Stepping on the Demoness to become the strongest

Zhenghai and Qing'an Teams finally assembled, and everyone's morale soared.

Su Yunjin provided preliminary treatment to the injured Tao Xingyuan, while the rest formed a battle line yet didn't rush to push outward.

Even now with ten people on Lu Country's side, they were still far fewer than the Miti Allied Forces.

Since the dragon-headed monsters were fiercely attacking the other side, it was naturally unnecessary for Rikoku Cultivators to barge into the battlefield, so they quickly communicated via transmission.

"These dragon-headed monsters are stupidly fixated; once they target an enemy, they're unlikely to change. We can sit back and watch the tiger fight to weaken our opponents' strength," Li Minghu calmly said. "The stairs to the upper levels are in the center; crossing the battlefield will draw the monsters' attention. There's no need for us to share their firepower."

"No," Yan Yu said leisurely. "We must head to the upper level as quickly as possible."

"Why?" Li Minghu asked, frowning.

"Because being a fisherman is not that easy," Chen Lingyun said with a smile. "The Allied Forces won't sit by and let us stay out of it. Sooner or later, they'll find a way to drag us into the fray."

"Moreover, the Allied Forces here are severely outnumbered," Yan Yu added. "What if reinforcements from the lower level come later? What then?"

"But if we find the gatekeeper upstairs and our attack falters, and regardless of who wins or loses down here, the victor will chase us upstairs," Li Minghu insisted on his view. "Then we will be caught between two attacks."

"Exactly," Yan Yu incisively asked. "So, what are our advantages and disadvantages?"

Li Minghu was suddenly taken aback.

Lu Country's current strategy was to use elite troops; their disadvantage lay in not being suited for attrition or drawn-out warfare, fearing death by a thousand cuts through enemy swarms. Their advantage, naturally, was the refinement of their lineup, strong spearhead capabilities, and being adept at small-unit decapitation tactics.

If it had been a regular team confrontation with equal numbers, they could have broken the opponent first; but with the overwhelming numbers of the Allied Forces, even a 10:1 casualty ratio would be profitable for them.

If one cultivator died on their side, it would be painful, so they naturally needed to avoid confrontation with rival forces and focus on conquering the Mysterious Realm wholeheartedly.

Li Minghu found the answer in his heart and turned to ask his brother:

"Ah Jiang, you're the captain, what do you think?"

Li Zhaojiang asked in agony:

"Sister, that coat is Yan Yu's, right? I saw him wearing it before..."

"Okay!" Li Minghu interrupted him again, "Our Qing'an Team has no objections, let's go!"

Both sides reached a consensus smoothly, and what followed was action.

Lin Ning and Li Minghu led the way as the spearhead. The two Sword Immortals, one on each side, instantly charged into the battlefield, tearing open the dragon-headed monsters' line.

But the dragon-headed monsters were disorganized and didn't really form a line, so they mainly served to attract fire right away, ensuring the path ahead was clear—whether it was Mei Yingxue, the almost-Valkyrie cooperating tacitly with Yan Yu, or little Ningning, specially trained by Yan Yu, both were skilled in movement and dodging attacks.

Following closely were the main troops, with Li Zhaojiang and Jiang Hong responsible for covering the flanks. Chen Lingyun, Su Yunjin, Tao Xingyuan, and Wang Haoran were tasked with support and suppression, trying their best not to let the surrounding dragon-headed monsters free their hands to throw their iron spears.

The most dangerous task of covering the rear naturally fell to Yan Yu and Zhao Yuanzhen.

They stayed at the end of the group, facing the concentrated fire and encirclement from the dragon-headed monsters that had regained their senses.

Zhao Yuanzhen weaved right and left, dodging frantically. She had been chased by multiple Orthodox Sword Immortals before, and since the dragon-headed monsters couldn't perform Sword Control Technique, and their thrown iron spears couldn't turn, she managed to evade desparately yet emerged unscathed.

Yan Yu, on the other hand, appeared much more at ease, taking half a step to avoid an attack but never a step more. With Zhao Yuanzhen's juxtaposing performance, his elegance and composure stood out all the more, showcasing the demeanor of a strong practitioner.

And of course, these battle scenes were also recorded by the super heroes present and appeared in the global broadcast outside.

In a secret underground base in Pingjing, Mei Yingxue, in a researcher's white lab coat accompanied by a group of scientific experts, watched the live broadcast on the wall television intently.

Seeing Zhao Yuanzhen personally covering the rear for the team of Rikoku Cultivators, her gaze flickered briefly.

Then she smiled lightly and asked the old expert beside her:

"Which team does that female cultivator belong to?"

"She should be from the Zhendong Army's Zhenghai Team," the old expert responded.

Within the Mysterious Realm, the two teams finally broke through the battlefield and reached the upper level of the ship.

Su Yunjin executed the Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Art, sending the dragon-headed monster tumbling down the stairs in its attempt to follow.

The group quickly looked ahead, finding themselves in a spacious corridor about five meters wide, with single cabins on both sides, all doors firmly shut.

"Search!" Yan Yu swiftly ordered, "Lin Ning, Zhao Jiuzhen, Li Minghu, Jiang Hong! One person per room, break in and confirm, be wary of ambushes, retreat immediately if you encounter the enemy! The rest of you stay outside on standby, move quickly!"

The four assigned immediately chose their rooms and broke in, one to confirm the absence of any guard within, and the other to prevent enemies from hiding inside and then emerging to cut off the team's path once they reached the center of the corridor, which would result in the team being flanked from both sides—a disadvantageous position.

As for why Yan Yu chose these four individuals, it was of course because Sword Immortals had the strongest capability to handle emergencies. Only Zhao Yuanzhen, although serving as an Assistant Officer, had indeed fast reactions and formidable strength, and no one objected.

Yan Yu sat prominently in the middle of the corridor, ready to offer support at a moment's notice, when he heard Li Zhaojiang's voice transmission asking:

"Yan Yu, you..."

"I'm not discussing the clothing matter," Yan Yu interrupted brusquely.

"Let's not talk about the clothes!" Li Zhaojiang clenched his teeth, then said solemnly, "During the upcoming strategic room clearing, don't let my sister take the lead. She spent time in the freezing seawater, which might have left her with some potential health issues. I'm afraid she won't be able to withstand the intense pressure of a serious battlefield."

"Comrade Li Zhaojiang," Yan Yu said seriously, "this is a battlefield! Everyone must fight for victory, and if your sister holding back leads to a failure, who will be responsible?"

"Don't make a big deal out of nothing," Li Zhaojiang said with a grim face. "With so many people here, does it have to be my sister in front? If this leads to a failure, I'll take full responsibility."

"Can you bear such a burden?" Yan Yu retorted.

"If something happens to my sister," Li Zhaojiang said coldly, "no matter who is to bear the responsibility, I absolutely won't let them off!"

Yan Yu narrowed his eyes, staring at him.

Indeed, at this point in time, the younger brother-in-law already had a touch of the "willing to destroy the world for his sister" madness.

Although Yan Yu's fundamental stance was in agreement with him, Li Minghu was far from her last breath at this moment, so he replied indifferently:

"If Minghu agrees, I have no objections."

"Who's Minghu?" Li Zhaojiang's eyes blazed with even more murderous intent.

"Your sister doesn't mind, so what are you worried about?" Yan Yu scoffed, "Or are you trying to make decisions for her behind her back?"
Your journey continues on empire

Li Zhaojiang erupted, swearing thunderously:

"It must be you, the bad omen, who deceived my sister with honeyed words!"

"What a joke!" Yan Yu said with disdain for his accusation, "If I wanted to deceive your sister, you would have to call me brother-in-law by now!"

"Go to hell!" Li Zhaojiang exploded in frustration.

"Cursing my whole family is the same as including your sister in it!" Yan Yu retorted sharply.

Li Zhaojiang was about to split apart. He took a deep breath and then forcefully expelled the air from his lungs several times. Only after repeating this process a few times did he manage to calm down, staring at Yan Yu in silence while inwardly considering his next move.

In terms of verbal abuse, he was no match for Yan Yu, who simply had to mention his sister to break his defenses—Li Zhaojiang's sister was his Achilles' heel, a sure trigger for his fury, and he was well aware of it.

Ultimately, it wasn't that Yan Yu was particularly articulate; it was that he truly had Li Minghu's favor, which had begun since the last exchange competition between the four institutions.

If even his sister was willingly on Yan Yu's side, how could he possibly have the confidence to protect her and drive away this outsider with designs on her?

He had to convince his sister first!

A sudden inspiration struck Li Zhaojiang.

That's it, if I can't explain it clearly, I can turn to my parents!

My parents don't know what kind of person Yan Yu is! As long as I go back and slander Yan Yu to them, exaggerating the severity of the situation, they will naturally advise my sister to keep her distance from him!

Muahahaha, that's so like me!