Lord of the Earth

The figure of "Sixth Heaven Demon King" Oda Nobunaga stood majestically before the white bone gate, his voice clearly piercing through the howling sea wind and reaching the ears of every pirate present.

His tone made no attempt to hide his mockery and contempt for the pirates' greedy, foolish, and self-destructive behavior!
"What! Could it be that all of this... was a trap set specifically for us by Qian Xia, Yan Ming, and the ruler of the Heavenly Demon Dynasty?"

"I was just saying, we shouldn't try to negotiate with a tiger for its skin; now we've been completely outmaneuvered!"

Upon hearing Oda Nobunaga's words, the pirates from Qianxia and Yanming's side...

Immediately, an uproar erupted.

Even Zheng Chenggong and Zheng Zhilong felt a chill in their hearts, and their expressions became uncertain!
Could it be that I've really fallen for Qian Xia and Yan Ming's trick?
"Your Excellency is quite adept at using words... With my strength, Qianxia, ​​clearing out this mere sea area is as simple as eating and drinking, and I don't even need to join forces with any other power..."

Gan Ning sneered, making these people realize that this was probably just a tactic by Oda Nobunaga to sow discord... However, some people still had doubts!
"Damn it! We're all human, yet you've devised such a vicious scheme against us?!"

"Bastards! Even if we die, you won't get away with this!"

"With this attitude, I'll haunt you even as a ghost! Killing one of you would be enough!"

On the "Land of the End," the pirates who were already in dire straits, after realizing they had been "tricked," were driven by anger to unleash their final ferocity as bloodthirsty and fearless outlaws!
Several god-level "pirate kings" who were still able to move had bloodshot eyes and let out roars like trapped beasts.

Knowing full well that escape was hopeless, they spared no expense, unleashing forbidden techniques that burned their very essence and drained their lives. They even brazenly detonated their personal divine artifacts, which, along with their already damaged and crumbling "divine kingdoms," transformed into dazzling streams of light that covered a radius of thousands of miles, each a different color but all containing the same destructive power.

With a resolute attitude of mutual destruction, it charged madly toward Oda Nobunaga in front of the "White Bone Gate". In an instant, violent divine power waves swept across the sea and sky, and space was torn apart with dark marks. It was a scene of the collapse of the divine kingdom and the lamentation of the laws!

"They're just a few dying rabbits. No matter how much they jump around in front of a lion, what can they do?"

Faced with the desperate attack of these top-tier god-level powerhouses, Oda Nobunaga merely curled the corners of his mouth into an even colder arc and uttered words with contempt.

He didn't move an inch.

Boom!

The next moment, the void above his head suddenly twisted and collapsed, and a huge, ferocious phantom with the aura of an endless abyss appeared!
It was a terrifying creature with ten pairs of pitch-black bone wings on its back that blotted out the sky, and huge demonic horns that seemed to pierce the heavens on its head!
It seemed to be the embodiment of destruction and devouring. Even a mere phantom exuded a pressure that made even the most supreme gods tremble. The demonic phantom opened its enormous maw, which seemed capable of swallowing stars, towards the several streams of destructive light rushing towards it!
There was no earth-shattering explosion, no stalemate or protracted confrontation.

Those streams of light, which contained the life's cultivation of the god-level pirate king, the ashes of his divine kingdom, and the power of the self-destructing artifact, disappeared without a trace, like mud oxen sinking into the sea. They vanished completely without even causing a ripple, as if they had never existed. Their last frantic shouts and soul fluctuations were also swallowed up and annihilated!
"Hmm? This Oda Nobunaga... his cultivation and skills are truly impressive!"

This scene caused many of the generals watching from Qianxia's side to feel a slight chill in their hearts. Zhang Shun's expression was solemn, while Gan Ning gripped the crescent shovel in his hand tightly.

With such effortless ease, Oda Nobunaga neutralized the dying counterattacks of several top-tier deities, even completely erasing their traces. The strength and bizarre supernatural abilities displayed by Oda Nobunaga should not be underestimated!
In fact, in the annual selection of historical figures in Japan, Oda Nobunaga is undoubtedly the "number one" figure, and his popularity and influence are naturally extraordinary.

Although Japan is a tiny country compared to China, which has a long history and abundant resources, it was once at the forefront of the world in many fields during the Earth era, and its cultural export capabilities cannot be ignored.

Thanks to the long-term influence of games, anime and other fields, the image of "Oda Nobunaga" has long been deified. The qualifications and potential he gained after descending to the Eternal Land are definitely no less than those of most of the historical geniuses of China!
Judging from his aura now, he is clearly a "top-tier deity" powerhouse comparable to Zhu Di, and may even have already begun to touch the level of condensing his own "prototype of Dao Fruit"!

"Go! Clean up all the remaining small fish as well."

Oda Nobunaga acted as if he had done something insignificant, issuing the order casually.

Seeing this, the remaining pirates on the island were utterly terrified, their last shred of fighting spirit vanished, and they were all filled with dread, only thinking of scattering and fleeing for their lives.

But it was too late!
"His-"

"Roar!"

More snakes, in various shapes and sizes, but all of them ferocious and terrifying.

Suddenly, they emerged from the island's rock crevices, swamps, and even beneath the scales of those "snake-like mountains," surging towards the survivors like a black tide.

At the same time, dozens of ripe "devil fruits" on the demon mother tree fell down together, splashing into the rolling "magma" below. The surface of the fruits cracked rapidly, accompanied by the teeth-grinding sound of bones rubbing together and flesh growing.

One after another, demons of various shapes and sizes, exuding a fierce "divine" aura, crawled out!

Some of them have wings on their backs, some are covered in bone armor, and some breathe poison. As soon as they are born, they let out a bloodthirsty roar and fiercely pounce on the pirates who are trying to escape!
The efficiency of the massacre increased dramatically.

Screams rose and fell, but then quickly ceased.

The remaining pirates were powerless against these newly born demons and the endless sea of ​​snakes, and were harvested in droves like stalks of wheat.

"Now, all the irrelevant people have been cleared out."

Oda Nobunaga clapped his hands, as if brushing away non-existent dust, and his seemingly polite but actually hypocritical smile returned to his face. His gaze passed over the chaotic island and once again fell upon the majestic "mirage" and summer in the distance.

"Emperor Xia, the gate to 'Takamagahara' has been opened. The Fusang Divine Tree you requested is located in the ruins of my Sakura Kingdom's former celestial court—the High Plains... Please?"

Xia Tian did not respond immediately.

Oda Nobunaga's smile remained unchanged, but his tone carried a subtle hint of interrogation.

"Hmm? Your Majesty, what's wrong...? Are you unwilling to make the deal? Or do you have some concerns?"

"I just feel,"

Summer stood in mid-air, with a royal carriage formed by the fusion of the "Frozen Throne" and the "Sword Throne" beneath him, pulled by a hundred "Purple Void True Dragons" skilled in spatial power, making him appear like a god-king inspecting his territory.

"Is the location and method of this transaction perhaps a 'trap' prepared specifically for me?"

His voice was calm, yet carried an invisible pressure.

"Your Majesty is worrying too much."

Oda Nobunaga raised his head slightly, adopting a humble posture, but the meaning behind his words was even deeper.

"Although my 'Heavenly Demon Dynasty' can barely be considered a force in this Devil's Sea... we are self-aware. Compared to the mighty Qianxia Immortal Dynasty that shakes the human race, it is like a firefly compared to the bright moon, utterly incomparable."

He then changed the subject, pointing to the portal made of white bones.

"The reason why the transaction cannot be completed outside is that Emperor Xia must know about the Fusang Divine Tree. It is a primordial spiritual root at the level of a 'True God'... Divine objects conceal themselves and have extremely demanding requirements for their growth environment. Without special methods and paths, it is impossible to get close to its body... Even I cannot move its trunk or root system even a fraction... I'm afraid Emperor Xia will have to personally enter this 'Highland Heaven' and take it away by following his senses."

His words sounded polite and helpless, but the underlying meaning of "inviting the enemy into a trap" was obvious.

This so-called deal was a calculated scheme from the very beginning. If Xia Tian wanted to obtain the complete "Fusang Sacred Tree," he had no choice but to step into the battlefield the other side had set up—the "Highland Sky" behind that door!
Of course, this is obviously a lie.

If it is truly impossible to get close to the Fusang Divine Tree, then where did the Fusang branch that was traded to Qian Xia as a token come from?

However, since Qianxia and his group already had a high degree of skepticism about the "integrity" of the people of the Sakura Kingdom, this was not surprising!
"It seems that Lord Oda's 'sincerity' regarding this deal is quite questionable..."

Xia Tian shook his head, and a flash of light appeared in his hand, revealing an object.

It was a black and gold mask with an ancient and eerie design, full of royal majesty and sacred aura, exuding a captivating aura of both the sinister and the ancient noble.

"As expected! It really is... the Emperor's mask!"

Upon seeing this item, even the shrewd and calculating Oda Nobunaga's breath caught in his throat for a moment, and a hint of fervor and apprehension flashed in the depths of his eyes!

【Mask - Emperor Kamu (Black and Yellow)】

【Characteristics】The Emperor's Throne (This mask is a symbol of the 'Emperor's' status. The person who wears the mask will be blessed with the 'Emperor's' position and fortune.)
Inheritance (After each master dies, their power, including supernatural abilities and characteristics, will be absorbed by the 'Emperor Mask', thereby further enhancing the mask's power.)
The Imperial Treasure (The Imperial Treasure of the Divine Martial Dynasty, and also the Imperial Treasure of the "Imperial Lineage" in the history of the Sakura Kingdom. The holder can mobilize the fortune of the Divine Martial Dynasty and the "Imperial Series Dynasties" to bless himself.)
[Note] Each "Emperor" has a corresponding "mask". After collecting all the Emperor's masks, you can obtain a powerful "Upper Level of Xuanhuang" treasure!

[Note] Is it a single lineage for all ages? No, it is the same person for all ages!
However, what Xia Tian said next was leisurely.

This caused Oda Nobunaga's smile to freeze completely, and his pupils to contract sharply:

"If the successors of the Divine Martial Dynasty, or rather the 'Heavenly Demon Dynasty,' are unwilling to engage in a sincere transaction... then I wouldn't mind testing my skills by completely destroying this so-called 'Japanese King's Mask' before entering that door. Let's see just how much of my power it can withstand?"

You should know that this is a treasure of the "Profound Yellow" level, equivalent to a "top-tier divine artifact", containing the imperial fortune and accumulated wealth of a nation!

For the Heavenly Demon Dynasty, which is backed by the "Highland Heaven," a site suspected to be the ruins of a celestial court, a single "top-tier divine weapon" may not be irreplaceable.

But the mask in Xia Tian's hand has an extraordinary significance—it is the mask of "Emperor Jimmu"!

According to the myths and history of the Cherry Blossom Kingdom, the title of the first emperor of the "Chrysanthemum Dynasty" was "Jinmu"!
Back then, that "Eastern Heavenly Gate" was also under the control of this "Emperor Divine Martial".

The Divine Martial Dynasty was "unlucky" at the time, as its landing point was adjacent to Qianxia. Later, it was defeated in the conflict, and the mask fell into the hands of Xia Tian.

In the Eternal Land, there is no such thing as pure "luck". The reason why the Divine Martial Dynasty fell on the shore of Qianxia may be related to the cause and effect of this "Heavenly Gate" and the mask!
Judging from the fact that the other party was willing to trade "Fusang wood", Xia Tian was quite certain that this mask was likely not only a symbol of power, but also involved the legitimacy and secrets of the "eternal lineage"!
"Emperor Xia, why waste time and feigning compliance with these Japanese!"

Zhu Di's voice rang out, carrying the decisiveness of a battlefield emperor, his expression cold and stern.

"If you ask me, our armies should march straight up and crush this wretched island! These Japanese villains will naturally crumble without a fight! As for the Fusang tree, I'll bring it to you!"

Zhu Di's words were full of domineering power.

Yanming borders the Heavenly Demon Dynasty and has a history of constant friction with it; they are mortal enemies... This time, the military expedition is naturally aimed at eliminating the other side.

"Exactly! All this nonsense is a waste of time! I think we should just attack directly. Once we break into the stronghold of the people of this Sakura Kingdom, everything will be ours, won't it?" A pirate captain under Zheng Zhilong licked his chapped lips, his face full of impatience and greed.

"Your Majesties, please allow us to be the vanguard. We will surely break through this 'Gate of Hell' in one fell swoop!" Some pirate leaders, eager to show off and plunder, even volunteered for the battle.

"Your Majesty, I invite you to fight!"

Li Dingguo stepped forward, his voice booming like a bell.

As the pillar of the Yanming Dynasty, he was well aware of the significance of this battle.

Defeating and even annexing the Heavenly Demon Dynasty would not only eliminate a major threat, but also greatly enhance the national fortune of Yanming, laying a solid foundation for its advancement to an imperial dynasty.

If Qian Xia were to handle everything, Yan Ming's own benefits would be greatly reduced.

As for the pirates, they were naturally after the island's remaining resources and the Demon Mother Tree.

Even with the lessons learned from the past, they still believed they had seen through the island's true strengths and weaknesses and attempted to "snatch chestnuts from the fire" in the formal confrontation between the two dynasties!
"Since the Yan Emperor has a past grudge against this Heavenly Demon Dynasty, you should resolve the conflict first..."

Summer held the "Emperor's Mask" in his hand and nodded as he looked at the "Gate of Bones".

Faced with the "Heavenly Demon Dynasty" which had clearly laid a trap, Qian Xia was not worried that the other party would "perish together with the enemy." The Fusang Tree was a treasure tree at the level of a "true god," and destroying it would probably be far more difficult than destroying this Emperor's Mask!

"Very well! In that case, I will first take down the Japanese camp for the sake of my Chinese camp!"

Zhu Di, brimming with heroic spirit, waved his hand and commanded, "Issue my military order! Western Fleet, attack!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The war drums beat, their sound shaking the vast ocean!
The Ming Dynasty's "Western Fleet," which had been on high alert for a long time, suddenly awoke like a sleeping steel behemoth under Zheng He's command!
With thousands of massive "treasure ships" capable of accommodating tens of thousands of soldiers at its core, and hundreds of thousands of elite warships as its wings, it led over a million pirate ships of various kinds that had surrendered to it, like a continuous mountain range, and launched an overwhelming charge towards that "ultimate place"!

As the "core military force" that the Ming Dynasty devoted all its efforts to building, the Western Fleet demonstrated terrifying firepower.

The gun ports on the sides of the treasure ships opened one after another, revealing not traditional cannons, but huge cannon barrels engraved with complex runes and inlaid with spirit crystals—these were "spiritual energy main cannons" that combined the weapon-making technology of the Eternal Land with the essence of Ming Dynasty firearms!
"Target: Demon-infested area on the island, cover fire! Fire!"

Zheng He calmly gave the order.

The next moment, dozens of thick, dazzling beams of light tore through the darkness, carrying destructive spiritual energy fluctuations, slashing through the sky and crashing heavily into the area on the island where demons and snakes were most concentrated!
Rumble——! ! !
The deafening explosions continued one after another, and the blinding light made the night as bright as day!

The areas struck, whether they were hideous demons, swarms of snakes, or hard black reefs, were instantly vaporized and pulverized by the terrifying energy impact!
A huge cloud of smoke mixed with bits of flesh and blood shot into the sky, and a layer of the island's surface was forcibly shaved off!
Such firepower is even enough to pose a fatal threat to ordinary gods!
Meanwhile, the hundreds of millions of pirates on those million-ship pirate ships, driven by their desire to supervise the battle and plunder, roared and swarmed towards all parts of the island like locusts.

They may not be individually strong, but their sheer numbers, combined with the attacks of Yanming's regular army, are enough to create a terrifying suppressive force.

"The nation's destiny is upon you!"

Moreover, Zhu Di and Oda Nobunaga almost simultaneously snorted coldly, each mobilizing their surging "national fortune".

A pale golden dragon-shaped aura, visible to the naked eye, rose from behind Zhu Di, while a dark red, powerful aura, imbued with demonic and murderous intent, surged from behind Oda Nobunaga.

Two immense forces of destiny collided and squeezed each other from a distance, attempting to overwhelm the other in terms of momentum and bolster their respective armies.

In an instant, the sea and sky were filled with turbulent winds and clouds, and the laws of nature were thrown into chaos! (End of Chapter)