Chapter 144: Masters of Crossdressing All Along

Though the hull was made of wood, it shimmered with a metallic luster. The intricate patterns inscribed upon it were far from chaotic, appearing profoundly mystical. This material was exceptionally precious, possessing a variety of unimaginable divine might.

More than a dozen individuals stood upon the deck, representing the younger generation of Tianqin. All of them radiated vigor and vitality, their eyes gleaming with divine light. A few wore heavy armor that emanated brilliant radiances and was intertwined with esoteric runes, marking them as far from ordinary.

A great battle lay ahead, one where anyone faced the peril of falling. No amount of preparation could be considered excessive.

"Clatter! Clatter!"

The sound of armor rubbing together echoed across the scene. Across an energy bridge extending from the ancient vessel, a legion of soldiers clad in black armor marched onto the deck.

Their armor was pitch-black, etched with diverse patterns and gleaming with a metallic sheen. Meticulously maintained, it faintly radiated a biting, metallic sharpness.

Their weapons consisted of black battle halberds and celestial spears—ancient, heavy armaments that exuded a primitive yet palpable bloodlust, as if capable of devouring the heavens and the earth.

This sight was chilling, for these weapons had undoubtedly slaughtered formidable foes and executed extraordinary figures; otherwise, they could not possibly carry such a fierce and malevolent aura.

"They contain king-metal!" Zhou Zui murmured, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Both the armor and the weaponry were infused with a rare and precious metallic element, making them extravagantly luxurious. Forged from the kings of metals, they were not only incomparably durable but also imbued with a multitude of special, formidable powers.

"This is..."

Zhou Tian felt a trace of bewilderment. This army was clearly composed of battle-hardened veterans tempered through blood and fire, yet during his time here, he had never once laid eyes upon them.

"This is the garrison force of Tianqin stationed here. Usually, they train in secluded secret realms, making them rarely seen," Zhou Xunquan said in a deep voice, noting that this troop was in no way inferior to Tianqin's elite forces.

"We are merely small fry, certainly not the main force. They are the true backbone," Li Xuanyi said, a long sword slung across his back and dressed in white robes, maintaining an air of refinement and gentleness.

This army numbered around ten thousand strong. Even the lowest among them possessed the cultivation of the Three-Cang Realm, while figures of the Dharma Form Realm were ubiquitous, and saints were by no means a minority.

Their faces were also obscured by visors, with only two sharp beams of divine light piercing through the eye slits. They filed continuously from the sides of the ship into the inner cabins.

Today was the scheduled departure for Mount Myriad Gods. Not only had Tianqin made thorough preparations, but above the other seven major cities as well, various types of wartime magical artifacts hovered in the air as their respective military units assembled.

Finally, Zhou Changsheng appeared, followed by several figures representing Tianqin's pinnacle combat strength. With the exception of those strictly required to guard the homeland, virtually everyone else had mobilized.

This was the first head-on confrontation with those ancient deities, and everyone was intensely curious about the mysterious properties hidden within the Pantheon of Gods.

Standing in the void clad in cyan-golden armor, Zhou Changsheng radiated an imposing aura as dazzling as the midday sun. After casting his gaze around the surroundings, he commanded in a deep voice, "Set sail!"

The entire ancient vessel surged with divine light. The beast-hide sails unfurled, and a thick, translucent, glass-like barrier manifested with a pale golden hue. The mystical patterns across the hull began to shift and flow before the ancient vessel finally moved forward. Zhou Tian felt not the slightest tremor aboard; only by observing the flowing scenery did he realize the ship was already in motion.

The ancient vessel traveled at a blistering speed, though it did not traverse space directly. Due to the disruptive interference of the peripheral void storms, the spatial fabric of the God-Forsaken Land was exceedingly unstable. To avoid unnecessary complications, Zhou Changsheng chose not to engage in spatial shifting.

The other major factions followed closely behind. At present, Tianqin was the only power boasting two Heavenly King-class existences, naturally positioning them as the leaders.

On the ancient vessel, everyone closed their eyes to regulate their breathing. Even by their standards, their heartbeats could not help but quicken a fraction at this moment.

Zhou Tian pondered inwardly. In a battlefield of such monumental scale, an individual's personal strength was difficult to fully manifest unless one possessed overwhelming, peerless might—and currently, only the Heavenly King-tier figures possessed such prowess on the side of the Nine Provinces.

As for whether the opposing side harbored existences of even higher realms, he guessed they likely did not; otherwise, sending people like them would simply be offering themselves up as fodder. The people of the Nine Provinces could not possibly be that foolish; they must have had a solid understanding of their adversaries, having fought protracted wars against them since antiquity.

This presented a major problem: his [Cultivation Replication] skill would be virtually useless without sufficient room for performance. A thirty-one-second window was only effective when wielding overwhelming power, and his other abilities fell even further short.

As for [Holy Word], Zhou Tian still vividly remembered that the Dao Lord within the void storm had only been restricted for a fleeting instant. The effectiveness of that skill was heavily dependent on the target's strength.

After calculating for a long time, Zhou Tian realized that the only skill he had which could prove useful in such a massive battlefield was [Cultivation Replication], and even then, it hinged entirely on seizing the precise moment.

Glancing at Tianling beside him, Zhou Tian offered a worried instruction, "Stay safe. You cannot single-handedly dictate the outcome of this war. Don't throw your life away; just stick close to Zhou Zui and the others."

Tianling rolled her eyes at Zhou Tian and softly retorted, "What do you mean by 'stick close'? Rest assured, I'll take care of myself."

Look at that, just look at that—she's even learned to roll her eyes. She definitely picked that up from Liu Yan, Zhou Tian grumbled wildly in his heart, though on the surface he maintained a poker face and nodded.

When Saint Demon brought Zhou Tian from Mount Myriad Gods to the Nine Provinces encampment, it had taken roughly two days. However, that was not due to Saint Demon's own speed, but rather the flying speed of the Nine-Tailed Phoenix Bird. Tianqin's ancient vessel was considerably faster than that phoenix, reaching the destination in just over a day.

On Mount Myriad Gods, the grand and imposing metallic ancient palace was immensely majestic. The towering bronze gates stood like primeval mountains, casting an oppressive shadow capable of inducing a sense of suffocation.

For now, those bronze gates remained tightly sealed and unactivated.

Already, seven figures stood suspended in the void—some clad in white robes, others shrouded in shadows, and still others encased in lightning armor, surrounded by various ethereal phenomena. These were precisely the deities who had descended by utilizing mortal hosts.

"A bit disappointing. I don't see many familiar faces."

A crisp female voice rang out. Following the sound, Zhou Tian's expression turned peculiar. Surely such a coincidence wasn't possible? The speaker was none other than the saintess whom Muxu had escorted—the very same "kind-hearted" girl who had forcefully compelled Muxu to bring Zhou Tian along.

At this moment, she stood barefoot in white robes with a cold, detached gaze. Although the ancient vessel possessed protective arrays, a single sweeping glance from her sent a chill through the hosts of many individuals aboard.

Judging by appearances, she seemed to have become the host of the Lord of Holy Gods. It was hard to tell whether this girl possessed a constitution exceptionally compatible with the Lord of Holy Gods, or if the members of the Holy God Cult simply harbored some peculiar fetish, given that even the Pope of the Holy God Cult could turn out to be a crossdresser.

This time, Muxu and Lingyu had not tagged along because Zhou Tian deemed it far too dangerous. Their strength was insufficient, and since they were indigenous residents of the God-Forsaken Land, his trust in them did not mean others would share it.

"Isn't the Lord of Holy Gods supposed to be a man? How is it, are you getting used to descending into the body of a woman?"

Zhou Changsheng soared out from the ancient vessel, standing tall in the void as he mocked aloud.

"I was born within holiness; I am holiness itself. How could holiness be bound by distinctions of gender?"

The Lord of Holy Gods betrayed no emotion, offering a calm and detached explanation.