Chapter 106 (1/2)

“You already sold it? What do you mean you already sold it?” Joanne pointed at Azalea. “And you, why didn’t you answer any of my texts or calls after that?”

Grandpa Vremya didn’t bother responding to Joanne’s questions, keeping his attention focused on his personal computer instead. As expected, his battlesuit golem generated quite a few bits of news, and he was looking through his messages. Most of them were about purchasing his golem, but a few wanted him to enter a long-term cooperation with their companies. Their compensation was nice, but money wasn’t the only thing Grandpa Vremya was looking for. He had enough spirit stones from the Moon Lotus World. With his current stockpile, it wouldn’t be an issue for him to reach the soul-seed stage. Once he reached the soul-seed stage, even better money-making opportunities would open up; after all, if a nascent-soul cultivator could make the same amount as a soul-seed cultivator, didn’t that mean soul-seed cultivators were worthless? What Grandpa Vremya was looking for was a certain opportunity, one where he could unleash an overbearing, dominating nature to influence his nascent soul.

“I had to deal with the landlord,” Azalea said. “If it was back on the Moon Lotus World, it would’ve taken a few seconds to make a deal, but here, they actually ask for your income and perform background checks. Can you believe that?”

“Isn’t that industry standard?” Joanne asked, her brow furrowing. “How do you guys do it in your world?”

“I flex my cultivation base, and they grovel and beg me to use their services,” Azalea said. “The intergalactic society is so confusing at times. It’s quite obvious the strong devour the weak, but it seems like you people willfully reject such an obvious law. How is it that mortals have the same rights as cultivators? Have you ever seen a dragon treat an earthworm as its equal?”

“There are plenty of people who think the way you do,” Joanne said, “but they all belong to the empire. They believe the strong can do whatever they want, but they forget the fact that they were once weak too. They were mortals before becoming cultivators. How can cultivators exist without mortals? In the end, we’re all people, and everyone deserves to be treated with respect.”

“Yes, yes, respect the people,” Azalea said. “I understand that notion. I’m the princess of an empire myself. However, some people accomplish feats worthy of more respect. Do we treat famed generals the same way we treat brand-new soldiers? No! We give famed generals special privileges: we turn them into dukes, give them plots of land, guarantee the prosperity of their future generations. So, while it’s okay for these landlords to vet the mortals who apply, they shouldn’t waste a nascent-soul cultivator’s time.”

Joanne’s expression darkened. “Things like that are a thing of the past. Everyone in the federation is equal under the law—cultivators and mortals alike.” After a brief pause, Joanne scratched her head. “I suppose the rich are above the law sometimes, and there are some really slimy politicians who deserve to have their heads chopped off, but overall, people are mostly equal. If a cultivator assaults a mortal, the cultivator will be punished. Don’t think the federation is like your world; you shouldn’t expect special privileges here.” Her gaze had shifted to Grandpa Vremya before saying her last sentence. Of course, he ignored her.

Azalea furrowed her brow, seemingly deep in thought. After a bit, she turned her head towards Grandpa Vremya. “Do you think we joined the right power? It seems like our world’s ideology more closely aligns to the empire’s.”

“It’s better that we’re here,” Grandpa Vremya said. “For now, we’re the weaker party compared to all three powers. We’ll grow much better in the federation, where they believe in equality, than we would in the empire.”

“Eh?” Azalea tilted her head. “But if we joined the empire, wouldn’t you face serious oppression? Wouldn’t that be the best chance to demonstrate a domineering attitude? If you started from the bottom and fought your way to the top, your nascent soul would get much more experience than from what you’re doing now.”

“That would incur too much negative karma,” Grandpa Vremya said. “If I chose to join the empire knowing the Moon Lotus Sect would face serious oppression, it’d be the same as me choosing to oppress the sect for the sake of my own growth. It’s not much different from fiendish cultivators absorbing other people’s spiritual energy to advance. Yes, it’s more difficult to cultivate an overbearing nascent soul in such a peaceful place, but choosing to tackle the harder path, is that not showing a domineering attitude? No matter which path I choose, I will reach the peak, so I will choose the path that garners the least negative karma.”

“Wouldn’t choosing the road with the most negative karma to face a strong tribulation be the truly domineering path?” Joanne asked.

Azalea rolled her eyes. “Elder Vremya may be arrogant, and cocky, and treats people like ants, but he’s not an evil person.”

“How can you say he isn’t evil if he treats people like ants?”

“I treat ants quite nicely, mind you,” Grandpa Vremya said. “I’ve never done anything to harm one.”