Chapter 442: Chapter 431: Human Path
Yellow Springs Star is rich in trees like locust, willow, cypress, banyan, and peach. Every day in summer, it is lush green, but at night it’s eerily ghostly, so most ordinary people tend to stay indoors.
Standing in the starry sky, Wang Xuan gazed down at Yellow Springs Star, seeing the faint purple hues adorning the land. The scenic beauty of the Other Shore Flower was quite elegant and intoxicating from afar.
Currently, the Federation’s attitude toward the "refugees" is unclear, and even the natives of the Yellow Springs Realm, who have bred for two hundred years on Yellow Springs Star with a significantly restored population, have their freedom restricted.
They cannot leave Yellow Springs Star on their own initiative. High-tech products used within the Mother Star for nearly fifty years are forbidden. Cultivation resources are limited, and Earth Cultivators cannot impart too many Dharma Gates; they are best advised not to select disciples here.
Clear though it is that this Fixed Star System of the Yellow Springs Star Realm has seven or eight life planets, Yellow Springs Star is still faring the worst, practically becoming a godforsaken land.
However, this is the Federation’s inevitable choice. Not to mention the external problems Earth Civilization faces, but within Yellow Springs Star itself, a third of the population does not acknowledge Earth’s ruling status, viewing Earth people as enemies, wishing they could be killed swiftly.
Rebellions occur yearly, even spreading to other planets, instigating terrorist events, causing significant loss and panic. Given this situation, how could the Earth Federation possibly favor them? They dare not, nor are they willing, fearful of raising a pack of ungrateful wolves.
Though, there are two-thirds of the population on this planet who wish to live peacefully, never wanting the flames of war to return.
In the starry sky, several spaces faintly undulate. Wang Xuan nodded slightly, his gaze penetrating the spatial barriers, observing a True Immortal, adorned solemnly, absorbing source particles drifting in the cosmos while guarding Yellow Springs Star.
Not for protection, but for guarding. Most planets where "refugees" from Yellow Springs and similar places live have become half-prisons, monitored as a whole planet.
"Immortal Martial Mountain’s Wang Xuan, may I know your names," Wang Xuan took the initiative to greet, as strangers becoming acquaintances is a natural evolution.
A middle-aged Indian man was accompanied by a large snake, a king cobra coiling around his body, and he said, "Divine Hall of Death, you may call me King of Reincarnation."
"Li Family’s Li Taiping." A tall Asian man smiled, his presence exuding strong vitality, forming a stark contrast to the King of Reincarnation’s power of death.
One person didn’t smile nor appear cold, calmly said, "Slavic Mountain, Power King." Obviously, the Slavic youth leader Bear King’s defeat by Wang Xuan’s hand left those from Slavic Mountain with a bad impression of him.
Yet, rationally speaking, they greatly respect young talents like Wang Xuan, someone excellent enough to command their acknowledgment.
Another was the Sword Master, a Sword Immortal from Celestial Sword Mountain, unexpectedly a woman, her gaze like lightning, brows sharp and keen.
"Celestial Sword Mountain, you may call me Fourth Miss Fang."
Wang Xuan pondered for a moment, eventually realizing she was Fang Shan’s daughter, estimating that she had some acquaintance with Zhao Hao, thus her lukewarm attitude, without outright animosity.
When it’s not about right or wrong, personal perception can dictate one’s attitude. So what if you’re the Immortal Martial Taoist? I, myself, just don’t like you.
One step forward, a million miles crossed in the blink of an eye, Wang Xuan’s demeanor no less than that of a Grotto Void True Immortal, with rumors of him even suppressing Grotto Void Peak, prompting the guarding True Immortal here to see him as a peer.
To command their attention, one must have combat power of the same level; otherwise, regardless of status, you’re viewed as a junior.
In the Cultivation Realm, strength is revered, the accomplished are prioritized; few consider your age, only your cultivation level, combat power.
"Everyone, please stay vigilant. If anything happens to the Immortal Martial Taoist here, we might also get implicated," True Immortal Li Taiping began to speak.
Years ago, the Valkyrie’s tragedy stands as a cautionary tale, with the alien races being intensely intent on killing Earth’s prodigies, despite the huge cost.
After all, killing a Celestial Immortal today, losing several Grotto Void Realms or even a Star Lord, is far better than letting them grow into a Void True Immortal in the future, slaying dozens of True Immortals as stepping stones.
Especially someone like Wang Xuan, a nailed-on immortal seedling, even at the cost of several Void True Immortals "exchanging lives," aliens would find it hugely profitable, whereas Immortal Martial Mountain would suffer a great loss.
"Should any powerful members of the alien race show up, we will naturally intervene, not sit by idly. However, if it exceeds our capabilities, then there’s nothing we can do," Fourth Miss Fang said indifferently, displaying an air of professionalism, detached from personal feelings.
"Immortal Martial Mountain will have their considerations for these matters, so we don’t need to worry," Power King, as burly as Hu, remarked, neither warm nor cold.
...
Wang Xuan met Li Daoming in a bustling city, having established a school where he started as a principal, having recruited a group of students.
"Wang Xuan, it’s been a long time," Li Daoming spoke while lecturing a group of twelve- or thirteen-year-olds, communicating with Wang Xuan through Divine Thought.
His secretary, Chenyu, assisted by his side. As a teaching assistant, she was decent, but seeing Wang Xuan, she didn’t know how to approach him.
"You carry on with your class, I’ll just watch for a while," Wang Xuan found a chair and sat down, observing the lesson.
As for the long-legged beauty Chenyu, he had no interest in engaging with her. She used to be quite proud, thinking herself a genius, destined to strive for greatness and become a prominent figure, so her attitude towards Li Daoming was indifferent, too.
However, in Wang Xuan’s view, her talent, beauty, and wit were merely so-so, not worth his interest in talking to her.
Admittedly, nowadays, to converse with the distinguished Immortal Martial Taoist like himself, one had to be at least a Celestial Immortal being; anyone with too low a cultivation level wasn’t deemed worthy of even meeting.
Li Daoming did not pause the class due to Wang Xuan’s arrival. Though he was carefree, he believed in finishing what he started.
"Human is a broad concept. Today, the lesson I’m discussing with you is about the Human Path, the Way of Humans. The scope of the Human Path is vast, so I’ll only cover parts of it.
Humanity, the People, and the Individual, these three levels from high to low. Humanity can elevate to the realm of civilization; People focus on the societal aspect, while the Individual, to me, is the most worth contemplating.
Where there is humanity, there is home, there is nation, there is civilization.
A place with parents and children is your home, not merely a house. No matter how far you travel, any unfamiliar place becomes warm once you have familiar people.
A group with the same cultural roots forms a nation, not just the obsession with bloodlines. The people persist, the nation persists, allowing inheritance to continue. When the people perish, without inheritance, a nation can only exist in the annals of history.
A civilization is created by the joint efforts of peoples from various nations, through the collision of wisdom, the integration of cultures, and the circulation of economy. The strength of millions can create a brilliant civilization.
Primitive civilizations may only need a single nation, with hundreds or thousands of people to emerge. A planetary civilization demands the efforts of the intelligent beings on the entire planet, not focusing on a single nation or local civilization, as lacking one or two doesn’t pose a problem.
Interstellar civilizations are constructed from one planetary civilization after another. The Yellow Springs Star is part of the interstellar civilization; isolated, it is merely a planetary civilization.
An individual may be small, but they are the cornerstone of nation and civilization.
A child asks: "Why do the rebels of the Yellow Springs Star hate Earth people?"
This question is remarkably bold, yet the children want to know, and Li Daoming is willing to discuss it with them.
Li Daoming pondered for a moment and replied: "When civilizations collide, they repel other civilizations. Seeking to obliterate another civilization, war is the most direct, swift, and violent method.
The bearers of civilization are humans. The outbreak of war, said to be a collision of civilizations, is in fact a conflict between people, a clash of interests.
Yellow Springs Star’s civilization has now largely integrated with Earth civilization, but there are those who oppose this phenomenon, always hating Earth civilization, thus can only be considered half a member.
Although civilization has no will of its own, it possesses repulsiveness. As the bearer of civilization, such repulsiveness ultimately falls upon individuals, yet this repulsiveness does not bring forth hatred.
The war of the Yellow Springs Realm in those days was a collision at the root, involving the fundamental interests of both civilizations, also affecting the interests of millions, making the outbreak of war an inevitable outcome.
The contest of interests relies on strength; Yellow Springs Realm was defeated, Earth civilization, as the victor, claimed everything.
The current rebels are dissatisfied with the present distribution of interests, wanting to become rulers, they did not adhere to the ways of civilization, naturally we will not treat them in a civilized manner.
After the great war, Earth civilization sought to incorporate Yellow Springs Star people as members, did not enslave them, granted them the space for reproduction and life.
But the rebels do not see themselves as part of Earth civilization; on the contrary, they think Earth people have stolen what rightfully belongs to them.
In fact, they’re full of crap.
"Is teacher saying that the behavior of the rebels is for themselves?" someone asks.
"Exactly." Li Daoming nods, "The theories of civilization and nation are overly lofty and grand, but fundamentally it falls back to individuals; they live poorly, or still want better living conditions, to gain more interests, thus resort to riots.
In fact, the riots impact most heavily on the ordinary people of the Yellow Springs Star.
Each of a person’s labels and attributes can be stripped away or added, existing even due to their presence.
Without people, everything created by humanity is meaningless. Words? Technological products? Who cares!
The issue with the Yellow Springs Star ultimately falls upon the individual. Recognize Earth civilization, and all is well; become a member and enjoy numerous benefits. If not, Earth civilization naturally regards them as outsiders or even enemies, offering no benefits and possibly treating them violently.
Currently, in the eyes of Earth civilization, Yellow Springs Star exists in between.
"The path of humanity is to diminish the deficient to nourish the abundant." Wang Xuan speaks up, "Human nature is greedy, always wanting more, but to gain more requires the battle of strength.
The weak do not have the right to demand from the strong due to their own weakness. What can be grasped, is all that your hand can hold tight."
Intelligence, martial prowess, financial power, and influence are all parts of strength. Everything about a person comes from heaven and earth, which they are born as part of; they may come with nothing, but they can possess everything, as long as they can take it and hold it.
"Actually, the problem of the Yellow Springs Star is fundamentally not a problem for Earth civilization, but should be a concern for Yellow Springs Star people." Wang Xuan remarks calmly.
"Decisively, make a decision that represents Yellow Springs Star, to become a member of Earth civilization or to choose the path from two hundred years ago.
We are always waiting for your choice, also to make up our minds on how to treat you.
Wholeheartedly embrace Earth civilization, then united in heart and virtue, to share the same sky, and abide by the same rules.
If you wish to leave, it’s simple, build your own spaceship, the further away from this star domain, the better, we won’t stop you.
And speaking of wanting to catch things that shouldn’t be reached, like those rebels, it’s even simpler.
Two hundred years ago, Yellow Springs Star did not exist; wanting it to disappear is something Earth civilization can easily accomplish. Two hundred years ago, Earth civilization could decide their life or death, and it can still do so now.
To kill thirty billion enemies of Yellow Springs Star is like crushing an ant; your death is straightforward, we resolve a problem too, isn’t it a win-win?"
Wang Xuan suddenly reveals a smile, the corners of his mouth lifting in a smile that sends chills through the hundred and seven students in the classroom, from their feet to their heads.
