Lord of the Earth

Mysterious Inn, a branch of the "Sanctuary" in the core area of ​​the Western faction.

Unlike the simple and solemn main inn in the eastern region, this place has been transformed into a miniature "sanctuary." The dome soars high and is covered with intricate religious murals. Soft and holy light emanates from the jade inlaid on the surrounding walls, and a faint, calming fragrance permeates the air!

However, the manager of Matsushita, who was kneeling in the center of the sanctuary, had no peace on his face, only fear, resentment and a trace of morbid fanaticism.

He was no longer the composed shopkeeper who had been driven out by the Eastern camp, but rather, like a stray dog ​​that had found its master, he cried out in a pitiful voice to the person seated at the head of the table:
"Lord Kevin! Lord Kevin! You must do me justice!"

Matsushita, dressed in a cherry blossom-patterned Japanese dress, trembled slightly, as if enduring immense pain and grievance. Thin beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, even wetting the floor tiles.

"Those Chinese people, they... they've completely turned their backs on us! They've cut off all resource supplies to my branch! Pills, spiritual food, materials for repairing formations... they've cut them all off!"

"My brothers who were injured while defending against the catastrophic creatures and protecting humanity can't even buy the most basic medicine. They can only watch helplessly as their injuries worsen. They didn't die at the hands of the catastrophic creatures, but at the hands of their own kind... They're trying to force us to our deaths!"

As he spoke, he pointed behind him to the Japanese people who were also kneeling, weak and exhausted, with bloodstains on their bodies and even severed limbs. His fingertips turned white from the force of his grip, and his voice was full of resentment.

"As expected, the Chinese have begun their purge!"

On the main seat, Kevin wore a magnificent platinum robe, the hem of which was embroidered with intricate holy light runes that swayed slightly with his movements.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest, the rhythm slow and regular, his face bearing a faint smile of pity mixed with an air of detached indifference, as if he had everything under control.

The Mysterious Inn is a self-contained entity.

Whether it's various ingredients, weapons, or even martial arts techniques, they are all provided to each other by different "guests" or staff members who hold "positions" in the inn.

Originally, people like doctors and weaponsmiths were available in all the major inns.

However, due to differences in technology, location, and resources, some inns produced better weapons, while others produced more effective medicines…

Most importantly, a gap has emerged between yield rates and costs due to technological limitations…

This gradually led to a "division of labor" among different inns.

For example, in one territory, after slaying the calamity-inducing creatures, one can obtain the sacred treasure iron ore, suitable for forging weapons; in other places, slaying calamity-inducing creatures yields the rare treasure "bezoar," which is convenient for making medicine; and in still others, one can obtain "heavenly silkworm silk," which can be used to weave clothing...

As a result of these various divisions, few inns can now operate independently; instead, they tend to trade with each other.

After all, when the price of a weapon is even just 10% less than the resources and costs required to build it yourself, that's a significant advantage.

Over a long period of time, the difference becomes enormous!

Matsushita's own inn had long been accustomed to obtaining weapons and elixirs from the Chinese camp... Now, with the sudden falling out, it has encountered a huge crisis in these areas, making it difficult to even maintain basic operations.

"Rest assured, Manager Matsushita, the Holy Light will envelop every believer..."

Kevin spoke, his voice gentle yet carrying an undeniable power.

Accompanied by his voice, a figure suddenly emerged from the "divine kingdom" in the sky.

It was a figure shrouded in pure light, tall and perfect, with an indistinct face that conveyed a kind of inhuman holiness and compassion.

hum!
A pair of enormous wings, composed purely of light and divine runes, slowly unfurled—this was an angel from the "Lord of Holy Light," a messenger at the demigod level!
"Lost sheep, do not be afraid, the Holy Light will heal everything."

The angel spoke, his voice like a chorus of countless hymns, resounding directly into the depths of one's soul, carrying an indescribable comfort and allure.

He raised his hand, palm up, and a warm, pure light, as rich as milk, gathered and gently fell upon Matsushita and his wounded, listless subordinates behind him.

Holy light descended upon them, and a miracle occurred.

Those deep, bone-revealing wounds began to heal at a visible speed, the lost blood and energy were rapidly replenished, and even the depleted mental energy was nourished and restored! In just a few breaths, those wounded who were originally on the verge of death regained most of their mobility, and a healthy blush appeared on their faces!

"This... this is a miracle!"

A soldier who had just been lying on the ground groaning looked at his perfectly healed body in disbelief, trembling with excitement, and repeatedly touched his old wounds.

"Thank you, angels! Thank you for the Lord's grace!"

The other person, with tears welling up in their eyes, involuntarily knelt down before the angel, their forehead hitting the ground heavily.

Like a chain reaction, all of Matsushita's personnel, whether they were recovering from serious injuries or only slightly injured, worshipped the angel with utmost devotion, reciting prayers of gratitude.

An invisible, pure power of faith emanated from them, flowing like a gentle stream into the body of this angel, making the light around him seem even more dazzling.

However, even more faith surged into the sky, where a magnificent "divine kingdom" floated.

Seeing this, Matsushita finally understood why Kevin dared to confront the Chinese camp. It turned out that the "Temple" could actually command angels!

A complex look flashed in his eyes, but it quickly turned into excitement. With such a powerful backer, what was there to fear from the Chinese camp?
"Look, Manager Matsushita, why worry about the blockade by those stingy people in the East?"

Kevin took everything in, smiled with satisfaction, and spoke in a seductive tone.

"Do you see? Only by following the Temple can you survive. What the Chinese give you is nothing but scraps; but the Lord of Holy Light can give you true power and eternal life."

"Holy Light is the only salvation. As long as you have devout faith and serve our Lord earnestly, Holy Light will not only heal your wounds, but also unlock the potential within those under your command."

"The deeper you receive the baptism of holy light, the greater the chance your subordinates will advance to the Transcendent Realm, or even reach the fifth level of Transcendent Realm or the Saint Realm! At that time, you will no longer be weaklings who need protection, but glorious warriors who fight for your lord in all directions!"

"As long as you devoutly believe in the Lord of Holy Light, you may even have the opportunity to become a Saint Realm expert in the future." These words made the eyes of the kneeling crowd below burn even more fervently, their faith growing stronger, and even their breathing becoming rapid.

"Understood! From now on, I will lead everyone at the Sakura Kingdom branch to devoutly worship the Lord of Holy Light!"

Matsushita nodded hurriedly, his head bobbing rapidly, his eyes filled with urgency.

"Once the 'Mysterious Inn' is unified, my lord will certainly treat you well, and it wouldn't be unreasonable to make you the 'Deputy Manager' in charge of the Eastern faction!"

Kevin patted Matsushita on the shoulder, his tone suggestive, the warmth from his palm seeming to carry the power of holy light.

"Your subordinate obeys, and will certainly follow in Lord Kevin's footsteps closely!"

Matsushita seemed to already see himself in charge of the Eastern faction in the inn, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up in a smile.

"now it's right."

Kevin nodded in satisfaction, then changed the subject.

"By the way, what's been happening on the Chinese side lately?"

Matsushita quickly replied, "A few days ago, those guys in China finally couldn't withstand the pressure and agreed to start the selection process for the 'Grand Manager.' Hey, sir, this was also the result of my subordinates mobilizing the managers in Japan to push things along behind the scenes. Although there are many managers in China, they dare not go against the 'will of the people'!"

Matsushita's face showed a hint of pride, and his fingers unconsciously rubbed the corner of his sleeve, as if showing off his "achievements".

"Oh, these people are quite bold... They clearly know that those people from other worlds, guided by the Holy Light, will definitely favor us, yet they still agreed to my proposal. Could there be some new hidden story behind this?"

Kevin's gaze flickered slightly, his sacred voice devoid of any emotion, and the rhythm of his fingertips tapping the armrest quickened.

"Could it be that they have already made contact with that person from Qianxia?"

Those who can become shopkeepers may be opportunistic, but they are definitely not stupid.

"Well, I don't know. Nowadays, Chinese people don't have much contact with outsiders... I can only rely on a few trusted confidants who originally infiltrated under Zong Ze and his group to get information, but recently they've been sending back fewer and fewer messages."

Matsushita said, his tone tinged with uncertainty, his eyes darkening.

"It's alright, everything is within the Lord's expectations. Even if they really did introduce that so-called 'Qianxia' external force, it was destined to be in vain."

"Without our recognition and synchronization of the inn's rules and system, even if they were incredibly lucky and managed to make contact with those Chinese forces, they could only attract a few scattered soldiers, maybe a few thousand at most, which wouldn't be enough to affect the overall situation. This time, our lord has bestowed upon me an army of 1.5 million!"

"Moreover, if we really find that force called 'Qianxia', it wouldn't be a bad thing for us."

A shrewd glint flashed in Kevin's eyes, and a calculating smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"That Qian Xia is said to possess the elixir technology that can break the 'seal of the gods.' If we can outperform them in the selection and ultimately 'acquire' these technologies, it would undoubtedly be a tremendous achievement for our Holy Temple."

Kevin smiled confidently.

His gaze swept across the outside of the sanctuary, where more than two hundred thousand warriors, clad in silver knight armor and exuding an aura as imposing as mountains, stood silently.

These are all "Templar Knights," each possessing extraordinary cultivation levels!
Standing at the very front, there were over a thousand "Holy Knights," each possessing the strength of a Saint, making them among the strongest of the human race!
Among them, the most powerful and outstanding individuals possess "heavenly talent," enough to support them in igniting the divine fire and becoming gods in the future!
The sheer number of geniuses gathered together exuded an invisible aura that was enough to move any powerful individual.

What's even more unsettling is that above the inn, several phantom images of divine kingdoms, radiating intense holy light, floated faintly. Within these kingdoms, countless demigod-level angels with wings on their backs, wielding flaming swords or staffs of judgment, moved about in an orderly fashion like worker bees.

A grand and solemn hymn faintly emanated from the Kingdom of God, cleansing hearts and bringing endless pressure!

"However, among those Easterners, there are indeed some 'Divine Realm' experts, so it's not wise to take them by force!"

A Templar Knight stepped forward, knelt on one knee, his voice steady, but with a hint of concern in his tone.

The power of a god-level expert cannot be completely ignored, even with angels guarding the temple.

"The Divine Realm? The number of gods under the Lord's command is beyond your comprehension... and their power is beyond your imagination!"

Just then, the light of the entire sanctuary suddenly became even more intense, and a divine pressure far more vast and majestic than that of demigods descended from the sky like a tsunami, enveloping the entire area.

Everyone felt a shiver run through their souls, and involuntarily wanted to kneel down, even finding it difficult to breathe.

Deep within the sanctuary, the largest and most radiant gate to a divine kingdom burst open, and amidst the dazzling light, a figure with four radiant wings and divine might slowly descended.

Its imposing aura was clearly that of a true deity.

A cold, authoritative, and unquestionable "divine oracle" resounded deep within the souls of every believer:

"The time has come! Go to the various branch inns... and display your power, so that those stubborn Eastern heretics will tremble and submit under the holy light! This is the beginning of the Holy War!"

Clang, Clang, Clang!

As the divine decree fell, a "Round Table Holy Knight" of the Holy Realm had holy flames burning in his eyes, and his knight's sword was drawn from its sheath, emitting a crisp hum!
"Where the holy light reaches, hearts are purified, all for the Lord!"

In the sky, hundreds of demigods and angels simultaneously raised their lightsabers and staves, and holy energy began to converge wildly. Silver-white streams of light intertwined in mid-air to form huge holy runes, and the holy light aura of the entire sanctuary branch instantly surged.

Within the mysterious inn, a storm sweeping across both Eastern and Western factions has begun. (End of Chapter)