Lord of the Earth

Zhu Di's Yanming Dynasty, although nominally still a "dynasty of destiny".

However, through years of warfare and business operations through the Qianxia "Merchant Alliance," its foundation and strength have long surpassed the scope of ordinary dynasties, giving it the formidable capital to challenge the "Dynasty of Destiny"!

Above Zhu Di's head, the pale golden national fortune surged and condensed, eventually transforming into a golden dragon thousands of miles long with six claws!

With eyes like lightning and scales clearly defined, the dragon exudes a majestic and righteous aura, and its roar shakes the heavens, representing the thriving and ambitious national power of the Yanming Dynasty!

Behind Oda Nobunaga, the dark red national destiny transformed into a towering, three-headed, six-armed, and ferocious "Sixth Heaven Demon King" image. His body was engulfed in black flames, and he held various weapons symbolizing slaughter and conquest, exuding a chaotic, aggressive, and domineering will. His demonic roar carried a power to bewitch people's hearts.

The spirits of the two nations' destinies each enveloped the surrounding sea and sky for nearly five thousand miles. Golden light and demonic flames intertwined, eroded, and eroded, unleashing a silent yet even more breathtaking contest.

This is not only a contest on the combat level, but also a head-on clash of the will of the people and civilization between the two forces of destiny!

"Boom!"

On the battlefield, on the Yanming Dynasty's side, the "Western Fleet" commanded by Zheng He, with its mountain-like "treasure ships" firing their rune-infused psionic main cannons in unison, created a spectacular sight.

With each salvo, dozens of thick beams of destructive light plowed across the sea and islands, vaporizing demons, turning swarms of snakes into charcoal, and melting through hard reefs.

Furthermore, there are "rocket nests" mounted on some small warships, which can launch tens of thousands of spirit rockets with armor-piercing and explosive runes at once, forming a barrage of attacks that cover the entire area, like a meteor shower falling from the sky!

"Hiss, hiss, hiss!"

The Heavenly Demon Dynasty, on the other hand, relies on the island's bizarre terrain and a continuous stream of "creations" for defense.

The newborn demons born from the Demon Mother Tree can breathe highly corrosive poisonous flames, hurl enormous bone spikes, or even briefly disappear into the shadows to launch surprise attacks.

On the island itself, the "snake scale" rocks suddenly come alive, shooting out dense bone spikes; the ground cracks open and gushes out foul black water with a highly toxic and debilitating effect.

Even more numerous small and medium-sized snakes surged towards Yan Ming's vanguard and the pirates like a tidal wave, fearlessly using their teeth, venom, and bodies to wear down their opponents!

hold head high--!
Roar--!
This landing operation lasted for three days and nights.

Initially, the golden dragon and the celestial magic were evenly matched.

But gradually, with Zhu Di's superb battlefield command and the steady advance of the Yan Ming army, the golden six-clawed dragon became more and more courageous in battle. Its dragon claws tore and its dragon breath spewed out, suppressing the six-armed and ten-winged celestial magic form, forcing it to retreat step by step, and the demonic flames around its body dimmed a bit.

The clash between the spirits of national destiny is, in a sense, a direct evolution of the relative strengths and weaknesses of the battles below!
"Hmph, the light of a firefly dares to rival the brilliance of the moon? Oda Nobunaga, is this all you've got?"

Zhu Di, his robes fluttering, stood at the bow of the flagship, his eyes gleaming, as if victory was already in his grasp.

In terms of commanding large armies and controlling the overall battlefield, Oda Nobunaga, the "Sixth Heaven Demon King" who advocated the "Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain" tactic of rapid attacks, was clearly inferior to Zhu Di, a top military strategist who was proficient in combining orthodox and unorthodox tactics, was good at mobilizing all forces, and had rich experience in battles that destroyed entire countries!

Yan Ming's army advanced and retreated with measured steps, and its long-range, medium-range, and close-combat firepower was clearly layered. The surrendered pirates were used as cannon fodder for attrition, probing, and flank harassment, which was just right. The defensive positions of Oda Nobunaga's side were forced to shrink step by step, and the demons and snakes suffered heavy casualties. Several places on the outer perimeter of the island have been successfully landed and established by Yan Ming's army.

"Hmph, Zhu Di! Are you so eager to come and die?!"

The defeat on the "military" front also made Oda Nobunaga's face so gloomy that it could drip water. In the eyes of this "Sixth Heaven Demon King", a trace of suppressed shame and anger and a deeper ruthlessness flashed.

"Fine! Then... I'll grant your wish completely!"

He seemed to have made up his mind, and then suddenly slashed his wrist, letting a drop of blood fall onto the snake's head beneath him.

Just as the entire Yanming Allied Forces were riding high, consolidating their landing points and attempting to advance towards the white bone gate in the center of the island to expand their gains, an unexpected event occurred!

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom..."

An unprecedented and terrifying tremor occurred on the entire "Eight Serpents Island," as if the foundation of the island was being violently shaken by an invisible giant hand, ten or even a hundred times stronger than any previous tremor!
The sea was no longer filled with waves, but instead burst into towering columns of water!

Not only the central snake head, which was originally the "crater," but also the seawater around the island exploded wildly, with towering waves. Eight enormous shadows, beyond imagination, tore through the sea surface, carrying tons of seawater and deafening crashing sounds, and looked up to the sky!

It was... eight... enormous snake heads that sent shivers down one's spine!
Each one is comparable to a moving mountain range, with a diameter of over a hundred miles.

Layer upon layer of dark scales, their edges sharp as knives, reflected a cold, cruel metallic luster under the glow of the flames. The snake's eyes were not simply blood-red, but rather like deep pools burning with different colors of hellfire—some as white as lava, some as green as a poisonous swamp, some as deep blue as ice, and some as black as shadows…

They twisted their necks, which were covered with hideous bone spurs and bizarre tumors, and roared in unison, their roars shattering the soul and mixing with different elemental powers.

"Oh my God! What is this?"

"What kind of monster is this, so terrifying?"

"They're snakes. The snakes that killed those pirate kings have seven extra ones?"

The violent pressure swept across the entire area instantly, and many of the pirate warships that charged ahead were directly shattered by the sound waves, and the pirates on them bled from all seven orifices and died!

It should be noted that the "Ming Treasure Ships" of Zhu Di's Western Ocean Fleet were already enormous, capable of accommodating tens of thousands of soldiers on a single ship, comparable to mobile castles, and not necessarily much smaller than the original "Mirage".

But at this moment, these treasure ships seemed as small and fragile as children's toys in front of any of the newly appeared snake heads.

The waves stirred up by the snake's head with a single sway of its head were enough to make the treasure ship rock violently!
"If I'm not mistaken, this should be the 'Yamata no Orochi' from the mythology of Japan, which brought calamity to the human world. It is indeed... a fitting name."

Only on the "Mirage" where Qianxia's side was located, the atmosphere remained calm, and the entire ship emitted a shimmering light, which neutralized the aftershocks of the battle.

Summer's face remained largely expressionless as she gazed intently at the ancient, ferocious creature that had set sail.

With his current level and vision as a "quasi-god", even when facing the "Yamata no Orochi" that exudes endless ferocity and divine power, he can calmly observe and understand its true nature.

The divine power emanating from each of the eight heads of this Yamata no Orochi had reached the level of a "top deity".

Moreover, each of the eight heads possesses different attributes, and their powers complement each other. These eight supreme deities are of the same origin, and their threat level far exceeds that of eight individual supreme deities!

Although Zhu Di had a multitude of powerful figures under his command, including Zheng He, Li Dingguo, and even himself, who had reached the pinnacle of divine power, the pressure of simultaneously dealing with the Heavenly Demon Dynasty and this mythical beast that symbolized disaster and destruction was undoubtedly immense!
"No, retreat quickly!"

The pirate coalition fared even worse; many ships were swallowed whole, along with their crew, before they could even turn around.

Or, they could be instantly destroyed and reduced to ashes by the different types of breath exhaled from the snake's mouth!
"Emperor Xia, please lend a helping hand!"

Faced with such a powerful and ferocious god, even the proud and arrogant Yanming Dynasty would not truly risk the lives of its people... Realizing that it could not defeat the "Heavenly Demon Dynasty" on its own, it decisively sought reinforcements...

"唳——!!!"

A loud eagle's cry, piercing through the heavens and seemingly capable of splitting rocks, came from beyond the nine heavens!
High in the sky, thunderclouds suddenly gathered, and a magnificent eagle, pure white as snow, with only its claws and beak gleaming with a pale golden metallic sheen, tore through the clouds and swooped down!

It was the golden, top-tier, thousand-mile-long, rare species that Xia Tian had contracted with, now reaching the pinnacle of "supreme deity"—the Jade Claw Eagle!

A candidate for "God of Ten Thousand Eagles" born from the Eternal Land.

The Jade Claw Eagle not only possesses unparalleled speed, but also has an innate affinity for and mastery of the raging "Destructive Thunder" law.
Its wings spread wide, blotting out the sky and the lightning that wrapped around them was no longer ordinary lightning, but the Purple Heaven Divine Lightning containing a trace of the aura of heaven and earth's tribulation!

The Jade Claw Eagle transformed into a zigzagging bolt of lightning, dodging the scorching pillar of fire with incredible speed. In an instant, it closed in, its sharp claws wrapped around a highly condensed purple-gold lightning ball, and viciously tore at the reverse scale on the side of the snake's head and neck.

Boom!

Thunder and flames exploded, and the lightning ball penetrated, triggering a secondary explosion from within. The snake's head was blasted, its scales flying off and charred black, emitting a painful hiss.

Then, it circled rapidly at high altitude, its wings flapping violently, stirring up a terrifying thunderstorm hurricane that covered several miles!
The hurricane carried countless fine lightning blades, which dispersed, electrolyzed, and purified the overwhelming venom, making it impossible for it to get close.

It even opened its mouth and spat out a highly refined incandescent lightning spear, which pierced through the snake's head that was spewing out absolute ice!
At the same time, with the long cry of the Jade Claw Eagle, countless strange creatures such as eagles, falcons, hawks, and vultures flew in from all directions of the sky. Among them were many god-level beings. They obeyed the command of the "God of Ten Thousand Eagles" and fought against the endless snake creatures that emerged from under the scales of the Yamata no Orochi's body... The cries of eagles and the hisses of snakes resounded through the sky, and feathers and snake scales fell like rain!
"'Yamata no Orochi' is nothing special; it is indeed no match for my Qianxia 'Divine Eagle'..."

"After all, it's just a tiny little thing, a mere ferocious beast, and it thinks it's invincible..."

Above the mirage, the Qianxia soldiers, who had not yet exerted their full strength, were commenting on the battlefield!

As eagles, they are natural enemies of snakes. Under the Jade Claw Eagle's highly targeted, fast, and lightning-fast attacks, the Yamata no Orochi, though ferocious, was repeatedly injured. Its fire-breathing head was struck by lightning, causing smoke to billow from its seven orifices, and it drooped limply; its shadow-controlling head suffered a mental blow and fell into chaos; and its rocky head was covered with charred pits...

With the help of the "Jade Claw Eagle" leading the "flock of eagles", the Yanming Dynasty regained its footing!

"Such a scene truly deserves to be called a battle for the fate of the nation..."

The power struggle between the two commanders, the clash of national destinies, the confrontation between legions, and the battle of top beings transformed this sea area into a chaotic slaughterhouse. The primordial energy of heaven and earth was in chaos, the laws of nature were lamenting, and the scene was both magnificent and extremely tragic.

Even in the eternal land where grand scenes are commonplace, it is truly rare!

"No, this is..."

However, just as the Yamata no Orochi was being severely injured, and just as the Jade Claw Eagle was gathering its strength to launch a final blow and completely shatter one of the Yamata no Orochi's heads!
Suddenly, a grand, ancient, and seemingly originating-from-the-world tremor resounded throughout the heavens and earth!

Immediately afterwards, a phantom image of dark golden shackles, composed of countless intricate law runes, appeared simultaneously between the eyebrows of the eight heads of the Yamata no Orochi!

Click! Click! Click...!
A series of crisp cracking sounds resounded in the hearts of all the powerful individuals!
The eight illusory shackles shattered inch by inch at the same time, turning into specks of light and dissipating!

"Hmm, this is... the shackles of heaven and earth belonging to the 'quasi-true god' level... completely broken?!"

Whether it was Qian Xia, Yan Ming, or the Heavenly Demons, all the powerful figures who sensed this scene were shocked!
The heavens and earth have been officially unlocked! This means that beings at the "quasi-true god" level and above, who were previously unable to fully unleash their power due to the rules, can now finally bring their complete power to the mortal world without reservation!

"Oh no! This monster's aura is surging!"

The moment the shackles shattered, the already enormous body of the Yamata no Orochi swelled up even more as if it were being inflated.

The ferocity in their eyes was no longer simply brutality, but revealed a more ancient, savage, and terrifying will that seemed capable of devouring the world!
"Roar, roar, roar..."

Immediately afterwards, all eight heads looked up to the sky and roared in unison.

The eight elements no longer fight independently, but begin to resonate, intertwine, and merge!
Eight distinct yet shared forces converged above the head of the Yamata no Orochi, forming a strange "prototype of the Dao Fruit" that was both blurry and real, constantly shifting through eight different lusters and forms!
Although this prototype was far less solid and pure than the Dao fruits of Xia Tian, ​​Qi Jiguang and others, it was full of chaos and violence.

However, the pressure it exuded had truly entered the realm of "quasi-gods"!

"Wow!"

The Jade Claw Eagle let out a sharp warning cry; it had sensed a deadly threat!

Facing the Yamata no Orochi, whose power level has already leaped to a higher level.

Even though it possesses the speed of heaven and earth and the power of the Thunder of Evil-Slaying, the fundamental difference in cultivation level has become an insurmountable chasm.

Although it is a candidate for "God of Ten Thousand Eagles", it has unlimited potential.

However, since it had not yet truly condensed the "prototype of the Dao Fruit" belonging to the Eagle Clan, it immediately fell into an absolute disadvantage in the face of the complete power of the Quasi-True God level!

The Jade Claw Eagle charged left and right, its form constantly shifting between lightning and solid form, creating perilous situations.

It attempted to retaliate, lightning striking the snake's head, but most of it was annihilated by the chaotic power that fused eight attributes. In one instance, unable to dodge in time, a breath mixed with darkness and corrosive power grazed its wing, instantly turning its snow-white feathers gray and dimming its divine light!
"Roar!"

Meanwhile, the Yamata no Orochi, which had been at a disadvantage, began a full-scale counterattack.

"Roar--!"

Eight heads suddenly surrounded the Jade Claw Eagle from different directions, opening their enormous mouths as if they could devour the heavens and the earth, spewing out a destructive torrent of eight colors, forming a deadly cage covering dozens of miles, completely trapping the injured Jade Claw Eagle!
Then, they brutally strangled them!

This mutant, possessing the potential to become the "God of Ten Thousand Eagles," was suddenly plunged into a life-or-death crisis! (End of Chapter)