Volume One: The Game of the Controllers Chapter Fifty-Seven: Recreating the Kuya People

“Se… senior…” Although Xuanyuan Jie was the leader of all humankind, faced with Qin Si’s overwhelming and inconceivable strength, he had already lost his composure, even changing the way he addressed him.

“Relax, as I said earlier, I won't harm you. Otherwise, you would all be dead by now.” Qin Si spoke easily, and he truly possessed the power to back up those words.

“Big brother, let those Kuya people out,” Qin Shuang whispered.

“Alright,” Qin Si agreed. Suddenly, a small green tower appeared in his hand. As emerald light flared, the once-empty ground was instantly crowded with people.

Nearly sixty thousand Kuya people had all left the Jianglan Realm. Before this, Qin Si had already informed them: they had returned home.

Though the environment was unfamiliar and thirty strangers stood before them, the excitement in their hearts was undiminished.

“So… this is our home?” Gan Ming’s eyes glistened with tears as he looked around; Xuanyuan Jie and the thirty Immortal Emperors were utterly ignored.

While Iron Tree Star’s environment wasn’t ideal compared to the Dinosaur Realm, it was far better than Su Yu Star, for the spatial hierarchy of the Dinosaur Realm was beyond that of a mortal world.

“Though it can’t compare to the aura-rich treasures of the spatial spiritual artifacts, it’s still much better than Su Yu Star,” Qilian mused.

If it weren’t for their longing to see their homeland, the Kuya people would not have wanted to leave the Jianglan Realm at all.

Back when the Blood Dragon Ao Wuxu was on the first layer of the Jianglan Realm, he was loath to depart, let alone these Kuya people, who, as mere mortals, had cultivated all the way to the third layer.

“Heh, you’ve all done well. In a thousand years, you’ve surpassed the mortal stage,” Qin Si looked upon the sixty thousand with satisfaction. For those outside, only a year had passed, but for the Kuya people, it had been a millennium of cultivation. The weakest among them had reached the Celestial Immortal stage. Yet, one thing puzzled Qin Si: none of them had experienced the tribulation.

“These… these are Kuya people!” A ninth-level Immortal Emperor suddenly exclaimed, voice trembling with excitement. “Kuya people, yes, sixty thousand of them!”

The other twenty-nine Immortal Emperors realized it too: standing before them was a vast group of the once-glorious human overlords of the Dinosaur Realm—the Kuya people.

Excitement beyond compare swelled among them. The return of the sixty thousand Kuya people was not merely a restoration of strength, but a return of hope—the hope that humanity might flourish once more.

“Gan Ming, Qilian, Xiao Qing,” Qin Si called three elders forward.

“You three look much younger,” Qin Si joked, gazing at them.

Indeed, though they had spent a millennium in the Jianglan Realm, the cultivation method left by the Kuya ancestors had ensured their longevity. Barring unforeseen circumstances, even endless years would pose no threat to their lives.

“Thank you, seniors, for making this possible!” The three, unconcerned by Qin Si’s teasing, knelt as though rehearsed before both Qin Si and Qin Shuang.

“Thank you, seniors, for making this possible!” In unison, the sixty thousand Kuya people knelt and shouted their gratitude.

“That’s enough; there’s no need for such formalities in the future.” Qin Si waved his hand, and a gentle energy raised everyone to their feet.

At this moment, Xuanyuan Jie led the other twenty-nine Immortal Emperors forward in utmost respect. All thirty bowed deeply. “Seniors, on behalf of all humanity in the Dinosaur Realm, I implore you to remain and help us through this crisis.”

“No, that is not possible,” Qin Si refused without hesitation. “We do not belong here, nor to this space. If we intervene, the balance of this world will be destroyed.”

In this realm, not even a ninth-level Tyrant Dragon Emperor could withstand the black divine fire. If the Fire Origin Spirit Pearl were used to unleash such flames, the entire Dinosaur Realm would be incinerated in an instant.

“We have already returned your human overlords, the Kuya people. As long as a few super Kuya emerge among them, you will have the power to contend with the dinosaur clans,” Qin Shuang added. Though his strength was at the ninth-level Immortal Emperor stage, he had no interest in the struggles of the Dinosaur Realm.

“But… this time, the dinosaurs have rallied the ten great clans, determined to eradicate humanity. Super Kuya are indeed formidable, but among them, the strongest has only reached the seventh-level Golden Immortal…” a ninth-level Immortal Emperor behind Xuanyuan Jie spoke up.

“Big brother, let’s help them once more.” Qin Shuang suggested. “Send all Kuya above Golden Immortal to the third layer of the Jianglan Realm for a hundred years. Whether they can become super Kuya or not, we shall not intervene further. I failed to fulfill my promise to the three elders back then; let this be my compensation.”

“Sigh, very well.” Seeing Qin Shuang’s expression, Qin Si could not refuse. “Alright, we’ll help you once more.”

He glanced over the sixty thousand Kuya people and smiled. “Not bad, seventy-three have reached the Golden Immortal stage.” With a wave of his hand, the seventy-three were lifted into the air.

“You seventy-three will be given another chance to cultivate in the Jianglan Realm. Remember, you have only a hundred thousand years. What level you reach, and whether you can stand against the dinosaurs, will depend on your own fate.” With that, he collected the seventy-three into the Jianglan Realm.

“Thank you, senior!” The thirty high-ranking Immortal Emperors, led by Xuanyuan Jie, bowed to the ground as one.

A hundred years may seem a lifetime to ordinary mortals, but to immortals who live for eons, it passes in the blink of an eye.

During this century, the dinosaur clans launched frequent skirmishes, but nothing of scale. It was not out of mercy, but because their armies were not yet fully prepared for war.

Meanwhile, Qin Shuang spent this time diligently cultivating. Oddly, though his inner energy had reached the peak of the ninth-level Immortal Emperor, he had yet to sense the divine tribulation.

Qin Si was another matter altogether. With nothing to do, he wandered the Dinosaur Realm as if on a grand tour.

“Little Shuang.” As soon as the century had passed, Qin Si teleported to Qin Shuang’s side. “Well? When will you face the divine tribulation?” With a glance, Qin Si saw that Qin Shuang’s energy had reached the pinnacle—he could undergo the tribulation at any time.

Qin Shuang could only force a bitter smile. “Divine tribulation? I don't know. I simply haven’t felt it.”

“How can that be?” Qin Si was taken aback. “With your level of energy, you should have sensed it long ago.”

“I don’t know either. But it’s fine—if I can’t undergo the tribulation, I’ll just consolidate my energy further.” Qin Shuang smiled, unconcerned.

“Big brother, how are the Kuya people?” he asked. Compared to the divine tribulation, he cared more about the Kuya in Jianglan Realm; he was eager to see what these so-called super Kuya would be like.

“Heh, let’s go to Lanyue Star first. You’ll see for yourself.” Qin Si grinned slyly.

“Xuanyuan Jie, come with me to Lanyue Star.” In the midst of strategizing in his own residence, Xuanyuan Jie suddenly heard Qin Si’s voice in his mind, and in the next instant, he vanished.

Lanyue Star was a relatively hidden planet for humans. When Xuanyuan Jie decided to settle the Kuya there, he left behind three ninth-level Immortal Emperors, five eighth-level, and as many as fifty sixth- and seventh-level Immortal Emperors to guard them, hoping one day they would lead humanity to renewed greatness.

Lanyue Star was quite unlike Iron Tree Star. Designed as a place of concealment, it had no cities, only natural landscapes—though the spiritual energy was thin, the scenery was beautiful, and, most importantly, it was safe.

A remote world by nature, with so many emperor-level experts guarding it, the security of the Kuya people was all but assured.

Qin Si, Qin Shuang, and Xuanyuan Jie paid no heed to the intricate arrays that Elder Song, the formation master, had constructed over the last century. They teleported straight into the Kuya stronghold.

“Who goes there?” As space rippled and three figures appeared among the Kuya, the chief guard—a sixth-level Immortal Emperor—immediately brandished his finest immortal weapon, ready for battle.

“It’s me!” Xuanyuan Jie spoke. Among the human experts, only his group of thirty had met Qin Si and Qin Shuang; compared to them, Xuanyuan Jie’s identity carried more weight.

“Master Xuanyuan…” The leading sixth-level Immortal Emperor eyed Qin Si and Qin Shuang, whom he had never met, unable to see through their cultivation.

“They are our friends, don’t worry,” Xuanyuan Jie explained, understanding the guard’s concern.

“Please, Master Xuanyuan…” At his assurance, the guard quickly stepped aside, admitting the three.

“All the Kuya people recognized Qin Si and Qin Shuang, including over a dozen high-level Immortal Emperors, and bowed as one. “Greetings, honored seniors.”

“The century-long pact is now fulfilled. Today, we return seventy-one emperor-level Kuya,” Qin Si announced as seventy-one appeared in the gathering, the strongest among them having reached the sixth-level Immortal Emperor stage.

The aura of these emperor-level Kuya was so powerful it made the entire space tremble.

“Seventy-one? Weren’t there seventy-three?” Xuanyuan Jie wondered, as did everyone except Qin Si, even Qin Shuang.

“There is also a seventh-level and an eighth-level Immortal Emperor,” Qin Si said, pleased to see their confusion, before finally making his announcement.