Chapter 14 The Incarcerated Uncle Seven

"Wu Qi's life in the Demon Subduing World had a profound impact on him. He became a Heavenly Demon in that life," Ke Yu said. "And in that life, the two most important people to him were the Wu family's daughter and you, Wu Ming."

Xu Jingming nodded.

"The Wu family's daughter is named Feng Yuqing in reality," Ke Yu said. "Her 'Flower Township Clan' has been seeking independence and the reconstruction of the 'Flower Township Civilization'. Feng Yuqing is one of the core members of the Flower Township Clan. Their desire for independence and the rebuilding of their civilization naturally enraged the Qingfang civilization! They naturally wanted to punish them severely. Although Wu Qi kept his distance from the Flower Township Clan, he spared no expense to protect Feng Yuqing's life and was drawn into it."

"How could an eighth-order Starry Sky life withstand the Qingfang civilization's fury? Even though he wasn't a member of the Flower Township Clan, he dared to interfere and had to face imprisonment," Ke Yu said. "Wu Ming, you entrusted me to take care of him, so I intervened! The Qingfang civilization still had to give me some face, so they let him off lightly with a small punishment."

Xu Jingming understood, "Rebuilding a civilization... no wonder the Qingfang civilization was furious."

"The Qingfang civilization possesses 8,938 star systems," Ke Yu said. "It ranks among the top civilizations in the middle tier of the universe."

Xu Jingming listened.

Mid-tier civilizations in the universe generally have vast territories, ranging from a hundred or so star systems to tens of thousands.

Like Xu Jingming's friend, Senior Brother Gu Shan, his civilization, the Frost Language civilization, possessed more than twelve thousand star systems.

"The Qingfang civilization and our Demon Subduing Group have a long-term partnership. They recruit some volunteers to meet the needs of the 'Qing Country' within the Demon Subduing World for its original inhabitants," Ke Yu said. "How did the Qingfang civilization acquire such a vast territory? They couldn't have relied on buying it!"

Xu Jingming nodded.

Buying star systems requires voluntary transactions.

One party must be willing to buy, and the other must be willing to sell! Xu Jingming's expansion of the Milky Way by seven star systems this time, even with a premium, was relatively easy! But if he wanted to expand by thirty or fifty star systems, the difficulty would increase dramatically.

Because those migrating civilizations would find it very difficult to find enough planets to migrate to.

"Normal buying and selling can't form so many star systems," Ke Yu said. "Some powerful civilizations in the universe have vast territories, and their most fundamental method is to infiltrate and erode the surrounding weaker civilizations until they are annexed."

"After a long period of infiltration, the weaker civilizations become poor and weak. Countless people in the weaker civilizations yearn to become part of the stronger civilization. Long-term cultural infiltration also makes members of the weaker civilizations more eager to integrate."

"Therefore, without spending much money, they naturally annex one weak civilization after another."

Ke Yu said, "The Flower Township Civilization was once a mid-tier civilization in the universe, possessing over one hundred and fifty star systems! But thousands of years ago, the Flower Township Civilization's Origin Lifeform died. They had no Origin Lifeform at all, a gap in the Origin Lifeform lineage!"

Xu Jingming understood.

A mid-tier civilization in the universe must have had a tenth-order Origin Lifeform in its history! In ordinary times, having a ninth-order Origin Lifeform can maintain the civilization.

But once there is a break in the Origin Lifeform lineage, the entire civilization is in danger.

"The Qingfang civilization feared that the Flower Township Civilization would produce a new Origin Lifeform, so they accelerated the pace of annexation. In just a few thousand years, they completely annexed the Flower Township Civilization," Ke Yu shook his head. "This annexation was too crude, too fast. So, many Flower Township Civilization people want to rebuild their civilization."

"It was too fast," Xu Jingming nodded. "In a few thousand years, some eighth-order Starry Sky lifeforms are probably still alive."

"The best method of annexation is to slowly infiltrate, allowing the weaker civilization to actively desire to integrate into the stronger civilization, naturally annexing it. They would rather spend tens of thousands of years, letting the older generation all die, and the resistance of the new generation will naturally be less," Ke Yu said, "But the Flower Township Civilization had over one hundred and fifty star systems. Letting it develop, a new Origin Lifeform could appear at any time. They couldn't afford to gamble."

"So, the Qingfang civilization quickly dismantled the Flower Township Civilization."

"They attracted powerful families, encouraging them to migrate, creating a migration trend. Qingfang civilization's large group enterprises infiltrated economically and culturally..." Ke Yu said, "They even directly assassinated the hardliners. All sorts of methods were used simultaneously, and in a few thousand years, they completely annexed over one hundred and fifty star systems."

Xu Jingming listened.

Very common.

Why are some civilizations vast in territory? Why are some civilizations weak?

Why do the three great high-tier civilizations of the universe each exclusively occupy a cosmic domain? What happened to the other weaker civilizations in these cosmic domains in history?

So, Xu Jingming felt that he was being very benevolent by paying a premium to buy seven star systems. Of course, another reason for choosing to buy and sell was that it was the fastest way to expand! Want to not spend money? It would take a very long time.

"The Flower Township Civilization only dissipated not long ago, and many people are still very attached to their homeland. They established the Flower Township Clan, determined to rebuild their civilization," Ke Yu said, "And obviously, this is not what the Qingfang civilization likes! It is even infuriated by it."

"Anyone who dares to rebuild the Flower Township Civilization will be severely打击(dǎjī, attacked/suppressed) by the Qingfang civilization," Ke Yu said, "This time, it is said that a traitor informed on them, offering a list of those he knew. Among them were some members within the Demon Subduing Group, including Feng Yuqing."

"So, the Qingfang civilization immediately sent people to take all these people away," Ke Yu said, "You also know that this group of people originally came from the Qingfang civilization. They have jurisdiction, and I cannot stop them."

Xu Jingming nodded.

"According to the Qingfang civilization's methods, these people are almost all sentenced to death after being taken away for interrogation," Ke Yu said, "Wu Qi knew about the arrests. He is an eighth-order Starry Sky lifeform and has some connections these years. He tried every means to save Feng Yuqing's life... and was drawn into it."

"Actually, he has always kept his distance from Feng Yuqing."

Ke Yu said, "The Flower Township Clan side really wanted to win over Wu Qi, and even Feng Yuqing proposed to Wu Qi... but Wu Qi was unwilling to join the Flower Township Clan."

"As for the events of the past few hundred years, you already know about them," Ke Yu said.

Xu Jingming nodded.

He asked his younger brother Ke Yu for help, and Ke Yu would periodically notify him of news. Xu Jingming had already known about Uncle Seven's experiences over the past few hundred years.

Only after the high-dimensional pollution did contact break off.

"Where is Uncle Seven now?" Xu Jingming asked.

"In the 'Orion' planetary prison, located in the Beiqi Star System within the Qingfang civilization's territory," Ke Yu said.

"Thanks," Xu Jingming stood up.

"It's nothing," Ke Yu smiled.

Xu Jingming being able to ask him for help made Ke Yu very happy! This was a super-thick thigh! If he had the opportunity, he would naturally have to seize it.

...

Qingfang Civilization, Beiqi Star System, Orion Planetary Prison.

The planetary prison was cold all year round. The distant sun was incredibly small, and the light it cast here was extremely weak. Wu Qi sat on a rooftop, appreciating the cold scenery of the Orion planet.

Being demoted from a high-ranking member of the Demon Subduing Group to guarding a planetary prison didn't bother Wu Qi; he found it quite enjoyable.

"Buzz."

A light screen appeared in front of Wu Qi, showing a red-skinned strongman.

"Old District Chief," the red-skinned strongman grinned, "I have broken through to the seventh order."

"Oh? You are the fifth seventh-order in our A9 district," Wu Qi said with a smile.

"I plan to invite many brothers and sisters to celebrate. Old District Chief, you must come," the red-skinned strongman said.

"Definitely," Wu Qi nodded.

Then, the light screen disappeared.

Wu Qi smiled brightly, "The children of the A9 district back then have all grown up, and there are already five seventh-order Starry Sky lifeforms."

Wu Qi, because he was valued by Ke Yu, the highest person in charge of the Demon Subduing Group, and was himself an eighth-order Starry Sky lifeform, had already held a high position in the group. At the same time, he also served as the District Chief of the A9 district.

The A9 district, strictly speaking, raised a large number of children.

"Countless people live within the Demon Subduing World. One sleep lasts for decades. It's rare to fall in love and have children in reality. Most of them are abandoned, left for the group to take care of," Wu Qi shook his head.

Frequently choosing to sleep makes it impossible to take care of children.

Therefore, the group was responsible for taking care of a very large number of children, even occupying an entire A district! These children, without backers, had many of the group's expenses quietly siphoned off, entering private pockets under various names.

The children's lives were actually quite difficult and suppressed.

Wu Qi's childhood was miserable, so he cared a lot about these children, personally serving as the A9 District Chief. With him watching over them, the quality of life for countless children immediately greatly improved. Many children were very grateful to this old District Chief.

Of course, most of the later children felt that a good life was a matter of course.

Only the earliest batch of children knew best that everything was because of the old District Chief.

"Dad!"

Two figures came rushing from the distance.

Wu Qi turned his head to look. They were a young man and woman.

"Dad," the girl jumped to her father's side and hugged his arm.

"Why did you two suddenly come out?" Wu Qi asked.

"Well..." the young man said, "Mom has broken her promise in the virtual world several times. We want Dad to ask what's wrong with Mom? She won't even meet us in the virtual world."

"Is Mom in any danger?" the girl also asked worriedly.

Wu Qi looked at his children and smiled, "Your mom is very busy. After she finishes this period, she will contact you."

"Oh," the children nodded.

Wu Qi felt a pang of heartache for his children.

"Is her career that important? More important than her children? She has broken her promise for the monthly meeting day, and it's just meeting in the virtual world. How much time can it take?" Wu Qi sighed inwardly. He had never dared to tell his children that he and their mother were divorced.

In the beginning, they were very loving and intimate, but as time went on, he could no longer bear it.

"Hmm?"

Wu Qi suddenly froze.

In the distant cosmic starry sky, a figure walked out from within.

Wu Qi stood up, looking at the person in front of him in disbelief.

He was wearing a plain blue robe, exactly like the attire in the Demon Subduing World. His appearance was still the same as it was hundreds of years ago in the Demon Subduing World, and his smile was still so familiar. Only his aura was much larger than it had been in the Demon Subduing World.

"Uncle Seven," Xu Jingming smiled, "Long time no see."