Chaoxiang gazed at the dim sunlight filtering through the overcast sky, his mind drifting back to the cataclysmic event that had shattered the world as he knew it. The demons’ twisted alchemy had obliterated the final frontier, leaving nothing but destruction in its wake. But then, inexplicably, he had found himself awakening three months ago in the body of his 14-year-old self. At first, he was bewildered, unable to comprehend what had happened. Yet, as time passed, he came to the startling realization: he had been sent back into the past, granted a chance to change the course of history and save his loved ones from their tragic fates.
However, something peculiar occurred on the second day after his return. He realized that an entire week had passed between day one and day two. This bizarre temporal phenomenon puzzled him until he slowly figured out that he was only possessing his younger self’s body on Tuesdays each week. Faced with this strange limitation, Chaoxiang made a crucial decision—he would ally with his younger self to seize control of the demonic sect and unite the Eastern Continent before the demons arrived.
His strategy was clear: the key to altering the future lay in building a vast and clandestine intelligence network across the Eastern Continent. Chaoxiang knew that making drastic changes to the future would lead to increasingly unpredictable outcomes, As he planned his next moves, Chaoxiang knew that secrecy and subtlety were paramount. He needed to build an information network that could operate in the shadows, gathering intelligence and spreading misinformation to manipulate events to his advantage. One of his key strategies involved the use of magic—a force largely unknown in the Eastern Continent and one that offered unique opportunities for subterfuge.
He began by commissioning mages from the Leonese Western Merchant Association to create long-distance message interceptors. This was the first step in establishing a magical messaging network that would allow him to monitor and manipulate information across vast distances. During one of these intercepts, he stumbled upon a message from Keith Maximus intended for the Leon Empire, detailing Edina’s treatment at the Blazing Dawn Sect.
This caught Chaoxiang’s attention. He remembered Edina telling him about her struggles during her childhood, and while his initial instinct was to try to save her but he decided to leave her fate unchanged to avoid disrupting the timeline, then he reconsidered. He decided to try to save her and try to introduce the young Edina to his younger self, even if she might not remember him in this life it was better for atleast young Chaoxiang to meet her. If he played his cards right, he could also use her situation to further his own plans while simultaneously altering her destiny for the better.
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Chaoxiang’s role in the Final Frontier had been to manage strategic housing and infrastructure, and this experience had given him valuable insights into the western continents' infrastructures, even the secret ones. He knew of Hilosia’s hidden long-distance message interceptors' location, and he understood that, during this time, Hilosia and Leon were embroiled in a fierce war. Hilosia had long struggled to find a foothold in the Eastern Continent due to the diplomatic ties between the Demonic Sect, the Central Plains, and Leon, leading them to resort to privateering Leonese ships.
Seizing the moment, Chaoxiang invited the Hilosia privateers to join his faction, offering them support in their war efforts once he became the next supreme leader of the Demonic Sect. In exchange, he proposed the creation of an information network that would serve their mutual interests. Unbeknownst to the Hilosia mages, Chaoxiang secretly fed them Chomug Parasites to keep tabs on their activities. While the mages believed they were aiding Hilosia in countering Leon Empire’s schemes, they were, in reality, unwittingly furthering Chaoxiang’s plans by investigating matters on his behalf.
Chaoxiang’s strategy extended further: he suggested that Hilosia back the Shining Blade Sect, knowing that they were regional rivals of the Blazing Dawn Sect. This would allow him to maneuver closer to rescuing Edina from the mistreatment he feared she might face. He proposed a plan where the Shining Blade Sect would stage a kidnapping of Wei, Lin, and Edina, only to "rescue" them later, thereby gaining favor with the Leon Empire. Hilosia found this plan appealing, as it would sow discord within Leon.
However, Chaoxiang’s true goal was clearer. By planting a Chomug Parasite in Wei or Lin, within the Blazing Dawn Sect, he would be able to spy on their activities, gathering crucial information for his own purposes. He repeatedly instructed both the Shining Blade Sect and the Hilosia mages to handle Edina with extreme care during the operation, emphasizing her vulnerability to illness. His concern for her well-being was genuine, yet it was also a calculated move to ensure that his plans proceeded without a hitch.
In this intricate web of deceit and manipulation, Chaoxiang’s ultimate aim was clear: to secure his position as the supreme leader of the Demonic Sect, and to alter the course of history in his favor, all while keeping a watchful eye out for those that would rise from the underworld to destroy the world.