Redemption of a Born Demon

Chapter 328 - 247: The Storm Rises Again, a Sky Anomaly Reveals an Array Map (Part 1)

Three months passed in the blink of an eye.

The impact of Yi Beidou’s trip to Japan was still brewing, and the world was changing rapidly.

First, martial arts tournaments were being held one after another in various countries, and all sorts of corresponding reforms were continuously implemented. For a time, "Martial Arts Dao" and "Cultivation" became the hottest buzzwords of the era.

It wasn’t just the martial arts tournaments. There was even frequent friction between the Martial Arts Dao organizations of different countries, a trend that only seemed to be escalating.

As the saying goes, "There is no first in scholarship, and no second in martial arts." Practitioners of martial arts are hot-blooded, and after learning a few Taoist Skills, they’re eager to test their mettle. This was perfectly normal.

The same was true among the general public. Many people were discussing which country’s masters were stronger, comparing them against one another. Some even began calling for a world-class Martial Arts Dao tournament, where masters from all over could compete, to be held during the next Olympic Games.

Everyone understood that a master who was powerful enough could genuinely influence the situation of an entire country.

This was a contest of national strength, a comparison of superiority and inferiority.

And because of what Yi Beidou had done in Japan, combined with Donghua’s reputation as the birthplace of the Martial Arts Dao, Donghua had the decisive upper hand in this war of public opinion.

The public debate within the Starry Sky Country was particularly fierce.

’Everyone knows our great Starry Sky Country is number one in the world! We dominate our rivals in every field! We’re the light of humanity! How can we fall behind in a field as important as this?’

This was especially true after certain people fanned the flames by leaking the story of the street brawl between masters from various nations that had once taken place in Donghua Demon City. It was posted on social media platforms beyond the Starry Sky Country’s official control, and it instantly shattered the composure of many of its citizens.

’Even the masters from their own Starry Sky Country were no match for the Great Demon King, Yi Beidou? Doesn’t that mean he’s already number one in the world, and that Donghua has become the leader of the New Martial Arts Dao era?!’

Even many of the Starry Sky Country’s loyal allies were inquiring about the matter with concern. Their Alliance was built upon the Starry Sky Country’s hegemonic status; if that position were to be shaken, a whole chain of problems would arise.

This continued until a video released by NASA began to spread online, causing a massive sensation.

In the video, against the backdrop of boundless space, a stark-naked man, his private areas pixelated, leaped out of a space capsule. He wore no spacesuit and had no safety tether, simply launching himself into the vacuum of space.

He floated like one of the Deities, looking down upon the Earth. He spread his arms, his body releasing a splendor like a nebula, incomparably brilliant and dazzling.

Everyone watched as the camera-equipped space capsule moved steadily away from the figure, as if it were about to abandon him to float alone in the vacuum forever.

However, something even more incredible happened shortly after. Chains of light like a nebula shot out from the figure’s body and wrapped around the space capsule, allowing him to move along with it. A short while later, like a Superman with the ability to fly, he soared swiftly through the vacuum, crossed the empty space in an instant, and successfully returned to the capsule.

And the title NASA provided for this video was:

"We’ve Taken Another Small Step for Humanity"

Instantly, the video spread like wildfire across all social media, completely blowing up the Western World.

"Is that Superman? He can actually fly in a vacuum?! Has the Starry Sky Country’s life-science technology really reached this level?"

"We’re one step closer to the sea of stars! Donghua’s life-science tech is nothing! While their eyes are still on the ground, we’re already looking to the cosmos!"

"Starry Sky Country is number one!"

"..."

Of course, besides these, there were also many voices of doubt.

"Fake video, right? Which Hollywood special effects company made this? Look how blurry the footage is! You guys faked the moon landing back in the day, too!"

"Tch, it’s just surviving in a vacuum. The Great Demon King could do that too. People from the Starry Sky Country are just show-offs!"

"Just you wait! Sooner or later, the Great Demon King will set foot in the Starry Sky Country and make you suffer the same calamity as Japan!"

"..."

The Eastern and Western factions waged a war of words online. At the same time, countries with Saint Realm masters began to make similar moves, spreading videos showcasing Saint Realm abilities online to display their national strength and boost their influence.

The debate over which country’s Saint Realm was the strongest continued to brew. The East-West confrontation was at a critical juncture, and the clash of these new powers was extremely important for the division of future interests.

And it wasn’t just the Mortal World; even the Hidden Realm was being rocked by earth-shattering waves.

「Antarctica.」

This was a land covered by endless ice and snow, possessing the most extreme and harsh climate on Earth. Many parts of it remain forbidden zones for humanity to this day, impossible to explore.

Kunlun Research Station, Antarctica.

This was Donghua’s closest research station to the South Pole, and its twenty-some staff members were currently facing a severe ordeal.

About a month ago, extreme weather had suddenly struck Antarctica. An unprecedentedly fierce blizzard had begun to rage. Looking out the window, the world outside was a vast expanse of white, with visibility of less than a meter.

WHOOSH! RATTLE!

The researchers had gathered together in a single room. In a situation like this, they could huddle together for warmth and minimize the station’s energy consumption.

In such extremely harsh weather, it was impossible for outside supplies to get through. If anyone stepped outside, they would be blown away by the blizzard, never to be found again.