ASER - Chapter 224
Chapter 224: Mastery
If this old man teleported multiple times on his return journey, it would be impossible to track him. But A'Diao was cunning; she had already spied on his arrival teleportation trajectory, and with that calculation, she pinpointed his location.
Kyoto.
A'Diao's avatar teleported into the bustling territory of Kyoto, transforming into another person. However, she didn't directly go to those coordinates. Instead, she appeared in a nearby alley, and after exiting it, she blended into the lively Kyoto night market.
Song Ling and Cang Wu also saw the night market through her perspective.
It was rather bleak, really. They were now considered outstanding individuals, yet none of them had a single day of leisure to stroll through the Kyoto night market. It seemed they were all preoccupied with cultivation and fighting.
"They say cultivation is for a better future, and a better future is for a superior life, not falling behind others, living peacefully and at ease. But the more one cultivates, the harder it becomes to achieve this." Song Ling looked at A'Diao, realizing another reason she liked this person and considered her her only close friend was that A'Diao's goals were always very clear – to survive, then to eat well, drink well, and enjoy life.
She wouldn't suffer for others, and even if she did suffer, it would never last long.
"The more common people are, the easier it is for them to be happy. Look at these Kyoto citizens, oblivious to danger, still thinking about the Lantern Festival..." A'Diao stuffed a pastry into her mouth, rolling her eyes, while her avatar had already turned invisible and begun to infiltrate the old man's residence.
Song Ling and Cang Wu had a good idea once they saw the residence, but they subconsciously wondered – if this old man was from here, then who was his master?
Could it be?
Following A'Diao's perspective, they saw pavilions and towers, eventually arriving at a secluded room.
The old man was probably still taking a detour outside; they would have to wait for him for a while.
After a while, a dark figure entered the bedroom, removed all disguise, and gradually reverted to his original appearance, form, and attire.
It really was... him.
An old eunuch.
The old man put on his professional attire and soon, calmly and unhurriedly, entered the bright yellow palace gate. After passing inspection and receiving salutes from some people, he entered the center of Tang Song's power. On the way, he encountered a handsome, wickedly frail-looking young eunuch.
Wu Xie.
"Greetings, Grand Eunuch."
The old man waved his hand, asked a few questions about the situation of the masters in the palace, and then left. A'Diao's perspective turned, and she saw Wu Xie turn back in this direction and bow after the old man had departed.
His etiquette was impeccable.
After a while, the old man entered the main hall. At this moment, both Song Ling's and Cang Wu's hearts leaped into their throats.
Inside the hall, orange light from bright flames illuminated a place of grace and luxury. A handsome and refined young man was engrossed in handling state affairs, dedicated and composed, while the Grand Eunuch knelt.
"Your Majesty..."
The new emperor, Dantai Ye, looked up at the Grand Eunuch, allowed him to pay his respects, and even asked if he had eaten dinner.
He interacted with this old man as if he were a normal monarch.
Perhaps, the old man was just the old man, and the new emperor was just the new emperor.
Song Ling and Cang Wu thought that this former crown prince was unlikely to be the mastermind.
A'Diao, however, was calm, holding a pen and casually calculating something... while her avatar stood beside Dantai Ye, coldly observing the content of the state affairs he was handling.
It had to be said, he was a reliable and good emperor.
Meticulous, diligent, and highly capable. Since his succession, he had abstained from women, maintained his integrity, and quickly gained the approval of most people. Even many princes within the imperial family had recognized reality and submitted.
After all, he was a legitimately groomed crown prince; he certainly had some skills.
Compared to the old lecherous former emperor, he was practically a wise ruler for the ages.
Song Ling observed A'Diao's expression and felt that she didn't seem to have a favorable impression of this new emperor.
Because A'Diao would never pay so much attention to someone who posed no threat and held no attraction for her, so...
After a full three hours, Dantai Ye had perfectly handled all these state affairs. He then looked at the old eunuch beside him who was helping grind ink. The latter put down the inkstone and pulled out a report.
When this report appeared.
Everything fell into place.
Although Song Ling and Cang Wu had some suspicions, they still held onto a sliver of hope. Now, it was as if a waterfall of cold water had been poured over their heads, leaving them momentarily dead silent.
A'Diao, on the other hand, wasn't surprised at all. She watched with increasingly cold eyes as Dantai Ye finished reading the report. Then, Dantai Ye closed the report and said faintly, "It's a bit of a pity. The best path has been cut off. I didn't expect it to be a talent mutation."
The old eunuch relayed the words of the person in charge.
Dantai Ye rubbed his brow with his fingers, seeming tired, yet also indifferent. "A mutation is a mutation. It's not really important. Humans, after all, are the easiest creatures in this world to deceive. Create something... let this mortal world kill her."
These words clearly hinted at some sinister plot against A'Diao. Cang Wu and Song Ling were very concerned, but the Grand Eunuch looked up, met Dantai Ye's gaze, and seemed to have an epiphany. Dantai Ye, however, did not elaborate further.
This was too annoying, speaking only half of what he meant.
Then Dantai Ye rose and left with the Grand Eunuch.
Actually, there was no need to continue tracking them now. In the Imperial Palace, there were countless powerful individuals, and these two wouldn't expose any weaknesses.
Then the surveillance projection ended.
Song Ling withdrew her gaze. "Are you prepared?"
"Yes."
"Good. What can we do?"
Although they knew the other party's identity, and A'Diao should have also recorded evidence – this was why she used an avatar to go instead of tracking with spiritual threads, because an avatar could carry equipment and had enough spiritual body to record secrets, which spiritual threads could not.
But it wouldn't do. Dantai Ye's identity was too special. Once he was exposed as the mastermind behind the island incident, the entire Tang Song Nation would become a public enemy. Lie Qin and Nan Jin would definitely launch a joint attack, and the Tang Song territory would descend into utmost turmoil.
Logically, this should be a good thing for A'Diao, as she needed chaos and didn't particularly care about it. However, she had now fully risen and no longer needed such chaos to conceal herself. If she wanted Tang Song, she needed an intact Tang Song, not one destroyed by other nations before she even got her hands on it.
Therefore, this secret could not be exposed at present.
Wouldn't that be all for nothing?
A'Diao smiled and glanced at the two of them. "Aren't you going to ask why I insisted on letting you two know this secret? Aren't you afraid I'll sell you out?"
The more you know, the easier it is to die.
Cang Wu had always been introverted and taciturn. He also knew that his greatest value to A'Diao was his ability to contact Daoguang Jingci and represent the Heavenly Spirit Clan, which was different from Song Ling.
Letting him know was simply a matter of shared interests – because this Human-Demon had severely threatened the alliance between the Heavenly Spirit Clan and Tang Song, as well as his sister's safety.
Only Song Ling was A'Diao's most direct confidante.
Song Ling indeed spoke up, "When you talk about selling out, it's very clear that we can belong to you. Since we belong to you, we are naturally one with you, so there's no question of being sold out."
"Besides, I want to see you reach the summit."
Song Ling lowered her head and took the draft paper from A'Diao's hand. On it were calculations for a more optimized splitting mode for her spiritual threads, which A'Diao had worked out for her while simultaneously spying on the Human-Demon's identity and being distracted by observing her spiritual thread splitting.
This person was always like this.
Actually, she was exceptionally good.
Looking up, Song Ling smiled faintly, her beauty like a clear spirit amidst boundless wind and moonlight, a delicate and charming elegance like a night-blooming cereus.
Only in that instant did her cool aloofness melt into graceful charm.
Finally, it turned into determination.
"To be fortunate enough to witness an era, one also achieves glory."
While she affirmed A'Diao's future, she did not change her own pursuits.
She also wanted glory, the unparalleled merit of aiding a supreme ruler.
For this, she had no regrets.
A'Diao was genuinely touched. She propped up her cheek, saying nothing, but her eyes curved into crescents.
To be cherished by such an outstanding young lady and handsome young man, to be firmly believed in by them, to occasionally do as she pleased, to thrash a group of equally outstanding people, and then to find some first-generation bigwigs who used to be so high and mighty to play with – what kind of divine life was this?
How could she let that damn Human-Demon ruin such a life?
This world should be hers.
"Alright, what I want you to do is..."
A'Diao calmly stated the rest.
"Power itself is intangible, but it will eventually be divided into countless parts."
"I hope you can be a part of it, even a very large part."
"In other words, I want to control you."
Meaning, she wanted them to directly build up forces on her behalf.
That made sense. Daoguang Jingci was now the Empress Dowager of Tang Song and couldn't directly lead troops, but Cang Wu could control the forces of the Heavenly Spirit Clan. A'Diao could ally with the Heavenly Spirit Clan, but she had to choose someone trustworthy. During their time as roommates, she had been constantly observing and evaluating him.
Milk tea?
No, what she observed was his efficiency in comprehending the Langya Wall. Even if his heart was stirred by her, he didn't neglect his duties, nor was he love-struck. And on the basis of righteousness, he resolutely protected the interests of his sister and his clan.
A'Diao wanted exactly this kind of stable partner, not some crown prince or monarch from a TV drama who would destroy the world for their lover.
We're building an enterprise here, don't mess around.
As for Song Ling, it went without saying. It wouldn't be long before she broke through to Junior Grandmaster. When A'Diao leaped to another level in the future, she would need to place someone at Lushan.
Song Ling was that person.
A'Diao was very calculating. These words were also the first time she had clearly revealed her ambitions to the two of them.
But at this moment, Song Ling and Cang Wu were not shaken by her domineering declaration. Instead, their faces instinctively flushed slightly.
"I want to control you" – what kind of bold and suggestive words were these?
Tell us, where exactly do you want to control?
Later, Song Ling asked A'Diao why she seemed to have been suspicious of Dantai Ye early on.
Had he shown any flaws before?
"No, after all, I wasn't strong back then, far inferior to him." A'Diao said casually, but added, "But a few days ago, I secretly dug up the grave of his wife, the Crown Princess."
She didn't say much more, but it was clear there was something suspicious about the Crown Princess's death.
A few days later, in a certain secret realm after a spatial jump.
Deep within the dense forest, in a bamboo house surrounded by serene greenery, several Spirit King-level Gu spirits patrolled covertly outside, making it both dangerous and secure.
Inside the house, Baiyue Mochou met with A'Diao and Cang Wu, accompanied by two Great Elders of Wu Mountain and the Saintess, Baiyue Lingxi.
The atmosphere was solemn. A'Diao actually presented the "dowry" prepared by Yu Xuanji.
Baiyue Mochou glanced at it, slightly startled, and stared at A'Diao as if looking at a lunatic. Anyway, she didn't touch it.
They didn't mention Huai Guang. Anyway, A'Diao kept bringing up this and that, focusing on the ridiculous matter of marrying into the family. Baiyue Lingxi glared at A'Diao several times, fire in her eyes, but in the end, there was no substantive conversation.
Cang Wu, as beautiful as a vase on the side, remained silent throughout, acting as an escort. He occasionally refilled A'Diao's cup with the fruit tea abundant in Wu Mountain. Suddenly, he frowned.
When he frowned, the expressions of the people from Wu Mountain also changed.
A'Diao, of course, knew why their expressions changed – because news from the network had been transmitted to their devices.
She had also received this news. Yu Xuanji's voice sounded in her ear.
"The Nine Cauldrons Powers investigation team collected the residual aura left by that mastermind. After examination, they found traces of demonic energy, but it seemed to be a characteristic mixed with human and demon. After repeated verification and team research, they suspect that a Demon King incarnation was born into the human race in the form of a demonic seed – this person is hailed as the Demon King Descended."
"Currently, the trending topics are all focused on this Demon King incarnation's cultivation talent, style, and suspicion."
"A'Diao, many people in the Three Nations now suspect you are that Demon King incarnation. They are frantically calling for a thorough investigation and even saying they want to arrest you and bring you to justice."
When he said the last sentence, Yu Xuanji's tone was indifferent, as if he had become numb to the brainless remarks of some ordinary people.
People, huh.
Everyone's life is naturally equally precious, but people's minds also differ in quality.
There's always a considerable portion of people who are mediocre and ordinary, but in their hearts, out of the 26 letters, they're always missing one particular count.
B-count.
Does spreading rumors require evidence?
No need.
It needs to stir up the hype first.
As long as the hype is big enough, it becomes real. Anyway, even if it's not real, it's none of my business; it's not me being slandered.
Besides, the person being slandered is too enviable.
She was originally a little village girl; she should have had a worse life than me. How did she rise up?
Who allowed her to rise?
The Tathagata or the Three Pure Ones?
And things unfavorable to A'Diao were naturally embellished by several of the world's strongest factions. For a time, overwhelming news flooded the internet like a tide. Many common people were drawn in by these seemingly plausible trending stories, and A'Diao's account instantly lost hundreds of millions of followers.
After reading some specious analyses, a portion of people were convinced, or they were already moral guardians and keyboard warriors – they only wanted to believe in the possibilities they desired.
For a time, at least a billion active users were fervently attacking A'Diao online, making all sorts of demands. Some even called for the Three Great Mountain Heads to join forces and eliminate A'Diao, telling Yu Xuanji to remember to get rid of A'Diao for Tang Song's sake and not to show mercy just because she was his disciple.
Yu Xuanji was speechless. You even know they need to join forces?
Show mercy...
Truly a bunch of idiotic netizens having too much fun.
The room was originally fine, the beautiful scenery outside the window unchanged, but the atmosphere had become much heavier.
After reading the news, even though Baiyue Lingxi harbored an immense "diss" attitude towards A'Diao, she was annoyed by these netizens' comments. She directly cut off the feed and looked at A'Diao.
"Tang Song is trash. Come to my Nan Jin."
Baiyue Lingxi was an heiress cultivated through traditional educational methods. She held a high position and, although she had a sense of the bigger picture, her temperament was also quite ruthless, believing in the dignity of the strong.
Those people online were simply trampling on the dignity of their group – who was Chen A'Diao? If they treated even Chen A'Diao like this, whose face were they slapping?
A'Diao, however, was completely unconcerned. She smiled and said, "I've drifted downstream with the current before. If there's a return journey, naturally one must go against the current. Most principles in the world are two-sided, not worth mentioning."
Such a carefree attitude commanded respect. Baiyue Mochou asked, "Then what if you really are the Demon King incarnation?"
This possibility wasn't non-existent.
After all, her growth trajectory was truly heaven-defying. After returning from Guixu, she had referenced the affairs of the first generation. The three founders, even Langya's Kunlun, weren't as monstrously talented as her.
The upper limit of human genes was set. Could it be that she was the sole pearl of the human race from the first generation to the present day?
Pearl A'Diao rubbed her ears and tentatively asked, "Then, Auntie, would you like to examine my body?"
Cough cough cough!
Several people choked, and the two Great Elders' hearts went numb.
The seventh time.
Within half an hour of sitting down to discuss matters, this stinky girl from Tang Song had teased their Mountain Head for the seventh time. Adding the six times she teased the Saintess, it totaled a full thirteen!
If they weren't outmatched, they really wanted to poison her to death.
This mouth of hers was just too provocative.
A'Diao looked at their expressions and thought aggrievedly: My fault? If I didn't need to farm your Mental Power, would I bother being so sharp-tongued? But... you can't beat me anyway, hahahaha!!!
Her gaze gradually became unrestrained and arrogant. Both mother and daughter saw it. They suppressed their anger, suppressed the urge to slap her, thinking: the bigger picture is more important, the bigger picture is more important...
Baiyue Mochou pretended not to hear and only took the "dowry."
Song Ling and Cang Wu were somewhat surprised. She took it? Wasn't that... she couldn't be serious, right?
"Just as I believe that Langya's Kunlun, though he opposed the Imperial Family back then, never betrayed the human race, and resolutely chose to fight against both the Imperial Family and the Demonic Spirits, ultimately dying in battle, I also feel you are not a Demon King incarnation."
Baiyue Mochou's way of putting it was quite credible.
But it also subtly probed – whether Langya's Kunlun had truly fallen.
Unfortunately, she couldn't detect any flaws from A'Diao or Song Ling. Instead, Baiyue Lingxi added, "Besides, what Demon King incarnation is such a troublemaker?"
Hmm, this statement was the most convincing.
Everyone deeply agreed.
A'Diao: "..."
My fault?
When parting, Baiyue Mochou gave A'Diao a storage bracelet. Baiyue Lingxi led the way out of the dense forest, with the two Great Elders following behind.
The dense forest was truly beautiful. If only there weren't so many bugs and mosquitoes.
A'Diao: "I'm a bit puzzled. Why didn't Auntie return my ring for the ring I gave, but insisted on giving me a bracelet?"
Baiyue Lingxi: "This isn't a bracelet. It can enlarge into a bull ring for your neck. Like it?"
A'Diao: "No wonder we're fated to be together, a match made in heaven. Rhino, rhino, this is."
Baiyue Lingxi: "..."
A'Diao: "Hey, why are you walking so fast? Wait for me! By the way, why are those two old grandpas following behind? Are they afraid I'll eat you?"
Baiyue Lingxi: "Just etiquette."
A'Diao: "Then if I really eat you, will they heroically sacrifice themselves to protect you? At my Lushan, there's Teacher Qing Zan who risked her life for me."
Just shut up!
The incident where Qing Zan had terrible luck and sacrificed herself to protect her had already become international hot news. At that time, countless fan groups lit candles in the comment sections, and some even sent wreaths by courier.
Now, whenever Qing Zan went out, many people were shocked that she wasn't dead yet...
This matter was even used by many Spirit Kings of Wu Mountain for ridicule.
Lingxi had developed some resistance to being teased; she didn't even have the energy to bicker anymore. She escorted them to the entrance of the dense forest.
"When will you join the battle at Huai Guang Demon Cave?"
"No rush. Let the bullets fly for a while."
On the royal vessel, A'Diao opened the bracelet. Song Ling and Cang Wu saw a vast amount of medicinal herbs and ores inside, all of which A'Diao needed – she had exchanged Lushan's dowry for these materials.
This was also tacitly approved by Yu Xuanji because A'Diao possessed mutated substances and needed these things. Among the Three Nations, only Wu Mountain was most abundant in these materials, holding 80% of the production. This was A'Diao's purpose for coming to Wu Mountain this time.
As for lobbying... Wu Mountain was unlikely to help, but they tacitly agreed not to hit her when she was down. That was enough.
In the bamboo house, Baiyue Mochou suddenly knelt on the ground, somewhat curious, "Why do you favor her so much?"
The voice of the ethereal phantom that appeared was sharp-edged and majestic, "She has mastered the mutation ability of Sun-phase substances. That cold and beautiful girl carries the aura of mutation, clearly a benefit given by her. Cooperating with her can ensure the long-term future of my Wu Mountain."
Improving talent is incredibly difficult. Resources are non-renewable and will eventually be depleted. The upper limit of resources is fixed, and no amount of resources can easily break through it. Growth like A'Diao's, which is abnormal, must be due to mutation.
Although Baiyue Mochou had long suspected it, it was only now that she received definite news.
"If so, this is indeed her greatest trump card. Do you have any other instructions?"
"Be wary of the Imperial Families of the Three Nations. Based on the information you recently relayed to me... there was something wrong with the events of that year. Moreover, I've recently sensed that the birth and demise of Spiritual Energy in this world are very strange, as if it's being fixedly absorbed by certain places. The nourishment to the mortal realm is weakening. This is a nightmare for cultivators worldwide, and for us as well."
Baiyue Mochou was startled and said gravely, "Could it be... I remember you said that after the great war back then, the Imperial Families of the Three Nations, who were the main force, claimed that all Celestial Clan members self-destructed, leaving no bodies or flesh. If the Imperial Families of the Three Nations lied, and they obtained these bodies and flesh, and from them... could peerless figures emerge who could harm you?"
"Possible."
"..." Baiyue Mochou truly felt a sense of fear.
No matter how powerful Chen A'Diao was, she wasn't afraid, because she could see that this person possessed terrifying self-discipline. But the Imperial Families of the Three Nations were different; they were a bunch of lunatics.
The phantom sighed softly.
"They speak of the Three Founders, but everyone knew that at the time, the Three Gentlemen achieved renown independently. There were also nine other kings, including myself and the one from Bronze Mountain. Four of them were in the Imperial Families of the Three Nations, and the other three were in the Three Heterodox Clans."
"Initially, the fame of the Three Gentlemen was indeed the most prominent. Changting was a man unparalleled in history, but he eventually died, killed in battle at Guixu. The one who dealt him the final blow was Chen Gui, but those who severely wounded and defeated him were the four allied members of the Imperial Families. It was only later that I learned those four had jointly cultivated a bizarre secret technique capable of defeating Changting, but I don't know the specific method."
"So many years have passed. If the bodies of the Celestial Clan are in their hands, and they have also mastered the most advanced special techniques, then... the future is unpredictable."
"After all, even a Demon King incarnation has appeared. Who knows if they can make the Celestial Clan bloodline usable by the human race."
If they could.
That would be more terrifying than a Demon King incarnation.
A'Diao soon parted ways with Cang Wu and Song Ling. She didn't go to the Taihao Clan but instead took another interstellar flying ship via a cosmic route to a mining planet.
This mining planet happened to be under Cang Wu's name. Cang Wu disliked managing interpersonal relationships, so he had previously purchased a large team of intelligent mining robots from Huayao Bank at a high price.
Therefore, he could control everything on this planet and wasn't afraid of leaks. But A'Diao was now the only living person on this planet.
And one dead person.
In a dark mine shaft on the mining planet, A'Diao walked closer step by step. Seeing the wretched figure sprawled ahead, the corner of her mouth curled up slightly as she, hidden in the darkness, mocked derisively.
"Oh... struggling, are we? No matter how much you struggle, no one will come to save you."
"You're already my dog. Didn't you know?"
The wretched Yan Xi, even though controlled, glared fiercely at A'Diao.
A dignified Great Corpse King, who had died a heroic death back then, yet after this revival, he looked like he had fallen into a gutter.
First, the insidious Human-Demon, then a perverted mad demon.
He was unreconciled.
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