What was the cause of it all?
It was the ambition within their hearts. The act of enfeoffing lords and kings had given them the perfect outlet to indulge their wild desires. That was how Jia Xu's poisonous scheme had been flawlessly executed, pushing the Han Dynasty into a bottomless abyss of destruction.
What is the most poisonous thing in the world?The most poisonous thing… is always the human heart.
The human heart is the hardest thing to control.But for the most elite strategists, the human heart is the deadliest weapon in their arsenal.
The suggestion Jia Xu had made was, without a doubt, another psychological assault targeting the very soul—a ruthless scheme aimed at people's hearts.
By planting Celestial Cities in the wilderness, the surrounding territories would undoubtedly fall under the influence of the Great Yi Dynasty. These cities could continuously radiate Yi's influence outward—intimidating foreign races and putting pressure on other human forces.
If force couldn't be used, then the only path was psychological warfare.
Let the common folk from other factions witness the benefits of being a citizen of the Great Yi—Heavenly Registry Cards, Eternal Coins, an eternal absence of hunger, unlimited access to food and drink, opportunities for cultivation for all, universal access to techniques, the StarNet, and communicators that allowed real-time conversation across vast distances.
Such abundance and advancement, such overwhelming contrast, would break the spirit of most human commoners.
After all, they were also human. And yet, the differences were staggering. This wasn't just a blow to the heart—this was a critical strike, a series of fatal blows to the soul.
What's more, Great Yi would continue to send supplies and comfort to these other human factions, allowing them to experience the warmth and care Yi offered—while realizing the yawning gap in strength between them.
Invisibly, Great Yi was already winning the hearts of the people. And once the people's hearts leaned toward Great Yi, the internal foundations of these rival factions would weaken, collapse, and ultimately be swallowed whole.
"The people support the boat, but they can also overturn it."This saying had always described the mystery of the people's will in the most vivid way.
Once the masses yearned for change, no matter what the leaders wanted, it would be impossible to stop.
There was no doubt that Great Yi's "soft power" couldn't be blocked. If any faction tried to suppress it, they would be going against their own people. Even if the people didn't complain outright at first, discontent would fester, and hearts would drift, never to return. The consequences would be far worse than they imagined.
This was the great trend.The general trend favored Great Yi, and so Great Yi's actions could not be stopped.
This was a subtle yet irresistible method—an inch-by-inch corrosion. And by the time someone tried to resist, it would already be too late.
"Since we cannot draw blades, then we'll slowly absorb them into the Great Yi people through subtle transformation.Though it may take a bit longer, I believe it won't be too long before the people long for peace and stability."Yi Tianxing thought to himself, with confidence in his heart.
The Great Yi Dynasty's expansion continued—at a terrifying pace.
Twelve armies, marching from twelve directions, burst through the Iron-Blooded Great Wall. Though conflicts and intense battles were inevitable along the way, none were able to stop the advance of the Celestial Cities.
In the first wave alone, twelve Celestial Cities were dropped at preselected locations, instantly expanding the territory of Great Yi.
As soon as each city landed, garrison troops swiftly took over its defense. The twelve armies returned, entered new cities, and once again drove them deeper into the wilds.
City after city was driven like a siege engine into the wilderness.
With every bloody price paid, fewer and fewer foreign tribes dared to block their advance. In fact, many of those in the Celestial Cities' paths began to evacuate their tribes.
It was just too fast.
Twelve legions perfectly executed a blitzkrieg, not wasting a moment. After just six or seven runs, eighty Celestial Cities had been firmly planted.
Eighty cities, covering the entire periphery of Great Yi, forcibly expanded the border by several thousand miles.
So fast that the foreign tribes had no time to react.
A mighty stream of destiny instantly flowed into Great Yi's cloud of national fate.
In the cloud, the Luck Dragon shone gold, its body growing again, now mere inches from a full hundred zhang. And this was just the first wave of destiny; once the newly claimed territory stabilized, the flow would only increase, bringing yet another surge of national fortune.
This entire expansion took just one day and one night.
The speed left even the fiercest alien tribes dazed and stunned.
Night fell.The sky was thick with clouds. Not a hint of moonlight could be seen. Ominous and heavy, the heavens seemed to be pregnant with a storm.
At that moment—In the heart of a volcano.
Yes, a massive volcano.
This volcano's interior was hollow, and within it churned lava, glowing red-hot and emitting waves of scalding heat and an acrid stench. The temperature was so high that few dared to approach. Even those who came near felt an instinctive discomfort, their bodies recoiling as if by nature.
Yet within that blazing volcano—
At its base, something no one would expect: An island, floating amid the lava like a lone heart in a fiery lake.
And upon that island: A city.
A towering city built entirely of strange crimson stone. Oddly, the lava could not melt its walls. The stone repelled the molten tide.
On the city's wall, bold characters glowed:
Lava City!!
Within the city, hulking figures could be seen—bodies like stone, glowing with lava veins, their forms emitting heat and sulfur. Some of them swam and played in the lava like fish in water. For them, the molten earth was no threat, merely a warm bath.
In the volcano's walls were many magma caves, filled with members of the Lava Race. Some of them battled in the lava, erupting waves of molten rock as if triggering volcanic eruptions.
And tonight, an unusual event was unfolding—Many non-native races had gathered in Lava City.
They came from all directions.Too many to count.Clearly, something big was about to happen.
Among them were ogres, dark elves, blood elves, shadow demons, and more.
Inside the grand hall of Lava City—
At the top sat a massive crimson throne, etched with volcano-like runes, glowing like flowing lava.
Upon it sat a towering Lava Giant, with fiery red hair that resembled rivers of molten rock. Just a glance filled onlookers with awe and dread.
He was the chieftain of the Lava Tribe.
Around the hall were many other powerful beings, seated in positions of status—though none matched the Lava Giant's seat.
There sat a two-headed ogre, his icy stare enough to terrify anyone. His fangs were stained with remnants of raw flesh.
There sat a dark elf dressed in shadows, his presence sinister and quiet.
A blood elf, with flowing crimson hair, elegant and deadly.
A serpent demon, radiating chilling energy.
And—seated with strange grace—was a pale-skinned vampire. His canines, barely visible beneath his lips, revealed his true identity.
A bloodsucker.
And if someone recognized him, they would know—this was none other than the once-human traitor: Fan Wencheng.
Since becoming a vampire, he had enslaved human captives, turning them into his descendants and forming a powerful vampire clan. With his cunning, and the vampires' unique ability to turn humans into kin, he'd grown rapidly in power.
Today, he held real sway—and his seat in this grand assembly proved it.
So many powerful races had gathered, and the tension was thick.
"Everyone, let's discuss what we should do next."Fan Wencheng's voice was smooth, his tone refined."The Great Yi Dynasty has begun expanding, using Celestial Cities as fortresses, advancing with twelve armies. Over eighty new cities have been planted, claiming vast wilderness into their territory. Their ambitions are now laid bare. Based on what I know of the human race, Great Yi will not stop here.With their advance, our days will become increasingly difficult."
Today, he no longer considered himself human.
His only identity… was Blood Clan.