Lord of the Earth

In the dry summer, at Baiyujing!

Summer's figure ascended step by step to the projection above the "Fengchan Terrace," one of the five treasures of the founding of the Qianxia Dynasty, a giant altar that was built with a height of nine hundred and ninety-nine feet!

The altar is made entirely of five-colored spiritual soil, and is engraved with the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, and ancient paintings depicting the arduous journey of the Qianxia people in creating civilization. It is also inlaid with countless rare spiritual materials, connecting heaven and earth.

In the summer, dressed in a dark imperial robe, with his crown tassels hanging down his face and his expression solemn, he stepped onto the heavenly steps of the altar. With each step, his imperial aura surged, resonating more deeply with the national destiny of the entire Qianxia dynasty.

At the top of the altar, a thousand-foot-tall imperial image appeared above their heads, with two figures appearing on either side of the image.

On the left is a seven-colored true dragon with dazzling scales and claws, its eyes filled with majesty, breathing in and out a mysterious yellow aura; on the right is a majestic human god, draped in humanistic light patterns, holding a miniature nine cauldrons, surrounded by the wishes of hundreds of millions of his people.

These are the two "spirits of destiny" of the Qianxia Dynasty!
Immediately, he spoke in a loud voice, which, through the nation's destiny, spread throughout the entire five million li territory of Qianxia, ​​and even reached the void:

"I, the Emperor of Qianxia, ​​now lead the hundreds of millions of people of Qianxia to offer sacrifices to Heaven and Earth and pray for the eternal will of the land!"

"Since the founding of the Qianxia Dynasty, we have protected all races, expanded our territory, resisted calamities, regulated the earth's veins, spread civilization, and accumulated merit... Now our fortune is abundant, the people are devoted to us, our territory is stable, and our virtue is complete!"

"Therefore, we earnestly request the will of the Eternal Land to descend, to witness and examine! To grant our Qianxia the right to ascend to the 'Imperial Dynasty,' to continue the flame of humanity, and to wield the authority of order in this region!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the wind stopped, the clouds gathered, and all things fell silent.

Above the sky, the sun and moon appeared together, and an indescribable will, vast, ancient, and majestic, like a sleeping giant slowly opening its eyes, cast its "gaze" from the endless distance.

The will of the Eternal Land has descended!

This will is cold, impartial, and devoid of any emotion, yet it contains the supreme power of law.

It swept across every inch of the land and every citizen of Qianxia, ​​examining the depth of their fortune, the extent of their merits, the stability of their territory, and the potential of their civilization...

Throughout the entire Qianxia territory, all living beings felt a stirring and awe that came from the depths of their souls.

Boom!

Immediately afterwards, the once clear sky suddenly darkened. It wasn't that dark clouds gathered, but rather that the entire sky seemed to be painted with a thick layer of ink by an invisible giant hand, and a vast, indifferent, and supreme pressure crashed down from the heavens.

It caused all living beings, regardless of their cultivation level, to feel a shiver deep within their souls.

Om-!
From within the thunderclouds came a chilling hum, and then billions of dazzling, mountain-thick bolts of purple lightning transformed into magnificent heavenly tribulation dragons, tearing through the darkness with a will to destroy everything.

It ruthlessly cleaved towards the churning, boiling sea of ​​fortune clouds above Baiyujing!
This is the first procedure for advancing to an imperial dynasty, the "Heavenly Tribulation," which is specifically designed to test the solidity of a dynasty's fortune. Each bolt of lightning contains terrifying power that can shatter the void and annihilate laws, enough to easily obliterate the spirit of fortune of an ordinary dynasty!

"Roar!"

The "Seven-Colored True Dragon" roared with thunderous power, fearlessly charging forward. Its massive body tumbled in the sea of ​​clouds, and countless beliefs of its subjects shimmered on its golden scales. The immense power of the nation's destiny transformed into a tangible golden shield, directly confronting the thunder dragons that filled the sky!
Boom! ! !
The collision between the "Spirit of Heavenly Punishment" formed from lightning and the "Spirit of Fortune" representing humanity unleashed a blindingly bright light and a deafening roar.

Each collision caused the entire Qianxia territory to tremble slightly, and the scattered lightning danced wildly like golden snakes, striking the void and leaving behind scorched marks that lingered for a long time.

hold head high!
The seven-colored dragon roared, its claws tearing apart the thunder dragon, its tail extinguishing the lightning, displaying its indomitable fighting spirit.

However, the lightning punishment was endless and stronger with each wave. Soon, the golden light of fortune covering the seven-colored dragon's body began to fluctuate violently, and the scales in some areas even became illusory, as if they could be pierced at any moment!
"This is bad. The tribulation lightning of the imperial dynasty is too violent. Even with the fortune of my Qianxia, ​​it is difficult to withstand."

Those subjects skilled in observing celestial phenomena exclaimed in surprise.

"Hiss, could it be that Qian Xia couldn't even survive the initial heavenly tribulation?"

Some of the alien races were pleasantly surprised, as they had just been forcibly "conquered" by Qianxia and were still hoping to become "independent"!
The Emperor's Calamity is no ordinary event.

Success brings immense rewards, allowing one to ascend to the position of "supreme ruler of a region."

However, if they fail, they will definitely suffer a great loss of strength, and then they may be able to make a comeback and break free from their constraints!
"How can a mere tribulation lightning possibly hinder the lineage of my human race?"

On the altar, Xia Tian's gaze was calm, but a thought suddenly occurred to him.

The Imperial Seal of the State, suspended above his head, suddenly shone brightly. The eight characters on it, “By the Mandate of Heaven, May Your Life Be Long and Prosperous,” shone like the sun, drawing upon the immense power of human faith of hundreds of millions of people in Qianxia. This power transformed into a thick pillar of light and flowed into the body of the Seven-Colored True Dragon!

Immediately, the expectations of the foreigners turned into astonishment.

Although the seven-colored dragon appeared to be teetering on the brink of collapse, it was repaired at an even faster pace each time it was damaged, thanks to the fervent support of the Qianxia Jade Seal and the unwavering faith of its trillions of subjects.

It even began to devour and refine those lightning fragments, its dragon body expanding continuously amidst destruction and rebirth, the patterns on its scales becoming increasingly clear, and its pressure rising at a visible speed!
"It...it can actually feed on heavenly lightning?!"

"Just how powerful is the destiny of the Qianxia nation? How dare they be so audacious? Aren't they afraid of angering the eternal will?!"

"This is the tribulation that leads to the ascension of an imperial dynasty, and Qianxia is actually withstanding it like this?"

The human envoys from various dynasties watched with rapt attention, their eyes filled with unbelievable shock and undisguised envy.

It should be understood that what these forces fear most is this "heavenly tribulation lightning".

Because if the spirit of destiny cannot be resisted, at best the nation's strength will decline, and at worst it can destroy the foundation and sever the path of destiny.

For them, the heavenly tribulation is a "death warrant," and the slightest carelessness will lead to utter destruction.

But in Qianxia, ​​the heavenly tribulation became a "tonic," a difference that both shocked and inspired them.

"hold head high!"

When the last thunder dragon was devoured by the seven-colored true dragon, the dark thunderclouds gradually dissipated, and the sun and moon shone brightly once more.

At this moment, the Eternal Will descended its "gaze" once more, but this time it was less cold and more approving—a soft golden light fell from the sky and merged into the Qianxia's sea of ​​fortune clouds.

In an instant, the sea of ​​clouds surged, and the aura suddenly increased by 50%. The seven-colored dragon roared to the sky, its voice shaking the heavens. The aura it emitted far surpassed that of ordinary gods. Even the alien god-level powerhouses beside the viewing platform felt a chill and subconsciously gripped their weapons.

"The first round of tribulation is over just like that?" Many envoys were still in a daze, muttering to themselves, "If the tribulation of emperors is this easy, why are there so few quasi-emperor dynasties in the Eternal Land that dare to attempt to advance?"

"Easy? You're too naive."

From the depths of the heavens, a hidden divine thought emanated, carrying a faint hint of mockery.

"Of the three tribulations of Heaven, Earth, and Man, the Heavenly Tribulation, though seemingly violent, is the easiest to deal with—when a force rises in fortune, which one hasn't experienced a lightning tribulation? They already have methods to resist it. The real killing blow is the upcoming Earthly Tribulation, which is the true test of one's foundation."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the earth let out a painful groan!

Rumble!
Deep, bottomless ravines spread wildly across the land like hideous scars.

The plains cracked open, spewing forth scorching magma that instantly burned the surrounding vegetation to ashes; mountains collapsed, boulders rolled down, and destroyed many remote villages; rivers changed course, floods raged, and submerged vast tracts of farmland.

The most terrifying part is below Baiyujing.

The ground trembled violently, and the beams and pillars of the palace cracked with a "creaking" sound, as if the entire immortal city was about to be overturned. A rift valley stretching for a thousand miles appeared on the west side of Baiyujing, its bottom unseen, and black poisonous energy emerged from the valley, corroding the air.

"The earth has turned over, and it's the highest level of dragon vein backlash!"

A knowledgeable Jade Fox Clan saintess gasped in surprise, her beautiful eyes filled with horror.

It was not an attack by external enemies, but rather the dragon veins beneath the territory that felt the impact of the nation's rising fortune, becoming violent and restless, as if a giant dragon that had been sleeping for thousands of years was turning over, with bottomless rifts spreading wildly across the land like hideous scars!
Mountains collapsed, rivers changed course, and plains cracked open, spewing out scorching magma!
To establish a force of destiny in the Eternal Land, one must use the national destiny to suppress the dragon vein and extract its spiritual energy for cultivation, forging, and operating formations. However, the dragon vein is a spiritual vein nurtured by the Eternal Land, like the "blood vessels of the earth." It has long been drained and has thus developed resentment. Now that Qianxia wants to advance to an imperial dynasty, it needs to further control the core of the dragon vein, which triggers the "Dragon Vein Reversal Tribulation."

If the dragon veins cannot be appeased, even if the heavenly tribulation is overcome, the Qianxia territory will be reduced to a shattered land, hundreds of millions of acres of fertile land will turn into scorched earth, hundreds of millions of people will be homeless, and the foundation of the dynasty will be completely destroyed.

"This is the real 'catastrophe that will shake the heavens and the earth'!"

Just when countless people thought that the territory of the Qianxia Dynasty was about to sink.

"town!"

In summer, a single sentence can carry the weight of imperial authority.

Immediately, the human god behind him took a step forward!
The miniature nine cauldrons in his hand suddenly enlarged, transforming into nine towering cauldron shadows, each ten thousand feet tall, radiating endless earthy yellow light. The mountain and river veins engraved on the cauldrons perfectly matched the earth veins of Qianxia.

Meanwhile, throughout the Qianxia Dynasty, numerous "Nine Cauldrons" appeared, suppressing the raging dragon veins. These cauldron shadows frantically combed through the earth vein energy scattered by the thunder, guiding the disordered spiritual energy back into the dragon veins.

Furthermore, a phantom image of nine cauldrons, exuding a crystal-like aura, sank from the sky above Baiyujing into the earth, heading straight for the source of the main dragon vein. Like a stabilizing needle, it forcibly stabilized the earth, water, wind, and fire within the vein, preventing them from continuing to churn.

The altars dedicated to the gods of the land and grain, and the statues of the goddess Houtu, which are scattered throughout the Qianxia region, also emit a soft glow at this moment.

The incense on the altar burned ever brighter, transforming into wisps of gray "virtuous energy" that merged into the earth.

Clear "spiritual springs" flow from the eyes of the statue, dripping onto the ground and nourishing the cracked earth. They resonate deeply with the raging dragon veins, conveying the will of "coexistence rather than plunder".

"Gentlemen, the outcome of this battle will determine success or failure!"

Then, the "feng shui arrays" that had been set up on the major dragon vein nodes lit up with pillars of light reaching the sky!

Led by Lai Buyi, Yang Yunsong, and others, a million human geomancers, array masters, and earth masters worked together to activate a grand array, mobilizing the power of the nation's destiny, like a gentle yet firm hand soothing the restlessness of the dragon vein.

This was an extremely costly process that drained the nation's fortune and resources. In the Qianxia national treasury, the "Tianyuan Coins" that were originally stored were poured into the Nine Cauldrons phantom like a tidal wave to support the operation of the formation; cultivators voluntarily sacrificed part of their cultivation to help appease the dragon vein.

Even ordinary people would bring their own grain and cloth and place them in front of the Altar of the God of Earth and Grain to convey their wishes in the simplest way.

With this foundation, the churning earth gradually calmed down, the rift valley slowly closed, the magma retreated into the earth, the diverted rivers returned to their original course, and the collapsed mountains began to condense new rock layers...

"Turning one's hand to create clouds, turning it back to create rain... With the power of the dynasty, it can actually forcefully suppress and tame the backlash from the dragon vein?"

The barbarian god of the Minotaur tribe stared wide-eyed, his rugged face filled with disbelief.

hold head high!
As the main dragon vein beneath Baiyujing emitted a gentle hum, a yellow dragon formed from spiritual energy emerged from the ground!

This is the dragon vein nurtured by the remains of the Yellow Emperor's mount. Now, it is no longer violent, but instead exhales a breath of pure, azure-colored spiritual energy, which merges into the earth veins of Qianxia.

In an instant, the concentration of spiritual energy in the entire Qianxia territory soared: withered grass and trees sprouted again, scorched earth turned into fertile fields, and the air was filled with refreshing spiritual energy. Some people even broke through the barriers of the mortal world and embarked on the path of cultivation under the nourishment of spiritual energy.

What's even more surprising is that a wisp of "glassy" light suddenly appeared on its body.

This represents a further advancement from the original Xuanhuang level to the "quasi-Lilac" level. Many of the alien envoys who had initially come with disdain now had extremely solemn expressions. Qian Xia actually possessed a "quasi-Lilac" dragon vein...

"Is this the foundation of a quasi-immortal dynasty? Qianxia has actually nurtured such a dragon vein..."

The dragon vein, shimmering with the color of lapis lazuli, is not only capable of establishing an "imperial dynasty," but it even has the potential to become the supreme foundation of a "celestial dynasty"...

Even though they were mentally prepared and knew that Qian Xia must have sufficient confidence and strength to be promoted.

Envoys from "quasi-imperial dynasties" such as Tian Tang, Sheng Ming, and Wuhan couldn't help but stand up from the viewing platform this time.

"The foundation of this human dynasty is terrifyingly strong... If it were to advance, it might truly threaten us..."

Heavenly lightning tempers the body, earth dragons rise from the ground...

The Qianxia Dynasty, amidst the destructive storm of heaven and earth clashing, endured trials and tempered itself, gradually and steadily transforming and sublimating towards the position of "Imperial Dynasty of Destiny"!
The seven-colored dragon roared amidst thunder and fire. Although its body was occasionally damaged, it was constantly repaired under the blessing of merit and the replenishment of national fortune. Its form became more and more majestic and sacred, and its dragon claws gradually became clearer, evolving into the legendary "seven-clawed emperor dragon".

Meanwhile, the human god-king's crown, originally composed of twelve tiers, was transforming into a fourteen-tiered imperial crown. In addition to the "Investiture of the Gods," an incomparably majestic whip faintly appeared in his hand, radiating an aura of divine destruction! (End of Chapter)