Chapter 460: Peach Banquet

Everyone walked through a land of misty fairylands.

Towering golden pillars, intricately carved with coiled dragons, stood majestically. In the vast ocean of white clouds, heavenly soldiers and generals, as well as immortal palace goddesses, drifted by, carrying flower baskets and preparing fine wine and feasts.

This ancient Chinese Heavenly Court, brimming with immortal aura, with its nine heavens, was truly magnificent and grand. A true Heavenly Court of myth stood before them, making even Xu Zhi feel a sense of unreality, finding it hard to believe this was the sandbox world he had created.

This splendid and magnificent world belonged to him.

However, there was one peculiar detail: the Earth Mother Qing Teng, the revered figure presiding over the Peach Feast, who was seen as the Mother of all beings and the matriarch of the world, was in reality a certain idle player. This player had previously been instrumental in creating the world, debating with Dao Lords, and had shrewdly survived until this very day.

“I can’t help but feel that something strange has infiltrated this grand and lengthy mythological epic, amidst the simple and upright natives of the three realms…”

He rested his chin on his hand.

There was still some time before the Peach Feast officially began, but immortal maidens were already carrying trays of fruits and fine wine, welcoming the guests.

Amidst the swirling mists, ancient reclusive masters from mortal sects, sacred lands, and the immortal and demonic realms, along with Heavenly Emperors, were mingling and conversing with their disciples. The entire immortal realm was buzzing with activity, making it an unprecedented grand event for the three realms!

The people from the Martial God Palace were also casually strolling around.

Some immortal maidens chattered excitedly, discussing them from afar, their gazes filled with admiration.

It seemed the Martial God Palace had many admirers in the Heavenly Realm. One blushing maiden couldn't help but step forward, offering a bottle of immortal brew meticulously aged for a century, asking, “Empresses, would you like something to eat?”

“No, thank you,” Lin Hongfeng replied, her brow radiating a heroic spirit, embodying the aura of a heroine who could rival any man. She calmly stated, “The Martial God Palace has strict rules. We do not drink alcohol. Our code of conduct emphasizes self-cultivation and physical training, and I must set an example for everyone.”

“So cool!” the maiden exclaimed, her face full of admiration, a hint of unusual affection flashing in her eyes. “Then… is the Martial God Palace always so strict, never relaxing?”

“As long as there is life, there is movement. We have never stopped for a single moment.”

Lin Hongfeng, adorned with red feathers, clad in exquisite, form-fitting combat attire, and wearing red armor, possessed the incredibly sculpted physique of a female Martial Emperor. She calmly stated, “The path of a martial artist is to defy heaven and seize destiny. If you lack talent, cultivate it! If you lack cultivation, develop it! If once is not enough, try a thousand times, ten thousand times. Do you know how many times we’ve thrown a single punch?”

“Three years ago, you mentioned that over six hundred years, your fists have delivered a total of thirty billion, eighty million punches! That’s an average of over fifty million punches per year!” the girl couldn't help but speak, her eyes blazing with excitement.

This was a truly astonishing number.

The mysterious Martial God Palace, a group of ordinary mortal girls without innate talent who cultivated themselves into Heavenly Emperors, was synonymous with diligence, miracles, and the incredible throughout the three realms!

Their motto seemed to be: The weak cultivate their bodies. The frail strive diligently. Through diligence, one can reach divinity.

This was the impression the Martial Dao lineage left on all beings.

Many people, naturally timid and soft, found that through repeated physical training, shedding blood and sweat, a strong body not only enhanced their combat power but also improved their demeanor, helping them overcome timidity and become confident and decisive.

“The thirty billion punches are the average for our Martial God Palace Empresses. Empress Xiaowei among them has already reached seventy billion. She is an anomaly… and even more so, a legend. We were originally mortals, especially delicate women, so naturally, we cannot afford to be complacent.” She gently patted the maiden, her voice carrying a soft yet commanding tone, saying, “But don't try to imitate us carelessly. Without a senior guiding your body, the harder you train, the more likely it is to backfire, leading to internal injuries and even death from over-exertion.”

With that, she calmly led her group away.

A group of girls behind them excitedly chattered and gathered, their eyes brimming with admiration.

Not only did they have numerous female admirers in the Heavenly Realm, but many male powerhouses also continuously approached them to greet them, their gazes filled with respect, and even worship, clearly making them the focal point of all major powers in the three realms.

Their strength and dignity were earned through their own hard work, not granted by others' pity.

Not everyone could endure the torment of a certain devilish fitness coach system, which relentlessly issued tasks and training quotas every day. Without immense perseverance and facing the terror of life-or-death situations, it would have been impossible to persist until today.

The lineage of the Female Martial Emperors, ordinary mortals cultivating the Martial Dao, progressed incredibly slowly due to their lack of extraordinary bloodlines, but once achieved, their foundations were terrifyingly solid. Their power relied entirely on themselves, not inherited bloodlines, making them formidable opponents in their respective realms.

“Daoist Lin, a century has passed, and your grace remains as ever.”

“If you have time, you are welcome to visit our Martial Combat Church in the Demonic Realm to reminisce.”

“The Great Zhou Dynasty, after all, is filled with rigid scholars who lack ambition. Our Demonic Realm, currently experiencing freezing temperatures, has, precisely because of its harsh environment, already entered a medieval era of demonic potions and steam, with tall buildings, automobiles, and airships…”

“It's strange; things have become increasingly bizarre over the years. Do you remember Heavenly Emperor Li Mi from back then? That peerless genius of the Witch Tribe, whose combat power was three or four times that of an ordinary Heavenly Emperor. He was as powerful as you, Heavenly Emperor Lin, capable of defying the heavens in battle. However, he ventured deep into the Cloud Mountain Marshes to investigate a strange phenomenon and has been missing ever since!”

Evidently, throughout the Nine Heavens, the lineage of the Martial God Palace, with its beautiful, elegant, dignified, and majestic legendary Female Heavenly Emperors, was already exceptionally conspicuous at the entire Heavenly Court feast.

“Is this the Martial God Palace’s home ground? Another reason is that there are simply too few women.” Xu Zhi glanced around, observing a male-to-female ratio of about seven to three.

Lin Hongfeng calmly stated, exuding the majestic demeanor of a titan of the three realms, “Powerful women are relatively rare, primarily due to environmental factors. Women tend to rely on stronger individuals to gain resources. It's not that their talent is lacking! Rather, they are less willing to fight desperately. Females are inherently softer and naturally lack a certain competitive ferocity. Of course… male powerhouses are willing to fight to the death, and their casualty rate is extremely high. Most of the deaths in the three realms are men.”

“Therefore, our Martial God Palace in the three realms is mysterious and unfathomable; every woman possesses unparalleled combat power, advocating for women's self-reliance. Naturally, we receive much attention and are the most popular major power!”

“Currently, the Martial Dao lineage has spread for several centuries, and only recently have a significant number of top-tier combatants emerged. Among the three realms, there are only two male Human Martial Emperors… and only five male Demonic Martial Emperors.” She continued, “Because our nature is special, we have the System Sister, and furthermore, we are not… humans.” She lowered her voice, “This is a cultivation method perfectly suited for the demonic race, tailor-made for us… The idea of achieving everything purely through effort is also a beautiful lie.”

Xu Zhi nodded, finding her words quite truthful.

Looking at the group of elegant maidens, gentle and dignified, it was a stark contrast to their demeanor yesterday. They even began to eloquently discuss the origins of the Martial God Palace and their lofty personal aspirations.

At this point, Mu Yuling, who was nearby, spoke up, “According to ancient legends, the so-called Witch Tribe inherited the bloodline left by the Witch Ancestor, the Undying Heavenly Diagram Battle God, which grants them innate strength and the ability to cultivate the True Body of Ancestral Witches… We don't have that! But why bother inheriting ancestral bloodlines? We will create our own! Our current bloodline, when passed down to our descendants, also grants various Martial Dao divine abilities, and their blood is semi-golden… Countless individuals covet this and wish to marry us!” Her face was filled with pride, “According to the System Sister, we have integrated punching, physical training, and kicking into our genetic biological instincts. Our descendants will inherit this, and their physiques will be strong! Currently, we may not yet compare to true Ancestral Witch bloodlines, but after achieving godhood, I fear we will be no less than them, and perhaps even surpass them!”

At this moment, Pan Xuexian, who was nearby, chimed in with a laugh: ‘It's impossible for others to be entirely free of hidden injuries! They cannot achieve a perfect, unblemished body. With tens of thousands of precisely divided areas in the body, there will inevitably be one or two muscles, bones, or meridians that cannot be fully trained, making them weaker than other areas. These are vital points and flaws in combat, where defense and strength are both weak. If an enemy observes closely, they can detect these and use them to defeat their opponent. They simply cannot achieve a perfect 'Martial Dao Golden Body,' so any bloodline they pass down becomes diluted after only one or two generations. But we are different; we have thoroughly formed an evolution that transcends humanity! This is the advantage of the system! Those who possess the system are the protagonists of their era. Every individual in the Martial God Palace will one day be able to independently create a new race!’

Xu Zhi's face showed exasperation.

That one was trying to sell something again…

As they walked, everyone enjoyed the abundance of fine wine and delicacies. As for the top-tier figures like Medusa and Ermin, they naturally wouldn't be here before the feast officially began. Xu Zhi already sensed that Hermes was with the other gods on the opposite side.

Sheila, on the other hand, remained largely silent throughout the journey, as she was naturally of a more gentle and quiet disposition.

Pan Xuexian, however, after being thoroughly beaten, immediately adopted a pleasant and amiable demeanor, displaying the gentle charm of Emperor Messiah. She incessantly promoted things, her voice incredibly sweet, much like a saleswoman.

And behind the scenes? She was already in a fit of powerless rage!

She secretly posted an update online, consisting of just a dozen or so characters: “Shocking! Truly brothers from different mothers, Emperor Messiah, just like Bai Xiaosheng, is a complete 'steel straight man'! Park strolls and fine wine, but no women!” She posted two screenshots depicting beautiful maidens being brutally beaten. Online netizens immediately became both envious and outraged, criticizing the lack of chivalry and repeatedly exclaiming, 'Let me do it!'

After breaking through to become a Heavenly Emperor, Pan Xuexian had told netizens that she had returned to her original nature and regained her cuteness. However, she didn't mention her combat form, only posting pictures of herself as a cute and gentle maiden, or as her adorable small animal true form.

“Beasts! How could they hit such cute and soft girls?!” cried some. “Her true form is such an adorable little hen, a little phoenix! How could anyone bear to hit her?!” Not to mention the boys, even a group of girls were overflowing with love.

Xu Zhi, however, just glanced at it and chuckled dismissively. Those were misleading photos! It was far more terrifying than Photoshop, alright? Not to mention that seeing her explosive muscular form would be an eyesore; even in her supposedly cute, ordinary maiden form, would they dare to touch her? She was practically a walking, hard jade statue! Could this be a soft girl? One small punch from her and you'd instantly die!

“This person is secretly slandering me behind my back; does she really think I don’t go online?”

Xu Zhi was momentarily stunned. Suddenly, he noticed a group that, besides the Martial God Palace, was also extremely popular.

And it consisted of only one person: Bai Xiaosheng.

He was stoic and expressionless, while surrounding him were numerous Heavenly Emperors, eager for knowledge and filled with immense reverence.

“Who would have thought that the legendary Bai Xiaosheng, who disappeared for over six hundred years, would actually appear at the Peach Feast? Indeed, the oldest existences under heaven have all come to offer their congratulations. Earth Mother Qing Teng truly lives up to her reputation.”

“Bai Xiaosheng is immensely knowledgeable; a brief conversation with him is deeply beneficial!”

“This is only natural. He once took two disciples: Hu Rennong, who founded the Great Zhou Incense Dynasty, and Liu Wenjian, who established the Shu Mountain Sword Immortals! These two mortal cultivation systems are truly world-shaking achievements and immense merits!” a white-haired, ancient Heavenly Emperor exclaimed in admiration.

The expressions of the Martial God Palace members nearby instantly changed.

This was one of the most mysterious secrets in the world, unknown to others. However, they now knew that the Hermes of today was the Bai Xiaosheng of yesteryear. So, who was this Bai Xiaosheng then?

“How incredibly audacious! He actually dared to openly appear at the Peach Feast!” Sheila covered her mouth, her face filled with shock.

Suddenly, Bai Xiaosheng also noticed the members of the Martial God Palace and slowly approached them, his face devoid of emotion.