Forty Millenniums of Cultivation

"Teresa, I don't understand what you mean. Isn't that how all the mages on the Emerald Continent perform their magic?" Princess Summer pouted.

"That's just admiration for cargo," Theresa said casually, yet confidently.

"Ship cargo worship? What's that?" This was the first time Princess Summer had heard this strange term.

It was like the first time she met the weird, beautiful girl, Theresa.

"Ship cargo worship is also known as cargo culture worship. How can I explain it to you…"

Theresa thought for a moment and said, "For example, in the center of the ocean, there is an isolated island where a lot of primitive natives live. You know the barbarians, right?"

"Of course."

The Eagle Nation was not far away from the Great Northern Region. Naturally, Theresa had seen the barbarian warriors who were bare-chested, covered in animal hide, and carrying giant axes in the snowstorm.

"The natives used to live a primitive life of hunting and collecting. Although there were no natural enemies on the island, they were short of resources, doctors, and medicines. They did not even have the habit of farming or raising animals. Their lives were extremely hard, and they worshipped the gods day after day. They even had their own primitive religion and entrusted their unpredictable destiny to the so-called gods.

Theresa said, "One day, the superpowers on both sides of the ocean were at war with each other. The most advanced… crystal warships were slashing the waves, and the magical airships were sailing in the sky and on the ocean. The lone island was discovered by both sides of the war and became a strategic location that all the strategists were fighting for. It was a natural fortress and port.

"Therefore, an army of a magical nation landed on the lone island.

"In the face of the magical army, which was armed to the teeth, the natives, who ate raw meat and drank blood, naturally had no ability to fight back. They never even thought of resisting. Faced with all kinds of gorgeous magic released by the army, the natives completely regarded them as the legendary gods. They cheered for their arrival, bowed down to them, and demanded whatever they wanted.

"Although the magical army was strong, they were not used to the environment. Unless it was absolutely necessary, they were not willing to mess with the natives. Therefore, the two parties lived on the lone island together under a weird tacit understanding.

"Naturally, the magical army had to transform the island into a real military fortress.

"The soldiers need to train themselves and reach out to the rear with the magical crystals.

"They were surrounded by an ocean. All the supplies they needed had to be delivered by crystal warships or even magical airships.

"Therefore, during the several years of war, the natives on the lone island would see the magical army training from time to time. Sometimes, they would take out a mysterious crystal ball and fiddle with something. Very soon, a magical airship would drop a lot of supplies. The delicious canned food, and even the food preserved by magic, were all delicacies that the natives had never tasted before.

"Of course, during the war, the hostile countries tried everything they could to take over the island, too. Their army launched a large-scale attack on the island. Their magical airships cast dazzling fireballs that looked like thousands of small suns that were rising in the sky of the island. The explosions of the magical cannons and the blast of the bombardment were even more devastating than the raging tides.

"However, the war will come to an end one day. It doesn't matter who wins or loses between the two magical powers on either side of the ocean. In short, the smoke and the corpses have all sunk into the endless undersea. Peace has come again. The lone island has lost its military value. The magical army has evacuated from this place, leaving the debris of broken crystal warships, magical airships, and crystal balls behind.

"The natives seemed to have resumed their peaceful, miserable lives.

"But their hearts were no longer tranquil.

"When the adventurers set foot on the lone island again decades later, Sister Summer, guess what they found the natives doing?"

Princess Summer listened attentively and pondered for a long time, only to come up with nothing. She shook her head and asked, "What are you doing?"

"The natives were left behind in the army of magic. The rusted armor and the ragged robes of the mages, with broken swords and wands that had lost their power, were training like the army of magic.

Theresa said, "They also made crystal warships and magical airships out of branches and straw for a grand ceremony. They even offered the captives of the hostile tribes as sacrifices to the imaginary warships and airships. They believed that, as long as enough blood was shed, the toys made of branches and straw would become real war machines.

"Right. There were no hostile tribes on the lone island.

"However, the natives discovered the flags of the two magical countries. For some reason, they gathered under different flags and turned into hostile parties, continuing the war that had long ended with simple stone axes and bone spears.

"The most ridiculous thing is the priests of the tribe.

"His mission was to wear the uniform of the soldiers in the army of magic and curl up in the dark, damp military fortress. He prayed to the crystal ball, which had lost all its brightness, day after day, praying that the omnipotent gods would come again and airdrop delicious food that they could not finish, magical drugs that could bring people back to life, and magical cannons that could spurt raging flames and lightning.

"Naturally, the crystal ball never responded to the prayers of the priests and the entire tribe.

"However, the beliefs of the natives did not collapse. They firmly believed that it was because their prayers were not sincere enough, or maybe it was because there were hostile tribes on the island.

"The arrival of the adventurers further strengthened their belief. They regarded the adventurers as the messengers of the gods and were amazed by the common magical equipment that the adventurers offered. Even the colorful candies that the adventurers offered to the children were treated as panaceas.

"All in all, when a backward, primitive civilization saw an incomprehensible, advanced civilization and an advanced technology, they would instinctively explain everything with gods and superstitions and regard the advanced technology as the blessing or curse of the gods and devils. They would also imitate the technology and yearn for the 'power of the gods and devils'. Such was the 'worship of goods'.

Princess Summer could not help but laugh when she heard that. "The natives are too silly. This must be a story you made up, Theresa. The barbarians of the Great Northern Region are not so silly!"

"Yes. The frost barbarians of the 'Country of Darkness' in the north are not so stupid.

Theresa sighed and said casually, "However, there are many people in the world who are more foolish than the Ice Barbarians and the lone island natives!