Chapter 693: Heroes After Death
The No.3 temporary port had originally been prepared for the abnormally large number of tourists during the Edge Sharpeners' Meeting, but it had turned into a military port.
Due to the unexpected accident, the space port was a hive of activity. Not enough crystal warships were found in the hurry. Therefore, shuttles and civil carriers between the space rings had all been expropriated.
The weight-carrying vehicles of the six sects of Heavenly Saints City moved the battle magical equipment stored in the sects to the space port.
Those crowding the space port mostly consisted of fully-armed Cultivators in crystal suits. Most of the Cultivators were furious enough to volunteer to go to the tenth space ring. In the end, the crystal processor had to draw lots to decide who was to stay and protect the central area.
On the giant light beam floating in the sky, information streams that looked like a surging ocean appeared. They were connected to all the Cultivators' crystal processors and guided them to different areas where the Cultivators were allocated special magical equipment to deal with the extraterrestrial devils, before they went separate ways and boarded different starships, marching toward the battlefield.
The space port was full of people but not chaotic. The Cultivators had freed themselves from the frustration of the failure of the 'Mist Clearing Operation' and dedicated themselves to the new battle.
In the somewhat intense atmosphere, everybody ground their teeth hard. No one was shouting or yelling. The only sound that could be heard in the vast No.3 dock was the occasional collision of crystal suits.
"Master Sand, the command center has assigned us to the same team. When we arrive in the tenth space ring, you must follow me closely and do not act recklessly."
Glancing at the 'Gold Wolf Battlesuit' on Li Yao's body, Ye Hongfei hesitated before continuing. "Extraterrestrial devils and demon beasts are different. We cannot deal with ordinary people who are possessed by the devils by killing them directly. Most of the devilized people are actually recoverable. Therefore... you must follow my lead. Do you understand?"
Li Yao did not answer the question. He frowned and said, "Master Ye, it's very likely that assassins of the Temple of Immortals are now lurking in the tenth space ring, pretending to be devilized people. Right now, the devils' flames are burning in the tenth space ring, and the spiritual energy there is an utter mess. We will not be able to notice the assassins even if they show any signs.
"While we are rescuing ordinary people, they will find an opportunity to kill us. I'm afraid that is the real purpose of the Temple of Immortals. We..."
Ye Hongfei smiled bitterly. "At a moment like this, who doesn't know that? But it's not like we have any other choice. We cannot stand by and watch the tenth space ring's destruction.
"When ordinary people are possessed by devils, we can save them within the first day and night.
"If we do not act immediately, the ordinary people in the tenth space ring will either be slain by the devilized people or become slaves of their slaughtering will forever. They will stay as the devils' possessions for the rest of their lives!
"Even though we know clearly that the Temple of Immortals is going to ambush us in the tenth space ring, we have to grit our teeth and try our luck!"
As the two of them were talking, earsplitting metallic noises disturbed them.
Li Yao raised his head, only to find a troop made of almost a hundred metal skeletons, who strode close in a neat battle formation with their heads held high.
The bones of the metal skeletons were all made of the best super alloys, covered by multiple layers of armor. On the surface of the armor were glamorous spiritual stripes that were emitting colorful brilliance and covered the components inside the body, which were as delicate as the parts of a watch.
All the metal skeletons were carrying sharp swords and powerful firearms, with crimson flames burning in their deep, dark eyes.
They were indeed ghostly and fearsome!
Li Yao was somewhat shocked. He subconsciously asked, "Spectral Cultivators?"
"Exactly!" Ye Hongfei said proudly. "This is the 'Spiritual Ghost Legion' of Heavenly Saints City. All the battle-type Cultivators of the six sects of Heavenly Saints City join the 'Spiritual Ghost Legion' and continue making their contributions if they turn into spectral Cultivators after their death.
"The Flying Star Sector is always troubled by the extraterrestrial devils. Extraterrestrial devils are entities of energy, and so are spectral Cultivators. Therefore, spectral Cultivators are the best soldiers to deal with the extraterrestrial devils.
"In every big town of the Flying Star Sector, such troops of spectral Cultivators are stationed. Once the towns are invaded by extraterrestrial devils, they lead the charge!"
Li Yao was dazed for a moment. "Can spectral Cultivators fight, too? As I recall, spectral Cultivators are quite fragile and unstable, are they not?"
A body of flesh and blood was the best container for a soul. Without the body, one's soul would turn extremely vulnerable.
Even though the soul hid itself in an artificial body, it was still prone to the interference of various kinds of light, heat, radiation, and spiritual waves.
After a cosmic storm, it was not unusual to find that the soul of a spectral Cultivator was entirely gone, never to be seen again.
Therefore, most of the spectral Cultivators that Li Yao knew preferred the indoors to the outdoors. They lived in anti-radiation buildings and disliked alfresco activities. The jobs they were occupied with were mostly about pure thinking and far away from the interference of spiritual energy.
Even the five 'star spirits' including Professor Mo Xuan also fitted with the pattern; they spent most of their time in the mainframe crystal processor of Sparkle.
Battle-type Cultivators often took part in the research work, such as creating a new Cultivation art or devising a new skill of martial arts, when they turned into spectral Cultivators after their death. They rarely participated in a real-life battle personally.
In other words, the spectral Cultivators might boast tremendous combat ability, but they were too brittle to endure brutal clashes on a battlefield.
Flames of admiration were flowing inside Ye Hongfei's eyes, as he raised his voice and commented, "They definitely are. The combat style of the spectral Cultivators is often suicidal. After an arrival of extraterrestrial devils, countless spectral Cultivators will perish forever. But next time the catastrophe takes place, they will charge forward without any hesitation again. Maybe—"
Ye Hongfei's eyes suddenly froze half way through his speech. He gazed at Li Yao's back.
As it turned out, the 'Spiritual Ghost Legion' just passed by the two of them. One of the spectral Cultivators overheard their conversation and walked toward them.
"We are Cultivators."
Fire was blossoming like red lotuses inside the spectral Cultivator's eyes, as he clenched his coldly shining fists and touched his breastplate softly.
On his chest, a weird battle emblem was painted. A rusted, lackluster flying sword and a broken saber with countless dents were crossed on a skull that was full of cracks.
"We are still Cultivators even though we are dead."
Maybe it was Li Yao's imagination, but when the spectral Cultivator made that declaration, he felt that it was not a cold metal skeleton standing before him but a handsome young warrior made of flesh and blood.
He blinked, and when he looked at the spectral Cultivator again, he had already turned around and joined the troop.
In front of the team of spectral Cultivators, an iron giant more than four meters tall was carrying a black flag on its shoulder.
That same battle emblem, as well as the words 'Spiritual Ghost', was painted on the flag, which was flapping in the wind.
Spectral Cultivators did not have real bodies. The artificial bodies they chose were of various forms and shapes. Some of the giants in the team were almost five meters tall, while some other spectral Cultivators had multiple heads and numerous limbs, making them look like crazy demons.
However, whatever the artificial bodies looked like, the burning fighting will in them was exactly the same as the fighting will in the Cultivators who were alive.
Li Yao took a deep breath and clenched his fists.
"Extraterrestrial devils!
"Alright. Let's have a great battle together with the fellow Cultivators both alive and deceased!"
In the next hour, countless shuttles, carriers, and crystal warships lunged at the tenth space ring from the central area of Heavenly Saints City!
On one of the carriers, Cai Qi was briefing the situation on the battlefield to the Cultivators who were temporarily under his command.
In fact, most of the Cultivators there had abundant experience in dealing with extraterrestrial devils. His introduction was meant for Li Yao, who was 'from Iron Plateau' and had never witnessed the horror of the extraterrestrial devils in person.
"Remember, there are three kinds of enemy that we need to cope with!
"Firstly, the extraterrestrial devils!
"Extraterrestrial devils are entities of pure energy. They are invisible and hard to locate. Mental attacks are their specialty. They are also able to manipulate items from afar and condense them into a certain object!
"However, if we spray the secret 'Devil Revealing Powder' on them, the extraterrestrial devils will immediately be separated from the air.
"Once the extraterrestrial devils are found, try to use weapons of spiritual energy and avoid using physical bullets.
"As for melee weapons, the auras of your blades will deal fatal damage to the extraterrestrial devils, but the edges of the blades will be not so helpful!
"Secondly, the ordinary people who are possessed by extraterrestrial devils, or devilized people, if you will.
"Since the arrival of extraterrestrial devils just took place, the ordinary people who are possessed by the extraterrestrial devils are not bewildered too much yet. Our most important task is to restore the consciousness of these people and bring them back to the safe area.
"Just now, everybody has received a large number of Mind Clearing Spells, Soul Pacifying Spells, and Exorcising Drugs. Such runes and magical equipment are very effective in driving the extraterrestrial devils away. As long as they are not possessed by the devil kings, the ordinary people will recover shortly.
"However, do remember that, if blue gas or black gas is popping up from the heads of people who are possessed, they are too deeply affected to be saved. Do not hesitate to do what you must do when you see them!
"Thirdly, assassins from the Temple of Immortals!
"The riot in the tenth space ring is apparently not the Temple of Immortals' purpose. Their real goal is to attract us to the tenth space ring where they can assassinate us. Therefore, not only will the top assassins such as the Eight Blades of Black Spider be lurking there, Hellsword, who just got away, might also have retreated to the tenth space ring, waiting for his victims there!
"Chances are that a second or a third Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator of the Temple of Immortals will show up!
"Danger looms ahead, but we have to go on undeterred. We have no other options except to try our best! Remember, stay close to me, and do not act recklessly. Report to me if you find any traces of the Immortal Cultivators!
"Your duties, the area we are responsible for, the hostiles' strength, our allies nearby, the distribution of devilized people, as well as any other useful information has all been sent into your crystal processors. Seize the last few minutes and absorb as much as you can!
"We are about to reach the tenth space ring. Any questions?"
Cai Qi looked at Li Yao.
Li Yao shook his head.
A hasty shriek came from the broadcast rune array. "We are now in the tenth space ring!"