"Something's definitely wrong. I feel as if a storm is coming. What's going on? Is something major about to happen?"
"That's strange... but why does this aura feel familiar, like I've experienced it before?"
One by one, the people began to sense it.
After all, they were cultivators—their senses far sharper than ordinary mortals. One or two sensing a disturbance might be written off as illusion, but when more and more people shared the same unease, it could no longer be ignored. Something monumental was brewing. Everyone's expression grew solemn.
This shift in atmosphere was far too significant to have escaped the notice of the Great Yi Dynasty's officials—yet there was still no response. That in itself was suspicious.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Suddenly, countless citizens clearly felt a rumbling beneath their feet. It wasn't the earth shaking—it was the sound of marching. The thunderous rhythm of countless synchronized footsteps echoed like war drums, resonating directly in the hearts of all who heard it.
"That sound... it's the military camp. The soldiers are on the move.""Look! Troops are pouring out from the barracks—it's the Azure Dragon Legion!"
"Their killing intent is overwhelming. What are they going to do, marching out with such warlike fervor?"
Everyone in Xuanhuang City knew: the Great Yi's army rarely mobilized without reason. They trained and cultivated within the barracks, occasionally venturing out to hunt beasts. Large-scale deployments were exceedingly rare.
Which meant only one thing—something monumental was happening.
The troops moved with precision, each footfall perfectly aligned, as though hammering the same drumbeat. The cadence stirred the blood; the very air seemed to throb with excitement.
The vast army quickly exited the barracks and assembled outside the city, gathering before the Command Platform.
With the military's expansion, every legion now numbered 500,000. Their assembly resembled a sea of steel and flesh—an overwhelming tide of might.
And it wasn't over yet.
Following the Azure Dragon Legion, the Vermilion Bird Legion, War Tiger Legion, and Snow Rabbit Legion all emerged in formation. One by one, they assembled beneath fluttering battle standards.
"Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, War Tiger, Snow Rabbit... look, there are more legions! I've never seen these before!"
"This is huge. Something major is definitely happening. Already six legions are assembled! This is more than we sent to the Divine-Demon Battlefield! And more are still coming!"
The watching citizens were stunned. Waves of questions surged in their minds.
It wasn't just familiar legions they saw—but brand-new ones too. New banners, new armor, unfamiliar formations. Even their auras were distinct.
500,000!
1 million!
3 million!...
The numbers kept climbing. Surrounding the Command Platform, the number of soldiers became almost unfathomable.
Once twelve legions had assembled in full, a hush fell over the entire city of Xuanhuang. The sight was simply overwhelming.
Giant fire crows soared through the sky and descended from the heavens. Proud and gallant female warriors stood ready in perfect formation. With several million elite troops standing silent, their sheer presence radiated pressure so intense that some could barely breathe.
None of the soldiers spoke. Each stood ramrod straight, waiting silently.
SHUA!!
As the final formation locked into place, a great cloud descended from the Divine Palace Tree, rolling downward in layers until it formed a vast heavenly cloud bridge, linking the palace to the Command Platform.
ROAR!!
A thunderous dragon roar split the skies.
A majestic chariot burst through the clouds—drawn by ancient dragon foals, radiating a noble and awe-inspiring aura. It was none other than the Nine-Dragon War Chariot, and seated atop it was Yi Tianxing, garbed in a magnificent Chaos Battle Dragon Robe, the embodiment of imperial might. By his side were Cai Yan and the three other consorts, each dressed in resplendent finery.
Behind the chariot followed Jia Xu and the other major ministers of court.
"That's the King! And the Queen! The royal consorts too—so beautiful. Only such women are worthy to stand beside the King.""All the top ministers are here too. Something huge is about to happen. Are they going to war? Is this an expansion campaign?"
Though the women admired the consorts, the men couldn't help but shift their attention—many distracted from the current situation.
The Nine-Dragon War Chariot landed atop the Command Platform, and Huang Chengyan and other officials took their places alongside it.
As Yi Tianxing arrived, the countless assembled troops all turned their eyes toward him, their gazes blazing with fervor.
To die for their king—none would hesitate. Their loyalty was beyond question.
Yi Tianxing swept his gaze over the assembled legions. Taking a deep breath, he proclaimed:
"Today marks the beginning of Great Yi's expansion, the start of our campaign to conquer the world!"
"We of the human race rose from obscurity, surviving only by the skin of our teeth. We were prey—food for the other races, slaughtered and enslaved at will. Our road was forged through blood and fire.
But even now, our kin still suffer—scattered across the wilderness, enslaved and butchered by foreign races.
The blood debt they owe us must not be forgotten!"
His voice carried a strange, resonant power that drew listeners in, evoking visions of the wilds, where countless human lives were still at the mercy of alien tyrants—dying every day in agony.
Most here had lived through that nightmare. Had they not been taken in by Great Yi, they might already be bones in the dirt.
And Great Yi was still only the tip of the iceberg in the Eternal World—countless human tribes remained in peril. Just the thought made their hearts bleed. Their eyes burned with passion.
As for the assembled soldiers, their blood was already boiling. A shout rang out:
"We pledge our lives to the King! We pledge our lives to Great Yi! We pledge our lives to the Human Race!
For the expansion of Great Yi—let our blood flow until death! Let us fight until the end!"
"We pledge our lives to the King! To Great Yi! To the Human Race!"
Their war cries echoed into the heavens.
"Expansion... it's true. We're going to war!"
The crowd finally understood. This was it—Great Yi was launching a full-scale military expansion. The excitement was palpable.
"Excellent," Yi Tianxing nodded. "I shall await your triumphant return in Xuanhuang City. There will be wine and feasts aplenty for every soldier!"
"We ask the King to await our victorious return!"
Yang Ye and the other generals shouted in unison, their faith firm as steel.
Yi Tianxing then turned to Jiang Ni. "Is everything ready?"
Jiang Ni replied calmly:
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. Twelve Feng Shui apprentices have already arrived at their designated Blank Immortal Cities.
Each carries maps and can precisely guide their city to the chosen location, aligning perfectly with our Great Yi Feng Shui formation."
"Good. All forces, advance!!" Yi Tianxing declared, raising his arm in command.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Without hesitation, the twelve legions surged into motion. A colossal spatial gate opened before the Command Platform. One after another, the legions stepped through, vanishing into the portal.
This gate linked directly to teleportation arrays within twelve Immortal Cities—each legion already assigned to a city and a direction.
They would march in twelve directions at once.
These Immortal Cities weren't located within Great Yi's core territory, but along the outer frontier, bordering the Iron-Blood Great Wall.
Their positioning allowed swift deployment beyond the kingdom's boundaries, perfect for sudden territorial expansion.
Without pause, wave after wave of soldiers vanished through the portal, reappearing at Great Yi's frontier.
Eighty Blank Immortal Cities had already been established across the map—strategically distributed. Though eighty may seem vast, they merely formed the first ripple of expansion.
Each city represented a forward base, possibly extending the territory outward by 2,000 to 3,000 kilometers in every direction—enough to form a massive concentric growth ring.
This plan gave no room for foreign races to react—by the time they realized what had happened, it would already be too late.
One by one, the armies disappeared from Xuanhuang City's outskirts.
But the shockwave of their mobilization had only just begun to ripple through the land.