"You... you are safe now, my fellow humans!!"
Mu Guiying's voice rang out, trembling with sorrow and emotion as she shouted those words.
Countless civilians, whose eyes had been dulled by suffering, slowly regained their spark. Looking around and realizing the massive orc army had withdrawn, they now saw in front of them the mighty army of the human race. In that moment of despair, hope was rekindled.
They were safe.
Such simple words, yet how difficult to achieve.
No one knew this better than they did.
"It's the human army! The real human army! The orcs have retreated. We're truly… safe!"
"We're alive. We really made it out alive. I thought we were doomed for sure this time, but we've been given a chance. Is this the army of the Great Yi Dynasty?"
"Great Yi! It's truly the Great Yi Dynasty. I've heard of it before, but I never imagined we'd live to see this day."
On this vast plain, cries broke out from every direction.
Tears—humanity's first sound upon entering the world—poured out as an outlet for the immense emotional release. Unless one had lived through their suffering, it was impossible to understand what they felt in that moment.
Crying children could be seen everywhere.
The human race reproduces quickly, and the orcs, in their cruelty, had deliberately raised humans to breed more children. Some cannibalistic orc tribes were especially obsessed with infants, seeing them as unmatched delicacies. In some areas, they even arranged for forced reproduction to increase the number of children. This was why among the survivors there was such a high number of children and infants.
"Your Majesty, I suggest we immediately open the space gates to transfer these human survivors back to the Great Yi territory. First, this will prevent any unexpected incidents, and second, we can swiftly settle them and gain their loyalty."
Huang Chengyan quickly voiced his recommendation.
What these people needed most was safety, food, and rest—a space where they could recover from the trauma they had endured. This was also a golden opportunity to win their hearts.
Any aid provided at this point would leave a lasting impression on them.
"Send the word. Jia Yucun, take your Tianji Palace subordinates to the designated location and begin registration of the survivors. Distribute Heaven Registration Cards accordingly. Settle them properly. Others will assist shortly. Assign them their new residences."
Yi Tianxing nodded firmly, making the decision without hesitation.
Receiving and settling refugees was something the Great Yi was now adept at—there were established procedures and comprehensive systems in place. In newly constructed Celestial Cities, typically one-tenth of the population were Great Yi natives, while the rest were newly integrated citizens. This ratio helped newcomers integrate smoothly into the Great Yi system and society.
It made the transition easier and allowed them to understand and adapt to the unique characteristics of the Great Yi Dynasty more quickly.
Though these new Celestial Cities were still under development, they were filled with opportunity. Eventually, they would be relocated to various regions to establish control. If they ended up in resource-rich lands, the initial settlers would reap the greatest rewards.
As a result, even long-time residents of older Celestial Cities would sometimes choose to move to new ones in hopes of such opportunities.
Now, with this massive influx of survivors, these Celestial Cities would soon be filled—and even that might not be enough.
Once the plan was finalized, a Rainbow Bridge was activated, and Jia Yucun led his Tianji Palace team to the survivors, opening space gates using pre-inscribed coordinate seals on a nearby clearing.
"Fellow human survivors, you are safe now. Please, come home with us. Once inside the Great Yi, your lives will be forever changed."
Jia Yucun did not attempt to register the survivors here—it was still technically outside Great Yi's borders, and any prolonged delay posed great risk. Among the one hundred million survivors were countless elderly, weak, and ill. Every life was a precious part of Great Yi's strength and foundation. Even a single loss would be painful.
"We're saved!"
"Is the Great Yi really as miraculous as the rumors say?"
Under the orderly arrangements of the Great Yi officials, the survivors passed through the space gates one by one, quickly transferring into the heart of the dynasty. Everything proceeded smoothly and efficiently. The alien races made no attempt to interfere.
"General Xue, the Snow Rabbit Legion has fought through several battles and sustained significant losses, including many wounded. I suggest your legion withdraw to the War Soul Realm to recover. I'll dispatch another legion to continue the assault."
Seeing that the evacuation of civilians was progressing well, Jia Xu turned to Xue Kunlun and offered his advice.
The final target of this campaign was the Golden City on the Beast Plain, the core of the Ten Thousand Beasts Court. To reach it, eight fortified gates had to be breached—each one a major battle that would determine the fate of the continent.
"Understood. Snow Rabbit Legion, assemble! Xue Kunlun, Legion Commander of the Snow Rabbit Legion, requests summoning via the Rainbow Bridge!"
Xue Kunlun, though quiet, understood the deeper intricacies of politics. The merits earned in this campaign were too great to monopolize. Dominating all the glory would create resentment. Their achievements thus far—including victories over the Wolf Cavalry and surviving the Mist Gate—were already significant. It was time to rotate out.
Besides, the Snow Rabbit Legion needed rest.
"This general requests to fight!!"
Back in the Great Yi military court, Zhang Fei stepped forward without hesitation.
He wasn't going to miss this kind of war.
"Approved. The Demon-Breaking Legion will take over the Snow Rabbit Legion's position and continue the advance."
Yi Tianxing nodded and handed over the command talisman. Zhang Fei immediately turned to rally his troops.
"Forward!!"
With the power of the Rainbow Bridge, Great Yi's logistics and troop movement capabilities were unmatched. In an instant, the Demon-Breaking Legion arrived at the battlefield and advanced alongside the Divine Crow Legion.
Meanwhile, in the Golden City of the Ten Thousand Beasts Court...
Inside the palace, King Behemoth and others wore grim expressions, their faces heavy with concern.
"We underestimated Great Yi's foundation. The poison and ghost assassins were neutralized with ease. That Divine Crow Legion is terrifying—Flame Crows Burning Heaven completely counters our Ghost Race."
A figure cloaked in shadow spoke. He was clearly a Ghost Race expert. Unfortunately, the Ghost Race's powers had been largely ineffective—True Sun Fire, even a trace of it, was deadly to them.
"No matter. Though the first gate fell unexpectedly, the coming battles will not be so easily won. The Flame Crows are powerful, but not invincible. The next gate is guarded by someone special. Let's see how far they can go."
King Behemoth took a deep breath and spoke with conviction.
"Yes, with that one standing guard at the next checkpoint, those Flame Crows won't have it so easy."
The other beast clan leaders nodded, confident that the next gate could withstand Great Yi's advance.
Back on the march, Jia Xu led the army onward.
"Strategist, what do you think lies ahead? The Ten Thousand Beasts Court won't just let us stroll into the Golden City."
Mu Guiying's face was solemn.
She wasn't blinded by the earlier victory—Mist Gate had involved a great deal of luck. Without the Five Venom Beast and Heaven Spirit Bird, their survival would have been uncertain.
"Heh… Do you know the saying: 'When the tide turns, all heaven and earth lend their aid.' The unification of the continent under Great Yi is inevitable. The Ten Thousand Beasts Court is but making its final struggle."
Jia Xu smiled calmly. His belief in the campaign had never wavered.
Unknowingly, they had already advanced a thousand li...