Lord of the Earth

In the dry summer, at Baiyujing!

Although they had quickly overcome the two major calamities of "heaven and earth," the many high-ranking officials of Qianxia did not relax their vigilance.

This is because, although dynasties, imperial dynasties, and supreme dynasties all undergo the "three tribulations of Heaven, Earth, and Man," their respective focuses differ...

The core of a dynasty lies in the celestial calamity, while an imperial dynasty focuses more on the "terrestrial calamity (the catastrophe that ravages living beings)," and a royal dynasty naturally prioritizes the "human calamity"!
"What follows is the real test!"

On the altar, Xia Tian, ​​dressed in a black dragon robe, gazed intently into the depths of the void.

Before the words were even finished, an invisible and intangible calamity had already descended. Various hallucinations appeared in everyone's vision, and their minds were filled with distracting thoughts, making it difficult to concentrate!

"Is this the tribulation of the heart, a tribulation within the tribulations of humanity?"

"The tribulation of inner demons amplifies all kinds of delusions within the heart, distorting one's reason..."

Countless distorted, tempting, and intimidating illusions surged like a tidal wave, directly impacting the souls of Xia Tian and all the core officials closely connected to the nation's destiny.

Within the illusion, one may be sinking into an endless sea of ​​desire, tempted by supreme power, or facing a tragic future of national ruin, family destruction, and the brutal deaths of one's people...

All these illusions have only one purpose.

The aim was to shake the beliefs of these important officials of the Qianlong Emperor, inducing them to make wrong choices at critical moments, thus triggering a backlash against the nation's fate.

However, Xia Tian's will was as firm as a rock, and he had only the path to the supreme cause in his eyes. No illusion could sway his mind in the slightest.

His core civil and military officers are all outstanding figures rarely seen in Chinese history.

They were also those who had been tested by blood and fire, their Dao hearts were firm, they broke through their inner demons, and their beliefs became even purer and more steadfast!
"This... so many high-ranking officials in Qianxia have been disturbed by the heavenly tribulation! This is an opportunity!"

"Indeed, haven't we been feigning dormancy precisely for this moment?"

"Humanity has been cast down by the gods and reduced to food for all races. Now, it barely holds power by relying on the so-called dynasty of destiny... We are a super race, how can we willingly be ruled by them?"

However, those foreign races who already harbored ulterior motives and were forced to submit could no longer sit still at this moment.

The illusion of inner demons amplified their resentment and unwillingness, leading them to mistakenly believe that Qianxia was already showing signs of weakness in the face of calamity and that there was an opportunity to take advantage of it.

"If we don't act now, when will we?"

Some tribal leaders had a bloodshot look in their eyes, their inner demons stirring up greed and rebellion... and they immediately ordered their subordinates to "rise up in rebellion"!
Thus, a large-scale internal strife broke out instantly in multiple locations within the Qianxia territory!
"Hmph, you're all courting death!"

However, just as these foreign tribes raised the banner of rebellion, before they even managed to break out of their settlements—

Suddenly, mysterious "bronze gates" appeared in the surrounding void. Elite guards of the Sky Eagle Guard and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, dressed in flying fish robes and with embroidered spring knives at their waists, emerged from them like ghosts, their blades flashing, forming a formation to capture and kill!

"His Majesty has decreed that any traitors shall be executed without exception!"

Shen Kuo, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, shouted coldly, his actions as swift as lightning.

Xia Tian, ​​who possessed the secret scroll of "Forging the Heavenly Court," already knew that this trial would involve the tribulation of "inner demons"...

Therefore, the Qianxia Dynasty now has a million Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) and tens of millions Tianyingwei (Sky Eagle Guards), all of whom are ready for battle and are stationed around these foreign tribes.

At this moment, with the help of the "Human Road, Bronze Gate" and various tools for rapid movement, they descended like heavenly soldiers and thunder.

His first move was a "decisive strike"!
The Imperial Guards among them all possessed extraordinary cultivation levels, and were equipped with demon-slaying crossbows and demon-slaying blades specially crafted by the Mechanical Engineering Department and the Forging Department to target the weaknesses of alien races.

puff!
A flash of light appeared, and a tribal chief who had just roared and revealed his ten-zhang-tall wolf form had his head thrown into the air, his eyes still filled with disbelief and astonishment; while a crossbow bolt left the bowstring, instantly piercing through a foreign priest who was trying to cast a dark spell, along with his protective magic weapon, and blasting him into a cloud of blood mist.

The flames of rebellion had barely been ignited when they were swiftly extinguished by ruthless iron-fisted measures.

"This... how could Qian Xia handle such a rebellion caused by inner demons so easily?"

Those from the human forces who were observing the ceremony were taken aback by what they saw.

Putting myself in their shoes, I realized that if this happened to me, I would be completely overwhelmed, but Qian Xia easily suppressed a "rebellion" that could have had huge consequences!
"Indeed, Qian Xia seems to have anticipated these feelings and even prepared in advance?"

"Perhaps these 'Sky Eagle Guards' gathered information in advance and made contingency plans... After all, this is the human race's premier intelligence agency. I heard that Qianxia established it a long time ago..."

"I understand now. Qian Xia did this intentionally, using this inner demon tribulation to weed out those alien forces with ulterior motives... and thoroughly purge his own ranks!"

Emperors like Zhu Di, after a period of confusion, quickly understood.

This in itself is a painful but necessary process.

A true imperial dynasty needs internal purity and unity, not hidden dangers.

However, the Qianxia Empire has developed too quickly. It has only been a small empire for less than twenty years. Even with a vast number of outstanding talents and geniuses, it is impossible to completely win over these alien races.
For an imperial dynasty to be established, it is crucial to maintain the stability of the people's hearts and minds, especially when facing these seemingly submissive foreign tribes.

How to handle this is a difficult question in itself.

However, it was only natural for Qianxia to take advantage of this "heavenly tribulation" to settle scores!
However, as a crucial step towards becoming an "imperial dynasty," the power of the Human Tribulation is not limited to inner demons and internal strife.
"Humans, now, your retribution has come..."

Beyond the territory of Qianxia, ​​the void surged like boiling water, and terrifying auras tore through the sky and descended fiercely!
In the east, demonic clouds rolled in, and countless demonic beasts roared and surged about, causing the earth to tremble.

The leading demon gods manifested their mountain-like forms, tearing through the void with the swing of their claws. Each of their divine kingdoms was a colossal mountain peak tens of thousands of feet high, and they were none other than the gods of the Mountain Demon Clan, the first advanced alien race that the human race had ever slain!

In the west, amidst a sea of ​​blood, demonic energy surged, and ferocious bat-like demonic shadows covered the sky. Bloodthirsty howls assaulted the soul, and three vampire dukes stood amidst the sea of ​​blood.

Each one possessed divine strength, and the vampire artifacts in their hands emitted an ominous light!
In the south, a vast ocean is sweeping towards the Qianxia territory, containing various forms of marine creatures. The leading deities are covered in seven-colored scales, clearly powerful sea creatures at the quasi-supreme level...

In the north, thunderclouds surged, and one-eyed thunder giants, each over a thousand feet tall, grabbed lightning from the clouds around their waists and transformed it into battle bows and spears, pointing directly at Qian Xia!
"Hmph, how dare you act so presumptuously on human territory?"

Faced with the invading enemy, the four legions of Qianxia were fearless and, relying on the defensive fortifications built with the Great Wall as the core, unleashed an astonishing fighting spirit!

In the east, dark clouds rolled in, and three towering mountain spirits manifested their true forms, moving like mountain ranges, carrying the force of billions of tons of earth and stone as they crashed into the city wall.

Zhao Yun, commander of the Azure Dragon Legion, clad in white robes and wielding a silver spear, rode his Jade Lion, roaring through the wind. "Dragon Sparrow Camp, follow me and charge to destroy the enemy!"

At a command, Zhao Yun took the lead, his Dragon Gallant Silver Spear transforming into a hundred-foot-long cold light. With a "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" thrust, countless divine bird spear shadows whistled out.

The spear's momentum remained undiminished, piercing fiercely into the body of a mountain spirit god, shattering countless rock fragments, causing the mountain spirit god to let out a deafening roar in pain.

The soldiers of the Azure Dragon Legion were united by their shared blood and qi, and azure dragon shadows appeared in the sky above their formation. Long spears formed a forest, pinning the mountain demon troops that were charging after them firmly beneath the city walls.

In the west, a sea of ​​blood surged as three vampire god-level dukes activated their sacred artifacts, unleashing a triple attack of crimson lightning, soul-devouring demonic sounds, and a decaying aura.

"White Tiger Legion, form ranks! Swords of slaughter, slay the enemy!"

Xin Qiji pointed his long sword to the sky, and a powerful military aura soared into the heavens, condensing into a giant sword phantom that spanned the heavens and the earth, carrying the will to destroy all evil, and slashed down fiercely!

That sword strike cleaved a massive chasm through the surging sea of ​​blood, shattering the crimson lightning, dispersing the demonic sounds with its malevolent aura, and forcing back the decaying halo with its sharp sword intent.

The soldiers of the White Tiger Legion clashed their swords and shields, unleashing a resounding battle roar that shook the lower-ranking vampires to their core.

In the south, a tsunami reached the sky, and the king of the sea tribe, wielding a coral trident, stirred up a raging torrent, with countless water dragons roaring and crashing against it.

"Black Tortoise commands the sea, calming the waves!"

The Xuanwu Legion stood firm as a rock, with Qi Jiguang standing at the front of the formation, waving his command flag.

The Shenji Battalion's thousands of psionic heavy cannons roared simultaneously, their dazzling beams evaporating and shattering the water dragons one by one.

The soldiers of the Xuanwu Legion manipulated their "mechanical beasts" to stomp their feet in unison, and the thick, mountain-like, earth-yellow light shields connected into one, transforming into a huge, almost materialized tortoise shell phantom, forcefully channeling the terrifying impact into the earth.

Not retreating an inch, as steady as Mount Tai!
In the north, thunderclouds surged, and the Thunder Giant drew his lightning bow, unleashing a rain of destructive spears.

Wu Qi, the commander of the Vermilion Bird Legion, unleashes his fiery divine kingdom behind him.

"The heavens will be scorched and the seas boiled, the Vermilion Bird will set the plains ablaze!"

Countless fiery vermilion birds flew out from the divine kingdom, meeting the thunderous spears head-on, exploding in the air into dazzling yet dangerous bursts of energy fireworks.

Furthermore, streaks of flame transformed into long whips, lashing the giants and leaving charred marks, forcing them to retreat repeatedly.

The archers of the Vermilion Bird Legion unleashed a rain of arrows imbued with scorching spiritual flames, which rained down like a fiery cloud, scorching the approaching army of thunder giants until they were charred and burned!
Thunder vs. Fire!

The four legion commanders, each displaying their imposing might, held off a powerful enemy, showcasing the formidable strength of Qianxia's top-tier martial prowess.

In addition, the various military commanders within the legion also displayed "god-level" power.

Jiang Wei, Hua Rong, Gao Shun, Gan Ning... and their respective exclusive troop types: Wudang Flying Army, Yulin Army, Trapped Camp, Jinfan Camp...

The soldiers of the legion cooperated seamlessly, and the military formations, weapons, and individual bravery were perfectly combined, which for a time kept the aggressive foreign coalition outside the country's gates!
However, as the most important "human tribulation" in the advancement of an imperial dynasty, how could it really be so easy?

"No, what is this?"

Just as internal unrest in various places was being suppressed and external enemies were being intercepted, an invisible and terrifying calamity suddenly erupted—the Calamity of Karmic Fire!
"What is this? It's on my body..."

A powerful warrior from the Qianxia realm, who was engaged in battle, suddenly changed his expression.

Without a sound, wisps of dark red flames suddenly rose from Xia Tian's body, from the Seven-Colored True Dragon, from the Human God Lord, and even from the bodies of every official in the Qianxia territory!

This fire does not scorch physical objects, but it burns away karmic causes and effects!
The Qianxia dynasty rose from humble beginnings, conquering all directions and expanding its territory. In the process, it inevitably became tainted by countless acts of killing and karma.

At this moment, all of this karma turned into fuel, igniting this karmic fire that burns the heart and gnaws at the bones.

Moreover, this "calamity of karmic fire" is different from others. Theoretically, the higher a person's official position, the greater the power of the "karmic fire" they will experience.

"Uh……!"

On the altar, Xia Tian let out a muffled groan.

He felt as if a million red-hot needles were piercing his body, and his soul was burning with an indescribable pain—the backlash from the sins of the entire dynasty that had been inflicted upon him.

In the imperial court, many civil and military officials turned pale, feeling the agony of being consumed by karmic fire to varying degrees.

Even the seven-colored true dragon and the human god who had vaguely formed "seven claws" let out painful roars. Dark red flames spread across their huge dragon bodies, the originally brilliant golden light became dim, and even black gas was faintly emerging.

This is the "original sin" that the forces of destiny must confront.

Humanity seizes the creation of heaven and earth to strengthen itself, which is a kind of "gain or loss" in terms of the order of heaven and earth. If the accumulated merit is insufficient, the foundation of the nation's fortune will be burned away by the fire of karma!

"Excellent, this is the sins of humanity being stirred up..."

"The time for revenge has come! Humans, quickly hand over our race's most precious treasure!"

The Naga, Shadow Demon, Centaur, and other races whose demigods and even gods had been suppressed by Qian Xia appeared from the flanks and joined the battle when they saw that the main attacks from all four sides were blocked.

The Shadow Demon, a powerful figure, transformed into a shadow and traversed the battlefield, directly attacking some Qianxia soldiers to "possess" them, causing localized chaos!
Centaur archers unleashed a volley of arrows, their barrages imbued with the malevolent power to pierce armor, corrode, and tear apart, piercing through the ranks and landing among the troops behind them; Naga priests chanted ancient incantations, summoning demigod-level deep-sea behemoths that relentlessly rammed into the Great Wall's light barrier, draining its defensive energy...

Even more terrifying are the top-tier and even super races such as vampires, sea creatures, mountain spirits, and thunder giants.

This time, they almost mobilized their entire forces, resulting in more than a hundred million enemies on each of the four battlefields, including double-digit numbers of powerful beings at the god level...

In fact, besides the gods in the open, there are other beings of the same level lurking in the shadows, waiting for their chance to strike.

Zhao Yun fought alone against two mountain spirits, his spear skills were divine, and he had already gained the upper hand, but he was burned by "karmic fire".

Suddenly, the void cracked open, and a strange, inexplicable black and white dragon-shaped energy silently attacked, its angle cunning and vicious, aiming straight for its vital points.

Although Zhao Yun possessed exceptional combat awareness and parried with his spear, he was still grazed on the shoulder by that insidious force, instantly shattering his dragon-scale shoulder armor and spurting blood... (End of Chapter)