(madness.)
Aya Ikegami sneered inwardly. This woman, bewitched by the Nether Crystal Clan, had no idea of the true secret of the underwater seal. Sleeping there wasn't some Nether Crystal Clan emperor, but the last queen of the Moon Demon Clan—a truth she had confirmed only after consulting countless ancient texts.
"Oh, right." Mu Xiaoxiao suddenly leaned closer, a strange, cold fragrance wafting from her. "Are you sure Han Feng didn't discover the moon's..." She abruptly stopped, changing her words, "didn't he discover the exact location of the seal?"
Aya Ikegami's back was beaded with cold sweat, but her face showed confusion: "Moon? What moon?"
"It's nothing." Mu Xiaoxiao leaned back in her chair and waved her hand casually. "Just a slip of the tongue."
The two finished their coffee, each lost in their own thoughts. Before parting, Mu Xiaoxiao suddenly grabbed Chi Shangling's wrist: "Remember, two days from now, at midnight, bring the royal bloodline to the designated location." Her fingernails glowed with an eerie blue light. "The Emperor... has waited too long."
Aya Ikegami resisted the urge to pull her hand away and obediently nodded: "Understood."
Stepping out of the coffee shop, the warm spring sunshine bathed her face. Aya Ikegami took a deep breath, only relaxing her tense shoulders after Mu Xiaoxiao's figure disappeared around the street corner.
"My lord." A woman dressed as a ninja emerged from the shadows. "Representatives from all the clans have gathered in a side hall of the Imperial Palace."
"Very good." Aya Ikegami adjusted her kimono collar, a crescent-shaped silver glint flashing in her eyes. "It's time to let these stray dogs know... who the future masters of Japan are."
Meanwhile, three blocks away, on the top floor of a luxury hotel, Mu Xiaoxiao stood before a floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the shimmering surface of Tokyo Bay. She took out her phone and dialed an encrypted number:
"Prepare the offerings needed for the 'descent ritual'... Yes, prepare for the worst... No, Ikegami Aya is untrustworthy... I suspect she's hiding something..."
As the call ended, spiderweb-like blue lines suddenly appeared beneath Mu Xiaoxiao's skin, then quickly disappeared. She gazed at a point on the horizon, murmuring to herself:
"Han Feng... what exactly are you planning?"
Soon, under the leadership of Aya Ikegami, the Ikegami family began to purge the remaining forces of the ancient martial arts world in Japan with lightning speed.
Aya Ikegami knelt in the main seat, with more than a dozen clan heads or representatives kneeling in front of her—these once arrogant and powerful figures now had their foreheads pressed against the tatami mat, even their breathing was cautious.
"Please rise, everyone." Aya Ikegami lightly smoothed a non-existent crease in her sleeve, her voice so gentle it was chilling. "From this day forward, the ancient martial arts world of R Country shall unite as one to defend against foreign enemies."
A white-haired clan chieftain trembled as he raised his head: "Lord Chishang, the Muye, Nangong, and other families have suffered a great calamity, and it is only right that we submit. But I wonder what you mean by 'external enemy'...?"
"Splash—"
Suddenly, the teacup in Aya Ikegami's hand shattered, and scalding tea splashed onto the clan chief's face, but no one dared to move.
"Family heads, it's time for you to make a decision." She spoke with a smile, watching with satisfaction as the expressions on the faces of those present changed drastically. "And... certain traitors who attempt to use external forces to overthrow our Great R Empire."
Twelve warriors dressed in moon-white ninja attire emerged from the shadows, each with a silver crescent moon embroidered on their chest. They stood silently, spreading out to surround everyone.
"From this day forward, all families must submit copies of their secret martial arts techniques for safekeeping by the Imperial Family." Aya Ikegami rose, her kimono hem sweeping across the floor. "Within three days, each family must send at least two direct descendants to join the 'Moon Shadow Guard.' Anyone with objections…"
She didn't finish speaking, but the untouched corpse in the corner said it all—it was the head of the Komori family who had tried to rebel, with a crescent-shaped dart embedded between his eyebrows.
"We obey Your Majesty's command!" the crowd prostrated themselves and shouted, their voices echoing throughout the hall.
Aya Ikegami turned and walked towards the inner room, a cold smile playing on her lips. The plan was progressing more smoothly than expected; these stray dogs were utterly vulnerable. Now, only the final step remained...
"My lord." The leader of the Moon Shadow Guard knelt silently. "There are abnormal fluctuations in the underwater barrier; it appears someone has intruded."
"When?" Aya Ikegami paused in her steps.
"Half an hour ago. Judging from the energy characteristics... it's very likely that star lord from China."
Aya Ikegami's nails instantly dug into her palm. Why would Han Feng do this at this crucial moment...? Had he discovered something?
"Observe carefully, and don't act rashly," she quickly ordered. "Prepare according to the third contingency plan. Also, bring the spare royal bloodline; be ready to activate the seal at any time."
The leader of the Moon Shadow Guards hesitated, then asked, "What about Mu Xiaoxiao...?"
"Let her continue her beautiful dream." Aya Ikegami's eyes gleamed brightly. "When the Moon Demon Queen awakens, she'll be the first one sacrificed!"
---This is the dividing line---
The morning mist on Hailong Island had not yet dissipated when the emergency meeting of the Aristocratic Alliance had already lasted for three hours. On the projection screen, the images transmitted by R Country's undercover agents were chilling—the Moon Shadow Guards of the Chishang family swept across the land like locusts, slaughtering all who resisted, while those who surrendered were marked with some kind of crescent-shaped mark.
"This isn't right." Zhang Jingcheng tapped the table. "Ikegami Aya's movements were too fast, like... she was prepared."
Dongfang Lin pulled up a set of data: "What's even stranger is the Imperial Family's attitude. According to our intelligence, the Imperial family has never interfered in the affairs of the ancient martial arts world, but this time they are fully supporting the Ikegami family."
"Where is the Star Lord?" someone asked.
"He went to the bottom of the sea," Zhang Jingcheng sighed. "He said he wants to explore that seal again."
Dongfang Lin jumped to his feet: "What! That's right in the eye of the storm! How can the Star Lord go there alone?!"
"We couldn't stop him." Zhang Jingcheng smiled wryly. "He said he felt some kind of...calling."
The conference room suddenly fell silent. Everyone understood what the "Lord of Star Souls'" intuition meant.
"Activate the 'Sky Net' contingency plan immediately," Dongfang Lin decided decisively. "Notify Longyuan in China to prepare for the rescue. I have a feeling... something big is about to happen underwater."
Three thousand meters below the sea, Han Feng hovered before a deep blue water barrier. His last visit was brief, but this time he had made thorough preparations to explore more leisurely.
"Zero, what's going on with this barrier?" he asked in his mind.
"This is indeed the seal of the Moon Demon Clan, but the power of the Dark Crystal Clan is also considerable on the surface," Zero answered truthfully.
Han Feng placed his palm on the barrier, and the power of the stars seeped into it like threads. In an instant, countless fragments of images flooded his mind—
The silver-haired queen danced under the moon... screams echoed from the blood-red altar... and finally, a pair of eyes, as white as a full moon, suddenly opened!
Han Feng abruptly withdrew his hand, his heart pounding. That wasn't the Nether Crystal Clan Emperor... absolutely not! The coldness and majesty in those eyes belonged to a completely different kind of being.
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