Lord of the Earth

"It's here! This internal war among humans has finally begun!"

A low, chilling whisper echoed across the "Commanding Platform" atop the "White Jade Capital" within the Spirit Realm, the highest military stronghold of the Qianxia Dynasty!
Bai Qi stood with his hand on his sword, clad in jet-black armor and covered by a black marshal's cloak embroidered with ferocious Bi'an patterns. His face was as cold and stern as ancient iron, and his eyes held no excitement like those of an ordinary general, only a bottomless, soul-chilling killing intent.

As the "Head of Military Affairs" of the Qianxia Empire, holding the power of military force and execution, he was naturally granted the supreme authority by the Xia Dynasty for this all-out war concerning the fate of the nation, overseeing all conquests on the front lines!
This is not only trust, but also because he himself is the embodiment of the sharpest and most ruthless will to fight in the Qianxia war.

Behind them, on the wide, plaza-like platform of the command post, stood figures of varying statures—some majestic, some valiant, some refined, and some unrestrained.

Zhao Yun in his white robe and silver spear, Zhou Yu with his feather fan and silk turban, Xin Qiji with his sword aura, Qin Liangyu with her dashing figure, Hua Rong with his sharp eyes, Lin Chong with his unwavering composure, and Lu Zhishen with his untamed spirit…

The auras of the many generals of Qianxia intertwined, but were all subdued by the cold military aura emanating from the black figure in front, like stars surrounding the North Star!

"In this battle, victory is not an option... I hereby order you all..."

Bai Qi's voice was not loud, but it carried a metallic quality, clearly penetrating the whistling wind and reaching the ears of every general.

Each military order was concise, ruthless, and precise, without the slightest redundancy.

Even though the current battle situation is affecting the nerves of the entire Eternal Land, and even though the opposing side is a huge coalition army with a "pseudo-true god" at its core, Bai Qi's command is still so stable that it is heart-stopping!

After all, strictly speaking, the "Emperor" of the Sakura Kingdom is a "true god," even if he is still considered a "false" one. However, the power of the entire Sakura Kingdom is not to be underestimated, as it is capable of supporting him to this extent.

Bai Qi had a clear understanding of the enemy's strength, but this understanding only made his killing intent more concentrated, and his countermeasures more deadly...

In fact, it does.

It should be noted that although the land area of ​​the Sakura Country on Earth was small, its population was dense, ranking among the top ten. As a result, the number of "lords" who entered the Eternal Land was close to 100 million!
The number of people and resources gathered by these lords from the "Illusory Sea" is already enormous!
Furthermore, numerous historical figures, including "daimyo, shoguns, and clans," possess the ability to directly establish kingdoms and pass on the civilization of the Cherry Blossom Kingdom in the Eternal Land...

Onmyoji families of the Heian period, samurai groups of the Sengoku period, the shogunate system of the Edo period... all these forces with long histories have entered the Eternal Land with the support of the "Will of Earth"!
Even after hundreds of years in the Eternal Land, the cruel law of the jungle, resource competition, and alien invasions have filtered out the forces that still exist in the Sakura Kingdom system, which still number in the millions. Among them are "dynasties of destiny" and even "quasi-imperial dynasties" like Oda Nobunaga's "Heavenly Demon Dynasty"!
These forces, too, have been unknowingly controlled by the "Emperor" through the evil magic of "Emperor Silk," the infiltration of the "Emperor's" faith, or the coercion of personal force!

An invisible and malevolent net has long since woven together the scattered forces of the Cherry Blossom Kingdom, all for the purpose of unleashing their full power today.

Now that the war between nations has begun, the number of troops that the Sakura Kingdom's allied forces have directly committed to the battlefield has reached a staggering hundreds of billions!
This does not include the large population responsible for logistics and production.

Among them are some powerful daimyo families with a long history and profound heritage. Their elite troops are well-equipped, their soldiers are fierce, and they tame various shikigami and demons, or master certain strange evil arts, ninjutsu, and swordsmanship styles. Their combat power should not be underestimated...

Therefore, without a doubt.

This war is a life-or-death battle that will determine the fate of the Qianxia nation!

Even with the current size of Qianxia as a "quasi-immortal dynasty," with its national fortune soaring and powerful figures numerous, it still needs to be on high alert and go all out.

Therefore, Bai Qi, known as the "Butcher of Men" and "God of Slaughter" for his "massacre of millions of humans," was naturally the only choice to command this battle.

"Commander Qin,"

Bai Qi's gaze fell on a river area on the map that was flashing red.

"You will lead the 'Bai Ze Legion' to the 'Blackwater River' basin and must stop the combined advance of the 'Takeda Red Guard' and the 'Uesugi Monk Soldiers'. Their cavalry charges are swift, and their monk soldiers' magic is difficult to deal with. The Bai Ze Army excels in defense and purification, which can counter them. You are granted access to three 'Immovable Mountain' level defensive talisman towers!"

"Commander Xin Qiji,"

His finger moved toward a plain marked with a sharp sword-shaped symbol.

"You will lead the 'White Tiger Legion' into the 'Sword Bone Wasteland' to actively seek out and annihilate the main forces of the 'Yagyu Shinkage-ryu' and the 'Iga Ninja Army.' I want you to completely break these two poisoned blades aimed at our flanks within ten days. The 'Broken Army' chariot battalion under Commander Lu and the 'Sky-Patrolling Falcon' battalion under Commander Yan will be temporarily under your command..."

"Yes!"

"Leader!"

One command after another was issued from Qianxia's "commanding platform" and quickly spread throughout the entire Qianxia region through the "Skynet"!

Large armies emerged from their camps, using the summoning abilities of the "Qianxia Road," the "Human Great Wall," or the "Bronze Gate" to swiftly traverse a vast territory of ten thousand miles to deploy and defend!
The Qianxia Dynasty and a massive coalition led by numerous historical dynasties from the Sakura Kingdom, such as the Asuka, Heian, Sengoku, and Edo periods, whose characteristics were distorted and fused together, fought on countless fronts in the Eternal Land.

The war has officially begun, without reservation!

The tentacles of war, in the most brutal way, penetrated and stung every pore of the frontier of Qianxia.

Under the strict orders of the "Emperor," the Sakura Kingdom's allied forces displayed comprehensive and systematic "cruelty"!
This was not a case of individual units losing control, but rather a top-down, encouraged, and rewarded war strategy.

"His Majesty the Emperor has decreed that this war is a holy war against the blasphemous Qianxia! The aim is to completely weaken and destroy Qianxia's war potential and the foundation of its civilization... All tribes must implement the policy of 'scorched earth' and 'extermination'! Regardless of cities and towns, regardless of men, women, or children, regardless of farms or workshops, especially those 'Tianyuan coins', religious artifacts, and ancient texts that contain Qianxia's fortune... must be plundered or destroyed!"

"Those who perform meritorious service in massacring a city will be promoted! Those who plunder abundantly will be richly rewarded! Those who kill Qianxia's extraordinary beings will have their heads recorded as merit! The commander of the legion that slaughters the most people from Qianxia will be granted the title of 'Shogun' bestowed by the Emperor and enjoy the privilege of ruling over a realm!"

The order was relayed through the ranks, igniting the most savage desires in the hearts of the Allied soldiers at the lowest levels.

The ronin samurai of a certain daimyo in the Warring States period of the Sakura Kingdom had cruel and greedy eyes. They had just "cleaned up" a small human city that was dependent on Qianxia.

Beneath the city walls, skulls were piled up into a grotesque "viewing platform"; in the city center square, the unextinguished flames still bore traces of an evil blood sacrifice; the land was splattered with filth mixed with demon blood and curses, emanating an ominous black aura, making it unlikely that crops would grow for decades to come!

At this moment, these ronin, still full of energy and covered in blood, blocked the way of a Qianxia merchant caravan that was flying a "Travel the World" flag.

Looking at the wagons laden with goods and seemingly including women, the leader of the ronin licked his chapped lips and grinned maliciously.

"Put down the goods and hand over the women! We can give you some dignity with the men; commit seppuku!"

The portly caravan leader seemed startled by the spectacle, sighed helplessly, and turned to whisper instructions to the men beside the wagon.

"Move quickly, don't let the blood of these filthy things stain our goods."

The next second, a terrifying aura erupted from these "fat sheep" like a dormant volcano!
The fat merchant's originally amiable round face suddenly turned solemn, his true energy surged and flowed around him, and Daoist charm was faintly visible. He had clearly reached the cultivation level of a "saint"!

The seemingly honest and simple-minded waiters, the skilled guards, and even the cook who was constantly wiping the pots and pans behind him all displayed "extraordinary" spiritual energy fluctuations, and their movements were orderly and disciplined.

"what happened?!"

"Baka! He's a master!"

Before the ronin could even finish their exclamations, the attack had already begun.

The portly merchant lightly flicked the sandalwood abacus in his hand, and hundreds of beads transformed into a blinding golden light that descended upon the battlefield; several "shop assistants" wielded flying swords from their sleeves, their blades gleaming coldly; talismans spontaneously combusted, transforming into lightning, flames, and ice spikes that blanketed the battlefield. "How is this possible... even a merchant possesses such power..."

The quasi-saint level ronin leader only had time to utter half a word of astonishment before a golden abacus bead pierced his brow. His face froze in disbelief, and his body crashed to the ground.

The battle began quickly and ended even faster; in moments, the entire pack of ferocious werewolves had been wiped out.

"idiot,"

The fat merchant walked over to the leader's corpse and kicked the saint-grade samurai sword in the man's hand.

He chuckled and slowly wiped his "Heavenly Forging Pavilion" top-grade demigod-level abacus magic artifact.

"Do you really think that the trade routes of Qianxia, ​​which are 'accessible to all corners of the world,' were obtained by bowing and scraping and paying tolls? That they can be passed through unimpeded simply by relying on 'rare objects for protection'?"

A sharp, calculating glint flashed in his eyes. "This right of way has always been fought for by our ancestors with swords and spears, and defended by our descendants with fists and kicks! You ignorant fools."

He skillfully pulled a "golden bee" from his pocket.

This is a miniature reconnaissance and communication machine beast jointly created by the Mohist and Gongshu families, infused with a trace of divine thought.

"The regular trade route C7, located at coordinates 'Gray Rock Boundary - East Third District,' was attacked by armed ronin from the Sakura Kingdom and has been cleared. Analysis of residual demonic energy and military traces at the scene suggests the presence of vanguard scouts from the 'Red-Clad Warriors' under the command of 'Dragon of Echigo' Uesugi Kenshin. Their main force is estimated at around 3,000, including 'demonized foot soldiers'..."

"Requesting the nearby 'Gale' cruiser fleet or 'Rock' B-class garrison to take note and provide support. It is recommended that the war threat level in this area be raised from 'Yellow C' to 'Yellow B'!"

During the Qianxia era, caravans were never just engaged in commerce; each caravan also bore the important responsibility of "gathering intelligence"!

Not far away, on the "Qinghe Plain," a place famous for its "Jade Marrow Spirit Valley" that supplies multiple dimensions, war and tragedy are also unfolding.

A unit of soldiers known as the "Shura Soldiers" from the Sanada clan of the Sakura Kingdom is wreaking havoc.

They not only plundered, but also systematically burned vast tracts of spiritual fields, slaughtered all living beings they encountered, and extracted their blood and souls to cultivate evil magic or replenish the baleful energy of their military formations.

The village twisted and collapsed in the flames, the cries of women and children mingling with the excited shouts of the Asura soldiers.

A tall, menacing-looking squad leader spotted a hunched old farmer huddled in a corner, clutching his grandson tightly and trembling.

He grinned maliciously, raised his blood-stained spear, and slowly thrust it towards the "child," seemingly wanting to savor the child's despair.

In a flash, the old farmer suddenly looked up, his hunched body straightening instantly like a pine tree, his cloudy eyes shooting out a terrifying light, where was there not a trace of cowardice?

The seemingly clumsy black iron hoe in his hand was suddenly covered with a thick and solid layer of earthy yellow qi, carrying the force of wind and thunder, and with the most ruthless "mountain-crushing" fighting technique in the army, he struck first after being behind!

"Crack!"

The hoe blade struck precisely at the junction of the spear shaft and the helmet, the immense force sending the spear flying.

It smashed half of the squad leader's head, causing it to cave in, and red and white substances flew everywhere.

"Damn Japanese thieves!"

The old farmer's hair and beard stood on end, and his angry roar echoed through the ruins.

"Back in the Ming Dynasty, I spent twenty years wielding a shovel in the border army's 'farming camp,' killing more Tartars than you've ever seen a woman! You want to mess with my grandson? You'll have to ask my 'tools of the trade' first!"

With a roar, the aura of a ninth-level Transcendent Realm cultivator and a half-step Transcendent Realm cultivator surged forth.

Although not top-tier, its battle-hardened and forged aura caused the surrounding Asura soldiers to suffocate.

It was as if it were a signal: along the ridges of fields, behind collapsed houses, beside burning haystacks...

One by one, the villagers who had previously appeared ordinary or even cowardly stood up straight, their eyes burning with the flames of hatred for their destroyed homes and murdered loved ones.

Some of them pulled out short knives and machetes hidden under the straw mats, some raised hoes and rakes, and others used rudimentary but practical earth magic to draw upon the earth's energy to slow down the enemy.

Although most of these people's cultivation levels were below the fifth level of the Transcendent Realm, they were far inferior to these regular "Asura Soldiers" who were at least at the fifth level of the Transcendent Realm.

However, they were familiar with the terrain and had basic teamwork.

They also possessed a resolute will to defend their homeland and fight against the common enemy!

The battle broke out instantly.

The villagers used the familiar terrain, ruins, and ditches to put up a tenacious resistance, even as people continued to fall.

However, their counterattack also cost this ferocious "Shura Soldier" vanguard team an unexpected price, greatly slowing their advance and making it even more difficult for them to unleash their evil magic!

"Hmph, really... how come they can't even handle a group of old, weak, sick and disabled people?"

However, at this moment, another cold snort rang out.

A "sacred domain" of surging ice storms suddenly appeared on the battlefield. It belonged to a powerful Saint of the eighth level of the Transcendent Realm from the Sakura Kingdom, the "commander" of the vanguard of this thousand-strong Asura Army!
Puff puff!

The Frost Sanctuary instantly spread, bringing the entire battlefield to a standstill. Every citizen of Qianxia was instantly plunged into hell, and regardless of age or gender, they were quickly turned into "ice sculptures"!
"Hmph, you old bastard, how dare you hurt me!"

"What a pity, all these women froze to death like this. I was hoping to 'take advantage of their warmth'..."

The faces of the "Shura Army" soldiers were contorted with rage, and they were about to be cruelly smashed into a pile of limbs by the soldiers under the command of the "Sakura Kingdom" holy general in a vengeful manner!
"Buzz!"

A deep, howling sound, like the roar of a giant beast, came from the sky.

A streamlined, Qianxia-manufactured "Thunderbolt"-class combat airship tore through the clouds and sped towards them.

The Great Bull, whose cultivation had already reached the level of a god, wielded the Vermilion Bird's "Six Roots Purification Bullet" and glanced at the battlefield, speaking succinctly.

"Kill! Leave no one behind!"

One after another, Mo family mechanical beasts, shaped like giant eagles and tigers, leaped out of the open hatches and swooped down from the air. Their claws and teeth gleamed with cold rune light, and their aura had reached the level of saints or even demigods!
Puff puff!
In the mere time it takes to drink a cup of tea, this vanguard squad of nearly a thousand members of the "Shura Army" from the land of cherry blossoms was "ignited," annihilated, and reduced to ashes! (End of Chapter)