ASER - Chapter 180
Chapter 180: Died
After A'Diao left the Library Pavilion, she immediately went to the Store to exchange for some items. Then, she found a suitable spot to release the Seventh Prince, Dantai Sheng, tossing him into a corner. He would wake up soon. After that, she found a place and teleported.
At the periphery of the first Dao Mirror in the Mirror Blade Gorge area, her main body teleported. Upon arrival, she looked up and saw the Ninth Prince's doppelganger waiting invisibly before her. They merged. Then, A'Diao reverted to her original appearance, entered Mirror Blade Gorge, tossed the Ninth Prince, Dantai Ke, onto the ground, and teleported again...
After several such transfers, while everyone was focused on the explosion and the Library Pavilion, she returned to Langya Courtyard. As soon as she entered, she saw Cang Wu in the kitchen, brewing coffee.
The coffee beans seemed rather special, exceptionally fragrant. A'Diao couldn't help but take a couple of sniffs.
He looked up. A'Diao grinned at him, then slipped into the house like a thief.
So many days had passed, and she hadn't seen him go to comprehend the Langya Jade Wall. If people outside knew about this, they would probably be angered to the point of coughing up blood.
Cang Wu withdrew his gaze, took a sip of coffee, and went to the backyard to comprehend.
At this moment, after A'Diao entered the house, she waited for the Climbing Dragon King Branch to be delivered to her door.
While she waited, the Mental Power list was still continuously erupting.
Eh, Lushan Academy was still quite good. Look at this surge in Mental Power. But it was still far less than what the citizens outside the Tang Song Nation provided.
"There's strength in numbers. It would be awesome if I could capture the Mental Power of those core experts in Tang Song, and the Mental Power from the other two nations..."
As A'Diao was musing, she suddenly saw nearly ten million Mental Power points burst forth from the Ninth Prince and the Seventh Prince, one after the other.
Eh, they were discovered?
Were they beaten up?
Of course, they were beaten. The Ninth Prince, Dantai Ke, woke up at the third Dao Mirror. Still groggy, he found himself lying on a pitch-black mirror stone. He belatedly realized where he was. His first reaction was that the situation was dire; Chen A'Diao must have used him for something.
He was just about to leave.
"He's here!"
"Damn it!"
Zhang Xiaodao's blade came flying...
In the distance, a group of recently arrived 'pureblood' senior brothers and sisters also pursued him angrily.
Ninth Prince: "?"
Meanwhile, the awakened Seventh Prince did manage to leave the place where he had woken up. However, he hadn't taken more than a few steps before people glared at him furiously, cursing him as scum and saying his eyes were on top of his head, and he'd be struck by lightning sooner or later.
What had he done?
There was a knock on the door.
The efficiency was truly remarkable; it was delivered in less than twenty minutes. Moreover, it was her Grandmaster Swordsman bodyguard who personally delivered it, presumably to ensure privacy.
The latter didn't mention the Library Pavilion or Mirror Blade Gorge, only saying, "Someone tried to check your points. However, the Mountain Head didn't approve the request. Now, those people have found the two princes. They both claim they were knocked unconscious and don't know the situation, identifying your arrangement as the cause. Many people feel this account is highly credible, as it indeed fits your style and is within your capabilities."
A'Diao held the box containing the Climbing Dragon King Branch, her mind occupied with two formulas. She casually and calmly said, "A tall tree in the forest will inevitably be destroyed by the wind. If I were to dwell on such matters, what would be the point of cultivating? I might as well spend my days arguing with people."
The Grandmaster Swordsman glanced at her. "That's good. Don't be affected by these things. Don't get angry. Cultivation comes first. The Mountain Head will handle the rest for you."
A'Diao: "Then I definitely won't be affected, and I definitely won't get angry. But what do you mean, 'handle it for me'? I was framed."
Grandmaster Swordsman: "Oh, I know you were framed. So, put your things down and come with me to Qingtian Tower in the Fifth Heaven. Those people have gathered and want to interrogate the three of you."
A'Diao, who had just handed over an apple, decisively took it back.
"What tower? A brothel?"
What was wrong with Lushan? If it wasn't a brothel, it was 'Heaven on Earth'.
Then wouldn't she, the Chief, be a courtesan queen?
The Grandmaster Swordsman, who was about to take the apple: "..."
The Fifth Heaven, Qingtian Tower, was on the same level as the Library Pavilion, located in the center of the Fifth Heaven. The Martial Hall, Sword Hall, and Law Hall were all situated around it, forming a triangular protective perimeter.
The landscape here was serene and natural, but the scenery was grand and solemn, unlike the exquisite beauty of small bridges and flowing water found elsewhere in Lushan. It possessed a distinct air of a center of power. At this moment, A'Diao sat in a seat in the main hall on the first floor of Qingtian Tower, her hands clasped around a teacup. She and the Ninth Prince were seated in the center, surrounded by figures like Zhang, Jiang, Lou, and other Lushan 'natives'.
But the Mountain Head hadn't come. Because the Mountain Head hadn't come, many people breathed a sigh of relief, and their attitude towards A'Diao became much more assertive.
Compared to the solemn expressions of the Ninth Prince and Seventh Prince, and the hatred in their eyes as they looked at A'Diao, this person... her expression was very calm.
As calm as still water.
She was just eating an apple.
At this moment, a large man from the Martial Hall was speaking. He was said to be the captain of the Law Enforcement Team, named Lou Tangchun, and he was responsible for investigating the Mirror Blade Gorge incident.
After describing the situation, he mentioned what his investigation had uncovered.
He included everything Rong Wan had analyzed.
But every sentence he spoke was accompanied by the crunching sound of an apple being bitten.
When he finished speaking, his expression was very ugly. He shot A'Diao a cold glance.
Then he walked over, with Zhang Xiaodao and others standing behind him.
The Martial Hall's presence was imposing, but Rong Wan and others stood further away, vaguely forming two factions.
As for Li Cangxue and others, they were watching from the periphery.
Luo Bao had brought a small stool and was peeking around while munching on a bag of melon seeds, looking at A'Diao with some curiosity.
A'Diao paid no attention to these things. After Lou Tangchun finished speaking, an elder asked her, "Chen A'Diao, what do you have to say?"
A'Diao looked up at him and asked, "So, you suspect my doppelganger disguised itself as the Seventh Prince and Ninth Prince to orchestrate these events?"
Elder: "Correct. This is merely a reasonable inquiry, not a conviction. We will then conduct a thorough investigation based on the statements of all three of you. Chief, there's no need to be nervous."
A'Diao smiled. Her smile was so obvious that it conveyed a sense of disdain.
Then she said: "Inquiries are fine. I always answer questions. Let's go point by point. First, I've never seen an investigation by any law enforcement department that demands the second suspect provide evidence of their innocence based on the first suspect's accusation, just because the second suspect's 'style' is similar... Firstly, when the Ninth Prince was present, I was also present."
"And those who can prove that the Ninth Prince and I are two separate individuals include the victims and my Qian Class classmates, correct? If they deny it, it means I wasn't present at the time. Then the accusation that I had the means to commit the crime in Mirror Blade Gorge at that time becomes contradictory. This point is null and void."
"Unless they can prove that both were my doppelgangers. I can't be expected to prove that myself, can I? It's like a judge asking a murderer, 'On what grounds could you not have killed the deceased?' Isn't that ridiculous? Even in the most primitive and uncivilized early eras, no interrogation was ever centered on 'how to prove one's innocence.' After all, this is your meeting, not mine."
"Second, regarding the accusations from the two princes, I'll admit one thing: I indeed can take them down in a second."
The two princes' faces turned ugly.
A'Diao continued: "As for me disguising as them to stir up trouble, what benefit is there for me? For some unspoken political purpose that everyone understands? I doubt it's my turn to worry about such things. After all, if you all acknowledge my status as Chief, you wouldn't drag me here for interrogation over such a trivial matter."
Lou Tangchun said coldly, "That's not a trivial matter. Twelve people died."
Lou Tangchun's words startled many people, and indeed, it immediately riled up the emotions of many.
"Yes, people died! This Chief, not long after arriving, ruthlessly bombed so many of them to death."
"How is she qualified to be the Chief!"
As the crowd grew agitated, Li Cangxue and others glanced at Lou Tangchun, a hint of dissatisfaction in their eyes.
But today, law enforcement was central, and the Martial Hall had a strong voice. It wasn't convenient for the Law Hall and Sword Hall to speak, or it could easily escalate into a conflict between the three halls.
But then, Chen A'Diao took another bite of her apple, as if eating human flesh, and said lightly, "Is it because those twelve people died, or because Captain Lou's trusted subordinate Captain Zhang's younger brother had his little private part blown off? Oh, or were other people's younger brothers blown up... hmm?"
Her speaking speed was a bit fast. At first listen, it sounded like Captain Lou's little brother or Captain Lou's little private part was blown off.
Very vulgar, very malicious.
When she said this, among the elders sitting on the second floor, some had slightly peculiar expressions, while others had gloomy gazes.
The Zhang, Lou, and other families looked embarrassed. Female cultivators like Li Canghai, Rong Wan, and others lowered their eyes, slightly hiding their smiles.
Lou Tangchun, being a captain and at the peak of the Star Realm, naturally had a strong temperament. He didn't get angry, merely saying calmly, "This is based on the investigation results, discussing the matter objectively, without bias. Chief Chen, there's no need to be so nervous and quick to attack."
A'Diao: "Is that so? Truly righteous and awe-inspiring. Then be awe-inspiring for me one more time."
With a "pa," she displayed a video.
It was clearly a scene of Lou Tanglie and others secretly chatting with Zhan Guang in Mirror Blade Gorge late at night. Zhang Xiaodao appeared later.
Zhang Xiaodao was instructing them with the technical proficiency of a professional criminal investigator on what to do tomorrow...
The scene became suffocating for a moment. Captain Lou's expression turned ugly.
The expressions of the elders also darkened.
This turn of events was too damn sudden. It was as if while everyone was drinking milk tea and chatting about melodramas, someone suddenly pulled an AK from their crotch and sprayed the whole place.
The expressions of both princes stiffened slightly.
That's right. This woman never did anything unprepared.
If a war were to start, she would first have the heart to slaughter.
"Lushan's rules... the novice period rule about not colluding to harm the Chief and Qian Class students, I don't need to recite it, do I?"
At this moment, A'Diao changed her previous docile posture, pulled her chair back, and in front of everyone, crossed her long legs.
Black trousers, red silk shirt. Her lips were red, teeth white, her smile cool and indifferent.
"Those who violate such rules deserve to be killed!"
"Are you perhaps wondering why, since I discovered this, I didn't stop it? Was it just to retaliate today?"
"Then let me tell you. I didn't kill them out of respect for the perception of you Lushan 'insiders'—that although I, Chen A'Diao, am the Lushan Chief, I am not a Lushan person. Or perhaps, you don't even acknowledge me as the Lushan Chief, let alone a Lushan person."
"If that's the case, then it's not for me, Chen A'Diao, to overstep and clean house for you. Is that unreasonable?"
"If it's not unreasonable, then what's wrong with me coldly watching them court death?"
She leaned back against the chair, picked up her tea and took a sip, her fingers rubbing the bottom of the cup. She looked at Lou Tangchun. "Captain of the Martial Hall's Third Brigade, is it? Come, I won't ask you how you'll deal with trash like Zhang Xiaodao next. After all, Your Excellency still possesses that much ruthlessness and decisiveness. Since it's meaningless, I won't ask."
"What I'm asking you is—you clearly know this evidence is insufficient to convict me, yet you insist on offending the authority of the Chief's status to target me. Are you aiming at me, at the Mountain Head, or at the traditions passed down since Lushan's era? You want to overthrow the rules established by Lushan's founder? What, you, a mere captain, want to rebel?!"
Her words carried an extremely sharp and profound implication—was she speaking to Lou Tangchun? Clearly, she was speaking to others.
Li Canghai and others cast subtle glances at the Zhang, Lou, Jiang, and other families on the first floor, then swept their gaze across the second floor.
Today's matter could not end amicably.
She faintly felt—it was this Chen A'Diao who was unwilling to let it end amicably.
Lou Tangchun, questioned publicly, should have been flustered. But he narrowed his eyes and suddenly chuckled, "The Chief is indeed the Chief. Truly formidable. Correct, my Martial Hall wouldn't invite you, Chief, here for such ambiguous matters. Naturally, we have evidence."
"Everyone, look at this."
"Here is the record of our Chief Chen purchasing the Mirror Blade Gorge explosive bombs from within the imperial court. It has serial numbers, weapon scale, data, and so on. Naturally, it's also linked to the Chief's purchase account at the armory under the identity of Governor-General Zhao Ritian."
He sneered at A'Diao, like a shark baring its bloodthirsty fangs.
The more righteous she had been before, the more tragic her end would be now that she was overturned by irrefutable evidence.
As for the matter of Zhang Xiaodao and the others earlier, it would be considered the price paid for this, as long as they could bring down Chen A'Diao...
Dantai Ke and the other prince exchanged a glance, yet felt a faint unease.
Was Chen A'Diao so easy to deal with?
Just as Lou Tangchun's thoughts deepened and the atmosphere in the hall began to stir, and several elders, seeing the mood was right, stood up to say something.
A'Diao, with another "pa," pulled out something else.
Damn, this thing was terrifying.
It was clearly an identical bomb.
The elders were relatively calm, but those below the mid-grade Star Realm were trembling with fear.
Li Cangxue and the others also paled slightly.
Dantai Ke and the other prince couldn't help but roll their eyes secretly.
Knew it... However, they quickly thought of something else, and their expressions turned ugly in unison. They wanted to send voice transmissions to certain people, but unfortunately, they were a step too slow.
"Are you talking about this? Oh, I did buy this thing. The serial number is right here. Want to check it?"
The serial number was correct. Such a one-time use item wouldn't have a duplicate, meaning the person who set off the explosion wasn't her. Of course, she wouldn't say she had secretly made a similar device herself.
Bought one to replicate it. Is there a problem? No!
A'Diao calmly placed the item on the table and glanced at Lou Tangchun, whose face was ashen. "Why such an awkward expression?"
"It's not that bad, is it? I haven't even mentioned the other thing yet—this screenshot you mentioned, I bought it from the Qingzhou military arsenal. You all know about the Qingzhou military's control; although it's subordinate to the Imperial Ministry of War, it has long been independent. Even the Ministry of War has no time to inspect it. The only ones qualified are the Imperial Clan's Military Command Department, which can check once a year through core system permissions. But you also know, not many in the Imperial Clan are qualified to manage military power... It seems none of the princes are, right? So, besides Director Xiao Jin and Grand Governor Xiao Mieluo under my command, there's only... So, where did you get this screenshot? Pick one of three. Choose yourself, but don't pick the wrong person. Those first two are not as naive and easily fooled as I am; they are much more cunning."
If Xiao Jin knew, she could probably find eighteen pieces of irrefutable evidence in an instant to prove this person was trying to frame her.
Lou Tangchun: "..."
A'Diao smiled. "Why so nervous? I'm not suspecting you or the people behind you have a direct connection with that side. We are all people of Tang Song; this isn't excessive, it's to be expected. Besides, I think there's another possibility—for example, perhaps you and the two princes have known each other for a long time."
"By the way."
A'Diao turned her head and asked Dantai Ke and the other prince, "Your Highnesses, when you came to Lushan, your sycophantic advisors must have given you some rotten ideas, telling you to seize the opportunity to slander me, make me fall out with the Lushan people, so you could reap the benefits like a fisherman. Did they?"
The heads of Dantai Ke and the other prince were finally buzzing.
Was she talking about their strategists?
Actually, she was talking about the Imperial Clan internally—it was also their father king's hidden intention.
Could they deny it?
They could, but someone on Lushan's side was colluding with the Imperial Clan... Had Lushan also planted spies within the Imperial Clan?
Did the Mountain Head and those reclusive Spirit Kings know about this?
If they denied it and were then proven wrong, they'd truly be cooked.
Dantai Ke quickly assessed the situation and said in a deep voice, "Indeed, there were such vile and foolish people, but I have dealt with them all. Since I lost to you, I am naturally willing to accept it. As for today's matter, I originally thought it was you, Chief, who harmed me. Now it seems someone deliberately provoked a dispute between us to reap the benefits. Their intentions are truly malicious."
After speaking, he looked at Lou Tangchun. "Captain Lou, what do you think? After all, if I had known earlier that people within your Martial Hall had colluded with Kun Class members to plot against us Qian Class people, I would have died before suspecting the Chief. We Qian Class people are one body and must not be divided."
As expected of a prince, his mind was sharp. In minutes, he pushed the problem onto Lushan's internal affairs.
Now it was Lou Tangchun, Zhang Xiaodao, and the others whose heads were buzzing.
In fact, from the moment A'Diao counterattacked with the weapon screenshot, Lou Tangchun knew he was finished. He subconsciously looked towards several elders, but these elders also felt like they were sitting on pins and needles.
Did the Mountain Head know?
If he knew, why didn't he come?
Did he not come because he knew, and is he actually investigating us now?
No wonder those Spirit Kings and top Grandmasters didn't come... These old foxes must know something.
Today was the Mountain Head's setup, wasn't it!!!
While they were extremely nervous and the atmosphere in the hall was strange.
But A'Diao frowned and suddenly rebuked Dantai Ke, with a hint of playful complaint: "Aiya, Your Highness, how can you say that? We are guests, they are the hosts. They gave us a meal. What's wrong with spitting a little saliva or adding some croton beans to the rice! We just get diarrhea, but they lose the rice!"
When it came to a venomous tongue, it was still Chen A'Diao.
Every insinuation was extremely poisonous.
And just after she finished speaking, she picked up her tea, drank it, put it down, put away the bomb weapon, and then... suddenly, with one hand, she flipped the interrogation table.
Dantai Ke and the other prince: "!!1"
BOOM!!!
The table crashed to the ground and shattered with a loud clang.
This action startled everyone, including all the elders.
Li Cangxue and the others, even those qualified to be on the second floor of the Library Pavilion, were shocked. Before they could react, several of the equally stunned elders released their oppressive auras.
"Chen A'Diao, what are you doing?!!!"
"Insolent!"
The oppressive aura came. Most Star Realm cultivators found it hard to bear. Only Chen A'Diao, whose spiritual body was comparable to a Grandmaster's and had endured the suppression of the Sixth Heaven, her body having long since begun to adapt, was not intimidated at all. Instead, she said lightly, "Do you know why, this afternoon, none of my Qian Class people came, except for the two Highnesses?"
Everyone soon found out.
The ranking board on the first floor of the Library Pavilion exploded with activity.
An explosion of scores.
"My heavens... That Shen Huajing has broken into the top ten! Handan Jidao too, he's seventh! Nie Yuanyuan is twelfth! It seems they are still sprinting. Many people behind them have broken into the top fifty and are still sprinting. It's too terrifying... And Li Che just broke into the fourth level of Mirror Blade Gorge!"
"Terrifying! Is this the Qian Class?"
"If they are all like this, then this Chen A'Diao..."
Fragments of tables and chairs flew. A'Diao smiled faintly at the crowd. "I understand your superiority, being in a treasure mountain and drinking sweet dew. But to cultivate for twenty years in such an environment and still be like this, to be so thoroughly thrashed by the twenty members of my Qian Class, it means you truly are just so-so. Therefore, it's understandable that you elders scheme and plot for the long-term future of your children. Human nature is like this, no need to blame. But what I sigh for is—you are truly too illogical."
"If you don't even have logical thinking when it comes to killing, what great deeds can you accomplish?"
"Unable to accomplish great deeds yet insisting on trying, doing a trash job, suffering heavy losses, and still having to gang up to slander, insisting the trash was thrown by me. This is what's called 'being unskilled but loving to play'."
"Since you want to play, then I'll teach you how a game should be played."
She beckoned.
The closed main gates opened. People from the Elder Council arrived, bringing news.
XXX, XXX, a string of seven elders' names were announced.
The Lou and Zhang families were all among them.
"To demonstrate cooperation with the imperial court on the previous assessment regarding tourism and culture, all you elders and your family relatives are specially dispatched to be stationed outside, to dedicate yourselves to Lushan until death."
"Depart immediately, no delays... Please..."
It sounded very pleasant, but this was to cover up the ostensibly unbreakable rule between Lushan and the Imperial Clan. However, people from Lushan's Elder Council actually had secret dealings and cooperation with high-ranking members of the Imperial Clan. This was definitely a core taboo.
What these few elders had suspected just seconds ago had now clearly come true—in fact, the Mountain Head's efficiency was even faster than they had anticipated.
Perhaps when they learned Mirror Blade Gorge was bombed and quickly contacted the Imperial Clan side to swiftly deal with Chen A'Diao... the Mountain Head had already targeted them.
This arrangement sounded good, but in reality, everyone here understood its true meaning—after being sent out, they would all be assassinated right outside Lushan's gates, not one left alive. This was Lushan's rule through the ages.
Traitors are never spared!
The people from these two families were terrified. Several elders' faces turned ashen. Suddenly, their eyes hardened, and they abruptly attacked, several of them directly targeting Chen A'Diao.
The aim was to capture her to threaten for their own safety.
But just as they got close, a person appeared behind A'Diao.
The Grandmaster-level bodyguard drew his sword.
Ten seconds later.
Li Cangxue and the others looked at the pieces of corpses on the ground and the blood splattered everywhere... These elders and their families had all been slain.
The reason was that they had violated another ironclad rule—disrespecting the Elder Council's assignment and plotting rebellion was equivalent to betraying the sect.
Deserved to be killed!
Scalding blood flowed gurglingly... Colleagues who had been standing beside them just moments ago were now dead.
Some Star Realm experts from the Martial Hall, usually valiant when killing demonic spirits, now had very pale faces.
And unrelated onlookers like Luo Bao, who had just come to watch the excitement, were stunned.
Luo Bao suddenly understood why his family elders had told him to come—it was specifically to let him see this.
Lushan was about to undergo reform.
The core of the reform was their generation.
And the core of the core was the person in front.
A'Diao was taking out a handkerchief to wipe the blood from her neck, asking the Grandmaster Swordsman, "Why did you have to make such a bloody mess, and why does it always spray towards me?"
She had already worked so hard proactively stirring up trouble and handing the Mountain Head a knife. And this 'big brother' still directed it her way.
Didn't she need to bathe?
In reality, when the Grandmaster Swordsman acted, he could have instantly eliminated everyone who needed to be eliminated. Making it so bloody was to make the younger generation remember this lesson.
The geniuses from Tang Song outside had all fought their way up. Those from humble backgrounds were more insidious and better at concealing their abilities than the last. Look at Nie Yuanyuan. Look at Handan Jidao and others who instantly joined A'Diao when they couldn't beat her. Look at Xia Sanlu, who practically wished he could be her concubine?
Now look at these young people from Lushan. Of course, there were quite a few outstanding ones, but most were truly naive fools. They were far inferior even to those from Danzhou or the southern regions.
Very proud and arrogant, but their temperaments were like wooden clubs. Before others even made a move, they'd jump out and hit an iron plate.
They couldn't even tell who was who.
Extremely foolish.
The Mountain Head and those Spirit Kings got angry just looking at them. After all, three hundred years ago, they themselves had been incredibly passionate, all having fought their way through adventures, scheming against fellow cultivators as easily as eating a meal. But look at these Lushan 'wooden clubs'; one could almost imagine that in a few more generations, Lushan would definitely be destroyed by the insidious Imperial Clan and the imperial court.
Not to mention the experts and forces from the Heterodox Races and the other three nations.
Lushan was formidable now because the old-timers of Lushan from the past were formidable, able to fight and contend.
But they also had to plan for the future.
Spiritual Energy had recovered, and world-changing events had arrived. Those who stood still would be beaten to death and devoured, let alone those who regressed.
So, it wasn't without reason that the Mountain Head had taken a liking to the insidious, cunning Chen A'Diao, who didn't care about martial ethics, at first glance.
Lushan needs exactly this kind of prodigy!
She was ruthless enough, venomous enough.
She took one step but saw ten ahead, one scheme linked to another, borrowing one knife to kill hundreds.
Lacking humanity, but able to control the entire situation.
There was nothing she set out to do that she couldn't accomplish.
The people she wanted to kill were all dead now, their blood on her.
Comments
Post a Comment