"Mm. Prepare the imperial palanquin to the Chaotian Hall. Notify the Imperial Kitchen to send a bowl of Lotus Seed Essence Blood Porridge to the Queen."
Yi Tianxing rose to his feet and spoke calmly.
"Yes, Your Majesty. This old servant shall see to it immediately. Her Majesty has always favored the dishes prepared by Chef Lai. I'll ensure he prepares it personally," Cao Zhengchun replied respectfully, committing the task to memory.
This was his strength—diligence to the finest detail. He knew precisely what should and shouldn't be done and never overstepped bounds. These were lessons forged from bitter experiences in his previous life. Mistakes once made would not be repeated. Of this, he was more aware than anyone.
It was precisely this unerring professionalism that earned Yi Tianxing's absolute trust.
"Very well. With you handling it, I have no worries."
A few simple words conveyed a profound trust.
Yi Tianxing strode toward the Chaotian Hall.
The palace had changed drastically compared to its early days. Exotic flowers and rare herbs now flourished in abundance, blooming all year round. The air was saturated with a fragrant floral scent. With the increasingly dense Innate Vital Qi in Xuanhuang City, the palace had become a prime cultivation site.
The Innate Vital Qi here was more than nine times denser than outside.
To cultivate here was to grow stronger almost effortlessly.
The surrounding flora thrived vibrantly, and under Cao Zhengchun's meticulous management, everything was orderly and pristine. Large numbers of palace maids had also arrived. Dressed in elegant court attire, each one was stunning—truly one in a hundred.
There were all types of beauties—slender, curvaceous, graceful.
These maids had all entered the palace willingly. Some were moved by gratitude; others were drawn by dreams of fortune—hoping to catch Yi Tianxing's eye or take advantage of the cultivation environment to quickly grow stronger.
Yi Tianxing placed no restrictions on their freedom. After serving for ten years, a maid could choose to leave the palace and regain her free status. Until then, they were bound only by time—not by chains.
Yi Tianxing did not linger, even as graceful figures moved about the palace.
Before long, he arrived at the Chaotian Hall.
Inside, officials like Huang Chengyan were already assembled, standing in two distinct groups—civil and military—clearly delineated.
"His Majesty has arrived!"
Yi Tianxing stepped into the hall and seated himself upon the imperial dragon throne.
"All hail the King! Long live the King!!"
The officials bowed in unison.
"Rise," Yi Tianxing nodded slightly, his tone calm yet filled with an inescapable majesty. The longer he ruled as the sovereign of the Destiny Dynasty, the more powerful his presence became. Every word and action radiated awe.
This was the might of Heaven embodied in one man—the Lord of a Fate Dynasty.
"I summoned you all today because, as reported by the Directorate of Celestial Observations, every thousand li within our territory has a Celestial City suppressing the land. Yet there are still more cities waiting. Our current territory can no longer accommodate them all. To place the remaining cities, we must expand outward. I've gathered you to hear your opinions."
The moment his words fell, a tremor passed through the court. Excitement flashed in many eyes.
Especially the military generals of the Military Affairs Pavilion—their eyes gleamed.
It was a soldier's duty to expand territory. This was how one's name was immortalized in history. To military men, this was glory and merit. Earning military merits was the greatest aspiration of any soldier.
The court was stirred. Expansion meant the Great Yi was growing stronger. Its territory, broader. Its destiny, mightier. Each of them was a founding contributor, and their names would be forever recorded in the annals of the Great Yi.
"Would this not be too hasty? After all, the Great Yi has only just been founded a few months ago," Huang Chengyan voiced his concern.
"It's not hasty at all. We've added a million troops, and each Celestial City placed suppresses a region of wilderness. Their populations have surged. Each city houses a branch of the Hunter Hall, with countless bounty hunters roaming the wild, eliminating beasts, and deterring foreign races. Our forces are not scattered but concentrated. We can summon a million soldiers at will. With this strength, the Great Yi has every right to claim more territory."
Wu Yong twirled his feathered fan and spoke decisively. To him, expansion was only natural. The sooner they occupied more land, the more benefits they would reap.
More land meant more resources.
"I agree," Jia Xu added. "With the Celestial Cities as the foundation, we can expand outward. With teleportation arrays in place, even if danger arises, we can reinforce instantly. As long as a Celestial City stands, the land around it is ours."
This was an age of chaos. Territory had no fixed borders. In such times, the only rule was to seize what made you strong.
A Destiny Dynasty grew only through conquest.
"Your Majesty, I request permission to go to war!!" Yang Ye stepped forward and bowed.
"Your Majesty, General Zhang Fei requests battle!!"
"Your Majesty, General Wang Dahu requests battle!!"
Following the civil officials' support, the generals could no longer restrain themselves and loudly asked for command.
Why should humanity be forced to stay on the defensive? Why passively endure the invasions of beasts and foreign races?
This time, they would act on behalf of the Great Yi—to announce to all other races: Humanity is not prey without fangs. In this age of chaos, the human race was one of the myriad races of the heavens—and even among the strongest.
No one had the right to ignore them.
The generals were no cowards. Their blood surged. Their battle intent roared.
"Good! With such passion for battle among my generals, how can the Great Yi ever fall? Since you all wish to fight, then fight you shall. But before that, I intend to formally establish military legions. From now on, all warfare will be carried out by legions."
Yi Tianxing was deeply pleased by the martial spirit. In chaotic times, passivity meant death. That would never be his way.
"Form legions?"
The generals trembled.
Yi Tianxing had mentioned this in passing before, but never followed through—until now.
Once legions were formed, those appointed as Legion Commanders would truly wield authority over entire armies. It was not just about strength—it was honor.
And to a soldier, honor meant everything.
"I intend to form legions, each led by a Legion Commander, each comprising 200,000 troops. These legions will contain all unit types: archers, crossbowmen, spearmen, shieldbearers. Each legion will be independently combat-ready and stationed at key Celestial Cities."
Yi Tianxing's words were steady but heavy.
Once legions were formed, a Legion Commander's power would surge—along with their honor.
All eyes burned with anticipation.
"I will temporarily establish four legions—named the Four Divine Beast Legions," Yi Tianxing declared.
The hall grew feverish with excitement.
"The Yang family has served loyally since joining Xuanhuang City—always leading from the front, never shrinking from battle. Their contributions are immeasurable."
Yi Tianxing continued, "Today, I decree: Yang Ye shall be appointed Legion Commander of the Vermilion Bird Legion. Yang Yanping and Yang Yanding shall serve within the legion. The Yang family shall command the Vermilion Bird Legion, currently capped at 200,000 soldiers. Receive the Vermilion Bird Military Seal!"
A red token engraved with the Vermilion Bird emblem appeared.
Crack!
It split in two.
One half returned to Yi Tianxing's desk. The other landed in Yang Ye's hand.
The military seal was split in two for a reason—it ensured that the king retained ultimate control. Without both halves, no one could arbitrarily mobilize the entire legion. With only half, Yang Ye could manage defense and limited operations within a set region. But not campaign at will.
Only the full seal permitted complete freedom of movement.
Such was the power of the military seal.
It was sacred in the military.
"Thank you, Your Majesty! I, Yang Ye, swear that the Yang family will forever be loyal to the Great Yi and to Your Majesty. If ever we betray you—may heaven and earth destroy us!"
Yang Ye bowed low, holding the seal with trembling hands.
To have the Yang family command a full legion… it was a favor beyond compare.