Beyond the sky, aside from enclosing Earth to protect it, the Star Map had a surveillance function too.
As such, Wang Hou could observe a portion of the solar system through the Star Map after he had gained some degree of control over it.
Naturally, Mars was within the scope of surveillance.
He had suddenly felt it inwardly when he was in a meeting, and noticed the uncountable ranks of the Sky Demon legion along with their champions through the Star Map. At a certain corner in the barren planet of Mars, a warp portal was continuously flashing as endless legions of Sky Demons flew out.
“Minister Wang…”
The others seated in the office were all backbones of the Martial Arts Department (MAD), and someone quickly asked Wang Hou about it when they saw Wang Hou’s reaction. In response, he quietly said, “The Sky Demons are invading by the masses, and their legion is gathering on Mars. Contact every branch and the military now, and have them prepare for a fight.”
“I’m heading to Lingzhou City for a bit. I’ll be back soon.”
He rose to his feet and strode out of the window, and had already moved more than a kilometer away in a flash.
Having reached Paragon in martial arts, Wang Hou thundered rapidly towards Jiang He’s house and reached it in just ten minutes.
“You’re here, Minister Wang?”
Jiang He was holding a pitch-black hammer and asked with a smile, frowning when he saw the look on Wang Hou’s face. “What happened?”
“Sky Demons!”
Wang Hou said somberly, “Their legion and their champions are gathering on Mars, and it seems they are mounting another invasion on Earth.”
Jiang He’s face twitched, but he soon breathed a long sigh and said, “What would come, will come… you and I know that. With the Star Map turned on, the dimensional seal over Earth is remove. If the immortals could return now, the Sky Demons and any race that once invaded Earth would return.”
“But…”
Wang Hou growled through clenched teeth, “It’s my fault! It’s all my fault! If I didn’t touch the Star Map, it would not have unlocked the dimensional seal this early!”
“Now is not the time for self-blame, Minister Wang.”
Jiang He waved him off, saying, “The most important thing now is to scout out their current forces.”
“A brief look before showed no fewer than thirty Mahayana and hundreds of Sufferance, along with uncountable ranks of Yuan Spirit and Convergence-tier fighters.” Wang Hou said, taking a deep breath. “Moreover, the Sky Demons are just gathering their legion and not attacking Earth yet, which is why I’m afraid more champions and forces would arrive.”
“Do they have any immortal champions?”
“Not yet.”
Jiang He could not help sneering then and said, “Then the Sky Demons are underestimating me too much. Daring to take Earth without a single immortal?”
“…”
Wang Hou opened his mouth, unsure as to why Jiang He was this confident.
That was when Hu Mei stepped out from the yard, teapot in hand, as she arrived in her alluring stride, saying charmingly, “Tea, Master.”
She turned and left after pouring Jiang He tea.
Nine fox tails slowly swayed behind her.
Though she did not deliberately release her aura, the faint immortal aura of her body left Wang Hou, Jin Sidao, and the Taixu Sect chieftain all thunderstruck, their eyes bulging as they stared tightly at Hu Mei from behind.
Elder Mo, on the other hand, was merely a full-fledged Yuan Spirit, too weak to sense anything.
Jiang He frowned and said unhappily, “What are you people doing? Isn’t it too impolite to stare at my maid like this?”
“Maid?”
Wang Hou came to his senses then, his face filled with disbelief as he asked, “That’s your maid, Jiang He? An immortal?”
“Can’t you see the nine tails?”
Jiang He was speechless at that.
What was with that look?
She clearly is a daemon fox, and therefore an immortal daemon.
“Haha!”
Wang Hou could not help laughing out loud, the look of worries on his face clearing away as he exclaimed, “If you have an immortal daemon as your servant, then there is no need to fear the Sky Demons… eh?”
Suddenly…
Wang Hou’s laughter paused as his expression changed and he promptly sat down cross-legged, closing his eyes as he linked his senses with the Star Map again…
Soon…
Blargh!
Wang Hou’s body shuddered and he puked a mouthful of blood.
His face had turned very pale and he exclaimed hoarsely, “Another twenty or so Mahayana Sky Demon champions have arrived on Mars… and there are three who are probably immortals!”
Beside them, Jin Sidao’s expression changed as well and he growled, “The Sky Demons were merely bottom feeders when the Hundred Races invaded Earth before, but they are not to be underestimated. Minister Wang, Mister Jiang, we, the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, are willing to receive orders and repel the Sky Demons!”
The Taixu Sect Chieftain offered a fist-palm salute as well and said, “I’ll contact my grand-master right now.”
Though he was Chieftain, a decision of that level was not up to him.
Elder Mo also mused to himself, “Though the many secluded immortal sects, demonic sects, and daemon cultivators have yet to fully reveal themselves at the moment, many of their elites are already out and on the move. If everyone could work together, fending off the Sky Demons would definitely be possible.”
Jiang He thought about it, and asked, “It would be very difficult to unify them, wouldn’t it?”
“I’m sure they could put away their difference with an invasion at hand,” Elder Mo said confidently.
“But…”
Jiang He was still not very convinced, and asked doubtfully, “Would they be willing to work together after I’ve killed so many elites? Perhaps I shall kill more as a caution?”
Elder Mo was dumbstruck.
Damn it!
How did I forget about this part?
Elder Mo hence quieted and did not mention that again.
Jiang He, however, waved him off and laughed. “Don’t worry, everyone. I’ll think of something… since they are on Mars, it would take them some time to fly over here.’
Jin Sidao then asked hesitatingly, “Mister Jiang He… where is this Mars at?”
“Mars would be the modern name. In ancient times… It must have been called the Star of Dazzle and Confusion?”
“The Star of Dazzle and Confusion?”
Jin Sidao’s face twitched at that. “That place is a rest stop among the stars. It was said that in ancient times, elites intending to journey through space would head there and teleport to other systems or quadrants with their warp portals. Likewise, there are portals linked to Earth there as well.”
“Where on Earth would the Sky Demons warp to through those portals?”
“I do not know.”
Jin Sidao answered. “Many sects have portals linked to Mars back then, but the portals linked from Mars to Earth are connected to random locations.”
Jiang He appeared even more somber at that.
Cursing quietly, he said, “Damn it… random warping? In other words, the Sky Demons can divide themselves into dozens or hundreds of different battalions, appearing anywhere from mountains to seas, or even the cities?”
Wanting to mount an ambush against them had become much more difficult if this was the case.
Jin Sidao nodded as well.
Breathing a long sigh and pacing at the gates, Jiang He only spoke minutes later. “It seems that we should take the initiative and attack them instead… Even so, the Sky Demons have too many champions among their ranks and I’m not confident in a preemptive attack. I have to improve my personal abilities as soon as possible… Minister Wang, keep an eye on the Sky Demons’ movements. They must be laying other setups since they did not invade Earth immediately.”
“Brother Jin, when would the nine factions pay my mental distress compensation? Give them a little push, and have them send every treasure to my house in an hour.”
“Also…”
Jiang He then turned toward the Taixu Sect Chieftain and asked, “Have you decided on the design and function of the mystic treasure you want me to craft?”
“I’ll be turning on my crafting tool soon to gain some experience, and craft a little something for myself later?”
Jiang He was about to make stuff like bombs.
Having used up the Doom Shrooms, while the Pea Bombs are too weak in power, he decided to design a bomb with enough power.
For example…
He could use heavenly retributions as dynamite.
Still, Jiang He must try it to see if it would work.
And now, the only thing he lacks was crafting experience.
After all, he had developed a Jiang-Style Item Refinement method but never personally used it. Therefore, he would first help the Taixu Sect chieftain craft some weapons and familiarize himself with the technique itself.
“Right, if I’m going to use heavenly retributions as dynamite, where should I get those?”
Jiang He’s gaze fell upon the Taixu Sect Chieftain then, and his eyes lit up as he asked, “You’ve not weathered your ninth retribution yet, have you?”
“Haha, good, it’s good since you had not weathered it… go invoke it now.”
The Taixu Sect Chieftain was dumbstruck.
He was left completely baffled just then, and he quickly said, “Mister Jiang, I didn’t bring any protective mystic treasure and I’m unprepared. I would have less than thirty percent chance of survival, though if you would craft two superior-grade sage item for me and I equip them ahead of time, I would have more than eighty percent chance of survival.”
Eighty percent…
Was actually enough.
But the problem is that I have no equipment at all, and you are not crafting my mystic treasures yet.
Jiang He, however, sneered and said, “With me around, you have a hundred percent chance of survival. There would no other outcome, so listen to me and invoke your retribution right now—I’m backing you up.”
In that moment, Jiang He suddenly felt inspired…
After he gets more free time in the future, should he start a business of helping others in surviving retributions?
He would be drooling all over if he charged fifty superior-grade spirit stones for each session.
“Moreover, aside from weathering retributions, I could help others strengthen their mystic treasures, since it would be a success just by planting those, and I could earn Farm Points too… My hundred-percent strengthening rate is definitely a hundred million times better than the blacksmiths in video games, where strengthening is extremely difficult and the weapon would shatter at the drop of a hat!”
***
Meanwhile, on Mars, one mystic treasure after another were flying away and assuming the form of palaces upon the barren planet.
Immortal radiance especially dazzled in one of the palaces, where over sixty Mahayana Sky Demons were gathered together in a meeting.
Three Heavenly Immortal Sky Demons whose bodies were entirely shrouded in Demonic Qi presided over the meeting. They were first briefed by the Sky Demon Lord about the situation on Earth, who then said, “Lord Molona would reach Mars tomorrow. Send word to the forces and have them prepare, for the legion shall advance upon the home planet of humans come day after tomorrow!”
