Stepping on the Demoness to become the strongest

Thus, countries around the world once again realized that Lu Country's ability to slay Orochi was not solely reliant on the suppression by formation; a contingent of sufficiently powerful Transcendents was also necessary.

Very soon, mysterious envoys visited Lu Country in private, expressing "the hope to borrow a few powerful Golden Core True Men."

With Europe humbling itself and choosing to capitulate, Australia quickly made a decision as well, planning to purchase Europe's Holy Shroud Barrier in terms of formation, while seeking Lu Country's assistance in the Beheading Squad aspect.

The Privy Council responded saying, "The solution to the giant serpent is complete," meaning the formation and manpower wouldn't be sold separately, sending the ball back — where do you get the confidence to bargain with us?

However, the real trouble lies with the two giant serpents in America.

On the two continents of North and South America, due to the low proportion of indigenous population, they fell behind entirely from the initial stages of Spiritual Energy Resurgence. Originally, they could rely on importing Extraordinary Power from Europe to put up a facade, but now facing the threat of giant serpents, they've been instantly revealed for what they truly are.

Their poor and weak extraordinary strength meant they had no means to fend off the giant serpents, and their fragile administrative structure left them incapable of organizing large-scale resident migrations. Consequently, the two giant serpents wantonly devoured a large population, nearly doubling in size.

The entire world was on edge. If it's explained that the Onmyoji couldn't stop the serpents due to high-level beheading by Shenyuan Simie, then these people are just deliberately nurturing Gu!

At the United Nations Security Council, the Lu Country representative expressed goodwill and concern towards American nations and inquired how far Europe's technical support projects had progressed.

Europe responded that the Holy Shroud Barrier in the American branch would soon be completed.

While this seemed like a reassuring reply, the Privy Council had some understanding of old Europe's way. Since Mr. Mei was absent, Ye Jun, an Array Master, was allowed to calculate whether their Holy Shroud Barrier could restrain America's two giant serpents.

The matter was urgent, and Ye Jun didn't dawdle. Utilizing the cultivator's fasting and sleepless traits, she stayed up for several nights to analyze various footage captured by monitoring satellites, finally generating the data results.

Most likely, it won't hold.

"Won't hold?" In the villa, upon hearing Ye Jun say this, Lin Ning was immediately taken aback and asked, "Why! But... wasn't there an estimate before?"

"Of course, it was estimated." Ye Jun rubbed her tired brow and explained, "From the strength growth curve of the giant serpent, it was originally within a controllable range."

"Originally?" Chen Lingyun raised an eyebrow, showing interest.

"With each death of a giant serpent, the remaining serpents get stronger," Ye Jun paused, then said softly, "Initially, the enhancement was weak, and since the serpents devoured life, this increment was concealed within normal value fluctuations, hence we didn't notice..."

"Not until the fifth serpent's death significantly strengthened the remaining serpents, did you awaken as if from a dream," Chen Lingyun said with a smile.

She fully understood now: Shenyuan Simie intended to divide his soul into eight, hiding it within each of the eight giant serpents to act as the Demon Lord, seemingly irrational, but in truth, it's to mask this mechanism.

The world's countries are not united as one; thus, the eradication of the eight serpents must inevitably occur in succession. The first serpents that are eradicated gain time for the remaining ones to devour more populations and significantly strengthen them through their own demise, leveraging the thought patterns of the high levels in each country:

"When we can do something, there's no immediate need to act; but when we must urgently act, taking measures is already too late."

"Now, the barrier around the two American giant serpents, if calculated correctly, has already surpassed the suppression capacity of the Purple Cloud Formation," Ye Jun continued worriedly, "If we want to increase the power of the formation..."

"The formation needs to be improved," Chen Lingyun said sharply, "and there's a high chance that your scientific development speed might not surpass the rate at which the American serpents devour lives."

"If that's the case, we should quickly gather manpower," Lin Ning said without thinking, "First tackle the Australian serpent, then find ways to hold back the two American serpents, preventing them from having the opportunity to devour more people."

"How do we hold them back?" Chen Lingyun asked, "If we can't use formation to restrict the serpents, we'll have to rely on human lives to hold them off."

Using enough human lives to attract the serpents' direction of movement was a method proven usable by the Rakshasa side, but who would bear this cost?

Given America's mobilization capabilities, they definitely couldn't bear this cost. Lu Country has the ability, but to lay down lives for the Americans? That's even more absurd.

Lin Ning didn't know how to respond, and only after a while did she ask:

"Then do we just watch these two serpents continue to grow?"

"Or hope the Captain soon retrieves the Divine Sword and slays the two giant serpents with one strike," Chen Lingyun stood up and walked upstairs, "Anyway, I find it more likely for a certain god to descend suddenly to save humanity, rather than hoping the entire human race will unite against Orochi."

Watching Chen Lingyun head to her room, Lin Ning was stunned for a long time, unable to help but ask Ye Jun:

"Sister Jun, what do you think?"

"I can't think of a way," Ye Jun shook her head, "But I guess Ling Yun doesn't care about the serpents."

"Why?" Lin Ning asked incredulously, "But the serpents will destroy the world!"

"Even if the world is destroyed, she won't die," Ye Jun replied calmly.

Lin Ning was silent for a moment, suddenly understanding her meaning.

To most people in the world, world destruction means their own survival is also at stake, but Chen Lingyun has the Underworld as a fallback, at worst reincarnating there to become a Ghost Cultivator. Certainly, Orochi wouldn't pursue them to the Underworld.

Even if it comes to the worst-case scenario, the place is exceptionally deeply filled with Yin Qi, and the Yin Ghosts are endless. When fighting Orochi, who would exhaust whom is still undetermined.

Of course, if the world were truly to be destroyed, Chen Lingyun wouldn't just escape for herself. At least those living in the villa and their respective relatives and friends would be taken to Fengdu City to live.

But Lin Ning still felt very uncomfortable. Her morals and values determined that when an Evil Dragon attacks the world, her immediate thought is to become a brave hero to slay the dragon, rather than fleeing to a secluded place the dragon can't reach... that's just too unheroic.

She sank dejectedly onto the sofa, watching the sunset gradually sink behind the window, silently thinking that if the Captain were here, he would definitely come up with a solution I couldn't think of.

"Why do you always rely on your husband?" Jing Zhongxian suddenly transmitted his voice.

"Why are you always hiding in my head speaking!" Lin Ning immediately retorted.

"I'm saying, can't we figure out a way by ourselves?" Jing Zhongxian said helplessly, "What if your husband never returns, or when he returns the world is already destroyed, what will you do then?"

"I..." Lin Ning instinctively rebutted, "How could the Captain not return? He was recognized by the True Obscurity Sun Sword Intent, okay!"

"Sword Intent and the original sword are completely different things," Jing Zhongxian argued persuasively, "just like in your world, some girls who get into the official staff and some who don't, their corresponding standards for choosing a mate are also different things. What's more, as far as I know, Sun Sword Masters throughout history have mostly inherited the lineage of certain clans, your husband doesn't have the sword master lineage, how can he gain recognition from the original sword? I think it's a bit difficult."

Lin Ning was greatly alarmed. What? The True Obscurity Sword recognizes blood lineage?

Why has no one told us this?!

Upon careful consideration, no one in Lu Country actually knows the criteria by which the True Obscurity Sword chooses its master. Only the Captain's approach seems good, winning Sword Intent's recognition, but just afraid that subsequently sticking to old thinking to deal with the original sword might not work, resulting in failure.

Lin Ning was troubled and restless when suddenly she heard Jing Zhongxian say:

"Actually, I have a method to gain recognition from the True Obscurity Sword, it's just whether you trust me."