Chapter 1040

Heavenly Stem Jia No. 17 Hunting Ground.

Translation: "Heavenly Stem Jia No. 17 Hunting Ground."

The earth was blasted apart, layer after layer of rock strata spanning tens of thousands of li were torn open by immense divine power, revealing the dense, spider‑web‑like black passageways below.

Translation: "The earth was blasted apart, and blocks of rock layers tens of thousands of li in extent were ripped open by great divine powers, revealing the pitch-black passages below, densely packed like a spiderweb."

Note: we must keep the number exactly as "tens of thousands of li".

Countless warships of various sizes hover above each massive cavern, while huge crowds of ferocious‑looking warriors in heavy armor stand on the ships, grinning downwards incessantly.

Translation: "Countless warships of various sizes hovered above each massive earth cavern, while huge throngs of ferocious-faced warriors clad in heavy armor stood on the warships, sneering down incessantly."

Artillery fire pours like rain, lightning flashes like hail, screaming as it bombards downward.

Translation: "Artillery fire fell like rain, lightning like hail, howling as it bombarded downward."

Heavenly Stem Jia No. 17 Hunting Ground differs from the Heavenly Stem Jia No. 1 Hunting Ground of Wu Tie's lineage; here the surface world is controlled by a sect alliance of humans, monsters, and demons, while the underground world is inhabited by countless human descendants divided into dozens of large and small dynasties.

Translation: "Heavenly Stem Jia No. 17 Hunting Ground differs from the Heavenly Stem Jia No. 1 Hunting Ground where Wu Tie originates; here the surface world is controlled by an alliance of sects from the human, monster, and demon races, while the underground world is inhabited by countless human descendants, divided into dozens of large and small states."

Note: we must use the glossary entry Wu Tie.

Originally, at Hunting Ground Seventeen, the monster and demon sects clashed with the human sects, fighting over resources and blood food.

Translation: "Originally, in Hunting Ground Seventeen, monster and demon sects and human sects fought each other fiercely, vying for resources and blood food."

At the same time, they also joined forces to jointly invade the human dynasties underground.

Translation: "At the same time, they also joined forces together to invade the human dynasty of the underground."

The stalemate between the two sides was suddenly broken more than a year ago.

Translation: "The stalemate between the two sides was suddenly broken more than a year ago."

In the underground world, the You Wang Divine Dynasty suddenly turned traitor, allying with the eighteen strongest human sects of the surface world; countless sect disciples, led by the You Wang Divine Dynasty, invaded the underground and, in just two months, overthrew over a dozen large and small underground dynasties.

Translation: "In the underground world, the greatest You Wang Divine Dynasty suddenly turned traitor, allying with the eighteen strongest sects of the human race in the surface world; countless sect disciples, under the leadership of the You Wang Divine Dynasty, invaded the underground world and, in just two months, toppled over a dozen large and small underground states."

We need to decide the translation for You Wang Divine Dynasty: "You Wang Divine Dynasty". We'll use that.

The monster and demon sects, upon hearing the news, struck back, stabbing the human sects in the back and destroying thirteen of them.

Translation: "Upon hearing the news, the monster and demon sects sprang into action, stabbing the human sects in the back and breaking thirteen of them."

The human sects, enraged, conscripted the enslaved soldiers they had subdued from the underground and launched a furious counterattack.

Translation: "The human sects were furious, and, dragging along the enslaved soldier warriors they had subdued from the underground world, they launched a furious counterattack."

The monster sects, human sects, and underground world fought until heaven and earth were shattered; to strengthen their power, massive sacrifices appeared each day, with crowds of common folk slaughtered, and each day new Venerable experts emerged among the three forces, continually joining the battlefield.

Translation: "Monster sects, human sects, and the underground world fought until heaven and earth were shattered; to increase their strength, massive sacrifices appeared daily, with huge crowds of human commoners slaughtered, and each day new Venerable experts emerged from the three forces, continually joining the battlefield."

Note: we will translate Venerable experts as "Venerable experts".

As Venerable experts continually emerged, the fighting grew ever more brutal.

Translation: "As Venerable experts kept emerging, the war grew ever more brutal."

The natural barrier of the underground world—those thick rock layers—was violently torn open, exposing countless underground peoples directly to the surface sects.

Translation: "The natural barrier of the underground world—those thick rock layers—was violently ripped open, exposing countless underground clans directly before the surface sects."

Passageways collapsed, stone chambers were flooded with lava, poisonous gases rose, subterranean fires churned, and countless altars of various sizes hovered above these huge caverns, while the wails of the slain shook heaven and earth.

Translation: "Passages collapsed, stone chambers were flooded with lava, poisonous vapors rose, subterranean fires boiled, and altars of various sizes hovered above these huge earth caverns, while the wails of countless slain beings shook heaven and earth."

The current You Wang stood upon a gigantic skull warship, his whole body emanating a powerful Venerable aura.

Translation: "The current You Wang stood upon a gigantic skull warship, his whole body emanating a powerful Venerable aura."

The current You Wang stood upon a gigantic skull warship, his whole body emanating a powerful Venerable aura.

Dozens of Divine Manifestation Realm experts from the underground peoples surged into the sky, howling as they charged toward You Wang's warship. You Wang lightly slapped with his right hand; behind him, a terrifying apparition of an ox‑headed humanoid flickered and vanished, instantly reducing the dozens of Divine Manifestation Realm experts to dust.

Translation: "Several dozen Divine Manifestation Realm experts from the underground clans shot up into the sky, howling as they charged toward the warship where You Wang was. With a light pat of his right hand, a terrifying ox-headed humanoid apparition behind him flickered and vanished, and those several dozen Divine Manifestation Realm experts instantly exploded into dust."

Columns of light shot up into the sky, and the altars hovering in the air trembled violently.

Translation: "Columns of light shot up into the sky, and the altars hovering in the air violently trembled."

Fragments of soul crystals and clusters of blood‑line essence flashed with dazzling light, screaming as they flew into the altars, then transformed into streams of light that shot rapidly upward.

Translation: "Soul crystals and clusters of bloodline essence flashed with dazzling light, howling as they flew into the altars, then transformed into a stream of light that shot rapidly upward into the sky."

"The Empress is right…… a person lives but once, and should indulge in pleasure." You Wang looked down at the frenzied slaughter of beings below, like grass being cut, and suddenly burst into hysterical laughter: "For these ants, to spend a lifetime's time and effort, hiding underground like a mole that never sees the sun—what right do they have?"

Translation: "\"The Empress is right…… in one's life, one should indulge in pleasure. \" You Wang looked down at the frenzied slaughter of beings below, like mowing grass, and suddenly burst into hysterical laughter: \"For these ants, to spend a lifetime's time and effort, hiding like a mole in the sunless underground—what for? \""

You Wang gazed up at the sky and murmured, "I, a peerless talent of unmatched brilliance, ought to sit on a lofty throne in the clouds, look down upon all beings, and enjoy boundless glory."

Translation: "You Wang gazed up at the sky and murmured: \"A peerless figure of my heavenly talent ought to sit on a lofty throne in the clouds, looking down upon all beings and enjoying boundless glory…\""

"What is the future of humanity? What is humanity's destiny?"

Translation: "\"The future of the human race, the destiny of the human race? \""

"Bah!"

Translation: "\"Pah! \""

You Wang said in a deep voice, "One who does not act for oneself invites heavenly punishment and earthly ruin."

Translation: "You Wang said in a deep voice: \"If one does not act for oneself, heaven will punish and earth will destroy…\""

"Come, come, gods, enjoy my offerings; then let me become stronger, strong enough to slaughter… these damned wretches."

Translation: "\"Come, come, O gods, enjoy my sacrifice, then let me become even stronger—strong enough that I can slaughter… these damned wretches. \""

You Wang cast a furtive glance at a distant fleet of warships.

Translation: "You Wang's furtive glance flicked toward a distant group of warships."

The senior leaders of the eighteen surface human sects with whom he had colluded were commanding the battle from that very fleet.

Translation: "The senior leaders of the eighteen surface human sects with whom he had colluded were commanding the battle from that very group of warships."

Farther away, a massive host of warships shrouded in black smoke and mist attacked frenziedly; these were the warships of the monster‑demon sect alliance, their enemies.

Translation: "Farther off, a massive throng of warships shrouded in black smoke and mist was attacking frenziedly—these were the warships of the monster-demon sect alliance, their enemies."

The two sides were locked in a vicious dog‑fight, tearing at each other while jointly attacking the human descendants of the underground world.

Translation: "The two sides were locked in a vicious dog‑fight, tearing at each other while jointly attacking the human descendants of the underground world."

Hunting Ground Seventeen had descended into utter chaos; the war raged like a savage beast, devouring hundreds of millions of lives each day.

Translation: "Hunting Ground Seventeen had descended into utter chaos; the war raged like a savage beast, devouring hundreds of millions of lives each day."

High above, a teleportation gate set up by the Soul‑Hunting Sect suddenly flared to life; dozens of crystal bases glittered with dazzling light, slowly expanding outward.

Translation: "In the high sky, a teleportation spatial gate set up by the human sect Soul‑Hunting Sect suddenly lit up, dozens of crystal bases flashing with dazzling light as they slowly expanded outward."

An Elder of the Soul‑Hunting Sect burst out laughing: "Hahaha, after all, our reinforcements arrived a step early…… you all will die today. Hahaha, turning you into sacrifices is the ultimate use!"

Translation: "An Elder of the Soul‑Hunting Sect burst out laughing: "Hahaha, after all, our reinforcements arrived a step early…… you all will die today. Hahaha, turning you into sacrifices is the ultimate use!""

Then the teleportation gate expanded rapidly; although it had originally been no more than a thousand zhang in diameter, it instantly swelled to a diameter of twenty li.

Translation: "Then the spatial gate expanded rapidly; though it had originally been at most a thousand zhang in diameter, it instantly swelled to a diameter of twenty li."

"No, no, these aren't our people, they aren't our people!"

Translation: "\"Wrong, wrong, not our people, not our people! \"

A formation master of the Soul‑Hunting Sect screamed hoarsely: "It's outsiders, outsiders…… they know our spatial coordinates, they are using our spatial coordinates to forcibly tear through space and shift!"

Translation: "A formation master of the Soul‑Hunting Sect screamed hoarsely: "It's outsiders, outsiders…… they know our spatial coordinates, they are using our spatial coordinates to forcibly tear through space and shift!""

You Wang instinctively felt a chill run down his spine; his body shuddered violently, and a surge of Cold Qi shot from his tailbone to the back of his head.

Translation: "You Wang instinctively felt a chill run down his spine, his body shuddering violently as a cold qi surged from his tailbone straight to the back of his head."

a surge of Cold Qi shot from his tailbone to the back of his head.

This is his innate divine ability, an extremely keen sense of danger.

Translation: "This is his innate divine ability, an extremely keen danger sense."

This talent had saved him dozens of times from certain death, allowing him to repeatedly escape from the brink.

Translation: "This talent had saved him dozens of times from certain death, letting him repeatedly escape from the brink."

A terrifying crisis is approaching—danger, danger, danger……

Translation: "A terrifying danger was approaching—danger, danger, danger…"

Immense terror, immense danger……

Translation: "Immense terror, immense danger…"

Everyone present…… no, not everyone—it's You Wang's subordinates, plus members of the human‑monster‑demon sect alliance—will die, will die!

Translation: "Everyone present…… no, not everyone, but You Wang's subordinates, plus the members of the human‑monster‑demon sect alliance, would all die, would all die!"

"Shut that damned door!" You Wang roared hoarsely: "Damn it, shut this broken gate!"

Translation: "\"Shut that damned door! \" You Wang roared hoarsely: \"Damn it, shut this broken gate! \"

Several formation masters of the Soul‑Hunting Sect chanted hoarsely, throwing hand seals one after another at the rapidly expanding teleportation gate, but no matter how hard they tried, the gate remained stubbornly open.

Translation: "Several formation masters of the Soul‑Hunting Sect chanted hoarsely, throwing hand seal after hand seal at the rapidly expanding spatial gate in the air, but no matter how hard they tried, the gate stubbornly remained open."

With a tremendous boom, the teleportation gate finally stabilized at a diameter of fifty li.

Translation: "With a tremendous \"Boom, \" the spatial gate finally stabilized at a diameter of fifty li."

The formation masters of the Soul‑Hunting Sect each vomited blood, their internal organs rupturing, and they collapsed helplessly onto the warship's deck.

Translation: "All the formation masters of the Soul‑Hunting Sect coughed up blood, their five viscera and six bowels rupturing completely, and they collapsed helplessly onto the warship's deck."

A colossal warship a hundred li long, thirty‑six li wide, and twelve li high loomed like a gigantic manta ray; due to its enormous bulk, its flight seemed slow but was actually as swift as wind and lightning as it leapt forth from the teleportation gate.

Translation: "A colossal warship a hundred li long, thirty‑six li wide, and twelve li high resembled a gigantic manta ray; due to its enormous bulk, it seemed slow in flight, yet it shot out of the spatial gate with lightning speed."

A low hum resonated.

Translation: "A low \"Hum\" sounded."

The massive warship's side armor plates slid open, and black warships 150 zhang long, shaped like evil sharks, shot out from its hold like frenzied hornets bursting from a nest.

Translation: "The hull armor plates on either side of the colossal warship slowly slid open, and rows of black warships, each 150 zhang long and shaped like evil sharks, shot out of the massive hold like frenzied hornets bursting from a hive."

Moreover, towering figures about two zhang tall, human in shape, pitch‑black with no sheen, only their eye sockets glowing with twin clusters of crimson spectral light, flew out as giant god‑warriors from the hold.

Translation: "Moreover, towering figures about two zhang tall, human in shape, pitch‑black with no sheen whatsoever, save for two clusters of scarlet ghostly light flickering in their eye sockets, flew out of the hold as colossal divine soldiers."

Dense ranks of these giant god‑warriors swiftly formed a massive formation in the high sky, the crimson light in their eyes weaving into huge nets of light that swept rapidly across the ground.

Translation: "Dense ranks of the colossal divine soldiers swiftly formed a massive formation in the high sky, the scarlet light in their eyes condensing into huge nets of light that swept rapidly across the ground."

A mournful, anguished howl echoed from within the colossal warship.

Translation: "A mournful, anguished howl echoed from within that giant warship."

Within a radius of ten million li, all beings—whether the myriad peoples of the underground or the surface sect alliance—felt their souls wracked with excruciating pain, then collapsed helplessly, unable to fight any further.

Translation: "Within a radius of ten million li, all beings—whether the myriad clans of the underground world or the surface sect alliance—felt only excruciating soul‑pain, then collapsed paralyzed, losing all capacity to fight."

A cold voice rang from the massive warship: "Carefully distinguish—do not harm a single human descendant; slay every lackey of the gods!"

Translation: "A cold voice came from that warship: \"Carefully discern—do not mistakenly harm a single human descendant; the lackeys of the gods… shall all be slain! \"

In the deep tunnels, several blood‑soaked, heavily wounded Divine Manifestation Realm ox‑headed sturdy men stared blankly, then, as if injected with adrenaline, they leapt up, waving their arms and legs as they howled at the huge warship in the sky.

Translation: "In the deep pit, several blood‑soaked, heavily wounded Divine Manifestation Realm ox‑headed sturdy men stared blankly, then, as if injected with chicken blood, they leapt up, waving arms and legs, howling at the giant warship in the sky."

"They…… they are the lackeys of demons!"

Translation: "\"They…… they are the lackeys of evil demons! \"

"The You Wang Divine Dynasty are traitors…… traitors…… they have colluded…… colluded……"

Translation: "\"The You Wang Divine Dynasty is a traitor…… a traitor…… they have colluded…… colluded……\""

The Soul‑Hunting Sect, together with several other sects and the invading monster‑demon sect alliance, saw nearly thirty Venerable auras surge into the sky.

Translation: "The Soul‑Hunting Sect, together with a few other sects and the invading monster‑demon sect alliance, saw nearly thirty Venerable auras shoot up into the sky."

These Venerable experts had previously faced off against each other in battle, unable to spare the effort to strike down the underground warriors; now they suddenly realized that the assailants aboard this massive warship were their common enemy.

Translation: "These Venerable experts had previously faced off against each other in battle, unable to spare the effort to kill the underground warriors; now they suddenly realized that the attackers emerging from this giant warship were their common enemy!"

"Retreat!" You Wang issued the order in a low voice.

Translation: "\"Retreat! \" You Wang issued the command in a low voice."

"Who goes there? How dare you be so arrogant? Since you've come, don't leave!" Several Elders of the Soul-Hunting Sect present roared in unison.

Exactly one hundred venerable-level auras emanated from the giant ship; one hundred venerable experts clad in heavy armor turned into streams of light, howling as they rushed out of the ship and dove downward.

But faster than these venerable experts were the giant divine soldiers already arrayed in battle formation high in the sky.

Exactly one hundred million divine soldiers, their eyes flashing with scarlet gloom, each of the one hundred million divine soldiers simultaneously sprayed fine high-temperature red light, concentrating fire to strike the head of a demon venerable rapidly soaring into the sky.

According to the calculations of these divine soldiers, this demon venerable was the weakest among the twenty-some venerable enemies.

Two hundred million strands of extremely fine red light struck the demon venerable's forehead, a spot only the size of a soybean. As the fine specks fell, a crisp crack sounded; the demon venerable's protective demonic aura was pierced, its skull instantly vaporized, and even a trace of innate spiritual light was blown away to nothing.

'Hiss—'!

In a single breath, the one hundred million divine soldiers fired three volleys.

One monster venerable and two demon venerables fell completely amidst the red rain falling from the sky.

In the sky and underground, countless soldiers retained in their eyes the afterimage of dense scarlet light flames, staring blankly at the sky.

The aura of these divine soldiers was not strong, yet how could they… how could they possibly, using such a strange method, slay venerable experts in such a short time?

That was… venerables with endless lifespan and boundless mana!

"Retreat!" Seeing the hundred venerable enemies swooping down from high above, several Elders of the Soul-Hunting Sect were so terrified their souls fled, and they shrieked hysterically.

"All forces, attack!" A cold voice came from within the giant ship: "Brothers underground, quickly send out scouts to lead us in battle!"

"The human race's fire endures forever!" A low, thunder-like voice instantly spread across the entire battlefield.

In the shattered tunnels, within the burning stone caverns, countless warriors of the underground world shakily rose to their feet; inexplicably, they responded to the war cry from the giant ship and howled hysterically: "The human race's fire endures forever!"

King You abandoned the warship and fled alone at top speed.

But he had barely flown a short distance when, from a dark cloud above, a nine-toothed rake silently smashed down.

King You grunted, nine fine wounds appearing on the back of his head; with a 'crack,' bolts of demon-subduing divine thunder slammed into his brain, blasting him until blood spurted from his seven orifices and he collapsed unconscious.

Above the Liuli Pure Land, inside the colossal Wanling Shikai Slaughter God Vessel, Wu Tie sat cross-legged; the Primordial Crown slowly rotated above his head, releasing a vast torrent of time that condensed before him into a temporal boundary hundreds of li in diameter.

Within this temporal boundary, while a day and night passed outside, nearly a thousand years had elapsed inside.

Endlessly, bodies of various demons and monsters were fed in, even divine-realm and venerable corpses were thrown into the temporal boundary, and piles upon piles of rare metals were continuously dumped in.

Every half-hour, a small Wanling Shikai Slaughter God Vessel a hundred li long would fly out from the temporal boundary.

The small Slaughter God Vessel shot straight out of the giant ship's hold; ranks of elite Tianwu troops, squads of Five Elements spirits and auxiliary warriors from other peoples, and battalions upon battalions of divine soldiers immediately boarded the vessel in an orderly stream.

Mountains of elemental crystals quickly filled the small vessel's hold; hundreds of civil officials from the Wuguo military department ran back and forth, shouting hoarsely one spatial coordinate after another.

The bow of the small Slaughter God Vessel spat out gray spatial ripples; within at most half an hour it locked onto the opposite spatial coordinate, then sought an existing spatial gate as a jump point and forcibly tore through the void to shuttle across.

A mountain-sized elemental crystal evaporated rapidly, and the mana of the venerable expert stationed upon it was also being wildly consumed.

One after another, small Slaughter God Vessels loaded with Wuguo's elite troops continually set out for nearby battlefields and hunting grounds, striking the frenzied demon forces as hard as possible and rescuing as many human civilians as they could.

The scale of the Tianwu Army was rapidly expanding.

For each city saved on those battlefields and hunting grounds, the Tianwu Army would gain several hundred thousand to several million troops.

For each prefecture saved on those battlefields and hunting grounds, the Tianwu Army would frantically expand by tens of millions to hundreds of millions of troops.

Until a nation was saved on those battlefields and hunting grounds, the Tianwu Army's expansion scale would provoke the civil officials of Wuguo and all the civil servants responsible for logistics into hysterical cursing.

Grain, armaments… armaments, grain…

These were the two words endlessly repeated in a frenzy by countless officials throughout the Tianwu state.

Huang Lang, who coordinated everything, had not rested for a month; he behaved like a madman, leaping about frantically as he mustered every resource he could.

The maddened Huang Lang drove the civil officials of Wuguo to madness as well, their eyes bloodshot, bouncing about like evil spirits.

Wu Tie quietly activated the Primordial Crown.

Bai Ying and Zhu Ji sat beside him, continually drawing heavenly and earthly primordial energy, transforming it into vast vital essence that they infused into Wu Tie's body to help him recover his vigor.

Wu Tie, emaciated to skin and bone, now finally had a thin layer of muscle visible beneath his skin.

Bai Ying simply did what she was supposed to do in silence, while Zhu Ji, bored, glanced at the bustling crowds around and suddenly sighed: "Wu Tie, why are you all so busy? The lands and people you already possess are more than enough."

Wu Tie gave a faint smile.

He suddenly recalled that a few days earlier, in Fengfeng City, facing the frenzied threats of the Supreme Demon State, as the city stood on the brink of heavenly calamity, there were a few lowly clerks who, after finishing their night shift, sat at a roadside night‑stall eating, drinking, and chatting gossip.

They were weak, they were humble, and they even lacked much experience…

The dim light, the hazy steam, and even the watered‑down cheap liquor…

Wu Tie spoke softly: "It's not for land or people; I am actually quite easy to satisfy."

"I merely feel that every member of our human race deserves the right, in their daily leisure, to invite a few friends, sip a little wine, eat a bit of pork head meat, without worrying that tomorrow they'll face blades at their throats, without fearing that their wives and daughters will be violated, without fearing that their parents will have no one to support them…"

"That's all."

Bai Ying's eyes flickered as she gave Wu Tie a deep look.

Zhu Ji stared blankly, let out a belch, and slapped Wu Tie hard: "Hey, everyone should be able to drink and eat meat… I agree with that!"