"Yeah. We've just left the Shattered Starfields, so I'll send you the information. Send it to the Eastern Alliance as soon as you can.
We've had a pretty good haul. "Lan Jue spoke to Lan Qing with a smile.
"Alright!" Lan Qing answered, and accepted the information.
The Accountant's analysis of the information began to flow.
When the progress bar reached one hundred percent, Lan Jue breathed a sigh of relief. At least they hadn't failed in their mission. They'd completed their mission.
Overall, it had been a daunting experience.
However, considering that it had taken five Paragons to complete the mission, it wasn't surprising at all.
If they couldn't find out what was going on, then there was no point in continuing the war against the aliens. Humanity would lose without a doubt!
Zeus -1 continued to accelerate toward An Lun, where Star Division was waiting for them.
The information they'd gathered was enough for the Eastern Alliance to make a decision.
Of course, the mission would continue, but it would be some time before they could do it again.
Their top priority now was to get the vital crystals back.
They'd have to show their worth.
Handing them over to someone reliable in the Eastern Alliance was the best way to maximize their profits.
Vital crystals were useful, but their value would drop after a certain amount. Exchanging them for something from the Northern Alliance or the Western Alliance was a better option.
High-tech battleships, for example.
Their military prowess would determine the outcome of the war between humanity and the aliens.
With the information transferred, Lan Jue relaxed and continued to cultivate with the Driver.
He'd made up his mind.
Once he returned, he'd complete the yin and yang lightning fusion with the Driver. That would change his Discipline.
Once he'd established a solid foundation, he'd aim to become a Paragon. He wanted to reach his brother's level as soon as possible.
Lan Jue had assumed that after his cultivation with Zhou Qianlin, his strength would be close to his brother's.
His strength was already very close to his brother's. Especially after he obtained the Immortal Trapping Sword of the Four Immortal Slaying Swords, his confidence was unprecedentedly strong.
Who would have guessed that Lan Qing would break through to Paragon and become a Reflection of Heaven and Earth?
While she was happy for her brother, Lan Jue also felt a sense of urgency.
This sense of urgency was even stronger now that they were facing off against the aliens.
He was one of the strongest of the human race, but when it came to fighting high-level aliens, he couldn't hold his own.
However, he felt that he couldn't exert any strength.
This was a lack of strength. Lan Jue was very clear on this point.
That was why he needed to improve his strength at all costs. He needed to be strong enough to face off against high-order aliens.
On his own, he knew it would be a long, drawn-out process. He would need to reach his mother's level to stand a chance against the Violet Princess.
But he wasn't alone. He had Zhou Qianlin by his side.
If he and Zhou Qianlin could both become Paragons, then with the help of Captus and Demortus …
They would be able to hold their own against high-level aliens.
Becoming a Paragon wasn't out of the question. After all, he'd re-cultivated, and his foundation was stronger than most Adepts. It was no less than Lan Qing's.
Zeus -1 made its way back to the An Lun base.
Lan Qing personally led a group of military leaders to welcome them.
Now that he was a Paragon, Lan Qing's position in the military was completely different.
He was the youngest general, the youngest admiral, and the youngest general in the history of the Eastern Alliance.
All these records belonged to him.
But it also meant something.
He was officially one of the top brass of the Eastern Alliance.
And with the An Lun Iron Army as his own, he wielded power.
He was no less powerful than any of the top brass in the military.
While Lan Jue and the others were scouting in the Shattered Starfields, the Eastern Alliance had made a decision.
The Eastern Alliance's Fourth Fleet would be assigned to An Lun. It would become a part of the An Lun army, under Lan Qing's direct supervision, training, and direction.
With a fleet under his command, and the resources of An Lun, Lan Qing was now a true admiral.
In the face of true danger, few would play tricks.
The Eastern Alliance's Fourth Fleet was well equipped, the crystallization of the most advanced technology.
The fleet itself was strong, and its soldiers were well-trained veterans.
Lan Qing had already sent them to An Lun to train with the An Lun army. They were also given more training to fight the Fourth Fleet.
Without a doubt, the An Lun army and the Fourth Fleet would become the Eastern Alliance's most important fighting force.
Lan Qing himself was the most powerful force in the Eastern Alliance.
The Eastern Alliance was weak, and had its share of internal strife.
But in comparison to the Western Alliance and the Northern Alliance, they were much more united.
Now that they were facing the aliens, they no longer held each other back. Their goal was to strengthen the Eastern Alliance and fend off foreign invaders.
Of the three Major Leagues, the Eastern Alliance was the first to move. It was also the quickest to adapt.
The Eastern Alliance was the first to announce the results of their exuvium process. Now they were attracting foreign talents.
Of course, all of this was done in private.
"Brother." When she saw Lan Qing, Lan Jue's competitive spirit flared.
Lan Qing had been working hard to improve himself ever since he'd become a Paragon. Compared to when he'd first broken through, he looked much more ordinary now. There was no sign of power or protogenia. He looked like the most ordinary man in the world.
There was nothing out of the ordinary about him.
But the more he looked, the more it showed how strong he was.
To be able to control protogenia and Discipline in such a short amount of time, what kind of talent was this?
Lan Jue wasn't the only one who noticed. The Pauper, Wine Master, and Clockmaker were all the same.
The Wine Master sighed inwardly. As a veteran Paragon, he could feel the gap between himself and Lan Qing.
Perhaps Lan Qing's experience with the power of a Paragon was lacking, but when it came to mastery he was far inferior.
"It's good that you're back.
The information you've brought back is important. "Lan Qing nodded to Lan Jue, then went to greet the other Paragons.
Jueti looked calm. His hands were clasped behind his back, and a thoughtful light shone in his eyes.
"Father!" Lan Qing came to stand in front of him.
Jueti nodded in satisfaction. "Not bad. It looks like you've mastered your powers. Keep working hard.
Although I suggested this dharma of yours be a little mischievous, Vairocana is one of the strongest dharmas there is. If you can truly comprehend his power, then in the future you'll be able to communicate with heaven and earth and enter Nirvana, the benefits will be immense.
Perhaps you'll be able to find out where the lost Western Paradise is. "
"Father," Lan Jue said, "don't you want grandchildren?
Do you want my brother to become a monk? "
"Dharma isn't faith," Jueti retorted.
"What monk?
You have so many beautiful women around you, why don't you introduce one to your brother?
I haven't even settled the score with you yet, and you have the nerve to ask? "
Lan Jue shrugged. "My brother's standards are too high. What can I do?"
Lan Qing shot him a look. "Everyone's worked hard. Get some rest.
I've taken care of everything. "
Their bodies were tired, but it wasn't until they were back on An Lun that their mental exhaustion began to subside.
Even the Wine Master and Clockmaker, as Paragons, felt the strain, let alone Lan Jue.
Once everyone had settled down on An Lun, Lan Jue didn't rest. He called the Bartender and Coffee Master over to ask how Star Division's training had been going.
What surprised him was how quickly Star Division adapted. Sparks flew between them and the Bloodiron Khans on An Lun.
They'd already had two military exercises on An Lun.
Both had ended with Star Division's victory.
If it had been a head-on fight, the Bloodiron Khans would have relied on their teamwork, discipline and discipline to keep Star Division at bay.
However, Star Division's advantages were clear.
First was individual combat ability.
There were more than eighty ninth level Adepts in Star Division. Each one of them could take on a dozen Bloodiron Khans at the same time.
Of course they weren't as well-coordinated.
Don't forget, their combat experience was honed in the Shattered Starfields.
From the very beginning, Lan Jue's Star Division had been trained to be like a pirate.
Every ten people was a squad, and they did their best to bring out the best they could.
Star Division might not have been the best in terms of teamwork, but they had their own strengths. Their teamwork was impeccable.
Star Division's Adepts were among the strongest in the Eastern Alliance. Every squad wasn't split up. The ten Adepts in a squad complemented each other. Their teamwork wasn't perfect, but it was definitely beneficial.
Military merits were calculated according to the squad. Therefore, there were no conflicts within the squad. Instead, it was a very harmonious and united little group.
Usually, when they were together, what they discussed the most was how to make their team stronger and how to better surpass the other teams.
(To be continued)