Lord of the Earth

"For the Tianyuan Coin! For the vast grasslands! For becoming true citizens of Qianxia! Moo~"

A powerful, ten-zhang-tall, muscular, golden-cast-like bull-man overseer stood at the edge of his simple "divine kingdom," which reeked of mud and blood, and roared like thunder.

It wielded a massive alloy battle axe inlaid with Qianxia runes, the blade reflecting a cold light in the sunlight.

"Moo!!!"

Below, tens of millions of strong bronze and silver minotaur warriors roared with earth-shattering force. Most of them were equipped with powerful gear obtained from Qianxia trade or rewards—thick plate armor engraved with power runes, gleaming giant axes, warhammers, and dozens of formations that brought out eye-catching, mountain-like "totem cannons".

These giant cannons have a rugged appearance that combines the traditional totem carvings of the Minotaur people with the psionic arrays of Qianxia. The muzzles gleam with a dangerous light, and their power is enough to threaten beings at the demigod level!

"The generals of Qianxia have said that for every head of a Japanese samurai, the reward is ten Tianyuan coins! For every Onmyoji or high-level Shikigami, the reward is one hundred coins! And for every important stronghold captured, the tribal taxes of all participants will be reduced for three years!"

The god-like bull-warrior's bull-like eyes swept over his sons, spewing scorching white vapor that covered the sky.

"More importantly, those who distinguish themselves in battle will have the opportunity to obtain official 'naturalized citizen' status in Qianxia, ​​learn more powerful techniques, and allow your children to enter the academy of Baiyujing! For the future of the tribe, tear them apart, moo!"

"Moo—!"
"For Qianxia! For His Majesty!"

One by one, the fierce warriors responded in unison, their fighting spirit boiling.

In the distance, at the edge of the projection of the sacred land of the Jade Fox Clan, "Qingqiu Secret Realm," the elegant and noble Jade Fox Queen leaned lightly on her jade throne, her nine snow-white and fluffy fox tails swaying behind her like clouds, each tail tip shimmering with a faint moonlight.

She gazed at the battlefield lights and shadows appearing in the void, her voice ethereal and elusive, yet clearly reaching the ears of every fox clan elder.

"Our clan's alliance with Qianxia began in humble beginnings and has been strengthened through adversity. In the past, our ancestors from Tushan helped King Yu the Great quell the floods, thus forging a bond of goodwill. Now, the Emperor of Qianxia is an unparalleled and powerful ruler, whose fortunes are as prosperous as the midday sun."

Her eyes flickered, seemingly with a deeper meaning.

"Pass down the order: the entire Jade Fox Clan will be mobilized to demonstrate our strength and sincerity on the battlefield. If we can achieve outstanding merit in this battle, perhaps... our most outstanding princess of this generation will have the opportunity to enter the Qianxia harem, continue our ancient marriage, and secure an unshakeable reliance for our clan for all eternity."

The illusory "Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox" slumbering deep within the secret realm behind her also gently twitched its tail. A powerful force merged into the bodies of the many foxes present, causing their forms to change and a tail to rapidly grow on their bodies!
On the turbulent sea, countless dragons, including the Jiaolong, Lilong, and Chilong, surged and churned, their scales reflecting the light of thunder and battle. Leading them was a peerless deity, the "Dragon King of the Vast Sea," who soared into the sky, its roar shaking the entire sea.

"We, the descendants of the dragon bloodline, have been fortunate enough to be accepted into the ranks of His Majesty Xia Tian, ​​the 'Commander of the Army,' who has bestowed upon us the power to cultivate the righteous path and rule the waters! His Majesty also possesses the supreme dragon bloodline heritage, making him the natural master of our race! My lads, today is the time to demonstrate our loyalty and strength to His Majesty! Follow me to slay the enemy, defend our sea frontiers, and spread the might of the dragon!"

"I obey the king's command! I swear to follow His Majesty, the Commander of the Army, to the death!"

The thousands of dragons echoed in unison, stirring up towering waves across the seas.

Many of the foreign tribes who were initially hesitant and uncertain were quickly mobilized by Han Xin's combination of "promising great benefits, honor and status, and strategic deterrence." They were all eager to fight and began to actively mobilize their troops according to the precise, chess-like orders, preparing to fight to the death for the enviable "military achievements" and future promises.

Of course, not all forces associated with the human race were willing to be completely bound to Qianxia's war chariot!

For example, some quasi-supreme beings and supreme races with "true gods" behind them showed no respect even when Qian Xia stepped into the "quasi-immortal dynasty"!

Devil's Sea area!
The clash between the Emperor and Lü Dongbin, two "pseudo-true gods," had already caused devastating damage to this sea area and the surrounding region with the mere dissipation of terrifying energy and law fluctuations.

Space is as fragile as glass, riddled with cracks; seawater evaporates and then floods back in, mixed with blood and shattered souls; countless islands are devastated, regardless of which side they belong to.

Against this backdrop, which seemed like the end of the world.

The spiritual root that was rooted on the head of the Yamata no Orochi, that had devoured the lives of a large number of god-level powerhouses and condensed a large number of god-level "devil fruits", suddenly underwent a terrifying change!

"Look! That tree... it's expanding! It's glowing!"

The already towering and eerie giant tree had its trunk veins pulsating violently like living blood vessels, emitting a dark red, almost black light.

It greedily absorbed the massive amount of deathly aura that permeated the battlefield.

It's not just the billions of lives that have just died, but also the flesh and souls of countless humans, alien races, and even many god-level powerhouses, as well as the endless resentment and killing intent accumulated here over the long years.

"Roar--!"

The already severely injured and weakened Yamata no Orochi suddenly let out a soul-shaking roar filled with pain and rage!

Everyone looked on in horror, only to see the Demon Mother Tree rooted at the base of its head, suddenly expanding and splitting into countless jet-black roots that were as hard as divine iron and as flexible as venomous snakes, frantically drilling into the depths of the giant snake's head, and even spreading along its spine!
"It is drawing upon the power of Orochi!"

Although Qi Jiguang was somewhat tired, his eyesight remained sharp, and he instantly noticed the clues.

"Hiss, roar..."

The remaining head of the Yamata no Orochi thrashed wildly, stirring up a devastating tsunami that capsized even some demonic ships from nearby Heavenly Demon Dynasties. Its immense life force and essence, comparable to a "quasi-god," were forcibly extracted by the Mother Tree like a floodgate being opened!
The terrifying serpentine body, stretching for thousands of miles, shriveled and withered at a visible rate, its scales losing their luster...

This scene left both sides in the conflict breathless.

A ferocious beast at the level of a "quasi-god" was actually used as nourishment by the "strange object" it carried, even though this giant snake was seriously injured in the previous battle with Qi Jiguang.

However, this level of existence is by no means "at the mercy of others"!

All I can say is that this "Devil Fruit Mother Tree" is far too terrifying...

"Look, that's..."

After absorbing almost all of the essence of the Yamata no Orochi, and adding the blood and soul power of billions of living beings collected on the battlefield, it...

At the top of the Demon Mother Tree, in the center of countless twisted branches, a ball of light, indescribable in color and seemingly embodying all the depravity, desire, and chaos of the world, contracted and condensed violently.

Finally, a strange "fruit" slowly took shape.

It was not the shape of an ordinary fruit, but rather a chaotic core that was constantly changing its form. Its surface was covered with runes that were interwoven with dark purple, blood red, and pale green. Inside, it seemed to be sealing a miniature phantom of a Yamata no Orochi, which was struggling in pain.

At the same time, a quasi-god-level aura that made one's soul tremble, yet contained the allure of leading to supreme power, swept out like a storm!
"This seems to be... a nascent Dao Fruit?!"

A powerful figure from the Qianxia faction exclaimed in shock, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"The ultimate Devil Fruit... The legend is actually true!"

The pirate king, who had spent years roaming the Devil's Sea, was breathing heavily, his eyes filled with greed and madness.

"Eat it... and I can ascend to the heavens in one step and become a quasi-true god! Become one of the rulers of this sea, no, the entire Eternal Land!"

Many powerful figures, whether they were demon generals from the Heavenly Demon Dynasty, nobles from the Yanming Dynasty, or unruly pirate overlords, were all captivated by this "fruit," their eyes practically popping out of their sockets.

A deadly temptation ignited the already chaotic battlefield!

"Seize that Dao Fruit!"

Among the Heavenly Demon Dynasty's forces, there were samurai under Oda Nobunaga whose faces turned crimson!
"We must not let it fall into the hands of the demons! Yan Ming's soldiers, charge with me!"

One of the generals of the Yanming Dynasty also had tears in his eyes.

"Hahaha! The path to true godhood is right before our eyes, brothers, let's grab it!" Countless pirates, like sharks smelling blood, charged towards the mother tree without regard for anything else!

This includes Zheng Chenggong and his son Zheng Zhilong.

After all, under normal circumstances, even a "perpetual genius" like Zheng Chenggong might only reach the level of an ordinary god, and the chance of stepping into the "quasi-true god" level is not great!

However, this Devil Fruit allows one to fly directly.

The scene was completely out of control.

Even Oda Nobunaga and Zhu Di, who were engaged in battle, couldn't help but turn some of their attention to the Chaos Fruit, and their elite troops began to subconsciously move in that direction.

However, just as the first wave of greedy creatures was about to approach the mother tree's range—

"kill!"

Suddenly, on this battlefield...

All those who have ever eaten a "Devil Fruit" from this tree, regardless of which side they belonged to before, or whether they were captured or controlled.

At this moment, his eyes were covered with an eerie dark red color, and his "Fruit Ability" was running rampant uncontrollably. His consciousness seemed to be forcibly driven by some kind of force!

Immediately, disregarding life and death.

Those who attempted to obtain the "ultimate Devil Fruit" were "sniped"!
The power it displayed was extremely strong; even a "Pirate King" like Zheng Zhilong bled from his mouth after being suddenly betrayed by someone close to him...

"what happened?!"

"No, it wasn't my intention... My power is out of control!"

"Roar...Kill, kill, kill!"

"It's being eroded by another force... My body... is moving on its own!"

The "pirates" collectively rioted and attacked those around them, including many highly skilled and ruthless individuals. This sudden betrayal of the "pirates" was a shocking development.

This immediately had a huge impact on the battle situation, and caused great chaos on the flank of Yan Ming's army...

If it weren't for Qianxia's foresight in placing powerful "restrictions" on the captured "pirates," he might have ended up in the same situation as Zhu Di and Zheng Zhilong...

"Hahaha! Did you see that? My dear little brother!"

A burst of arrogant and triumphant laughter drowned out the clamor of the battlefield.

On the largest branch of the Demon Mother Tree, a figure slowly solidified.

He was a handsome, almost otherworldly young man with a pair of noble, purple-gold demonic horns on his head. He wore a magnificent dark gold demonic robe and stood on the withered, enormous skull of the eight-headed serpent, looking down at the battlefield below, which had fallen into even deeper chaos due to the Dao Fruit and the riots.

Their gaze finally fell upon the Demon Prince in Qian Xia's camp, who, like him, possessed "purple demonic eyes."

Are you satisfied with this surprise?

The Demon Prince's lips curled into a cruel yet elegant smile as his gaze swept over Zheng Zhilong, Zhu Di, Oda Nobunaga, and the others, whose expressions were shifting...

"You all really believe that this 'Devil Fruit' is a gift from the Eternal Land?"

“Foolish! This is a core branch of the 'Mother Tree of Myriad Desires,' the supreme sacred object of my Abyss Demon Clan! It can not only condense fruits containing the power of rules, but also use the fruits as a medium to subtly influence, and ultimately... completely control the mind and body of the consumer! Every 'gift' has already been marked with a price deep in the soul, which is... to become the Mother Tree, that is, me, the most loyal puppet and nourishment!”

He opened his arms as if embracing the destructive feast he had orchestrated.

Devil Fruits are renowned in this "Devil's Sea," and many pirate kings, as well as powerful figures from the Heavenly Demon Dynasty and the Yanming Dynasty, have consumed them...

Now, the combined power of these people is enough to make them a new "force" in this area...

"These delicious 'fruits' of riots are merely appetizers. The real feast is this 'prototype of the Dao Fruit,' formed by condensing the essence of Orochi and the blood and soul power of billions on the battlefield! By swallowing it, I can directly obtain the power of a quasi-true god! And the power of the mother tree will take deeper root in this world as I grow stronger, controlling all fruit users!"

Ultimately, the message returned to the Demon Prince, delivered in a tone full of sarcasm and condescension:

“My dear half-brother, it seems you have chosen the wrong ally.”

"Look at the human race you've allied with, beset by internal and external troubles, surrounded by powerful enemies, and now even facing internal strife. As for me, I possess the bloodlines of two royal families of the Abyss, have the backing of two True Gods, wield the strategic treasure of the Demon Mother Tree, and am about to acquire the power of a Quasi-True God!"

His voice suddenly rose, full of allure and threat, echoing across the battlefield.

"Listen up, humans of Qianxia! If you capture this illegitimate demon prince of impure blood and with ulterior motives now and hand him over to me, I, in the name of the seventh prince of the Abyss Demon Clan, promise not only to immediately quell the riots of these Devil Fruit users, but also to stand on your side in this battle on behalf of the Demon Clan!"

"Think about it. The full support of a true demon prince, and even the possible reinforcements from the abyss, would be enough to turn your precarious situation around! Afterwards, my demon race could even sign an alliance with Qianxia to share the hegemony of this eternal land! How about it? Trading this insignificant illegitimate son for the survival and glorious future of your kingdom, this deal... is quite a bargain, isn't it?"

The Demon Prince wore a smug smile!
The Abyss Demons are one of the oldest and most powerful races in the myriad realms, and their strength is beyond doubt.

The promises made by a legitimate prince, a potential heir to the throne of the true god, carry immense weight in Qianxia's seemingly precarious situation.

Some of the foreign generals, and even a few people within the Qianxia clan, had a subtle flicker in their eyes.

Perhaps we can feign compliance first and use the power of the demons to overcome this crisis...

If things get really bad, we can just tear up the agreement!

"idiot!"

A cold, disdainful laugh broke the brief silence.

The speaker was Gan Ning, who, though covered in blood from the battle, still stood as upright as a spear. He spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, his eyes sharp as knives, piercing directly at the Demon Prince:

"Do you think my human race is like your demon race, those filthy creatures who only know profit and are heartless? His Highness the Demon Prince is my Qianxia's guest, a comrade-in-arms who fights alongside me! How could you, a coward who only knows how to plot and scheme, possibly sow discord? Even if I, Qianxia, ​​fight to the last man, I will never betray my friends to prolong my own life!"

"well said!"

Qi Jiguang's voice was as loud as a bell.

"Loyalty and righteousness are the foundation of our human race! Demon Prince, you underestimate the integrity of our human race!"

“My dear ‘brother,’ it seems you have indeed lingered in the abyss for far too long… You still don’t understand that some powers do not come from bloodlines or gifts; and some alliances cannot be severed by threats or interests!”

The Demon Prince himself slowly raised his head.

The emotional fluctuations in her purple eyes transformed into a deep calm, and her tone towards the Demon Prince was calm yet utterly sarcastic! (End of Chapter)