ASER - Chapter 133
Chapter 133: Paying Respects to Daddy!
Xiao Jin was still unaware that she and her brother, the two supreme power holders who lorded over the Five Prefectures, had been abandoned by a certain troublemaker. After receiving the information, she grasped all of it in minutes. Her thoughts were calm, and she quickly made two deployments.
1. Have the clan's most secret combat team deploy an energy interference net immediately upon reaching the coastline to obstruct the progress of the altar beneath the lair.
2. Contact all masters skilled in formations to write and deploy counter-formations specifically targeting the altar's diagram.
3. Contact Xiao Mieluo, inform him of the situation, and let him decide on the next course of action.
As the Director of the Intelligence Bureau, she provided the intelligence she had gathered so far, following standard procedure.
A minute later, Xiao Mieluo, far away in A Zone and also experiencing extreme cold weather, received this intelligence.
After quickly scanning it, Xiao Mieluo narrowed his eyes. He immediately destroyed the intelligence after reading it. But in his mind, he quickly broke down the words and reassembled them. He reorganized these words using a new type of textual code rule known only to the two of them—yes, only the two of them in this world. He understood the true meaning Xiao Jin wanted to convey to him as follows.
1. The main army will return, but A Zone must be abandoned. Allow the demonic spirit army to form a grand alliance in the sea region to create a complete offensive and defensive situation against the Five Prefectures' coastline!
2. You continue to defend A Zone, but at all costs, eliminate the high-end combat power there within an hour. Then, withdraw the remaining Five Prefectures allied forces to reinforce the defenses and jointly attack the Snow Demon Lair.
3. I am 100% confident I can obstruct their altar's progress for one hour. But after an hour, if you cannot return and the clan's Dark Guards cannot hold the situation, I will deliberately bypass your procedures and, in my capacity as the head of the Five Prefectures Intelligence Bureau's internal guard, secretly report to the Imperial Court, proactively requesting them to dispatch elite troops via instant teleportation to resolve the crisis.
For a chance to control the Five Prefectures, the Imperial Family will definitely send their core troops. Wait until they have fought the Five Elements Cult and the Snow Demons to a near standstill. You leave the main army in A Zone and return personally. Use the pretext of me bypassing you and reporting without following normal procedures to send me to a military tribunal. This will thwart the Imperial Family's ambition to legitimately station troops and divide the military power of the Five Prefectures. Thus, the situation can be resolved.
As for my safety, I will feign a break with you to gain the Imperial Family's trust and make a comeback in Kyoto in the future. But from then on, we must appear as enemies on the surface. It will be necessary to sacrifice a few trusted subordinates, allowing them to be 'killed' by me to prove my allegiance, which will also serve to eliminate some spies from other factions.
4. The above is the worst-case scenario. Given your personality, you wouldn't choose it unless absolutely necessary. If you choose to recall the main army and abandon the ABCD sea region defense lines, and if, after reinforcing, we ultimately cannot withstand the demonic spirit army's invasion, the Imperial Court will have grounds to condemn us. The authority of our Qingzhou Xiao Clan will be annihilated, and Qingzhou will fall under the Imperial Court's control. Therefore, you must be absolutely certain.
After receiving this information, blood dripped from Xiao Mieluo's bloodstained jaw, but he didn't wipe it. As his hand rose and fell, slaying demonic spirits, there wasn't the slightest ripple in his eyes. Yet, he used the Bifang to reply to Xiao Jin.
The same surface message, with a secret message hidden within.
A minute later, Xiao Jin received the true message.
The surface message was that Xiao Mieluo had decided not to return to reinforce for the time being, instructing her to contact the forces of the Five Prefectures to resist. Also, that he would move everyone from B Zone to the coastline... and await his return. In reality, the true message consisted of two names—Zhao Ritian, Qu Jiangnan.
Xiao Jin instantly understood and grasped Xiao Mieluo's decision. Her expression relaxed slightly, and she began to make the next arrangements.
At this time, she also received news that the Xiao Clan's Dark Guards were about to reach the southern coastline, and that various factions from the Five Prefectures had received information that their disciples and personnel were missing... they were currently uniting.
Xiao Jin remained unmoved, but she had someone deliberately contact these people, ostensibly to use them as reinforcements to support the southern coastline. Secretly, the Dark Guards had already begun their deployment.
Time passed, minute by minute, second by second. Except for A Zone, which was still under the control of the main army's offensive and defensive operations, the other three zones had all fallen. Principal Jiang and the others received military orders and also left B Zone...
In the freezing weather, Principal Jiang, riding his aircraft, glanced at the demonic spirit groups that had begun to surface, using the frozen sea ice as cover. These groups previously dared not get too close to them. Now, with this defense, they began to manipulate the strongest ice and water elements in the sea from behind the ice layer, launching frenzied attacks. This forced them to increase their flight altitude and also prevented them from using their fleet to attack these demonic spirits from a distance.
"We're returning to the coastline, but won't they just follow us there? I don't know what happened at the coastline to cause such a sudden redeployment."
"It's definitely not something good. Why do I have a bad feeling again?"
Principal Jiang touched his forehead and sighed softly: This was a miscalculation. I didn't know there was such a huge conspiracy in the Southern Sea Region. Those poor little brats, they must have all encountered this. I estimate Qu Jiangnan didn't make it in time either... I wonder how the Xiao siblings will handle it, and the other families from the three prefectures.
"Speaking of which, if the worst happens, after this crisis, won't my Danzhou Academy ostensibly be left with only A'Diao, that one troublemaker?"
Wouldn't she become a precious treasure then? With her personality, wouldn't she push her luck and take advantage? Wouldn't she swindle me out of everything I have?
Principal Jiang's face soured.
A'Diao had no idea what others were thinking. She spent 20 minutes, relying on her powerful willpower and control, to finally master the connection and guidance of the mental threads in her brain. Whether it was painful in between, let's not mention it; there's no need to.
Time was tight, so she didn't pay any attention to the pain at all. Anyway, she had pinched her hand bones several times.
After successfully establishing the connection, she began to try releasing the mental threads... Did it work?
It worked.
Her prediction was correct.
"Thanks also to Big Sister Qu for the inspiration. It finally worked."
Originally, at a normal pace, it would have taken her another month of practice to successfully externalize her mental threads. Now, she had achieved it ahead of schedule, and the effect exceeded her imagination.
The flexibility, controllability, and range of the externalized threads were much better than what Qu Jiangnan had described.
"All spiritual paths in the world are one family. The demonic spirits learn our human language and culture, engaging in all sorts of petty schemes and calculations. It's no loss for me to copy their racial talent."
A'Diao was aware of the passage of time throughout this process. After successfully achieving the externalization of her mental threads, she only had ten minutes left. And now, the altar on the Five Elements Cult's side was also ten minutes from activation, and the same for the Snow Demons' side.
To avoid giving the other side time and opportunity to launch a sneak attack, they must have long ago agreed to synchronize. This way, neither side would be at a disadvantage. So, which side would A'Diao choose to cause trouble for now?
A choice between two.
A'Diao decisively chose the Snow Demon King's side. She transformed into a Snow Demon again and headed towards the Snow Demon King's lair.
Wasn't she afraid of being seen through by her?
Not anymore, because her spiritual body had been disguised by a mental net, completely mimicking the spiritual characteristics of the demonic spirit race. Let alone the Snow Demon King, even if the Snow Demon King's own mother came, she wouldn't recognize her.
But before that, she prepared to send one last message back.
Now that she was confident she could stir things up, she had to remind the Xiao siblings so they could coordinate properly and maximize the benefits in the end.
But A'Diao's plans were good, yet she discovered the Soaring Serpent could no longer transmit information.
Damn! Wasn't this thing supposed to be awesome? How come it's not working?!
"It's over. It must be because that bastard Cult Leader preheated the altar, affecting its operation. That altar is truly formidable."
A'Diao cursed inwardly. If she wasn't confident now, it would be one thing. But now that she had a plan, watching it fail to achieve maximum benefit due to poor communication made her feel like she was missing out on a fortune.
Fortunately, after A'Diao tried a few times, she discovered that the current frequency of the altar's formation could only affect complete information transmission, but the most primitive electromagnetic wave rhythms were still possible...
A'Diao's eyes narrowed. She resorted to transmitting messages using the most difficult electromagnetic wave coded rhythmic language.
Xiao Jin was too far away; it might not reach her. Then send it directly to Xiao Mieluo!
Right, this Grand Governor should know this electromagnetic rhythmic language, right?
While A'Diao was working on the intelligence, she headed towards the Snow Demon King's lair.
At this moment, Xiao Mieluo had just finished relaying information with Xiao Jin when, unexpectedly, a second wave arrived. This time, there was no need to evade the Imperial Court, because it was a connection between two inherited items, not going through the main satellite "Sheng Tang," so the Imperial Family couldn't intercept the information.
But when he looked, the signal was garbled?
Zhao Ritian had sent a jumble of garbled code...
Xiao Mieluo understood the garbled code and got the intelligence. It was very short, the message very clear: I'll take down their leader, return, and wipe them all out.
Xiao Mieluo was slightly stunned, but his eyes quickly lit up.
Was it credible?
Should he entrust the battle situation to this person?
But Xiao Mieluo didn't overthink it. Because even without this message from Zhao Ritian, the deployments he and his sister had made were in line with Zhao Ritian's hopes. It was just that now, the situation was such that he, Xiao Jin, and this Zhao Ritian had all reached the same strategic objective—to let the demonic spirit army form a grand alliance!
And then, wipe them all out in one go.
Three minutes later, A'Diao arrived outside the lair. She mingled with a group of Level 6 Snow Demons and entered the lair, looking at the densely packed copper censers on the altar ahead.
With a glance, A'Diao discovered that besides her puppet body, Song Ling and the others were all on the Snow Demon King's side, but they had all been knocked unconscious by some means.
Uh, seeing the red welts on some people's heads, even though the situation was so critical, A'Diao couldn't help but feel a bit of schadenfreude: Could it be physical knockout? Look at the red, swollen lumps on Yuan Shu and the others' foreheads!
Seven minutes remaining.
All preparations were complete. The Snow Demon King, within the icy chrysalis, began to activate the altar, and all 100 copper censers began to burn.
A'Diao didn't move.
She was waiting for the right moment. Even if those on the brink of life and death were her few friends, and also the prodigies crucial to the foundation of the Five Prefectures, she remained unmoved.
Those who accomplish great things must control their emotions, endure, and act only after careful planning!
The altar's power activated, and the entire air throbbed with a terrifying, mysterious force. It affected energy, spiritual bodies, it affected everything. And the people in the copper censers, though unconscious, felt a terrifying power; it was extracting everything from them into the altar.
Soon, hundreds of thick energy threads snaked through the altar, just like what the weak A'Diao had seen at the Danzhou distillery back then.
It was extracting human life force in a way that defied humanity, to achieve someone else's supreme accomplishment!
The progress on its side was about the same as on the Cult Leader's side.
Both sides were progressing at roughly the same rapid pace. A'Diao was preparing; she was waiting, waiting for Xiao Jin's side to make a move.
Having received the intelligence, she would definitely obstruct this altar.
That would be her opportunity, increasing her chances of success. Would Xiao Jin succeed?
Above the Snow Demon Lair on the southern coast of the Five Prefectures, after the Dark Guards arrived, they indeed set up the energy interference net and the formation to counter the altar according to Xiao Jin's deployment, both carried out simultaneously.
With Xiao Jin's order, they activated!
They were seen to be operating, but... the Dark Guards suddenly sensed... something was wrong!
Boom!!
Long-range attacks bombarded them; the Dark Guards intercepted one wave, but some light waves still hit the energy interference net's equipment, destroying several units.
"Enemy attack!!!"
The Dark Guards launched a fierce assault on this group of attackers, but the enemy's offensive was ferocious and well-prepared. They had clearly known the confidential details of Xiao Jin's deployment beforehand!
Damn!
The Dark Guard leader realized two things.
1. There was a traitor within the Intelligence Bureau.
2. The intelligence sharing between Xiao Jin and Xiao Mieluo had been exposed and exploited by the enemy to sabotage this layer of deployment. Then, Xiao Jin's promise to Xiao Mieluo of delaying for an hour would become empty talk.
What to do!!!
Voom!
The light pillars from the two altars beneath the lair had already formed, soaring into the sky!
They... had failed to obstruct it!
The Dark Guards despaired. And the Five Prefectures allied forces, outwardly united but inwardly discordant, also wavered. What to do?! The situation was dire. If they still entered the fray, they feared they would not only lose the already missing disciples and personnel but perhaps even sacrifice their current forces.
The Dongguo Clan members chose to wait and see. Seeing this, the other clans... The Han Clan members suddenly all went in.
Why? Because their clan only had one heir!!!
While the Five Prefectures Alliance hesitated, suddenly!
Voom!!!
A huge energy interference net and another large formation activated in the eastern direction!
Everyone: "??!!!!"
The Li Clan suddenly reacted, their eyes flashing, "Xiao Jin, what an impressive Xiao Jin!!"
She had long known the secrets would be leaked.
And knew the matter of the formation would be sabotaged.
So she had prepared another wave...
"But the formation masters she summoned were already in the previous wave. Could the Xiao Clan have other formation masters?"
The Li Clan Patriarch shook his head, "I'm afraid, she herself is that formation master."
Holy crap!
"There's still room to maneuver in this situation! Advance!!!"
The Five Prefectures allied forces no longer hesitated and all entered the coastal front line. After all, given the current situation, if they retreated, they might find temporary peace, but if the demonic spirits invaded the Five Prefectures, they would sooner or later become lambs to the slaughter.
Regardless of what role the Imperial Court would play in this matter, regardless of how much benefit the several hegemon families of the Five Prefectures would have to cede because of this, regardless of whether only the Xiao Clan of Qingzhou was the victim this time.
At least at this moment, the interests of their Five Prefectures were aligned.
A'Diao still waited for Xiao Jin's move, and also saw the Snow Demon King's fury.
"Damn Five Elements Cult, claiming it was foolproof!!!"
This was just like when the Level 6 Sea Falcon discovered it had been backstabbed and its two allies were slacking off. It was furious, and its first reaction was to suspect it had been deceived.
This had nothing to do with the intelligence gap between the two, but rather the natural distrust between humans and demonic spirits, and the current situation was indeed very suspicious.
But more importantly... the altar was unstable! Suppressed, affected, this was its weakest moment. Seizing the moment when the Snow Demon King had to focus on stabilizing the altar, A'Diao suddenly struck!
Of all 5555 mental threads, she could currently deploy a maximum of only 99. Even so, it already made her head ache, but to ensure success, she still exerted her utmost effort.
Voom!
Her second Spiritual Core erupted, techniques initiated, Dao seals formed. Ninety-nine mental threads activated, instantly externalized and shot into the altar, and forcibly altered a totem within the altar!
Speaking of altering formation diagrams, she had done it back when she was still a newbie.
However, times had changed; she had upgraded her arsenal. Now, she didn't need to change much, just altering one totem was enough to achieve her goal.
Change the Devouring Totem to a Reversal Totem.
"Devour... Reverse!!!"
A'Diao's mental threads frantically surged in, forcibly rewriting that small totem... The altar resisted, and the Snow Demon King also sensed it. Horrified, it let out a terrifying shriek, and a mental shockwave surged towards A'Diao.
Faster, it must be faster!
Before she was hit by the mental shockwave... complete the reversal!
Voom!
The moment the totem changed, the formation's power instantly erupted and distorted. The fluctuations changed from the original spiraling spirit devouring to extracting spiritual power from the Snow Demon King's body... The Snow Demon King was already in a breakthrough state and was constrained by the formation. From breakthrough to having its spiritual power drained, this was an irreversible backlash. To prevent its spiritual core foundation from being completely destroyed, it could only expend a large amount of its spiritual body to stabilize the altar.
Severe damage!!!
A double severe blow to its spiritual body and foundation!
In that instant, the entire altar was ruined. To save its life, it could only forcibly interrupt the altar. But was it so easy to stop? A wave of fluctuations, like a tsunami, crashed down, severely damaging the spiritual bodies of all the Snow Demons in the lair. And in that same instant... the Extreme Cold Confinement, it was broken!
The King accounted for 50% of the Extreme Cold Confinement's power.
One hundred thousand Snow Demons accounted for the remaining 50% of the Extreme Cold Confinement's power. At this moment, regardless of their location within the lair, they were all severely mentally damaged by this shockwave.
Also in this instant.
Someone in the copper censers opened their eyes.
Those with strong mental power, prodigies, or those with naturally strong spiritual bodies woke up the fastest. But they were still in the copper censers... The censers had restrictions; they were still trapped.
The situation was not yet resolved.
But the Snow Demon King wasn't dead; it was still there. As for A'Diao, after being hit by this mental shockwave.
Pfft!!!
A'Diao spat blood, and her body was sent flying. After spitting blood, she flipped up. Her spiritual body was too strong; she withstood this wave of attack. Taking advantage of the disappearance of the Extreme Cold Confinement's power.
She unleashed her ultimate.
First, she directly detonated her puppet body!
Bombardment!
This wave of attack caused all 100 copper censers to explode, freeing all the cultivators.
But this also meant these Snow Demons could use Daoist techniques to attack. There were tens of thousands of them here. The Snow Demon King shrieked, "Kill them!!"
Second, seeing the impending slaughter by the Snow Demon clan, before they could act, A'Diao, no longer restricted by the Extreme Cold Confinement, seized the initiative and activated her twin Spiritual Cores first.
A group curse attack... Turn into pigs?
No, that would expose her identity. She used the one she had bought a long time ago but never had a chance to use—the Uncontrollable Emotions gift package skill!
Come on, let her see the effect!
Voom!!!
After Level 25, with her various enhancements and spiritual body improvements, it had sublimated, changing from single-target to group-target.
In an instant, most of the Snow Demons present were controlled by a mysterious power.
"Be uncontrollably emotional for me, my children!" After A'Diao uttered this cringeworthy curse incantation.
Whoosh.
A group of Snow Demons' knees went weak, their heads spun, and thud thud thud, they all knelt down collectively. And they collectively shouted: "Grandchildren pay respects to Daddy! Greetings, Daddy! May you have wives and concubines in droves, countless male consorts, a hall full of children and grandchildren, live a long life of a hundred years, kowtow!!!"
Thump! They kowtowed.
The sound was quite loud; their foreheads were swollen.
A'Diao: "???"
Snow Demon King: "..."
The cultivators who had just emerged from the copper censers: "..."
Because A'Diao still looked like a Snow Demon, Han Zhuo and the others thought she was still that previous Snow Demon. This turn of events was too sudden. Their first reaction was—is it you? The sycophant? The sycophant has rebelled and become a daddy????
Everyone's mental power instantly skyrocketed!
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