NOVPUB
Chapter 308: Chapter 305: Compliance
The power of the Mystic Bird Fighting Machine, no matter how much it’s discussed in thousands of words, could not match the shock brought by witnessing it firsthand.
Liu Jingtiao, Fang Linghai, Leng Ningshuang, and others had once seen the Mystic Bird Fighting Machine from high above, diving and strafing a group of devils, and their assessment was that it was equivalent to a top-grade Monarch.
But at that time, the Mystic Bird Fighting Machine ultimately shot down devils, which were a tier below on the biological hierarchy.
Now, having witnessed the famous Monarch Yuan Zhenhai shot down, everyone felt a sense of alarm, fear, and uncontrollable shivering.
"The Mystic Bird Fighting Machine... how can it be so strong?"
"The speed of those cannon bullets has reached the level of Devas Defend Sword. In other words, the attack power has stepped into the domain of Devas, it’s just that it can’t turn as flexibly as the Devas Defend Sword. Plus, with its astonishing flying speed..."
The crowd exchanged looks.
Especially Lu Zhanxian, one of the top ten masters of the Demon Path and a Peak Monarch, faintly felt that even if he personally took action, he would likely gain no advantage against the Mystic Bird Fighting Machine, which had extreme speed and cannon bullets on par with Devas Defend Sword.
Even...
He might be worn down by the opponent’s sustained combat ability.
After all, he had heard that these fighting machines only need a few minutes to change a box of bullets and could dive and strafe continuously in the void for several hours.
And how long could he, a Peak Monarch, maintain his strongest fighting power?
Ten-plus minutes, or mere minutes at best.
In other words...
The real fighting power of the Mystic Bird Fighting Machine was slightly stronger than his, a Peak Monarch.
And that was not even the most terrifying part.
Lu Zhanxian watched the Mystic Bird Fighting Machines constantly flying and strafing in the void.
The most terrifying thing was that there were eight of these fighting machines.
Eight fighting machines equivalent to Peak Monarchs.
With such a force, who could withstand this across Tian Nan?
Even if Purgatory Sect, Cold Moon Sect, and Netherworld Sect united, it would be no exception.
Thinking of this, Lu Zhanxian’s expression was filled with complexity.
After a while, he finally let out a long sigh.
"South of Tianhe... is going to change..."
...
The Primordial Spirit Monarchs of Purgatory Sect, Cold Moon Sect, and Netherworld Sect watched this lopsided slaughter of a battle in silence.
At that moment, Xin Tianqi seemed to sense something and took out a jade token.
"Hum hum!"
A special oscillation radiated from the jade token, condensing into form on this warship.
True Spirit Projection Technique.
The figure projected by the True Spirit was none other than Gu Jinlai, who was operating the eight Mystic Bird Fighting Machines.
"Venerable Daoist Lu, Venerable Daoist Liu, and Monarchs Leng, Monarch Fang, Monarch You Quan, Monarch Wu You, Three-Life Monarch."
Gu Jinlai nodded at them one by one.
The Primordial Spirit Monarchs exchanged glances and bowed in return, "Governor Gu."
Before they could speak, Gu Jinlai had already spoken, "The Eastern Sea Alliance Army has many masters. Refining Gods and Divinity Transformation Cultivators, even if they fall into the sea, are unlikely to risk their lives right away unless a sea beast takes notice. To prevent those who slip through the net from continuing to harm Jiangzhou State in the future, how about you Monarchs help me stop these fleeing Divinity Transformation Cultivators and Refining Gods?"
Stopping these fleeing Refining Gods and Divinity Transformation Cultivators...
That was no big deal.
They were not being asked to help Lingxiao City fight against the Primordial Spirit Monarchs of the Eastern Sea Alliance Army.
But these words were undeniably sending a signal.
A signal...
That by following Gu Jinlai’s command, they acknowledged the fact that from now on, he would be the leader of everything happening south of Tianhe.
So when Gu Jinlai later unifies south of Tianhe, it will be a matter of course.
Lu Zhanxian, Ancestor You Quan, and a few others had yet to respond, but Fang Linghai and Leng Ningshuang had already made up their minds.
"When Governor Gu speaks, Cold Moon Sect will naturally follow."
Fang Linghai said with a smile.
Leng Ningshuang also nodded in agreement.
The next moment, the two Monarchs at the battlefield had already performed Primordial Spirit Sword Control, with sword light swirling towards the Divinity Transformation Cultivator a dozen miles away.
With Cold Moon Sect setting the precedent...
Ancestor You Quan of Netherworld Sect glanced at the Mystic Bird Fighting Machines that dominated the Sky Dome and also cordially agreed, "If Governor Gu requests, Netherworld Sect is more than happy to comply."
After he spoke, he too, along with the Three-Life Monarch and Ancestor Wu You, plunged into the battlefield.
Only Lu Zhanxian and Liu Jingtiao were left in the field.
To be precise, Liu Jingtiao’s gaze had already turned to Lu Zhanxian, waiting for his final decision.
The only one left to wait was Lu Zhanxian alone.
Lu Zhanxian, feeling the gaze of Liu Jingtiao, Xin Tianqi, and Gu Jinlai, let out an inward sigh, then laughed to himself as he remembered something.
After all, Gu Jinlai bore the title of Supreme Elder of their Purgatory Sect.
In the future, even if he were to unify Tian Nan, he believed there would always be a place for Purgatory Sect.
The reason he had been unable to decide was merely on account of his own status and strength.
But strength...
Which single one of the eight Mystic Bird Fighting Machines didn’t surpass him in combat power?
Having realized this, he smiled and bowed, "Venerable Daoist Gu is our Purgatory Sect’s Supreme Elder. When the Eastern Sea Alliance Army provokes Governor Gu, they provoke our Purgatory Sect. Without needing Venerable Daoist Gu’s order, we will not stand idly by."
Immediately, his and Liu Jingtiao’s Primordial Spirits at the battlefield also performed sword control and broke into the sky, entering the battlefield.
Seeing the Monarchs from the three sects stepping in one after another, Gu Jinlai and Xin Tianqi exchanged brief smiles.
South of Tianhe, the situation had finally stabilized.
...
Lizhou State.
State Lord Mansion.
Heavenly Tribulation, the Peak Monarch, although he shrank back at the critical moment and never actually went to the Eastern Sea battlefield, was constantly gathering intelligence from the Eastern Sea.
Not just from the Eastern Sea.
But also movements from Jiangzhou State.
Even though messages were repeatedly confirmed, indicating that Jiangzhou’s fleet was nothing more than a few small fish and shrimps, Heavenly Tribulation remained restless, as if some major event was about to happen.
At last...
This uneasiness persisted for several hours before becoming reality.
Accompanied by flowing radiance, an image appeared in an object in front of him, resembling the Thousand-mile Light and Shadow Mirror.
A Refining God Immortal, who was using a wooden board to move quickly forward, appeared clearly in the mirror.
At this moment, the Refining God Immortal was a picture of disarray, his expression filled with terror.
Behind him, one could vaguely see countless shattered remnants of warships, raging flames, and numerous creatures struggling in the water.
Just this image alone caused Heavenly Tribulation’s face to change.
"We’ve lost! We’ve lost! My lord, we’ve been defeated!" said the Refining God Immortal in terror. "Almost the entire fleet of two thousand warships has been crushed, thirteen Primordial Spirit Monarchs suffered heavy casualties, and there are almost no survivors..."
"We’ve lost!?"
Although Heavenly Tribulation had a premonition, he still found it hard to believe, "How did we lose? How were we defeated? Thirteen Primordial Spirit Monarchs, sixty-six Divinity Transformation Cultivators, and two thousand warships, how did such forces get defeated?"
He questioned urgently.
He had to clear this up as soon as possible, because it involved the future life and death of Lizhou State, including his own as the nominal State Governor.
"War Spiritual Artifacts! It was those aerial War Spiritual Artifacts called ’Mystic Bird’!" said the Refining God Immortal, a note of despair in his voice. "Lingxiao City did not have just three of these war machines but eight, and these fighting machines were even stronger than depicted in the intelligence reports. Anyone they targeted, whether Divinity Transformation Cultivator or Primordial Spirit Monarch, had only one end: death."
"Mystic Bird Fighting Machines! Eight Mystic Bird Fighting Machines that were War Spiritual Artifacts! And they were stronger than the reports!?"
Heavenly Tribulation’s heart sank instantly.
According to the intelligence, the Mystic Bird Fighting Machines were comparable to Peak Monarchs.
Stronger than the reports!? Could that mean...
Peak Monarchs!?
Eight Peak Monarchs!?
Such a terrifying force could easily sweep through everything south of Tianhe, and if the eight joined forces, they could even fight against Devas.
Not just resist, not just entangle, but actually fight!
They had the potential to kill Devas.
What kind of dreadful power was this!?
The Eastern Sea Alliance Army lost to such a force...
It was not unjust.
"It’s all over, completely over. Moreover, the Purgatory Sect, the Cold Moon Sect, and the Netherworld Sect’s Primordial Spirit Monarchs had also made their move... We—ah!"
The Refining God Immortal did not finish his words as a streak of light seemed to flash across the mirror.
Intense booms accompanied by the sea waves submerged everything displayed in the mirror, until it all vanished.
Most likely, that Refining God Immortal was dead.
This time, he had dispatched a fleet, but onboard there were only two Divinity Transformation Cultivators.
Both were unruly on regular days. Dead was dead.
But now he had no time to grieve for the demise of his close confidant.
"Someone come, someone!"
Heavenly Tribulation shouted.
"Uncle," said Lei Yuan, his reliable aide, entering quickly from outside.
"How’s the investigation you were conducting?"
"About the matter in Jiangzhou? I’ve got some clues. There were eight powers involved in this incident—Ouyang family, Ding Family, Baofeng Sect, Tianhai Gang, Black Shark Island, Coiling Dragon Island, Floating Cloud Island, and Bibo Island. The Primordial Spirit Monarchs who took action were Black Shark Island’s Island Master Hei Jing and Bibo Island’s Island Master Zhang Dongzhen. The rest also deployed quite a few Divinity Transformation Cultivators and Refining God Immortals."
"A joint alliance of eight forces..."
Heavenly Tribulation’s expression turned sour.
The major families had actually formed an alliance with the four islands right under his nose!? 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘱𝘶𝑏.𝑐𝘰𝑚
No wonder their move against Jiangzhou was immediately supported by nine islands.
But it was an inevitable situation.
Being the Governor of Lizhou State, he inherently stood in opposition to these families, gangs, and islands. If it weren’t for his significant strength and his turning a blind eye to their actions, as long as they didn’t touch his core interests, and considering other powers weren’t united as one, he probably wouldn’t have been able to stay safely in Lizhou.
The major families and gangs forming alliances with the Eastern Sea Twelve Islands without his knowledge was something he could do nothing about.
But now...
"Take action! Immediately! Capture all the people from the Ouyang family, Ding Family, Baofeng Sect, and Tianhai Gang! The leaders should be captured alive and wait for sentencing!"
As he spoke, Heavenly Tribulation stood up, "To ensure absolute certainty, I will personally take action!"
"We’re going to attack the major families now, while the Primordial Spirit Monarchs from the other forces aren’t here? But once the true Monarchs behind them return and unite for retaliation..."
"Return?"
Heavenly Tribulation sneered, "They won’t be coming back."
