly realized what was going on. He clapped his hands and said, “I understand now. That’s why the residents of many major cities seem to be in low spirits right now. They are muddleheaded and have lost their passion and dreams. They are like the walking dead and the salted fish that has been dried in the sun. It is not because they are willing to do so, but because their emotions, dreams, ambitions, and imaginations have all been harvested and exploited!”

“Yes. The real us is far more than what we are right now. We are a species that can create endless possibilities and billions of miracles among the stars!

The Red Pole Star continued, “However, after countless cycles of exploitation and harvesting, people’s dreams withered, their ambitions collapsed, their personalities were obliterated, and their imagination and courage to create miracles gradually withered. They became what you see today, like grilled salted fish in a dark iron house.

“However, we still have a chance. We can still change. We can still regain the glory and dreams of the past. Pride and ambition… as long as we defeat the will of the Earth!”

“I see!”

Zhang Daniu said excitedly, “So you’re saying that the real me before countless reincarnations is probably not the same as the past few reincarnations. I’m not some mediocre, muddle-headed, third-rate writer and tabloid reporter who has been single for decades, right? The real me is definitely a big hero who has ideals, sentiments, integrity, values, is tall, handsome, full of charisma, and has thousands of crazy girls. It’s just that my noble sentiments and charisma have been sucked away by the hateful will of the earth. That’s why I can’t help but become a salted fish—according to your theory, isn’t that right?”

“Theoretically… uh…”

The Red Pole Star hesitated for a moment and nodded. “Theoretically speaking, I haven’t found any evidence to deny the possibility yet.

“What do you mean?”

Zhang Daniu asked, “I don’t read many books, so don’t try to reason with me. Just tell me, is it possible, or is it not?”

“You know that we have been locked in the prison of reincarnation for too many times to count. Let’s say countless times, which means that we have experienced infinite time.

The Red Pole Star continued, “In the infinite time, any miracle can happen. Even if a monkey is typing on the keyboard for no good reason, it is possible that, after countless repetitions, the monkey will type the words, ‘When the sun reaches the end of the mountain, the Yellow River flows into the ocean. If you want to see a thousand miles ahead, you must reach a higher level’.

“If you look at the problem from this point of view, yes, the possibility you are talking about does exist. If even a monkey can type out ‘Deep Sparrow Pavilion’, why can’t you be a great hero who can shake the sea of stars?

“Remember, it is not about who we are in the past or in the present, but tomorrow and the future. Except for our own inferiority, cowardice, and cowardice, there is no power that can stop us from releasing our true self and burning our most brilliant dreams to become super invincible heroes!

“Then what are we waiting for?”

Zhang Daniu waved his fists hard. Hot blood was crawling all over his shining face as he roared, “Let’s blow up the will of the earth as soon as possible and let the real me be completely released! My ten fingers are itching for blood! Roar! Roar! Roar!”

“There’s no hurry. It will take three days for the preparation of the ‘Invincible Thunderbolt Super Brainwave Magnification System’ to be completed. Besides, Master Niu must be exhausted from the long journey over the past few days. Your current state is not suitable to serve as the information node between the battlefield of the universe and the battlefield on Earth.

Red Extremity said, “Please take a good rest in the next three days, Master Niu. I will prepare the most thorough relaxation and recovery service for you. I guarantee that you will be able to face the last stream of information in the most energetic and comfortable state.

“However, I wonder, is Master Niu free today to attend a reader meeting?”

“Reader meeting?”

Zhang Daniu’s eyes bulged out of their sockets. His pupils were glittering, and he stammered, “We—we are all loyal readers of ‘Forty Thousand Years of Cultivation’. Who—who are we?”

“There are all kinds of people, young and old, from all walks of life.

Red Pole Star opened his hands and said, “As I said just now, don’t you want to meet the martyrs whose ‘soul fragments’ or who have been influenced by the fragments and survived countless reincarnations are still ‘hot-blooded’, ‘dreams’, and ‘souls’?”

“Of course, of course!”

Zhang Daniu rubbed his fists. “I’m the most approachable person. I love communicating with readers the most!”

“What about you?”

The Red Pole Star asked again, “Mr. Li Yao, would you like to join us?”

“I… Forget it.”

Li Yao frowned, not sure what he was feeling. “I always feel that we are all ‘Li Yao’. It’s weird when we are together. I feel that I’ve fallen into a maze of mirrors and seen ten thousand twisted reflections of myself.

“You’re wrong again, Student Li Yao. As I said just now, the vast majority of the ‘soul fragments’ of Li Yao have been torn to the extent that they are negligible, like bacteria or even viruses. And those heroic spirits are all independent individuals who have already gone through thousands upon thousands of cycles in the prison of reincarnation. Even if the ‘Li Yao virus’ has infiltrated their souls, at most, it will only have a certain degree of influence on them. By activating the ‘hot blood’ and ‘soul’ in their souls, they will not be completely transformed into another Li Yao!”

Red Extremity smiled. “Just like Master Zhang Jiashu whom you saw with your own eyes. Although he was infected by the ‘Li Yao Virus’, his self-awareness was very clear. It was just a minor ailment, wasn’t it?

“Master Niu next to you is another excellent example. Obviously, Master Niu has been infected by the ‘Li Yao Virus’, too. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to become a ‘Type 2 Observer’ or ‘Information Node’. However, the degree of his infection is very low. Most of the characteristics of his personality are still his own, not influenced by the ‘Li Yao Virus’.

“What I meant was that only the larger of the billions of soul fragments, which retained most of the memories and personality characteristics, could create a ‘newcomer’ out of thin air, a heroic spirit that theoretically shouldn’t exist, and only such a new heroic spirit could condense all the power of resonance and become ‘100% Li Yao’.

“Then—”

Li Yao stared at Red Pole. “Who is the ‘bigger shard’?”

“Me.”

Red Pole Star pointed at his chest and then at Li Yao. “And you.”