ASER - Chapter 168
Chapter 168: Instant Kill!
Star Realm, lower grade. It could only be lower grade; otherwise, how heaven-defying would that be?
Even a supreme genius like Dantai Ke, rooted in a imperial clan, had to advance according to the golden progression curve and the extent of foundation building. Advancing too quickly would mean an overflow of resources, making the foundation like an overstuffed glutton—bloated and unable to absorb nourishment.
However, upon reaching the Star Realm, it becomes very difficult to fight above one's level. Advancement primarily relies on Star Coins and energy sources of the same tier. Subpar energy sources incur conversion losses, known as energy degradation loss, which is mentioned in spiritual cultivation energy studies. Chen Xun and his group probably understand this best—when designing and creating high-level forbidden items, they must use high-grade energy to achieve greater destructive power. Otherwise, they would need to equip more powerful energy converters, which are even rarer and more expensive than high-grade energy.
Star Coins are one such source; others include the spirit cores of Level 10 or higher demonic spirits, corresponding to the Star Realm. Spirit cores of this tier have undergone a qualitative change, different from previous ones. Regardless, after the Star Realm, the difficulty of cultivation advancement is immense, but so is the progress. The power gap between lower grade and middle grade is also vast, like the chasm between A-rank and the Dust-Transcending Realm. The difference between below Star Realm and above Star Realm is likewise a chasm.
So, how would A'Diao defy this chasm and withstand his attack?
Dantai Ke was different from Dantai Yu.
Very different.
At the very least, this descending Unity Sword was also instantaneous, and its attack speed was faster and more ruthless than A'Diao's.
This was a true Star Realm kill!
Could she withstand it?
First, 303 opened.
The dimensional space blocked one wave, then the spatial carrier blocked another. She used the superposition of the two spaces to wash away the lock-on traction on her body. But simultaneously, both 303 and the spatial carrier were blasted apart by the Unity Sword.
Even though she was stronger, and 303 was stronger, they still couldn't block this terrifying sword strike.
The cultivation gap was too vast.
It spanned two major cultivation realms.
It was too terrifying; this sword strike was like a cannonball blasting through a wooden plank.
But her goal wasn't to withstand it, but to buy time.
One second of traction, half a second to teleport.
Swoosh!
A'Diao spatially teleported to the sky above a bamboo forest three hundred meters away. Before she could stabilize her flight device, the hairs on her back suddenly stood on end.
The fundamental bamboo spirit resilience was extracted from the hundred thousand severed bamboo stalks from before.
This was the spirit of the bamboo, and also a form of manipulating spirituality.
During the aptitude test, the spirituality nurtured in the cultivation pool of the fifth stage was related to this.
All things have spirits; the collective spirit can be absorbed and controlled, transforming into a type of life energy.
In truth, the world of spiritual cultivation is very complex. Bloodline, aptitude, and Spiritual Body are all components of life, and spirituality is its direct manifestation. The stronger a life form's spirituality, the higher either some or all of these components will be; in any case, some aspect will be superior.
But to control it, one's own spirituality must also be formidable, or one must have been born with a talent specifically for spirituality through sheer luck. Anyway, in this world, just like A'Diao with her nested abilities like a Matryoshka doll, other prodigies also always have incredible trump cards.
This technique of controlling the spirituality of a hundred thousand severed bamboo stalks, even if not as breathtaking as the two spirit cores, was definitely as astonishing as the three thousand meridians.
Moreover, its attack method was very advanced.
After the bamboo's spirituality was extracted, its resilience became the most direct manifestation. A'Diao had no equivalent defensive method; energy shields and the like couldn't block it, so she was entangled by myriad green threads.
Bound!
Not far away, Xia Yuanyuan appeared mysteriously, hovering above the surging sea of bamboo. As always, her presence was inconspicuous, but when she struck, it was a royal flush.
A'Diao was completely unable to escape. Thus... Dantai Ke brought his fingers together, the Unity Sword fused a second time, and one sword strike pierced the void, directly spanning three hundred meters... penetrating from there to here.
With a swoosh, it pierced A'Diao's body.
At this moment, in the spectator stands, a man in a suit, ordinarily handsome but exuding the aura of an elite finance professional, adjusted his glasses. The handkerchief in the pocket of his crisp suit was exquisite and elegant, and his cufflinks gleamed.
He watched intently, his gaze shrewd and sharp, seemingly anticipating whether his own top-tier product could withstand the attack of a Star Realm cultivator.
If it were any other cultivator, like Zhou Yi, they would surely die.
But just as clothes make the man, the man also makes the clothes.
He had analyzed this person, A'Diao, countless times, and finally, using his authority, invested significant capital to give her this gift.
What kind of effect would it have?
Boom!!
One sword strike pierced through like a long rainbow.
It first encountered the Grade A spirit plant body, the Tortoise Breath Shell, which appeared abruptly!
What a large tortoise shell.
The sword tip stabbed into it. Clang!!
The tortoise shell trembled, cracked, and the sword pierced straight through!
In fact, the tortoise shell had already negated one-fifth of the destructive power.
Her physique and Spiritual Body were too strong; the power of the tortoise shell already far exceeded the effect when used by Hierarch Dongguo, but it still wasn't enough.
If she hadn't been bound, A'Diao would have already escaped in the second the tortoise shell blocked the attack. But she was entangled by the myriad bamboo green threads. The space around her body distorted, yet she still couldn't break free.
With two top-tier experts like Xia Yuanyuan and Dantai Ke joining forces, could they still let her escape?
Impossible!
Boom!! It pierced through and struck the armor.
This was the armor layer.
Buzz!!! The armor instantly manifested, covering her true body.
She couldn't avoid it.
Top-tier armor worth tens of billions—who didn't have it? In fact, in terms of true value, her set of armor was worth over a hundred billion.
Armor forged from materials refined from Star Stones—how much core technology would that require?
The two hundred billion A'Diao and Toilet had previously estimated was because they hadn't considered the Star Coin and Star Realm tier.
Because they never imagined Huayao Bank would invest so much.
So they hadn't thought in that direction. Later, when A'Diao started making plans, she tested its power and understood, and was very shocked at the time.
Could the big boss of Huayao Bank be her biological father? This thing was comparable to half a Star Realm defensive armor, possessing a hint of a Star Realm body's quality.
This was a limited edition from Huayao Bank, you know.
How many Glimmer Realm cultivators were worthy of wearing armor worth hundreds of billions?
Unless he was a prince, but she wasn't. Just an ordinary village girl.
Indeed, once the Phantom Armor appeared, it was as thin as a cicada's wing, but it was formidable—a metallic sheen with the texture of Star Coins... yet it also seemed very soft.
Force dissipation!
Another two-fifths of the destructive power was negated.
But two-fifths still remained. Her body's own armor came forth.
Golden light emanated from within, from bones to flesh and skin—complete innate body armor!
Another one-fifth was negated.
But there was still one-fifth left.
She had exhausted her tricks, with no more means left. If it had been any other part of her body, she might have survived, but Dantai Ke was aiming for her heart.
And so...
"Miss Xia, be careful!!!"
A hurried shout. Xia Yuanyuan herself had already felt a horrifying crisis enveloping her entire body, because she sensed that a mysterious brand had been placed on her.
What brand?
What the hell was this?
A type of mental secret art, a mental brand, quite advanced. And to place a brand on a Spiritual Body of her level could only mean the opponent's Spiritual Body was far superior to her own.
Chen A'Diao!!!
Xia Yuanyuan instinctively tried to dodge, but it was too late. Following Shen Huajing's hurried exclamation, a terrifying emerald demonic aura erupted from the center of the bamboo forest lake, more than two thousand meters away from them. If this had been black qi, it would undoubtedly be the Black Mountain Old Demon.
But this Demon King was also ferocious and terrifying. Its true body, concealed within the malevolent green qi, chased after Shen Huajing and her companion, heading straight this way. Its speed was terrifyingly fast, almost equivalent to teleportation.
By the time Shen Huajing exclaimed, it had already locked onto A'Diao's group's area, and specifically locked onto Xia Yuanyuan.
Because of... the mental brand.
It remembered the aura of the Spiritual Body that had injured its soul beneath the lake not long ago.
It was her!!!
The Emerald-Eyed Demon King was enraged. A mental shock to daze, plus a sweep of its tail with its true body... Xia Yuanyuan's face filled with panic. Before her head spun, she hurriedly redirected the myriad resilient green threads to defend in front of her.
Bind Chen A'Diao? Saving her own life was more important!
Boom!!! As Xia Yuanyuan was sent flying hundreds of meters by a tail swipe, crashing through a pile of bamboo, A'Diao broke free.
But when Dantai Ke saw the Emerald-Eyed Demon King, he knew she could break free.
This person's schemes were one linked to another; he had long since gathered power for a third sword strike.
This Ninth Prince was truly formidable. From his sudden appearance and attack, to the failure of two Unity Sword strikes, and then to gathering power for a third sword, less than a minute had passed.
Even a sports car's engine accelerating wasn't this impressive.
Yet he did unleash the third sword. But while the sword was there, he couldn't lock onto A'Diao, because... Buzz! He too had been mentally branded!
Damn it!
The Emerald-Eyed Demon King, which was originally going to kill Xia Yuanyuan, immediately attacked Dantai Ke instead.
This was a middle-grade Star Realm Demon King. Dantai Ke dodged without a second thought... How could he spare any attention to kill A'Diao?
But what he found terrifying was that A'Diao's Spiritual Body aura was completely restrained... This was what made the Demon King mistake its target.
So vicious, this dog A'Diao!
He wasn't the only one branded; Dantai Yu was too.
The three Star Realm cultivators were like pitiful scholars targeted by a group of female demons from Lanruo Temple, with no escape. The monster stared at them, its tail whipping wildly, demonic winds swirling to surround and precisely strike the three of them.
One against three!
(The Demon King's implied thought:) Serves you right for being so arrogant and blasting my territory everywhere!
Fuck! Chen A'Diao!
Boom! Dantai Yu was the unluckiest. Because he was the weakest among the three and his methods weren't as advanced as the other two, the Demon King naturally seized the opportunity to deal with him first.
A tail swept past... Xia Yuanyuan was hit, merely spitting blood, considered a moderate injury. But he was directly and severely injured.
His liver was about to be ruptured.
At the same time, the spatial cube barrier he controlled also cracked.
Numerous cultivators, regardless of their faction, were scared and fled in all directions. It was too terrifying, too terrifying.
This Chen A'Diao was a malignant tumor!
Dantai Ke and the others were silently cursing A'Diao... when they suddenly sensed a terrifying pressure. Even the Emerald-Eyed Demon King was shocked, its massive body shrinking back slightly.
All the examinees present looked sideways, only to see that A'Diao, who had a chance to escape, hadn't fled.
She had just... teleported to a different position.
Then she summoned... a tombstone?
Fortunately, it wasn't a grave mound, nor a coffin, but a tombstone.
What's this, are you going to smash someone to death with a tombstone?
Not quite. Just summoning this tombstone was enough to leave everyone dumbfounded.
It was a Dao Tablet of a Lesser Spirit King.
The purpose of summoning it was certainly not to burn incense, kowtow, and worship a master.
But rather... to amplify a mental attack.
She raised her hand, brought her fingertips together. A black-red bolt of lightning, about the thickness of a thumb, formed from the myriad Mental Threads condensed and released from between her eyebrows. This spiritual body passed through the Lesser Spirit King's Dao Tablet as an intermediary, then leaped into Dantai Yu's head in a wave of distorted lightning.
It was the speed of a blink, faster than lightning. After all, a spiritual substance doesn't need to pass through any medium in space; it's almost instantaneous teleportation.
And so...
Dantai Yu only felt his head buzzing, and then... the world went black.
He fell from high in the sky, but didn't hit the ground, because his body was swept away and collected by someone with a flick of their sleeve.
Then that person ran off, carrying the tombstone.
Her appearance was like that of a peerless fairy, but her actions were as shameless as an old dog.
Just like that, she ran off.
As she ran, she didn't forget to act cool and deliver some harsh words.
"What trash Star Realm? I, Chen A'Diao, am a peerless talent! If I say I'll kill you, I'll kill you! I specifically chose this auspicious day!"
"Pah!"
What kind of peerless old schemer was this!?? Why doesn't heaven strike her down with a bolt of Dao lightning!
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