Chapter 685

Inside the dueling arena, thunder rumbled incessantly.

Translation: Inside the dueling battlefield, thunder rumbled nonstop.

Inside the dueling battlefield, thunder rumbled nonstop.

Moreover, even though it was a summer night, the thunderclaps came like a sudden thunderstorm.

Translation: Moreover, even though it was a summer night, the sudden thunderstorm-like thunderclaps.

Moreover, even though it was a summer night, the thunderclaps came like a sudden thunderstorm.

Right above, right beside the ears, the "Boom—" crashed back and forth, shaking the earth with waves of tremor, exuding an oppressive, unsettling aura that made hearts pound.

Translation: Right above, right beside the ears, the "boom boom" crashed back and forth, shaking the earth with waves of tremor, exuding an oppressive, unsettling aura that made hearts pound.

Right above, right beside the ears, the "Boom—" crashed back and forth, shaking the earth with waves of tremor, exuding an oppressive, unsettling aura that made hearts pound.

Fallen god-realm ancestors are growing ever more numerous.

Translation: The number of fallen Divine Manifestation Realm elders kept increasing.

Their souls and blood essence are harvested by the gods; the immense mana they accumulated over thousands to tens of thousands of years within their bodies, along with the mighty Dao patterns fused into their powerful physiques, are all collapsing, dissipating, and giving back to heaven and earth.

Translation: Their souls and blood essence were harvested by the gods; the immense power they had accumulated over thousands to tens of thousands of years, together with the Great Dao patterns fused into their sturdy bodies, all collapsed, dissolved, and returned to heaven and earth.

This dueling battlefield has been sealed by the gods, making heavenly and earthly primordial energy extremely scarce.

Translation: This dueling battlefield had been sealed by the gods, making the heavenly and earthly primordial energy extremely thin.

The fallen god-realm ancestors are like spring vents; vast, pure primordial energy spews from the pillars of light they left behind, transforming into hurricanes that spread outward.

Translation: The fallen Divine Manifestation Realm elders were like spring vents; vast, pure primordial energy spewed from the light pillars left by their falls, turning into gales that spread outward.

Distant light pillars are fine; they do not affect each other.

Translation: Light pillars far apart were fine, they did not affect each other.

If two light pillars are within a hundred miles of each other, the surging primordial energy will collide, disturbing heaven and earth, causing colors to shift, clouds to gather, and bolts of wild lightning to burst forth, shaking the void and trembling the ground.

Translation: If two light pillars lay within a hundred miles of each other, the surging primordial energy would collide, disturbing heaven and earth, causing colors to shift and clouds to gather, and bolts of wild lightning would burst forth, shaking the void and trembling the ground.

Sometimes, several god-realm ancestors fall in the same place; multiple light pillars shoot up into the sky simultaneously, rubbing against each other, sending forth lightning dragons tens of miles thick that crackle "hiss—" in all directions, turning the winds and clouds dark, while the surging primordial energy tide sweeps like an invisible blade slashing through the void.

Translation: Sometimes, several Divine Manifestation Realm elders fell in the same spot; multiple light pillars shot up simultaneously, the pillars rubbed against each other, spraying lightning dragons several li wide, with a "hiss" lashing out in all directions, turning wind and cloud colors, while the surging primordial energy torrent lashed the void like an invisible blade.

The environment of the dueling battlefield is rapidly deteriorating.

Translation: The environment of the dueling battlefield was rapidly deteriorating.

The air is filled with falling, shedding Dao patterns; though intangible, they have substance, streaking through the void like flying blades; anyone slightly weaker who bumps into them instantly gets a bloody mark on their body.

Translation: The air filled with crumbling, shedding Great Dao patterns; the patterns were intangible yet substantial, streaking through the void like flying blades; anyone slightly weaker who brushed against them instantly bore a bloody mark.

Wu Tie stands on the sole gate tower of the military city; behind him rises a towering city wall three hundred zhang high, manned by ranks of golden and silver armored puppets; on his left and right each stands a cannon platform five hundred zhang tall, each bearing a secret Mo-school heavy cannon.

Translation: Wu Tie stood on the sole gate tower of the military city; behind him rose a towering city wall three hundred zhang high, bristling with golden- and silver-armored war puppets; to his left and right each stood a five-hundred-zhang platform bearing a Mohist-secret heavy cannon.

This cannon uses a strange crystal harvested by the Mo school, possessing innate yin-yang attributes as its core, powered by the Mo school's latest giant primordial-energy furnace, transforming the acquired into the innate, harnessing innate yin-yang power through the tiger-dragon exchange to unleash a strike of innate heavenly thunder tinged with a hint of chaos to wound the enemy.

Translation: This cannon, using a strange crystal Mohist gathered from somewhere—innately bearing yin-yang attributes—as its core, powered by Mohist's newly developed giant yuan-energy furnace, transforms the acquired into the innate, and by the interplay of innate yin-yang tiger and dragon, it can unleash a strike of innate divine thunder threaded with a hint of chaos to wound the enemy.

This is the "Innate Yin-Yang Chaos Thunderbolt Strike," the most powerful weapon the Mo school can currently field.

Translation: This is the "Innate Yin-Yang Chaotic Thunder Light Charge," the Mohists' most destructive weapon currently available.

With the Mo school's resources, they have only found two crystals suitable as cores; after spending over a thousand years, they have forged just these two thunderbolts. They brought this treasure from Wei to the Three Kingdoms battlefield, originally intending to blast Wu Tie with a shot, but it has instead become Wu Tie's aid.

Translation: With the Mohists' resources, they managed to find only two pieces of crystal suitable as cores; after a thousand years of forging, they produced just these two thunder-light cannons. They brought this treasure from the Wei Capital to the Three Kingdoms battlefield, originally intending to blast Wu Tie with a shot, but it ended up aiding him instead.

Swords—various lengths and widths—hover around Wu Tie.

Translation: Swords—various in length and width—hovered around Wu Tie.

Ou Yezi, together with over twenty elders of the Ou clan and nearly a thousand half-step god-realm family elites, all excel at sword forging.

Translation: Ou Yezi, plus over twenty elders of the Ou clan, nearly a thousand Half-Step Divine Manifestation Realm elites of the clan, each skilled in sword forging.

Each Ou clan elder has presented Wu Tie with at least ten swords worthy of being called divine weapons.

Translation: Each Ou clan elder presented Wu Tie with at least ten swords worthy of being called divine weapons.

Likewise, each half-step god-realm elite of the Ou clan has offered Wu Tie two or three exquisite masterpieces.

Translation: And those Half-Step Divine Manifestation Realm elites of the Ou clan each offered Wu Tie two or three exceptional masterpieces of their own.

Over a thousand chilling, murderous swords hover around Wu Tie; behind him a cluster of bright light floats, within which billions of sword glints rise and fall, endless sword intent surges forth, gently communicating with these divine weapons.

Translation: Over a thousand swords, icy cold and brimming with killing intent, hovered around Wu Tie; behind him a cluster of bright light floated, within which myriad sword rays rose and fell, and boundless sword intent continually welled up, gently communicating with those divine weapons.

A few days ago, Wu Tie swung his sword once, completely shattering the Han River Sword, thereby slaying a great martial ancestor.

Translation: A few days ago, Wu Tie swung a sword and even the Han River Sword shattered completely, thereby slaying a Great Martial elder.

Before finding a weapon capable of bearing Wu Tie's supreme swordsmanship, each swing of his sword essentially destroys a sword; thus, Wu Tie has the Ou clan provide so many exceptional blades, having made thorough preparations.

Translation: Before finding a weapon sturdy enough to bear Wu Tie's supreme sword dao, each of his swings would generally ruin a sword; thus he had the Ou clan offer so many fine swords, making thorough preparations.

If there is an enemy, just swing the sword.

Translation: If there were an enemy, he would swing his sword.

Each swing shatters a sword……Given the cost the Ou clan expended to forge these divine weapons, tsk, each swing essentially equals the tax revenue of Yu Prefecture for hundreds of years, which Wu Tie throws away like water.

Translation: Each swing shattered a sword……the cost the Ou clan expended to forge these divine weapons—tsk, each swing amounted to squandering the equivalent of several hundred years of Yu Province's tax revenue, which Wu Tie tossed into the water.

Thinking of the enormous cost of these divine weapons, Wu Tie can't help but feel hot all over—this feeling of spending money to strike people isn't bad.

Translation: Thinking of the immense cost of those divine weapons, Wu Tie felt a hot flush all over—this feeling of smiting people with money wasn't bad at all.

Hehe!

Translation: Hehe!

Wu Tie turned to look at the Ou clan members standing on the gate tower; they had all heard from Li Xuan'gui about the glory of Wu Tie's previous sword strike, and they gazed at their own forged swords with deep, affectionate eyes, as if mourning their parents.

Translation: Wu Tie turned his head to look at the Ou clan members standing on the gate tower; they had all heard from Li Xuan Gui of Wu Tie's earlier sword's glorious deed, and each gazed affectionately at the swords they had forged.

The Ou clan members hold deep affection for the swords they have forged.

Translation: The Ou clan members held deep affection for the swords they had forged.

Wu Tie helplessly spread his hands……The swords are fine, but human lives matter more.

Translation: Wu Tie helplessly spread his hands……the swords were fine, but human lives mattered more.

On a distant hilltop, the great martial army still gazed; amid the low rumble of thunder, the sound of war drums "boom—" came. The army on the hill raised a blood-red banner that fluttered in the wind; together with the drumbeats and thunder, it added a hundredfold chill and killing intent to heaven and earth.

Translation: On a distant hilltop, a troop of Great Martial forces still loitered; amidst the dull thunder, a drumbeat "rumm—" came. That Great Martial troop planted a blood-red banner on the hill, which fluttered in the wind; together with the drum and thunder, it somehow added a hundredfold chill and killing intent to heaven and earth.

In another direction, several Zhao clan elders, panting and covered in blood, led a hundred or so disciples of the Qingqiu Gate as they ran toward this place.

Translation: In another direction, several Zhao clan elders, panting and blood-soaked, led a hundred or so disciples of the Qingqiu Commander's Gate running this way.

Behind them, only two great martial ancestors chased, leading a dozen or so half-step god-realm commanders.

Translation: Behind them, only two Great Martial elders chased, leading a dozen or so Half-Step Divine Manifestation Realm commanders in pursuit.

Clearly, the Zhao clan elders were completely outmatched; when Wu Tie saw them, a great martial ancestor waved his hand, and before a Zhao elder could release the stored thunder spell, his arm was severed by a single blade.

Translation: Obviously, the Zhao clan elders were completely outmatched; when Wu Tie saw them, a Great Martial elder waved his hand, and before a Zhao clan elder could release the stored thunder technique, his arm was chopped off.

On that section of the city wall, Zhao Xiang jumped and shouted in fury: "Damn it, Zhao, I'll fuck your mother!"

Translation: On that section of the wall, Zhao Xiang jumped and shouted in fury: "Wu Zun Hou, may your mother—"

The great martial ancestor who chopped off the Zhao elder's arm laughed to the heavens: "My mother has been dead for tens of thousands of years; if you want to enter her, go dig up her grave and lie with her. Heck, my mother's cultivation was low; even in her tomb, there's probably not a single bone left."

Translation: The Great Martial elder who had chopped off the Zhao clan elder's arm laughed to the heavens: "My mother has been dead for tens of thousands of years; if you want to enter her, go dig up her grave and lie down with her. Heck, my mother's cultivation was low; now in her tomb, probably not even a bone remains."

Such shameless words made Wu Tie involuntarily tiptoe and glance at Wu Zunhou.

"Old Mo!" Wu Tie glanced at Wu Zunhou and pointed at him.

Mo Yun, standing on the highest level of the city gate tower, lightly clapped his hands on the cloud tablet—Pa! —and the two yin-yang chaos thunderfire cannons swiftly swiveled their muzzles; blinding lightning flashed at the muzzle, and two lightning bolts the size of water jars shot out silently.

The innate yin-yang chaos thunderlight tore through the blood mist, ripping two straight transparent passages, and in an instant reached Wu Zunhou.

Wu Zunhou raised his blade and dealt a heavy blow to a thunderfire bolt.

With a muffled boom, Wu Zunhou let out a strange cry; the thunderfire slammed into his body and flew him backward dozens of li, then exploded with a soft 'Peng—'.

Countless streaks of gray lightning blanketed the space within a li radius; the blood mist vanished, the Blood Light was obliterated, the ground was silently vaporized into a large pit a li in diameter, Wu Zunhou's divine-light armor completely disappeared, his flesh and blood vanished cleanly, more than half of his internal skeleton was destroyed by the thunderfire, leaving only a skull and a large fragment of his spine suspended in midair.

"Mo Yun!" Wu Zunhou bellowed hysterically, turning into a streak of Blood Light and fleeing in disarray.

But on this dueling battlefield, the escape light's speed was simply far too slow.

Another streak of gray lightning struck Wu Zunhou heavily, gray electric arcs crackling, utterly annihilating him.

Inside the military city rose a chorus of cheers; on the distant hilltop, the Great Wu populace witnessing the scene cried out in unison.

Wu Tie also couldn't help stroking his chin; the power of the thunderfire cannons was beyond imagination—even the Great Wu Ancestor who had invoked the projection of a supreme divine artifact and possessed himself could not withstand the attack of those two thunderfire cannons.

Unfortunately, there were only two.

Unfortunately, the thunderfire cannons' charging efficiency is too slow; it takes half an hour to charge before they can unleash one attack, making them adequate for strategic deterrence but inconvenient for regular battlefield assaults.

The Great Wu Ancestor was slain, and a pillar of light shot up into the sky.

Inside the military city, Li Guang led his clansmen in a volley of arrows, and together with the simultaneous fire of the heavy light cannons stationed throughout the city, the formation of the pursuing Great Wu forces was instantly thrown into disarray. Several Zhao clan ancestors shielded the descendants of the general's households as they panted, sprinting with all their might, leaping and jumping into the military city, where they then collapsed one by one, drenched in sweat like rain, unable to move for half a day.

After panting for seven and a half minutes, a Zhao clan ancestor finally shakily rose to his feet and repeatedly shook his head at Zhao Xiang.

"Grand Uncle, it's horrible, too horrible… Our Zhao clan is left with only us few misshapen melons and rotten dates."

Zhao Xiang's face twitched violently as he glanced at the three or five Divine Clarity elders of his main family standing beside him, then at the four Divine Clarity elders of the main family who had fled into the city; cold sweat poured from his forehead, streaming down his cheeks, and soon a large patch of his chest clothing was soaked.

After a moment's contemplation, Zhao Xiang looked toward Wu Tie, and before everyone he clasped his hands in a deep bow: "My lord, please be the arbiter for my Zhao clan."

The four Zhao clan Divine Clarity elders who had just fled into the military city stared wide‑eyed in shock, and the half‑step Divine Clarity commanders from seven or eight general households were all dumbfounded.

What kind of joke is this?

Zhao Xiang addresses 'Prince An Huo Xiong' as 'My lord'?

This… either these people in the city have gone mad, or these newcomers to the city have gone mad; either way, it's nothing good.

The two Great Martial elders who had just been pursuing in a tail-chase, the Martial Sovereign's throat was struck by lightning and killed; the remaining elder resentfully glanced toward the military city, then led a group of Great Martial commanders in a detour, running to a distant hill to join the Great Martial forces.

Under a huge blood-red military flag, a group discussed for a moment; soon a squad of over ten half-step Divine Manifestation Great Witch commanders rushed toward the military city.

They leapt between the ridges like a squad of giant fleas, quickly arriving beneath the military city.

They glanced at Wu Tie standing on the city wall, then began pulling out one smooth round object after another from their storage rings.

Wu Tie's eyes were sharp; he recognized what the objects were, and his face instantly darkened.

The Great Martial commanders acted swiftly; in just a few breaths they used those round objects to lay two pyramids outside the military city. Shouts rose from the city walls as everyone saw that the two pyramids were made of stacked heads.

These were two human-head mausoleums.

One human-head mausoleum used about five hundred heads; looking at the features, they were clearly the heads of Divine Manifestation elders from the Green Hill and Great Wei states.

The other human-head mausoleum used over ten thousand heads, all from the half-step Divine Manifestation descendants of the Green Hill and Great Wei participants in the duel. Tens of thousands of distorted, bloody heads piled together, giving the mausoleum a considerable size and a grim appearance.

Wu Tie stepped forward two places, placed his hands on the city wall's battlements, and looked down.

"You… are provoking?" Wu Tie solemnly asked the squad of Great Martial commanders.

"Yes… otherwise, let's fight outside the city." A burly man covered in black hair, nearly two zhang tall, wearing heavy armor and wielding a heavy sword, strode forward in large steps, approaching the opposite side of the wall by several dozen zhang.

"Prince Huo Xiong… how about we come out and play?"

The Martial Family descendants of Great Martial seemed to have exceptionally abundant body hair; the black-haired giant Wu Tie had previously killed with a punch was now as furry as a black bear. Yet the man standing beneath the city wall now, his large beard and neck hair could even flutter in the wind!

His black beard fluttered as the giant bore his sword, head held high and chest out, pointing at Wu Tie.

"Do you have any relatives in there?" the giant laughed brightly: "Prince Huo Xiong, have the guts to come out and take two blows from me?"

Behind the giant, a red-bearded man laughed "hee-hee," grabbed a hair bun, and seized an old man's head. He held it high, then let go with a "bang" as the head fell to the ground.

"Oh dear, sorry, whose ancestor is this? My hand slipped."

The old man's head "gurgled" down the slope, rolling over ten zhang away into a sewage pool.

Behind Wu Tie, a youth from the Wei clan of Green Hill let out a hysterical roar; even Wu Tie couldn't stop him in time as the youth shot out of the city wall like a madman, leaping a hundred zhang into the air and then swinging his blade down at the red-bearded giant who was laughing loudly.

The red-bearded giant's body shimmered with divine light, the projection of the Ten Directions Slaughter Armor appearing faintly; he extended his left hand, easily catching the youth's great sword with a palm, then casually twisted his hand, and the Heavenly Dao Divine Weapon–grade great sword snapped in his grip, half the blade driven into the youth's chest.

The Wei clan youth crashed heavily to the ground, his body convulsing violently as he spat blood while gazing at the old man's head rolling into the sewage pool.

"Ancestor… ancestor…"

Several Great Martial commanders stepped forward, their swords, spears, halberds and assorted weapons clashing down together, slaying the Wei clan youth on the spot.

A fresh head was placed atop the larger mausoleum; the Great Martial commanders glanced at each other and burst into hysterical laughter, "hahaha."

"Perhaps your ancestors are among those inside the city; why don't you come out to properly recognize your kin?"

The black-bearded giant laughed until tears streamed down, pointing at Wu Tie on the city wall and shouting: "You lot, won't you come out to clean up these trash?"

Wu Tie pressed his hands against the city wall's battlements, coldly scanning the Great Martial men, then exhaled heavily.

"You are not allowed to leave the city; hold it to the death."

"I, the king, will go out to meet the various clans… well, Zhao Xiang and Li Guang, you elders of each tribe, restrain these youngsters. No matter whose family they are from, whoever dares to leave the city, just beat them to a pulp; as long as you don't kill them, hit them however you like."

With a cold snort, Wu Tie shot down from the city wall with a "whoosh," and said coldly: "I, the king, have come out; how do you want to play? Come, I, the king, will play with you."

The two mausoleums truly ignited Wu Tie's fury.

In a life-and-death duel, both sides have no choice but to fight to the death… but piling heads into a mausoleum is simply excessive.

Great Martial.

How could Wu Tie allow such a country to win this battle?