Chapter 575: The Weapon of a Race’s Foundation, Heavenly King Zhenwu

In the independent seating area off to the side of the council chamber, Li Daoyi approached a tall, imposing young man at the edge of the section, grinning as he greeted him. "Brother, hello! Nice to meet you. I’m Li Daoyi."

The man paused briefly, then returned the smile. "Hello, Brother Li. I’m Xia Zuo."

Just as the two had finished their introductions, the entire conference room subtly trembled and distorted.

At the forefront of the room, five figures exuding an overpowering kingly presence appeared on the circular thrones. Instantly, everyone present straightened, their expressions turning serious.

Dressed in ancient robes, Heavenly King Shenxiao glanced down at the gathering. His voice was gentle as he said, "Everyone, find a seat. The meeting is about to begin."

Moments later, three more figures, surrounded by swirling laws, appeared on the thrones. Then a few more emerged. Before long, eleven kings had assembled in total.

The confluence of intangible rule-bound auras emanating from these kings created an oppressive force that hung heavily in the air, distorting the space within the conference room.

"So many kings!" Li Daoyi exclaimed in awe.

Sitting beside him, the imposing young man nodded in agreement. "Indeed. This is also my first time seeing so many kings gathered in one place."

Hum!

Suddenly, white light blossomed on the high platform, and four figures materialized out of thin air. Instantly, an aura of king- and heavenly-king-level might spread throughout the room.

"You two, take your seats over there," came Gabriel’s voice.

As her words fell, two massive stone thrones, each ten meters high and bathed in divine white light, emerged to the left of the original twenty-five thrones.

"Uhh..." Chen Chu hesitated.

Heavenly King Shenxiao smiled faintly from the front. "Sit down. You’ve already earned the right to be seated up there."

As Shenxiao spoke, the other kings, who had already reviewed the list of key personnel for this grand battle and were familiar with Chen Chu’s information, nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

Though the Federation was harmonious internally, and most king-level experts didn’t adopt an air of superiority, their status was still something that couldn’t be ignored. As powerhouses who had reached the mythical level, they commanded respect not only for their strength, but also for their years of contributions to humanity.

In the Federation, the stronger a cultivator was, the higher their status—and the heavier the responsibilities they bore.

This applied equally to Luo Fei and Chen Chu. Luo Fei, piloting Mech No.1, possessed combat power comparable to a king. Furthermore, the enemies she would face in the future would undoubtedly be demon kings. A single misstep could mean death.

With this in mind, Chen Chu and Luo Fei nodded slightly without protest, making their way to the rear thrones and taking their seats.

Compared to the other thrones, whose backrests were adorned with intricate crown carvings, these two thrones had a simpler design. Yet, their very presence symbolized the distinct status of Chen Chu and Luo Fei, drawing everyone’s attention. Many powerhouses unfamiliar with them looked on with curiosity and confusion.

Li Daoyi, in particular, widened his eyes in disbelief. "No way... Brother Chu is here at Abyssal War City, and he’s sitting up there too!"

Xia Zuo was intrigued. "Brother Li, you know that man sitting up there?"

"Of course I do! His name is Chen Chu, and he’s a close friend of mine," Li Daoyi replied, his expression a mix of emotions.

"Just a few months ago, we were fighting side by side. During our downtime, we’d chat about which beauties had the biggest chests or the longest legs. And look at him now—he’s sitting on a throne!"

On the throne up front, Chen Chu’s lips twitched involuntarily.

Who talked about big chests and long legs with you? That was all you, glued to your phone, scrolling through risqué pictures all day!

Xia Zuo blinked, slightly stunned. The name Chen Chu sounded familiar to him. His younger brother had a classmate by the same name—a student known for his astonishing talent.

Could it be...?

Before he could ponder further, more kingly figures began appearing on the high platform. Finally, when a solemn-faced middle-aged man emerged on the foremost throne, a wave of excitement rippled through the crowd. Everyone present rose to their feet.

"Greetings to Heavenly King Zhenwu!"

The middle-aged man nodded slowly. "Take your seats. No need for formalities."

Heavenly King Zhenwu. Chen Chu’s eyes reflected a deep respect as he looked at the legendary figure before him. He hadn’t expected to encounter this renowned individual today.

As an experienced heavenly-king-level powerhouse, Zhenwu’s strength was formidable, but his contributions to humanity were even more impressive. He had pioneered Foundation Building through the Body Refining Art, which had played a crucial role in humanity’s explosive cultivation progress over the past decade. Even Chen Chu couldn’t help but admire him.

A faint aura of principles seemed to flow around Zhenwu, as though he existed independently of this world. The intangible pressure emanating from him was indescribable. Like Saixitia’s mother, Zhenwu stood just one step away from entering the ranks of the strongest.

Chen Chu recalled reading about Zhenwu in the past. This formidable expert wielded a divine monument known as the True Martial Divine Stele, a weapon that embodied the foundation of the human race.

Zhenwu’s terrifying combat power had been demonstrated when he faced a demon god of the Purgatory Demon Clan head-on with the Divine Stele and emerged unscathed. This feat was the origin of his illustrious title[1].

As Heavenly King Zhenwu arrived, the atmosphere in the grand hall turned solemn. At that moment, a three-meter-diameter golden cube slowly appeared at the main seat, emitting an intangible wave that swept over everyone and enveloped the entire meeting room.

An elderly voice emerged from within the cube, speaking slowly. "Everyone is here. It's about time to begin. Shenxiao, you will preside over this strategy meeting."

Heavenly King Shenxiao nodded and began solemnly. "As of this moment, we have mobilized two primary combat legions, three reserve legions, and two hundred thousand logistical reinforcements to Abyssal City.

"In addition, a significant quantity of ammunition, as well as materials for injury recovery and replenishment of true power, has been prepared and will arrive over the next three days. At that point, all elite personnel will be equipped with sufficient healing and recovery resources.

"Our primary forces currently number 1.47 million across multiple legions. Each legion will be stationed in 156 different combat points."

As Heavenly King Shenxiao spoke, a radiant light appeared in the air, forming a massive three-dimensional map stretching over a thousand meters.

The map depicted the terrain within a depth of ten thousand kilometers from the base and spanned over twenty thousand kilometers of human-controlled territories, marking various perilous areas and forbidden zones.

Many of these zones had been created in battles between the Second Councilor, the Celestial King; the Third Chairman, the Primordial King; and the Purgatory Demon Gods. They contained lingering principle powers, mingled with spatial fragments and void storms, creating destructive regions where even king-level individuals faced danger.

Even long-range missile launches from the base had to avoid these forbidden zones, or the ammunition would be consumed and wasted.

Additionally, the battlefield was heavily influenced by years of conflict, nuclear explosions, and battles involving king-level and heavenly king-level combatants. The transcendent energy in the area had become chaotic, with severe radiation and disrupted magnetic fields.

Strong signal towers were required to maintain communication. Once the conflict escalated, six orbital battleships would serve as signal relay stations on the battlefield.

Under Heavenly King Shenxiao's direction, the vast frontline battlefield was divided into eighteen combat zones that overlapped and interlocked, ensuring sufficient firepower to cover the Purgatory Demon Clan's forces.

The forward positions included Thunder God Giant Cannons, capable of bombing hundreds of kilometers away, and rocket artillery bases with ranges exceeding two thousand kilometers.

There were also airports, ammunition depots, and missile launch bases located one thousand, three thousand, five thousand, and eight thousand kilometers from the frontlines. Each of these military bases required guarding to prevent sabotage by elite Purgatory Demon Clan squads.

Given the vast battlefield, high-level true demons adept at concealment could operate undetected even across distances of thousands of kilometers, posing challenges even for heavenly kings.

During large-scale conflicts, ordinary soldiers would form battle formations to attack, while high-level combatants, primarily Ninth Heavenly Realm experts, would form elite squads to traverse the battlefield.

These elite squads would either defend the mid-rear areas or penetrate enemy positions to cause destruction, often guiding crystalline energy hydrogen bombs for large-scale annihilation strikes.

After assigning responsibilities to the various legions, Heavenly King Shenxiao moved on to the core strategy.

"In this war, the high-level combatants from both sides will counter each other. The strategy will focus on Mech No.1 as the spearhead, with Chen Chu acting covertly to break through critical points and gradually disrupt the enemy's balance.

"However, intelligence indicates that the opposition has dispatched reinforcements, including seventeen vassal race legions and five elite Purgatory True Demon armies. Currently, we know of two demon kings and one great demon king among their reinforcements, keeping our overall combat strength balanced.

"Still, with Heavenly King Zhenwu wielding the weapon representing our race's foundation, his power is comparable to that of a supreme powerhouse. Combined with the return of the Sky-Suppressing War King, who can contend with a great demon king after unsealing his strength, we hold the advantage in high-level combat power.

"Unfortunately, Xuanwu and Jiuyou are absent. If we had gathered most of our top combatants, we might have been able to completely shatter the demon clan's defensive line this time."

Turning to Chen Chu, Heavenly King Shenxiao continued. "Before the war begins, do not reveal your combat ability, to avoid becoming a target for the enemy's demon kings. Your initial task is to patrol the frontlines and eliminate elite demon forces that infiltrate our positions, particularly Ninth Demonic Mark nobles.

"During the middle phase of the conflict, when the high-level combatants on both sides are fully engaged, and Mech No.1 has drawn significant attention, you will unleash your full power to break through the enemy's defenses.

"At that time, the Second, Eleventh, and Nineteenth Legions, along with five elite squads, will coordinate with you in a strong offensive to tear apart the enemy's frontline."

"Understood." Chen Chu nodded solemnly. Such Wars of Civilizations spanned vast areas and extended over long durations. They weren't places for individual heroics.

Moreover, all participants in this meeting were legion commanders and general-level experts, ensuring the confidentiality of information regarding Chen Chu. If these individuals failed to meet the supreme powerhouses' scrutiny, the Federation would have long since fallen.

The meeting continued with discussions on details, assigning more specific tasks to each legion commander, and setting the war's commencement six days later, three days before dawn.

Meanwhile, at a Purgatory Demon Clan base tens of thousands of kilometers away, a cold and indifferent voice rang out.

"This is humanity?"

Alexis, clad in dark gold battle armor and standing three meters tall, with nine unevenly long demonic horns forming a crown-like structure on his head and a face covered in dark red scales, stood imposingly.

In his hand, he gripped the head of a Ninth Heavenly Realm cultivator, holding it aloft. This cultivator’s aura was feeble, his battle armor shattered. Half of his body was blown apart, grievously wounded and barely clinging to life.

Scattered across the shattered ground hundreds of meters away lay the mangled corpses of three other human soldiers. This had been an elite squad tasked with a mission deep within the Purgatory Demon Clan’s territory, now entirely annihilated.

Despite his fragile aura, Jiang Zhe, the Ninth Heavenly Realm cultivator dangling from Alexis’s grasp, glared at the Purgatory Demon Clan elite. His voice, hoarse and weak, carried a defiant tone.

"You filthy freaks... If it weren’t for me having an upset stomach today, you’d never have caught me."

He paused to catch his breath and sneered coldly. "Go on then, finish me. It won’t be long before your lot comes to meet me down below."

Jiang Zhe’s words made Alexis frown slightly. Turning his head toward a colossal beast stretching over a kilometer in length, Alexis spoke in the language of the Purgatory Demon Clan.

"What is he saying?"

The colossal beast, shrouded in flames and resembling a western dragon with nine heads, let out a deep, chilling growl.

Roar! No idea, but probably insults directed at you.

"How dare a lowly human insult a True Demon noble. Die."

Boom!

Alexis tightened his grip, crushing Jiang Zhe’s skull and tossing the lifeless body aside without a second thought.

After casually executing the human, Alexis murmured with a hint of puzzlement. "These humans are so weak. How have they been able to resist the True Demon Race for so long?"

The colossal beast let out a slow growl.

Roar! They aren’t weak, Alexis, you are simply too strong. As one who bears the divine bloodline of a demon god, these ordinary humans are no match for you. Your true targets should be the top-level human geniuses.

"Humans have geniuses?" Alexis raised an eyebrow.

The colossal beast nodded slowly.

Roar! Indeed. Among humanity are the so-called Innate Awakeners, descendants of heavenly kings, prodigies who can reach the Ninth Demonic Mark within just two hundred day-cycles. Their abilities are formidable.

"Two hundred day-cycles to reach the Ninth Demonic Mark?" Alexis’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

Roar!

Though humans are weaker than the True Demon Race at the same level, their growth rate is astonishingly fast. Some exceptional cases even rival the nobles in power.

"I see." Alexis licked his lips, a cruel smile spreading across his menacing face.

1. The name "Zhenwu" translates to "true martial.” ☜