Lord of the Earth

Chapter 868 The land of Qianxia is filled with gods!
"This...this is Qianxia? The power established by my human race has actually become this strong..."

Zhao Huan gazed at the cities and landscapes that sped past the porthole, which resembled celestial paradises, muttering to himself with a look of disbelief and disbelief on his face.

It must be said that China has gone from being a prisoner of a foreign race, living under someone else's roof and dependent on them, to now returning to the "Chinese" camp.

The dramatic life-and-death changes and reversals of fortune within a single day had an extremely profound impact on the minds of the two "defeated emperors".

Especially after entering the territory actually controlled by the Qianxia dynasty.

What they saw and heard along the way was truly like "Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden," constantly overturning their narrow-minded understanding formed during their century of imprisonment!
It cannot be entirely blamed on the short-sightedness of these two "rulers who lost their kingdoms".

The reason is that they were imprisoned by the Jin Kingdom in the small area of ​​Black Iron Canyon for nearly a hundred years, spending their days surrounded by rust, blood, and the stench of sweat. Their eyes were filled with despair and numbness, and they had no chance to see the true vastness and wonder of the Eternal Land.

I never imagined that the human race could establish such a magnificent and unfathomably profound "imperial dynasty" civilization as Qianxia!

"Your Majesties must be hungry after your long journey. Please try this to fill your stomachs."

Seeing the reactions of the two "defeated emperors," Lin Pingzhi gestured to a personal guard to bring over a warm, smooth jade plate.

Several seemingly simple steamed buns, yet exuding an indescribable and captivating aroma, were neatly arranged on the plate.

"This is the 'Five Qi Gathering Cake' personally made by Master Wu, the head of the 'Ground Pavilion' under the 'Heavenly Food Hall' of Qianxia."

Lin Pingzhi explained in a calm tone.

"Don't be fooled by its simple appearance. It is actually made with the spiritual wheat core powder of 'Nine-Eared Grain' and the source water of 'Jade Marrow Spring', and is also infused with the essence of five kinds of spiritual vegetables belonging to the five elements. It is repeatedly tempered and baked with a unique 'civil and martial fire'. Eating it can not only fill your stomach, but also nourish your five internal organs, warm and replenish your vital energy, and is very beneficial for stabilizing your cultivation and removing hidden injuries."

"It smells so good! This...this is really..."

Zhao Ji couldn't help but take one. When he touched it, he felt that it was warm and soft. The fragrance seemed to penetrate his body and directly affect his soul, making him feel refreshed.

He took a careful bite, and instantly, an indescribable warm current, accompanied by the ultimate natural wheat aroma and sweetness, exploded in his mouth, as if every taste bud that had been dormant for a long time had awakened, cheered, and jumped for joy at this moment!
It should be noted that in order to prevent the Song people from recovering their cultivation and increasing their physical strength, the food that the Jin people provided on a daily basis was coarse and unpalatable, mixed with sand and stones, and barely enough to sustain life. In terms of quality and taste, it was not much better than the hay they used to feed their warhorses!

At this moment, this seemingly ordinary steamed bun, with its deliciousness and the vitality it contains, is comparable to the bowl of hot porridge that Zhao Guangyi, the "donkey cart god" of their ancestors, drank when he was down on his luck and on the run, a bowl that saved his life and was remembered for him for the rest of his life.

No, it far surpasses it!
Because the two of them clearly felt that as the meat and bread went down their stomachs, a pure and peaceful warm current quickly flowed through their limbs and bones, not only dispelling the weakness that had lingered for a long time, but also, like the warm sun melting snow, quietly resolving some chronic and hidden ailments that had accumulated in their bodies due to long-term emotional depression.

"Such a taste is rare in a lifetime... This delicacy should only exist in heaven!"

Emperor Huizong's voice choked with emotion, and he was almost in tears.

This bite of bread represents more than just the satisfaction of one's appetite; it also represents a long-lost warmth of being treated as a "human being."

Seeing this, Lin Pingzhi smiled calmly.

"Your Majesty's description of it as something from heaven is not entirely an exaggeration. In fact, the culinary arts of Qianxia have long transcended the mundane and reached their pinnacle. Even the most skilled cooks are far from the highest level in this art. Has Your Majesty ever heard of the ancient story of 'Butcher Ding Carving Up an Ox'?"

"Paoding? Could he be that legendary chef..."

Both Zhao Ji and Zhao Huan were taken aback upon hearing this!
"It is indeed that Butcher Ding."

Lin Pingzhi affirmed, "Master Paoding is now the head of the 'Heavenly Cuisine Hall' in Qianxia. His culinary skills have long since reached the divine level, and his own cultivation has also reached the divine level. The 'Divine Kingdom of Taste' he has constructed can be regarded as the ultimate embodiment of the Way of Food. It is said that within it, he can even use food to evolve the vitality of all things, and can also incorporate the laws of all things into 'ingredients'. It is mysterious beyond words." His tone was filled with undisguised reverence.

"In addition, there is another young lady surnamed Huang who is specially in charge of preparing meals for His Majesty. Her culinary skills are so exquisite that it is said... even surpassing those of Master Butcher Ding!"

As they talked, the group arrived at a cabin on the ship filled with the fragrance of ink and the essence of Taoism.

A handsome man, holding a calligraphy brush adorned with peach blossoms, has just finished a painting.

"Oh? General Lin, what brings you here today? You've brought distinguished guests to admire my paintings?"

The man looked up, his smile gentle.

"Greetings, Pavilion Master Tang."

Lin Pingzhi bowed respectfully and then introduced the two emperors.

"This is Tang Yin, the master of my Qianxia 'Tianhua Pavilion'. His painting skills have also reached a divine level."

Another grandmaster who has mastered "god-level skills"!
Emperor Huizong of Song, Zhao Ji, was always extremely proud of his calligraphy and painting skills. He regarded his unique "Slender Gold" style and his exquisite and magnificent flower and bird paintings as his most proud works and considered himself a master of his generation.

However, when his gaze fell on the still-wet ink painting on Tang Bohu's desk, he was struck as if by lightning. His eyes suddenly narrowed, his mind was shaken, and he could hardly control himself!
The painting is titled "General's Hell".

The painting does not depict the traditional underworld or hell, but rather a boundless, seemingly ancient, blood-red battlefield. A general, exuding murderous intent and with a blurred, indistinct back, stands like a demon god atop a real mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood. At his feet lie countless bizarre and terrifying remains of alien races, piled up like mountains and flowing like rivers.

The sky was stained and distorted by thick blood and solidified malevolent energy, as if the heavens themselves were weeping blood!

What's even more terrifying is the overwhelming artistic conception!
Zhao Ji seemed to hear the clanging of swords and the neighing of horses from the painting, the desperate cries of millions of lives before their deaths, the tragic and desolate feeling of "one battle to achieve victory but ten thousand bones lying dead," and the extreme coldness of slaughtering countless lives with a heart as hard as stone, almost seeping through the paper and penetrating the depths of his soul!
Its brushwork is mature and unrestrained, and its artistic conception is grand and profound.

In particular, the almost rule-like killing and death rhythm contained in the painting itself is far beyond what his previous "surrender paintings" could compare to; the difference is like heaven and earth!

"I have always wanted to depict the scene of Lord Bai destroying the half-dragon dynasty in one battle, but I have been unable to achieve perfection because I do not have top-quality materials that can capture its essence."

Tang Bohu gently stroked the painting, his tone tinged with emotion. Then, he reached out and picked up several strange crystals beside it, which shimmered with a dark luster, were as black as ink, yet faintly radiated a divine glow.

"Until a few days ago, the core divine blood and soul crystal of the ghost demigod that Lord Ding Xiu killed finally gave me the most suitable vessel."

He smiled and explained to the group.

"Only by using divine blood as the main ingredient, supplemented with several kinds of divine-level Netherworld-attribute auxiliary materials, can this special 'Netherworld Ink Ingot' be refined."

"Writing and painting with this ink may create text and images that possess the power of 'bewitching the mind' and 'reviving evil spirits,' making them exceptionally effective against certain types of enemies... Even demigods, if their minds are not firm, will find it difficult to completely resist its erosion..."

"I never imagined that a dignified, god-like ghost... its very essence would be used merely to make ink and paint... But... who exactly is this general in the painting? How could he... how could he have slaughtered so many lives?"

Zhao Huan muttered to himself, feeling his worldview being severely impacted once again.

Next, when the "Ark of Crossing the World" descended upon a vast city spanning thousands of miles, a city composed of various forms of metal, gears, and energy pipes—the "City of Heavenly Craftsmanship"—it was a different story.

The sight before them left the two emperors speechless.

Countless "mechanical creations" of various shapes shuttle and work in an orderly manner in the city... The air, the ground, and even underground are filled with the hum of mechanical operation and the glow of energy flow.

Of particular interest is that in a vast "martial arts square" above the city, shrouded in a transparent force field, thousands of mechanical beasts are engaged in fierce combat drills.

The forms of these "mechanical creations" are strikingly similar to many famous races in the myriad worlds.

The towering ancient war tree, the nimble and mysterious dark elves, the half-dragons covered in scales... each of them exuded energy fluctuations comparable to the "Sacred Realm" level!

Their battles were not chaotic, but rather formed exquisite battle formations, with orderly offense and defense, perfect coordination, intersecting energy beams, roaring runic cannons, and metal claws tearing through the air...

Zhao Ji had no doubt that such a large mechanical army was enough to kill ordinary demigods. Even ordinary gods would probably find it extremely difficult to deal with such a fearless and well-coordinated army!
"Commander Lin, what urgent matter is it?"

Upon seeing the "Ark of Salvation" docked nearby, a middle-aged man dressed in a blue craftsman's robe with his sleeves rolled up, exuding a calm yet transcendent air, emerged from the head compartment of a gigantic spider-shaped mechanical beast as large as a mountain. With a few flashes, he arrived on the deck of the Ark of Salvation.

His gaze swept over Lin Pingzhi, then glanced with a hint of curiosity at the two emperors, Huizong and Qinzong, behind him.

"Palace Master Zhu, I apologize for disturbing you."

Lin Pingzhi clasped his hands in a fist salute and took out a core that was sealed in a transparent crystal and still exuded a strong aura of the underworld and an undying soul light.

"This is the soul core and some remains of that demigod-level ghost. I would like to trouble the Palace Master to see if we can use this as the core to tailor-make a demigod-level combat mechanical beast for my vanguard battalion, which will also add some combat power."

The man known as "Palace Master Zhu" took the crystal and carefully sensed it for a moment, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

"The Ghost race is indeed a top-tier Netherworld race. Its core characteristic can avoid most damage and quickly repair its body... Especially these demigod-level beings, if used properly, combined with suitable materials and rune arrays, theoretically they are enough to forge mechanical creations with near-god-level combat power..."

He changed the subject, his brows furrowing slightly.

"However, it is extremely difficult to perfectly unleash its potential and achieve stable god-level output. This involves the purification of the soul imprint, the conversion of nether energy, and the compatibility issues with the laws of the mechanical body. Even I am not entirely confident that I can succeed on the first try."

"Of course, if you're willing, I'm absolutely confident I can give you that 'god-level' ghost head from the bow of the ship as well."

He paused for a moment, then continued.

"This item is a spoil of war belonging to Commander Ding Xiu, but it was lent to me for my use, so..."

Lin Pingzhi shook his head upon hearing this.

"Well... Currently, Palace Master Yueying and Master Gongshu are jointly researching the materials left behind by the divine body of the top-level deity that His Majesty killed. That is the highest priority project."

"If your battalion can obtain some scraps or other divine materials, I can try to use them as a supplement, and use this semi-divine soul core as the main component, to create a 'Netherworld Ghost General' type mechanical beast with considerable potential for you."

"However, with my current abilities, I can only guarantee that it can exert the peak combat power of a demigod under normal circumstances. Whether it can occasionally touch the threshold of godhood depends on subsequent training and opportunities."

Zhu Youxiao began to speak.

He was still somewhat interested in this material.

This is because any material that approaches god-level quality can allow a craftsman like him, who has touched upon god-level, to further enhance his control over the craftsmanship rules of the Eternal Land!
"They've casually started discussing building 'god-level' war machines... Compared to them, the Great Jin Dynasty is like a firefly compared to the bright moon..."

Zhao Huan listened to their conversation from the side.

He felt as if his past understanding had been completely shattered, and muttered to himself.

"This Qianxia is probably a true celestial dynasty, even the ancient Heavenly Court couldn't have been more powerful than this..."

Emperor Huizong of Tang, on the other hand, had a complex and brilliant look in his eyes. He once proclaimed himself "Emperor Daojun" and was obsessed with Daoist arts and painting. In terms of enthusiasm and arrogance for all kinds of "miscellaneous studies," he was no less than the Jiajing Emperor of later generations.

However, what he saw in just half a day today, whether it was the divine cooking skills, the art of painting, or the ingenious and magical mechanical arts that turned decay into wonder, far surpassed his past shallow understanding of "Tao" and "skills"!

On this vast land of Qianxia, ​​there are "god-level" beings everywhere.

(End of this chapter)