ASER - Chapter 231
Chapter 231: Don't Move
Toilet was still a bit curious. He felt there was a BUG that could affect Dantai Ye's judgment, and in turn, A'Diao's plan.
"For example, if you blew up the Sun-form hiding spot, wouldn't he be able to sense it?"
"Of course he can't sense it, because he's currently hiding in the Tang Song Imperial Palace."
Toilet: "?"
A'Diao sneered coldly, "Those old fogeys from the Imperial Family are resurrecting the Great Spirit King. In their eyes, he's just a puppet, and Dao Guangjingci is also under control. The entire Imperial Palace is their territory. The Great Spirit King could awaken at any moment. Once awakened, with the strength of the Imperial Family's first-generation Great Spirit Kings, a sweep of their spiritual bodies would leave the entire Imperial Palace exposed. And this Dantai Ye is, after all, a Human-Demon. The reason he can hide is, firstly, his previous cultivation was not weaker than the Imperial Family's Great Elder and others, and secondly, he uses his half-human body to conceal his demonic nature. So right now, he's worried about being detected by the Demon Cave on one hand, and threatened by the Imperial Family's Great Spirit King on the other. After returning to the Imperial Palace, he will definitely seal himself off, only revealing his pure and harmless human form – I discovered this before. When calculating the teleportation map data, why would such a cautious person take a shortcut and directly give the answer, thus exposing himself? It was simply because he wanted to save time then, to avoid using his strength for too long and being detected in the Imperial Palace."
And when A'Diao was "retrieving" the Sun-form resources, she was deliberately cautious and evasive because she guessed this fellow would risk returning to the Tang Song Imperial Family to steal things. At that time, if he used his strength, he would likely sense that the ellipsoid was taken, which is why she was cautious.
But now it's different.
To take it a step further, even if he did sense it, he wouldn't leave the Tang Song Imperial Palace.
Toilet: "Why?"
A'Diao: "One radish, one pit. If the radish actively leaves its pit, don't you think others will see that this radish has gained sentience? At that point, his identity would be actively exposed. On one hand, he'd offend the Tang Song Imperial Family, and on the other, he'd be hunted by the Demonic Spirit clan. Do you think he'd be that foolish?"
"Fleeing directly is the worst option, especially when he hasn't retrieved his resources."
"Right now, he's simply making the least risky choice amidst his indecision."
Since A'Diao had made a judgment about someone and was utterly confident, she basically considered that person no longer a threat. Then, she entered her own cultivation state.
In the Huaiguang Mountain Range, Baiyue Lingxi and other Wu Mountain experts had managed to protect many Tang Song cultivators and had also fought many Demonic Spirits and Demon Kings. But after some time, the Wu Mountain experts each assessed the data from the poisonous insects they had detected and reached a terrifying conclusion.
A Wu Mountain expert: "Your Highness Saintess, the situation is not good."
Baiyue Lingxi was also calculating spatial data. Afterwards, her expression became solemn. She released a crimson butterfly from within her body and proactively said to the others, "Retreat. We can't stay here any longer."
The other Tang Song people were somewhat unwilling, because up to now, they hadn't managed to save anyone else. If they left just like that, wouldn't it have been a wasted trip?
Baiyue Lingxi paid them no mind and directly led her own experts to find a way out. Seeing this, the others panicked for a moment and finally followed them silently.
Pavilions and towers, quiet, elegant, and secluded. The wind blew over the turquoise lake, creating shimmering ripples. But in the underground secret chamber of a pavilion, a haggard and pale woman's breath was faint, thread by thread.
She was confined, and her demeanor made her seem even more like a vibrant and alluring woman.
After a while, she woke up. She saw the space before her at a glance. While she was lost in thought, the door to the secret chamber opened, and someone came.
Not composed at all; at least, she saw an indescribable gloom in Dantai Ye's eyes.
Although her main body was cultivating, upon seeing those eyes, she casually said, "You're afraid. It seems something has happened. Could it be that you've been exposed?"
Facing such an opponent, playing dumb was useless. You had to follow his thoughts closely, pressuring him step by step, to show your presence.
Presence is reality.
Dantai Ye indeed glanced at A'Diao. "If you continue to be this clever, you'll die easily."
A'Diao: "You say that as if you weren't going to kill me today anyway. But where is this? It doesn't look like the Imperial Palace, otherwise you wouldn't dare to act, fearing too much commotion. So, this place is?"
"The darkest place is under the lamp, the most hidden. Could it be your former Crown Prince's residence?"
"After all, you had a certain special regard for your Crown Princess – so special that you deliberately chose to kill her when she was pregnant, thereby leaving the child in her womb as your evidence – you were afraid of your Human-Demon identity being exposed long ago, weren't you? So you manipulated her pregnancy, making her conceive a human fetus. This way, if you were ever in danger of being exposed, you could use this human fetus to make a case and prove your innocence. But because you manipulated the gestation, it affected the mother's body, which led to her tragic death..."
Before she could finish her words, her throat was slit open by a sharp blade.
Blood gushed out like a spring.
Dantai Ye's eyes were cold and vicious. Without saying much, he took out the Undead Sky Lantern and Soul-Devouring Water, about to perform a procedure on A'Diao.
Suddenly, a voice transmission came from outside. It was from another Human-Demon subordinate he had placed in the Crown Prince's residence, relaying an order from the Demon King's Palace, telling him to immediately prepare to assist in launching a war.
Launch it now?
The time wasn't ripe. Something must have happened in the Demonic Spirit world to make the Demon King's Palace so anxious.
Could it be that he had exposed the matter of the Sun-form resources?
Dantai Ye, though worried, found it difficult to refuse the Demon King's Palace, so he replied that he understood.
A'Diao deliberately "feigned cleverness" again. The flesh of her throat was automatically repairing itself. Before it was fully repaired, she spoke with a hoarse voice, "Is this the Undead Sky Lantern? You want to devour my soul to seize my memories? This isn't a simple task; it will take a lot of time. And looking at your expression, either the Demon King's Palace is anxious and wants to launch the Demon Cave war ahead of schedule, or something has happened with the Tang Song Imperial Family that requires your presence. You're out of time, my Crown Prince brother."
Such a great beauty, yet unfortunately, she opened her mouth. But her physique was indeed terrifying.
Dantai Ye watched her neck heal completely in an instant. He couldn't help but feel envious in his heart, and because of this, he coveted the mutation abilities brought by the Sun-form substance even more.
However, this time, he stared at A'Diao and sneered coldly, "You seem to think you're the only one in the world with a clone. And with the Undead Sky Lantern in hand, enhanced by a spiritual body, why would I worry about not being able to deal with you?"
Huh?
Obviously, this Dantai Ye was a clone, capable enough to perform the soul-devouring on her.
Meanwhile, Dantai Ye's main body was in the palace; he had to cooperate with the Demonic Spirit clan to initiate the Demon Cave war.
As for the clone Dantai Ye, he controlled the Undead Sky Lantern. The lamp was lit, its candlelight flickered, and entered A'Diao's pupils...
Deep into the soul!
But A'Diao's substitute was resisting.
Yes, constantly resisting. The longer the resistance, the better, to delay Dantai Ye from discovering everything.
Five days later.
In the land of Danzhou, Xiao Du and others from the south, following Xiao Mieluo's arrangements, came to train under Jiang Zhou.
This old man's strength might not necessarily surpass other headmasters, but his scheming was truly profound. It wasn't without his contribution that people like A'Diao and Song Ling were nurtured – at least the academic atmosphere of Danzhou Academy was very special.
Of course, the most important thing was that they all saw A'Diao and Qu Jiangnan standing behind Jiang Zhou. Otherwise, how could his and Xie Jingyu's cultivation levels advance by leaps and bounds, all breaking through to Junior Grandmaster now? And Tian Zhongxiang and others had now mostly enrolled in Minghai University. They avoided the influence of Kyoto, fearing precise control by the Imperial Family. But after entering Minghai and enjoying the resources, they all chose to cultivate externally, returning to Danzhou to join the military department, which was tantamount to achieving a connection of their forces under the warlord faction controlled by Xiao Mieluo.
This was taking sides.
Since this was the case, the entire southern sea region naturally coalesced around their small group.
But now... Xiao Du and the others had been hiding in Danzhou's Jinling City for many days.
Neither going out on expeditions nor attending classes to cultivate. What were they doing?
The disguised Tian Zhongxiang was hidden at the entrance of a bustling commercial street, squatting on the ground eating liangpi. Seeing many people in the group chat complaining, especially those from the north, she said to everyone, "Old Jiang looks all smiles, but he's actually ruthless. He doesn't have Song Ling's charm, nor A'Diao's methods. Don't be a troublemaker."
Let's not even mention A'Diao; she doesn't conform to conventions and has no reference value.
But Song Ling was the true standard template for someone holding the cards for a comeback. She was low-key, secretive, had a reserved personality, and never showed off. But in terms of charm, she was clearly much more positive than A'Diao. Along the way, even many competitors had a natural fondness for her.
Appearance, temperament, emotional intelligence plus IQ – these were all components of charm.
Whether it was teachers like Jiang Zhou or those from Lushan, they all later showed a unique preference for Song Ling.
Therefore, Song Ling had the qualification to follow A'Diao in breaking rules and being unconventional. Others?
No way.
Jiang Zhou and Qu Jiangnan always believed that brains and cunning were the primary survival skills. Otherwise, having only cultivation without them would make one a novice prone to falling into traps and getting themselves killed. So Jiang Zhou was never in a hurry to improve the cultivation of these young people, but rather to train their temperament and resilience.
Lying low is also a form of survival.
Tian Zhongxiang and a few others were A'Diao's and Song Ling's confidantes. Their cultivation levels were now basically at the forefront. Her words carried weight, and many people calmed down. At this moment, Xiao Du's brow suddenly twitched.
"Something's wrong, be careful!!!"
He exclaimed in alarm. From the small bridge and flowing water by the side of the street, the water surface tore apart. A group of shadows shot out from underwater, suspended high in the air. They spread the thin, cicada-like wings on their backs towards the dense crowd on the ground. The wings trembled, unleashing a barrage of sharp blades.
The hidden crowd erupted one after another, intercepting these sharp blades.
"It's a level-seven Demonic Spirit, Water Dragonfly Spirit!"
"Stop them! Quickly notify the military department to evacuate..."
For a moment, the bustling street was plunged into the bloodiness of a massacre.
The entire capital city was in chaos!
In Jinling Academy, Jiang Zhou flew up, looking at the turmoil near the city's water areas, his face grim.
Damn it!
If Jinling, which wasn't even on the main course of the Huaiguang water system, had such a large number of Demonic Spirits infiltrating, what about other cities?
Especially those large cities traversed by the main waterways, wouldn't they be filled with wails of anguish now?!
The cities of Tang Song were like ignited fire points on a map, in chaos everywhere. But after all, the Tang Song imperial court, the military, and the cultivator groups were prepared. The crisis in the Huaiguang Mountain Range hadn't been a matter of just a day or two; they had deployments. So this wave of turmoil was blocked at the time. It was just that the commotion was too big, and the news spread directly to the other two nations.
Lie Qin and Nan Jin's attitudes towards this were somewhat subtle. Superficially, they expressed sympathy, but what they were really thinking depended on how the armies of the two nations were deployed.
At this time, on Lie Qin's side, the Lie Qin Monarch, a man of grand strategy and ambition, always strong-willed, domineering, and possessing an emperor's disposition, directly ordered – station troops at the border, ready to support Tang Song at any time.
Nan Jin made a similar announcement as Lie Qin.
After both nations issued international announcements, they chose to dispatch millions of elite soldiers and high-level cultivators in large numbers to the borders closest to Tang Song.
From two directions, one south and one north, they pincered the now war-torn Tang Song.
At this moment, Yu Xuanji and other Lushan experts had already gathered, planning to enter the Huaiguang Mountain Range for a rescue. When they learned that various Demonic Spirit races had quietly infiltrated the water systems, evaded official equipment surveillance, and entered the heartland of the cities to massacre, they were momentarily shocked.
"So fast?"
"Impossible! Most of our Tang Song forces are currently stationed in the water regions, with strict investigations. How could so many Demonic Spirits have infiltrated?"
"It seems technological equipment isn't effective. It still falls to us cultivators. I'll send people over immediately."
Everyone present was a big shot from various factions, preparing to dispatch their forces. Lushan was doing the same. But Yu Xuanji suddenly saw a butterfly fly in through the window. His expression changed slightly as he read an urgent message from Baiyue Lingxi from it.
The message read – The Demon Cave in the Huaiguang Mountain Range is not right. The spatial aura is changing. There's a high probability that war will break out directly.
Yu Xuanji's eyes flashed. He suddenly shouted in a low voice, "Have the military department guard the river regions; they can still use military equipment there. All cultivator groups, station your troops in Huaiguang! Don't fall for their trick! The Demon Cave is creating a diversion, trying to lure all cultivators to the river water areas in various cities."
What???
While everyone was greatly alarmed, at this very moment, thunder rumbled outside the window. The sky turned overcast, and a storm approached, the wind carrying a demonic qi that smelled like rust.
"Spatial distortion, secret realm thundering, the Demon Cave is coming! And it's a large-scale Demon Cave! A Demon King-level entity will surely descend. What a grand move by the Demonic Spirit world!"
Yu Xuanji's expression was heavy, and the others were also shaken.
"It's over. The forces on the outskirts of Huaiguang have all retreated to nearby capital cities for rescue. The defenses on the periphery of the Huaiguang Mountain Range must be weak now."
Yu Xuanji made a decisive decision, "The priority is to defend our nation. Everything else can be temporarily set aside."
In other words, the people couldn't be saved.
As A'Diao had judged, no matter what, Yu Xuanji and Lushan would always stand for the national interests of Tang Song.
Defending the nation was the highest priority.
The old ancestors of the Duanmu family, Cao family, and other Daoist sect experts were all silent at this moment. Then, many high-ranking old men and women stood up, waving their hands to signal the forces behind them to obey.
"Defend our nation."
"Go!"
Just like in the first generation, just like in every battle of that era, many people, like at this very moment, had to make the most tragic choices.
Thus, all these people teleported to the periphery of the Huaiguang Mountain Range. At this moment, they happened to see a breach open in the dense, heavy demonic fog of the Huaiguang Mountain Range, from which a mushroom cloud-like black hole shot out.
It released an even more massive demonic fog, like an enveloping dark world, constantly expanding. And as it expanded, everyone saw dense black shadows within the demonic fog...
It's unknown who was so terrified that they gasped, but the cold breath hadn't even reached their throat.
The Demonic Spirit army emerged. Flying creatures stirred dark clouds, beasts trod on black winds – surging, fierce, violent, and cruel. They charged towards the experts currently on the front line.
Among them, Yu Xuanji spotted several Great Demon Kings revealed within the dark, heavy fog.
They're here.
These Great Demon Kings, second only to Junior Demon Kings.
"Be careful. The Junior Demon Kings should be in the shadows. Stick together, don't get separated." Yu Xuanji was experienced. Seeing these Great Demon Kings, he didn't rush into battle but instead called for the other experts to fight as a team.
Just moments ago, he was saying "Defend our nation," so resolute and imposing. Now, he turned around and instructed them to hunker down, the more hunkered down the better.
The Demon Cave war erupted. Dantai Ye's main body was still in the imperial court, nominally in charge of the entire nation, acting as a mascot puppet, urging the people of the nation to "remain calm, be strong, trust the court, trust the monarch..."
The populace was indeed stabilized, but they soon learned that millions of troops from two nations were stationed at the borders, totaling over ten million. And the most dangerous situation was in the Huaiguang Mountain Range, where the commotion from the battles involving Mountain Head-level experts was so immense it directly caused celestial phenomena.
Internal turmoil erupted in Tang Song. The internet was filled with wails of despair.
What is national karmic luck?
Stable and prosperous, prosperous and peaceful.
Just as before a faction had outrageously insulted A'Diao, now the populace turned around and insulted the Imperial Family and the imperial court, thinking they were all useless...
Karmic luck was unstable.
A'Diao sensed it because she had obtained a complete karmic luck Dragon Vein and could sense that another massive Dragon Vein of karmic luck for the entire Tang Song nation was trembling.
The Demon King's Palace was formidable. With this move, they directly shook the national karmic luck of Tang Song.
Even A'Diao sensed it. The members of the Imperial Family, who inherently benefited from the national karmic luck, naturally also knew the crisis of the situation. Thus, the Imperial Family's move came – to have the Empress Dowager and the Monarch lead the troops personally on an expedition.
This was a suggestion proposed by some core cabinet elders who were against the Tianling Clan and other foreign races. However, there was also strong opposition from new factions supporting the new monarch, but it eventually took shape.
Because this played right into the hands of the Great Elder and others.
One was a puppet, the other a pawn. Naturally, they could be sacrificed at any time. Pushing them out to stabilize the situation was for the best.
Could this be refused?
Even Dao Guangjingci couldn't refuse, let alone the "super puppet monarch" Dantai Ye.
Thus, even if the latter was unwilling, he could only be pushed to the forefront.
So, the experts of the Dantai Imperial Family gathered. With the cooperation of the military department, it was broadcast live to the entire nation – look, the Empress Dowager and the new Monarch are going on an expedition... for the country, for the people.
With this deployment, Chen Xun, as the head of the Ministry of Works providing equipment, raised his eyes and exchanged a look with Dao Guangjingci.
At that moment, they both understood some of the other's pawns in the imperial court.
Those court factions that had emerged were from Chen Xun; he had deliberately arranged for them to oppose this matter.
But the cabinet elders who proposed this suggestion and "entrapped the Empress Dowager" – were actually Dao Guangjingci's people.
Both were black-hearted, following A'Diao's plan to push Dantai Ye onto the battlefield. Now they were just waiting for the results.
On the front lines of the Huaiguang Mountain Range, Yu Xuanji and the others had already retreated ten li.
They simply couldn't hold it.
The difference in strength was too great.
"In the first generation, such a large-scale Demon Cave targeted the safety of the human race. At that time, the three nations and even all factions could form a united front. Three hundred years have passed, times have changed, people's hearts are divided, everyone is just looking out for their own small territory. This battle is too difficult."
Some veteran experts sighed while fighting bloody battles.
The others were silent and somber. They no longer expected the other two nations and the two Hierarchs to come and help. Because even Lushan could only arrange for Baiyue Lingxi and others to help gather intelligence, but couldn't go against Nan Jin's interests to help Tang Song.
So...
This time, Tang Song was fighting with their backs to the river!
The Tang Song Imperial Family's grand army and the military department's most advanced offensive equipment were in place.
"Prepare, attack~!!!"
Hundreds of massive warships readied their laser beams. They fired, like a dense net, bombarding the expanding Demonic Spirit army in the vast Huaiguang Mountain Range on a large scale.
At the same time, the Imperial Family experts swooped down... supporting Yu Xuanji and other front-line experts from behind.
On the royal flagship, Dantai Ye saw the scene of slaughter below. His face and eyes were full of worry, but in his heart, he was extremely indifferent.
Most of his attention was devoted to his clone.
Over there, he was about to succeed.
In the secret chamber, A'Diao's substitute was already on its last legs, even 90% of its spiritual body had burned.
Of course, Dantai Ye's clone was also about to collapse. But the Undead Sky Lantern was, after all, a spiritual treasure of the transcendent limit. It assisted Dantai Ye, allowing him to finally endure until the point of successfully devouring A'Diao's soul.
Finally!
Success!!!
The moment of success, the expressions of both Dantai Ye's clone and main body froze. Because they both sensed it – deep within this A'Diao's soul... there was no spiritual sea.
As if enlightened in an instant, Dantai Ye's scalp tingled. He connected all the strange occurrences. Panic climbed into his heart, and ruthlessness reached his eyes. In his fury, he suddenly blasted a palm towards A'Diao's head.
And as this palm descended, he saw the look in A'Diao's eyes as she looked up.
She was burning her spiritual body.
So ruthless.
Boom!!! The restriction controlling her shattered. The so-called confinement was also directly undone by her. Terrifying power burst forth from her body...
The two attacks collided. The destructive power, comparable to that of a Great Spirit King, directly blasted the entire Crown Prince's residence.
The entire secret chamber exploded. Dantai Ye saw the Dragon Transformation Armor on this substitute. At this moment, he knew he was finished – his clone was finished.
Her physique's defense was too strong. It was said before that she was only taken down by a joint effort with Yin Yi. Now, it was just him alone.
Clone versus substitute?
Who could win?
Dantai Ye's first reaction was to disperse his clone – because he could not expose the existence of his clone, nor could he let Chen A'Diao's substitute capture his clone. This would expose his true strength, and the Tang Song Imperial Family would not let him off!
But before he could act, suddenly, he, on the royal flagship, sensed something.
This sensation originated from the scene just moments ago.
The mass attack from the Tang Song Kingdom's strongest warship fleet should have been able to weaken a large portion of the Demonic Spirit group's attack. But due to the demonic fog, it was partially blocked, and nine out of ten of the destructive beams that entered the demonic fog missed their targets.
"This is impossible!!"
"Heavens! Impossible!"
"It was leaked! The warship's combat weapon data must have been leaked and stolen by these Demonic Spirit Demon Kings! They predicted the attack in advance!"
"Damn it!!!"
This wave of attacks failed. The result was that Yu Xuanji and the others couldn't stop the tide of attacking Demonic Spirits. For this reason, the Imperial Family experts went down, about to fight with all their might, but then they saw... they saw three Junior Demon Kings emerge from the Demon Cave.
My heavens!!
Three? There were actually three! Had the Demonic Spirit clan gone mad? Were their spiritual energy and resources that abundant?
Impossible. The Demon Cave world had always lacked resources. How could they have the ability to open such a massive Demon Cave?
Three Junior Demon Kings were truly too terrifying.
These Imperial Family experts' faces changed instantly. They hesitated, became troubled, and avoided these three Junior Demon Kings.
Retreating before a battle meant misery for the comrades on the front line.
Many people watched as these three Junior Demon Kings charged towards the Lushan experts and those old ancestors fighting on the very front line.
Seeing this scene, Yu Xuanji's expression was horrified. His first reaction was to activate a teleportation shift to move the others away, but the teleportation was suddenly interrupted.
A spatial-type Great Demon King tore space, directly blocking the teleportation. It launched a surprise attack from behind, forcing the group, who were Tang Song's highest-end combat power, to face the three Junior Demon Kings directly.
It's over.
Even Yu Xuanji was very pessimistic at that moment.
Because having survived from the first generation, he had seen even more seniors, masters, grandmasters, etc., from the first generation die tragically. Weren't they intelligent and cunning?
Yet they still died.
Because the only iron rule of the spiritual cultivation world is – the strong rule, and the weak die!
No amount of trickery was useful.
At this moment, he sighed faintly in his heart: Alright, now that wretched girl can really inherit Lushan.
Unfortunately, he wouldn't be able to see it.
He didn't know if his soul could even remain.
Thinking this, Yu Xuanji charged alone towards the three Junior Demon Kings.
The young boy who once muddled through battlefields following the Lushan seniors was now old and decrepit, yet he still rushed headlong towards a deadly situation.
And then...
A suona melody drifted faintly from afar, accompanied by the deep tolling of a bell, as if it were already his funeral dirge.
So real, so...
Huh?
Yu Xuanji was stunned for a moment.
Who the hell was giving him a funeral send-off right now?
Could it be...
A door opened between heaven and earth.
A vast spirit-gathering formation, divine soldiers descending from the heavens.
It was Qing Zan and others. Their numbers were already vast, and they appeared full of vigor – because someone's spirit-gathering formation was truly nourishing, completely replenishing their cultivation.
After this descent from the sky, stepping on the great formation of divine soldiers that descended with them, they directly launched a devastating strike against a large number of Demonic Spirits.
And on the other side... a person appeared behind Yu Xuanji.
Though her red clothes fluttered, their color magnificent, like the female ghost from The Midnight Ringer, she came with her own BGM of suona and tolling bells, one hand nocking an arrow to her bow.
"Old salted fish, don't move, okay?"
"Give me one breath, and I'll shoot off a Demon King's dog head."
So arrogant, such bragging.
But with a swish, the arrow shot past Yu Xuanji's shoulder.
It seemed light and airy, yet it tore through space.
It directly struck the head of one of the Junior Demon Kings.
At that moment, everyone saw the red-clothed woman's flowing black hair and the mysterious power dancing at her fingertips.
This power surpassed the limits of genes.
She had mutated for the third time.
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