ASER - Chapter 240

Chapter 240: Old Home

The existence of Tianshu was an absolute deterrent to Lushan Academy, including all other factions. At least, according to Kunlun, it posed a lethal threat to everyone at Lushan.

Yu Xuanji was extremely cautious about this. When dispatching personnel for the alliance's operation to thwart the Great Demon King's revival, he would remember to arrange personnel with utmost importance on safety, to avoid assassination by Tianshu.

While the major factions were preparing for the alliance, the old Daoist priest, whom A'Diao was wary of, furtively arrived at a hidden yet extraordinarily ordinary courtyard.

Before him was an ancient, weathered reddish-brown wooden door, mottled with age. The door was tightly shut, and it seemed silent inside, but if one listened carefully, the faint sound of pages turning could be heard.

The old Daoist priest stood at the bottom of the steps, not daring to cross the threshold, and reported in a low voice: "The body is indeed in their hands. I didn't expect it to be hidden in such a place; no wonder we couldn't find it. Shall I go and retrieve it?"

A voice came from inside: "Would she give it to you?"

The old Daoist priest: "No."

Clearly, despite his age, he still possessed some self-awareness.

The person in the inner room: "Then what method do you have? Surely you wouldn't be willing to kill her?"

The tone was so cold, it didn't sound like a joke.

The old Daoist priest lowered his head: "A lowly person like me is not worthy of killing someone from the Celestial Clan."

"Celestial Clan? What kind of Celestial Clan member is she?"

This statement essentially denied A'Diao's origins.

The old Daoist priest's pupils trembled, but he said no more.

Because he knew the person inside was in a bad mood.

Time always moves forward, thus creating history. And history can never be changed, thus creating regrets. Regrets are often hard to let go of, thus creating pain.

The more silent the old Daoist priest became, the deader the silence from inside grew. Finally, a voice drifted out: "What is she doing now?"

The old Daoist priest pondered for a moment, his expression somewhat strange: "Closed-door cultivation."

Inner room: "Still with Kunlun?"

The word "still" was quite suggestive.

The old Daoist priest dared not raise his head even more: "It should be that Kunlun is guiding her well?"

Inner room: "Not because he's good-looking?"

The old Daoist priest's rhetorical question was cautious and fearful, while the inner room person's rhetorical question was cold and mocking.

Men and good looks were sore points for the person inside. The old Daoist priest tried to change the subject.

"She doesn't have any special intentions; she's the same towards men and women... right?"

"As long as they're good-looking?"

"Not really, they still need to have some talent, right?"

"Like buying her food?"

"You seem to know her very well. Actually, you still care about her?"

The person inside fell silent for a moment, and then the old Daoist priest vomited blood, a mouthful splattering on the ground with a "wah" sound.

But he wiped his mouth, knelt down to wipe the floor, and said sheepishly: "Rest assured, she usually freeloads food, drinks, and entertainment. She definitely won't get herself entangled. She won't follow in the footsteps of... back then. Given her despicable, shameless, and brazen behavior over the years, she's not cut out for that kind of romantic storyline."

This sounded somewhat reasonable.

The person in the inner room, thoughts unknown, said sparsely: "You taught her well."

Was that a compliment?

The old Daoist priest thought to himself.

"In one more year, everything will end. Go do what you should do."

Hearing the person in the inner room say this, the old Daoist priest felt a palpitation in his heart.

One year? Could she already foresee this day? Would the outcome be as they wished?

All long-term plans often fear unforeseen small accidents, like grains of sand, or perhaps from the very beginning, it was an endless journey in the dark.

He suddenly felt very sad and lost, but in the end, he bowed his head, made a gesture of respect, and left in silence.

As he turned, a distinctly shaped leaf fell from a crooked red maple tree that grew solitarily in a corner on a mound of yellow earth. He subconsciously reached out, and his large hand, old as tree bark and once disdained by that sharp-tongued girl, caught it.

The maple leaf was clearly bright red, yet it had withered.

He gently placed it on the yellow earth, wishing that even in its decay, it would nourish the ancient trees.

He turned and left, without looking back.

The person inside was reading a book, and there was a sentence in it:

–In the vast and rugged mountains, it was hard to find a way out. Suddenly, a white deer was seen running through the green. Just as it was about to rise, a sound cracked, an arrow killed it, and it was eaten to satisfaction. But there were no more deer.

The hunter dies by the hunter's heart; killing the deer means no deer to lead the way, thus a dead end.

Half a month later, the personnel for the Nine Cauldrons Alliance were mostly in place. The weakest were at the Grandmaster level; non-Grandmasters were not to participate, lest they just be cannon fodder.

Even Grandmasters would use formations in conjunction to unleash Spirit King-level combat power.

Lushan Academy and the Imperial Family, with their deep foundations, each entrusted these formations to some rogue cultivator experts. However, the people from Lushan Academy soon discovered they didn't need to contribute many top-tier formations and resources because the Imperial Family contributed more, and many experts were drawn over to their side.

Upon departure, Qing Zan crossed off many names from the list of experts who were originally affiliated with Lushan Academy but had recently leaned towards the Imperial Family, saying: "Willing to spend resources, willing to lower their stance, there's no wall that can't be dug. After all, everyone is fighting for the human race, so it doesn't make much difference."

Bailu raised an eyebrow: "What if a fight breaks out?"

He didn't say who would be fighting whom.

Qing Zan calmly and naturally said: "If a real fight breaks out, these people won't matter much."

Those who can be bought with such small benefits wouldn't have much skill. When it comes to fighting, it would ultimately be between their two sides, and also between A'Diao, Kunlun, and those old fogeys from the Imperial Family.

"But the biggest trouble is, why is the location in our Tang Song Nation again this time? Who did Tang Song offend? It couldn't be a curse from those shameless actions of Lie Qin and Nan Jin, could it?"

This remark caused a lot of grumbling. Someone couldn't help but chuckle and say: "Why do I feel it's because a certain big shot from our Lushan Academy is in charge of karmic luck and bringing prosperity? Back in the first generation, weren't all major world events also in our Tang Song Nation?"

Wherever the Three Gentlemen were, that was where the world's focus was.

Now, one Chen A'Diao was worth the Three Gentlemen.

Everyone seemed to tacitly agree, but someone with a sharp tongue interjected: "Speaking of which, everyone, are you prepared to die in battle for our Highness?"

What crap are you talking about, bringing up this topic?

Everyone fell silent at once.

Among the Spirit Kings, that young aunt from the Li family, cold and aloof, with a face like pale snow, seemed serious, her voice like an echo from a cold pond: "I will."

The others were startled, but then they all smiled. Several middle-aged and elderly male Spirit Kings responded like simps.

"I will too."

"Definitely will."

"Sister Li Ci, wherever you die, I'll die there too, absolutely more heroically than Qing Zan."

Qing Zan: "Shut up."

Just then, the time was up. Yu Xuanji flicked his sleeve, and the hundred-plus experts from Lushan Academy disappeared instantly.

At the same time, other factions teleported one after another.

They were within the Tang Song Nation's borders, so they were the fastest. People from other countries were a bit slower.

But fast or slow didn't make much difference; it was just a matter of a few minutes. Upon arriving at this place, many people were startled.

Why was the spiritual energy here so abundant? There also seemed to be strong and tangible karmic luck.

With the combination of spiritual energy and karmic luck, the energy density was extremely high, having a certain sense of the density found in a demonic grotto world.

"Could it be that an environment like a demonic grotto world is forming to facilitate the descent of the spiritual path and the revival of the Great Demon King?"

"Highly possible. No wonder the detectors couldn't get a clear picture of the situation here before. It turns out the mountain holds its own mysteries."

"It's one thing if we don't know, but even people within Tang Song Nation don't know the situation here? They might even drag us down."

"Heh, Tang Song Nation is in internal turmoil. Forget dragging us down, it'll be good enough if the Imperial Family and Lushan Academy don't start fighting each other."

Due to their surprise and suspicion about the unpredictable changes in the environment here, the ancestors and founders who had teleported everyone, including Yu Xuanji, disappeared instantly. They probably went to investigate the specific situation, leaving their subordinates to manage on their own.

They didn't even know where to gather.

Moreover, this mountain range seemed particularly vast.

Qing Zan and others guessed that the great Spirit Kings hadn't yet calculated the precise spatial coordinates for the descent of the spiritual path after the Great Demon King's revival. Otherwise, with such a large mountain range, it would be too late to intercept it.

They weren't super experts of Chen A'Diao's caliber. In terms of long-range attacks, their effective range was only about five kilometers. Beyond that, the attack energy would start to disperse. Therefore, for their group attacks to be effective, the most crucial thing was pinpointing the spatial coordinates.

Each faction formed its own groups and dispersed. Later, those who arrived encountered people from Tang Song Nation.

This was a case of enemies meeting on a narrow path.

People from the Moluo Clan encountered Daoguang Cang Wu and people from the Tianling Clan on a mountain ridge. Because the ancestors of both clans were not present, there were cold sneers, sarcastic remarks, and a tense atmosphere, swords drawn.

It looked like a fight was about to break out.

There was a commotion below. Both groups turned around and saw Taihao Zhen leisurely leading her people up. As a female young lord and female crown prince, she had a very shrewd and worldly-wise air. Seeing the situation ahead, she turned to take a detour, but then bumped into people from the Nan Jin Imperial Family and the Lie Qin Imperial Family, among whom were several first-generation enemies.

She was decisive and immediately turned back to find Cang Wu.

"Lord Cang Wu, I'm here to help you."

Cang Wu: "..."

There was a huge power gap between them. How could Taihao Zhen have the nerve?

And as soon as she ran over, her enemies charged directly. Cang Wu was not a Spirit King; currently, relying on recent pressure, effort, and the benefits from his ancestors' revival, he had only cultivated to the peak of Grandmaster. He was well aware of this and retreated directly, letting these Spirit King-level seniors fight it out.

Then, while he was informing his own clan's ancestor, before he could clearly explain the situation, he saw the intensity of the fighting ahead increase. There were signs of it being a fight to the death, more people were getting involved, and the attack range was getting stronger. Soon...

Cang Wu realized that the Moluo Imperial Family was the instigator this time, seemingly intentionally–they were deliberately attacking this mountain range, as if testing something.

This must have been instigated by those old ancestors behind them.

Could it be they were probing the reality of this mountain?

Just as Cang Wu was speculating, Yu Xuanji's voice came from the sky, "Everyone, are you just going to watch your disciples and grand-disciples cause a ruckus?"

"Of course not. This mountain is mysterious and suspicious, but it was ordinary before. It seems to be a recent change. Our calculations are correct, but the specific landing point has not yet been calculated."

"I estimate it must be the place with the strongest karmic luck. Brother Yu, I think it's that wooden house. We need to go in and check. What do you think?"

Yu Xuanji sneered: "Just because you say so?"

"What I say naturally doesn't count, but if the founders say so, then it is so."

Kunlun and A'Diao were not present. Lushan Academy was not as powerful as these people. Yu Xuanji didn't confront them directly and remained silent. The others, even those from the Wu Mountain lineage, did not object. Thus, in the vast mountain range, the experts of the Nine Cauldrons factions all received a voice transmission.

A coordinate was given.

Taihao Zhen and the others who were fighting stopped. Cang Wu noticed that these people took some stone materials from deep within the mountain after the forced blasting, probably to take back for experiments to determine the mountain's reality.

Especially the Six Cauldrons factions of Lie Qin and Nan Jin, even Wu Mountain took some.

Such strong karmic luck was indeed very strange.

Cang Wu, of course, knew why it was strange, but he remained silent. After a while, everyone flew from all directions of the mountain to a sunken hillock surrounded by bamboo groves and deep woods. Green hills were present, but the place appeared desolate. The steps were steep, the fields barren, and the only dilapidated courtyard looked like a charity coffin home in the deep mountains and old forests, very gloomy and terrifying.

At this time, Yu Xuanji, Tong Huang, and several Imperial Family Great Elders were already standing outside the courtyard gate. When Cang Wu and the others arrived, they saw their elders squatting by the vegetable patch, examining it seriously with a secretive and profound look.

Yes, just examining, but not touching.

Everyone felt strange. Taihao Zhen's gaze swept sparsely over the dilapidated courtyard ahead and asked an elder, "This place is?"

Elder: "Shh, this place is extraordinary. We dare not act rashly."

Taihao Zhen: "?"

In what way dare not act rashly?

Elder: "Didn't you see the countless spiritual herbs and flowers on the ground? Flourishing and prosperous, it's naturally a place of excellent feng shui. There are big secrets in here, believe me. Even the noses of that dog-like Moluo Clan aren't as sensitive as mine."

Taihao Zhen reluctantly believed this paternal uncle of hers.

While the two were talking privately, some daring core "crown prince party" members of the Nine Cauldrons factions were looking around. Some even pulled out wild sweet potatoes from the ground to examine. But just as the sweet potatoes were pulled out, Tong Huang's gaze swept over the front and back courtyards, and he said lightly: "This place is Chen A'Diao's childhood home. To be able to nurture such a person blessed by nature, it must be nourished by karmic luck and cannot be casually violated. However, since it concerns the karmic luck of the human race, we shall borrow this place to investigate. If this is indeed the place where the Great Demon King revives and the spiritual path descends, it is also a matter of fate. Everyone just do your best."

This old dog, still trying to control the narrative.

As if A'Diao was assisting the Great Demon King's revival here.

The people from Lushan Academy sneered. Baiyue Mochou and others didn't respond, but no one came out to object. Because once this topic was thrown out, under the grand pretext of the human race's safety, even Lushan Academy dared not incur public wrath.

Political correctness, after all.

So they could only watch as Tong Huang and the others took action.

When experts make a move, you know if they've got it or not. The front yard, back yard, plus the entire Daoist courtyard were uprooted by a spell, revealing the reality of the deep pit underground...

This reveal was truly damn incredible.

For a moment, everyone saw below... um... what is this?

A square pit, with some dark, yellowish, shriveled things. Some even had lingzhi and mushrooms growing on them.

In that instant, the atmosphere among the strongest group of the human race – more than two thousand people from the Nine Cauldrons factions, with an average combat power at the peak of Grandmaster – became utterly silent.

A wisp of wind blew, seeming to carry a dry, fragrant scent.

And also the silent suspicion from the hearts of the human race.

Yu Xuanji's cheek twitched, and he took a step back, but it was too late. The next second, the gentle breeze fell silent, all sounds ceased except for the chirping of cicadas, and suddenly a strange voice emerged.

"Why are you digging up my yard? Haven't you seen a latrine pit before? Want to take a sniff?"

"You city folks are so strange."

"But it's already dried up. You came at the wrong time."

???

Everyone's necks felt a bit stiff. Even the expressions of the Lushan Academy people were contorted. They all turned their heads and saw, at the top of the bamboo forest on the side, a woman in a red dress with gold patterns, frowning at them.

She seemed very conflicted.

The kind of conflict an old mother feels when she can't stop her own child from eating excrement.

From Tong Huang +333 stars!

From Baiyue Mochou +444 stars!

From...

Just then, space tore open, and nine people arrived.

The Founder of Bronze Mountain, one person.

The Founder of Wu Mountain + a woman in green, two people.

The Ancestor of the Tianling Clan, one person.

The Ancestor of the Moluo Clan, one person.

The Ancestor of Taihao, one person.

Tang Song Nation, Lie Qin Nation, and Nan Jin each had one, all possessing considerable monarchal authority.

A'Diao's gaze swept over them. The old man from Bronze Mountain looked very robust, dignified, and profound, as if cast from the same mold as Tong Huang, but even more unfathomable.

The two women from Wu Mountain were the most conspicuous. The Founder of Wu Mountain was a woman, wearing a mask from beginning to end, appearing like an old crone. However, the woman beside her was young, but she didn't present herself with the beauty of someone in her twenties, but rather settled in her thirties, the age when a woman is most charming and alluring.

Her facial features resembled Baiyue Mochou and Baiyue Lingxi, taking the best of both, with a layer of fragile, ice-cold, sharp snow suppressing her stunning beauty. She wore a white robe, a green satin sash at her waist, and carried a classical and beautiful crescent scimitar.

Her eyes were actually crimson, resolute and cold, never looking back.

Condensed and elegant, yet fierce and solitary.

A very contradictory woman, but as her gaze fell, she was sizing A'Diao up.

A'Diao grinned at her. The latter frowned, averted her eyes, and her lips turned down, as if she didn't like A'Diao very much.

A'Diao: "..."

What was wrong with her now?

Every time a new character was unlocked and appeared, the more outstanding they were, the less they liked her.

Who did she offend?

A'Diao, who had never been liked by many people since childhood, felt very annoyed at this moment, so she scanned the others like a scumbag.

At a glance, she saw that the ancestor of the Tianling Clan was also a woman.

Uh...

Previously, she felt that Daoguang Jingci's temperament surpassed her appearance, while Cang Wu's appearance surpassed his temperament. Now it seemed, the new shoots were still tender; the old Ice Phoenix was still the most stunning.

A'Diao glanced at the other person, but the latter also avoided her gaze, only observing the place.

Then A'Diao looked at the others and found that the leader of the Nan Jin Imperial Family seemed a bit strange.

Indeed, Dantai Lingyao was undoubtedly far more powerful than the leaders of Lie Qin and Nan Jin. His status within the imperial family system was also the highest because the others were monarchs of intermediate generations, while he was the second monarch after the founding emperor, and also the most ruthless and powerful one.

Among the nine people, he was undoubtedly the most respected.

He glanced at the pit under the ground, his expression calm as he said: "I didn't expect Your Excellency A'Diao to have grown up in such a place in your youth. To have such achievements now is truly remarkable."

Once a tyrant senses that someone poses a threat to him, he will also put on a show of courtesy. The reason for his brutality is simply because no one can withstand his brutality.

Look at him, his attitude is quite good now.

A'Diao replied somewhat seriously, modestly yet pertinently, "I didn't think so before. But later, comparing myself to those of royal birth, born with golden spoons in their mouths, who are now... eh, I do feel that I am indeed exceptionally talented, unparalleled in the world."

People from the three imperial families + Dantai Lingyao: "..."

The conversation died.

When the atmosphere became slightly subdued, the ancestor of the Moluo Clan, who looked very ugly, like an old Tengu, chuckled to ease the tension: "Actually, everyone didn't intentionally dig up your old Daoist courtyard. Many people didn't know this was your home. Besides, the spiritual herbs and flowers here are so lush, it's no wonder they misunderstood."

A'Diao tilted her head slightly and said with a hint of apology: "Ah, because of this? Hmm... If I said the flowers and grass here are lush because a latrine pit exploded here two years ago, and I haven't had time to clean it up, would that offend you?"

The people standing on the ground: "..."

Taihao Zhen, still holding a sweet potato and studying it: "..."

A'Diao: "It's okay, if you feel disgusted, just say it. Let me have some fun, hahaha!!!"

She stood in the sky, laughing very happily.

From everyone +++

Twinkle, twinkle, little star, the sky is full of little stars.

Anyway, the mental power exploded!

In the bamboo forest not far away, Duanmu Biexue stood behind Daoguang Jingci, silently lowering her head to look at the ground.

Daoguang Jingci noticed and said gently: "Still young. Don't be constrained by these external things."

Duanmu Biexue: "?"

Then, Empress Dowager, why are your feet off the ground? You must have known what happened at this old Daoist courtyard long ago, so you've been keeping your distance and your feet off the ground, right?

And she thought this was a unique mode of transportation for the Phoenix Clan... She thought to herself, as expected of the Three Heterodox Imperial Clans. She never expected this; she was too young.

The woman beside the Founder of Wu Mountain had a strange expression. She looked at A'Diao for a while, then sent a voice transmission to Baiyue Mochou: "Is it really her? Kunlun feels a mutual admiration for her and dotes on her very much? From what I see, how..."

Could it be that Kunlun has been put under a spell by this little girl?

Her thoughts inevitably leaned towards speculating based on her own professional expertise.

Baiyue Mochou's expression was hard to describe.

"What you need to pay attention to is her true capabilities."

"Kunlun's judgment has always been excellent. She must have merits that I haven't discovered yet–surely she possesses both virtue and talent, or perhaps a unique temperament, right?"

Before Baiyue Mochou could say anything, she saw her youngest sister, whose talent was so extraordinary that even their own ancestor doted on her as she grew up, logically convince herself and elevate A'Diao to a status of being "worthy in this world."

She remained silent.

Baiyue Xiangsi, however, after her own mental elaboration, looked at A'Diao with much more probing and longing in her eyes.

A'Diao: "???"

What happened? Sister, why are you looking at me like that?

Although the atmosphere was strange, there were more serious people. Ying Shen, the Seventh Generation Monarch of Lie Qin Nation, kept a straight face and said coldly: "Business is paramount. Don't say irrelevant things and waste time."

A'Diao: "Right. So, Senior Tong Huang, please put my yard back. Thank you. By the way, do you want the lingzhi?"

Pa!

The yard was covered back. No one wanted her family's lingzhi, and no one was willing to go into the house after A'Diao sincerely invited them to discuss matters.

Who knew what was in the house.

They chose the lake in the adjacent bamboo forest.

At this time, Cang Wu and the others finally saw Daoguang Jingci and the other person walk out. Dantai Lingyao glanced at the two as if nothing had happened, waved his hand, and ten chairs were placed there.

"Everyone, please sit."

Those who could sit were all Great Spirit Kings.

Xie Jingyu and others standing on the periphery only then realized that the woman from Wu Mountain was a Great Spirit King.

"No, isn't she Baiyue Xiangsi?"

"She's only one generation older than Baiyue Lingxi, and she's a Great Spirit King?!!!"

While everyone was shocked, Dantai Lingyao also secretly glanced at Baiyue Xiangsi, his eyes slightly dark.

They carried a depth of grief and indignation far exceeding Baiyue Xiangsi's. They had, of course, witnessed this girl's birth and growth, and her quiet rise through the carnage of later campaigns.

Ten years of fleeting time, ten years of shamanistic rituals. As a born witch who was even more skilled in sacrificial rites than the founder in Wu Mountain's history, she was hailed as the third peerless talent after Lord Changting and Kunlun.

And such a person ignored countless heroes and overlords, rejected all marriage proposals, and only ever looked at one person.

Kunlun.

After Baiyue Xiangsi sat down, countless people were watching her, and Dantai Lingyao was also watching, his eyes filled with unwillingness and coldness.

And so...

"Old Ancestor Dantai Lingyao, why are you looking at Sister Xiangsi like that?"

Suddenly, a delicate, clear, and elegant voice spoke.

A certain "green tea old demon" sitting in the tenth seat was seen pinching her throat, her face full of envy and humility, "Is it because Sister Xiangsi is beautiful and extraordinarily talented, so vivid and fragrant like a delicious dish, making your mouth water and your heart race?"

These words were both "green tea" and venomous, and incredibly suggestive.

Everyone looked at Dantai Lingyao, recalling certain things they had found in their intelligence reports.

There was no proof, but they knew.

Because the Qu family was a lesson from the past, and the Tang Song Imperial Family... hehe.

The people of Wu Mountain naturally understood. Indeed, as generational holy maidens, the bloodline of the Baiyue clan naturally had its superior aspects, and it was nothing more than that matter. A'Diao's words undoubtedly hit a sore spot for the Wu Mountain lineage on Dantai Lingyao's behalf.

As Dantai Lingyao's face darkened.

A'Diao continued to pinch her throat and sigh, "It's truly enviable. But Sister Xiangsi, you and I will be family in the future. It would be great if my children could be like you."

With one sentence, she "cued" Baiyue Mochou, Baiyue Lingxi, and Baiyue Xiangsi – mother, daughter, and young aunt – catching them all in one net.

From Baiyue Qinggu +1288 stars!

From Baiyue Xiangsi +888 stars!

From...

Aiya, the family of beauties is still the most generous!

Hahaha!

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