Forty Millenniums of Cultivation

In an aluminum camp in the temporary military base above the Gold Crystal Pyramid…

If any Immortal Cultivator saw what was going on in the camp, they would definitely collapse in the strongest suspicion about their life and the world around them.

It was even more unbelievable than the porn videos of Blackstar the Great that were played in the Empyreal Terminus Sector half a year ago.

Those who were qualified to take part in the meeting in the camp were all the most extraordinary experts of the Imperium of True Human Beings, if not the Pangu universe, including "Emperor Yongjia" Li Jialing, Li Linghai, Lei Chenghu, Boss Bai, Long Yangjun, the Fist King, etc.

Every name represented a soul-stirring legend. They were all the real masters of their own fate!

And yet, the unparalleled experts in their respective fields all stepped back in front of a seemingly plain and unattractive man!

The man yawned and walked forward, and after each step forward, Li Jialing, Li Linghai, Lei Chenghu, Boss Bai, Long Yangjun, the Fist King, and the other experts would take a step back in hesitation and fear, wondering whether they should attack or embrace this familiar stranger.

The emperor of the Imperium, the empress dowager, the general who commanded a great army, and the leaders of major forces such as Boss Bai, Long Yangjun, and the Fist King were all deeply shocked by Li Yao!

"Can you stop doing that?"

Noticing everyone's response to him, Li Yao grinned and said, "As I've always said, I'm a low-key, approachable man.. Although I've made some insignificant achievements, I'm still willing to make friends with everyone.

"So, there is no need to revere or fear me, and don't worship me like I'm a god. I'm exactly the same Li Yao from the past. You can just regard me as a normal person.

"Come on and sit down. Don't be so tense. Isn't it tiresome to keep your spiritual shield on? Empress Dowager Li, General Lei, Boss Bai, Long Yangjun, and Fist King, why are you still standing? Just sit down and relax. Really. I'm really easy to talk to. You'll know it better if you talk to me more."

Everybody stared at Li Yao for a long time. Ensuring that he wouldn't suddenly turn into a cluster of butterflies, they finally sat down prudently.

"So—"

The young emperor asked in excitement, "Brother Yao, have you successfully entered the Divinity Branching Stage?"

"Well… That's a tricky question. It's hard for me to explain in a language that we all understand. Even I can barely understand my current status."

Pondering for a moment, Li Yao moved his eyes to Li Linghai. "Your Highness, I think the stage classification beyond the Divinity Transformation Stage we talked about last time was wrong, or at the very least, it was inaccurate.

"The awakening of the spiritual root, the Refinement Stage, the Building Foundation Stage, the Core Formation Stage, and the Nascent Soul Stage is a ladder that countless people have climbed since the ancient times. Too many classics and techniques have been left behind.

"So, the specialists and scholars today are able to study and analyze the ladder and divide it into clearly different phases.

"However, the breakthrough from the Nascent Soul Stage to the Divinity Transformation Stage is already beyond the limits of mankind, and the training from the Divinity Transformation Stage on will be gradually freed from the form and the thinking of a human. There won't be an identical path anymore, and it's impossible to distinguish different stages.

"I'm not saying that those stages do not exist. I'm just saying that it's impossible for mankind to define those stages with our current research and analysis abilities. It's like a human is trying to compare the power of gods and decide how to become a god. Is it possible?

"This may be hard to understand. Let me change a different way of interpreting it. Everybody has his domain after they reach the Divinity Transformation Stage, and they will have different ways to approach the Divinity Branching Stage.

"Wuying Qi has his ways, I have my ways, and you will have your own. The experts like the Fist King can control hundreds of clones in the first place. Can we argue that he's a naturally-born Divinity Branching Stage expert?"

"Wait…"

Li Jialing said, "Brother Yao, please don't talk so mysteriously. Just tell us if you've reached the Divinity Branching Stage in common sense."

"If by Divinity Branching Stage you mean splitting your mind and spreading it to the space around you, I'm probably at the beginning phase of the Divinity Branching Stage."

Li Yao thought for a moment and said, "But I don't think the Divinity Branching Stage is really important. What matters is the things I saw in my deep meditation. I saw our ancestors burning their lives and bringing colors to the dark and cold universe millions of years ago. I saw a glistening river of life that contained an infinite universe. I even saw the ultimate mysteries of the universe billions of years to come…"

"I can't listen to him anymore."

Boss Bai wasn't in a good mood today, and his face was even more awful when Li Yao talked philosophically. "Li Yao, just tell it to us straight. How strong are you now? Can you blow up a starship with a punch? Can you take down a crystal suit legion on your own?"

"Of course I'm stronger than before, but that's not important. Why can't you understand?"

Li Yao said painfully, "I received the enlightenment of the ancestors and saw the mysteries of the universe! I'm starting to consider the ultimate questions like to be or not to be. I can't wait to share my thinking with you, and all that you care about is how much stronger I am and whether or not I can blow up a warship?

"Can we consider the long term? If you're only pursuing higher combat ability, you can create a few more crystal suit legions, starships, and fortresses, right? It's not until today that I've finally realized that cultivation is a good and beautiful thing, and it's so much more than a way to make you stronger. It's about the ultimate communication with the universe! You've really disappointed me!"

Everybody looked and nodded at each other in bewilderment.

"It seems that you're deranged after all."

Boss Bai reached a conclusion coldly.

Everyone else nodded their head in agreement.

"…"

Taking a deep breath, Li Yao tried one last time to explain his current status in words that everybody could understand. "Assuming that all human beings were ants at the beginning, and the smartest and strongest of them turned into spiders, mantis, and centipedes through cultivation.

"In this process, their combat abilities became higher and higher, but no matter how they improved, they could still understand each other, and different levels could be classified clearly. For example, a mantis was stronger than a spider, and a centipede was stronger than a mantis. Also, those creatures pursued similar things that the ants were after, right?"

"Yes…"

Boss Bai said, "Then what?"

"Then, one of the ants suddenly had an epiphany and evolved into a butterfly during his cultivation."

Li Yao said, "Do you think the butterfly is stronger than a spider, or is it the other way around? No, no, no. The comparison of combat abilities is meaningless. The butterfly does not care about combat ability because what it pursues is entirely different from what the insects on the ground are after. Entirely different! Do you see what I mean?"

"I do."

Boss Bai nodded and said, "You're saying that although you wasted infinite resources, almost killed me, the Fist King, and Long Yangjun, raised appalling views in the sky of the capital, and delayed the march of our army, your combat ability is fundamentally unimproved. You're just a butterfly that can only trigger cheesy sound and visual effects.

"However, while your combat ability has not improved, your level is much higher than before, and unlike the mortals like us, you're starting to consider the ultimate questions of the universe. You can't explain it in a way that the idiots like us can understand, but your vision is way greater than ours. Is that what you're saying?"

"Well…"

Li Yao said, "If you have to put it that way, I guess I have to agree with you, but there's no need to be frustrated. Really, you're my best friends and my family. I'll definitely share what I felt with you. I believe that you will definitely make it to the Divinity Branching Stage someday. By then, you'll realize the feeling of turning from an ant into a butterfly and stop caring about combat ability."

"…"

Everybody was silent for a long time. Boss Bai said, "I'm thinking of beating him up. Is there any objection?"

"No."

"Agreed," said Lei Chenghu gloomily.

"You can do that." Li Linghai nodded her head expressionlessly.

Li Jialing and Long Yangjun looked at each other. Then, they raised their heads and stared at the dome of the camp without saying a word.