Chapter 1375 - 1003: Shattering the Golden Body

The Immortal Slaying Sword Qi is a supreme treasure designed for slaughter, possessing unfathomable power, capable of wounding even a Primordial Daluo Golden Immortal. Right now, although Hu Li the Immortal is merely wielding a broken sword, it is not something that any creature below the Immortal Dao can withstand.

Moreover, the higher the cultivation, the stronger the Essence, Qi, and Spirit, the more attuned one becomes to the sword light, and thus the greater the harm sustained. To a mundane flesh and blood being, the sword light looks merely like a ray of brilliance, with no other peculiarity other than its dazzlement.

It’s like when people enter society; the more they see, the more they know, and the more awe they feel, unlike the fearless strength of a bull evident in childhood.

Accompanying the rise of the splendid sword light, a horrifying scream echoed from within Marquis Wen’s territory: "What is this thing, so terrifying!"

Then followed a hair-raising screeching sound, akin to glass being scratched, yet not quite, as if an animal were gnawing on a human skull, that weird sound causing one’s bones to shiver.

Zhang Chen gazed into the distance; others might be unable to open their eyes due to the dazzling sword light, but Zhang Chen, being the master of the Immortal Slaying Sword, could see clearly. He saw the sword light slice through Heaven and Earth, cut into the golden shield, akin to slicing into iron, with a teeth-grating sound obliterating it, the shield was shattered.

The shield produced by Marquis Wen couldn’t withstand the Immortal Slaying Sword for a breath, directly shattered by the sword light. Then Marquis Wen transformed into a small golden figure, radiating brilliant golden light, facing the Sword Qi.

In an instant, both sides clashed; Hu Li the Immortal’s cultivation surpassed the opponent, plus the empowerment of the Immortal Slaying Sword, Marquis Wen was split open at the head by the sword. Half of the Immortal Slaying Sword lodged into his neck, held by bones, Hu Li the Immortal attempted to pull it out, but couldn’t as it lacked a handle.

"Damn it, what weapon is this, that can break my Golden Body!" Marquis Wen was shockingly distressed, attempting to heal, but the Immortal Slaying Sword constantly emitted Sword Qi, thwarting regeneration.

He extended a golden hand to pull the half-Immortal Slaying Sword from his bones, but the sword seemed rooted within, impossible to extract.

He could only give up mending his injuries, punching at Hu Li the Immortal, hoping to defeat him before tending to his wounds.

Hu Li the Immortal didn’t face the punch head-on; to preserve his Origin within, minimize its depletion, his task was merely to stall Marquis Wen. Without Marquis Wen’s empowerment, the Demon Race could easily breach Marquis Wen’s territory.

Hu Li the Immortal tangled with Marquis Wen, focusing on containment, preventing him from entering the field, as his territory, deprived of its protective shield, allowed flying Demon Beasts to swarm in, plummeting like wind and rain from above, while countless others scaled the walls.

Add to this the Blood Sea Array formed by Twelve Primordial Stars, surging toward Marquis Wen’s territory, planning to inundate it.

"All humans, lay down your weapons and survive!" Chen Sanliang floated in the void, shouting into Marquis Wen’s territory: "If you resist stubbornly, do not blame our cruelty; once the city falls, we will slaughter it completely, leaving no resistor alive."

Chen Sanliang’s voice echoed through Marquis Wen’s territory, numerous soldiers and civilians watched the cloud-covering Demon Beasts, trembling in fear, instinctively dropping their weapons.

The sky-darkening Demon Beasts eclipsed daylight, turning bright sunshine into overcast gloom, the dense swarm suffocating.

The ground was an endless wave of chaos, countless Demon Beasts shrieked, charging, the horizon overwhelmed with darkness.

An indescribable despair engulfed all civilians’ hearts; the resistance within Marquis Wen’s territory swiftly crumbled, coupled with the omnipresent Blood Sea, the territory fell instantly.

As Marquis Wen’s territory was breached, those on the fleet stood on deck, witnessing the hellish scene, eyes widened in disbelief.

Zhang Chen leaned on the railing, gazing at the distant battlefield, his eyes devoid of emotion, despite the countless human casualties within Marquis Wen’s territory, he felt no regret for the massacre caused by his breaking of Marquis Wen’s domain.

As the saying goes, if one doesn’t act selfishly, Heaven and Earth will destroy them. If Zhang Chen bypassed Marquis Wen’s territory, it would take an additional three to five years; amidst this End of Dharma Tribulation, who knows what chaos could unravel? Northern Land might change hands. Zhang Chen needed to return timely to Northern Land to train his troops and purge all unrest. Did he have time to waste on the journey?

Instead of being caught in chaos himself, it was preferable to let Marquis Wen take a significant fall, allowing Zhang Chen to undermine Marquis Wen.

But Marquis Wen’s methods were somewhat beyond Zhang Chen’s expectations. To know that it was half of the Immortal Slaying Sword, and it didn’t kill him after splitting his head, is truly astonishing.

And at this moment, everyone on the ship looked at the devastation in Marquis Wen’s territory, with expressions of compassion, their eyes turning towards Zhang Chen standing on the deck in white attire, observing Zhang Chen’s calm demeanor, a nameless feeling arose in their hearts.

Fear of Zhang Chen’s ruthlessness?

Awe of Zhang Chen’s methods?

Or dread of Zhang Chen’s mercilessness? Are tens of millions of lives nothing but weeds in his eyes?

"Is this your method?" Zhong Wubai asked beside him.

Zhang Chen nodded upon hearing this: "Correct! I only lent Hu Li the Immortal a weapon, and that weapon happened to be able to break Marquis Wen’s Golden Body."

"If the Demon Race breaks the pass and plunges tens of millions of civilians into a hellish inferno, such an act might be... inappropriate." Zhong Wubai hesitated for a moment before uttering the word ’inappropriate,’ fearing to provoke Zhang Chen.

"Inappropriate? I did think whether allowing the Demon Race to conquer the Heroic Pass would indeed be inappropriate, but then I realized that the Great Victory royal family might exploit the chaos to rebuild the nation, and our Northern Land would likely be affected as well. If we can’t prevent this situation, we’ll be in big trouble. If the Demon Race breaks through the Heroic Pass, their army smoothly advancing south will buy us enough time to develop the Northern Land." Zhang Chen turned to Zhong Wubai: "It’s not that I’m not compassionate, it’s just that future changes in Heaven and Earth are hard to grasp, and I cannot control them. The Great Victory royal family holds absolute advantage; once they gain power, they won’t spare us. Only by strengthening the Demon Race and consuming their future in opposition to the Great Victory royal family can we reap the benefits."

The severity of the upcoming End of Dharma Tribulation is beyond Zhang Chen’s comprehension. He only knows that the Great Victory royal family commands the most elite troops in the world. Without Extraordinary Power emerging, the Great Victory royal family will unquestionably sweep the world without opposition. The Northern Land’s Prince Pingbian’s Mansion’s army, after various ordeals, might struggle to maintain battle strength, but there’s an insurmountable gulf with the Great Victory royal family.

Zhang Chen’s eyes scanned the distant battlefield, listening to the screams echoing by his ears, a glint of reluctance in his eyes. Yet thinking of future changes in Heaven and Earth, Zhang Chen felt he must make adequate preparations.

If the future leads to the End of Dharma and Extraordinary Power vanishes, everything will return to the cold weapon era. By then, the Demon Race’s Human-Demon Tribe will be akin to foreign tribes in ancient China, with the direction of world power relying on collective governance, beyond human control, not something Zhang Chen can decide?

What Zhang Chen can do now is try to consume the living forces of both the Human-Demon Tribe and the Great Victory royal family. In the future, even if he refrains from attacking the Great Victory royal family or the Human-Demon Tribe, they might not spare him.

Hu Li the Immortal will surely be reduced to his original form by then. If handled improperly, Hu Li the Immortal might also become merely a tiger pelt cloak. Zhang Chen’s tacit understanding with the Human-Demon Tribe will inevitably vanish into thin air. Although currently Chen Sanliang is the Demon Master, achieving that status depends on two conditions: Firstly, Hu Li the Immortal’s full support, with Hu Li the Immortal propping him up. But if the End of Dharma arrives, Hu Li the Immortal cannot protect himself, and Chen Sanliang loses his backing. Secondly, it relies on Chen Sanliang’s own cultivation, but when the End of Dharma Tribulation descends, his cultivation vanishes, leaving him as a mere scholar skilled in rhetoric, unable to command the Demon Race army?

Chen Sanliang isn’t the owner of the Human-Demon Tribe; he’s merely a preacher, a scholar.

Regarding the future, Zhang Chen certainly has to plan thoroughly, striving to create favorable conditions for himself.

Zhang Chen’s words were just a few casual remarks, but all those gathered here are not ordinary people, comprehending quickly the essence of the matter. An expression of admiration appeared in their eyes, no longer exhibiting any previous deviation.

Zhang Chen masters the Law of Sound; what kind of person is he, comprehending the changes in everyone’s hearts.

The future changes in Heaven and Earth won’t be an era where a single person can suppress the world. Zhang Chen aims to convince people with both mind and speech, relying on ’virtue’ to achieve it. Only with virtue and righteousness can those around be constrained together. If merely depending on iron-fist tactics, the historical tyrants are cautionary tales.

"The disappearance of Extraordinary Power complicates simple matters, truly headache-inducing." Zhang Chen muttered to himself, reminiscing fondly of the times he swept away the Zhang Family with thunderous means.

The Zhang Family has migrated to the Northern Land, and many harbor resentment against Zhang Chen. He must especially recruit some groups to prevent being usurped by the Zhang Family later.

Despite the current obedience of the Zhang Family to him, if he loses Extraordinary Power, many will inevitably harbor ulterior motives and engage in underhanded deeds.