Chapter 121 - Operation Star God Apocalypse
What Mesa found in the memories of Xing Juekong and Tumi, was nothing short of angering one to the limit. He found out that those two had been scheming to use Xing Juekong's children as sacrifices for a long time. It happened when the seal on a very old tome, left behind by the original Star Gods, had eroded away enough for them to open it and read it. And what they read there would about the 'blood sacrifice technique'. This technique allowed the power of one Star God to combine with another by sacrificing one of them to the other. But in order for this to happen, the sacrificial Star God and the Star God that would receive the power have to be related by blood within one generation from each other. So parents, children and siblings could be used as a sacrifice to one another. For example, a child with a Star God's power could be sacrificed to the parent holding a Star God's power. The child would be gone forever and the parent would then hold both of the Star God's power and have greater power than before. But if there was a natural limit, like the limit that no one can step into the True God stage anymore, then the number of sacrifices required would be two or more.
When Xing Juekong and Tumi read this, they were shocked that this technique existed, but they held no hope of ever being able to use it. When Jasmine's brother, Xisu, was compatible with the power of the Heavenly Wolf Star God, they became ecstatic that he awakened it. But it was when Jasmine herself was found out to be compatible with the power of Heavenly Slaughter Star God that Xing Juekong and Tumi realized that it was possible for them to do the 'blood sacrifice technique' and sacrifice both Xisu and Jasmine to Xing Juekong, so that he could break through the Divine Stage and into the True God Stage. And that was when they started their scheme.
They gave subtle hints to Xisu that something was going on. The Star God Realm started to collect lots of high level profound jades for the opportunity to perform a ceremony to become a god. When Xisu confronted his father about this, he denied it all. Suspicious of him, he waited till his father left one day and snuck into the palace to look for proof. And what he found would horrify him. He had found a jade scroll detailing the 'blood sacrifice technique', but with one distinct difference. This one talked about breaking through the limits using the sacrifice of only 1 Star God instead of 2. At this point it all made sense. Why the Star God Realm were collecting so many high level profound jades and the rumors about a ceremony. He confronted his father about it, and didn't deny it. He now knew that his father wanted to sacrifice him, so that he could break through the Divine Stage and into the True God Stage. At that point, he wanted to flee, but he couldn't. He had heard of Jasmine also inheriting the power of a Star God and so knew. That if he ran, they would use her as the sacrifice. Not willing to allow them to use his little sister as a sacrifice, he relented and allowed himself to be the sacrifice.
But not before telling his little sister Jasmine all about it and why Tumi had been pushing her to inherit the power of the Heavenly Slaughter Star God. At this point, Jasmine's whole world was turned upside down. The people she loved, respected and looked up to so much had betrayed her and pushed her to become a bargaining chip so they could sacrifice her older brother, the person she looked up to the most. It was from this day on that she started to hate her father with every fiber of her being and she sought a way out of this. When she heard that her older brother had died, she was devastated and she wanted to have her revenge against the woman who used and manipulated him and left him to die, Qianye Ying'er. But the final nail in the coffin came when she found out that her little sister, Caizhi, had turned out to be compatible with the Heavenly Wolf Star God. It was then she knew she lost. If she ran away, they would use Caizhi as a sacrifice.
Knowing the pain that Caizhi went through. From the moment she was born, everyone around her rejected her and neglected her and never approached her. Her real mother had died in child birth. It was Jasmine's mother who took her in and cared for her like she was her own daughter and she had gotten close with her and with Jasmine and brother calling them auntie, big brother and big sister. After Jasmine's mother and her brother died and Jasmine herself went missing, she was once again all alone. If Jasmine were to run away and never come back, she knew that they would use Caizhi as the sacrifice and she knew she would have to go back one day, but not before doing everything she could to ensure that her little sister would live a normal live. On her quest to gain power in order to have her revenge against Qianye Ying'er and her father, Jasmine had gotten poisoned with the devilish poison 'Absolute God Slaying Poison' when she was looking for the Evil God's Immortal Blood, because of people who were doing Qianye Ying'er's bidding. From the soul imprint, she found out that not only wouldn't she become stronger. The Evil God's Immortal Blood would erase her Profound veins and replace them with another set. Effectively making her all her power disappear and forcing her to start all over again with cultivating.
And there she was, poisoned, alone and far from home. She couldn't go back home because of the poison. And even if she could, she would end up as a sacrifice. Her body and soul were being ravished by the poison and she knew that only the Sky Poison Pearl could remove the poison from her body. But after much searching, she didn't find it and she was on the brink of death. After going through so much and ending up with nothing, she gave up hope. With one foot in the grave, she landed on the Blue Pole Star where Mesa had picked her up. It was from this day, that her life would never be the same again.
After reading the minds of Jasmine, Xing Juekong and Tumi, Mesa now knew the whole story. From the very beginning, Xing Juekong and Tumi had wanted to sacrifice both her and her brother. But their plans were ruined when Xisu had died. That was until Caizhi had proven to be compatible with the power of a Star God herself and they knew that their plans were back on track, only this time they would sacrifice both Jasmine and Caizhi. From Jasmine's mind, Mesa knew that Caizhi's life had been nothing but a hell and now she would be turned into a sacrificial lamb, together with her sister, for her father, who never once showed her any kind of parental love and claiming that she would be doing it for the glory of the Star God Realm.
It was on this day that Mesa swore: "Just you wait Xing Juekong, Tumi. I will make sure your 'glory of the Star God Realm' ends up with me taking away both Jasmine and Caizhi from you and ripping the entire Star God Realm to pieces in front of your very eyes."
A few hours later when Jasmine had awoken, the light in her was completely gone. She was staring out in space dejected and heartbroken. Everything she thought she knew was a lie. Her deal with her father was a lie from the very beginning. He had never wanted to ensure Caizhi lived a normal life. As she was wallowing in her misery, she feels her body being enveloped in a hug. Looking up, she sees Mesa hugging her and tears start to appear in her eyes.
"I am so sorry you had to find it out like this Jasmine. I am sorry for suggesting that we read your father's mind. I didn't know you father truly so heartless. I am so sorry." Said Mesa and this sent her over the edge and she bawls her eyes out and tightly holds on to him.
"He lied.. [SOB!] to me! He lied to me! He lied to me! He lied!" Screamed out Jasmine, crying her eyes out. Meanwhile, Mesa just held on to her and didn't let go and even Ophis came and hugged her as well.
After she was finally done crying, she just sat there, with red puffy eyes, not saying a word. It wasn't until many minutes had passed that she finally opened her mouth and asks in a weak voice: "Mesa. How much do you know?"
Sitting there silently, Mesa came clean with her. She knew about the plan and was no use in hiding anything. She needed to know her father's whole plan: "Everything. I've read your father and Tumi's memories and I know their whole plan."
"I hated him." Said Jasmine crestfallen: "I hated him with everything I have. For everything he has done to me, to Caizhi, to my brother and for letting my mother die. But I always hoped that he would honor our agreement. That was the only thing I wanted from him. But in the end, it was all a lie. I was so stupid to have ever believed him."
"Jasmine. You do know this means that you can never go back home." Said Mesa bluntly.
Instead of answering him, Jasmine stayed silent. She knew Mesa was right, but she also wanted to go back home and be with her sister. She didn't care about the Star God Realm anymore. As far as she was concerned, the entire Star God Realm could be destroyed. The only thing in the Star God Realm that she cared about was her sister.
"I know what you're thinking. You know that I am right, but you also want to go back home and be with your sister." Said Mesa. Jasmine on the other stayed silent and had a downcast look on her face.
"But what if I told you I have a plan."
Upon hearing this, Jasmine immediately looks up with a hopeful gaze: "You do?! What is your plan then?"
"My plan is give you ability to do the shadow clone jutsu. We now have two of the three ingredients you need to rebuild your body. We have more than 35 kg of Purple Divine Crystals and we have more than enough Profound Beast Cores that are Tyrant Profound Realm and higher. Now all we need is the Netherworld Udambara Flower and we'll have everything you need to rebuild your body. Once you have done that, you will exert your strength and lure in those looking for you to us. And I hope that by that time I have all six Infinity Stones, or at least the Reality Stone. Once we have lured out your would be captor, that is when the plan, Operation Star God Apocalypse, will begin.
"I have divided this plan in three phases:
Phase 1 is the 'bait and switch'. During this part we switch out the real you for a shadow clone and let that shadow clone be taken away. With the shadow clone taken away, your father can't perform the 'blood sacrifice technique' and your sister will not be alone anymore.
Phase 2 is the 'waiting game'. During this part, the real you will be hidden away from the world and I will go on with acting like you were taken away. On the day of the ceremony, that is when we strike.
Phase 3 is the 'assault'. This is when we strike. I reckon that on this day, the entire Star God Realm will be together, which includes all the Star Gods. And I also reckon that they'd put up a barrier to keep others out and everyone in. And that will be their doom. We will come in, take away Caizhi and rip the entire Star God Realm to pieces using Ea. "
Listening to Mesa tell her the details of his plan, Jasmine was getting exited. But soon enough, she had her questions: "But if they put up a barrier, how are we gonna get in? It's not like you can just teleport into it."
"Don't worry about that part. I will use Yamato to slice open a portal directly into the Star God Realm. And if by some chance, it doesn't work, then I'll use the Space Stone. With the Space Stone in hand, I can go anywhere in the universe and there will be no countermeasure in existence that can stop me from going where I want." Said Mesa confidently.
"Sounds interesting. Sounds very interesting. I can't wait to see the look on that bastard's face when my shadow clone explodes and we come in with Ea." Said Jasmine with a sinister smile on her face.
Once the excitement had died down, Jasmine came up to Mesa and gave him a hug: "Thank you. Thank you so much Mesa. For everything. I don't know how I can ever repay you. Meeting you was perhaps the best day of my whole life. Thank you for everything."
Smiling gently, Mesa hugs her back: "Don't worry about it Jasmine. It's like I said. Me and Ophis have got your back. We won't abandon you. Isn't that right Ophis?"
Of to the side and listening the whole time, was Ophis who nodded to Mesa's question. Coming up to Jasmine, Ophis pats her on the head affectionately: "He's right, big sis. I will help you as well."
Feeling the tears start streaming down her face again, Jasmine didn't know what to say. But what she felt was where she truly belonged. After all the misery, betrayals and hardsh.i.p.s, she finally found her home. Letting go of Mesa, she did something that totally surprised him.
She grabs on to his face and plants a kiss on his lips, much to Mesa's surprise.
(A.N.: I have decided on who Tumi will look like. He will look like Shen Hong from TDG. And if any one of you has a better name for the plan to destroy the Star God Realm, or you say don't destroy the Star God Realm, let me know.)