Chapter 1049

The human race's counteroffensive continues.

Wuguo's territory is expanding.

Everything is developing in a good direction.

The human states rescued by Wuguo have begun to rebuild civilization on the ruins—following Wu Tie's will, to rebuild a civilization where all Pangu descendants can coexist fairly between heaven and earth.

Wuguo's high-end combat power has swollen to an astonishing degree; in the past two months, Wu Tie no longer needs to run around and act personally. Tens of thousands of Wuguo Lord-level commanders are already enough to crush all enemies.

What is unsettling is that minor frictions have again broken out between the Heavenly Court's great army and Wuguo's forces; each time the casualties on both sides are few, about a hundred or so.

But these small frictions leave a bad feeling, always making one suspect that some conspiracy is brewing.

Late at night, on the edge of the territory currently controlled by Wuguo, over the deep sea.

A Water God Vessel sneaked up from the deep sea and silently slipped into a small God-Slaying Vessel.

A Heavenly Court commander strode out of the Water God Vessel and handed a heavy crystal block to Old Tie waiting here: "As you commanded, here is all the information we have gathered about the human high echelons."

"Of course, the information is certainly incomplete. Many core secrets are inaccessible to outsiders…… but, taking everything into account, even if incomplete, it should contain over seventy percent of the information on the human populace's high ranks."

Wu Tie stood to the side, carefully sizing up this Heavenly Court commander.

After the commander saluted Old Tie and turned to leave, Wu Tie shouted: "You are Xue Nine? Zhuge Kongming?"

The commander's body stiffened, he turned his head and slowly nodded to Wu Tie: "Your Majesty the Martial King, I am now Xue Nine…… as for that name, heh."

Wu Tie looked at him curiously: "So you mean you have a way to control the Heavenly Court's forces?"

A gleam flashed in the commander's eyes; he stared deeply at Wu Tie and slowly shook his head: "No, no, I cannot. I merely exploit some backdoor loopholes to influence some Heavenly Court subordinates."

"After completing this mission, all Heavenly Court personnel aboard this Water God Vessel will have their related memories wiped, that's all."

Wu Tie nodded: "I see…… what exactly is the relationship between the Heavenly Court and you?"

The commander, or rather the Xue Nine who temporarily commandeered his spirit, countered: "Then what is the relationship between Wuguo and the Asura of Fury?"

Wu Tie curled his lip: this Xue Nine is not as kind as Old Tie.

Before Wu Tie could speak, Xue Nine said calmly: "I am willing to obey the Fury Asura's command because, in the division of authority, he is the giant god soldier I know who currently holds the highest clearance, so I am willing to follow his orders and submit to his command."

Lifting his head arrogantly, Xue Nine said coldly: "But, humans…… if a human individual wishes for me to acknowledge their authority, or to 'recognize a master'…… you can tell from my other name that wanting me to 'recognize a master' also depends on whether you have the qualification."

The tsundere Xue Nine!

Wu Tie quickly searched his memory and found the origin of the name 'Zhuge Kongming'. Indeed, tsundere!

Those who play with minds, even if they are artificial constructs, are they really this proud?

Wu Tie laughed: "Then, the Heavenly Court's Great Celestial Lord Ji Bai Jie, couldn't get you to recognize a master?"

Xue Nine laughed and retorted: "Do you think he could make me recognize a master? I imparted knowledge to him, he provided me resources to restore my proper abilities—this is a very fair trade."

After a pause, Xue Nine said solemnly: "Since he, for immortality and power, left his name on the 'Fengshen Fragment', he has completely lost the qualification to make me recognize a master, right?"

Xue Nine sneered contemptuously: "The 'Fengshen Fragment' is an ancient relic we excavated at the end of the great war; we studied it, and ultimately we used the fragment, exhausting all our resources and energy at the time, to forge a brand-new 'Fengshen List'."

"But the Fengshen List is merely a tool. Ji Bai Jie doesn't even have the confidence to wield the tool; by engraving his name on it, he has already been controlled by the tool!" Xue Nine shook his head: "How could someone controlled by a tool possibly make me recognize a master?"

Old Tie coughed, cutting off Xue Nine's words: "Enough already, get lost, you calf? I can't stand you mind‑players; what are you always thinking about?"

Xue Nine slightly bowed to Old Tie and said arrogantly: "If you want me to fully 'recognize a master', then become the sole, supreme leader of humanity. In my neural core, the condition for 'recognizing a master' is just this one."

Xue Nine turned, strode proudly head‑high and chest‑out into the Water God Vessel.

Standing at the hatch of the Water God Vessel, Xue Nine turned back, gave Old Tie a military salute: "Lord Fury Asura, awaiting your next order. By the way, the list on the Fengshen List is rapidly expanding; Ji Bai Jie's power is swiftly swelling."

Shrugging his shoulders, Xue Nine said leisurely: "Your Majesty the Martial King, you should consider the future relationship between Wuguo and humanity."

The hatch of the God‑Slaying Vessel opened; the Water God Vessel slid out silently, swiftly sank into the sea, flickered with the current, and vanished without a trace.

Wu Tie had his hands behind his back, gazing at the dark‑blue night sky beyond the hatch.

The bright moon hung high, the stars shone clearly.

Starlight turned into visible, grand waterfalls that poured straight down from the high heavens into the mortal realm.

The areas shrouded by those starlight waterfalls are precisely where heretical demons run rampant today; they sacrifice humans to gain divine favor. These starlight waterfalls also serve as the best markers for both Wuguo's army and the Heavenly Court's forces—if you head toward those waterfalls, you will naturally find the main force of the demons.

"Carry on…… we'll do our best, do what we can." Wu Tie waved his hand: "But speaking of it, that Xue Nine can control Heavenly Court subordinates to send us a message—then Ji Bai Jie is probably……"

Old Tie's face looked a bit grim; he gritted his teeth and muttered quietly: "I'm afraid Xue Nine is…… on the verge of losing control."

He looked solemnly at Wu Tie and said in a low voice: "We are always prepared for an all‑out war with the Heavenly Court…… because Xue Nine can remotely control these little Heavenly Court lackeys, he must surely be able to control higher‑rank Heavenly Court members."

"Controlling humanity…… I don't know if he realizes it, but there's no doubt this violates our……" Old Tie tapped his forehead with a finger: "This violates the supreme prohibition our Creator set for us."

Wu Tie stared at Old Tie in shock: "You mean his brain is broken?"

Old Tie heaved a deep sigh: "So I say, those who play with minds are trouble, huge trouble…… we've seen this before; none of us on the front lines fighting desperately ever caused mischief. It's always those weak‑ling talkers who just flap their mouths…… the chaos they stir up, sigh!"

Wu Tie murmured: "So, when I was just talking with him, he said he was only 'influencing', dodging my word 'controlling'!"

Old Tie's face was full of worry: "I hope it never comes to that; otherwise I truly couldn't bear to dismantle what might be the sole remaining…… old comrade."

After a sigh, Old Tie said wistfully: "Fortunately, fortunately, he only holds a relic from antiquity…… fortunately, fortunately, he has no complete production line…… fortunately, fortunately, your ancestors, our Creator, having learned from experience, would absolutely not leave concrete manufacturing procedures in Xue Nine's mind."

"He can only do pure theoretical research; that is our greatest fortune." Old Tie sighed sincerely.

"But are you sure he hasn't mastered these?" Wu Tie pressed Old Tie seriously: "You've completed the Chaos Transformation, you've gained a flesh‑and‑blood body…… according to your description, Xue Nine's intellect is tens of thousands, even hundreds of millions times yours…… over such a long span, couldn't he have figured all this out on his own?"

Old Tie made a gesture beside him.

His former brain was only the size of a fist, while Xue Nine and those like him—these god‑soldier brains—are tens to hundreds of zhang in size. Their crystal‑made neural cores, volume equals intellect level!

Look at the giant god soldiers Old Tie now manufactures; an ordinary giant god soldier warrior's neural core is only the size of a mung bean!

Wu Tie patted Old Tie's shoulder and said solemnly: "So, prepare for the worst. Suppose—I say suppose—Xue Nine actually commands a giant god soldier legion larger than ours?"

Old Tie stared at Wu Tie in horror: "No way?"

Wu Tie looked at him helplessly: "What if?"

After a long silence, Old Tie finally hefted the crystal block in his hand: "Let's take a look first, see what the human situation actually is now."

Shaking his head, Old Tie asked Wu Tie: "Hey, what exactly are you planning?"

Wu Tie had his hands behind his back, walking toward the cabin's depths: "What what plan?"

Lao Tie shouted: "I mean, after we sweep away these demons and monsters and wipe out those so-called deities!"

Wu Tie's steps paused slightly, he said in a deep voice: "Then let's kill them first and talk later?"

Shaking his head, Wu Tie said slowly: "Don't think we just wiped out Black Head and Mist completely; it's just their bad luck, they ran into us, they didn't take us seriously... hehe!"

"What if... the gods crouching above are stronger than we imagined?" Wu Tie said softly: "I just couldn't stand by, so I'm doing what I can."

Lao Tie remained silent, he shook his head: "We can't afford any 'what if'."

Wind and rain came together, thunder tore through the thick dark clouds, the downpour made heaven and earth a hazy blur; on the battlefield just fought over, huge pits left by powerful divine techniques lay everywhere.

Rainwater poured into the pits, and suddenly tens of thousands of deep-water lakes of various sizes appeared on the ground.

Layers of floating clouds hovered in the air; countless divine vessels—Thunder God Ships, Fire God Ships, Water God Ships, and Star God Ships—floated above the clouds, while countless heavenly soldiers in heavy armor stood silently on the warships, looking down at the besieged Gongsun Yao.

Beside Gongsun Yao, thousands of corpses lay scattered in disarray.

They were all loyal retainers of the Gongsun clan, from which Gongsun Yao came.

Around the floating clouds, anguished shouts of killing kept coming; blood-soaked corpses continually fell from the clouds. Fresh blood poured down like a rainstorm, dyeing every great lake on the ground crimson.

A hysterical roar came from a patch of floating cloud: "You traitors... why can't you be killed... why won't you die!"

"I've already killed you seventeen times, seventeen times... why aren't you dead yet... why won't you die!"

The sound of weapons tearing armor and piercing bodies came; a burly man was hoisted up by dozens of spears and flung high into the sky. A flash of sword light passed, and the already dying man was beheaded by a single stroke.

Gongsun Yao glanced at that big man, holding a pale gold longsword, and hoarsely shouted: "What are you doing this for?"

A low horn sounded, and ranks upon ranks of heavenly armored soldiers silently marched toward Gongsun Yao to attack.

Wielding a golden sword, Gongsun Yao unleashed vast, majestic, righteous sword qi that swept across the void; severed limbs and arms flew everywhere, heads rolled, and countless heavenly soldiers were slain on the spot by Gongsun Yao.

But soon, from the palaces floating on the clouds, large groups of heavenly soldiers who had just been killed surged out again.

They silently queued on the warships, then wave after wave kept charging at Gongsun Yao.

Gongsun Yao swung his sword in a frenzy, having lost count of how many heavenly forces he had slain, yet attackers kept coming in an endless stream.

He had seen many faces before; he had at least slain these people nearly a hundred times... yet how were they still alive? How could they still attack?

Three thousand strands of white vapor roiled behind Gongsun Yao; his battle power was terrifying—none of the half-step venerable heavenly generals could withstand a casual strike from him.

But the heavenly soldiers kept coming in an endless stream.

Countless heavenly warships surrounded and blockaded the place; countless heavenly soldiers stood on the ships, grim-faced, looking down at Gongsun Yao. As soon as he killed a batch, another batch would leap from the ships to surround and attack him.

Gongsun Yao howled, roared, cursed...

Ji Baijie walked out silently from a Thunder God Ship, hands behind his back, spreading his arms innocently: "I really can't be blamed... if I don't show up now, this humanitarian merit will have nothing to do with me."

After sighing, Ji Baijie narrowed his eyes and said leisurely: "Besides, there are no vacant spots left on the Investiture of the Gods list; you all deserve to die."

"The heavenly court is destined to rule humanity... perfect, let's take this chance to wipe out a batch of those old fogeys. With them around, how could I ever unify humanity, right?"

"It's bound to happen sooner or later; we might as well do it now."

"Besides, you were supposed to die anyway."

"Anyone who dares to move my things will surely die sooner or later. Ji Kui died, Ji Wuliang died—why can't you die?"

Ji Baijie smiled.

He stood there silently, watching the heavily besieged Gongsun Yao howl and roar.

"Truly foolish... trying to borrow my heavenly court's chicken to lay your eggs... truly foolish."

"How could taking advantage of me be this easy?" Ji Baijie sighed sincerely, hands behind his back: "You're truly strong, with exceptional talent. What I despise most are people like you—well-born, well-off, and monstrously gifted."

"Being able to kill you feels really good."