Lord of the Earth

On the vast, boundless blue sea, an unimaginably enormous "colossus" is breaking through the clouds and slowly sailing.

It is less a ship and more a moving continent floating on the sea, its sheer size enough to awe any first-time visitor.

The ship's hull is not filled with ordinary decks and cabins, but rather with countless pavilions, towers, city walls and passes scattered throughout, with mountains and rivers faintly visible, and even more so with rich spiritual energy turning into clouds and mist that swirls around it!

It was indeed a vast "kingdom" sailing on the ocean, a mobile "paradise of immortals".

"Qianxia's 'mirage' is truly extraordinary... I'm afraid that even if you searched the entire Eternal Land, you would hardly find another divine object as magnificent as this, which combines a palace and a war fortress. This single ship alone has housed hundreds of millions of people for living, training, and living, which is truly an unprecedented miracle."

Inside a magnificent palace that resembled a celestial palace, a middle-aged man dressed in dark gold dragon-patterned armor and wearing a black cloak rested one hand on the hilt of an ancient longsword at his waist, while holding a glass wine cup in the other. He gazed at the sea of ​​clouds passing by outside the porthole, his tone filled with undisguised admiration.

His face was resolute, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, and his every glance exuded the aura of a domineering ruler who looked down upon the world.

It was none other than Emperor Taizong of the Ming Dynasty in Earth's history, and now the founder of the eternal land of "Yanming Dynasty"—Emperor Zhu Di!
As the "imperial carriage" of the Qianxia Dynasty, the current "Mirage" is full of grandeur and intimidation.

In a sense, the scene of "the Heavenly Emperor's tour and inspection of the four directions" that many people imagine is nothing more than this.

This enormous "imperial palace" not only carries a massive population, but also houses a formidable army—fifty million extraordinary elite soldiers!
This number alone is enough to suffocate most dynasties of destiny, as the total population of many top dynasties is no more than that.

Most importantly, the starting level of Qianxia's regular soldiers is the extraordinary level, and those who are qualified to accompany the king on expeditions and serve as guards are the best of the best, with even the weakest cultivators possessing the combat power of a "quasi-saint"!
It can be said that the military power displayed by this single "Mirage" ship alone is enough to easily tear apart hundreds of ordinary dynasties of destiny.

"Your Majesty the Emperor of Yan is too kind."

A calm yet authoritative voice rang out.

"This item was originally a treasure that descended from the 'Sea of ​​Illusion,' and later, with the blessing of many outstanding individuals in my Qianxia, ​​it was transformed into a 'Supreme Divine Artifact' by chance. In comparison, the Ming Dynasty's treasure ship fleet is the true overlord of the seas, traversing the seven seas and renowned far and wide. The shipbuilding and navigation skills of the Ming Dynasty are probably second to none in the entire Eternal Land."

In the summer, he wore a dark gold imperial robe with nine dragons. The patterns of the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers and states on the robe flowed faintly, as if it carried the weight of the world in all directions!

"Emperor Xia, Your Majesty the King of Yan, we have now arrived at the 'Devil's Sea'."

At this moment, a pale-faced, beardless eunuch dressed in a scarlet official robe with a unicorn design, possessing a calm demeanor mixed with a touch of femininity and competence, stepped forward and respectfully reported.

It was Zheng He, the Grand Eunuch of the Ming Dynasty, whose "Western Ocean Fleet" was the sharpest spear and the strongest shield of the Ming Dynasty's seas. This voyage was escorted and guided by his fleet.

"This ocean underwent a dramatic environmental change after the last fusion of the laws of heaven and earth, becoming extremely dangerous. The seabed is complex, inhabited by numerous ancient sea beasts with god-like strength, each carving out their own territory. The surface is constantly shrouded in storms and mist, and the numerous islands scattered across the sea are home to various ferocious alien species, as well as pirates who take advantage of the natural defenses and specialize in raiding shipping routes... For a long time, surrounding forces have regarded it as a forbidden zone, calling it the 'Devil's Sea'!"

Zheng He pointed to the sea ahead, which was noticeably darker in color and exuded an eerie aura, and explained.

"Even the elite fleet of my Western Navy used to have to rely on strong ships and powerful cannons, proceeding cautiously and step by step, to cross this sea. But unexpectedly, this time, traveling with the 'Mirage,' the seas have been so calm and peaceful. Those strange sea monsters that would usually come out to stir up trouble have all disappeared without a trace..."

"All fear stems from insufficient firepower. This is a profound truth for later generations. On my Qianxia 'Mirage,' there are over five hundred war puppets and mechanical beasts with god-like combat capabilities, and with Emperor Taizong's 'Western Fleet' providing escort, I presume these ferocious beasts would not dare to covet them."

Upon hearing this, Qi Jiguang, who was standing beside Xia Tian, ​​spoke up.

"Commander Qi, what you say makes sense..."

Zhu Di glanced at the commander of the Shenji Battalion, who should have belonged to the "Great Ming".

“Beings that can step into the ‘Divine Realm’ have already developed intelligence and are by no means ignorant. The sheer number of those hundred true dragons below, radiating pure dragon might, is enough to make any so-called ‘supreme deity’ or ‘sea demon king’ take a serious look and even flee at the mere sight of them.”

Using nine dragons to pull the chariot was already the ultimate spectacle for an emperor, but the Qianxia Dynasty was able to use a hundred divine dragons as its vanguard. Such a grandeur had already surpassed the scope of ordinary imperial dynasties!

As a result, the once dangerous place has become peaceful and calm.

"Your Majesty, there is no need for such praise."

Xia Tian spoke calmly, yet with an undeniable confidence.

"With the profound foundation of the Ming Dynasty, gathering a hundred powerful individuals at the level of gods should not be difficult. If the Yanming Dynasty can make up its mind to completely incorporate this 'Sea of ​​Devil' and its surrounding resources into its territory, thereby consolidating its fortune and advancing to the 'Imperial Dynasty' level, it will be a natural outcome!"

Logically speaking, the number of deities that a dynasty can support and possess is limited, usually not exceeding one hundred.

However, Xia Tian knew that as one of the core forces that split off from the powerful Ming Dynasty system, the hidden strength of the "Yanming Dynasty" founded by Zhu Di was far more complex than it appeared on the surface.

This can be seen from the fact that its "Merchant Alliance" system, which it established in Qianxia, ​​has already reached the level of "Level 6 Chamber of Commerce" - it should be noted that many old-established imperial dynasties only maintain the level of "Level 5 Chamber of Commerce"!

"Your Majesty the Xia Emperor may not know this, but this matter is not so easy."

A slightly hoarse, deep voice broke the conversation.

The speaker was a black-robed monk standing to the side and behind Zhu Di. He had a thin face and deep, unfathomable eyes. He slowly turned a string of dark brown Buddhist beads in his hand. He was Yao Guangxiao, the core strategist who planned and strategized for Zhu Di and was known to outsiders as the "demon monk".

"Around this Devil's Sea, powerful forces are intertwined, forming a three-way power struggle. My Yanming Dynasty is only one of them. The other two major forces include the 'Heavenly Demon Dynasty' that originated from the Cherry Blossom Land. They not only occupy many resource-rich islands and have a large population, but more strangely, they have recruited a large number of demons of various shapes and strange abilities to serve them, making them extremely difficult to deal with..."

As Yao Guangxiao spoke, he flicked his wide sleeves, and a strangely shaped fruit covered with spiral patterns, exuding an ominous and chaotic aura, appeared in his palm.

The fruit was dark purple in color, with a faint black mist swirling around it, and looked like an enlarged, distorted pear.

"Your Majesty, have you ever seen this object before?"

Xia Tian's gaze sharpened, and the star patterns on the imperial robe glowed slightly for a moment.

"Hmm? This is... a Devil Fruit? But its aura seems different from the one I cultivated in my Qianxia Secret Realm."

With his near-true god level and vision, he saw through the power of rules contained within the fruit at a glance.

"His Majesty the Xia Emperor has discerning eyes."

A meaningful smile appeared on Yao Guangxiao's face.

"Compared to the Devil Fruits produced in Qianxia, ​​the power contained in this fruit is more domineering, seemingly allowing the user to directly master power comparable to a god-level in a short period of time! Although the cost is unknown, it has indeed created a group of troublesome 'god-level ability users'." Logically speaking, such a rare thing as the Devil Fruit Mother Tree should be unique.

This "Heavenly Demon Dynasty" can actually cultivate a large number of "Devil Fruit users".

Moreover, the quality seemed to be even higher, which aroused a sense of curiosity in Xia Tian.

"I wonder what Your Highness, the Demon Prince, thinks of this?"

Yao Guangxiao changed the subject, turning his gaze to another special person present.

He was a young man with extremely handsome features, even somewhat sinister. He wore a magnificent purple brocade robe and looked no different from a human, but his deep purple eyes seemed capable of swallowing light.

It was the "distinguished guest" who was on good terms with Qian Xia, the Demon Prince, the pride of the Demon Clan. The Demon Prince's purple pupils swept over the Devil Fruit, and a wicked smile appeared on his lips.

"Just as you all suspect... indeed, this 'Devil Fruit' has a very deep connection with my demon race."

His voice was pleasant, yet carried an arrogance stemming from his ancient bloodline.

"This object is a special creation of our demon race used to quickly train elite warriors. Its origin is a 'quasi-supreme' artifact of our race—the Demon Tree. This tree can devour any living being, especially powerful ones, and transform and condense their cultivation, laws, and even the essence of life into a corresponding 'Demon Fruit'."

He paused, looked around at everyone, and then continued.

"Any race that consumes the corresponding fruit can gain most of the power of the devoured being in a very short time, and... at the same time, their own form will irreversibly transform into a 'demon,' becoming a vessel for the power of my demon race."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall, including some of Qianxia's important officials, couldn't help but be slightly moved.

Mass-producing god-level combat power?
Even with its limitations, it is enough to disrupt the balance of power in many areas.

It should be noted that even with the current profound foundation of the Qianxia Dynasty, there are only a few thousand people who have advanced to the god level through their own arduous cultivation or formal means!

Of course, according to the Demon Prince's description, this "Devil Fruit" doesn't come from nothing; it requires the sacrifice of a god-level powerhouse. This is similar to the "Dao Fruit" system, which Qian Xia has mastered and is based on the power of reincarnation, in terms of the rule of "equivalent exchange."

This once again confirms that even in the "Eternal Land," the most fundamental principle of "energy conservation" still exists.

Even treasures at the "quasi-supreme" level cannot completely defy this.

"Your Majesty, do you remember when I first arrived in Qianxia, ​​I was quite interested in some of the... well, what you call 'comics' books that your country had in its collection?"

The Demon Prince suddenly looked at Xia Tian, ​​his tone tinged with reminiscence.

Xia Tian nodded slightly: "That is indeed the case."

"At that time, I was surprised to discover that human culture had already depicted something called a 'Devil Fruit.' However,"

The Demon Prince abruptly changed the subject, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his purple eyes.

"Strictly speaking, the 'Devil Fruits' cultivated in your country's secret realms and those described in the comics seem to differ somewhat from the authentic 'Devil Fruits' of my demon race. Their power levels and conversion efficiency are much lower, making them more like a... simplified version, or rather, a defective product."

"In fact, even within my demon race, true 'Devil Fruits' are extremely important strategic resources and are strictly controlled."

The Demon Prince's tone turned serious.

"Generally speaking, unless one is a true 'direct descendant of the demon race' who has been recognized by the higher-ups, there is no way one is qualified or able to bring such a treasure and its mother tree's branches into the core battlefield of the Eternal Land without authorization."

"Direct descendants? Like yourself, sir?"

Zhu Di's eyes flashed, and he asked in a deep voice.

Upon hearing this, the Demon Prince's wicked smile faded slightly, revealing a subtle and complex emotion.

“Strictly speaking, I am not the kind of ‘direct descendant’ core member of the demon race as you all understand it to be… Just like the dynasties and dynasties of the human race, princes and princes are divided into different ranks, some are born of the principal wife and some are born of concubines, and some are favored and some are not. I am closer to the latter.”

His gaze swept across the distance, as if piercing through layers of space, and landed on the land known as the "Heavenly Demon Dynasty".

"If I'm not mistaken, behind the 'Heavenly Demon Dynasty' there should be a demon prince whose status is more 'legitimate' than mine... a true direct descendant."

"Oh? That's quite interesting."

A glint flashed in Zhu Di's eyes, and a cold smile appeared on his face.

"I never imagined that even a powerful race like the Demon Clan would have such strict rules about lineage and hierarchy. However, with your strength, intelligence, and ambition, it shouldn't be too difficult for you to defeat that so-called 'direct descendant,' rise against the tide, and inherit the throne, right?"

Such words did not cause much of a stir for Xia Tian, ​​who had seen countless storms.

But it's clear that Zhu Di's reaction was quite strong.

This is because the "Chengzu" Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, who was a prince and son of a concubine, seized the throne from his nephew with his outstanding military achievements and extraordinary courage!
He himself was a prime example of a "son of a concubine rising to power," so upon hearing of the Demon Prince's plight, he naturally felt a sense of shared suffering and even sympathy.

"I am... somewhat confident."

The Demon Prince didn't make his statement completely, but the burning ambition in his purple eyes was enough to match his status as an eternal prodigy!
"However, any prince of the Demon Clan, especially a direct descendant, inevitably has a complex web of forces and supporters behind him. If you all wish to oppose the Heavenly Demon Dynasty, you might need to be more careful in this regard... This transaction, the other party probably has ulterior motives!"

As a supreme race that was once on par with the dragons, the demon race possesses unfathomable depths, far exceeding the imagination of ordinary races.

In particular, behind this "Demon Prince" stands an "Abyss Lord" who rules over the endless abyss, and one of the most ancient and powerful among them...

This trip may not go as smoothly as everyone thinks. (End of Chapter)