Chapter 597

Human affairs are full of troubles.

Wu Tie is just like that. The affairs of Peace State are still a chaotic mess, Huang Lang and others are busy to the point of vomiting blood, and they haven't managed to sort things out yet, when Linghu Qingqing has already issued an imperial edict announcing to the world that the gods' grace is about to descend.

This is the third day since Wu Tie left Green Hill City and returned to Peace Town.

In the evening, the weather was fine, the sky clean and clear, the azure sky like a piece of crystal, with chunks of heavy, textured white clouds hanging above.

A red sun hung on the western mountaintop, its red light dyeing half the sky red, while the other half remained azure.

Above Peace Town, and even farther afield, people hovered in the air over small towns, villages, and farms. Above the famous mountains and rivers of Jade Prefecture, the private armies of powerful clans had already staked out their territories.

Linghu Qingqing's imperial edict clearly told the people of the world that the gods would open the Heavenly Ban, pouring down boundless starlight essence to bless the Green Hill Divine Kingdom.

However, heaven and earth have their own fixed numbers, and destinies vary in rank; the gods pouring down starlight essence means that myriad beings cannot naturally receive it equally. Some are destined to receive more, some less; some places will get more, some less.

In some blessed caverns, star power essence is as thick as water; in some barren wilderness, it is as thin as mist.

Generally speaking, the closer to the central prefecture of Green Hill City, the thicker the star power essence; the more famous mountains and rivers that have dragon veins coiled upon them, and the more blessed caverns, the more brilliant the star power essence becomes.

Ordinary folk could only look up from their own courtyards, while the powerful and powerful families had made all kinds of preparations.

Star power essence can not only refine infants still in the womb, giving them better cultivation aptitude; some cultivators who practice special techniques can directly obtain boundless benefits from starlight.

And those wealthy clans with deep foundations know full well that seven days and nights of frenzied star power essence refining are enough to upgrade the divine weapons forged by their strong cultivators into tools comparable to ordinary innate spiritual treasures.

Moreover, those spiritual treasures that were already immensely powerful can also swallow and exhale starlight, making themselves more refined and more spirited.

This will be a grand feast, a blessing from the lofty gods upon the Green Hill Divine Kingdom.

Thirty-six Four Spirit Warships hovered above Peace Town, with Wu Tie sitting cross-legged on the prow of one, slightly raising his head to gaze around. The warships' position was extremely high, allowing Wu Tie to see far into the distance, seeing the equally eager powerful cultivators hovering silently in the air, waiting.

Even, Wu Tie could see the complex looks in the eyes of the powerful clans' households.

Wu Tie couldn't help but grin, his smile complex and also heavy.

Looking back, Wu Yu and Xi Bubai, those two old monsters, had taken a liking to him; he had impersonated Huo Xiong to sneak into the Great Jin Divine Kingdom, and in just a few short years, what had happened felt like a dream—bizarre and ever-changing, to the point that Wu Tie could hardly accept it.

"Fortune?" Wu Tie recalled the words of Wu Yu and Xi Bubai.

Perhaps he really is a person of fortune.

Far and near, within the tens of thousands of li surrounding Peace Town, in the range visible to the naked eye from this extreme height, there were at least millions of cultivators hovering silently.

The higher the cultivation, the higher they stood.

The lower the cultivation, the lower they stood.

I suppose, at this moment, in the nine-province fiefs that Peace State possesses, above all the big and small cities, above every mountain and river, it must be the same, right?

Everyone was gazing at the sky, silently awaiting the moment when the heavens' starlight would fall.

Just like the calm before a storm, at this moment, throughout the realm of the Green Hill Divine Kingdom, all was tranquil; even the usually busiest spatial gates became extraordinarily quiet, with hardly any warships coming and going.

Boom!

A bell rang within Peace Town.

Dense and countless, the Five Elements Spirits formed battle arrays, like patches of dark clouds flying up into the sky.

Several brothers of Wu Jin led twelve thousand Wu tribe youths, mixing into the Five Elements Spirits regiment as they flew up into the sky, hovering around the Four Spirit Warships.

Wu Tie stood up, walked to the very front of the prow, hands behind his back, and looked mockingly at the cultivators hovering in the air near and far.

Whether it be powerful clans or common folk, whether impoverished scholars or military households.

Wu Tie had a bold idea: on this night of universal starlight, he would give all cultivators within Peace State's territory a deep impression. He prepared to use somewhat violent means to make all the people of Peace State firmly remember him.

"You must understand that right now you stand on Peace State's land." Wu Tie gave a strange smile: "Every blade of grass, every grain of sand, every mote of starlight here belongs to me."

"So… you will serve me." Wu Tie laughed brightly: "Of course, you may choose to leave. I don't care. I only care about this land, this living space, but as for you… I don't care."

A stream of light shot up from within Peace Town, and Pei Feng landed lightly beside Wu Tie, her brows furrowed, a look of hesitation on her face.

"What's wrong?" Wu Tie stared in surprise at Pei Feng.

It was clear that Pei Feng had something on her mind.

"Nothing." Pei Feng eased her brows slightly and said calmly: "The envoy the Pei family sent has just arrived in Peace Town, wanting to see you, but I sent them away."

"Huh?" Wu Tie raised his eyebrows in confusion. Without speaking, Pei Feng naturally understood what he wanted to ask.

She shook her head and suddenly laughed lightly: "They're having a hard time these days, after all, with the dynastic change and a new ruler. Some relatives of the Linghu clan want to seize some properties in the Phoenix Mountain Lord's territory; they can't withstand the pressure and want to ask you for help."

Wu Tie let out an "oh" and narrowed his eyes.

Pei Feng smiled faintly, standing shoulder to shoulder with Wu Tie, and sighed softly: "The Pei family is the Pei family, and I am myself… if they're useful to you, use them; if not, discard them."

She smiled faintly, arms crossed over her chest, gazing at the red sun slowly descending on the western peak: "Before, I led the Black Phoenix Army in the Southwest, fighting for my life—was it for family? For my father's expectations? For the hopes of all those uncles, brothers, and soldiers? Or for the foundation of the Pei family? For the title of Phoenix Mountain Lord?"

"But now, after being by your side for so many years, I've figured it all out."

Strands of black demonic flame rose up, enveloping Pei Feng entirely. She smiled and said: "As long as I live, I am strong; the prestige of my father and the Black Phoenix Army, the pride and glory of the Pei family, will always endure."

"We will live well… even better." Wu Tie reached out and lightly patted Pei Feng's head; she smiled and closed her eyes contentedly.

"Look, this land is ours. Our relatives, friends, comrades, brothers and sisters can live well here, and it will only get better." Wu Tie said gently: "Sunlight and rain, moon and stars—all of this is what they deserve, and what we will strive to protect."

「The former Pei family, and even those enemies in the Southwest that we have shaken off without a trace, as well as the possibly stronger enemies we may face in the future…… In short, together we will keep getting better. 」

Wu Tie laughed and said: "Our way, our method."

Pei Feng narrowed her eyes, turned her head, blinked, and smiled at Wu Tie.

Her aura, compared to when she commanded the Black Phoenix Army in the Southwest Great Marsh Prefecture, had become slightly gentler, no longer that cold and stern, lethal aura. Yet within that gentleness lay a greater power growing.

Wu Tie's words were a bit vague.

But Pei Feng could sense it.

Back in the Southwest, they were fighting to carve out a space to survive.

But now, besides continuing to strive, their more important task is to protect what they have already obtained.

Protection is harder than struggle.

So they must become stronger, their vision must reach farther…… Just as the Pei family once gave Pei Feng great pressure and confusion, it is now merely a tiny trifle, something they can cast aside at any moment.

As Pei Feng herself said, "Use it if you can; if not, discard it!"

That's how it is.

【Thud, thud-thud】.

The Wu Jin brothers, several of them, fell like meteorites, heavily smashing onto the Four Spirit Warship, then strode over to Wu Tie's side, baring their teeth and grinning at Pei Feng.

Pei Feng looked a little startled at the three Wu Jin brothers.

Wu Tie didn't know where he had recruited a batch of manpower, but Pei Feng knew.

But just what background do the Wu Jin have… why dare they stand shoulder‑to‑shoulder with Wu Tie? Just like she and Wu Tie do?

「They are, my brothers. 」 Wu Tie turned his head to look at Pei Feng, speaking slowly and solemnly: 「I share the same father and mother… they are my true brothers. 」

Pei Feng stared blankly.

She glanced at Wu Tie, then at the three Wu Jin brothers, pondered for a moment, lowered her hands, and solemnly performed a slight bow, bending her knees toward Wu Jin, Wu Yin, and Wu Tong.

Although she wore soft armor, Pei Feng performed the standard etiquette for a commoner woman greeting her clan elder brother.

The three Wu Jin brothers gave a 'hehe' laugh, nodded, and for a moment felt a bit embarrassed and awkward.

These guys, if you let them wield blades on the battlefield, they're top‑notch fighters, but… when Wu Tie suddenly clarified everyone's relationship, and Pei Feng suddenly performed the greeting with utmost seriousness, they were a bit at a loss.

「For now, only you and Lao Tie know this. 」 Wu Tie grasped Pei Feng's small hand, speaking gently: 「Do you remember what I told you in the southwest? 」

Pei Feng smiled, straightened her posture, and stood shoulder‑to‑shoulder with Wu Tie, tightly together.

No need for vows of mountains and seas, no need for fiery passion. Since first meeting in the southwest, having supported each other through that dire situation to today, worldly affection is like a tide; to have a reliable shoulder to lean on, to cling together and face life's hardships… that is enough.

Pei Feng is a stubborn woman.

Otherwise she wouldn't, in her female form, command the great army, fighting desperately for her family's legacy and her forefathers' prestige.

So she's a bit single‑minded; having chosen a path, she'll follow it to the end.

Whether you're kings and ministers, celebrated scholars, butchers of the market, or heretical demons, once decided, we stand shoulder‑to‑shoulder, resisting all together—that's fine. No need for extra talk… anyway… if you want to kill someone, I'll hand you the knife!

Pei Feng's body blazed with demonic flames, her smile blooming like a flower.

The three Wu Jin brothers grinned… Pei Feng's temperament is exactly what a daughter of the Wu family ought to have, and they like it.

Hehe, but… it seems that when they first met, everyone performed the proper greeting; as elder brothers, they ought to give a meeting gift. Yet thinking it over, aside from their own weapons and armor, they don't have a single copper coin—how could they give a meeting gift?

Worried, vexed.

The three brothers looked at each other, you at me, I at you, and for a moment lost their composure.

The red sun set, the sky's red light gradually faded, the azure sky quickly turned deep blue, then indigo, finally becoming almost black, as if someone had draped a huge black cloth over the entire sky.

No moon, no stars, the sky was pitch black, not a glimmer of light.

Long whistles came from near and far; inside Peaceful City there was little movement, while Wu Tie's Five Elements Spirit Legion hovered like dark clouds in the high sky, frightening the city's noble clans.

But outside the city, in some extravagant manors, gardens, and private castles, multicolored long rainbows shot up into the sky.

One after another, heaven‑forged divine weapons shot straight into the sky, emitting waves of Dao fluctuations of various attributes—swords, spears, halberds, ancient zithers and jade flutes, gold bells and jade chimes, pagodas and gourds; at a glance, the myriad divine weapons surrounding Peaceful City for tens of thousands of li numbered at least tens of thousands, drifting and floating.

In theory, every cultivator at the peak of the Womb Storage realm can at least forge one heavenly Dao divine weapon.

Peaceful City is the original Jade Prefecture City; given Jade Prefecture's prosperity, the number of high‑level cultivators is easy to imagine, and some powerful clans still don't know how many hidden masters they have—so possessing so many heavenly Dao divine weapons is only natural.

Tens of thousands of heavenly Dao divine weapons had just shot up into the sky when a terrifying explosive roar seemed to echo in the void, and then the whole world trembled slightly.

It was as if someone violently tore open the heavens, and a full moon several zhang in diameter burst in, crude and savage.

Moonlight like water, accompanied by a clear, audible rumbling sound 'rumble‑rumble‑rumble' falling from the lunar disc.

Afterward, around this brilliantly bright, dazzling lunar disc, countless stars of all sizes appeared out of nowhere.

Star after star, large ones the size of a sea bowl, small ones the size of a fist, countless stars emitted dazzling light, crowded thickly together, filling the entire firmament.

Moonlight like a flood, starlight like an aurora, the sky‑filling moonlight and starlight fell accompanied by a terrifying roar.

What a brilliantly dazzling starry sky!

What a wondrous and magnificent starry sky!

Compared to the starry sky Wu Tie first saw when he stepped onto the mortal world, this expanse of stars, this stretch of starlight, surpasses that former sight not just a hundred‑fold, but a thousand‑fold, ten‑thousand‑fold!

「Truly, the workings of heaven and earth……」

Wu Tie's body shuddered violently, then he quickly reacted, bellowing hoarsely: 「Form the array… meet the enemy… brothers, lend me your strength! 」

The Black Heaven Cauldron roared skyward, and under Wu Tie's immense magical power it instantly expanded to tens of thousands of zhang in size, then spewed forth rolling black mist like a tsunami, rushing swiftly in all directions.

The black mist rapidly spread to a few hundred li, then a thousand li, then several thousand li…

Wu Tie's laughter shook the four directions; countless cultivators of Jade Prefecture nearby and far heard his loud laughter.

「I am the lord of the Nine Provinces; within the Nine Provinces, every blade of grass, every tree, every grain of sand and dust belongs to me. 」

「This sky full of starlight is naturally mine as well! 」

Near Peaceful City, countless cultivators heard Wu Tie's laughter.

They instinctively looked up at the sky over Peaceful City, saw that rapidly expanding black mist, and then countless cultivators, regardless of their cultivation level or status, whether aristocratic elites or commoners from the grassroots, all shouted in unison, cursing loudly.

「Treacherous king… you will not die well! 」