Lord of the Earth

Xia Tian glanced at the group of powerful Qianxia officials behind him and spoke in a steady voice.

"Everyone, the palace before us is the legendary 'Guanghan Palace,' one of the 'Thirty-Six Palaces' of the First Heavenly Court of the Human Race. Its roots are deeply embedded in the great power of the True God level, containing infinite creation. It is an unparalleled treasure left to our human race by our ancestors."

"Is there anyone willing to step forward and try to sense with their own luck and Daoist aura to see if they can activate the dormant divine imprint in the palace and add another immortal legacy to my Qianxia?"

His words were full of expectation.

It should be noted that the Chang'e fairy that appeared earlier was not a "quasi-true god".

However, relying on the supreme divine power of the Guanghan Palace, the methods she used were able to effectively restrain the Golden Crow Prince, who wielded the "Golden Crow Nest," a powerful artifact of the race!

Looking back at the battle just now, although Xia Tian temporarily ascended to the realm of "half-step quasi-true god" by taking advantage of the great national fortune, he was ultimately inferior to the Golden Crow Prince in terms of the subtle application and understanding of the rules of heaven and earth.

If it weren't for the help of the fairy Chang'e with the "power of moonlight" to soothe the shock and hidden injuries to his soul caused by forcibly controlling a high-level power, the outcome would have been uncertain.

The power of the moonlight could nourish and repair damage to the mind and spirit; its miraculous nature left Xia Tian in awe.

Not to mention, at the last moment, the fairy Chang'e took out the "Sunset Divine Bow" engraved with the ancient Dao of shooting down the sun. Its supreme will of certain hit, breaking evil and destroying the yang evil was the key to completely cutting off the Golden Crow Prince's hope of escape and securing the victory!
In addition, Xia Tian also keenly noticed this.

Wu Gang, who remained silent and only knew how to chop down trees, was no ordinary deity of the Three Heavens; his identity likely concealed a great secret.

Every time he swung that seemingly ancient axe and struck the laurel tree, it would cause the towering tree, which was thousands of feet tall and whose roots seemed to be embedded in the void, to tremble slightly and scatter a sky full of clear light!
This sight was enough to make even a "quasi-god" like him take notice.

The laurel tree is a true "god-level" innate spiritual root. Although it is difficult to take form and its spiritual intelligence is not manifest due to its special nature.

However, its body is so tough that ordinary people cannot even leave a white mark when they attack it, but Wu Gang was able to shake it. Therefore, the axe in his hand is very likely a true god weapon with an extremely high grade!

What's even more remarkable is that, with each swing of the axe, drops of crystal-clear, amber-like, and fragrant "nectar" seep from the wounds on the laurel tree, precisely dripping into a seemingly rough yet naturally elegant stone urn beneath the tree.

Summer had no doubt that what was being brewed in that jar was an extraordinary treasure of heaven and earth, a supreme medicine that would even move the hearts of the true gods!

However, Xia Tian possesses a special "quasi-god" vision, which allows him to glimpse the ancient Taoist charm and traces remaining in this area, which are difficult for others to perceive.

Apart from the phantom image of Chang'e that appeared due to the resonance of the Sun-Shooting Bow, Wu Gang, the Jade Rabbit, and even the Osmanthus Tree are all hidden between reality and illusion, making them difficult to touch.

"If we can find a way to more directly awaken the mark in the Moon Palace, perhaps we can actively trigger the inheritance..."

As Xia Tian pondered this in her heart.

"I'll give it a try!"

A loud, rough shout interrupted his thoughts.

Li Kui, who was behind Song Jiang, was impatient and could no longer restrain himself. He unleashed his divine power and the huge black axe in his hand, which was as big as a door panel, stirred up a fierce black wind that tore through space and went straight towards the illusory image of the laurel tree outside the Guanghan Palace!

"Tie Niu! Don't be reckless!"

Song Jiang was so shocked that his face changed, and he shouted to stop him.

That laurel is a being of the true god level; how can it be so blasphemous and reckless?
This move is akin to an ant trying to shake a tree; if not handled carefully, it could backfire!
But the result was unexpected. When Li Kui's axe blade, which was powerful enough to split mountains and cleave peaks, touched the area of ​​the Guanghan Palace, it was as if it had hit a phantom. It passed right through without causing the slightest ripple, and not even a single osmanthus flower fell.

The crowd was somewhat puzzled.

Only Zhuge Liang gently waved his feather fan and sighed.

"This is a wondrous realm where illusion and reality coexist. As a treasure of a true god, the Guanghan Palace has transcended ordinary space and sits high above the 'Five Heavens.' Even though it is somewhat damaged, the rules and barriers it left behind are beyond the reach of even a god of the First Heaven."

"His Majesty,"

Zhuge Liang turned his gaze to one of the people in the crowd and spoke.

"Perhaps, we can ask the Lord of Qinglian to give it a try. I have heard that the Hermit of Taibai once wrote a poem called 'Ancient Ballad of the Bright Moon,' which is full of wonderful imagination and secretly resonates with the true meaning of the moon. Perhaps we can use this to knock on the palace gate."

"Lord Li, what are your thoughts?"

Summer looks at Li Bai.

"Let's give it a try!"

This great Tang Dynasty poet, holding a wine gourd, took a deep gulp, then stepped forward, his robes fluttering, looked up at the moon, and recited in a voice as clear as metal and stone:
"When I was young, I didn't know the moon and called it a white jade plate. I also suspected it was a mirror from the Jade Terrace, flying in the blue clouds."

The next moment, a Daoist aura belonging to the "Poet Immortal" flew towards the Guanghan Palace. As soon as the poetic aura appeared, the Taiyin Star Power in the world stirred.

"An immortal dangles two feet, the cassia tree is so round and full. The white rabbit pounds medicine, I ask, for whom will it be eaten?"

As Li Bai continued to chant.

On the top of the laurel tree deep within the Moon Palace, a graceful and ethereal figure slowly materialized, seemingly listening intently.

Although her face is still hazy, the way she holds the jade rabbit is none other than the fairy Chang'e.
"The toad eats the round shadow, the bright night is already over. Yi once shot down nine crows, and heaven and man are now at peace."

Summer's "Sun-Shooting Divine Bow" suddenly emitted a clear and melodious hum, and the ancient sun-shooting marks on the bow flowed, resonating with the artistic conception of the poem, as if recalling the awe-inspiring divine power of shooting down nine suns in ancient times!

"Good heavens! Do the celestial beings in the Moon Palace also have a fondness for poetry and literature?"

Some people couldn't help but marvel.

Only the toad that was drawn first and was squatting in the corner croaked twice in dissatisfaction and jumped a few times.

Even the jade rabbit, which had been silently pounding medicine, stopped what it was doing and looked at Li Bai with curious eyes like rubies.

"The essence of Yin is now lost and confused, its departure is not worth seeing. What can I do about this sorrow? It is heartbreaking and devastating."

As the last line of poetry drifted gently through the crisp, cool air, an extraordinary phenomenon occurred!
The towering osmanthus tree in the Moon Palace moved without wind, and countless golden osmanthus blossoms, as if on command, fluttered down, turning into a dazzling rain of osmanthus blossoms that instantly transformed the area in front of the Moon Palace into a dreamlike scene!

The next moment, a portion of the most brilliant osmanthus essence, as if guided, surged into Li Bai's body!

"This is the essence of laurel flowers, its effects are enough to cleanse the soul, purify the foundation of one's cultivation, and help one break through bottlenecks!"

Someone cried out.

As expected, Li Bai's sword energy soared into the sky, and the phantom of a green lotus bloomed. His aura, which had been at the "peak of the second heaven," suddenly surged, and a brand new, more powerful and ethereal rule of Dao formed and stabilized within his body!
With the gift of this "true god-level" spiritual root, he broke through the barrier in one fell swoop and officially stepped into the realm of "peerless god"!
However, almost at the same time the osmanthus tree swayed, a figure reappeared.

For the first time, Wu Gang's imposing figure, who had always been repeating the action of chopping down trees, made a different move.

"Look! Wu Gang... Wu Gang has also made a move!" He suddenly stopped his endless chopping, stretched out his large hand, and gently guided the osmanthus blossoms falling from the sky. A large number of osmanthus blossoms, as if flowing from a hundred rivers to the sea, gathered and compressed above his palm, and were placed into that seemingly "rough" urn!
In the end, it coalesced into a pool of amber color, exuding a refreshing fragrance and a hazy moonlight.

Immediately afterwards, the fragrance emanating from it spread to the surface.

This substance has unparalleled miraculous effects on nourishing and strengthening the soul, and can even repair the original damage to the soul. Just smelling a trace of its aroma, many deities felt their divine sense become more active.

"Could this be the 'Osmanthus Divine Wine'! The legendary Osmanthus Fairy Wine!"

Those with broad knowledge are very tempted.

"This substance is neutral and pure in nature, containing innate Yin vitality, and is one of the top-grade ingredients for refining 'Shennong's Herbal Elixir'!"

Among the crowd, the "miracle doctor" An Daoquan had sharp eyes and immediately saw the deeper value of this item.

Shennong Herbal Liquid is one of the core "treasures" that Qianxia possesses today.

Its philosophy lies in transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary, using seemingly commonplace ingredients, through ingenious combination and refining, to exert medicinal effects that shake the rules.

For Qianxia now, low-level or even holy-level "materials" are not difficult to find.

However, to refine medicinal herbs that can produce significant effects even on True Gods, the main ingredients required are all rare and precious treasures of heaven and earth, and are extremely difficult to find.

The laurel tree before us, and the "Fusang" tree used by the Golden Crow clan to build their nests... both belong to the category of the "Ten Innate Spiritual Roots" in human legends.

They may not appear to be offensive or defensive treasures, but what they produce are supreme resources related to foundation, potential, enlightenment, and life extension.

This may be the profound meaning of the ancient sages of the human race—the human race itself rose from humble beginnings, went through hardships step by step, transformed from mortal to immortal, and from immortal to god, and deeply understood the importance of foundation and inheritance.

These ten spiritual roots of the human race provide the most solid logistical support for the human race's arduous yet great path to transcendence.

"According to the instructions of the 'Forging the Heavenly Court' secret scroll... to establish a celestial dynasty, it is necessary to suppress the fortune with 'innate spiritual roots'... If we can gather the ten innate spiritual roots of our Chinese camp and use their core essence as medicine, perhaps... we can really refine an unparalleled elixir that can move even true gods!"

Summer's heart stirred.

At this moment, the little Jade Pool, which was formed from the elixir of immortality, seemed to be attracted by the Jade Rabbit. It hopped and skipped closer, pointed at the Jade Rabbit with its delicate white fingers, and babbled.

"Bunny...pretty bunny..."

The jade rabbit even relaxed its aloofness somewhat, blinked its red eyes, hugged the pestle, and came over in a friendly manner. It and Xiao Yaochi looked at each other curiously, and the scene was warm and lovely for a moment.

However, the next moment, a sudden change occurred!

Taking advantage of Xiao Yaochi's unpreparedness, the illusory jade rabbit suddenly opened its mouth and bit down on her fingertip!

Instantly, a drop of crystal-clear blood, containing abundant life essence and the aura of immortality, was absorbed by the Jade Rabbit.

"not good!"

Someone exclaimed in surprise.

However, Xia Tian and Zhuge Liang did not stop them.

Upon receiving the drop of blood, the Jade Rabbit immediately threw it into the mortar and pestle in front of it, picked up the pestle, and began to pound it rapidly.

As the moonlight intertwined with the rules of life, a strange medicinal fragrance began to waft from the liquid, making one feel that their lifespan had increased and their body had become clear and peaceful just by smelling it!

"I understand! The Jade Rabbit is using the elixir of immortality from Little Jade Pool, combined with the essence of the moon and its medicine-pounding supernatural powers, to refine a batch of unparalleled elixir!"

Huang Rong's face showed surprise.

"If this medicine is successful, Xiao Yaochi will be able to break through to the third level of the Divine Realm by taking it, thanks to the mutual generation of the same source, and perhaps even... touch the threshold of a True God!"

This is a wondrous resonance and refining of the rules of the Moon Palace and the rules of the Elixir of Immortality!

Just as the Jade Rabbit was concentrating on pounding the "peerless elixir" with the essence of the moon and the blood of the immortal medicine, attracting a crowd of onlookers in amazement, the other generals and officials of Qianxia were not idle either.

More people are attempting to activate the divine imprint within the "Moon Palace".

However, despite the large number of attempts, the results were largely the same.

The divine power struck like a mud ox entering the sea; the profound mysteries of Taoism only stirred up a ripple; and even the ethereal music could not bring the immortal gates back open.

The ethereal image of Chang'e remained as cold and aloof as ever, while the rhythmic, muffled sound of Wu Gang chopping wood carried a loneliness and stubbornness that seemed to coexist with heaven and earth, as if interpreting some kind of eternal and unchanging "rule" and "price".

In the crowd, Li Ling, now the "Great Army Master" of Qianxia, ​​gazed at Wu Gang's figure. In his weathered eyes, there was no humble cowardice, but rather a deep "understanding" gradually shone.

He saw the resilience beneath the monotonous, repetitive movements, and sensed that it was not merely punishment, but rather an unyielding struggle and coexistence with one's own destiny and with some grand rule.

He suddenly took a deep breath, stepped steadily forward from the crowd, clasped his hands in a salute towards Xia Tian's direction, and spoke in a loud and firm voice, without the slightest hint of flattery or hesitation:
"Your Majesty, I, Li Ling, request to try this opportunity!"

Before Xia Tian could ask, he turned to face the laurel tree and Wu Gang, and said loudly:
"I have borne heavy responsibilities and strayed from the right path, and I am shrouded in controversy, as the world knows! However, my will has never diminished, and my bones and flesh still belong to China!"

His gaze was as sharp as an eagle's, fixed on Wu Gang's eternally swirling axe shadow.

"Looking at the actions of the predecessors, it was not out of fear of punishment, but out of 'practicing' their way! The chisels and axes were not in vain, but a struggle against the rules and a fight against fate! Such perseverance, such a will to face the loneliness of antiquity... Ling, I deeply agree and admire it!"

These words were resounding and powerful, containing no trace of pleading, but only the resonance and respect between the strong.

He elevated Wu Gang's behavior to a proactive "practice" and "confrontation" rather than a passive "punishment," and this unique perspective instantly touched upon the mysterious secrets of the universe.

A hint of appreciation flashed in Xia Tian's eyes, and she nodded slightly: "Approved."

Having received permission, Li Ling said no more.

Then, he approached the laurel tree... and stood alongside Wu Gang, this "supreme deity," his body radiating a powerful and indomitable martial will.

That is the fierce courage to fight to the death in desperate situations, the pride that has never been erased despite bearing a stigma, and the strong personal spirit that is formed after a deep understanding of what "cost" and "persistence" mean!
This will, without any aggression, resonated like a magnet with the ancient, stubborn, and rule-defying Daoist spirit contained in Wu Gang's woodcutting action!

"Qiang——!"

A clang, seemingly from the ancient past, resounded loudly at the level of rules!

Wu Gang's unchanging pose suddenly stopped!
He slowly turned his head, and for the first time, his eyes, which had been indifferent for countless years, clearly reflected Li Ling's figure. His gaze held a distinctly scrutinizing expression! (End of Chapter)