Lord of the Earth

"I, Timur, on behalf of the millions of suffering fellow beings from another world, support Elder Zong in becoming the Grand Steward!"

Upon seeing this, Timur clenched his fist tightly, took a step forward, and spoke in a loud voice that resounded throughout the hall.

These people from another world have become quite adept at changing their tune depending on the wind.

"You...you bunch of idiots!"

Kevin's face turned from green to purple, then from purple to black, as he watched the otherworldly faction suddenly turn against him. He was so angry that he trembled all over, and his knuckles cracked.

"Don't you know that the 'curse' seal on you was broken by the 'True God' as a reward for you? That's why these Chinese pills have only a slight effect? ​​Now that you've betrayed my 'Holy Temple,' aren't you afraid of angering the True God and bringing down divine punishment?! Do you think China can protect you?!"

He became increasingly agitated as he spoke, almost uttering incoherently, waving his arm and pointing directly at Timur and others while cursing them.

"True God?"

The middle-aged scholar in brocade robes keenly caught the word, his brows furrowing suddenly. The general beside him, clad in crimson-gold armor, sharpened his gaze, his divine might surging forth like a tidal wave, crashing down on Kevin.

"What true god? Explain yourself!"

Kevin knew he had misspoke as soon as the words left his mouth, but he was now in a difficult position and was intimidated by the other party's overwhelming power, so he decided to go all out.

"Hmph! Now that things have come to this, I might as well tell you! Not all human gods have perished in the war of gods! The 'Lord of Holy Light' enshrined in my Western Temple is a true 'God' with boundless divine power! His might is vast and far surpasses that of ordinary, ragtag gods!"

His face contorted in a grimace of fear and fanaticism as he screamed:
"Previously, the great Lord of Holy Light answered our prayers! He descended with divine power to break the 'curse of the gods' on these few alien humans. Furthermore, a divine oracle revealed that he will soon descend with divine power to protect his loyal believers! As long as you alien humans repent and devoutly believe in my Lord, you will be truly redeemed, and the seals of the gods on your bodies will vanish!"

The words "True God" struck the hearts of everyone in the hall like a massive boulder!
Even the two experts at the Divine Realm level instantly became extremely solemn.

Although there is only a one-word difference between gods and true gods, their strength and rank are worlds apart!
Moreover, due to a lack of the key materials needed to forge the "divine kingdom," the two are currently not as powerful as ordinary gods.

If there really is such a being behind the Western Temple about to intervene, the entire structure of the inn will inevitably be completely overturned. No wonder Kevin dares to make such a reckless attack today!
The hall was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop.

Many shopkeepers at the Saint rank and Transcendent level felt breathless and their minds wavered simply because of this title of "True God"...

After all, if a true god were to descend, the people in the mysterious inn would undoubtedly lose their autonomy.

"No wonder the Western camp is so eager to win over these alien humans and have them stand up for them..."

"So, they also coveted our massive population... How laughable! How pathetic! I thought only alien evil gods saw our human race as lambs of faith, to be slaughtered at will! I never imagined... that our own human gods would also follow this path, treating hundreds of millions of compatriots as cultivation resources and tools for enslavement!"

Within the Chinese camp, some couldn't help but mutter indignantly.

Many Western "deities" are based on "the way of faith," turning people into believers. This is completely opposite to the ancient Chinese philosophy of "respecting heaven and earth while keeping them at a distance, and prioritizing human beings." The two are fundamentally in conflict...

Kevin took in everyone's reactions: the indignation of the Chinese people and the fear and hesitation of the alien race. This gave him renewed confidence.

Then, in an arrogant tone, he spoke again:
"Indeed! The great Lord of Holy Light possesses boundless divine power; those who believe in Him will receive eternal life and protection! Only by joining the embrace of the Lord of Holy Light can we survive the impending true divine war! Where are the gods of China? What can they offer you?!"

Since the pretense had already been broken, he decided to stop pretending.

After all, violence is not allowed in this mysterious inn.

Moreover, as a "messenger" of the true god walking among humans, he has a trump card to protect himself even when facing deities.

"You can decide for yourselves whether to elect a head manager."

Seeing that the people from the Eastern camp did not respond immediately, Kevin sneered, flicked his sleeves, and the cross emblem on his silver armor gleamed coldly as he stood up arrogantly.

"Anyway, even if you are unwilling... we will still guide the 'Lord of Holy Light' to descend. At that time, there will be no room for negotiation!"

wow-

As he stood up, the shopkeepers from the Western camp also stood up after a brief hesitation!
The title of "Lord of the Holy Light" holds a prestigious position in Western faith, and the news of his imminent arrival is enough to make them abandon their previous wavering.

Moreover, many of them had already secretly pledged allegiance to the Temple, harboring the intention of seizing control of the inn with the power of the true god.

Kevin glanced around at the remaining people, his gaze finally settling on the faces of the middle-aged civil official in brocade robes and the general in crimson armor. A mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips. Without saying another word, he turned and led the Westerners away in a grand procession.

As the palace doors opened and closed, light and shadow flickered, leaving only a stagnant atmosphere in the room and the solemn, iron-like faces of the people from the Eastern camp.

"Hmph, I never expected... that a 'true god' would be about to descend upon the West..."

Someone murmured, their voice filled with barely concealed worry.

"The appearance of the 'Lord of Holy Light' mentioned by the other party at this time is highly suspicious! We must prepare for the worst."

At this moment, the general in crimson armor spoke in a voice as sharp as metal, his gaze as piercing as a knife.

A glint flashed in the eyes of the middle-aged civil official in brocade robes: "You suspect that the so-called 'true god' might be a foreign deity in disguise?"

"It's not impossible!"

The general in crimson armor was resolute.

"Even if it is truly an ancient human god, who can say whether its sudden awakening after slumbering for millennia is a benevolent return or something else entirely? We must be on guard!"

"However, the descent of a true god cannot happen overnight. The most urgent task is to resolve the current crisis. Gentlemen, since they want to rely on 'external forces,' then we should also find a way... to seek external forces..."

A human shopkeeper spoke up.

“The other side has a true god behind them, and in the future, more than one god will probably descend under their command. The external aid we need to seek must have the strength of a ‘dynasty’, or even a regular dynasty would have difficulty dealing with it.”

"Perhaps...we could try contacting the Song Dynasty?"

Some suggested turning their attention to Zong Ze and the general in the Crimson Gold Armor—both were from the Song Dynasty, and if they were to step forward, they might be able to appeal to their homeland based on old ties.

"The strength of the Song Dynasty is probably somewhat insufficient... Perhaps we should consider the Ming Dynasty?"

Some people also looked toward the middle-aged civil official in brocade robes.

"In my opinion, the Great Qin is more suitable. After all, the First Emperor was skilled in conquest, and his soldiers were extremely adept at fighting against catastrophic creatures..."

Inside the hall, discussions were rife. Everyone hoped to bring in the dynasty forces they were familiar with, as they had emotional ties to the cause, making cooperation smoother and securing more benefits for their own faction!

This, in turn, led to further arguments.

Just then, Wan Sanqian suddenly seemed to have thought of something, and laughed loudly as he looked at the middle-aged scholar in brocade robes.

"Uncle, I never expected you to have a potion that can lift the curse? This will greatly increase our fighting strength, which is truly a great blessing!"

Wan Sanqian was naturally very concerned about this item.

This is because humans from another world make up more than 80% of the entire mysterious inn, which means a huge market worth tens of billions!
He only needs to take a small share of the profits to surpass his current wealth...

With such a treasure, he could even leave the Mysterious Inn and head to the Eternal Land, where there are humans from other worlds everywhere, enough for him to build a great "commercial empire" and even ascend to "godhood" through commerce!
The middle-aged scholar in brocade robes showed no joy; instead, he shook his head slightly, his expression somber.

"This 'Unsealing Pill' did not actually originate from my medical practice; it came from a human dynasty called 'Qianxia'..."

He paused briefly, his voice low but clear. “I actually only have a few. The previous claim of ‘a thousand’ was just an exaggeration to intimidate Kevin and reassure people.”

"What? Large-scale reopening is not possible?"

The smile on Wan Sanqian's face vanished instantly.

"Can it be copied?"

Upon hearing this, Zong Ze's expression changed, and he pressed for an answer with eager anticipation in his eyes.

"It can't be done."

The middle-aged civil official in brocade robes sighed.

"The rarity of the medicinal ingredients is secondary; the most crucial point is that a powerful physician at the Divine Realm level must be able to incorporate the rules he controls into the medicine in order to break the divine curse... Such methods are beyond our current capabilities."

Upon hearing this, everyone's hearts sank. If they couldn't mass-produce the Unsealing Pill, not only would they struggle to completely win over the alien race, but they would also lose a crucial trump card when facing the true god behind the Western Temple.

"In fact, it's not like we're completely clueless."

The middle-aged civil official in brocade robes spoke again, drawing everyone's attention back.

"This elixir originated from a force called 'Qianxia,' and its creator is said to be a renowned physician from that country—Hua Tuo."

"Hua Tuo?!"

Unexpectedly, upon hearing the name, Zong Ze, who had remained silent until now, suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing with astonishing light, and even stood up shakily: "Say it again! Is it really the divine physician Hua Tuo?!"

"Does Lord Zongze know Master Hua Tuo?"

The middle-aged man in brocade robes looked somewhat surprised.

"More than just recognizing them!"

Zong Ze was emotional, and his voice trembled slightly.

"Back then, I was ambushed by a strange and monstrous being, and my soul was almost corrupted and possessed. It was Master Hua Tuo who, with his miraculous skills, pulled me back from the brink of death! I will never forget this kindness and virtue!"

"It's that legendary physician from the late Han Dynasty? He can actually break the curses of the gods?"

The crowd gasped in astonishment, their faces filled with disbelief.

"If it really is that physician with divine medical skills who could refine this pill, then it's not surprising..."

Wan Sanqian's face also showed surprise, as if he had remembered something.

"Lord Zongze,"

Wan Sanqian turned to the old man, his tone tinged with urgency.

“We have a history with this ‘Qianxia’ merchant. Could you please invite the Qianxia merchant who brought the news up so that we can ask him for details?”

The middle-aged civil official in brocade robes nodded, gesturing to the attendant beside him.

Before long, a merchant dressed in brocade and with a shrewd appearance was led into the hall.

Wan Sanqian was the first to ask, "You come from Qianxia? Have you ever heard of Hong Fu Nu, Zhan Zhao, and others?"

Upon hearing this, the merchant immediately bowed respectfully, a look of familiarity on his face.

"Your Excellency, I am certainly aware! The Lord of Hongfu Tower is in charge of the Imperial Dynasty's trade, and the Lord of Zhanzhao Palace governs the 'Hall of Righteousness.' Both are important officials of our Qianxia Dynasty, and their reputations are widespread. I have often heard of the majesty of the two of you while traveling as a merchant."

"The Master of Hongfu Pavilion? The Master of Zhan Zhao Palace?"

Several people in the room stood up abruptly upon hearing this, their faces showing surprise and delight.

"They really are in Qianxia? If that's the case, then Qianxia is the force established by that Xia lord back then!"

"That's it, that's it! 'Qianxia, ​​Qianxia,' isn't that just summer?"

Zong Ze murmured, his white hair trembling, his tone quite agitated.

"According to this gentleman, Qianxia is not only full of talented people, but has also minted a currency that can be used in my mysterious inn and is recognized by the inn's very source!"

The middle-aged civil official in brocade robes added timely assistance, delivering another heavy blow.

Everyone present was astonished!

Having a currency recognized by the inn means they can break free from the resource shortage and engage in large-scale, fair trade with the outside world, no longer needing to rely on killing hordes of calamity creatures to obtain resources!

"I never imagined that what was once a small territory with only a thousand people could grow into such a magnificent place today..."

Zong Ze stroked his beard with emotion, his eyes filled with reminiscence and satisfaction.

The middle-aged civil official in brocade robes, having arrived at the inn relatively late, did not know much about Qianxia.

However, the general in the crimson armor, who had once been deeply indebted to Zong Ze, now had a bright light in his eyes upon hearing the stories of his old friend and learning of Qian Xia's strength, and developed a strong interest in this dynasty.

Wan Sanqian's heart was also surging with emotion.

He initially used the spirit stones he obtained through trading with Qianxia to exchange for rare resources in the inn's inventory, which enabled him to gradually support the trade and resource allocation dominated by the Eastern camp.

It can be said that without Xia Tian, ​​there would be no Wan Sanqian today, and the Eastern camp would never have its current momentum.

Not to mention, Ximen Chuixue, who just slew the "Shadow Demon" divine clone with his sword, is said to have a close connection with Qian Xia.

"Kevin may be hateful... but what he said is not entirely without reason."

Wan Sanqian pondered for a moment.

"While the Great Qin and Great Ming are indeed powerful, their ambitions are also great. If we sincerely invite them in, it may be easy to invite them but difficult to send them away. We must be wary of them turning the tables and becoming the masters. In comparison, this Qianxia is not the mighty dynasty of history, and its foundation is certainly somewhat inferior. It is more appropriate for it to cooperate with us!"

Wan Sanqian's words drew nods of agreement from everyone.

Only the middle-aged scholar in the brocade robe glanced at the various silks and satins on "Wan Sanqian" and knew that his high regard for "Qianxia" was probably because he had seen a business opportunity in the "Unsealing Pills" and "Tianyuan Coins" in his possession, which was why he was so enthusiastic.

"Given the current crisis, and in order to break the intimidation of the Western 'True God' and alleviate our resource and combat power shortages, Qianxia might be a good option, and we can draw upon it for assistance!"

The general in crimson armor made a pronouncement, his gaze sweeping across the entire arena.

"With their help, this crisis may be easily resolved."

However, the question remains: how to establish contact with Qianxia? (End of Chapter)