Chapter 444

Lao Tie easily regained his human form, and it turned out to be far superior to his ideal dream—an innate Yin‑Yang Five Elements body.

Translation: Lao Tie easily recovered his human form, and it was far better than his ideal dream—an innate Yin-Yang Five Elements body.

Lao Tie easily recovered his human form, and it is far better than his ideal dream—an innate Yin‑Yang Five Elements body.

He is a veteran thug who has bottled up years of fighting spirit, eager to find a worthy opponent to fully enjoy the exhilarating rush his tyrannical body can give.

Translation: He is a longtime ruffian, repressing countless years of battle intent, eager to test himself, wanting to find a suitable opponent to fully experience the exhilarating combat pleasure his powerful body brings.

Need to keep all. Let's craft: He is a longtime ruffian, repressing countless years of battle intent, eager to test himself, wanting to find a suitable opponent to fully experience the exhilarating combat pleasure his powerful body brings.

Sima Lang's laugh annoyed him.

Translation: Sima Lang's laugh made him very displeased.

Lao Tie, annoyed, wanted to use his precious spear to skewer Sima Lang like a kebab on a barbecue stall!

Translation: And Lao Tie, displeased, wanted to use his precious spear in hand to skewer Sima Lang like meat on a barbecue stall!

Gripping the water‑fire spear… oh, no—under the nourishment of a strand of yin‑yang qi separated from the yin‑yang qi vessel, the water‑fire spear underwent a tremendous transformation, its water and fire qi upgrading directly to innate yin‑yang qi, greatly increasing its killing power and making its changes even more unfathomable.

Translation: He gripped the water-fire spear with both hands… oh, no—under the nourishment of the strand of Yin-Yang Qi separated from the Yin-Yang Qi Vessel, the spear's quality underwent a huge change; the water and fire Qi directly upgraded to innate Yin-Yang Qi, greatly increasing the spear's lethality and making its transformations even more unpredictable.

Need to keep the ellipsis? We used "…". Keep it as "…". The original had "……oh, no,". We'll keep "… oh, no—". Good.

Gripping the yin‑yang spear tightly with both hands, he exerted force with his ten fingers, making his joints and tendons emit a muffled 'crack‑crack'; Lao Tie could hardly wait to rush out and unleash a massive slaughter.

Translation: Gripping the Yin-Yang spear tightly with both hands, he exerted force with his ten fingers, joints and tendons emitting a muffled "crack‑crack"; Lao Tie could hardly wait to rush out and slaughter.

"This armor is too ostentatious," Wu Tie said, pointing to Lao Tie's gleaming golden armor, which also bore a pair of huge golden wings on its back.

Translation: "This armor is too ostentatious," Wu Tie said, pointing at Lao Tie's golden armor that also bore a pair of huge golden wings on its back.

This armor flew out of the statue of the Great Peng Ming King; the Great Peng Ming King himself is apparently a bun‑lover, and the armor glitters with golden light everywhere, each plate polished to extremely fine facets, its firelight even more dazzling than a finely cut diamond.

Translation: This is the set of armor that flew out of the Great Peng Ming King statue; that Great Peng Ming King is obviously a bun‑stuffing fellow, the armor shines with golden light all over, each plate polished to extremely fine facets, and the firelight on the plates is more blinding than a meticulously polished diamond.

Such armor is far too conspicuous, overly ostentatious, and its features are too striking.

Translation: Such a suit of armor is too conspicuous, too ostentatious, and also too distinctive.

Lao Tie snorted, his body trembled, and the armor writhed like flowing water; in an instant it turned pitch‑black all over, becoming identical to Wu Tie's linked‑mountain pattern armor, with not a single detail differing.

Translation: Lao Tie snorted, his body trembled, and the armor began to wriggle like flowing water; in an instant it turned completely black, becoming identical to Wu Tie's Linked Mountain Pattern Armor, with no difference in any plate's detail.

"Not bad," Wu Tie said, smiling and nodding, then glanced at the military camp struggling to hold out under the frenzied assault of the Greedy Wolf Net.

Translation: "Not bad," Wu Tie said, nodding with a smile, then glanced at the camp struggling to hold out under the frenzied assault of the Greedy Wolf Net.

He flipped his palm, Wu Tie produced a palm‑sized bright mirror, then took out three bean‑sized crystals flashing with blinding light, setting them into the three recesses on the mirror's back.

Translation: Flipping his palm, Wu Tie produced a palm‑sized bright mirror, then took out three crystal stones the size of mung beans, flashing with blinding light, and set them into the three recesses on the mirror's back.

The three crystals burst with dazzling light, strands of bright, almost tangible radiance quickly covering the entire mirror surface.

Translation: The three crystal stones burst out with dazzling light, strands of substance‑like radiance quickly covering the entire mirror surface.

With a muffled 'bang', the mirror surface rippled with a large halo; the palm‑sized bright mirror emitted a radiance several zhang wide, and Mr. Li's figure quickly appeared in the mirror.

Translation: With a muffled "bang," the mirror surface rippled into a large halo; the palm‑sized bright mirror emitted light covering an area of about a zhang, and Mr. Li's figure quickly appeared in the mirror.

"General Huo Xiong, what urgent matter justifies your use of the 'Myriad‑Miles Heavenly Secrets Mirror'?" Mr. Li said sternly, with a hint of displeasure: "I've told you before, this mirror consumes enormously; the 'Heavenly Secrets Spirit Heart' needed to power it is extremely hard to refine, and you only have three chances to use it."

Translation: "General Huo Xiong, what urgent matter warrants your use of the Ten‑Thousand‑Li Heavenly Secrets Mirror?" Mr. Li's tone was stern, with a hint of displeasure: "I've told you before, this mirror consumes enormously, and the Heavenly Secrets Spirit Core needed to drive it is extremely hard to refine—you only have three chances to use it."

Wu Tie said in a deep voice: "Mr. Li, cut the nonsense—I need a sufficiently substantial fief. Can you make decisions on behalf of your superior behind you? If so, settle it quickly, and use the heavenly secrets mirror to directly transmit the investiture documents and all seals to my hand."

Translation: Wu Tie said in a deep voice: "Mr. Li, cut the small talk—I need a substantial ennoblement. Can you make decisions on behalf of the person behind you? If so, settle it quickly, and use the mirror to directly transmit the appointment documents and all seals to my hand."

Mr. Li's eyes widened in shock, he nearly burst with anger as he roared at Wu Tie: "What are you crazy about? What do you think a fief of the Great Jin Divine Nation is? What merit do you have that deserves your lord to grant you a fief? What great achievement have you accomplished…"

Translation: Mr. Li's eyes widened in astonishment, he nearly burst with anger as he roared at Wu Tie: "What are you crazy about? What do you think the ennoblement of the Great Jin Divine Kingdom is? What merit do you have that deserves the master's ennoblement? What great achievement have you built……"

Mr. Li's roar cut off abruptly.

Translation: Mr. Li's roar cut off abruptly.

Wu Tie grasped the Myriad‑Miles Heavenly Secrets Mirror, aiming its surface at the myriad yin‑yang‑five‑elements spirits hidden throughout the mountains and forests, almost blending with the woods.

Translation: Wu Tie grasped the Ten‑Thousand‑Li Heavenly Secrets Mirror, aiming its surface at the countless Five Elements Spirits hidden in the mountains and forests behind him, almost blending with the woods.

Wood spirit.

Translation: Wood Essence.

Earth spirit.

Translation: Earth Essence.

Water spirit.

Translation: Water Essence.

Metal spirit.

Translation: Metal Essence.

Fire spirit.

Translation: Fire Essence.

They blanket the mountains and fields, numbering in the tens of millions.

Translation: Mountains and fields stretched everywhere, numbering in the tens of millions.

"Sir wanted me to organize a usable force in Da Zezhou… now I have done it." Wu Tie turned the mirror toward himself and said calmly: "I have had some fortunate encounters; in the holy lands of these five‑elements spirits I received their ancestral inheritance."

Translation: "Sir wanted me to organize a usable force in Great Marsh Prefecture… now I have done it." Wu Tie turned the mirror to face himself, saying calmly: "I have had some fortunate encounters; in these holy lands of the Five Elements Spirits I received their holy ancestor's inheritance."

"At this very moment, all five great tribes of the five‑elements spirits, every single one of them, now serve me as their lord." Wu Tie declared proudly: "This power therefore belongs to the noble patron behind you, sir."

Translation: "At this moment, the five great tribes of the Five Elements Spirits, all Five Elements Spirits, now serve me as lord." Wu Tie said arrogantly: "This power therefore belongs to the noble person behind you, sir."

"Now the Divine Might Army's Sima Lang, taking advantage of my absence, is attacking my camp, trying to scheme against the Black Phoenix Army's commander, Pheonix Feng." Wu Tie said urgently: "Don't be shy telling you, sir, that Commander Feng and I share an extraordinary bond—the Black Phoenix Army can be called my staunch ally… so when Sima Lang moves against Commander Feng, he is actually moving against that noble patron's person!"

Translation: "Now Divine Might Army's Sima Lang, taking advantage of my absence, is attacking my camp, scheming against the Black Phoenix Army's Commander Pei Feng." Wu Tie said hurriedly: "Don't be shy telling you, sir—Commander Pei Feng and I share an extraordinary bond; the Black Phoenix Army can be called my iron‑clad ally… so Sima Lang moving against Commander Pei Feng is moving against that noble person's man!"

Mr. Li's eyes shone like tiny light bulbs.

Translation: Mr. Li's eyes shone like tiny light bulbs.

The five‑elements spirit tribes are already a tremendous surprise, even giving Mr. Li a tremendous shock.

Translation: The Five Elements Spirits tribe—this is already a tremendous surprise, even giving Mr. Li a tremendous shock.

Now it's good—there's even an additional Black Phoenix Army!

Translation: Now it's good—another Black Phoenix Army has appeared!

"Very good, excellent." Mr. Li said hurriedly: "A fief? Good, good, I'll now report to my lord… a fief, no problem—I'll now think up the best excuse for you… well, of course I can't use your subduing of the five‑elements spirit tribes as an excuse, so I have…"

Translation: "Very good, very good." Mr. Li said hurriedly: "Ennoblement? Good, good, I'll now report to the master… ennoblement, no problem, I'll now think of the best excuse for you… well, of course I can't use your subduing of the Five Elements Spirits tribe as an excuse… so, I have……"

Mr. Li's image in the Myriad‑Miles Heavenly Secrets Mirror quickly faded, his voice echoing: "Fifteen minutes—first deal with Sima Lang, then after fifteen minutes a reply will naturally arrive."

Translation: The image of Mr. Li in the Ten‑Thousand‑Li Heavenly Secrets Mirror quickly faded, his voice drifting: "A quarter‑hour—first deal with Sima Lang, then after a quarter‑hour a reply will naturally arrive."

Wu Tie's pupils contracted sharply; he and Lao Tie exchanged a startled glance.

Translation: Wu Tie's pupils suddenly contracted; he and Lao Tie stared at each other in shock.

The reason Wu Tie asked Mr. Li for a fief at this moment is twofold: first, he truly needs a fief and a piece of land to legitimately bring the five‑elements spirit tribes under his control as his private army, so they won't be eyed by others.

Translation: The reason Wu Tie requested ennoblement from Mr. Li at this moment is twofold: first, he truly needs an ennoblement and a territory to legitimately bring the Five Elements Spirits tribe under his control as his private army, so they won't be eyed by others.

Second, Wu Tie wants to test the strength of the noble patron behind Mr. Li.

Translation: Second, Wu Tie wanted to test just how powerful the noble person behind Mr. Li really is.

Previously, Mr. Li had continually sent high‑quality convicts to Da Zezhou, a method that left Wu Tie in awe, yet it still does not reveal the full extent of the power wielded by the lord behind him.

Translation: Previously, Mr. Li had continuously sent Great Marsh Prefecture a steady stream of high‑quality prisoners; this method already left Wu Tie in awe, but it still does not reveal the full extent of the power wielded by the master behind him.

Wu Tie tentatively requested a fief from Mr. Li, and Mr. Li surprisingly promised it within fifteen minutes!

Translation: Wu Tie tentatively asked Mr. Li for an ennoblement, and Mr. Li actually gave him a promise of a quarter‑hour!

In just fifteen minutes, all the procedures for a genuine fief could be completed—how many back‑and‑forth documents among the Great Jin Divine Nation's power organs would that require? Such efficiency…

Translation: A quarter‑hour to complete all procedures for a genuine ennoblement—how many back‑and‑forth documents among the Great Jin Divine Kingdom's power organs would that require? Such efficiency…

"Could the person behind Mr. Li possibly be the Great Jin Divine Emperor?" Lao Tie asked Wu Tie, half‑joking.

Translation: "Could the person behind Mr. Li be the Great Jin Divine Emperor?" Lao Tie asked Wu Tie, a bit wildly imaginative.

"If it were the Great Jin Divine Emperor, would he need to raise a private army abroad?" Wu Tie shook his head: "Nevertheless, this authority is truly terrifying. Tsk, it's like grabbing onto an immensely powerful thigh… well, give him a harsh blow!"

Translation: "If it's the Great Jin Divine Emperor, would he need to raise a private army abroad?" Wu Tie shook his head: "But this authority is truly terrifying. Tsk, it's like grabbing onto an extraordinarily thick thigh… well, give him a harsh blow!"

Another wave of the Greedy Wolf Net attacks fell wildly, the defensive light shield above the camp almost completely shattered, and inside the camp came countless screams and wails of hysterical soldiers.

Translation: Another wave of Greedy Wolf Net attacks fell madly; the defensive shield above the camp almost completely shattered, and inside came the hysterical screams and wails of countless prefecture troops.

Pheonix Feng had already built up his strength, his body wreathed in black flames, ready to fight Sima Lang to the death.

Translation: Pei Feng had already built up momentum, his whole body wreathed in black flames, ready to fight Sima Lang to the death.

Sima Lang and his companions focused entirely on the camp, failing to notice that a massive force hidden by Wu Tie lay concealed in the mountains and forests a hundred li behind them.

Translation: Sima Lang and his companions also focused entirely on the camp, failing to notice that hidden in the mountains and forests a hundred li behind them lay Wu Tie's massive force.

Wu Tie pointed fiercely at the raving Sima Lang; Lao Tie had already transformed into a streak of light, instantly appearing behind Sima Lang, his yin‑yang spear trailing a tightly intertwined black‑white spiral of light, silently piercing Sima Lang's back.

Translation: Wu Tie pointed fiercely at the raving Sima Lang; Lao Tie had already turned into a streak of light, instantly appearing behind Sima Lang, his Yin‑Yang spear trailing a black‑white spiral of tightly intertwined light, silently piercing Sima Lang's back.

Whether it was the Peacock Ming King or the Great Peng Ming King, in Lao Tie's era they were famed for their unmatched flight, their speed peerless in the world.

Translation: Whether Peacock Ming King or Great Peng Ming King, in Lao Tie's era they were famed for their unmatched flight, their speed peerless in the world.

Having inherited the techniques of the Peacock Ming King and the Great Peng Ming King, Lao Tie's speed may not match those two terrifying masters, yet he can cover a thousand li in an instant.

Translation: Lao Tie inherited the techniques of the Peacock Ming King and Great Peng Ming King; though his speed cannot match those two terrifying masters, he too has reached the level of covering a thousand li in an instant.

A mere hundred‑li distance is, for Lao Tie, nothing more than the blink of an eye.

Translation: A mere hundred‑li distance is, for Lao Tie, nothing more than the blink of an eye.

The yin‑yang spear was forged by combining the White Tiger's Fracture, the Water‑Fire Gourd Vine, and a strand of innate yin‑yang qi, among other treasures, then repeatedly altered and enhanced.

Translation: The Yin‑Yang spear was formed by combining the White Tiger Cleave, Water Fire Gourd Vine, and a strand of innate Yin‑Yang Qi—among other great treasures—then repeatedly altered and enhanced.

Its quality has subtly surpassed that of ordinary innate spirit treasures, reaching a higher threshold.

Translation: Its quality has already vaguely surpassed the realm of innate spirit treasures, reaching another, higher threshold.

Sima Lang wore a set of Nine‑Refined Immortal‑Soldier‑grade heavy armor, its defense as solid as can be.

Translation: Sima Lang wore a set of Nine Refined Immortal Soldier‑grade heavy armor, its defense as solid as can be.

But when the yin‑yang spear appeared, the armor let out a piercing wail; Lao Tie easily pierced it with a single thrust, the spear punching through Sima Lang's chest and protruding more than three feet from his front.

Translation: But when the Yin‑Yang spear emerged, the armor let out a piercing wail; Lao Tie easily pierced it with a single thrust, the spear running through Sima Lang's chest and protruding more than three feet from his front.

The yin‑yang qi shifted, and Sima Lang's body underwent a terrifying change at once.

Translation: The Yin‑Yang Qi shifted, and Sima Lang's body underwent a terrifying change at once.

Vitality turned to lethal qi, yin and yang inverted, the five elements fell into chaos, the innate five‑elements qi in his viscera instantly collapsed, and his organ functions became utterly disordered.

Translation: Vitality turned into deathly qi, yin and yang inverted, the five elements fell into chaos, the innate five‑element qi in the viscera instantly collapsed, and visceral function became utterly disordered.

Just one blow, and Sima Lang's peak fetal‑storage realm cultivation was instantly knocked down a major tier, collapsing straight to the peak of the life‑pool realm.

Translation: Just one blow, and Sima Lang's peak Fetal Storage Realm cultivation was instantly knocked down a major realm, collapsing straight to the peak of the Life Pool Realm.

Especially, within Sima Lang's condensed divine fetus, the heavenly‑dao light dragons resembling long dragons shattered, and streams of pure soul power burst forth from his divine fetus; the fetus dissolved, shifting from a near‑substantial divine fetus to a scattered mist of soul energy.

Translation: Especially, the divine fetus Sima Lang had condensed saw its heavenly‑dao light dragons, like long dragons, instantly disintegrate; pure strands of divine‑soul power surged out from his divine fetus, which collapsed from a near‑substantial divine fetus into a luminous mist of divine soul.

A great deal of heavenly‑dao profundities in his mind were struck by the yin‑yang qi, instantly becoming fragmented.

Translation: A large amount of heavenly‑dao mysteries in his mind were struck by the Yin‑Yang Qi, instantly becoming fragmented.

Sima Lang's grasp of the great heavenly dao collapsed outright; while his cultivation rank barely held at the peak of the life‑pool realm, his dao‑realm—his comprehension of the heavenly dao—plummeted like a collapsing mountain, quickly reaching the level of the layered‑tower realm.

Translation: Sima Lang's grasp of the Heaven and Earth Great Dao directly collapsed; his cultivation level barely maintained at the peak of the Life Pool Realm, but his Dao‑practice realm—his comprehension of the Heavenly Dao—plummeted like a landslide, soon reaching the level of the Chonglou Realm.

With a muffled 'bang', Sima Lang's divine fetus shattered, and the life‑pool that had merged into his divine form trembled back together.

Translation: With a "bang," Sima Lang's internal divine fetus collapsed, and the originally integrated Life Pool quivered and re‑condensed.

But in this severely injured state, the divine fetus shattered, the life pool recondensed; Sima Lang basically had no chance to control it, and the life pool he recondensed was only about ten zhang across, moreover riddled with pits and depressions, full of holes everywhere.

Strand after strand of magical power continuously condensed from his severely wounded soul, continually poured into the Life Pool, and then swiftly vanished from the hole in the Life Pool.

A massive amount of shattered soul power and magical energy, like a huge bomb, exploded violently inside Sima Lang's body.

Sima Lang's entire skin was blasted into pieces by the internal explosive force; his skin vanished instantly, and large sprays of blood mist shot from his raw, red flesh. This internal-to-external blast turned his tempered, mighty, overbearing flesh into a body riddled with holes.

In other words, aside from his soul barely maintaining the peak level of the Life Pool Realm, Sima Lang's cultivation level, magical power, and bodily cultivation all collapsed to the Chonglou Realm……

His Dao foundation shattered, and it was a crushing collapse.

Once the eldest son of Prince Rong's mansion, ninety-nine percent capable of inheriting Prince Rong's title, and hailed as one of the finest representatives of the younger generation of the Great Jin imperial clan, Sima Lang was directly turned into a cripple by this shot.

To restore his former cultivation and strength, unless Prince Rong's mansion produces the highest-grade heavenly earth divine medicine for treatment.

But to restore Sima Lang to his original state, the heavenly earth divine medicine that Prince Rong's mansion would expend could cultivate seven or eight youngsters of decent talent to the same formidable level as Sima Lang before!

The current Prince Rong, as long as he's not addle-brained, would absolutely not make such a loss-making deal.

Moreover, how Sima Lang previously treated those brothers...... Now that he's become a cripple, it's easy to imagine how those brothers will deal with him!

"You… who are you?" Sima Lang instantly understood his bodily condition; he trembled as he opened his mouth, sticky blood continuously welling up, and with all his strength he managed to utter three words.

Lao Tie said nothing; he was a top-notch veteran who had survived countless life-and-death battles on the battlefield. With one shot he heavily wounded Sima Lang, flipped his left hand, directly pulled off the storage ring worn on Sima Lang's hand, and yanked off the splendid jade belt at his waist, then thrust his spear straight left and right in a smooth motion.

Black-and-white divine light surged; the clan generals Sima Yu, Sima Xin, Sima Hu, etc., cried out in anguish and curses all at once. They didn't even get a clear look at what Lao Tie looked like before each took a shot.

Lao Tie restrained the power of his yin-yang spear, merely giving these clan generals a light lesson.

Even so, a single strand of yin-yang qi entered their bodies, directly causing Sima Yu and the others' internal yin-yang to fall out of balance and the five elements to go awry; they coughed up blood mouthful after mouthful, and their cultivation dropped one or two minor levels within the Tai Cang Realm.

The worst-off clan general fell even further, from the Tai Cang Realm to half-step Tai Cang, his divine fetus nearly shattering, and only with great difficulty did he barely maintain the divine fetus form.

Dozens of clan generals spat blood and wailed in anguish, each risking their lives to flee into the distance.

Their trusted subordinates, meanwhile, were on fire with urgency, tightly guarding them as they fled far away.

Sima Lang, severely wounded, fainted, and fell straight from the high altitude.

He no longer had the strength to divert his attention to control the Greedy Wolf Net; the net's attack halted instantly, merely rolling and enveloping the entire camp.

Lao Tie heavily wounded Sima Lang and the others with a single strike, then turned and left without a word.

He came fast and left even faster; displaying the Great Peng Ming King's secret transmission of the Heavenly Peng Traverse Technique, his speed was so great it left onlookers despairing.

He returned to Wu Tie's side; with a flick of his hand, his armor and spear vanished simultaneously, then he began to boast proudly: "This body is not bad, but compared to my former true form from back then, it's still far too weak. Although that true form is powerful, making progress with it is extremely difficult… This body, however, is different—a true flesh-and-blood form. With my talent and aptitude, hahaha, I can easily cultivate to the Divine Clarity Realm!"

"Hey hey, once I reach the Divine Clarity Realm, those country-chicken-and-tile-dog little brats, I'll skewer them one by one with a single shot, easy as pie."

"But actually, I'm pretty strong right now; that kid wasn't just half-dead from one shot, was he? If I weren't worried about causing you trouble, I would have killed him with a single shot just now."

Lao Tie boasted loudly.

Wu Tie waited quietly.

After about a quarter of an hour, a clear 'ding' sounded from within the Myriad Miles Heavenly Secrets Mirror, a burst of light sprayed out, and a scroll of investiture decree, a set of robes, seal, ritual implements, ceremonial guard, and other items shot directly from within the Myriad Miles Heavenly Secrets Mirror.

Wu Tie unfolded that investiture decree, and couldn't help but stare in shock.

He had, in fact, recovered the imperial bloodline lost outside two months ago—a remarkably talented little princess—and for this merit he was invested as a sixth-rank marquis of the Great Jin Divine State, the Dragon River Marquis.

The Dragon River is a mighty great river northeast of Great Marsh Prefecture, with over a thousand tributaries and a main channel stretching over 120,000 li.

From its source at the Black Cloud Plateau all the way to its terminus at the Great Marsh, within the over-120,000-li basin, the main river's banks each span 15,000 li, giving a total width of 30,000 li—all of this becomes the territory of the Dragon River Marquis.

Because of the dense water network distribution, the lands on either side of the Dragon River, though remote, are nothing but extremely fertile riverine plains, their fish-and-rice abundance beyond imagination.

With Mr. Li's methods, as long as we divert over a billion convicts from the heart of Great Jin into the Dragon River territory, this becomes a prosperous land of limitless potential.

And Wu Tie is the supreme lord of this prosperous land.

"What a thick thigh to cling to…… The lost imperial bloodline outside, that little princess—does such a person really exist?" Wu Tie stared at the decree, dumbstruck, looking at Lao Tie.