Lord of the Earth

It should be noted that Qianxia had already reached the level of "quasi-immortal dynasty" before!

The combined power of the entire Sakura Kingdom also belongs to the "quasi-celestial dynasty" level. Once these two are centered around Xia Tian, ​​they can achieve the unification and merging of faith and fortune through the "Emperor's Mask".

In a sense, it can cause the total amount and concentration of fortune of Qianxia to increase dramatically, reaching a terrifying level that is dozens or even hundreds of times stronger than that of a newly established dynasty with fortune!
"However, even with a large population and vast territory, abundant fortune is merely the foundation. To truly ascend to the status of a 'Celestial Dynasty,' time is still needed to complete the most crucial 'transformation' and 'foundation of the Heavenly Dao'..."

A realization that dawned on my heart in the summer.

According to the secret text of "Forging the Heavenly Court", the Celestial Dynasty is the pinnacle of the current stage of the "Path of Fortune". Its status and power are comparable to the "Divine Court" established by the true gods!
That is a force capable of relying on a vast world, radiating across all realms, and defining the rules.

However, only the "True God" could establish and stabilize the Divine Court with his immortal Dao Fruit as its core.

However, the rules of heaven and earth in the Eternal Land still have one last powerful shackle, making it difficult for the true god and his complete divine court to descend directly...

In this way, the "Immortal Dynasty" that can be established at the current stage becomes the "supreme direction" that many forces can reach and are crazy about.

However, the difficulty of establishing a "Celestial Dynasty" is beyond imagination.

Simply because it is fundamentally different from the Emperor of Destiny.

The key to advancement in an imperial dynasty lies in the accumulation of "luck" and the consolidation and enhancement of national fortune by "national treasures." As long as both are achieved, advancement, though difficult, is relatively clear!

But what the Celestial Dynasty needs is "merit from Heaven and Earth" and "foundation from the Heavenly Dao"!
First, one needs to accumulate a massive amount of "merit from heaven and earth".

This is not something that can be accomplished overnight; it requires forces to continuously "perform meritorious deeds" for heaven and earth, either to eliminate "catastrophes" or to stabilize the universe.

The Eternal Land has been integrated for over a century, giving rise to hundreds of imperial dynasties with great fortune. Among them are those with vast territories and numerous powerful figures, yet none have been able to set foot in the Immortal Dynasty. The fundamental reason lies in this: fortune is easy to accumulate, but merit is hard to obtain!

Accumulating merit is a gradual process, like water dripping on a stone, and cannot be achieved quickly through mere conquest and plunder.

Of course, in this respect, Qianxia possesses a unique advantage that makes all other forces envious.

First, there's the "Mysterious Inn".

It is not only a quasi-supreme artifact, but also an important treasure that connects many "Cataclysmic Rifts". Through it, the strongmen of Qianxia are able to continuously fight against the cataclysmic creatures. Every victory brings Qianxia a continuous stream of merit rewards from heaven and earth.

Secondly, the "First Immortal Court Ruins" of the human race, this once glorious ruin of the human race, has now become a treasure trove of merit for Qianxia.

Among them, the numerous "ancient gods" that were sealed and suppressed and judged by the Eternal Land to be treasures of calamity will be given a generous amount of merit to Qianxia each time they are purified, killed, or resealed, depending on their level of threat.

If a being at the level of a true god were to observe from a special perspective, they would see that the vast and golden nebula-like merits of heaven and earth continuously settle and sublimate in the "Qi Fortune Heavenly Pool" above Qianxia, ​​eventually condensing into a sacred and dazzling "Golden Lotus of Merit".

Now, the golden lotus has blossomed to the eighth grade, each petal carrying immense merit and the favor of heaven and earth. The phantom of the ninth grade lotus is already faintly visible, slowly taking shape under the nourishment of merit.

Once the merits are complete, it means that Qianxia has reached the threshold for advancing to the "Immortal Dynasty" in terms of the most demanding condition of "merit"!

However, merit is merely the ticket.

Just as establishing a dynasty requires the "Nine Treasures of the Founding Kingdom" to lay the foundation, building a stable "Immortal Dynasty" also requires a "foundation to safeguard the nation's destiny" that is sufficient to support and stabilize the vast national fortune.

The requirements for this foundation are even higher than those for national treasures.

Although the "Immortal Dynasty" is modeled after the "Divine Court," their construction logic is different.

The Divine Court is constructed from top to bottom by the True God with his immortal Dao Fruit as its core, with stable rules and centralized authority.

The Celestial Dynasty is formed by the convergence of fortune from numerous forces, territories, and people from the bottom up, like building a giant tower that reaches the heavens. The higher one goes, the more complex the structure becomes, and the greater the pressure it bears.

It is in danger of capsizing at any moment!

Therefore, at the level of the Celestial Dynasty, there must be treasures that are essentially at the level of "True Gods" and possess "activity" and "growth potential" to serve as the "pillars of the nation".

Even the most powerful divine artifacts lack this ability to resonate with the fate of the nation.

Only the "innate spiritual root," a unique existence born at the beginning of heaven and earth, containing the complete laws of the Great Dao, and possessing life and spirituality, can perfectly meet this requirement.

However, according to the information revealed by Lü Dongbin, innate spiritual roots are extremely rare and precious in all the heavens and myriad realms.

According to some clues from ancient times, the so-called "innate spiritual root" may very well be the immortal Dao fruit of some "fallen" true gods, whose origin is combined with the ultimate principles of heaven and earth.

The special form that it ultimately transforms into!
It should be understood that under normal circumstances, the "true god" attains immortality and it is almost impossible for them to truly "fall".

The fact that a true god could be brought to the brink of "death" must involve earth-shattering conflicts and causal entanglements!
This is why, even for true gods, a primordial spiritual root is a strategic treasure worth fighting for with all their might, and obtaining it without a heaven-defying opportunity is as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Even in the once glorious and prosperous "Heavenly Court," which was known as the "First Immortal Court of the Human Race," there were only a handful of clearly recorded innate spiritual roots, such as "Laurel," "Peach," "Hibiscus," "Yellow Plum," and "Jianmu."

Things like the "Ginseng Fruit Tree" belong to other beings, specifically to "scattered immortals" like Zhen Yuanzi, the ancestor of earth immortals!
"However, I, Qianxia, ​​have inherited some of the blessings of the Heavenly Court. I am blessed with good fortune and have already acquired the 'Laurel Tree' and the 'Peach of Immortality'. As for this 'Hibiscus Tree' before me, after many twists and turns, I have finally obtained it..."

Summer gazed intently at the divine tree that, even though it had been damaged in the battle, still exuded boundless vitality and supreme Daoist charm.

In particular, the properties of the hibiscus wood became clearly apparent in his consciousness after Xia Tian completely mastered its core imprint:

【Fusang Sacred Tree (Six-Colored Glass)】

[Type] Innate Spiritual Root

【characteristic】

Golden Crow's Abode: The summit of the divine tree can nurture and inhabit spirits of supreme Yang (such as the Golden Crow and the Sun Bird), and records the vast scenes of the former "Golden Crow Divine Court," which can be presented through the resonance of laws! Pure Yang Purification: Within the area around the Golden Crow tree trunk, all Yin evil, demonic forces, curses, and filth are continuously purified and suppressed; those who cultivate Yang and fire attribute techniques and supernatural powers receive a huge boost to their comprehension, cultivation speed, and power; they can passively absorb and store the power of the sun and stars, transforming it into the purest "True Sun Fire" and "Pure Yang Immortal Qi."

True Solar Fire: This fire, capable of illuminating the heavens and drawing upon power to condense into one of the most supreme divine fires of all realms, possesses the power to scorch the heavens and boil the seas. It can also burn away karma, purify true spirits, and subdue all yin attributes and evil origins. The main trunk of a sacred tree serves as the optimal source and amplifier of this fire.

Shenmu Cave Heaven: Inside the Shenmu tree is a self-contained "Liuli Pure Fire Cave Heaven" where the flow of time differs from the outside world. It contains a rich pure yang energy of creation and is an unparalleled treasure land for cultivation, alchemy, weapon forging, and nurturing yang-attribute spiritual objects.

The Donghua Imprint: Contains the Great Dao inheritance and divine authority of the Donghua Emperor. The holder/controller can gradually gain recognition and blessing from authority such as "ruling male immortals", "governing the East", and "managing yang energy", and deeply resonate with the fortune of the ancient immortal court.

Dual Path Bearing: Simultaneously and deeply bearing the Great Dao of "Yang" and the Great Dao of "Fire". A single spiritual root can serve as the cornerstone for protecting two top-tier Great Dao laws, multiplying their effectiveness.

[Description] Legend has it that this is a top-tier innate spiritual root, born at the core of the Sun Star and appearing at the dawn of the primordial world. It was once one of the symbols of the ancient demon race's Heavenly Court, later acquired by the Eastern Emperor. Now, in the Eternal Land, it has combined with the fortune of Qianxia, ​​regaining its vitality. It is not only a symbol of power, but also a supreme object that defines the great rules of the Dao of "Yang" and "Fire"!
"As expected, this Fusang wood is extraordinary... it is actually a top-tier spiritual root that simultaneously and deeply bears the dual Daos of 'Yang' and 'Fire'!"

Summer was deeply moving.

"This is equivalent to one spiritual root being able to exert the effect of two ordinary innate spiritual roots in consolidating the nation's destiny and defining the rules!"

No wonder the former Eastern King Duke was able to be ranked alongside the Western Queen Mother, who governed the "Yin" Dao and possessed the "Yellow Plum" and the Peach Tree, as the head of the "male and female" immortals in the Heavenly Court!

This is because the two of them each mastered the Yin and Yang principles that constitute the most fundamental elements of the world, complementing each other and jointly laying the supreme foundation of the "Heavenly Court"!

"Your Majesty, good news!"

At this moment, a voice transmission came from Li Ru's mouth.

"Princess Yaochi, having undergone trials deep within the Kunlun Palace, has successfully gained the initial approval of 'Huangzhong Li,' and can draw upon a trace of its original Daoist essence for the use of my Qianxia!"
"Furthermore, a few days ago, the Great Teacher of Virtue also located the approximate position of the 'Ginseng Fruit Tree' at the ruins surrounding the 'Wuzhuang Temple' using the signals from the markings, and is currently trying to establish contact..."

Summer gives me a boost of energy.

The laurel in the Moon Palace, the peaches of immortality in the Jade Pool Palace, the Jianmu tree at the Eastern Heavenly Gate... plus the 'Yellow Plum' and 'Ginseng Fruit Tree' from which we will soon be able to draw power...

Qian Xia now has at least seven "innate spiritual roots" that he can utilize or has a very high chance of obtaining!
If we include the "Human Demon Mother Tree" in the hands of the "Demon Prince," which is blessed with the mark of the Heavenly Demon Emperor and has unlimited potential, then there are eight!

Even though it is still one step away from the number of "ten" needed to complete the fortune and build the "Supreme Immortal Dynasty" as recorded in the secret realm of "Forging the Heavenly Court", it is still far from being able to do so.

However, with such a foundation, it is more than enough to propel Qianxia to become a powerful and well-established "Celestial Dynasty"!

"Moreover, I, Qianxia, ​​actually possess two 'quasi-innate spiritual roots' with extraordinary potential... the Five-Colored Universe Gourd Vine and the Reincarnation Fruit Tree... These two are 'extraordinary species of heaven and earth' nurtured by the Eternal Land drawing upon the broken rules of the myriad worlds and some great Dao objects. Their growth ceiling is extremely high, and they have a great chance of transforming into true 'innate spiritual roots' in the future..."

Summer pondered, realizing that he had a much stronger hand than he had anticipated.

Moreover, the "plateau sky" that has just been captured is itself extraordinary.

Even though Xia Tian scoffs at the altered and distorted parts of the mythology of the Sakura Kingdom, the marks and legacy left by the three "true gods"—Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo—are still very real!
Now that Xia Tian has seized the power of the "Emperor", he can naturally inherit control over this ruin. In the future, he may even be able to use the legendary "Three Great Sacred Treasures" to mobilize the power accumulated in the high plateau, the "divine spirit" mark, or the heroic spirits of the human race to fight for Qian Xia!

Furthermore, this "ancient celestial court" ruin is far inferior to the "heavenly court"!
However, in the deepest part of this high plateau, there may also be some unique "innate spiritual object" or "divine plant" related to those three "noble children" that can be discovered...

"However, all of this is predicated on a smooth transition and successfully drawing out those hidden threats..." Xia Tian's eyes gleamed, and an even bolder plan took shape in his mind.

The Emperor's downfall and the change of hands were unknown to anyone outside the absolute core figures present. Even the entire nation of Sakura, its subjects and army, were completely unaware that the "Emperor" they worshipped had long since been replaced. This absolute disparity in information presented a golden opportunity.

"In this way, this 'civil war' between humans and the Sakura Kingdom will not only fail to end immediately, but will instead be used as an opportunity to 'lay out a trap' and stage a grand drama..."

A cold smile crept across Xia Tian's lips.

"Pass down the order: The frontline troops must maintain a high-intensity 'confrontational' posture, creating the illusion that our forces have suffered 'heavy losses,' that the 'front lines are strained,' and that 'their fortunes are fluctuating wildly'! Each legion commander must be careful to maintain a balance, ensuring the 'performance' is convincing enough to avoid being seen through by those skilled in detecting alien gods, while also minimizing the actual casualties of our soldiers. Some non-critical strongholds may be 'tactically' abandoned..."

He wanted the outside world to continue to see the "real" scene of "the fierce battle between Japan and Japan, which was fierce and difficult to resolve."

He wanted to use the "precarious situation" of Qianxia and the "crazy attack" of the Sakura Kingdom as bait to see how many greedy hyenas were "sitting on the mountain watching the tigers fight" in this eternal land, waiting to pounce and tear the "wounded" apart!
"Continue the battle on the surface, but do not reveal that we have taken control of the situation... In secret, accelerate the integration of resources between the two countries, guide the conversion of faith, and prepare for the ascension ceremony."

Summer's will is unwavering.

"When those impatient alien forces jump out, thinking they can take advantage of the chaos and divide the spoils... that will be the day when my Qianxia's fortune is completely integrated and perfected, and with supreme merit and the foundation of the eight spiritual roots, I will step into the 'Immortal Dynasty' and completely wipe out these surrounding alien forces with thunderous force!"

Summer knew perfectly well what was going on.

Although the heavens and earth still impose restrictions on the "true god" level, it can be seen from the power of the previous projection of the "Heavenly Demon Emperor" mark that those truly top-tier beings are already able to resist or even bypass some of the "shackles of heaven and earth" to a certain extent.

Qianxia's choice to advance to the "Immortal Dynasty" at this moment will inevitably cause a deeper shock to the rules, and may attract some unimaginable terrifying gazes in advance, or even attract the intervention of the true god's will at any cost.

The risks involved are far more insidious and deadly than those of direct combat on the battlefield.

It can be said that the path to ascending to a Celestial Dynasty is a path to heaven fraught with thorns and unknown terrors.

However, wealth and status are always "found amidst danger".

In chaotic times, one step behind leads to further setbacks, and may even lead to utter ruin.

Now is the last "window of opportunity" before the shackles of heaven and earth still remain and the true gods cannot fully descend. We should use the full power of our nation and take a risky gamble to build the foundation of our own "celestial dynasty".

When the great calamity finally arrives and the gods return, Qianxia may forever lose the chance to control his own destiny!

This is a truly enormous crisis, but it is also a golden opportunity for Qianxia to sweep away its enemies and lay an unshakeable foundation for future generations... (End of Chapter)