Forty Millenniums of Cultivation - Chapter 456

Chapter 456: Rudimental Work

Lei Dalu was talking so loudly that the air could be felt vibrating.

“Sixty-seven days ago, when we set off on the hunting trip, who would’ve thought we could really annihilate that flock of space pirates on Storm Prison?

“Their starship was larger than ours, their turrets had more firepower than ours, and there were more Exos on their side, too!

“Who could’ve known at that time that we would chase them for over two months through thirteen space zones and twenty-seven world fragments and eventually slay all the human-skinned scumbags, leaving none behind at a distance edge of the sea of stars?

“Right now, we are going to set off on a new journey, one that is going to be more arduous and dangerous than the previous two months.

“Our enemy is no longer the brutal and hideous space pirates, but the sea of stars itself that is hundreds of times more brutal and hideous than those pirates!

“Our starship was almost entirely destroyed. Our crew members are seriously insufficient. We have barely enough fuel and supplies, and even after they are refilled in this small town, the best they can do is sustain us for thirty to fifty days.

“What we are going to be faced with are cosmic storms, stone belts, raging meteoroid showers, and even the reprisal of Storm Prison. The likelihood of us returning to the Thousand Sail Zone successfully is less than ten percent.

“However, we are definitely going to make it, because we are—”

“GREAT HORN!”

“GREAT HORN!”

Countless muscled men were roaring crazily. Their soundwaves interweaved into a blowing wind which rippled out.

Lei Dalu grinned and pressed his hands. Then he continued, “After two months of fierce battles, 146 brothers have left us early and perished.

“But what’s the big deal with death? They are just a step ahead of us to drink with the Heavenly Lord of Primordial Beginning[1] and dine with the Ancestor of the Great Balance!

“Now, please cheer up, everyone! Let’s see our brothers off and ask them to pave a brilliant way for us!”

Lei Dalu waved his hands. A giant light beam appeared behind him, in which a universe of darkness that was devoid of the slightest trace of stars was displayed.

BOOM!

After an earsplitting sound, a small light spot appeared in the darkness and exploded into a glamorous rainbow that shined brilliantly like an aurora.

Li Yao was aware that space burial was the most common method of funeral in the Flying Star Sector.

Residents of the Flying Star Sector mostly lived in space towns where room was limited. It was difficult for the deceased to be inhumed. Keeping their cremains under the earth was not easy, either.

After thousands of years, the human beings of the Flying Star Sector had got used to refining the ashes into special cannonballs before launching them into the space. The ceremony had been known as ‘space burial’.

Cultivators would often leave a telepathic thought in advance, which would be refined into their ashes when they passed away so that they could burst out the most brilliant colors in the vast darkness at the end of their life.

As cannonballs of ashes were launched one after another, the space in front of Gold Horn was illuminated by mingled rainbows, which looked like a road to the heaven built up by thousands of heroic souls, extending into the endless darkness.

“Gold Horn, set off!”

The beggar-like starship which was riddled with holes and patches glided out of the port and stumbled forward.

Hundreds of ropes made of super alloys ejected out of the rear part of Gold Horn. Spiritual energy was circling the ropes, making them look like hundreds of lasers. They dragged the remnant of Storm Prison’s starship. The twin starships moved forward slowly and gradually left Star Lord Temple.

Three days was not enough time to fully dismantle Storm Prison’s starship. They could only carry it away in such away.

During the long journey to come, Storm Prison’s starship would be dismantled step by step and the materials would be used to repair Gold Horn against the surging tides in the sea of stars.

Li Yao found the frenzy of his fellows hard to understand.

In the Heaven’s Origin Sector, Cultivators equally despised death. But when their companions perished, they were always grave and wouldn’t be half as merry as the guys he was currently with.

Perhaps, this was also a unique tradition of the Flying Star Sector?

“Do you feel that we seem to be indifferent about the sacrifices of our comrades?”

A tall, thin man walked close with his hands in his back and smiled casually.

But unresolvable sorrow seemed to be behind the sunny smile.

Li Yao recognized that it was Bai Kaixin, councilor and deputy captain of the Exo Society who was in charge of daily operations, as well as an admin-type Cultivator at the peak of the Building Foundation Stage.

“Manager Bai,” greeted Li Yao hurriedly.

Watching the quickly dimming and dispersing rainbows like thousands of souls that were gone with the wind on the light beam, Bai Kaixin was silent for a long time before he spoke again. “You have just joined the Society. Although you have taken a simple orientation, you are not familiar with the history of the Great Horn Exo Society yet.

“Different from other Exo Societies, the Great Horn Exo Society has hardly ever recruited outsiders. We would not have recruited any if we weren’t in such desperate need of hands and did not have a second choice.

“The Great Horn Exo Society used to be a coalition of several Cultivation sects who had been massacred by space pirates.

“Most of the members of the Society loathe the space pirates.

“For some of them, their hometowns were destroyed by space pirates; for some, their families were slain; some others are orphans and survivors of space pirates’ slaughters, who were rescued by us in various operations and grew up in the Exo Society, having nowhere else to go to.

“Our tears dried up a long, long time ago.

“Since the moment we joined the Great Horn Exo Society, we lost the ability to cry. We can only laugh, so hard that our heads fall off.

“If anybody is crying, it is going to be our enemies, those human-skinned scumbags.

“Whenever we run into them, we will make those bastards wonder why they were born into this world in the first place. They will cry so hard that their blood and urine will spurt out of their eyes!”

Li Yao raised his eyebrow.

No wonder the Great Horn Exo Society was so persistent about the space pirates and hunted them down for nothing but a bag of rice.

Bai Kaixin patted his shoulder and smiled. “But none of the above matters for you.

“I know the reason why young men such as yourself joined the Great Horn Exo Society at the risk of the reprisals of the space pirates is that you want to learn more stuff so that you can make a living in the central space zone one day.

“You should be clear about the situation of our Society now. In regard of money, we won’t be able to offer you much.

“However, since you are willing to help us in the time of difficulties, the Great Horn Exo Society will definitely not wrong you.

“There are many public Cultivation arts in the Society. Most of the training facilities are open to all the members of the Society.

“After you finish your daily work, you are free to come by if you want to learn more. I will try to arrange suitable teachers for you. Those gorillas may look fearsome, but they actually aren’t bad. Many other young men are studying then, too. You can join the group.

“It will be your reward for your work in the Exo Society.

“After we work together and make it to the Thousand Sail Zone successfully, it’s totally fine if you have other plans. I can introduce you to new jobs if you are interested.”

Li Yao thought for a moment and asked, “What’s my job here?”

Bai Kaixin hesitated. “Master Xiong was supposed to designate work for you. But you know that we have just set off and a lot of faults are still occurring. Master Xiong has been so occupied over the past few days that he’s barely slept. He really did not have the time to talk to you and the other newcomers in person. Therefore, I have arranged some rudimental work for you so that you can familiarize yourself with the starship first. After we enter the cruising state and there are fewer problems, he will come in person and tell you what to do.”

Li Yao nodded. It was quite understandable.

He actually quite admired Master Xiong Tao.

Within three days, the man had restored the sailing ability of a dilapidated starship. Although the journey was not smooth, it was already a remarkable achievement.

Li Yao had a vague feeling that this Master Xiong Tao might be the real best expert of the Great Horn Exo Society.

Bai Kaixin coughed and continued, “Your job in the coming few days is to enter Storm Prison’s starship and clean up the debris inside.

“Storm Prison’s starship experienced a serious internal explosion. Most of the magical equipment was seriously wrecked. But there must be components that are still usable.

“We still have a long way ahead of us with barely any supplies. Every usable component that can be recycled is of great value for us.

“Since you’ve been wandering in the remains of the ancient battlegrounds your entire life, it shouldn’t be hard for you to dismantle the debris and locate the functional components, right?

“Of course, if you can’t tell if a component is usable or not, just collect them all. The experienced refiners of our Society will examine them later.”

Li Yao nodded.

Dismantling the debris of magical equipment and recycling the usable components was indeed a very rudimental job. It was also something that he could even do with his eyes closed because he had been doing since he was a little kid.

He was not bothered that he was handed over such a simple job. He agreed frankly, “Okay.”

Bai Kaixin was a little bit surprised at his calmness. He took out a jade chip and said, “I’m told that Master Xiong was not particularly friendly to you a few days ago. But please don’t feel offended. He is just a straightforward man. Even Captain Lei and I are sometimes berated by him.

“Considering that you’ve never received any formal education in refining, it is a remarkable achievement that you awakened your spiritual root and improved your hand movement to such a speed by studying everything on your own in such a remote area!

“This jade chip contains a complete maintenance manual of Gold Horn, as well as the structure designs and spiritual energy flowcharts of more than 1,300 kinds of commonly-seen magical equipment. Master Xiong asked me to give it to you. You can study them if you have spare time after you finish your daily work.

“But please note that there are nine levels from easy to hard. You only need to try the first three levels. It will be best if you can grasp the first level. That way, you will definitely contribute a lot in the voyage to come.

“The fourth level and beyond are not prepared for you. They are extremely esoteric. It will be a waste of your time even if you read them. So, don’t.

“Try to settle yourself in, finish your daily work and train yourself. In a few days’ time, when Master Xiong has more time, he will hold a new test for you. If you can pass it, he will definitely place you in a more fitting position where you will be responsible for the more important maintenance work.”

[1] The two names are two great divinities in the Dao religion.