Chapter 1043

Three Yang Divine Kingdom, Three Yang Imperial City.

Xiahou Wuming beheaded a goat‑headed demon lord with one slash, then smashed a grotesque altar in the imperial city with a single punch.

A large contingent of Wuguo soldiers surged into the Three Yang Imperial City, taking down from bronze pillars the Yang Divine Kingdom royals who were bound like pigs and sheep, left for the demon chiefs to slaughter and cook at will.

Before Xiahou Wuming and the Yang Divine Kingdom royals could explain their identity and purpose, an elite detachment of the Heavenly Court's Vermilion Bird Legion came charging in; after a few words failed to settle things, they immediately went to war with the Wuguo fleet.

When the Yang Divine Kingdom royals heard that the Heavenly Court's leaders came from Wa Island and were the high‑ranking commanders of the human populace, those who had originally thanked Xiahou Wuming profusely instantly changed their faces.

Below the Yang Divine Kingdom's god‑sovereign, a group of elderly royals echoed the Vermilion Bird Legion's several commander‑elders, denouncing Xiahou Wuming and his companions as human traitors and demon lackeys, calling for death by a thousand cuts, slow slicing, and so on……

Xiahou Wuming, furious and embarrassed, let out a thunderous tirade, then rather sheepishly led the Wuguo sweeping army in retreat.

Qinglin Divine Kingdom, its capital Frostleaf City.

Lao Tie personally commanded the army here, battling demon monsters several times its size for half a month; his Giant God Brigade was nearly wiped out, casualties among the Heavenly Martial Army and the Five Elements Spirit units were heavy, and after finally taking Frostleaf City he rescued the surviving Qinglin Divine Kingdom royals from those demons.

A sizable force of the Heavenly Court's Azure Dragon Legion arrived 'just in time'; its commander‑elder unexpectedly shared the same clan as the Qinglin Divine Kingdom royals.

As soon as the name 'Wa Island' was mentioned, they warmly took to each other, addressing one another as 'older cousin' and 'younger cousin' with great affection.

Lao Tie and his Wuguo troops, however, got the cold shoulder; after being tossed about by demon monsters for over a year, the battered Qinglin Divine King somehow scraped together a pile of gold, silver, jewels, and precious jade ornaments, presenting them as a 'thank‑you gift' to Lao Tie.

Lao Tie, furious and embarrassed, smashed those 'thank‑you gifts' to pieces with a punch; amid the cold mockery and hot sarcasm of several Azure Dragon Legion commander‑elders, he angrily led his troops away.

Immediately afterward, the sweeping armies led by Wu Yin, Wu Tong, Li Guang, Xiang Feixie, and Dao Qisha also encountered exactly the same situation.

They had painstakingly taken cities and strongholds, fighting the human foes to the death, and only with great difficulty rescued the enslaved civilians from the demons' grasp when the Heavenly Court's Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Warrior legions 'coincidentally' arrived on the battlefield.

On the human battlefield, the queens of the major divine kingdoms mostly came from the Wa clan.

They felt a natural affinity for 'Wa Island', and some divine kingdoms even took direct remote orders from Wa Island.

Despite the Wuguo's bitter, bloody struggle to save them, it never felt reassuring; the Heavenly Court inspired more confidence—after all, those Heavenly Court armies held documents bearing the seals of the Wa Island grand matriarchs.

The Heavenly Court is a human power.

And as for Wuguo, who knows where it came from?

On the battlefield, the Wuguo sweeping fleet and the Heavenly Court armies repeatedly encountered and clashed with each other. Xiahou Wuming and Lao Tie merely received cold stares, while the Wu Jin, Wu Yin, and Wu Tong brothers instead erupted into fierce conflict with the Heavenly Court armies.

Above all, the clash between Wu Jin and the Heavenly Court's Vermilion Bird Legion was the most intense.

The elder Fengying of the Sui‑ren branch tribe, ignorant of the Giant God Brigade's power and combat traits, was instantly focused‑fire and killed by the Giant God Brigade!

Wu Jin's fleet and the Vermilion Bird Legion came to blows; the legion lost over a hundred Fire God Ships, while Wu Jin's fleet saw more than two thousand new‑style warships crash.

Had it not been for a demon horde that happened to intervene and separate the two sides during their battle, Wu Jin and the Vermilion Bird Legion would surely have beaten each other's brains out.

Meanwhile, the detachment under Li Ergouzi's command did something that infuriated the Heavenly Court.

On the Wanling Shikong Lushen vessel, Wu Tie, who was maintaining a temporal seal, looked up in astonishment: 'Li Ergouzi, unable to contain his anger, let his troops loot and plunder, emptied the treasury of the Guoyuan Divine Kingdom and hundreds of provincial storehouses?'

Wu Tie clapped his hands and laughed: 'Only Li Ergouzi could do something like this… this sort of thing is something only he could pull off.'

Several Wu tribe warriors stood before Wu Tie; one of them spoke in a low voice: 'Not only did he loot the Guoyuan Divine Kingdom's treasury and provincial storehouses, Commander Li also… publicly broke the leg of the Guoyuan Divine Kingdom's crown prince!'

Wu Tie snorted repeatedly.

The Guoyuan Divine Kingdom, like the earlier divine kingdoms, lost its capital, and the Guoyuan god‑sovereign's head was turned into a drinking vessel.

When Li Ergouzi led his troops into the Guoyuan Imperial City, the vast Guoyuan Divine Kingdom—whose royal populace once numbered over ten million—had been reduced to just a few stray cats and dogs, and the crown prince had become a delicacy for a female fox venerable, tormented to the point of neither being able to live nor to die.

The demon monster gang that conquered the Guoyuan Divine Kingdom was immensely strong, boasting as many as four hundred venerable‑level entities.

Li Ergouzi repeatedly sent out distress calls, gathering a total of ten sweeping fleets, and only then did he retake the Guoyuan Divine Kingdom.

The Guoyuan Divine Kingdom's crown prince rescued by Li Ergouzi at first thanked him profusely, almost wanting to adopt him as a foster father……

What was the result?

As soon as the Heavenly Court's Black Warrior Legion arrived, that crown prince immediately turned hostile—the commander‑elder who had eagerly run to the Guoyuan Imperial City to aid in the rescue was, shockingly, the god‑sovereign ancestor from twelve generations before the Guoyuan Divine Kingdom!

Seeing his own ancestor, the crown prince certainly would not thank Li Ergouzi.

The crown prince, courteous in front but arrogant behind, would spout rumors at the slightest provocation, and when speaking with Li Ergouzi he resentfully wondered why the Wuguo army hadn't come to rescue the Guoyuan Divine Kingdom sooner.

Especially under the hint of his own ancestor, the crown prince suddenly realized the suspicious point about Wuguo: humans cannot produce venerable‑level experts, a limitation imposed by the laws of heaven and earth.

Li Ergouzi and his lot actually have venerable‑level experts?

Obviously, they are human traitors, they are demon partisans. By sacrificing to extraterrestrial demons they break the heavenly‑earthly restraints and thus ascend to venerable rank!

Li Ergouzi is certainly no benevolent person.

If he were truly a good person, he would not have been exiled to the frontier of Da Zezhou back then.

Therefore, in the face of that Guoyuan Divine Kingdom ancestor, Li Ergouzi smashed the insolent crown prince's two legs with a staff, then, relying on the combined strength of his ten detachments, he dealt a heavy blow to the Guoyuan Divine Kingdom.

The Guoyuan Divine Kingdom's resistance had long been swept away by the demon monsters; nationwide, not a single unit capable of fighting back could be found.

Li Ergouzi used three detachments to stubbornly resist the Black Warrior Legion's fierce assault, while the remaining fleets swept the Guoyuan Divine Kingdom clean.

Wu Tie shook the memorial written in Li Ergouzi's own hand, gave a cold smile, and said: 'What right does the Heavenly Court have to take back the lands we conquered and the people we saved with just a word? Who can tell me on what basis?'

'Even if it's Wa Island, we must reason!'

'Notify all detachment commanders: anyone we rescued is our Wuguo citizen; any territory we reclaimed is our Wuguo territory.'

'Not an inch of land, not a single person shall be yielded!'

'Whoever dares to seize, we strike back!'

'Sixfold doppelgängers, you hold the Primordial Crown; I'll personally go and test strength with the Heavenly Court!'

With Bai Ying and Zhu Ji working together, they inhaled and exhaled vast amounts of heavenly‑earthly primal energy over several months, converting it into vital essence to replenish the body; Wu Tie forcibly condensed the void and deficiency brought by the Dao seal, restoring it to about forty‑fifty percent.

At present Wu Tie merely looks somewhat emaciated, no longer the skin‑and‑bones appearance of a few months ago.

Although his physical form has not yet returned to its peak, Wu Tie's current power remains tremendously fearsome and extremely terrifying. The three thousand great Dao and eighty‑four thousand side paths have all condensed into the Dao seal; even though they are only just formed, this force is indeed outrageously strong.

Even Wu Tie himself cannot gauge just how strong his present combat ability is.

The sixfold doppelgängers flashed out from behind Wu Tie, sat cross‑legged on the ground, and emitted threads of spiritual light into the Primordial Crown.

Wu Tie gestured an invitation to Bai Ying, then transformed into a stream of light and flew out of the cabin. Cang Hai Daoist, Yin Yang Daoist, and Five Elements Daoist laughed in unison, each turning into streams of light and flying out.

Bai Ying rose slowly, smiling at Zhu Ji: 'These past months you've also been feeling stifled…… Now you can follow your heart and go have some fun.'

The crested ibis hiccuped drunkenly, then laughed 'hehehe' and said, 'Chenlong, Chenlong, let's fight!'

Translation: "The crested ibis hiccuped drunkenly, then laughed 'hehehe' and said, 'Chenlong, Chenlong, let's fight!'"

The crested ibis hiccuped drunkenly, then laughed 'hehehe' and said, 'Chenlong, Chenlong, let's fight!'

We need to keep it as a single line.

Two months later.

Translation: "Two months later."

At the Earth Letter Yi One Number Battlefield, the Longyuan Divine Kingdom founded by the Jiang Clan, whose common people's overall strength could rank among the top ten of humanity, above the imperial capital Longyuan City, three huge armies faced off in the distance.

At the Earth Letter Yi One Number Battlefield,

the Longyuan Divine Kingdom founded by the Jiang Clan, whose common people's overall strength could rank among the top ten of humanity,

above the imperial capital Longyuan City,

three huge armies faced off in the distance.

Combine: "At the Earth Letter Yi One Number Battlefield, the Longyuan Divine Kingdom founded by the Jiang Clan, whose common people's overall strength could rank among the top ten of humanity, above the imperial capital Longyuan City, three huge armies faced off in the distance."

We need to ensure we keep all information. Let's produce a single line.

Centering on Longyuan City, the outskirts were densely packed with all kinds of monsters whose foul stench shot up to the heavens.

Translation: "Centering on Longyuan City, the outskirts were filled with all kinds of monsters whose foul stench shot up to the heavens."

Outside Longyuan City, the outskirts were densely packed with all kinds of monsters whose foul stench shot up to the heavens.

Centering on Longyuan City, the outskirts were densely packed with all kinds of monsters whose foul stench shot up to the heavens.

The monsters' camps stretched tens of thousands of miles; countless monsters looked up at the sky and howled with rage, their faces showing undisguised shock and anger.

Translation: "The monsters' camps stretched tens of thousands of miles, countless monsters looked up at the sky and howled with rage, their faces showing undisguised shock and anger."

The monsters' camps stretched tens of thousands of miles; countless monsters looked up at the sky and howled with rage, their faces showing undisguised shock and anger.

In the high sky, dozens of honor-level monsters led the way, stirring up a torrential demonic aura with countless monsters, each howling and clamoring, cursing furiously and out of breath.

Translation: "In the high sky, dozens of honor-level monsters led the way, stirring up a torrential demonic aura with countless monsters, each shouting and raving, furious and out of breath, cursing."

In the high sky, dozens of honor-level monsters led the way, stirring up a torrential demonic aura with countless monsters, each howling and clamoring, cursing furiously and out of breath.

These monsters besieged the Longyuan Divine Kingdom, having already conquered its entire territory; only at Longyuan City's foot did they suffer losses, yet despite years of frantic attacks they could not enter the city.

Translation: "These monsters besieged the Longyuan Divine Kingdom, having already conquered its entire territory; only at Longyuan City's foot did they suffer losses, yet despite years of frantic attacks they could not break into the city."

These monsters besieged the Longyuan Divine Kingdom, having already conquered its entire territory; only at Longyuan City's foot did they suffer losses, yet despite years of frantic attacks they could not enter the city.

As losses inside Longyuan City mounted, the monsters seemed to glimpse hope of taking the city—then the Wuguo army attacked, unleashing a wild barrage that instantly killed and wounded countless monsters outside the city.

Translation: "As losses inside Longyuan City grew, the monsters seemed to glimpse hope of taking the city—then the Wuguo army attacked, unleashing a barrage of indiscriminate bombardment that instantly killed and wounded countless monsters outside the city."

As losses inside Longyuan City mounted, the monsters seemed to glimpse hope of taking the city—then the Wuguo army attacked, unleashing a wild barrage that instantly killed and wounded countless monsters outside the city.

The defenders inside Longyuan City were about to coordinate an inside‑outside strike with the Wuguo army to wipe out the external monsters when a huge fleet of the Heavenly Court's Azure Dragon Legion appeared.

Translation: "The defenders inside Longyuan City were about to coordinate an inside‑outside strike with the Wuguo army to wipe out the external monsters when a huge fleet of the Heavenly Court's Azure Dragon Legion appeared."

The defenders inside Longyuan City were about to coordinate an inside‑outside strike with the Wuguo army to wipe out the external monsters when a huge fleet of the Heavenly Court's Azure Dragon Legion appeared.

The commander of this Azure Dragon Legion was none other than Jiang Chan, the former divine emperor of the Longyuan Divine Kingdom who had abdicated just fourteen thousand years ago.

Jiang Chan

Translation: "The commander of this Azure Dragon Legion was none other than Jiang Chan, the former divine emperor of the Longyuan Divine Kingdom who had abdicated just fourteen thousand years ago."

The commander of this Azure Dragon Legion was none other than Jiang Chan, the former divine emperor of the Longyuan Divine Kingdom who had abdicated just fourteen thousand years ago.

He stood on the floating clouds, and after saying just two words toward the interior of Longyuan City, the city's defensive grand formation naturally opened, allowing a great army of the Azure Dragon Legion to station there—this performance already suffices to explain the problem!

Thirty‑six small Slaughter‑God Ships hovered in midair, Wu Tie stood on the prow of one of them, hands behind his back, watching Huang Yu in the distance negotiate with the other side.

The current Divine Emperor of the Longyuan Divine Kingdom, Jiang Chen, stood in midair, his expression icy as he clasped his hands toward Huang Yu: "Your kingdom's kindness is appreciated. But my Longyuan Divine Kingdom has not yet reached the point of utter desperation. With my father the emperor leading troops to reinforce us, how dare you claim my Longyuan Divine Kingdom faces imminent collapse?"

Shaking his head, Jiang Chen sneered: "Such alarmist talk is merely a ploy to gain some advantage."

Waving his hand, Jiang Chen said calmly: "Dispatching your troops must be costly. A force of this magnitude consumes vast supplies even for a day's food and drink. Well, I am willing to offer ten innate spiritual treasures, a hundred innate spiritual arms, three thousand heavenly dao divine weapons, and furthermore one million sets of nine‑refined immortal arms, ten million sets of six‑refined immortal arms, and one hundred million sets of three‑refined immortal arms… Withdraw your forces from my kingdom's territory."

Huang Yu gave a "heh" laugh.

He tugged at the corner of his mouth and said coldly: "Your Majesty, do you know how much consumption a single Slaughter‑God Ship of our Wuguo army incurs in a day?"

Jiang Chen's face darkened, and he said solemnly to Huang Yu: "Your kingdom must not make extravagant demands; greed is bound to lead to a bad end… Your kingdom's conduct is practically demonic heresy…"

Huang Yu, slightly annoyed, interrupted: "Our Wuguo is hardly demonic heresy? Have you ever seen a force that spares no sacrifice of its soldiers' lives, rushing eagerly to aid you, and yet be called demonic heresy?"

Jiang Chen said lightly: "Who knows? Perhaps your kingdom harbors some hidden scheme? Perhaps the fallen soldiers of your Wuguo have become your sacrifices."

Jiang Han's voice came from deep within a mass of floating clouds: "Your Highness, why listen to their clamor? They refuse to leave; once we wipe out the monsters outside the city, I, the father emperor, will drive them away! If you spurn the toast, you'll drink the penalty—these Wuguo demonic heretics will one day settle their accounts with us!"

Within Longyuan City beneath Jiang Chen, a huge Later Heaven King Wen's Bagua Diagram lit up.

The black‑and‑white Bagua Diagram emanated a chilling heavenly dao pressure, it rotated slightly, and a powerful repelling force slammed hard into Huang Yu's body.

Huang Yu had not expected Jiang Chen to suddenly activate the city's defensive grand formation to attack him.

Longyuan City, capable of withstanding years of combined assaults by numerous venerable monster experts, possesses a grand formation whose power rivals—and even exceeds—that of the Flame Dynasty's fire‑inheritance grand formation.

This Later Heaven King Wen's Bagua Diagram is not merely a formation; it also contains a human‑race inherited spiritual treasure as its formation's core.

This grand formation is capable of posing a lethal threat to even venerable‑level masters.

Huang Yu himself is not a skilled fighter; standing beside Wu Tie, he is more like an adjutant. Although he has reached the venerable level, he got there only by pouring resources and sacrifices, forcing his way up.

A sweep of black‑and‑white divine light from the formation struck Huang Yu's chest, and countless people heard the sound of his bones breaking.

Huang Yu spat out mouthfuls of blood, his body flying straight toward Wu Tie like a leaf blown by the wind.

Wu Tie's face darkened, and his voice boomed across the vast battlefield: "Heh, drive us out? Who dares to drive us from the territory we painfully seized—think about it!"

Behind him, three thousand torrents of chaotic surge shot up into the sky, each bearing a shining dao seal.

Wu Tie clenched his right fist and threw a punch toward the Azure Dragon Legion's floating clouds a thousand li away.

With a thunderous punch, the next instant a thousand‑li‑diameter fist imprint fell straight down upon the Azure Dragon Legion's several‑hundred‑li‑wide floating clouds like a meteor, shattering them to pieces.

Countless Azure Dragon Legion soldiers spat blood and fell from the floating clouds.

Wu Tie furrowed his brows: "Hmm? No Immortal‑Ascension Pool? What are those heavenly courtiers up to?"