Cultivation: Being Immortal Chapter 823
Previously on Cultivation: Being Immortal...
Year 7820 of the Blue Star Xia Calendar.
When numerous formidable experts from Lingjing Star entered the fray, the predicament for Blue Star turned dire. Blue Star's inherent might was already outmatched by Lingjing Star, and its sole recourse was the Space Battleship for any semblance of a fighting chance.
Due to a secret technique of Buddhist cultivation, the Stargate Secret Technique, the Space Battleship was decoyed away, leaving Blue Star abruptly bereft of its most potent defense. Relying solely on the might of Blue Star’s own cultivators proved woefully inadequate.
Lin Jiang exerted his full capabilities, unleashing all four of his secret techniques. He manifested one into three incorruptible forms, engaging three Bodhisattvas, and subsequently employed the Lamp Burning Technique to overwhelm them.
"Blue Star harbors its own prodigies."
Bodhisattva Kongyan, witnessing Lin Jiang's combat prowess, expressed admiration. He discerned that Lin Jiang had only recently attained the Transmigration Stage and had yet to command the power of rules, yet his strength was already considerable.
Despite a flicker of sympathy, Bodhisattva Kongyan showed no restraint, delivering a swift palm strike that instantly disintegrated one of Lin Jiang's forms.
"You heretical monk!"
Enraged, Lin Jiang retaliated, aiming the Leo Bow at Bodhisattva Kongyan and loosing an arrow. With a casual flick of his hand, Bodhisattva Kongyan deflected the radiant projectile from the Leo Bow.
Lin Jiang reconstituted himself into a new form, rejoining the conflict with heightened vigilance."For Huaxia, charge!"
A contingent of lesser cultivators, formerly crew members of retired spacecraft, commandeered the stored Space Battleships. They ascended with urgency, unleashing volleys upon the sky teeming with Buddhist cultivators, felling a myriad of them.
Nevertheless, they too faced the onslaught of the Buddhist cultivators. Three Bodhisattvas specifically focused their attacks on these Space Battleships. One by one, the vessels were annihilated, erupting in flames and plummeting earthward, painting a scene of utter devastation.
"Comrades, do you recall the solemn vow we swore upon enlisting?"
"For our nation and its people, we shall not falter, not even unto death."
"Excellent, we shall not regret even death. Today, your captain shall face oblivion alongside all of you, my brothers. Advance!"
Aboard a Space Battleship depleted of its energy reserves, its captain addressed a band of crew members. Having spoken, he offered a grim smile and issued the command. The Space Battleship then hurtled towards the concentrations of Buddhist cultivators, detonating instantaneously.
"Everyone, my Lin family has benefited from the nation's benevolence for generations. Today marks the day we repay that debt with our very blood. Members of the Lin family, follow me into battle!"
"Fight to the death! Fight to the death!"
In a certain locale within Huaxia, a cohort of young Lin family scions, spearheaded by a single individual, deployed their aerial conveyances. As a distinguished clan, they possessed numerous such devices, some even illicitly modified. Though they had frequently faced repercussions from Qiu Weidao, they now resolutely took to the skies in these civilian flying machines.
"Brothers, though the Zhonghang Sect is no more, its spirit endures. We are all inheritors of the Zhonghang Sect's legacy. Today, these foreign invaders seek to raze our homeland. What shall be our response?"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
"Hear this, members of the Chen family. My Chen family boasts a legacy spanning hundreds of thousands of years. Our progenitors were disciples of the Green Emperor. Are you aware of the Green Emperor's glorious achievements?"
"Yes!"
"Good! I shall not expound further. A true man ought to perish on the field of battle, shrouded in his war cloak. Today, we may lack such a cloak, but I, your ancestor, am prepared to spill my blood amongst the stars. Are there any sons of the Chen family who do not fear death? Follow me!"
"Listen up, members of the Lu family. The elder of the Chen family has departed to seek his demise. My Lu family, too, are disciples of the Green Emperor. Can we afford to be outdone by the elder Chen?"
"Impossible, allow the ancestor to issue the command."
"Very well, I am aged and have less than three centuries remaining. To live for another three hundred years as a useless old man is tiresome. Before I meet my end, I can still drag a few of them down with me. Heaven be merciful, let us embrace our fate."
"Die, die."
"Damn it, three of the four great families have mobilized. If the Yu family is left behind, what face shall we have to meet our ancestors? It's merely death; does the Yu family fear dying? Follow me!"
"Die, die, die."
Across the ancestral lands of the four great families, figures ascended into the heavens. Some wielded naught but a flying sword. They understood their impending doom, yet in that moment, they still launched themselves skyward.
"Fiery resolve, such damnable, fiery resolve. My hands aren't merely for gripping implements; they can wield a sword as well, haha…"
"Liang Long, return at once!"
"Lord Cao, I shall not heed you today. Worry not, I shall not perish."
Liang Long let out a hearty laugh directed at Cao Wang. Upon finishing his words, he shed his white lab coat, drew a flying sword, and departed with remarkable grace."Brother Liang, I shall join you!""And me…""Alas, I cannot equal Liang Long's acumen. Do I also lack the daring? Junior, this attire is quite valuable; hold onto it for me. Today, the test subjects will remain uncut; instead, I shall shave my own head.""All of you…"Liang Long's bold move stirred one scientist after another. Despite their esteemed positions, substantial incomes, and exceptional skills within Huaxia, many had never taken a life, yet they all began to retreat.This sight caused Cao Wang's heart to ache deeply. These scientists represented the pinnacle of their fields, the very core of the Spiritual Energy Research Institute, and the loss of even one felt devastating to him."Cao Wang…""Old Director, you…"At that precise moment, an elderly man approached Cao Wang. As Cao Wang turned, he recognized the old Dean, clad in a military uniform, and his countenance shifted dramatically."For all these years, you could have claimed my position, yet you remained complacent. From this day forward, you must cast aside that laziness!""Old Dean, that is not so, not so…""I am merely an old man now, but if I can offer one final contribution to Blue Star and Huaxia, you should rejoice with me.""Old Dean…""Let us depart, my disciples, await my arrival!"The old Dean roared with laughter, then instantly ignited his life force, his spirit surging fiercely as he ascended into the fray."You damned fools! What have you done? What about me? I am the Vice Dean!"Cao Wang bellowed in fury. He was on the verge of exploding. They were all heading into battle, but he, as the Vice Dean, was not? What would be his standing once the conflict concluded? Would he be sidelined?"Bah, I refuse to be looked down upon. Is it merely smashing a broken pot? I am capable of that as well." After a moment's hesitation, Cao Wang unleashed his own strength and, without another word, plunged into the battlefield.At the Huaxia Jingdu City Police Academy, a gathering of instructors convened. An elder among them remarked, "Behold, that is our former commander Chen Jinfa, and next to him, the commander's superior, Police Minister Qiu Weidao. They are engaged in fierce combat. What course of action should we take?""Brother, shall we join the fray?""What do you surmise?""Ha ha, quickly retrieve all the equipment from storage. I have served as a police officer for two hundred and eighty-six years, capturing one thousand six hundred and eighty thieves and bandits, yet I have never once battled a 'bald man'.""And I, my lineage has produced police officers for eight generations, with sixteen of my kin bravely sacrificing their lives. Each year during our ancestor veneration, I specifically call out their names. I aspire to be inscribed on the premier page of our family tree.""Must I be left out? Observe my leg; it was injured by a bandit. And this belly? Also a result of a bandit's blow. My entire body is adorned with scars; they are symbols of honor. Now, something is missing, and I must compensate for it."Moments later, within the confines of the police academy, hundreds of instructors launched themselves into battle. With their blood surging, even the students began to rise with renewed fervor.In Bianhai Province, at Haigang University, thousands of students from the Training Academy were making battle preparations, and a flag signifying a fight to the death fluttered ominously in the wild wind."Attend, I am the Head of the Academic Affairs Office at Haigang University. The President and Vice President have already taken to the skies to engage, and I was designated to oversee you all. However, I have now resolved to defy my orders.""For centuries, Haigang University and Jingdu University have vied for the esteemed title of Huaxia's foremost institution. The past is unknown to me, but today, we of Haigang City shall triumph. What are your thoughts?""Long live our instructors, long live Haigang University!""Haha, excellent, truly excellent! This is precisely the spirit I expect from Haigang University students. Follow me, and let us vanquish our adversaries!"The Head of Academic Affairs guffawed. He observed a scarcity of Jingdu University students in the skies, signaling an opportunity for Haigang University to assert its dominance.Within a specific robotics factory in Huaxia, a contingent of workers accessed a vast warehouse containing numerous robots. These were not built for combat; some served as domestic assistants, while others were bionic marvels crafted for entertainment.The workers approached the robots, unfastened certain panels, and proceeded to insert energy batteries. Others were diligently recalibrating the robots' programming."What are you doing?"Suddenly, a sharp query cut through the air, causing everyone to turn. Their manager had made an appearance."Manager, we are modifying the robots' programming to integrate them into the battle.""Are you insane? These are civilian-grade robots, designed for mundane tasks like cleaning. They lack any form of weapon system. What contribution can they possibly make?""Manager, we understand. That is precisely why we are altering the operational plan and equipping the largest energy batteries. Their sole recourse is self-annihilation." "What fate awaits us should the boss discover this?" "This automaton commands a price of six hundred thousand Huaxia coins. My yearly compensation amounts to three hundred thousand; therefore, two years of my labor would be required for a single unit. With forty more years of service to the boss, I could procure twenty such robots." "Herein lies my accumulated savings, totaling two million three hundred thousand. Might I prevail upon you, as manager, for a reduced price? Could we acquire four robots?" "Manager, last week a fabrication tool inflicted a crushing injury upon my finger. Compensation offered was one hundred thousand. Coupled with my savings of four hundred fifty thousand, that aggregates to five hundred fifty thousand. Would this suffice for one robot?" One by one, the laborers addressed the manager. Their proficiencies were meager, rendering them incapable of ascending to ten thousand meters for combat, compelling them to devise their own means of signaling their desire to participate in the fray. "Remarkable! My annual income is one million two hundred thousand, yet I shall afford myself a concession and exchange for three robots annually. I shall descend into madness alongside all of you." As the manager absorbed the pronouncements of his subordinates, his eyes welled with emotion. These diligent workers possessed no great riches; even the technical staff occupied the lower echelons. Their heartfelt declarations resonated deeply within him, steeling his resolve to spare no effort.