Chapter 274: with translation of chapter title

Imperial Will!

The great will condensed by a strong empire can be regarded as the aggregate of the entire empire, and is the actual totem of the whole empire.

The stronger the Imperial Will, the more talents the empire produces, and the weather is favorable.

Conversely, the empire suffers continuous natural disasters and endless warfare.

Such an aggregate of the will of all the empire's citizens naturally possesses tremendous power.

Generally, it is not difficult for the Imperial Will to distort reality; suppressing a few legends is merely a matter of moments.

However, the Imperial Will carried by the imperial decree in Zheng He's hand is merely a primer, guiding the Ming emperor to project the Imperial Will across ten thousand li to the fleet.

But no matter how strong the Imperial Will, once it leaves Ming territory and crosses a great distance, the aid it gives the fleet remains quite limited.

"Your servant begs another decree! Please, Your Majesty, extend aid! Suppress the evil spirits!"

Zheng He enjoyed deep trust from the Ming emperor, who gave him three imperial decrees before his departure to turn danger into safety at critical moments.

When they had just set sail, they encountered a storm raised by an evil god; Zheng He used the first decree, but he never expected to have to use a second one so soon.

Between heaven and earth, a grand assent echoed from the dark.

"Granted!"

"Your servant, I receive the decree!"

Zheng He took a deep breath and hurled the decree straight toward the monster.

A tremendous power descended from heaven, firmly pressing the monster in place.

"Everyone, fight for the Ming!"

Zheng He shed his official robes, revealing a vigorous outfit, drew a long spear, continuously drawing in Cloud Energy to bombard the monster.

"With this true qi, we harmonize with the creation of heaven and earth!"

At this moment, the Wudang immortal also began to fight desperately, pulling out several glowing talismans from his body, using his sword as a guide, and attacked the huge monster.

"Disciple Zhang Tianjue implores the Primordial Commander, Red Heart Guardian of the Dao, the Three-Five Fire Chariot King Heavenly Lord, to manifest his divine power and assist!"

The talismans turned into boundless thunder; a sea of lightning spread from the firmament. A towering deity clad in golden armor and red robes, with three brows, holding a golden seal in the left hand and raising a golden whip in the right, emerged from the lightning sea—looking fierce and malevolent. The myriad thunder gathered in his whip, and he struck down at the monster.

"Boom!"

The golden whip smashed onto the monster's body, instantly inflicting unimaginable damage, shattering half of its form.

Following that, the vast sea of thunder burst forth, lightning ravaging the monster's body; though the monster could only struggle desperately under the Imperial Will's suppression, it could not resist the attack.

It could only rely on its formidable body to bluntly withstand the assaults.

Seeing the Wudang immortal begin to summon deities, the abbot of the Great Gratitude Temple also started to invoke Buddhas; the most potent arts of Buddhism and Daoism are not thunder or Buddhist spells, but summoning beings.

"Disciple respectfully invites the Arhat to subdue demons!"

Only to see the abbot press his palms together; several sarira flew from his bosom, emitting boundless golden light. A majestic, radiant golden Arhat appeared in mid‑air, eyes wide with fury, and he punched down, shattering another large portion of the monster's body.

"Roar!"

The monster, feeling pain again, went berserk; the decree that had been suppressing it instantly shattered in the terrifying chaotic aura.

Immediately, countless tentacles lashed upward to strangle; the Wang Ling official manifested from the talismans and the Luo Han manifested from the sarira were engulfed by the tentacles.

In the next instant, accompanied by a booming roar, the radiant golden Arhat and the mighty, fearsome spirit official all turned into fragments and dissipated in the air.

"Uh‑oh!"

Mu Yi's face showed worry; of course the deities summoned by the immortal and abbot could not be the true forms of immortals and Buddhas, but relying merely on incense and medium was enough for these immortals and Buddhas to exert the utmost power allowed by the world.

Yet even such power failed to crush the massive monster—what on earth is this thing?

It's a pity this world cannot accommodate the descent of true immortals and Buddhas; we cannot summon their genuine spirits, but even that Arhat or that spirit official would be enough to reduce the monster to ashes.

However, if the world could host immortals and Buddhas manifesting among mortals, there would be no need for Mu Yi to come handle this affair.

Naturally, King Yama and the judges would deal with it; a monster like this would surely conform to the wishes of the Blessing‑and‑Home‑Guardian Holy Lord Zhong Kui.

"Please, Great Sage Ancestor, subdue the demons!"

Seeing both Buddhist and Daoist sides summoning beings, the already‑weak Confucian scholar, unwilling to be outdone, produced a copy of Mencius from his bosom.

"I am skilled at nurturing my vast and righteous qi!"

Accompanied by bursts of reading aloud, huge golden characters appeared in the firmament, then transformed into a majestic voice.

"Righteousness!"

Only to hear a grand proclamation between heaven and earth; a colossal "Righteousness" character descended from the sky, accompanied by the vast, righteous qi, pressing down on the monster that had just recovered.

Mu Yi's eyes twitched as he glanced at the few people; truly, it was like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each displaying their divine powers.

"What are you waiting for, exalted deity!" Zheng He shouted loudly at Mu Yi, seemingly urging him to summon someone.

They have pretty much revealed all their trump cards, yet even so they haven't killed the monster opposite; if Mu Yi doesn't act now, they might very well die here today.

Mu Yi's eye twitched again, but he still did not activate the token.

It's just summoning a deity—he can do that too!

"I respectfully summon the Eastern Ghost Emperors, Shentu and Yulu!" Mu Yi produced a fragment of the Ghost Gate from the seal and activated it directly.

"Hahaha, Mu Xiaoge, you've finally called us out!"

The Ghost Gate manifested from the void; Shentu and Yulu laughed loudly as they pushed open the Ghost Gate, appearing in mid‑air.

"Heh~ you've found us a worthy opponent!"

Shentu's gaze swept past the monster restrained by the 'Righteousness' character and plunged straight into the deep sea.

"Heh, Mu Xiaoge, you're in a bit of trouble now!"

Yulu's laughing expression gradually faded; he lifted his head to look at the firmament and perceived an existence beyond the world.

"Roar!"

While the two deities were speaking, the monster had already shattered the 'Righteousness' character and resumed its howl; apparently wary of the two ghost emperors, countless tentacles did not attack them but instead extended toward the fleet.

"This is of great importance; please, two ghost emperors, subdue the demons first!" Mu Yi shouted loudly.

Unlike the deities summoned by the three schools of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism, what he summons is the true spirit of the Ghost Emperor; even if its power is limited by heaven and earth, it is nonetheless a genuine deity.

Translation: "Unlike the spirits summoned by the Buddhist, Confucian, and Daoist three schools, what he summons is the true spirit of a ghost emperor; even if its power is limited by heaven and earth, it is a genuine spirit."

We need to keep concise. Use "Buddhist, Confucian, and Daoist three schools" maybe "the three teachings of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism". But keep meaning.

Let's produce: "Unlike the spirits summoned by the Buddhist, Confucian, and Daoist three schools, what he summons is the true spirit of a ghost emperor; even if its power is limited by heaven and earth, it is a genuine spirit."

"Hmph, you brat are still trying to command us!" Shentu laughed loudly, and the halberd in his hand came down from the firmament.

Translation: "Heh heh, you brat still dare to command us!" Shentu laughed loudly, and the halberd in his hand came down from the firmament."

Shentu laughed loudly, and the halberd in his hand came down from the firmament.

The tentacles extending from the deep‑sea monster were instantly cut off and fell into the ocean.

Translation: "The tentacles extended by the deep-sea monster were instantly all cut off and fell into the ocean."

However, the tentacles that fell into the sea did not lose vitality; instead, they seemed to proliferate and surged toward the fleet's cloud shield.

Translation: "However, the tentacles that had fallen into the ocean not only did not lose vitality, but instead seemed to proliferate, charging toward the fleet's Cloud Energy barrier."

"Oh? Such strong life force!"

Translation: "Oh? Such strong vitality!"

Shentu was momentarily stunned, then continued to swing his halberd; the tentacles that had just been proliferating instantly turned gray‑white.

Translation: "Shentu stared for a moment, then continued waving his halberd; the tentacles that had just been proliferating instantly turned gray-white."

Mu Yi saw clearly that the death ripple instantly infected all the tentacles, extinguishing their life force with the breath of death.

Translation: "Mu Yi saw clearly that a ripple of death instantly infected all the tentacles, and their vitality was completely extinguished by the aura of death."

Mu Yi was instantly chilled; this terrifying technique was like a replica of the Book of Life and Death, yet far more direct and impactful.

Translation: "Mu Yi instantly felt a chill run down his spine; this terrifying method was practically a copy of the Life and Death Ledger, yet even more direct and impactful."

"Stop playing around, the big guy is coming!"

Translation: "Stop playing around, the big guy is coming!"

Yulei withdrew his gaze from the heavens and lowered his head toward the deep sea.

Translation: "Yulei withdrew his gaze from the firmament and lowered his head to look toward the deep sea."

Compared with their mode of descending with partial true spirits bearing power, the opponent turned out to be the true body whose strength is restrained.

Translation: "Compared to their form of descending as partial true spirits carrying power, the opponent is actually a true body whose power is limited."

Both are deities with the same heavenly limit of power, but the opponent possesses a true body, so their strength is somewhat lacking.

Translation: "Both are spirits with the same heavenly limit on power, but the opponent has a true body, making their strength seem rather lacking."

"I understand!"

Translation: "I understand!"

Shentu, who had been mocking the monster, suddenly grew serious; he had assumed they were merely avatars descending, but to his surprise it was the true form, which made a real difference.

Translation: "Shentu, who had been toying with the monster, also turned solemn; he had thought they were just avatars descending like them, but didn't expect it to be the true body, which really is different."

"Die!"

Translation: "Die!"

Shentu and Yulei let out a thunderous shout; two death ripples rippled across the sea, and the once‑stormy ocean instantly calmed.

Translation: "Shentu and Yulei shouted in unison; two ripples of death spread across the ocean, and the sea, which had been churned by battle, instantly returned to calm."

It was as if the entire ocean had been slain.

Translation: "It was as if the entire ocean had been killed."

The gigantic monster that had been stirring up waves lost its life force in an instant, turning gray‑white and beginning to fracture piece by piece.

Translation: "And the giant monster that had just been stirring up waves instantly lost its vitality, turned gray-white, and began to break apart bit by bit."

"So this is a celestial deity?" Mu Yi stared in disbelief; he knew celestial deities were powerful, but never expected them to be this strong.

Translation: "Is this an immortal god?" Mu Yi stared, knowing immortal gods are strong, but he hadn't expected them to be this strong."

And this is only an avatar; imagine how terrifying the true body must be.

Translation: "And this is only an avatar; just how terrifying must the true body be."

Before Mu Yi could finish his thought, a chaotic aura spread throughout the world.

Translation: "Before Mu Yi could finish thinking, a chaotic aura spread throughout the heavens and earth."

System prompt: You are under a will attack; performing a will check…

Translation: ""Zongwang Prompt: You are suffering a will attack, undergoing a will check……""

Will check failed; your sanity is sharply decreasing, and your reason is beginning to be affected…

Translation: ""Will check failed, your sanity value begins to drop sharply, your reason begins to be affected……""

A feeling completely different from before; Mu Yi was affected just by a glance, and his eyes were instantly tinged with vivid crimson.

Translation: "Unlike anything before, Mu Yi was affected after just a glance; his eyes were instantly stained with bloody red."

Curses, fear, chaos… a series of indescribable forces capable of corroding all things and reshaping the plane began to touch Mu Yi's body; his retinas flashed with a flood of information, almost none of which could be called good news.

Translation: "Curses, fear, chaos… a series of indescribable powers capable of corroding all things and altering planar environments began to touch Mu Yi's body; his retina flashed with dense information, almost none of it good news."

"It's Him! It's Him!"

Translation: "It's Him! It's Him!"

The roar of the North Sea Dragon King was filled with terror; he remembered, this was the "Great Horror" they had seen at the far west sea, an evil god from beyond the plane.

Translation: "The North Sea Dragon King's cry was full of fear; he remembered—this was the great horror they had seen at the extreme of the West Sea, an evil god from beyond the plane."

The evil god finally revealed its true form, and Mu Yi finally saw what this deity looked like.

Translation: "The evil god finally revealed its true form, and Mu Yi finally knew what it looked like."

Its outline vaguely resembled a human shape, but it bore a head like an octopus with numerous tentacles; its body was a gelatinous mass covered in scales, equipped with massive clawed feet, and a pair of slender wings on its back. Its extremely bulky torso sprouted countless heads like stars, each outward‑facing face expressing a pilgrim‑like reverence.

Translation: "Vaguely humanoid in outline, yet it had a brain like an octopus with countless tentacles, its body like a gelatinous mass covered in scales, with gigantic talons, and behind it a pair of elongated wings; on its abnormally obese torso grew brains as numerous as stars, each outward-facing face showing an expression of reverent pilgrimage."

Strange—utterly bizarre—countless crimson eyes seemed to transcend everything and appeared directly in Mu Yi's mind.

Translation: "Strange, beyond strange, countless scarlet pupils seemed to transcend everything and appear directly in Mu Yi's mind."

Even with the cloud shield's protection, just a single glance was enough to drive the ship's soldiers into madness.

Translation: "Even with the Cloud Energy barrier protecting them, just one glance was enough to drive the sailors on the ships mad."

Zheng He wore a grim expression; he knew this mission would be a huge trouble. He had thought the creature they just faced was the final monster, but it turned out to be the evil god itself.

Translation: "Zheng He's expression was grim; he knew this mission would be a major trouble, having thought that thing earlier was just the final monster, but he hadn't expected it to be the evil god itself."

At first he assumed at most some fragments of the evil god had fallen into the sea and polluted it; he never imagined an entire evil god would descend upon the world.

Translation: "He initially thought at most it was just some fragments of the evil god that had fallen into the ocean and polluted it, never imagining that an evil god itself had descended into the world."

At this moment he felt helpless; there was no way to fight, the gap between them was too vast.

Translation: "At this point he also felt helpless; there was simply no way to fight, the gap between the two sides was too great."

The navy he fielded consisted of hand‑picked elite veterans, yet these veterans went mad the instant they witnessed the evil god, even turning on each other.

Translation: "The navy he commanded were elite veterans handpicked from thousands, yet upon witnessing the evil god for a single second they fell into madness and even began to kill each other."

This was even under the cloud shield; without it, those soldiers would probably have already become deep‑divers.

Translation: "This is still under the protection of Cloud Energy; without it, these soldiers would likely have already begun to turn into deep divers."

Watching Shentu and Yulei in the sky, Zheng He could only now place his hope in these two great deities.

Translation: "Looking at Shentu and Yulei in the sky, Zheng He could only hope to rely on these two great deities."

His trump card had been completely exhausted.

Translation: "His trump cards have been completely exhausted."

"Die!" Shentu and Yulei exchanged a glance and once again combined to unleash a death ripple.

Translation: ""Die!" Shentu and Yulei exchanged a glance, then jointly unleashed the death ripple once more."

However, this time the death ripple failed to produce any effect; it was struck by a chaotic ripple in midair and was directly nullified in the void.

Translation: "However, this time the death ripple had no further effect; it was struck by a chaotic ripple in midair and canceled out directly in the void."

The death ripple was killing chaos, while the chaotic ripple was distorting death; the two conceptual attacks clashed in the void.

Translation: "The death ripple was killing chaos, while the chaotic ripple was distorting death; these two conceptual attacks opposed each other in the void."

"Trouble! This guy might be on par with you and me!"

Translation: ""Trouble! This guy might be no less than us!""

Shentu and Yulei's expressions grew solemn; if they were merely ordinary deities with a true body, the two could still try to fight.

Translation: "Shentu and Yulei's faces grew solemn; if it were merely an ordinary spirit with a true body, they two could still try to fight."

But under the current circumstances, the opponent's full‑power strength as an evil god is unlikely to be much lower than either of them.

Translation: "But now, the evil god's peak strength likely is not much lower than either of them."

"What do we do? We might lose!"

Translation: ""What do we do? We might lose!""

Shentu and Yulei wore grave expressions.

Translation: "Shentu and Yulei's faces were solemn."

"The true body is already on its way, but even if it arrives, there's probably nothing we can do…"

Translation: ""The true body is already on its way, but even if it arrives, I'm afraid there's nothing we can do……""

Shentu and Yulei couldn't help but look beyond the world; beyond it, numerous evil gods in their prime exist.

Translation: "Shentu and Yulei involuntarily looked outward beyond the world; beyond the world, evil gods in their prime are not few."

They are blocked by the Nine‑Continents consciousness outside the world, and in the void they ravage everything indiscriminately, even the sun is being corroded by them.

Translation: "They were blocked by the Jiuzhou consciousness outside the world, and in the void they wantonly corroded everything around them, even the sun being eroded by them."

Based on current estimates, each of those evil gods beyond the world might not be weaker than the two of them.

Translation: "Based on the present, it's conceivable that each of those evil gods outside the world is not inferior to their strength."

They're not afraid to fight, but the problem is they can't intervene from the outside; how to deal with the evil god inside the world?

Translation: "They aren't afraid to fight, but the problem is they can't intervene from outside; how to deal with this evil god inside the world."

They can't really blow up the whole world, for that would erase all the merit they've accumulated since antiquity.

Translation: "We can't really blow up the world together, otherwise the karma would likely directly wipe out all the merit they've accumulated from ancient times to now."

"What is this world? How could it attract so many monsters?" Shentu and Yulei were somewhat frustrated.

Translation: ""What does this world even have? Why would it attract so many monsters?" Shentu and Yulei felt somewhat gloomy."

Logically, this world shouldn't be able to draw the attention of these evil gods; it's merely a tiny world that even celestial deities cannot bear, yet this oddity occurred.

Translation: "Logically, this world should not draw the attention of such evil gods at all; it's merely a tiny world that even immortal gods cannot sustain, yet this strange thing indeed happened."

"Never mind, you and I will join forces, give our all to suppress this monster, and deal with the rest when the true body arrives!"

Translation: ""Never mind, let's join forces and suppress this monster with all our strength; we'll talk about the rest when the true body arrives!""

Shentu and Yulei, with solemn expressions, invoked heaven and earth, transforming into towering giants that grappled with the evil god.

Translation: "Shentu and Yulei's expressions turned grave; they directly invoked heaven and earth, transforming into giants that pierce the heavens and penetrate the earth, and became entwined in combat with the evil god."

"Even if it's death, I'll never let you have it easy!"

Translation: ""Even if I die, I will certainly not let you have an easy time!""

At this point Zheng He could see it; although both sides are divine beings, their current power ceiling is only that of a level‑30 legend, which Zheng He could still comprehend.

Translation: "By now Zheng He had realized that, although both sides are of divine rank, their current power ceiling is only level 30 Legend, and he could still understand that."

Seeing the evil god suppressed, he roared, brandishing his long spear, gathering cloud qi and desperately launched an attack at the evil god.

Translation: "Seeing the evil god suppressed, he immediately roared, brandished his spear condensed with Cloud Energy, and launched a desperate attack at the evil god."

After the self-circulating system started, it relied entirely on inertia; even though the soldiers on the ship had basically gone mad, the fleet's self-circulating operation had not stopped.

Zheng He can at any time still mobilize a huge amount of Cloud Energy to attack.

Those who can still stay awake right now are taking pills handful by handful, throwing out stacks of talismans.

It is entirely a desperate burst carried out under a life-and-death crisis.

However, even if everyone works together, the damage to the Evil God is still barely noticeable; they cannot even wipe out the Evil God's followers, let alone the Evil God itself.

The wounds they just inflicted heal up again in the next moment.

Even when the vast majority of attacks land on the opponent's body, they are already canceled out by the opponent's inherent Chaotic True Intent.

It is basically impossible to inflict obvious and fatal damage.