Cultivation: Being Immortal Chapter 845
Previously on Cultivation: Being Immortal...
In the year 8020 of the Blue Star Xia calendar, on Lingjing Star.
According to Blue Star's astronomical calculations, Liang Long and his team have now resided on Lingjing Star for forty-five years. During this extensive period, the inhabitants of Blue Star have fundamentally reshaped Lingjing Star.
Groups of loyal Buddhist cultivators initiated rebellions, and numerous were consequently slain, which significantly diminished the organized resistance against Liang Long and his team's ambitious transformation of Lingjing Star.
The Modern City successfully trained tens of thousands of native students from Lingjing Star. Upon their return to their ancestral homes, they introduced novel concepts and advanced technologies.
With the backing of the people from Blue Star, these individuals established countless educational institutions, thereby instituting a foundational education system. Within twenty years, an even greater number of individuals graduated under their tutelage, becoming influential disseminators of Blue Star's ideologies and technological advancements. The profound shift occurring on Lingjing Star, driven by Blue Star's influence, had become an irreversible tide. Even if Liang Long and his team were to depart immediately, the seeds of change had already deeply taken root and begun to flourish.
Naturally, immediate departure was not an option, and the three prominent families had already amicably separated, formally commencing the division of Lingjing Star.
Lingjing Star is comprised of three principal continents. Huaxia claimed the vast Central Continent, the demon race occupied the Western Continent, which is the second largest, and the Ying Continent was allocated the slightly smaller Eastern Continent. The oceans and numerous islands were designated for joint development.
At the moment of this territorial division, Zheng Yi of Ying Continent also relocated 300,000 residents from Modern City who had undergone comprehensive Blue Star education. These individuals were exclusively orphans they had compassionately adopted.
Through years of conflict and territorial acquisition, they had adopted over a million orphans from Lingjing Star. Some were orphaned from birth, while others tragically became orphans as a direct result of their forceful actions. These orphans were nurtured by the societal structure, cared for by automated robots, and subjected to a standardized education. Their allegiance was more unwavering than that of the offspring belonging to the native nobility of Lingjing Star, positioning them as the most devout followers of Blue Star on Lingjing Star and forming their future core support.
······A luminous beam of spiritual energy materialized above Lingjing Star, entirely unseen by any observer, and swiftly coalesced into the form of a monk who subsequently arrived in a humble village.
However, his appearance rapidly attracted the attention of the local populace. Not long thereafter, robotic units emerged and initiated an assault upon him. The man offered no resistance, but managed to evade their capture shortly thereafter.
Another day transpired, and a destitute beggar entered Jialan City. He relied upon a wooden cane, soliciting alms along the thoroughfare, yet his gaze, tinged with bewilderment, continually swept across both sides of the street; the surroundings were utterly alien to him.
"Hey, you there, beggar, halt!"
In less than an hour, two uniformed individuals intercepted the beggar.
"Did you address me, good sir?"
The beggar responded with marked hesitation. The two officials exchanged knowing glances, and one murmured, "He likely does not comprehend the Blue Star vernacular; he must hail from some remote mountainous region."
"Indeed, we did call out to you. From whence do you hail? Are you unaware that soliciting alms is strictly prohibited within Jialan City?"
One official transitioned to the provincial language of Lingjing Star and posed the inquiry.
"Sir, I, I, I…"
"Cease your prevarication; your appearance alone reveals you as an outsider. Are you afflicted with illness?"
"Ah."
"I inquired if you are unwell?"
"Yes, sir, I experience difficulty in ambulation."
The beggar rapidly rolled up his leg coverings, exposing a necrotic section of his limb. The two guards instinctively covered their mouths and recoiled, overcome with revulsion.
"Confound it, another ailing individual. He appears utterly decrepit and incapable of factory work. Let us convey him to the orphanage."
"Precisely, had he been robust, we could have assigned him to a factory position, which would have yielded substantial bonus remuneration this month."
The two guards engaged in hushed discourse and, disregarding the beggar's consent, escorted him to an orphanage situated within Jialan City, where he was subsequently placed under the care of the establishment's personnel.
The beggar offered no protest, passively acquiescing to his fate. He received assistance from two elderly gentlemen who themselves bore physical disabilities; they diligently cleansed his person and provided him with unsoiled attire. Soon thereafter, a physician examined him, assuring him that his leg ailment would receive treatment within a few days.
By nightfall, the beggar had developed a degree of familiarity with the elder caretakers and proceeded to the communal dining hall for sustenance. The fare was unpretentious, yet the portions were ample, ensuring that all present could satisfy their hunger.
The subsequent day, an elderly gentleman with physical impairments approached him, soliciting his participation in handicraft endeavors. He explained that while the orphanage offered basic provisions, it covered only essential needs. To aspire to a superior standard of living, diligent engagement in artisanal pursuits was necessary to accrue funds for purchasing supplementary items like meat or new garments.
The beggar signified his understanding with a nod, harboring a sense of profound bewilderment; the orphanage presented itself as an entirely novel existence to him.
Time elapsed with remarkable swiftness. The beggar soon completed a full month of residency within the orphanage, and throughout this period, he became thoroughly acclimated to the routines and environment of the institution.
Yet, he harbored lingering doubts regarding the pronouncements of the elders at the orphanage. They had assured him that all solitary individuals on Lingjing Star received governmental support, with ample provisions and sustenance for everyone. This assertion stretched his credulity. While he had initially attributed the place's relative comfort to the benevolence of a significant benefactor, he found it difficult to accept such widespread prosperity occurring across the globe, pondering the immense resources that such an endeavor would necessitate. Consequently, when the orphanage doctor reapplied treatment to his injured leg, a miraculous recovery took place; the limb, which was expected to remain permanently impaired, healed completely, and his complexion regained a vitality it previously lacked. Not long after, the orphanage facilitated his transition into employment at a factory. "On Lingjing Star, a day consists of thirty-eight hours. Your work schedule spans twenty hours daily, with a one-hour respite every four hours, inclusive of meal breaks. Meals and lodging are provided at no cost. You are entitled to a single day of rest each week. For seven days of labor, your remuneration is ten new coins, with potential for increased earnings as your work efficiency improves," the manager gruffly explained, thrusting two sets of work uniforms into the former beggar's grasp before dismissing him. Subsequently, assistance was provided in arranging his accommodation, a dormitory shared by twenty individuals. Thus, the beggar commenced his new life as a factory worker in a textile mill, laboring alongside thousands, commuting, returning, and dining in unison, gradually feeling an ingrained sense of belonging. Within the factory's confines, the sheer volume of raw materials transported by truck captivated him more than the advanced machinery. By his estimations, the factory's monthly output far exceeded the textile requirements of all of Jialan City. He found himself questioning the origin of these vast supplies. Three months later, having overheard fellow workers discussing a bountiful harvest beyond the city limits, he penned a departure note, leaving behind his work attire and personal effects before vanishing from the factory premises. Upon reaching the outskirts of the city, he was met with a breathtaking panorama of golden fields stretching as far as the eye could see. This resplendent vista was comprised of abundant crops, with hundreds of farmers diligently harvesting the grain, their sturdy physiques and joyful expressions evident. Mammoth agricultural machines traversed the fields, efficiently gathering the crops. A single machine accomplished the work of a hundred robust men. He overheard farmers discussing their plans to save money for a harvester in the coming year, lamenting the arduous nature of manual grain collection. Gazing upon the stacked sacks of harvested grain, his thoughts drifted back to his earlier experiences at the orphanage and the factory. In that moment, a profound tremor ran through his Buddhist Heart. "Amitabha" As his conviction wavered, his spiritual power, no longer contained, began to dissipate, compelling him to utter a desperate invocation of the Buddha's name. He abruptly halted, a peculiar sensation washing over him as the familiar invocation felt strangely alien. He suddenly realized that in the preceding months, not a single soul he had encountered had uttered the name of Buddha. Turning around, he found a young man regarding him with a smile. "Amitabha" "My name is Liang Long. I am currently overseeing matters on Lingjing Star. May I inquire as to your name?" "The monk Fa Kong" "From which celestial body do you hail?" "·····" Fa Kong felt an aversion to further conversation, contemplating whether to engage in conflict, yet the man before him displayed no aggressive intent. "If you prefer not to speak, that is perfectly acceptable; my curiosity is not paramount. If conflict is not your desire, perhaps we could sit and converse amicably?" "······" "One might understand reluctance due to prior infirmities, but a continued silence is perplexing." "I offer my apologies." Fa Kong suddenly perceived that his anonymity had been compromised, and he offered a respectful bow to Liang Long. "That is more appropriate! Henceforth, while conflict remains a possibility, I find it agreeable to foster connections with fellow Buddhist cultivators beforehand. What you have witnessed these past months is merely a glimpse of the larger reality. Therefore, would you permit me to reveal the true nature of Lingjing Star?" "I am deeply grateful." Fa Kong inclined his head; having arrived, he resolved to accept the offer, lacking any immediate inclination for confrontation. Liang Long nodded, activated his wrist-worn device, and summoned an individual named Zhang Qing. Within ten minutes, Zhang Qing materialized before Liang Long. "Allow me to introduce you. This is a fellow Buddhist cultivator from another realm. I request your assistance in enlightening him about the current state of Lingjing Star." "Understood, my Lord Liang." Zhang Qing acknowledged the command, then offered Fa Kong a genuine smile, extending an invitation to join him in his aerial vehicle. Shortly after their departure, Shiyi appeared before Liang Long, remarking, "My Lord Liang, you are once again courting risk. It is uncertain if Zhang Qing can sway his Buddhist Heart; he is no ordinary cultivator of the Dharma." "It signifies little. My intention was never to convert him. A temporary delay is inconsequential; Buddhist cultivators are remarkably swift in their understanding."Liang Long explained with a smile, "Zhang Qing is the primary figurehead for ideological transformation on Lingjing Star. His proficiency in political matters is exceptionally high, and his experience is truly remarkable. They apprehended a number of significant Buddhist figures on Lingjing Star. Initially, their fate was to be execution, but Zhang Qing requested their ideological reform instead." After prolonged years of this reform process, these individuals astonishingly renounced their Buddhist cultivator identities of their own accord, embracing the path of cultivators instead. Their fervor was immense, matching the dedication of the orphans they had fostered. Zhang Qing's approach did not rely on any mystical abilities; it was a genuine achievement brought about by substantive transformations on Lingjing Star.