346: Psionic nuclear weapons

Resistance?

Naturally, there was some; several ancient, self-important great clans secretly colluded, attempting to resist.

Half a day later, the Ancestral Spirit Altar hidden within their clans was contaminated by Netherworld Bone-Corroding Vine spores from an unknown source.

Demonic energy scattered, the ancestral spirits wailed incessantly, and the cultivation levels of the clan elders inexplicably dropped overnight.

The Underworld made no public statement regarding this, acting as if they were completely unaware.

As those great clans frantically tried to extinguish the Bone-Corroding Vines and repair the altars, they only felt dread shadowing their every move.

The spark of resistance was thus silently and completely extinguished by the reality of the iron fist.

What replaced it was a frenzy of offerings sweeping across the entire Demon territory.

In the territory of the Scarlet Fox Clan, at the center of the ancestral hall.

The divine statue of Netherworld Empress Shang Wan Ning was respectfully placed on the main seat, replacing the original Nine-Tailed Fox totem.

The Old Fox King personally led the entire clan in kowtowing. What they offered was no longer ordinary incense and candles, but Moon Essence Dew and Thousand-Year Spirit Ginseng, treasured in the clan's secret vault.

Amidst the curling smoke, the Old Fox King closed his eyes and prayed, his expression more devout than ever before.

In the Howling Moon Wolf Clan's tribe, portraits of Ox-Head and Horse-Face were hung high above the altar.

Wolf Warriors, stripped to the waist, used wolf blood mixed with spirit mineral powder to engrave Blood Spirit Array Patterns on the altar floor, solely to draw purer Yin Sha Qi into their offerings.

The young Wolf Warriors stared at the portraits, their eyes filled with fervor. Entering the Netherworld meant power, and more importantly, a chance for their clan to rise.

In a remote Grey Rabbit Demon Village, a limping Old Rabbit Demon tremblingly pasted a simple “Horse-Face Talisman” issued by The Underworld onto a mud wall.

The village had no spirit minerals or treasures, only the freshest Morning Dew Grass collected daily.

She carefully piled the grass in front of the talisman, then prostrated herself, praying repeatedly.

Her cloudy eyes were filled with desperate hope.

Her grandson possessed extraordinary talent, and being trapped in this small village was a dead end. Residency in Fengdu City was their only hope!!!

...Netherworld, inside the Jiaotai Palace.

The rotating dial on the system interface whirred, and the pointer jumped frantically.

The scale slot representing the Demon territory, which had been a dull gray, was rapidly being filled by a surging golden torrent.

The mixed but fervent power of prayer and incense offerings from the myriad races, carrying the essence of the spiritual offerings, crossed the boundary wall and converged into The Underworld's core.

The numerical panel refreshed wildly on the light screen before Shang Wan Ning: “incense value +132 million... +58 million... +300 thousand...”

New source annotation: Demon Territory · Scarlet Fox Clan (Super-Standard Offering · Moon Essence Dew), Demon Territory · Howling Moon Wolf Clan (Blood Spirit Array Amplification · Wolf Blood Spirit Mineral), Demon Territory · Grey Rabbit Demon Village (Extreme Sincerity · Morning Dew Grass)... The total incense value started at 1.703946 trillion, and the numbers surged upward like a river pouring down from the sky.

Shang Wan Ning leaned against the bed, a wisp of pure incense offerings wrapped around her fingertip, and chuckled softly, “Skimming the land? Ha, this is skimming the land.”

[The frenzy of offerings from the myriad Demon races is only the beginning.]

[Once these Demon descendants enter Fengdu City, learn The Underworld's cultivation methods, and use The Underworld's resources...]

[Their roots will never be able to leave The Underworld.]

She flicked her finger, and a wisp of incense offerings, like a wandering dragon returning to the sea, merged into her energy center.

Her phoenix eyes looked out the window at the eternally dark sky above the Netherworld. It seemed to be illuminated slightly more brightly than usual by this massive influx of incense offerings.

A month later, the gates of the Research Institute, cast in Netherworld Alloy, slid open silently.

A cold airflow, carrying the specific hum of psionic equipment, rushed out. On the Profound Crystal Walls lining the passage, streams of deep blue data flowed slowly.

Shang Wan Ning stepped inside. The sound of her black high heels clicking on the ground was completely swallowed by the heavy energy-absorbing material.

Secretary-General Ling Qi lagged half a step behind, her gold-rimmed glasses reflecting a cold light: “Your Majesty, all members of the Third and Seventh Yin Soldier Legions have broken through to Fifth Rank, and half of Mengmeng's personal guard unit have reached the threshold of Sixth Rank.”

“The cultivation built up by incense offerings is very stable.”

“It's not enough.” Shang Wan Ning's gaze swept over the busy Ghost Runner technicians behind the transparent isolation wall.

They were all top scientists in life, and now their souls had condensed into physical forms, operating Psionic Mechanical Arms engraved with runes.

“The old monsters of the Source Realm can crush a Sixth Rank with a single finger.”

At the end of the passage, a lead-gray sluice gate lifted upward.

The core area of the Research Institute suddenly opened up. The dome simulated a distorted starry sky, and the floor was paved with a single piece of Dark Matter Alloy.

In the center of the area, three colossal structures stood silently.

Institute Director hurried forward to greet her. In life, he was the head of the Research Department of the Great Xia Special Affairs Bureau, and after death, he was specially recruited by The Underworld. Now, he manages Netherworld Technology and is a leading figure in this field.

His soul body was solidly condensed, and he wore a specialized white lab coat embroidered with the 'Underworld' emblem on the cuff.

“Your Majesty, Secretary-General.” Institute Director bowed, pointing towards the colossal structures in the center of the area.

“'nine nether annihilation pagoda'—developed by The Underworld Research Institute after more than a thousand days and nights, specifically built for slaying gods.”

Shang Wan Ning's divine sense locked onto the three colossal towers. The tower bodies were pyramid structures, their surfaces dripping with liquid Netherworld Bone-Corroding Vine sap.

Tens of thousands of constantly collapsing and expanding dark red cores floated above the spires, and the escaping energy caused the surrounding space to tremble slightly.

“The cores are made of purified and compressed Eighth Rank Divine Blood, mixed with the annihilation characteristics of the Bone-Corroding Vine spores.” Institute Director spoke quickly, with the specific fervor of a scientific prodigy.

“Upon activation, the Psionic Matrix at the base of the tower can tear open a Space Anchor point, and the core at the spire creates a brief, artificial singularity, forming an Absolute Annihilation Domain with a radius of five kilometers.”

He waved his hand to bring up a light screen displaying a complex energy spectrum: “Test data shows: spatial rules temporarily collapse within the domain. A Demi-God Realm cannot last a second, and if a Seventh Rank God is fully enveloped, their divine body disintegration rate is 99.8%, and their Godhead will also suffer heavy damage.”

“It can be operated by ordinary Ghost Runner technicians. One charge can sustain maximum power for twenty seconds.”

Ling Qi's gaze, behind her lenses, swept over the light screen data: “The cost?”

Institute Director's voice lowered slightly: “The energy consumption for a single startup is equivalent to draining a medium-sized Yin Vein. The cost... the cost is 35 billion incense offerings per unit.”

“Currently, only three units have been built.”

“35 billion?” Shang Wan Ning repeated, her tone unreadable.

She walked slowly toward the nearest Annihilation Pagoda and placed her palm on the tower body. The coldness of the Bone-Corroding Vine sap and the violent energy of the divine blood core seeped into her palm.

“A God-Slaying Weapon operable by ordinary Ghost Runners...” Shang Wan Ning withdrew her hand, turned to face Institute Director, and praised, “They are worth the price.”

Institute Director's soul body visibly trembled.

“Old He!”

Shang Wan Ning's lips finally curved into a sharp smile. “The Research Institute has consumed hundreds of billions of My incense offerings over the years. These three pagodas are the best return gift I have ever seen.”

She raised her hand and drew a line in the void with her index finger.

A bank draft, bearing the Underworld Bank seal, materialized out of thin air and hovered before Institute Director.

The number on the note was followed by ten zeros!!!

[My hand hurts, taking one day off. 2025.8.4]