Lord of the Earth

The mysterious inn was filled with a somber atmosphere that it almost materialized.

The manager of the Eastern camp was pondering how to break the deadlock with external help; the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Just then, the middle-aged civil official in brocade robes suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze like cold lightning piercing the silence, instantly locking onto a figure at the edge of the hall who was quietly retreating under the shadows.

"Manager Matsushita, what brings you in such a hurry?"

The male shopkeeper, dressed in a cherry blossom patterned robe, stiffened abruptly. His fingers, which had been rapidly forming hand seals within his sleeve, stopped abruptly. He forced a fawning smile and bowed, saying:
"N-nothing, Lord Zhang... It's just that the atmosphere in the hall is too oppressive, and I wanted to go out for some fresh air..."

"Breathable?"

The crimson-gold armored general beside him flashed a fierce light in his eyes. He didn't bother to waste words with him. He suddenly raised his hand, his five fingers forming a claw in the air, and grabbed hard!
"Om-!"

A dazzling golden light was forcibly pulled out from Matsushita's wide sleeve, suddenly unfolding in mid-air and transforming into a transparent talisman flowing with hidden spatial fluctuations, on which a cherry blossom-shaped rune was flashing rapidly!

"Message talisman!"

The roar of the warrior in crimson armor was like thunder from the heavens, shaking the entire hall.

"Matsushita Masamoto! What is the other end of this talisman connected to? And to which deity do you intend to reveal what we have discussed today?!"

These words were like a thunderclap in the silence, causing an uproar throughout the room!
All eyes, filled with astonishment, anger, and disbelief, were fixed on Matsushita like sharp arrows.

There's a traitor within the Eastern camp?
"traitor!"

A hot-tempered Chinese shopkeeper slammed his fist on the table, his eyes blazing with fury.

At the head of the table, General Zongze raised his hand heavily, stopping the crowd from erupting. He slowly rose, his cloudy yet still sharp as a hawk's gaze pressing down on the Sakura Country manager named Matsushita like a mountain:
"The Mysterious Inn has an ironclad rule: no violence. However, there are ways to punish you, but the attacks from the catastrophic creatures have never ceased. Without the help of allied inns, you will be left to fend for yourself. Have you considered this?"

His voice was deep and cold, each word like an ice bead falling, causing the latter to break out in a sweat.

"However, since you dare to do such a sneaky thing in public, you must be confident that you have something to rely on. Is the so-called 'true god' of the West your source of confidence? You no longer take us, who once fought alongside you, seriously!"

Zong Ze seemed exhausted by this turn of events. He waved his hand wearily, his voice filled with obvious disappointment and despondency:
"Gentlemen, I am weary today, so let's conclude our discussion here... I hope you will all return and carefully consider this matter. The issue of securing external assistance is a matter of life and death, and cannot be delayed..."

Some people in the hall exchanged glances, their eyes flickering, before silently bowing and leaving.

In the blink of an eye, the number of people in the hall dwindled, leaving only the core members of the Chinese camp.

As the last outsider disappeared through the palace gates, General Zong Ze suddenly straightened his back, his weariness vanishing from his eyes, replaced by a sharp glint. He looked intently at the "Qianxia merchant" who had been standing quietly to the side, his gaze piercing:

"Uncle, the bystanders have left, so we can speak freely now. This person... is probably not just a simple merchant, is he?"

The middle-aged civil official in brocade robes smiled slightly and cupped his hands in greeting.

"As expected, nothing could escape the old general's discerning eye. To be honest, just recently, one of my branch warehouses made contact with that 'Qianxia.' This person is not some merchant, but a commander of the Imperial Guards of the Qianxia Dynasty, named Wang Ying..."

……

Time moved slightly forward.

In the Eternal Land, on a desolate wasteland, despair is spreading.

Hundreds of thousands of ragged humans cried out and fled, followed by an overwhelming swarm of ferocious insects!

They were not ordinary beasts, but terrifying creatures with gleaming carapaces, serrated teeth, and spitting out acidic, putrid sap. They gathered into a living wave that could destroy everything, and many of them even exuded a strong aura of sainthood.

"Hurry up, hurry up, it'll be safe once you're inside."

Some humans were caught in the vortex formed by the "Mysterious Inn," their fists clenched so tightly they cracked, their eyes bloodshot, yet they couldn't take a single step.

The inn's ironclad rules forbade unauthorized intervention in the conflicts of the Eternal Land. And now, that migrating caravan of hundreds of thousands was about to be completely swallowed by the terrifying insect swarm—

Woo——!
A desolate yet majestic horn sound seemed to come from ancient times, piercing through the clouds.

Immediately afterwards, a dark yellow boat broke through the clouds and descended into the world. The boat's hull was engraved with countless patterns of mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas, and the words "Boat for Crossing the World" were written on it in Chinese characters.

It exudes an aura of "overcoming all the suffering in the world and carrying the hopes of all living beings"!
At the bow of the ship stood a group of imposing figures. The leader was a cold-looking young man dressed in black.

His face was only fourteen or fifteen years old, but his eyes were surprisingly sharp. The long sword in his hand was as cold as ice, and his body was filled with a pure and extremely sharp sword intent, which temporarily forced away the surrounding foul air.

With his longsword pointed at the swarm of insects, the black-clad youth roared, "Members of the Hall of Righteousness, follow me to kill! Save people!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already transformed into a sword light and plummeted into the densest part of the insect swarm like a meteor!

Where the sword flashes, there are no fancy moves, only the simplest and most extreme stabs, slashes, points, and wipes. Each sword strike precisely takes the lives of several or even dozens of extraordinary insectoids, with terrifying efficiency!
His swordsmanship was so ethereal and sharp that even the best swordsmen in the branch camp were captivated by it.

"What... what force is that? Such powerful sword intent! That young man's swordsmanship... for some reason, it seems somewhat familiar, as if it shares the same spirit as that other one..."

Inside the inn, a seasoned and knowledgeable swordsman muttered to himself in disbelief.

I couldn't help but think of the figure of the sword god who had slain eighteen demigods in the mysterious inn.

hiss!
Amidst the swarm of insects, a sharp, piercing screech suddenly rang out!

A gigantic insectoid creature, far larger than its peers, stood upright. Twisted runes naturally grew on its carapace, gleaming with a dark red, evil light. The energy fluctuations it emitted reached a terrifyingly high level. Its scythe-like forelimbs tore through the air, slashing directly at the black-clad youth with destructive power!

The boy's expression remained unchanged, his figure seemingly transforming into a weightless snowflake, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow.

He took a deep breath, and the long sword in his hand emitted a clear and melodious sword cry. His whole being and the sword seemed to become one, and a sword intent that was ethereal and otherworldly yet carried a desolate killing intent soared into the sky!

"A celestial being descending from the heavens!"

A flash of sword light, as if transcending the constraints of time and space!
Everyone felt a blur before their eyes, and the ferocious movements of the Holy Realm Insect Clan suddenly froze. Between its compound eyes, a tiny sword mark rapidly expanded.

Boom!

The massive insect body crashed to the ground, kicking up clouds of dust! It had been instantly killed by a single sword strike!

"The Saint-level Zerg... were slain by a single sword strike?!"

Inside the stack, everyone gasped in shock, utterly stunned.

"Just what is the origin of this 'Hall of Heroes'? How can a young warrior possess such swordsmanship? And this Ark of Crossing the World... it can actually traverse the void to get here?!"

However, before their shock could subside, the world suddenly lost its color!

A chilling pressure permeated the air above the swarm of insects, and a divine kingdom emerged, seemingly "releasing" its insect hive. It was as if the entire sky had collapsed, ready to crush everything into dust!

That was the true wrath of a god, far surpassing the level of a saint!
puff--!
The black-clad youth was struck as if by a heavy hammer, spitting out a mouthful of blood. His sword aura instantly dissipated, and he was slammed to the ground by an invisible force.

One by one, the warriors who were fighting were suppressed by this divine power, their bones creaking and their faces filled with despair, unable to move even a finger!
"It's over! It's that Zerg god! He's personally taken action!"

The old manager of the branch inn was deathly pale, his voice trembling. "Such divine power... they can't withstand it! Quickly, go and fetch Manager Yue to assist us!"

"It's too late. When the gods are wrathful, millions will die..."

"We should leave quickly, or we might get caught up in the crossfire."

Just when all hope was lost, and everyone thought that this mysterious rescue team, along with the migrating group, was about to be reduced to ashes by the wrath of the gods—

"The mighty heavens, the myriad phenomena! The Four Divine Mechanisms, protect my human race—open!"

A calm, majestic decree, imbued with unparalleled power and determination, resounded like a great bell, instantly dispelling the suffocating divine might!
Click!

The void, like a mirror, was forcibly torn apart by an extremely tyrannical force.

A war creation of unimaginable size—the "Mechanical God Kingdom," a fusion of immortal runes, a torrent of steel, and boundless human destiny—has descended upon us!
The divine kingdom's foundation was jet black, surrounded by the phantom of the Great Wall. Atop it stood colossal war mechs in the form of sacred beasts, radiating a terrifying aura that suppressed the universe: the Azure Dragon coiled, its mouth gathering lightning into a pool of destruction; the White Tiger stood proudly, its claws tearing through the void with the aura of Geng metal; the Vermilion Bird spread its wings, its heaven-burning flames igniting even the clouds; and the Black Tortoise lay prone, its massive energy shield instantly forming, firmly protecting the world-saving ships and migration teams below!
Qi Jiguang, clad in black armor, stood tall on the command platform at the heart of the divine kingdom, his gaze as cold as a piercing star.

Locked onto that twisted, evil "Zerg God" in the sky.

The latter, the Zerg god, clearly also sensed the threat, letting out a sharp mental roar. Its divine realm—a vast living nest composed of flesh, carapace, slime, and twisted rules—

It burst forth with a terrifying black-green evil light, and countless vengeful insect-like shadows rushed out from it, transforming into a giant claw that blotted out the sky and fiercely grabbed at the Mechanical God Kingdom!
"The light of a firefly dares to rival the brilliance of the moon?"

Qi Jiguang's voice was like the clanging of metal.

"The four elements revolve, shatter it!"

Instantly, the Azure Dragon roared, its pillar of lightning like a spear of divine punishment; the White Tiger howled, its billions of Geng metal sword energies transforming into a tearing storm; the Vermilion Bird cried out, its undying spiritual flames converging into a world-burning torrent; and the Black Tortoise stood guard, its immense energy as stable as Mount Buzhou!
Four devastating torrents of attack collided violently with the giant claw of the abundant spirit!
Rumble——! ! !
A terrifying explosion, beyond description, erupted in the sky! The energy shockwave instantly leveled the clouds within a radius of a hundred miles.

The sinister giant claw only lasted for half a breath before it exploded violently, causing the insect hive behind it to tremble violently. The outer flesh and blood barrier shattered inch by inch, revealing the writhing, pulsating, disgusting tissue inside!

"Roar!"

The Zerg god roared in pain and rage, frantically channeling its divine power in an attempt to repair its divine kingdom.

"A volley of fire doesn't give you a chance to catch your breath! Bombard us again!" Qi Jiguang waved his command flag once more.

The second round of volleys followed immediately!

This time, the attack of the Four Symbols directly blasted into the interior of the Insect Nest Divine Kingdom!

Lightning exploded, sword energy crisscrossed, and spiritual flames burned! Countless Zerg hatching pools and energy veins were destroyed, and green, disgusting fluid and broken carapaces fell like a torrential rain.

The insect hive kingdom was becoming dilapidated at a visible speed, and its light was dimming rapidly.

"The third round! Target: The core of the divine kingdom!"

Qi Jiguang's voice carried the air of final judgment.

The third salvo, gathering the strongest energy of the Mechanical God Kingdom, transformed into a chaotic pillar of light fused with the power of the four elements. It instantly pierced through the multiple defenses of the Insect Hive God Kingdom and precisely struck its most core rule node!

The core node let out a mournful cry of unbearable strain, its surface now riddled with cracks!
"hiss……"

The Zerg gods were terrified and actually tried to abandon their divine realm and flee.

"Humph, it's too late!"

At that moment, Qi Jiguang suddenly drew the battle sword engraved with the "Suppressing Bandits" divine pattern from his waist. His aura merged with the entire mechanical god kingdom, and a powerful sense of humanity and iron-blooded fighting spirit were poured into the sword!
"I will transform myself into a blade, slaying gods and destroying nations! Annihilation!"

He took a step forward, merging his body with the sword, transforming into a dazzling blade of light that stretched across the sky!
This blade of light is not just simple energy; it also contains the will of "I do not wish to be ennobled, but only that the seas be calm," as well as the indomitable belief of the "Divine Machine Battalion" to win every battle and wipe out all evil!

Where the blade's edge passed, space froze, and the rules of the universe were shattered!
Like a hot knife cutting through butter, the blade silently pierced the core of the insectoid kingdom!

Time seemed to freeze for a moment.

next moment--

boom! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
That enormous insect hive kingdom exploded from the inside out, like a powder keg that had been lit!
Countless pieces of flesh, carapace, and evil god runes decomposed and vaporized in the extreme light and heat! The terrifying shockwave from the explosion dyed the sky an eerie green-purple!
A tattered and extremely weak divine body fled from the center of the explosion in terror, transforming into a streak of blood-red light as it tried to escape into the void.

However, Qian Xia was not alone in dealing with alien gods. A cold, low shout came from the void: "Nine Nether Chains, bind the gods!"

Boo hoo hoo-!
Nine incredibly thick, pitch-black chains, engraved with countless dark runes, seemed to emerge from the deepest part of the Nine Netherworld, ignoring spatial distance, and instantly coiled around him!

The chains emanated an absolute chill that could imprison the soul and suppress all living beings, easily penetrating the remaining divine power protection of the god and locking his body and soul in place, rendering him unable to move!

As the blood-red light dissipated, the once-arrogant insect god, like a nailed insect, struggled in vain, only to be dragged along by chains and quickly disappear into the shadows.

Only Wu Song's indifferent voice left a faint echo in the world:
"Take away."

……

A deathly silence fell over the main hall of the mysterious inn.

According to the description of the middle-aged man in the brocade robe, everyone could still feel the overwhelming pressure of the insectoid god kingdom, see the dazzling blade light that cleaved through the god kingdom, and hear the desperate wails of the gods and the cold friction of the chains.

Gudong.

Someone swallowed hard, the sound unusually clear in the otherwise silent hall.

A Chinese shopkeeper took several deep breaths to barely suppress the turmoil in his heart, his voice carrying a dryness that even he himself did not realize.

"The Ark of Crossing the World, the Hall of Heroes, the Four Symbols Divine Machine Battalion, the Nine Nether Chains... and General Qi's god-slaying strike... Just what kind of terrifying nation is Qianxia? Its foundation and strength are simply... unheard of!"

"So, in your judgment, Qian Xia's own power is sufficient to intervene in the inn's predicament?"

Wan Sanqian then asked.

“Strength is by no means a problem.”

The middle-aged scholar in brocade robes spoke slowly, his voice calm yet carrying the resonance of metal and stone.

"Originally, I wanted to inform everyone of this, but I didn't expect to hear about the infighting in the council, so... I decided to play along... by having these people with ulterior motives spread some false information... Once the other side misjudges the situation, we can use the power of Qianxia to strike a thunderous blow... catching them off guard."

"Uncle, you are truly selfless. Our thoughts and ideas are far inferior to yours... What I said is not an empty boast. I hope you and Pengju will take good care of the inn!"

Zong Ze said this, and many of the Chinese shopkeepers nodded in agreement.

"However, let's go and see the envoy from Qianxia as soon as possible!"

Wan Sanqian was already quite impatient. (End of Chapter)