That shrill cry instantly drew the attention of Guan Yu and the others.
Clearly, it was no ordinary crow. The sound carried a penetrating power as if it could tear through gold and split stone. It was powerful—frightening even—imbued with a wild, fiery energy. Yet within that call was also a distinct sense of joy for life.
Following the direction of the sound, they soon arrived at its source.
Before them appeared the second special product of Sunset City—the Blazing Fire Crow Tree. The tree's leaves resembled wings and emitted a scorching, fiery glow. Hanging on its branches were groups of birds.
Each bird was connected to a branch by a stem, through which nutrients flowed into their bodies. Though their eyes remained closed, their feathers glowed crimson and radiated intense heat. Every single one emitted a vital aura—they were unmistakably alive. From time to time, they released sharp, ear-piercing cries in unison.
These were Fire Crows—and they had matured. Their life force was now surging, at the perfect stage to break free from the tree.
The number of Fire Crows born this time exceeded the first batch. Densely packed on every branch, they truly were like "abundant fruit," dazzling in number—at least thirty to forty thousand strong. Most astonishing of all, this wasn't just the second bloom—it was the third time the tree had borne such life.
The Blazing Fire Crow Tree had a faster growth cycle than the Golden Sun Crow Tree. As a life-giving tree, it thrived on blood and flesh, eagerly absorbing the essence of vitality. Its growth speed was astonishing. More importantly, after reaching a certain level, these Fire Crows could detach from the tree and continue growing independently, becoming fully autonomous creatures indistinguishable from wild Fire Crows.
After harvesting the previous batch, a third generation had already begun to flourish. The vital aura within each crow was thick and vibrant.
🔥 [Blazing Fire Crow Tree] – A special, life-giving tree that rapidly produces Fire Crows which can serve as mounts.🔥 [Fire Crows] – Living creatures grown from the tree, capable of detaching and growing independently, potentially serving as aerial mounts.
"This tree is the Blazing Fire Crow Tree. These Fire Crows are born from it. Each one is no different from natural Fire Crows but possesses greater potential. Once they've matured, they can serve as mounts for human cultivators to roam the void. This batch numbers between thirty to forty thousand. Combined with the previous ones, we now have roughly a hundred thousand," Yi Tianxing explained with a smile.
"So King Yi intends to form an aerial cavalry, with Fire Crows as mounts," Zhuge Liang said confidently.
He'd immediately deduced Yi Tianxing's intent.
"Correct. With around a hundred thousand Fire Crows, we can form a top-tier aerial cavalry corps. Though cultivators can fly once they reach the Fate Aperture Realm, riding a mount allows for combined combat strength. In aerial warfare, synergy between rider and beast gives a clear edge—one plus one doesn't just equal two."
If well-coordinated, such a force could unleash power far beyond expectations.
"An aerial cavalry... Da Yi truly is astonishing. While other human sovereigns haven't even formed basic armies, King Yi is already preparing an aerial unit," Guan Yu muttered, eyes glinting with intrigue.
The more he learned about Yi Tianxing and the Da Yi Dynasty, the more unfathomable it all seemed—not just Yi Tianxing, but the entire system behind him.
"If General Guan is willing to join Da Yi, there will surely be a place for you in the military. I promise you this—should you join, a corps commander position will be yours. Like Yide, you'll command your own army and have the chance to earn nobility through merit. In Da Yi, only military merit can lead to titles," Yi Tianxing said sincerely, looking directly at Guan Yu.
"How many corps does Da Yi currently have?" Guan Yu asked, clearly tempted.
Promising a corps commander role wasn't trivial. Just look at generals like Zhang Fei and Yang Ye—both held such titles. The position clearly carried weight.
"Da Yi has currently established the Four Divine Beast Corps, the Four Absolute Corps, the Twelve Zodiac Corps, and the Hundred Flowers Corps. General Zhang Fei commands the Demon-Slaying Corps within the Four Absolute Corps, leading two hundred thousand elite troops. Except for the Hundred Flowers Corps—which is an all-female army—the others are not yet at full capacity. If you join, you may choose freely which corps to lead," Yi Tianxing explained.
🛡️ [Four Divine Beast Corps, Four Absolute Corps, Twelve Zodiac Corps, Hundred Flowers Corps] – Main military structure of Da Yi. Each corps holds unique roles and themes.
Yi Tianxing had heard the shift in Guan Yu's tone—he was clearly considering the offer. A rare opportunity.
Especially with Zhang Fei already in Da Yi and Liu Bei still missing, finding him would be like finding a needle in a haystack. Strengthening oneself in the meantime wasn't unreasonable.
In truth, Yi Tianxing preferred it this way. If he had his wish, Liu Bei would disappear from the Eternal Continent altogether. In his eyes, Liu Bei couldn't compare to Guan Yu or Zhang Fei at all.
"Second Brother," Zhang Fei chimed in, "we've no clue where Big Brother is. The Eternal Continent is vast—so vast we might not even cover a fraction of it in a lifetime. It's not wrong to search for him... but you should think of yourself too. In these chaotic times, with the human race struggling, wouldn't it be a waste not to use your talents for something meaningful?"
Zhang Fei wasn't giving up on Liu Bei. But the reality was harsh. Unless Liu Bei appeared himself, trying to find him was close to impossible. Zhang Fei wouldn't hesitate to leave with him—but Liu Bei hadn't come. Guan Yu had. So Zhang Fei had no intention of leaving.
He'd come to love Da Yi. The kingdom's peaceful civilian life, its battles against foreign races and monsters, and the military-dominated structure that didn't suppress martial talent all made him feel at home. He wanted to protect this hard-earned paradise—and hoped Guan Yu would stay and fight by his side again.
"I will think on it," Guan Yu finally said after a deep look at Zhang Fei.
From Zhang Fei's words, he could tell that Zhang had grown attached to Da Yi. Forcing him to leave might damage their brotherhood. He'd have to tread carefully.
"King Yi, I, Zhang Shun, wish to join Da Yi. I hope Your Majesty will accept me," Zhang Shun stepped forward at that moment, cupping his hands respectfully.
A kingdom this powerful in every respect was worth joining. Even Zhuge Liang had shown support—what more did he need to consider?
In truth, he'd already made up his mind before coming. This moment merely marked his final decision.
"Good! With General Zhang joining Da Yi, I am truly overjoyed. Given your talents, I intend to establish a naval force, with you as its commander. We'll finalize the details after we return to Da Yi," Yi Tianxing said, clearly pleased.
⚓ [Da Yi Naval Army] – A new force to be led by Zhang Shun, focused on controlling waterways and naval warfare.
"There will be no regrets, Your Majesty," Zhang Shun replied, now addressing Yi Tianxing as King, accepting his place as a subordinate.
"To all present: if you wish to join Da Yi, its gates will always be open to you. You may choose freely when the time is right. Even if you're not ready now, you're welcome to accompany me back to Da Yi. See it for yourselves. If it suits you—stay. If not—leave freely. I, Yi Tianxing, do not believe in coercion," he said, addressing the many human elites who had followed them here.
Many of them had concealed their identities, but Yi Tianxing could tell—they were not ordinary. Some were unknown in history, likely lone wanderers or rogue cultivators. But to have survived and reached such levels, they were undoubtedly dragons among men.
As he spoke, his gaze settled on a particular figure—a human cultivator in his forties, with a beard and an air of righteousness. His presence was calm and serene. Just by standing there, he brought a natural peace to those nearby—a sign of great mental cultivation.
His state of mind was so powerful it affected those around him—a master in heart cultivation.
Beside him stood three men and a woman. Though they didn't speak or even look at each other, the unspoken familiarity between them was evident—they were clearly a team. The only pity was that the girl leaned on a cane. Even so, her posture revealed a peerless beauty. Though veiled, her aura couldn't be hidden—cold, aloof, and expressionless.
Each of the five radiated formidable strength—if not already in the Fate Map Realm, they were only a step away.
The middle-aged man, however, was clearly already there.
✨ Yi Tianxing noted silently: "These five are no ordinary wanderers. They carry the air of the martial world... but also a righteous aura."
And with that, his attention sharpened even more.