Edit: Um, someone has started to translate this already so I’m going to find a new novel … … I didn’t check novelupdates … … *sigh*

Translator Preamble: I ran into a major problem when I tried to translate for my modern romance novel project. I’ve become too used to Fang Xiang’s writing style and vocabulary. I can easily translate World of Cultivation but when I do something else, it takes much longer than it did in the time after I finished translating To Be A Virtuous Wife. My Chinese seems to have deteriorated.

In the interest of trying to improve my Chinese to English conversion skills, I have to work on anything other than WoC. But WoC is my primary focus and this is going to be once a week (I think. I said the same thing about WoC but since I already have WoC, this is definitely going to be an irregularly updated translation.)

First (and only translated) chapter for now. It is also unedited.

 

Title: 40000 Cultivation Era (or rather 40000 CE, I would love it if someone comes up with the correct Latin similar to Anno Domini.)

Author: Wo Niu Zhen Ren (Bed Cow Spiritual Master)

Why I have chosen this: It is long (sub-1500) and there are a lot of terms so it is good exercise. The story is ongoing so I’m going to read it along as I translate. The challenge I’m setting up for myself is to not use footnotes or any transliterations at all. It is probably going to lose some depth but I’ll try to point it out after each chapter.

The second summary below which was the initial summary for the novel is probably what you expect from the first few hundred chapters while the first summary is more accurate for the rest. A lot of readers told the author to change the summary since it became misleading.

 

40000 Cultivation Era

First summary:

“Even if this universe is really a cruel and bloody forest of darkness, we, those who cultivate for truth, will burn our lives to release the weakest of sparks!”

“Even if these sparks are the weakest, the briefest and the tiniest, as long as we persist, one after each other, there will be a day that the sparks will ignite the grasses, the grasses will come into contact with the shrubs and spread from the shrubs to the trees!”

“In the end, the little spark will create an inferno in this dark forest and illuminate the entire world!”

Second summary:

“This is a “Celestial Wolf” rank Crystal Battleship. It weights three billion and nine million tones and is controlled by one thousand five hundred and twenty three energy refinement cultivators. The main crystal processor can calculate nine million mental thoughts in one second, its “processing” power is comparable to ancient primal neotates, and can crush a planet in a breath!”

Li Yao stool within the endless space. Looking at the colossus in front of him, he calculated silently.

“To tear this battleship into scrap metal, I need—7 seconds!”

……

 

Chapter One Device Graveyard

Rust Metal Lake.

The twenty third specialized garbage processing facility of the Federation.

It was also called the “Device Graveyard.”

As the truth-cultivation civilization developed, the devices that only the truth-cultivators could use in the past walked into the homes of normal people and became the essential tools for education, working, and travelling.

As it gave convenience in life, it also produced large amounts of scrapped devices and metallic garbage.

There would be spiritual power remaining on these scrapped devices which could easily create radiation pollution. The seal formations of construction devices were also extremely unstable, and even had the risk of exploding. If they were neglected, they would cause great damage to the environment.

Consequently, a “special garbage processing facility” would be set up next to every large city to treat scrapped devices.

Specialized Garbage Processing Facility Number Twenty Three was located near the south region of one of the Federation’s primary towns, Fu Ge City.

 

Under the dusky yellow sky, a swamp that was so polluted it was purple released noxious orders. The mountain pieces that were made from pieces of metal appeared like hundreds of dinosaurs exposing their backs above the swamp. There were broken flying swords lying randomly on the mountain peaks. Beside the flying swords were crystal puppets that were covered in rust. The spirit fire had long been extinguished in its empty eye sockets. There were only the little insect that ate spirit power as food which poked their head out of the sockets and warily examined this dangerous “Device Graveyard.”

“Boom!”

Nearby, the seal formations of a trashed device exploded inside a mountain of scrap. The spirit force remaining within it instantly exploded and caused half of the mountain to shoot up into the air.

Countless metal parts scattered through the air and caused the garbage mountains nearby to crumble as well. It created a great cloud of smoke and dust that covered the entire sky.

This place seemed to be restricted from life. Only the insignificant cockroaches and worms used this as a playground.

No, that wasn’t right … …

Li Yao was concealed behind a garbage mountain. He licked his dry and cracked lips. His earth coloured clothing was covered in dirt and dust to the point he was almost one with the envinronemnt.

He glanced at the explosive cloud that rose nearby. The youth’s clear eyes did not show any emotion.

Only when the dust and metal scraps shot past the garbage mountain he was hiding behind did he shrink slightly back inwards. At the same time, he put on the wind goggles that could cover half of his face.

“It’s coming!”

When the spirit atom watch on his wrist gave a slight tremor, the youth became alert. A slightly evil smile curled on his lips.

Three o’clock, fifty two minutes and thirty eight seconds was the time that the garbage would be poured out everyday. It was also the time the “garbage worms” like Li Yao were happiest!

The spirit atom watch that he was wearing on his left hand was a model designed for hunting that the cultivation sect, “Spirit Flying Sect” had produced three years ago. He had picked it up in the garbage heap and it had taken him two whole months to fix it.

Other than being a clock, it had a very powerful ability, it was able to record vibrations with unique rhythms that were nearby and use the vibrations to warn its owner.

This ability was originally used to remind hunters that there could be powerful demon beasts nearby.

After Li Yao’s modifications, it now reminded him that the garbage ship was about to arrive.

Moments later, accompanied by an insignificant hum, more than ten small dots appeared on the horizon in the north.

At this time, the cloud of dust and smoke that covered the sky had not dissipated. It was impossible to discern the ten small black dots mixed within.

Li Yao wriggled his nose. His fingertip lightly touched a seal character on the side of the wind goggles. “Woosh,” the surfaces of the wind goggles turned blood red.

Under the scan of the red light, the round figures of the garbage ships that were hidden behind the smoke and dusk were clear to see.

The hunting ability of the spirit atom watch also locked onto the unique vibration rhythm of one of the garbage ships.

“Garbage Ship Number 1327, you’re it!”

Li Yao had stayed in the device grave from birth until he was ten. He was familiar with every inch of ground and every garbage ship in the air as though they were the back of his hand. This “Garbage Ship Number 1327” was responsible for the trash of Fu Ge City’s Upper Easter District.

Upper Eastern District was the most luxurious of all rich districts. Many truth-cultivators lived there and the devices they threw away were also the most valuable.

Many devices were almost perfect, and were thrown away in dissatisfaction by the truth-cultivators and rich people because it was slightly old or a new generation of the product was produced.

For Li Yao, this was not a garbage ship, it was a ship filled with treasure!

“Woosh!”

Li Yao pushed off with his legs and shot out to sprint quickly between the mountains of garbage. He charged towards the smoke and dust, charged at “Garbage Ship Number 1327!”

He was surrounded on all sides by mountains of garbage that were precariously wavering, and under his feet was the “pop pop” of the poisonous swamp as it expelled air bubbles. Li Yao was like the nimblest monkey that managed to leverage himself on certain places in the garbage mountain. Each time, he was able to propel himself dozens of meters forward. His movements flowed and were pleasing to watch.

“Li Yao, you bastard, you’re stealing from me again!”

At this time, several figures came out behind the mountains of garbage. They were attired similarly to Li Yao but they did not have an advanced blood red wind goggles and the spirit atom watch.

These people held shovels and metal poles in their hands and gave off a vicious presence.

They were the same as Li Yao, garbage worms that relied on “Special Garbage Processing Facility Number Twenty Three” to make a living.

Places with benefits would always have conflict. For the truth-cultivators high up in the world, the boats of scrapped devices might just be garbage, but for these low-level and poor people, they were the hope for living. Li Yao was the best off garbage worm in the Device Grave, and naturally was an eyesore to the great majority of garbage worms.

Li Yao did not care and snickered. He moved from his waist, his body curving strangely and turning ninety degrees without any warning. He flashed past a furiously glaring chubby youth and stomped on the other’s face as he passed. Using this push, he went out another thirty to forty meters.

“Fei Long, everyone is trying to make a living. We are competing on speed, you should lose weight!”

An enormous red imprint appeared on the fat youth’s face. His nose had almost sunken back into his fat flash as he shouted in fury. He waved his and chased after Li Yao. The group quickly entered the smoke.

Explosions had just occurred in this area which made it extremely unstable. The dozen garbage mountains around here could collapse at any time. Even the vicious Fei Long and his group slowed their strides as they entered this area and could only watch as Li Yao flash away.

Fei Long spat.

“This bastard, he really wants money and not his life. If the heavens have eyes, they will send a lightning strike to kill him … …”

Before he finished speaking, an explosion occurred inside a garbage mountain near Li Yao. Tens of thousands of tonnes of metal parts and damaged devices poured down like a flood!

“It really happened!” Fei Long and the other youths gaped and did not know what to do!

They heard a shout come within the smoke. “Xiao Hei, save me!”

A black streak that was even darker than the night shot out and spun around the metal flood. Then it charged into the air. It was a rusted and pitted flying sword that was black all over. This flying sword possessed an enormous crossguard that appeared to be spread like black wings. Li Yao was like the drowning man in the water that grabbed onto the reeds. He clumsily laid on the flying sword and shot into the sky!

In the sky, the dozens of garbage ships now showed their enormous figures. Each garbage ship was hundreds of meters long, and their round bodies were like the legendary turtle that supported the heaven and earth. The “turtle shell” was engraved with tens of thousands of seal characters as it glowed with multiple colors and helped this large being tens of thousands of tonnes heavy resist the pull of gravity.

“Clang-clatter!”

The doors to each “large turtle’s” stomach opened. Metal parts and damaged devices heavily crashed towards the ground.

The spirit force within this area suddenly started to roil and create tremendous waves!

Even the thousand-tonne heavy garbage ships swayed in the spirit force tsunami and shook violently. They had to work hard to separate to lessen the interference between them.

Fei Long and the others did not dare to go close in fear of being affected.

Li Yao still rode the black flying sword as he charged around the spirit force waves. He was extremely dishevelled but he was as nimble as an earthworm.

Of course he did not dare to face the roaring waves head on but using his decade of experience in living here, he tried to find the relatively peaceful and safe areas within the spirit force tide. He tried to near the landing place of the garbage devices in hopes that he could get them first.

At long last—

this shock that continued for almost ten minutes finished. The garbage ships gave roars like those of enormous beasts and turned back to return to port. The dust also gradually dissipated.

Fei Long finally managed to climb to the center of the densest pile of garbage and saw Li Yao comfortably sitting on a new garbage mountain as he smiled down.

“Motherf***er!” the flesh on Fei Long’s face trembled and he felt conflicted.

The garbage mountain that Li Yao chose was extremely tricky. It was not the biggest garbage mountain nor did it look as though it had the most resources.

There were dozens of garbage mountains in the surroundings which hid trashed devices that were worth cities.

There wasn’t just the two of them who were garbage worms … …

If he kept on fighting with Li Yao here, someone might benefit from their conflict.

The figures of the other garbage worms could be discerned in the surroundings. Cheers came up from many of the garbage mountains as people found valuable items.

Even more … …

Fei Long heard that Li Yao was also a student of the famed “Crimson Sky Subordinate High School No. 2” in Fu Ge City.

Crimson Sky Sect was a large and renowned sect in the southern Federation. It was influential and had many powerful fighters.

Li Yao might not have learned anything great, but he wasn’t someone that could be defeated in a few blows. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to have roamed the Device Grave alone for a decade, be still jumping around and received the nickname of “Monk Vulture!”

But if he left like this, where would his face be? His nose was still embedded in his face!

As he struggled, a strong wind flashed past. Fei Long reflectively grabbed. Entering his hand was a scrapped crystal processor that was the size of his fist.

Li Yao said with a smile, “Fei Long, everyone is trying to make a living. “Wasn’t it just that I stole your “Starlight” level crystal processor, I didn’t kill your father, do you have to chase me relentlessly? Here, I just found a “Strong Dragon 17” crystal processor forged by “Azure Dragon Sect”. It is the newest version, and can calculate more than five thousand thoughts in a second. Even though it is fried, I estimate that it can be sold for three to four thousand. Let’s just think of this as tribute to Big Brother Fei Long from me. From now, we have a clean account, how about that?”

“You … …” Fei Long hadn’t thought that Li Yao would do this. He was stunned and scratched the fat on his face with slight disbelief.

“Hey, look over there, the people from “Wildwolf Gang” is going to arrive soon. They aren’t loners like me. They definitely will clean out all of these mountains and won’t leave a screw for you!” Li Yao pointed to the west.

Fei Long’s expression changed. He narrowed his eyes to observe and finally made a decision. He raised a thumb up at Li Yao and forced out,

“Good boy, you have style! Let’s go, and collect stuff!”

A whole group of garbage worms spread out and moved towards the garbage mountains in the surroundings.

“hoo … …”

Li Yao released a long breath and sat back into the garbage heap. Bean sized sweat was on his forehead and his smile turned into a frown.

“Damned fatty, you took the the “Strong Dragon” level crystal processor that took me so much effort to find for nothing!”

“Just wait, do you think that something from I, “Monk Vulture Li Yao” is so easy to take? There will be a day that I will force you to spit out what you eat of mine, and return what you took of mine, with interest. I will calculate with high interest and let you know why everyone calls me the “Monk Vulture that wants money rather than life!”

“No, I need to speed up. The offal of “Wildwolf Gang” are even more unreasonable than Fei Long!”

Li Yao jerked down the wind goggles and let it hang from his neck. Rubbing his hands together, his eyes were bright as he licked his lips and burrowed into the newly-formed garbage heap!