A woman leading troops—in the past, such a thing was nearly impossible. Throughout history, those who achieved it were few and far between, often separated by centuries. Those whose names endured through time were even rarer. Yet in the Great Yi Dynasty, this had become a reality.
Though she didn't want to admit it, Mu Guiying was very aware of the surge of envy she felt every night when she looked at Hua Mulan. She envied her for commanding a powerful all-female legion, for carving a place for herself in the Great Yi, and even having the chance to expand its borders. In contrast, she had never been given such an opportunity. In the past, she had only been able to act as a bounty hunter, venturing out to slay fierce beasts.
Now, knowing she had a chance to lead a legion of her own, her excitement was impossible to contain. It felt as though her heart would leap right out of her chest.
This—this was the opportunity she had waited years for.
"Very well. Mu Guiying, hear my decree," Yi Tianxing said, taking a deep breath and speaking with resolute authority.
"Your subordinate is present!" Mu Guiying responded crisply.
"You have trained in the wilderness and honed your skills in the Hundred Flowers Legion. You possess profound knowledge of military strategy and battlefield formations. Time and again, you have fought bravely through crisis, never yielding to men, a true heroine among women. Your cultivation and combat prowess are formidable. As of today, I appoint you commander of the Divine Raven Legion, in charge of the Fire Raven Troops, and bestow upon you the Divine Raven Command Token. I hope you will lead the Divine Raven Legion to fame across the lands and bring glory to the Great Yi Dynasty."
Yi Tianxing spoke slowly, solemnly issuing the decree.
"I will not fail Your Majesty's trust," Mu Guiying said respectfully. A look of joy flashed across her face, though she also felt the heavy weight of responsibility settle deep within her.
"Prove yourself with victories on the battlefield."
Yi Tianxing waved his hand, and a command token fell into Mu Guiying's grasp.
No one in the hall voiced any objection.
In the Great Yi, it was no taboo for women to lead armies. As long as one had ability, gender was irrelevant. This principle had long been accepted. Hua Mulan was no isolated exception.
What's more, Mu Guiying was no stranger to those present. They were well aware of her talent and bravery, which rivaled—or even exceeded—that of men. She was Mu Yu's daughter and was considered a niece by Jia Xu. Given all this, no one in the grand hall stepped forward to oppose the appointment.
"Where is Wushuang Ghost?"
Yi Tianxing's voice rang out again.
"Your subordinate is present!"
A towering figure wrapped in heavy chains strode forward. The pressure exuded by his massive body alone was enough to make others tense up.
"Wushuang Ghost, are you willing to lead troops for the Great Yi, to conquer new lands in battle?"
Yi Tianxing asked.
"I am willing!" Wushuang Ghost replied, his eyes burning with fervor.
"Very good. As of today, you are appointed commander of the Fallen Immortal Legion, commanding five hundred thousand troops across various branches. You are hereby granted the Fallen Immortal Command Token."
Without hesitation, Yi Tianxing issued the decree.
A command token appeared in Wushuang Ghost's hand.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Wushuang Ghost received the token with great excitement and bowed deeply in gratitude.
Now, with the Azure Dragon Legion, Vermilion Bird Legion, Battle Tiger Legion, Snow Rabbit Legion, Hundred Flowers Legion, Flood Legion, Demon Slaying Legion, Demon Breaking Legion, God Execution Legion, Golden Scale Legion, Divine Raven Legion, and Fallen Immortal Legion—twelve legions in total—the four great ultimate legions were now complete.
"Your Majesty, the Golden Scale Legion is still too small to participate in a large-scale campaign. For this expedition, I suggest they remain behind," Jia Xu said after a moment of thought.
Indeed, the Golden Scale Legion was too small. With fewer than ten thousand members, it wasn't sufficient to sustain a full battle. Thus, with one legion sidelined, one more was still needed to complete the twelve.
"Where is Feng Yumo?"
"Your subordinate is present!"
Yi Tianxing looked out across the grand hall.
Feng Yumo stepped forward calmly and bowed with respect.
"You have followed me from the days of our humble village to this moment. Over the years, you have served faithfully in the military. Whether in cultivation or in military theory, you have never slacked. Since that is the case, I shall give you a chance. As of today, you are appointed commander of the Heavenly Horse Legion, the twelfth and final of the Celestial Cycle Legions, commanding five hundred thousand troops. I trust you will not disappoint me."
Like Wang Dahu, Feng Yumo was once an unknown figure in history—not because they lacked talent or ambition, but because the old world had given them no chance to shine. But in the Great Yi, step by step, they had followed Yi Tianxing to where they were now. He had never been lax in cultivation and had diligently studied military arts and formation techniques.
The desire to rise burned in his heart.
Since that was so, Yi Tianxing would give him the chance. Whether he could seize it or not—that would depend on him. All Yi Tianxing could give was the opportunity.
"I will not fail Your Majesty's great trust!" Feng Yumo took a deep breath. Even with his normally calm temperament, he couldn't suppress the excitement in his heart.
With the final appointments complete, the Divine Seal Registry appeared before Yi Tianxing. Names began to inscribe themselves naturally upon the list—among them, Guan Yu and the others.
"Decree issued!"
Unnoticed, as the appointments concluded, a flash of light appeared in Yi Tianxing's hand—the Xuanhuang Imperial Seal. He held it and pressed it onto the Divine Seal Registry.
In that instant, the entire list burst forth with radiant nine-colored light. Divine beams of light shot forth and entered the bodies of the newly appointed commanders. At the same time, a wisp of their true spirits silently entered the registry.
"This… this is the Destined Position of Heaven and Earth. I can feel a mysterious connection forming between me and the entire Great Yi Dynasty. We are now inseparable."
"The Myriad Immortals Hall—I can sense that I am seated within it. There is a place for me in the great hall!"
"Feedback from the Dynasty's Fortune—I feel a powerful force pouring endlessly into me. It's incredible. I'm breaking through! The bottleneck that held me back is gone. This is the power of a heavenly position!"
"Amazing. The old wounds I accumulated through years of battle are healing rapidly under the effects of the dynasty's fortune. They're vanishing. This feeling… it's perfect. I'm about to break through."
One after another, fortune from the dynasty poured into the bodies of those appointed.
Without hesitation, they all entered meditation and activated their cultivation techniques, absorbing the energy, seizing the opportunity to break through.
At the same time, a wisp of their true spirits merged into the Myriad Immortals Hall. The moment the fortune entered them, the auras of Guan Yu and the others surged drastically. Their comprehension of Heaven and Earth grew unimaginably sharp, as if the laws and Dao of the world were now fully unveiled before them with no secrets remaining.
Their Life Orifices grew rapidly in strength.
Shua! Shua! Shua!
On the spot, many directly advanced into the Life Map Realm, condensing their Life Maps.
Even those who hadn't broken through were only a step away. This was an unparalleled opportunity for advancement.
The Military Cabinet Chief held a first-rank position. Below him, the legion commanders were all second-rank. With this investiture, all of them would receive second-rank destiny blessings from the Great Yi Dynasty.
Second rank—meant a sixteenfold increase in cultivation speed.
They were now inextricably linked with the fate of the dynasty.
Feeling the power of the dynasty surging within them, their loyalty and sense of belonging to Great Yi only deepened.
No one would want to give up such benefits, nor allow them to be compromised.
The court assembly continued. A detailed map was unfurled. The actual battle plans were quickly drawn up.
This map was a joint effort of the Calamity Hall and the Hunter Hall. It not only depicted Great Yi's current territory, but also detailed the wilderness beyond the Ironblood Great Wall. Notes were added regarding various regions—whether they were occupied by foreign tribes, human settlements, or hostile forces. While not 100% accurate, it was correct to at least 80%.
Based on aerial reconnaissance, the Great Yi Dynasty lay roughly in the center of this region.
Planning lasted until evening.
"Newly formed legions, take your command tokens and immediately proceed to the military camps to select your soldiers. All preparations must be completed within five days. On the seventh day—we march."
With those final words, Yi Tianxing turned and left the hall.
Five to seven days passed in the blink of an eye.
The Great Yi military was composed almost entirely of elite veterans. They had long undergone rigorous training in the camps. Even newly established legions, once organized, could unleash fearsome combat power immediately. There was no need for lengthy adjustment periods. This was the true strength of Great Yi's army.
However, this expedition was a matter of utmost secrecy. During the court assembly, a strict gag order had already been issued. Not a single word was to leak before the campaign began. If any information escaped, execution would be immediate.
In matters of war and state, secrecy was paramount.
If even sensitive military plans could be leaked, then no strategy could succeed.
All the more so for a lightning campaign, which relied entirely on surprise and unstoppable momentum.
Because of this, the Calamity Hall maintained tight surveillance over everything. The area around Xuanhuang City was completely locked down.
Time passed. The seventh day arrived.
That morning, many citizens woke to a strange feeling—as if an invisible, suffocating aura of slaughter and tension had silently descended over Xuanhuang City. The pressure was so great, it was hard to breathe.
"What's going on? The atmosphere feels… wrong."
A citizen stepped outside, furrowing his brow and murmuring to himself.