Lord of the Earth

"You beast, let go!!!"

At the critical moment, a blazing white beam of light, far more terrifying and refined than any previous artillery barrage, carrying an unparalleled suppressive and demon-destroying will, suddenly pierced through the air from the direction of the "Mirage".

Then, it slammed into the massive body of the Yamata no Orochi, which was as large as a continuous mountain range!

Boom~
Wherever the beam of light passed, the mixed energy torrent was forcibly torn apart and purified!
The Yamata no Orochi let out a roar filled with pain and rage. Its head, which had been struck, shook violently, and a large amount of snake blood poured out like a torrent, instantly staining an area of ​​over a thousand miles.

The encirclement that had already achieved a "decisive victory" was suddenly halted!
"Wow!"

Meanwhile, the Jade Claw Eagle had already taken the opportunity to transform into a bolt of lightning, instantly leaving the battlefield and returning to the "Mirage." Looking at the "Orochi," which had been promoted to a quasi-true god, its eagle eyes still held a trace of unwillingness!
If it weren't for the fact that the "eagle-like" creatures who sought refuge with Qianxia hadn't yet reached the "ten thousand species" level.

So much so that it is still a little way from completely completing the second "path of unparalleled excellence"!
Now, it may have reached the level of "quasi-god" like the "Golden Bee Queen". How could it only be able to flee in a sorry state when faced with the "eight-headed fierce serpent" that has broken its own seal?

However, although the Jade Claw Eagle has not yet advanced to "Quasi-True God", Qianxia is not lacking in "Quasi-True Gods"!
"A monster born from evil rituals and the resentment of the land dares to run rampant here, attempting to overturn the heavens?"

A voice filled with authority and righteousness rang out.

On the majestic bow of the "Mirage," Qi Jiguang stood tall and imposing, like a mountain.

Above his head, a vast "weapon diagram" phantom, seemingly containing the principles of all war machines in the myriad worlds, was slowly receding. The phantom of the divine cannon in the diagram, which was formed by the condensation of numerous weapons and had just fired the "True Martial Demon-Slaying Cannon," was gradually fading away, but its residual demon-slaying aura still made the air tremble!
"True Warrior, vanquish the demon!"

Qi Jiguang's voice was booming, and he brandished his battle sword.

In an instant, the wind and clouds changed color, and the waves calmed down!
A divine image of the "True Martial Demon-Slaying Emperor," standing on a black tortoise, surrounded by a soaring serpent, with flowing hair and bare feet, holding the Northern Black Chigun Horned Demon-Slaying Sword, fully manifested from nothingness!

Its form is as tall as 30,000 miles, reaching to the heavens and standing firmly on the earth.

Surrounded by a pure and holy light and a chilling killing aura, his magnificent divine power, which suppressed the Gui Water of the Northern Sea and cleansed all evil in the world, spread in all directions like a tangible tsunami!

With the rules of heaven and earth fully unlocked, this quasi-true god, who had already condensed the rudimentary form of the "Demon Slayer" Dao Fruit, was finally able to unleash his true power to suppress the four seas and eight wastelands without reservation!

"Roar!"

The remaining seven intact heads of the Yamata no Orochi, extremely dissatisfied with the fact that it had been ambushed and severely injured by Qi Jiguang and that its prey had escaped, roared in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.

Instantly, a destructive torrent, carrying eight attributes including wind, fire, ice, rock, darkness, erosion, lightning, and primordial demonic power, swept towards Qi Jiguang and the True Martial Dharma Image behind him, as if it wanted to wipe this sea area out of the Eternal Land!

"Even a grain of rice can shine?"

Qi Jiguang's eyes sharpened.

The True Martial Arts followed suit, taking a step that seemed slow, yet it was as if the distance between them had been reduced to an inch, ignoring spatial distance.

It descended directly above the Yamata no Orochi, the Xuan Turtle beneath its feet emitting a deep hiss, the thick, earth-like essence of Gui Water spreading out, instantly suppressing the raging and chaotic "earth, fire, wind, and water" energies below; the Teng Snakes around it roared and slithered, transforming into countless agile and swift chains of Xuan Light, strangling and attacking the Yamata no Orochi's body...

boom!
Although the divine sword in the hands of the True Martial Emperor was not fully drawn, the pure "Demon-Slaying" Daoist aura, which was aimed at all demons and evil spirits, was already like the sky collapsing, turning into an invisible force field of millions of tons, pressing down hard on every head and every inch of the body of the Yamata no Orochi!

"Crack! Hiss—!"

The moment the two sides clashed, an even more terrifying commotion erupted. The light from the energy collision illuminated the eternal night, and the shockwaves created a tsunami that reached a height of a hundred miles. These aftershocks were enough to cause devastating damage to the creatures near the Devil's Sea!

This is the point: battles at the quasi-god level can even destroy a vast world.

However, the battles against Zhu Di and Oda Nobunaga were not evenly matched.

The battle between Qi Jiguang and the Yamata no Orochi was almost one-sided!
In front of Qianxia, ​​a veteran legion commander who takes "Suppressing the Sea" as his own path and inherits the true martial arts demon-slaying emperor, is the Yamata no Orochi, whose attributes are numerous and mixed, and who relies on instinct and resentment to fight.

Clearly, it pales in comparison!
Its eight heads roared with pain and rage, constantly mobilizing the power of the laws to unleash attacks powerful enough to shatter the void.

However, under the suppression of that dazzling mystic light and the Daoist charm of "Demon Slaying", his movements gradually became sluggish and stiff... The chaotic demonic energy field around his body was like ice and snow encountering the scorching sun, constantly collapsing, melting, and barely recombining, clearly bearing enormous restraint and pressure from the level of rules!

puff!
Both attacks were serpentine, but the Yamata no Orochi's agile and vicious neck was firmly bitten at the joint by the "Shadow of the Flying Serpent" manifested beside the True Martial Dharma Image, and its demonic power was continuously absorbed and purified.

Boom!
Its attacks, including flames, ice, and poison, bombarded the giant tortoise shell phantom formed by the "Mysterious Tortoise" under the Dharma Image's feet, but could only stir up ripples and could not shake it in the slightest!

Using the absolute power of "exorcising demons" to subdue evil, Qi Jiguang suppressed the Yamata no Orochi to the point that it could barely breathe!
It seemed that this quasi-god-level demon, which had just unleashed its ferocity by unlocking the power of heaven and earth, was about to be completely suppressed by Qi Jiguang and become spoils of war or refining materials for Qianxia's side...

"stop--!"

An ancient, majestic voice, seemingly emanating from the end of the river of time, yet carrying an unquestionable sense of holiness and indifference, suddenly resounded from behind that white bone gate!
The sound wasn't loud, but it strangely and instantly overwhelmed all the roars, howls, and shouts on the battlefield, clearly and directly echoing in the depths of every living being's soul!

"Buzz!"

The next moment, a brilliant light shone from the portal, gushing out a substantial, pure, and ancient golden divine light like a waterfall!

A divine pressure, far more profound and restrained than that of the Yamata no Orochi, and imbued with both sacredness and decay, erupted like a volcano dormant for millennia, transforming into a black and gold tide that swept outwards!

The first to be affected was Qi Jiguang and his Zhenwu Dharma Image. The golden divine light and pressure seemed to contain a powerful authority related to "ocean", "rule" and "sacredness", which greatly weakened the Zhenwu Emperor's power to "suppress the sea"!

There was also a subtle yet incredibly resilient spiritual impact that attempted to erode Qi Jiguang's unwavering will to "defeat demons."

"Ok?"

Qi Jiguang frowned, and the light of his Dharma image rippled slightly, causing him to slow down his suppression of the Yamata no Orochi.

A figure slowly emerged from the dazzling golden divine light.

He wasn't particularly tall, but he gave the illusion of being towering and imposing.

He wore a white priest's robe printed with the sun, moon, stars, and sixteen-petaled chrysanthemums, with a black haori over it.

He held no weapon in his hand, but just by standing there, the aura he exuded made the previously ferocious Yamata no Orochi let out a low hiss of fear... This was clearly another "quasi-true god", and the refinement of his aura, the depth of his foundation, and the pressure he brought far exceeded that of Yamata no Orochi, which had advanced by "merging eight heads into one"!

"This mask!"

Most importantly, the other faces are hidden behind a simple yet noble "black and gold mask," revealing only a pair of deep, ancient eyes that seem to have seen through all the rise and fall of the world!

The material of that mask was strikingly similar to the "Emperor Jinmu Mask" in Xia Tian's hand!
"Hs...hs..."

The remaining head of the Yamata no Orochi looked at the newly appeared "elder" with a timid expression, its hiss carrying a complex mix of affection, resentment, and fear!

"At the entrance to my Highland Heaven, you dare to suppress the guardian divine beasts? Who gave you such audacity!"

A pair of utterly indifferent eyes looked down at the crowd through the black and gold mask.

Then, the latter slowly raised his right hand, palm facing upward, and light gathered.

A long sword with an unusual and ancient shape, a slightly curved blade that looked like it was made from the spine of some kind of creature, and shrouded in misty clouds, appeared out of thin air. Before the sword was even drawn, a sharp aura that could sever cause and effect and tear apart the void had already spread out, and there were faint storms and thunder sounds around the sword!

"If Susanoo hadn't extracted your 'divine essence' and 'fierce soul' as the core and then forged it with the divine power of 'Takamagahara,' it wouldn't have become this 'Kusanagi Sword.' It is precisely because you lost your core essence that you possess only brute strength and a physical body, while your intelligence and path to enlightenment remain incomplete... Otherwise, how could a lucky junior who has just stepped into this realm, even if he has received some of the True Martial's inheritance, have been left in such a sorry state?"

His tone was calm, as if he were stating a trivial matter.

However, the words he uttered left everyone present with a slightly heavy feeling.

Even Qi Jiguang, who had just demonstrated his powerful "quasi-god" strength, seemed to be nothing more than a "lucky junior" in his eyes!
"Who...who is this person? Such a powerful sense of oppression!"

Qi Jiguang felt a chill run down his spine.

He truly felt that the power of "suppressing the sea" and "dispelling demons" inherent in his own nature seemed to encounter an invisible barrier in front of this person.

In the perception of the quasi-god, the other party seemed to be more than just an independent individual; its aura was as boundless and unfathomable as the vast and boundless "Devil's Sea" beneath its feet!

"Hmm, the Kusanagi Sword?!"

Even so, Xia Tian's eyes narrowed slightly.

According to legend, the sword that Susanoo, the god of the Sakura Kingdom, obtained from the tail of the Yamata no Orochi after slaying it, is one of the "Three Sacred Treasures" of the Sakura Kingdom, symbolizing power and conquest!

This person actually called out "Susanoo's" name, so he must be someone of extraordinary level.
"His Majesty the Emperor!"

On the Japanese side, when Oda Nobunaga saw this person, the coldness and anxiety on his face, which had been due to the unfavorable situation in the battle, instantly disappeared.

Instead, he displayed heartfelt respect and fervor, taking the lead in kneeling on one knee and bowing his head in greeting.

"Greetings to His Majesty the Emperor!"

"Long live my emperor!"

Immediately afterwards, figures could be vaguely seen on the island, among the remaining troops of the Heavenly Demon Dynasty, and even behind the white bone portal—all the powerful figures and soldiers of the Sakura Kingdom camp, regardless of their identities.

At this moment, everyone faced that white figure, bowing or kneeling with utmost respect, their voices like a mountain roaring and a tsunami crashing!

This uniform respect far surpasses that of ordinary rulers and their subjects; it is more like an instinct rooted in blood and faith!
"The Emperor of the Land of Cherry Blossoms?!"

This name finally stirred a noticeable ripple in Xia Tian's usually calm eyes.

For Chinese civilization, the title "Emperor" and its underlying meaning are far too special and sensitive. For the people of Japan, however, the title "Emperor" is extremely...

"A human lord who, with the help of the rules of the Eternal Land, established a nation and system in his mortal form, was able to reach the realm of 'quasi-true god' in a short period of time... and gather so many talents, managing his forces to be magnificent... It really surprised me, and even... I admire him a little."

Beneath the black and gold mask, the Emperor's gaze pierced through space and landed on Xia Tian.

That gaze seemed to penetrate all pretense and look straight to the source.

However, the admiration vanished in an instant, replaced by a detached indifference as if looking down on ants and a hint of barely perceptible greed.

"Unfortunately, your mission, or rather your luck, ends here."

He spoke slowly, his voice echoing between heaven and earth.

"Today, the shackles of heaven and earth have been removed, and the barriers between realms have been further weakened... Many silent or exiled true gods can now more freely descend upon and interfere with this realm. Do you think they would sit idly by and watch humanity easily establish another 'celestial dynasty,' recreating or even surpassing the glory of antiquity, thereby threatening their authority and order?"

“From you, I can clearly sense that you have a very deep karmic entanglement with more than one true god, and even... the mark of god-slaying?”

Wearing a black and gold mask and a robe adorned with sixteen chrysanthemum petals, the Emperor's eyes seemed to brighten slightly.

"How interesting... Hand over your 'destiny' and 'Dao Fruit' in this world, as well as the karmic consequences of the true gods that you bear... to me. I can promise that your Qianxia will 'continue' in another form, and even become a 'greater' existence than the former First Immortal Court of the Human Race in the future... of course, under my guidance."

Upon hearing this, everyone in Qianxia's group changed color in shock!
"presumptuous!"

"How dare you, you madman, utter such foul language!"

"Your Majesty, I beg you to execute this scoundrel!"

Qi Jiguang exuded a murderous aura, Gan Ning was furious, and the generals and soldiers were filled with righteous indignation.

This so-called "Emperor" not only treated Xia Tian and Qian Xia as prey to be taken away at will, but the implied meaning of "devouring and replacing" in his words also offended everyone! (End of this chapter)