CHAPTER 313: CHAPTER 311: THE TRADE

The drumbeats shook the heavens, and living beings stretched as far as the eye could see.

Clouds dotted the sky, their tops laden with figures, hastening from south to north to the appointed place.

The armies of cultivators from the thirty-six divisions of the Human Domain advanced in unison!

Jade Talismans flew across the sky. Messengers constantly changed positions while maintaining rapid responses. Experts from the Human Domain guarded the battle formations, and a continuous stream of reinforcements poured forth from the Northern Region of the Human Domain.

Emperor Yan of Shennong took the initiative to launch the great war between humans and gods, and for the first time in tens of thousands of years, the cultivators of the Human Domain counterattacked Heaven Palace!

The entire Human Domain was in an uproar.

Central Mountain was the center of the Great Wilderness World and the gathering place of powerful beings from the Hundred Races.

Divine Spirits built temples high in the clouds, while all creatures bowed in worship upon the earth.

Then one day, a group of cultivators chanting "the path of the Great Dao" and "victory to the living beings" came from the south, a vast, endless host, opening war against Heaven Palace.

In every place they passed, the living beings of the Hundred Races fell silent.

Unfortunately, among the cultivators’ great army, the beings of the Hundred Races who joined could be counted on one hand, or you could say... there was not a single one.

The rule of Heaven Palace over Central Mountain, even if built on terror and persecution, became very stable over time. This stability stemmed from factors like the daily worship of the Divine Spirits, the constant confrontation with power far beyond their own, obedience ingrained since ancient times, the influence of companions, and so forth.

The Human Domain was not built in a day, and the cultivators’ fearlessness towards the Divine Spirits was not something imprinted in just one generation.

As for the battle at the front.

The gods of Heaven Palace were enraged; the Earth God commanded a head-on confrontation with the Human Domain, and the Heavenly Emperor appeared before all gods.

A large group of Innate Gods rushed southward, leaving enough powerful beings within Heaven Palace to maintain the Heaven and Earth Seal. Most of those sent out were Main Gods of intermediate strength, with firm control of their Great Dao.

Goddess Xihe, the Sun Goddess, revealed her presence;

The Gold God and Wood God of the Five Elements Gods revealed their presence;

The God of Death and the newly born God of Thunderstorms revealed their presence;

The Head Manager and the Young Master remained seated in Heaven Palace; together, they could draw upon the Power of Living Beings to suppress the Heaven and Earth Seal as needed.

Emperor Shun, the Heavenly Emperor, merely sat quietly on his throne, leaning slightly to one side, his hand propping up his cheek, fingers resting at the corner of his eyebrow, a faint smile always on his lips.

Some Innate Gods had heard the Heavenly Emperor muttering the name "Shen Nong," but its meaning was obscure.

Within twelve hours of Emperor Yan’s order for all-out war, the Human Domain army clashed with the Divine Guard and the Hundred Tribes Coalition Army, sparking the first great battle.

This battle affected countless living beings, and the main battlefront spread over a thousand miles. Dozens of Innate Gods participated, alongside hundreds of cultivators from the Transcendent Realm, ending with a narrow victory for the Human Domain.

In this battle, a dozen Transcendent cultivators of the Human Domain, nearing the end of their Lifespan, stepped forward and perished together with six weaker Innate Gods.

Both sides suffered losses exceeding a hundred thousand, and in the face of that nearly world-bending might, they maintained a ratio of nine deaths for every one survivor.

The Great Dao of the Heaven Palace side remained undamaged, and five remnant thoughts of the six fallen Innate Gods were rescued.

In less than an hour, the five deceased Innate Gods began to resurrect in the Divine Pool of Heaven Palace, where they could reconstruct their divine bodies within a thousand years.

They also received the Heavenly Emperor’s rewards and promotion in God position.

This initial direct encounter was a defining battle for the great war between humans and gods.

The Human Domain suddenly changed its "hands-tied" approach of the previous three years and began to fiercely confront Heaven Palace.

Meanwhile, the Human Domain secretly reached out to the Hundred Races of the Great Wilderness, with thousands of officials from the Four Seas Pavilion traveling through the Nine Wildernesses of the Great Wilderness, persuading potential tribes to join their cause.

Heaven Palace was determined to stop the Human Domain army south of Central Mountain, regardless of the losses to the Innate Gods, and those five resurrecting Innate Gods became the standard that Emperor Shun had set.

The scattered Innate Gods across the lands, especially those minor gods of the Western Wilderness, began moving towards Central Mountain of their own accord.

Taking advantage of the situation, Emperor Shun issued an order to expand the ranks of gods in Heaven Palace...

In just twenty-four hours, the Human Emperor Pavilion and Heaven Palace each employed a series of strategic moves.

Encounters erupted continuously in the Southern Territory of Central Mountain, but the casualties were not as dire as in the first battle.

The Human Domain struggled to push forward as the ancient Divine Guards of Heaven Palace began to awaken, causing the resistance they faced to grow increasingly greater.

...

The situation was urgent. Xu Mu, deputy commander of the "Young Master’s Army," was like an ant on a hot pan, pacing back and forth under the watchful eyes of the junior generals.

The few veteran generals behind him furrowed their brows tightly, each expressing a sense of helplessness.

"Are we still supposed to stay at the back?"

"Commander Xu, please think of something!"

"We came to Central Mountain to fight the enemy, to serve the Human Domain, to seek retribution from Heaven Palace for the blood debts of the past. The army next door is already clashing with Heaven Palace at the front! Can we only dispatch some Soldiers to support them?"

"General Xu, Uncle Xu! You are skilled in battle formations and have rendered meritorious service; why can’t you get a chance to fight in a major battle from those above!"

Xu Mu stopped pacing, frowned, and said, "What are you clamoring about? What’s all this clamoring! You’re all anxious, am I not anxious too? Military orders are like mountains, and adhering to military orders is our foremost duty!"

An old general huffed, "It’s these shiny baubles and silver pieces that have held this old general back!"

The junior generals immediately felt aggrieved and began to defend themselves.

The few elderly generals of the Heavenly Immortal Realm were also frustrated by their inability to advance and fight the enemy, promptly starting an argument with the juniors.

A commotion erupted within the tent, which made the normally composed Xu Mu somewhat irritable.

An elderly man with white hair and a long robe appeared from a corner of the tent. With a gentle sweep of his sleeve, a touch of cooling calm was released.

He said, "The Human Emperor Pavilion decrees that all forces must remain vigilant. Innate Gods filled with emotions are using their Divine Skills; the gods of irritation, depression, and excitement are each shaking their own Great Dao, seeking to disturb Dao hearts. All troops must constantly recite the mantra of mind-clearing and observe if there are any abnormalities in the Dao hearts of those around them."

All the generals saluted in unison. The old man nodded slowly, stepped back half a step, and his figure became hidden from view.

Many masters secretly protected this place; in terms of strength, they were actually within the top ten among the thirty-six armies.

The generals recited the mind-clearing mantra, and the atmosphere inside the tent quieted down slightly.

Xu Mu said, "Everyone return to your units. Listen for orders from above, and I will help you seize the opportunity to achieve merits and distinguish yourselves."

"Commander Xu."

In the corner, Ling Xiaolan, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up.

No one stood within a few feet of her. Her body was enveloped in several layers of Immortal Light, making her appear like a human-shaped cocoon of light, her gaze somewhat cold.

Fairy Ling said, "Please, do not use the words ’achieve merits and distinguish oneself’ regarding this battle. That would be underestimating us. Fame and profit should not be built upon the bones of our own kin. What we do is to avenge our ancestors, ensure the enduring prosperity of the Human Domain, and plan for all creatures of Heaven and Earth."

Xu Mu gave an embarrassed chuckle and said with a bow, "Fairy Ling speaks rightly."

"Now that the great battle has begun, the Human Emperor Pavilion will not care about our origins."

Ling Xiaolan continued, "Do not think that it’s because of the various forces behind us that the Human Emperor Pavilion lets us rest in the back. The battlefront has spread out, and the Human Domain’s attack this time is like throwing a clenched fist. While the Heaven Palace front line has not yet collapsed, our side’s momentum is already waning, and a grim and protracted battle will surely follow. If any of the three main armies at the front show signs of distress, we will need to take their place. Everyone, there is something Brother Wuwang once told me, and today I want to borrow his words to remind all of you. In battle, sheer passion is not enough. We must think more, observe more, and speak less. The fundamental way to win a battle is to reduce our losses as much as possible and to inflict greater damage on the enemy. We all need to stay calm."

The generals, young and old, clasped their fists in salute.

Ling Xiaolan, holding her Short Sword, bowed slightly, then turned and left the tent, leaving behind praises from several young generals,

"Fairy Ling truly... truly..."

"What about it?"

"She’s becoming more and more like the legendary Ting Huan."

"Ah, Wuwang Palace Lord and Fairy Ling are truly a perfect match."

Then came a few chuckles, followed by a scolding from an old general, and they hurriedly left the command tent.

What Ling Xiaolan said was not wrong; in fact, her analysis was quite apt.

After two days and nights of fierce combat between the Human Domain and Heaven Palace, both armies’ formations had become jagged and intermingled.

As the powerful warriors from the ancient Hundred Races were continually awakened by Heaven Palace, the overall strength of the two sides had become evenly matched. The Human Emperor’s Imperial Guards also began to engage in the great battle to some extent, protecting the Human Domain’s defensive line with the Dao of Fire and dozens of the Human Domain’s top ’personal Daos.’

This "Young Master’s Army" received its mobilization orders at noon on the third day of the great battle’s outbreak.

At that moment, countless young faces, leading Immortal Soldiers, riding white clouds, launching battle formations, and raising flags, advanced with the momentum of chasing wolves and hunting tigers toward the oppressive forces to the north.

The Xuan Nu Sect experts brought by Fairy Ling had already spread out among the various battle formations.

Not seeking fame or profit;

Not for accomplishments;

For the prosperity of the Human Domain;

For the blood of their ancestors.

These young people of the Human Domain shouted cries of invincibility as they moved to encircle and attack the rear of the Divine Guard’s vast army.

...

「Meanwhile, in the Northern Region of Central Mountain, at Wu Wang’s place of cultivation.」

Wu Wang, who had initially thought the true outbreak of the great war would take at least half a month or a month, was somewhat stunned upon hearing the battle report from Central Mountain relayed by Yun Zhongjun.

The two of them hid in a rather spacious crevice in the rocks, murmuring to each other for a while.

Yun Zhongjun, still disguised in the slightly plump form of the Sleep God, leaned against the smooth rock wall with several Jade Talismans in hand.

Wu Wang sat cross-legged beside him, streams of pure Divine Power flowing into his body from the necklace, as he too pondered constantly.

Wu Wang said, "I don’t get it. Why would Emperor Yan of Shennong suddenly commit his entire army? Could there be something we don’t know?"

Yun Zhongjun hummed softly and said with a smile, "Based on the information we currently have, we indeed cannot fully explain it. This northern expedition of the Human Domain is not much different from the several northern expeditions that erupted a thousand years before Emperor Fuxi’s time was up. The top experts who followed Emperor Yan back then are now short on Lifespan; they want to make the most of their remaining energy and find a way to kill a few Innate Gods. That’s just how things are. For the past three years, the Human Domain has been following this line of thinking, constantly harassing Heaven Palace and provoking the powerful gods of Heaven Palace, in order to protect the strength of the new generation of the Human Domain. But this time..."

"Could there be some other crisis?" Wu Wang asked.

Yun Zhongjun shook his head slightly, made some calculations by pinching his fingers, then folded his arms and muttered, "The Human Domain’s crises... aren’t they always about these sorts of things?"

The voice of Ming She came from outside, reaching their ears, "Unless, the Human Emperor didn’t initiate this war merely to have the older generation of the Human Domain’s experts die fighting a few Innate Gods to wear down the power of Heaven Palace."

Wu Wang and Yun Zhongjun exchanged glances, their eyebrows slightly raised. That remark did make some sense.

Wu Wang looked at the Yan Emperor’s order and the Transformation Qi that he had kept sealed within his Immortal Mansion and spoke softly, "Forget it, let’s not speculate wildly. No matter what, I should still ask the old senior. Keeping things bottled up or causing misunderstandings and tragedies by not speaking clearly... more communication can prevent all that."

"Should we let the Human Emperor know about our existence?" Yun Zhongjun asked.

"No," Wu Wang immediately rejected, transmitting his voice, "We trust the venerable Shen Nong, but the Human Emperor is the Human Emperor after all, and his path is not entirely aligned with our Heavenly Dao."

Yun Zhongjun raised an eyebrow, a relaxed smile on his lips.

Wu Wang closed his eyes and focused, a thread of Divine Thought sinking into the Transformation Qi without retracting the surrounding Divine Power, directly beginning to call out.

"Venerable one... esteemed ancestor... Your Majesty... Father-in-law!"

"Hmm?"

Shen Nong’s voice came through immediately, a bit hoarse, probably from not having spoken for a long time.

"It’s Wuwang, right? What’s up?"

Shen Nong chuckled. "Is the little secret you’re working on in the Northern Wilderness finished? Can you come to Central Mountain to scoop up some Divine Power now?"

Wu Wang’s mouth twitched a few times, and he replied with a smile, "Look at what you’re saying, venerable one. I am still nominally your successor. As the saying goes, wave follows wave in the great river, and the one before crashes onto the beach. With such a significant event happening in the Human Domain, I had to at least check in."

"Humph! She didn’t come over, did she?"

"My mother is taking care of her."

"That’s good," Shen Nong said slowly. "This is my only personal concern, and it is all entrusted to you."

"Mm-hm," Wu Wang responded. "How about we reserve some names in advance so we can pick from them for our offspring later?"

There was silence on Shen Nong’s end for a while.

But Wu Wang had already distinctly felt a surge in the Dao of Fire.

He’s angry! The old Human Emperor is furious!

"Just a joke, just a joke. The point was to help you relax, venerable one," Wu Wang said earnestly. "But I’ve also been puzzled. Why... such a heavy loss of life?"

Shen Nong did not answer.

Wu Wang then asked, "I heard from Brother Xiao Jian that there was a group of venerable ones who didn’t have enough Lifespan left?"

Still, Shen Nong remained silent.

"Really, is there anything you can’t tell me?"

"Then what were you doing in the Northern Wilderness that you also avoided my sight?" Shen Nong replied cheerfully. "Don’t worry, everything is going according to plan."

Nevertheless, Wu Wang said, "But, if the Human Domain possesses numerous contingencies left by Emperor Fuxi, then for us to proactively attack Central Mountain and trade lives one-for-one with Heaven Palace... it’s somewhat indefensible."

Shen Nong let out a light sigh.

"Emperor Shun is no longer the Emperor Shun of the Ancient Emperor of the Suiren Clan’s era, when he cherished his subordinates and would attack the Human Domain regardless of the consequences. Now, Emperor Shun has become restrained, and that also makes me somewhat uneasy. Since Emperor Shun’s self-awareness returned to Heaven Palace, he’s different from when he was the Order incarnation. Now, Emperor Shun cares more about his own gains and losses. If things are not feasible, he would rather destroy and rebuild the current order than allow the forces of Heaven Palace to touch the Human Domain while I live, no matter how I provoke him."

Wu Wang was silent for a moment, then said, "Venerable one, I don’t believe that."

"Then continue not to believe for now," said Shen Nong. "How about we make a simple trade?"

Wu Wang: ...

"If there’s anything you need me to do, just say the word."

"No, I am making a deal with the powers behind you."

Shen Nong chuckled a few times. "You are a fine junior, but if you were merely a fine junior, that would be far from enough."

"Speak, predecessor," Wu Wang slowly uttered. "I shall consider it."

"Good."

In the Northern Region of the Human Domain, Shen Nong sat quietly on the forehead of the fire Azure Dragon, gazing at the endless expanse of mountains and seas of Central Mountain, and spoke a few sentences.