Li Yao bulged his eyes and asked in disbelief, “There’s no need for you to be so harsh, is there?”

　　“What, a coincidence?” Long Yangjun shouted back in a voice ten times louder than his. “How can it be a coincidence? Do you really think that the people of the Ancient Sages Sector are all idiots? You have clearly concocted everything!

　　“There’s no need to disguise yourself now, Monster Li. You clearly calculated everything and dug a pit for us to jump into. You pushed us into desperation so that we would become your cannon fodder!

　　“It’s great for you now. Your scheme worked out. We were played for fools. We pissed off such a formidable enemy as the extraterrestrial devils for no good reason and made them a mortal enemy by stopping their shocking plan. Most importantly of all, the secrets of the Ancient Sages Sector were exposed!

　　“Even if we do not want to mess with the extraterrestrial devils anymore, those haunting ghosts will not let go of us. After they seize the Star Glory Federation, the Ancient Sages Sector will definitely become the first target to be savaged by them. Neither the Great Qian Dynasty nor the Dark Cloud Prairies will not get away!

　　“Now, the people of the Ancient Sages Sector are left with only two choices. If we don’t want to become the puppets and slaves of the extraterrestrial devils, we will have to join hands with such an ass*ole like you and eradicate the remaining forces of the extraterrestrial devils!

　　“This is exactly your aim, Monster Li, isn’t it? You were too cunning!”

　　Li Yao blinked hard. “Well, I suppose so…”

　　“Calm down, don’t be rash, and listen to your explanation?” Long Yangjun’s shrieks echoed in the clouds. “Are we not calm enough right now? Had I not been telling me calmly and rationally every second not to be rash and that nothing could be helped even if you were dead, I would’ve cut you into pieces and boiled your dirty, filthy guts!

　　“Explanation? What explanation do you have for bringing such great trouble to us? What we want is not an explanation but compensation! Whatever rhetoric you may have, is it even possible for you to compensate us with the national power of the federation? Right. It seems that you are truly f*cking capable of that, but so what? Do you think that we will be fascinated? The people of the Ancient Sages Sector have our backbones!”

　　Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

　　Meng Chixin, Han Baling, Qi Zhongdao, Yan Liren, and the other experts landed near the two of them, raising undying airwaves.

　　Other than Yan Liren, all the experts of the Ancient Sages Sector were gloomy, apparently demanding an explanation.

　　‘Sword Maniac’ Yan Liren, on the other hand, stared at Li Yao’s slightly-protruding carotid artery with great interest.

　　“Fellow Cultivators, you’ve come at the right moment!” Without looking back, Long Yangjun gnashed her teeth. “Monster Li is indeed too sordid. He planned such a great trap and lured us into it. Now, what’s done is done, and regret is useless. The more I think about it, the angrier I get. We would’ve joined the Imperium if we’d known it in advance!”

　　“Well, if I may offer some correction,” Li Yao said carefully. “Even if you joined the Imperium, you wouldn’t have escaped from the disaster, either, because the extraterrestrial devils have also set up traps on the Black Wind Fleet’s side. Also, if it weren’t for us unraveling the scheme by accident, it is very likely that you would’ve been trapped in the Spiriters’ Realm forever, unable to free yourselves.

　　“Technically speaking, whether you chose the federation or the Imperium, the battle against the extraterrestrial devils would’ve been inevitable. At least, we still have hope right now!”

　　“Cut the cr*p. Who are ‘we’?” Long Yangjun continued shouting. “How is the battle between the federation and the Imperium, or the battle between them and the extraterrestrial devils, related to us? Do the life or death of the soldiers of the federation army and the common folk mean anything to us at all? If we are really pissed off, we will wash this place with blood, leaving no survivors behind and saving the Imperium and the extraterrestrial devils the trouble. Do you really think that we are harmless chickens? Master Bitter Cicada, don’t you agree?”

　　Master Bitter Cicada could only step forward and say, “Lord Wang, let’s be lenient wherever it is possible. Those ordinary people are all innocent. It is unnecessary to vent our fury on them. Besides, we are indeed in a subtle situation right now. Let’s hear what Master Spiritual Vulture… Master Li has to say first before we make the final decision.”

　　“Hehe!” Long Yangjun sniffed and finally released Li Yao’s collar unwillingly. She then glanced around in confusion and asked, frowning, “Fellow Cultivators, why are your souls so disordered and your flames of spiritual energy mixed with a lot of impurities?”

　　“They are the memory pieces of the ordinary people.” Master Bitter Cicada sighed and said, “Those are the fundamental materials of the ‘crystal turbulence’ deep inside the Spiriters’ Realm. When the Spiriters’ Realm collapsed, they were melded with our souls, allowing us to see, sense, and remember the lives of thousands of ordinary people of the federation.

　　“The feeling was indeed quite weird. Even the souls of Nascent Soul Stage and the Divinity Transformation Stage experts are having trouble absorbing all of them in such a short amount of time. The fellow Cultivators here are all a little bit… Huh? Are you not uneasy at all, Lord Wang?”

　　Long Yangjun was slightly dazed. Then she immediately replied, “Yes, of course I am. I’m having such a headache right now that thousands of little people seem to be fighting inside my brain. This is all Monster Li’s fault!

　　“What do you have to say for yourself after pulling us into such a tragedy? Speak now!”

　　Long Yangjun glared at Li Yao.

　　The experts from the Ancient Sages Sector looked at Li Yao aggressively, too.

　　The soldiers of the federal army who had fought with Li Yao just now, including Colonel Luo, looked at Li Yao.

　　Thousands of common citizens of the federation who had just escaped from the Spiriters’ Realm and woken up from their nightmares looked at Li Yao, full of expectation.

　　The colorful, blooming flowers of souls around all shook slightly and aimed their dazzling pistils at Li Yao.

　　The entire District 01 space station fell silent. Everybody held their breath and waited.

　　A drop of cold sweat leaked out of Li Yao’s forehead and zigzagged down his swollen face, reaching his lips that were slightly trembling.

　　“That’s—that’s right. It’s true that I deceived you!” Taking a deep breath, Li Yao made up his mind. “At first, our stances were not clear. The federation and the Ancient Sages Sector did not know each other very well, yet the Ancient Sages Sector boasted so many unparalleled experts such as yourselves. Which one of you does not have the capability to turn an ocean upside down? Naturally, I could not expose my identity and bring unexpected danger to the federation. I believe that you can certainly understand me, right?

　　“Later, after you came to the federation for investigation, it was perhaps the best opportunity for me to confess my identity. There should have been any need to lie to you anymore.

　　“But in my defense, I didn’t keep it a secret intentionally. It was not a carefully-planned scheme or a shameless trap. I was just a bit selfish back then. That’s all!

　　“I thought that, if the Star Glory Federation could demonstrate the most perfect side to you and tempt you into becoming a member of the federation willingly, I could then confess my identity.

　　“Yes. I also hoped that the Star Glory Federation would have become an impeccable country after a hundred years, a paradise that was harmonious, unified, strong, and bright, not plagued by any problems. Who would refuse such a paradise?”

　　He stammered a little bit at first, but after a few words, and under Long Yangjun’s ‘furious’ glare, Li Yao gradually got the hang of it. His back was straightened, his eyes were glowing, and his voice grew louder and louder, until it was rolling inside District 01 like surging tides, involving thousands of people in his magnificent aura.

　　The ‘Three Saints’ and ‘Four Rapscallions’ were all cast into silence and deep in thought.

　　“But I was wrong. Perhaps I was too simpleminded back then.” Li Yao smiled bitterly. “The federation today is not perfect. It is even more imperfect than the Old Federation a hundred years ago.

　　“The scale and population of the federation have greatly expanded. Technology and techniques have made significant progress, too, but during the expansion and progress, more problems have been revealed.

　　“There are geopolitical conflicts between the four new worlds and the three old worlds. Because of the conflict of interests, different parties fight and argue with each other hard despite the same banner above their heads.

　　“The leaders of the federation, such as Jin Xinyue, are not perfect people who are completely unselfish and absolutely righteous. While defending the federation, she and they are also working on their own plans amid power struggles. The old interest groups have not completely collapsed yet, and new interest groups have quietly crawled onto the stage.

　　“Moreover, a lot of people in the federation believe that the advancement of technology is the solution to all our problems. They created the game ‘Civilization’ and the Grand-Unified Spiritual Nexus, but it never occurred to them that ‘Civilization’ and the Grand-Unified Spiritual Nexus would become the best weapons for the extraterrestrial devils to attack us!

　　“The federation has so many messy problems. Even I myself am not as brilliant, glorious, and invincible as my propaganda. That’s all fake, bullsh*t that has been exaggerated and montaged as a result of all the deification movements!

　　“So, faced with such an imperfect federation and imperfect self, how should I persuade you to join it, build it, and defend it?

　　“I never found the answer, and I never had the courage to tell you the truth because I was scared of your eyes of disappointment!

　　“Yes. This place is not a dreamland. It cannot give the Ancient Sages Sector a path that is completely guaranteed to lead to a bright future. The so-called ‘dominator of three Sectors’ and all the descriptions are indeed a great scam. So, what can I possibly have to say for myself?”

　　Li Yao paused for a moment. Then, two sparks suddenly exploded inside his eyes. Gritting his teeth, he said, one word after another, “Fellow Cultivators, I cannot come up with any explanation. I only want to tell you one last thing.

　　“However imperfect the Star Glory Federation is, however much trouble and darkness it may have, however many stains have tarnished the Rising Dragon of the Nine Stars flag, and whatever plans the big shots such as Jin Xinyue have in their minds, it is not important!

　　“I am not fighting for the unsubstantial name of ‘Star Glory Federation’. I am not fighting for a weightless flag. I am not fighting for the interests of the influential big shots and the leaders of the federation.

　　“I only want to fight side by side with them as well as the billions of people of the federation, to protect our home and family, and to struggle on to the end of the boundless sea of stars. Nothing more!”