Lord of the Earth

"Your Majesty, Commander Zhou Yu's Vermilion Bird Legion has breached the main lair of the 'Zerg Dynasty,' burned its 'mother hive core,' captured the peerless 'Zerg Queen,' and obtained three thousand 'catalytic pools'! These wondrous structures, once infused with resources, can continuously hatch Zerg warriors comparable to the extraordinary or even the holy realm, providing our Qianxia with a large number of high-quality soldiers who are fearless of death and absolutely obedient!"

"Commander Xin Qiji of the White Tiger Legion reports that they have successfully captured the giant soul crystal mine, a 'divine' treasure, at the core of the 'Shadow Dynasty,' and discovered a dilapidated True God-level structure—the 'Soul Transfer Tower'—that the Shadow Dynasty has enshrined deep within the mine! This tower possesses the ability to transfer, store, and even purify the essence of souls, and has miraculous effects on the soul cultivation and even the repair of souls of our soldiers!"

"Commander Qi reports that the Xuanwu Legion, in conjunction with the Jinfan Navy, has successfully wiped out a core 'Deep Sea Temple' of the 'Naga Clan Deep Sea Imperial Court' in the near-shore area, killed the Naga High Priest at the quasi-true god level, and seized more than nine thousand pieces of various divine materials such as deep-sea black iron, ten-thousand-year-old blood coral, and water-repelling divine pearls!"

"Your Majesty, Commander Zhao of the Azure Dragon Legion successfully slew the quasi-true god 'Crimson Scale Dragon King' left behind by the 'Giant Dragon Dynasty' in the 'Dragonfall Wasteland' in the northern border, and slaughtered his three supreme divine ancient demon dragons and two hundred divine dragons! General Zhao, following the heroic deeds of his predecessors, built an altar at the highest point of the battlefield to offer sacrifices to the heavens, declaring 'Sealing the Wolf's Nest,' and incorporating the territory of the Giant Dragon Dynasty, which has been cultivated in this realm for many years and covers an area of ​​more than 30 million square miles, along with 100,000 subordinate races, into the territory of our Qianxia!"

Within the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Zhenfu Division, reports of victory were transmitted through the Skynet system, the voices filled with barely suppressed excitement and exhilaration.

The forces that have been able to establish a "dynasty of destiny" at the present stage are all "super races" that fought their way out of the fierce competition in the myriad worlds in the past. Each of them has a profound foundation and possesses massive resources and ancient heritage!
However, in order to "divide up" the seemingly lucrative cake of Qianxia, ​​most of the top experts and more than 70% of the core elite troops in these imperial dynasties have been driven by greed and ambition, and have become deeply involved in the quagmire of war within Qianxia.

Furthermore, because the "Nine Cauldrons" combined with the "Great Wall of Humanity" exerted a powerful suppression and blockade on space, they were unable to leave the battlefield and return to provide support in a short period of time!
Qianxia's counterattack was not just to repel the enemy, but also a "gluttonous feast" meticulously planned by the "Military Affairs Department"!
The target is these powerful enemies who, during the initial century of golden development in the Eternal Land, have accumulated various natural treasures, divine mineral deposits, innate secret realms, and even the foundation of civilization by relying on their racial advantages and first-mover advantage!
This is the most brutal form of "using war to sustain war," sacrificing a portion of one's own unimportant "territory" to lure the enemy deep into one's territory, while one oneself is like a dagger piercing the enemy's heart, seizing the richest nourishment.

This allowed Qianxia to rise against the odds and grow rapidly amidst the "catastrophe" created by the combined forces of all races!
"Your Majesty, great news! Commander Yue Fei, leading the Beiwei Army and the gods of the Plateau Heaven, has launched a surprise attack and breached the secret realm of the 'Soul Clan's Silent Dynasty'—the 'Pool of Ten Thousand Souls Returning to Silence'—where they discovered a primordial spiritual root nurtured by the Soul Clan—the Three Lives Tree!"

In the images transmitted back by the SkyNet, a Three-Life Tree was rooted in the center of the "Soul Pool," which was as black as ink but flowed with seven-colored soul light. The trunk was translucent with a glassy luster, and faint ripples of time permeated the branches and leaves.

A few fruits condensed on it, their shapes illusory, sometimes like an infant curled up (past), sometimes like a youth standing tall (present), and sometimes like an old man in his twilight years (future), constantly changing and emanating an incomparably profound Daoist rhythm of reincarnation!
This fruit has an incredibly miraculous effect. If a cultivator consumes it, they can instantly and briefly project and summon three illusory images belonging to the consumer: their "past body," "present body," and "future body"!
Its effect is similar to the legendary transformation of one breath into three pure ones!

If it can be deeply integrated with Qianxia's existing "reincarnation rules" and unique "Dao Fruit" cultivation system, its strategic value will be immeasurable!

"The Soul Clan? The hatred between this race and my human race is eternal..."

The old man's voice rang out, carrying a chilling edge.

Now he has reconstructed his physical body, his cultivation has reached a higher level, and he has stepped into the realm of gods. However, the world of the past was sacrificed by the Soul Clan, and hundreds of millions of his compatriots were refined into gods.

The painful memory of condensing "soul liquid" with his soul has long been an indelible nightmare in his mind.

He stared at the image of the Three Lives Tree transmitted back from the Heavenly Network, especially the "Soul Pool" that nourished the tree, formed from countless twisted and wailing soul energies, and said in a deep voice.

"Your Majesty, the growth of this Three Lives Tree is probably inseparable from the Soul Clan's slaughter, imprisonment, and refining of the souls of countless intelligent beings. Look at the resentment and true spirits floating in the Soul Pool... If we can release and purify them, perhaps some of the imprisoned human heroes can find peace or be reincarnated. This will be of great use in stabilizing our nation's fortune and uniting the people!"

"Ah."

Summer nodded slightly, her eyes flashing with lightning speed.

"The blood feud between the Soul Clan and my human race will be settled sooner or later. Destroying one of their dynasty now is merely collecting a small amount of interest. Rest assured, Elder Bone, once I, Qian Xia, advance, the Dark Elves, the Soul Clan, the Mountain Ghosts, the Blood Clan... these races whose hands are stained with the blood of my human race, and the gods behind them, will all pay the price!"

His words were calm, yet contained an undeniable determination.

Just like the "Scorpion Emperor" of the Scorpion Clan, whose soul was permanently sealed and enslaved by Lu Bu's "Dragon Soul Battle Banner," turning him into a "Dragon Soul Warrior" who obeyed orders; while his incredibly tough body, containing deadly poison and the laws of the earth, was repeatedly studied, disassembled, and modified by the masters of the "Mechanical Hall" led by Gongshu Ban and Huang Yueying.

Ultimately, it became the core material for the new "God-level War Beast - Scorpion Prototype".

We will forge our own sharp edge with the blood and bones of our enemies!

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

Just then, Qingwen, dressed in colorful clothes and with a pretty face, walked up with light steps, carefully holding a gourd with a lustrous blue light and an understated Taoist charm in her hands.

It was the innate treasure that the "Human God-King" had previously seized from Xuanqiong of the Taixuan Sect and that had been purified by both the national fortune of Qianxia and the will of the Great Wall—the Azure Jade Gourd.

"Your Majesty, Master Ou Yezi and the elders of the Heavenly Mystery Hall have completed their appraisal. This gourd does indeed originate from the innate spiritual root 'Seven Treasures Mystic Vine,' but its essence was once refined by a true god and imbued with the initial will to protect humanity. Its grade and growth potential surpass even the 'Five-Colored Universe Gourd' that our dynasty previously obtained!"

Qingwen's voice was clear and joyful.

"One possesses all five elements, containing the potential for creation; the other has hidden sharpness within, embodying the will to protect. If His Majesty's fortune can be used as a guide, and their origins can be combined through 'grafting' or 'fusion' techniques, it is highly likely that an unprecedented 'innate spiritual treasure' prototype, capable of growing with the nation's fortune, will be born! If this treasure is completed, it may be named—'Qiankun Sword Gourd'!"

Summer took the jade gourd, her fingertips tracing its warm texture, and she could feel a faint yet incredibly pure and intimate aura that resonated subtly with her own bloodline.

His gaze was distant as he spoke slowly.

“Indeed. This gourd, along with all the previous signs… if I am not mistaken, should be one of the contingency plans deliberately left behind by a supreme being of our human race in the past.”

Summer recalled the figure that had appeared on the innate gourd before, a true god with an extremely high status in Chinese mythology—Lingbao!
This title may still be unfamiliar to some of the new generation of humans.

Then another closely related title is absolutely resounding throughout the heavens and renowned for its prestige—"Master of the Intercepting Sect," the Tongtian Sect Master!

That legendary Primordial Limitless Golden Immortal who advocated "education for all, seizing every opportunity for survival".

He is one of the Three Pure Ones of Taoism. His status is so high and his magical power so boundless that in the Chinese mythological system, he is even above the "true gods" such as the Ziwei Emperor and the Zhenwu Emperor!
"Now it seems that he used the hands of these traitors from the Tai Xuan Sect to deliver this 'jade gourd' containing his Daoist essence and gifts to my hands."

"This, perhaps, is a kind of 'guidance'!"

Summer's voice was low and deep, as if she had gained some insight.

In fact, looking back, from the special favor bestowed by the will of the Earth to the "coincidental" opening of the Eternal Land to the relics of human civilization.

Then, at crucial moments, the Heavenly River General (Pigsy), the Curtain-Lifting General (Sandy), and even Chang'e, the Seven Fairies, and other immortals and gods descend one after another!

Even the powerful Bull Demon King and the Golden-Winged Roc, who have made a strong "resurrection" and have clear stances... These clues gradually connect, pointing to something that is becoming increasingly clear.

The strongest warriors of the human race in the past have not completely perished; they had long anticipated this battle...

As the race with the "most wisdom" among all the heavens and myriad realms, and even feared by the gods, the human race's powerful warriors still left behind many contingency plans even after their fall!

This is a game of chess between humans and gods, with the eternal land as the chessboard and all living beings as the pieces.

Qian Xia may become a key "piece" capable of slaying the dragon!
Summer was absolutely certain of this.

Because these "Chinese deities" who have descended upon Qianxia today are not only Chang'e, the Seven Fairies, and others who have "imprinted" on China from the ruins of the Heavenly Court!

There are also powerful alien beings like the Bull Demon King and the Golden-Winged Roc!
"It seems that after characters from the worlds of Water Margin, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and Dream of the Red Chamber have entered our Qianxia in various forms, this land is finally beginning to welcome some characters from the world of Journey to the West, which is the highest level and has the most magnificent and vast power system among the 'Four Great Classical Novels'!"

Although the Journey to the West world does not have a specific division of "sages" and "primordial beings".

However, its grand background, involving immortals, Buddhas, saints, demons, monsters, and countless powerful figures, makes it one of the pinnacles of combat power in Chinese mythology. Even though the Bull Demon King and the Golden-Winged Roc are defined as "quasi-true gods" in this realm, their strength is enough to dominate among their peers, and they can fight multiple opponents without being at a disadvantage.

It should be noted that those who can step into the realm of quasi-true gods are all peerless geniuses favored by the fortunes of their respective races, and these two cannot be considered to be among the top tier in Journey to the West.

Since even such a powerful figure can be "reproduced" in some way.

So how could Lingbao Tianzun, one of the Three Pure Ones, have completely perished?

"It seems the time has come..."

Xia Tian took a deep breath and scanned the countless battlefield images displayed on the SkyNet, spanning the entire territory of Qianxia and even the distant lands of foreign tribes.

Resources, treasures, heritage, traditions, allies, and even ancient, mysterious protection...

In the ultimate baptism of blood and fire, Qian Xia is frantically accumulating all the tangible and intangible conditions required for advancement at a speed that shakes the heavens.

"Now, everything is ready, except for the final push—gaining the recognition of the Eternal Land's will, Qianxia's advancement... Heavenly and Earthly Merit! And the source of merit is right before our eyes!"

Summer's gaze, sharp as a sword, was cast upon the churning black calamity clouds above the Heavenly Pool of Fortune!

This dark cloud was triggered by Qianxia's brazen launch of such a large-scale counterattack and plunder, which forcibly broke the regional balance and reversed the offensive and defensive momentum.

It is the natural backlash from the eternal universe to "drastic changes" and "entanglements of cause and effect," containing calamities, resentment, karmic fire, and endless negative karma...

Although the Path of Destiny is a prominent path in the eternal land, it is also subject to many unseen checks and balances due to the complex background of the shattering of the heavens and the merging of all worlds!
One of them is this "aura of calamity"!
The more abundant the gathering of fortune and the more rapid the development, the greater and more ferocious the "catastrophe" that often follows.

This time, Qian Xia acted against the heavens, swallowing up a massive amount of resources and territory from hostile forces. While the nation's fortune soared, the "catastrophe power" he accumulated also reached an unprecedentedly terrifying level!

This catastrophe is like a sword hanging over our heads. Once it gets out of control, it will be enough to destroy the fate of the Qianxia nation, trigger natural and man-made disasters, and backfire on itself.

This is one of the reasons why many powerful dynasties dare not easily engage in such rampant plundering and expansion—they cannot afford the ensuing catastrophe and backlash!
However, Qianxia's approach was completely different!

"Nine Tripods, the Great Wall!"

The nine illusory cauldrons no longer merely guarded the eight directions; they moved along mysterious trajectories, and the inscriptions on the cauldrons lit up, as if constructing an invisible furnace of laws!

The soul of the Great Wall has fully manifested, no longer a simple defensive barrier, but transformed into a crystal jade dragon with its head held high, roaring silently at the condensed calamity clouds.

"A seven-colored true dragon, a human god-king!"

The spirit of Qianxia's national destiny, the "Seven-Colored True Dragon," broke free from the sea of ​​fortune, its body swelled, and the light of merit flowed on its dragon scales... The "Human God Lord" had eyes as bright as the sun and moon, firmly locking onto the core of the cataclysmic event that was growing darker and darker, seemingly capable of devouring all light.

The immense "catastrophe power" that had been forcibly suppressed and bound by the "Seven-Colored True Dragon" and numerous national treasures began to accelerate its convergence and compression along a pre-arranged and mysterious trajectory!
Dark clouds of catastrophe rolled in, accompanied by lightning and thunder.

It exudes an aura of destruction, as if the end of the world has arrived!
"Huh? What's going on?"

"The calamity and karma that were originally suppressed by Qianxia... are not only not being suppressed further, but are instead being actively gathered together?"

"Qianxia... what are they planning to do? Could it be that they can't control the power of the cataclysm and are going to let it erupt?"

"No! Judging from the arrangement of the altar and Xia Tian's expression... they seem to be doing this on purpose!"

Whether it was the alien gods who were still putting up a stubborn resistance, or the Qianxia allies who were closely monitoring the war situation.

At this moment, everyone felt that the "catastrophe" that froze their souls was being actively guided and condensed, and their hearts were filled with surprise and shock.

Initiating a catastrophe is already insane; actively gathering and condensing a catastrophe is even more unheard of.

"That's... Qianxia holding a high-level sacrificial ceremony to Heaven! What exactly are they trying to do?!"

The four alien quasi-true gods who were fighting the Golden-Winged Roc and the Bull Demon King, as well as many alien deities, were all shaken to their core.

And Xia Tian is the Emperor of Qianxia.

At this moment, he has changed out of his ordinary clothes and into the "Chinese Emperor" crown robes embroidered with the sun, moon, stars, mountains and rivers, people working in the fields, and soldiers going to war.

Wearing a twelve-tassel crown, each string of beads reflects a different aspect of civilization.

With a solemn and dignified expression, yet carrying an air of calm as if he were in complete control, he stepped onto the summit of the "altar of worship."

His voice no longer relied on the Heavenly Net, but instead resonated with the rising fortune, the resounding of the Nine Cauldrons, and the manifestation of the Great Wall, echoing the rules of heaven and earth. It spread with unparalleled clarity throughout the entire battlefield and even extended into the depths of the Eternal Land:
"I, the Emperor of Xia, inherit the rightful lineage of the human race and rule the Great Qian Holy Xia! Today, the armies of all heavens are pressing upon our borders, and all races seek to destroy our lineage. The entire Qian Xia is united in heart and mind, fighting to the death without retreating, and repelling all enemies!"

"In this battle, our Qianxia expanded its territory by hundreds of millions of miles, seized countless resources, saved hundreds of millions of people from suffering, and saved thousands of allies from collapse! This is a glorious achievement!"

"However, excessive conquest and slaughter have entangled cause and effect, giving rise to calamity! This is the way of balance between heaven and earth, and also the test that the Eternal Land will give to our Qianxia!"

At this point, Xia Tian looked up.

His gaze, like the scorching sun, stared directly at the catastrophic core above him, now condensed to its extreme and radiating an aura of world destruction. His voice, like a resounding bell, shook the heavens and earth.
"Today, I will not suppress you with supernatural powers, nor will I evade you with secret techniques!"

"I, the Emperor, swear by the destiny of the Qianxia nation, by the flame of humanity, and by my own status as the Emperor!"

"Here, with all spirits as witnesses, we face this catastrophe!"

"If we can withstand and resolve this calamity in one fell swoop, it will prove to this world that our Qianxia has the qualifications to bear the destiny of the immortal dynasty and the great power to protect all people and stabilize this region!"

"At that time, Heaven and Earth will be moved and will bestow upon us the corresponding merit of 'resisting calamity and protecting all living beings' to help our dynasty achieve its final sublimation!"

"Today, at this very moment—let this calamity serve as a stepping stone to forge my immortal dynasty! Let this merit bear witness to the eternal prosperity of my human race!"

He actually intended to actively trigger that devastating catastrophe, and then use the entire national strength, civilization, and human beliefs of Qianxia as a "shield" and a "furnace" to directly resist and refine it.

Thus, one can obtain the final "merit points," fulfilling the ultimate condition for advancement to a Celestial Dynasty! (End of Chapter)