380: A national treasure has appeared! Is this a game of whoever has the best connections?

The atmosphere around the altar was even more oppressive than the previous beast tide.

It wasn't a pressure of numbers, but a heavy weight stemming from status and foundation.

Adam Smith and Sato Ryuichi looked like two gamblers who had lost everything but suddenly drew the ultimate trump card; their expressions were both crazed and hideous.

They knew very well that in a one-on-one fight, or even if they attacked together, their combined strength wouldn't be enough to withstand a single hand from Su Mo.

That freakish summoner had even smashed a Demigod-level Demon Lord Projection to pieces!

But... this was the Contest of Ten Thousand Nations!

This was the ultimate battlefield involving the destiny of nations!

Since every country dared to send people here, how could they not have some hidden trump cards?

"Ancestors?"

Su Mo stood directly in front of the altar with his hands in his pockets. Looking at the two guys putting on airs, he couldn't help but scoff.

"What? You can't win, so you're calling for your parents?"

"Have you foreigners been weaned too late?"

"Keep acting tough while you still can!"

Adam Smith’s face darkened as his sore spot was hit, and he suddenly tore open the parchment scroll in his hand.

"Great God of War! Guardian of America! Your descendant prays for your descent!"

"Please grant me the power to crush this heretic!"

Boom—!

As the scroll was torn, a pillar of golden light shot straight into the clouds.

The clouds in the sky were instantly shredded as a hundred-meter-tall phantom clad in golden heavy armor and wielding a giant battle-axe stepped out from the light pillar.

The phantom's face was indistinct, but that pure, domineering aura of the Laws of War weighed heavily on everyone's hearts.

[System Prompt: High-status being detected descending!]

[Name: God of War · Ares (Projection)]

[Level: LV130 (True God-level)]

[Duration: 10 minutes]

Level one hundred and twenty!

A True God projection!

This was an entire major realm higher than the previous Demon Lord avatar!

"Hahahaha! Do you see this, Su Mo? This is foundation!"

Bathed in golden light, Adam felt the continuous surge of divine power into his body and laughed wildly:

"This is a true god! What do you have to fight me with?!"

"And me!"

Sato Ryuichi was not to be outdone and crushed the black magatama in his hand.

"Great God Yamata! Please heed my summons!"

Hiss—!

A scalp-numbing hissing sound rang out.

Black mist surged as a giant serpent phantom with eight heads and eight tails emerged behind Sato.

Each snake head emitted different elemental fluctuations—cold, evil, and Greed.

[Name: Yamata no Orochi (Projection)]

[Level: LV128 (Demon God-level)]

Two True God projections over level one hundred, one on the left and one on the right, locked onto Su Mo!

That terrifying pressure made the faces of Shen Yanbing and the others turn as white as paper.

Even though they had just leveled up, and even though they had Mythic equipment.

In the face of these true deities, they still felt as small as dust.

"Su Mo..."

Shen Yanbing tugged at Su Mo's sleeve, her voice trembling slightly.

"What should we do? This... this is cheating!"

"Cheating?"

Su Mo patted the back of her hand to reassure her.

"You call this cheating?"

"Then in a moment, make sure you don't get scared."

Just as Su Mo was about to make a move.

"Su Mo, I'm sorry."

A cold voice suddenly came from the side.

Su Mo turned his head.

He saw Long Xiya, who had been standing nearby, now holding her dragon spear and looking at him with a complex expression.

Behind her, Thunder Breaks Heaven, Burning Fierce, and Ye Wuhen had each taken out a token emitting terrifying fluctuations.

In Thunder Breaks Heaven's hand was a Purple Thunder Token.

In Burning Fierce's hand was a Crimson Fire Bead.

In Ye Wuhen's hand was a broken dagger.

As for Long Xiya... she held a Golden Dragon Scale in her hand.

"The national guardian artifact is of grave importance."

Long Xiya took a deep breath, a flash of determination in her golden vertical pupils.

"Although you saved my sister and we have fought side by side."

"But... this item must belong to the Long Family."

"Or rather, it belongs to our Five Great Families."

"A Rogue Cultivator like you, without any roots, cannot hold onto it."

Thunder Breaks Heaven also said in a muffled voice, "Brother Su, I, Old Lei, admire your strength. But this thing is too hot to handle; you can't swallow it alone. How about you take a step back? We'll kill those two foreigners first, and then this artifact can be kept by our families in rotation. We'll give you a large sum of compensation, how about it?"

Was this... a field clearing?

Not only did the foreigners want to kill him.

Even his own country's "teammates" wanted to draw a line with him at this time, or even face him with weapons?

Just because he was a Rogue Cultivator with "no background"?

Just because they also held cards that could summon their ancestors?

"Hehe..."

Su Mo lowered his head, his shoulders trembling slightly as he let out a low laugh.

The laughter grew louder and louder, finally turning into unrestrained, wild laughter.

"Hahahaha!"

"Good! Very good!"

Su Mo snapped his head up. The playfulness from before had vanished from his eyes, replaced only by a heart-palpitating indifference and... dominance.

"I originally thought that since we are all from Xia Country, I would save some face for you."

"Since you insist on talking to me about backgrounds, foundations, and ancestors..."

"Then I will let you see."

"What a... real background looks like!"

..."A real... background?"

Thunder Breaks Heaven gripped that Purple Thunder Token, which was crackling with electricity, his large eyes staring wide like copper bells.

What a huge joke.

He dug his ear and looked at Su Mo with a face full of disbelief:

"Brother Su, did I hear you right? You, a rogue, are talking about backgrounds with us of the Five Great Families?"

"It's not that I look down on you, but even if you were lucky enough to get a few powerful summoned beasts, that's still external power. What we have in our hands are ancestors whose power truly flows through our bloodlines!"

"Why waste words with him."

The Crimson Fire Bead in Burning Fierce's hand was already so hot that the surrounding air was distorting. His expression had completely changed, his eyes filled with contempt.

"Don't you see those two foreigners have already called out True God projections? If we don't act soon, this artifact will really be snatched away."

Long Xiya tightened her grip on the Golden Dragon Scale, a trace of complexity flashing through her golden vertical pupils.

She did indeed owe Su Mo a favor, but in the face of family interests and the national artifact, that little favor... had to be pushed aside for now.

"Su Mo, back down."

Long Xiya's voice was low. "This round is not something you can interfere in."