Chapter 327: Suppressing the Imperial Army

Sprinting rapidly using the Godspeed Talisman, Shi Qianzhang looked up at the sky in a daze.

So that's heavenly tribulation?

Huai Jing and Mu Wanxuan were also gazing up at the rolling tribulation clouds in the sky. They were massive enough to obscure the stars and the moon.

Is this really something that can be produced with enchanted power?

Shi Qianzhang smiled wryly. "Brother Sheng has started. He hasn't even reached the Nascent Soul Realm yet. Once he forms a Nascent Soul, won't the Celestial Master end up below him?"

"

Amitabha.

Do not speak of our elders so lightly. Fei Yu has always shown respect for senior cultivators," Huai Jing scolded. He inhaled deeply as he carefully sensed the heavenly might radiating from the sky. "It's like Fei Yu activated a cheat after emerging from seclusion. At level 59, he is already equipped with a relic meant for level 99..."

Shi Qianzhang could not agree more with the metaphor.

Mu Wanxuan remained calm before the heavenly tribulation. After glancing at the sky a few times, she fell back behind Huai Jing, focusing her spiritual perception on detecting traps and ambushes.

In the sky, Wang Sheng's Dao Heart remained calm. He quietly analyzed how far he should push himself next. Back at the international hotel, he had no problem eliminating the Dami soldiers since they had struck first. Since he and his team were the ones launching an attack now, he found no reason to slaughter every soldier in the base. Such an act would be meaningless.

Since they were going to invade the military base, they had to at least yield tangible benefits from it. The first he had to consider was public opinion. Yaoyun had reminded him that the base conducted numerous inhumane experiments. Exposing those would reveal the Dami Empire's deepest, darkest secret.

He also had to think about technology. If they could acquire any devices that could prove useful to the Hua Republic, it would be an unexpected gain.

Every field of study had its specialty, and scientific research branched out in many directions. Having discussed it with several scientists on the way to Sakura Island, he now understood the Hua Republic's technological status. It was leading in most fields, but it was still behind in a few areas.

Finding evidence of collusion between the Dami Empire and the Jialington Group was also crucial. It was obvious to any discerning observer that the Jialington Group answered to Dami. However, as the world's second strongest nation and a founding member of many international organizations, the Dami Empire had always enforced clear boundaries with the Dark Faction.

Wang Sheng believed that without the evidence, the Hua Republic would face certain disadvantages in the future. They probably wouldn't be a major issue, but avoiding problems was always preferable.

Yaoyun telepathically asked, "

Why worry so much about clearing out barbarians? How can your Dao Heart claim the freedom and leisure you speak of?

"

Wang Sheng smiled wryly. "

We're long past ancient times. Earth has six to seven billion people with incredibly complex relationships.

"

"

Then you should focus on cultivation. Once you ascend, you can deal with the Hua Republic's potential threats. Why be so troubled now?

"

"

Alright then.

"

Wang Sheng smacked his lips while surveying the scale of his cyan cloud and channeling enchanted power. He also drew in the somewhat turbid primal qi from the city. Though the intake was negligible compared to his enchanted power consumption rate, it was better than nothing.

"

Yaoyun, how is the situation in star domains? On Earth, humans are divided by skin color. Are there similar distinctions out there?

"

"

This involves the shifting powers in star domains, which is somewhat complex,

"

Yaoyun explained.

"

Before the rise of the Heavenly Court, Daoist sects always occupied the areas that were rich in resources and primal qi. Under the governance of the Daoist sects, most had black hair and brown eyes.

"

However, in distant star domains appeared cultivators who did not believe in the Three Pure Ones or follow the Great Dao. They cultivated based on the faith of living beings, and over time, their hair and eyes became colorful.

"Though

cultivators are closely linked to fortune and the Great Dao, those 'god-believing cultivators' forged a path independent of fortune, allowing them to exist outside the immortal spirit world. Over countless years, they established some presence. Unlocking their highest potential makes them roughly as strong as Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm cultivators.

"

During the Heavenly Court's calamity, an army of god-believing cultivators attacked the Northern Heavenly Gate, but Emperor Ziwei only took a few hours to annihilate them with one sword.

"

Wang Sheng stroked his chin thoughtfully. Yaoyun was essentially saying that most people in the Three Realms resembled Asians.

The constant shifts in power must have been the reason other races were exiled to this Realm of Exiled Immortals. The star domains near this realm have likely seen numerous changes in rulers.

Yaoyun added, "

Once you leave the Realm of Exiled Immortals and enter the true Three Realms, you'll encounter god-believing cultivators. For a time, the Heavenly Court even collected their divine forms as rare, highly valuable treasures.

"

Wang Sheng didn't know what to say.

Even at the height of its power, it seems the Heavenly Court didn't hesitate to oppress and bully others. Otherwise, why would so many powerful beings from distant star domains rush to attack them the moment they were in trouble?

"

So ascension will allow me to leave, huh?

" Wang Sheng thought with a touch of hope. He imagined flying hand-in-hand with Mu Wanxuan away from Earth toward a vast and prosperous world.

Seemingly reading his mind, Yaoyun poured cold water over him. "

Compared to the outside world, this realm is too comfortable and peaceful. If your Dao Heart is even slightly indecisive, you won't get far in the stars.

"

When cultivating, one must not harbor killing intent. It unsettles one's Dao Heart and can easily lead to devilish deviation. However, out there, killing intent is necessary because all beings compete for fortune, treasure, resources, and even primal qi.

"

Once you leave, you will have no one to rely on until you encounter the Heavenly Court's immortals. If you do not adjust your mindset now, I cannot bear to let you risk your life, let alone bring Hua Qing with you.

"

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Wang Sheng was once again rendered speechless.

If the outside world were truly so perilous, then perhaps I should ascend before Master and Senior Sister to scout ahead.

Wang Sheng had thought that the cultivation world on Earth could remain confined to the Realm of Exiled Immortals, leaving each sect to its own affairs. That would require addressing two key issues, though.

First, Earth's primal qi was currently abundant, but after a thousand years, the benefits that they were getting from the Heavenly Qi Seal and Earth Qi Seal would diminish. At that point, primal qi levels would return to normal. Earth could only support so many cultivating immortals, true immortals, or celestial immortals on its own.

Yaoyun had mentioned before that when the Heavenly Court left the Realm of Exiled Immortals, half of its experts still hadn't fully replenished their enchanted power. The planet's primal qi had always been under the Heavenly Court's regulation.

The second issue was far more critical: there was a chance that powerful enemies would discover the Daoist heritage that the Heavenly Court had left on Earth. Only by taking initiative could one gain control.

Wang Sheng's spiritual perception alerted him to imminent danger. He immediately focused, detecting more than a dozen high-energy signatures.

As orange-red beams erupted tens of kilometers away, Wang Sheng swiftly moved aside. The beams hit empty air and plunged into the tribulation clouds above.

Thunder rumbled. Wang Sheng looked up in suspicion.

When he used lightning tribulation and cyan mist to block beams earlier, he noticed that the energy from the modern weapons seemingly intensified the tribulation clouds. Now, a similar phenomenon occurred. The clouds expanded by twenty percent!

Although Wang Sheng understood heavenly tribulation far more than other cultivators, he still hadn't fully grasped it.

Is there a law that increases the power of heavenly tribulation if it's attacked?

With a dumb smile, Wang Sheng muttered, "So that's how it works."

Keeping Flying Haze concealed, he accelerated toward the military base. The tribulation clouds above him also sped up.

By now, he had pulled half of the tribulation clouds beyond the city's edge, easing the nerves of the Sakura Island cultivators who were observing from a distance. What they did not know was that he also intended to attack Sakura Island's cultivation sects after he was done with the Dami Empire's military base.

The four were now only twenty kilometers away from the Dami military base.

The base was fully lit, with countless people and vehicles rushing around. Missiles, laser turrets, and various new anti-cultivator weapons appeared, quickly forming three defensive lines. Many troops were also deployed to ambush Huai Jing and Shi Qianzhang along their path.

The tribulation clouds emitted a strong magnetic field, rendering high-precision anti-cultivator missiles useless. The soldiers had no choice but to charge and fire the laser turrets repeatedly, which only supplied the clouds with energy.

Using his spiritual perception to track their movements, Wang Sheng shifted unpredictably beneath the tribulation clouds, making every high-energy beam miss and turn into nourishment for the clouds. Eventually, he began moving the clouds forward with minimal effort to conserve his own enchanted power.

Though they were still ten kilometers from their destination, the black clouds that the tribulation clouds had drawn already covered the base and weighed on the hearts of the Dami soldiers. When the heavenly might descended, they finally began cursing the officers who had ordered to attack the Hua Republic cultivators.

Why did they pick a fight with these cultivators?!

Little did they know, a "sword" had already triggered the storm of heavenly tribulation.

Crackle! Rumble!

Above Wang Sheng, streams of lightning dragons flashed continuously. The tribulation cloud had reached the limit of what he could guide and control. Thanks to the efforts of the Dami soldiers below, the central tribulation cloud was nearly sixty percent larger than the one that he had conjured at the Saros Empire.

To ensure the cloud had sufficient power, he made it drop its altitude by sixty percent compared to his previous attempt.

If the cloud continued to expand, he would not only struggle to control it, but he could not guarantee that the military base below would remain intact. Hence, he used his Sword-Controlling Art. Flying Haze suddenly appeared in a corner of the base.

Amid shouts of alarm, it darted through the area at incredible speed, destroying over a dozen laser emitters simultaneously. Despite their formidable destructive potential, the weapons themselves were fragile.

On the ground, Huai Jing and Shi Qianzhang had begun encountering enemy ambushes. Among the Dami soldiers was a small portion of "cultivators." In reality, they were not cultivators; they were cybernetically enhanced humans. Primal qi had been used to strengthen their bodies and grant them certain abilities.

Shi Qianzhang found them somewhat challenging, while Huai Jing remained completely unflustered. His devil-subduing staff grew stronger with each encounter. Throughout the battle, Mu Wanxuan provided support from the shadows, allowing Shi Qianzhang and Huai Jing to remain unpressured.

Noticing someone below attempting to ambush his senior sister, Wang Sheng frowned and pointed Spiritless forward. Behind him, the tribulation cloud roiled, sending dozens of thunderbolts cleaving through the night sky. The lightning illuminated half of the darkness, destroying most of the ambushes ahead.

Thunder roared endlessly as the thunderbolts struck one after another.

Soon, the edge of the main tribulation cloud reached the military base. Standing on his flying sword, Wang Sheng shot to the center of the base at immense speed. He stood in the air with his sword on his back.

"In the spirit of freedom and humanitarian principles, I'm giving you all a chance to lay down your arms and surrender," he announced, his words reverberating far and wide.

The base fell silent for a few seconds. Artillery rounds and missiles were then fired in unison. Rockets and drones also surged into the sky as several laser weapons that had been barely repaired unleashed the empire's radiant power.

Wang Sheng snorted coldly and lifted Spiritless high. Under the tribulation cloud, patches of hazy light appeared.

He swung the longsword downward, and the lights erupted into forty-nine thunderbolts.