This time, all forty-four main battle legions of Great Yi were deployed simultaneously.
But unlike before, they weren't assigned specific directions or traditional military targets.Instead, their sole purpose was to seize the initiative—swift and aggressive.
What did seizing the initiative mean?
It meant not fighting for a single city or outpost, but treating each island or continent as a separate war zone.The first step on every island or continent would be to plant a Great Yi Immortal City (仙城).
Once a city was rooted, the entire region would become a forward operating base, allowing for expansion zone by zone.
This military doctrine, developed by Zhuge Liang, Jia Xu, and others, was officially named theTianyuan Strategy (天元战法), and this campaign:
The Tianyuan Campaign (天元战役).
In the game of Go, seizing the "Tianyuan" refers to taking the central point on the board.A lone piece at that spot, like a nail in the heart of the battlefield, could exert overwhelming influence—Able to attack or defend as needed, frustrating the enemy endlessly.
Zhuge Liang's plan mirrored this.
Each island and landmass became a "Go board."Strategy didn't depend on surrounding layout.They'd plant a city first, nail down a position, and from there secure Great Yi's presence.
Importantly, this war wasn't just waged by the forty-four elite legions.
Its backbone also included:
Countless bounty hunters,
Civilian cultivators,
And the general population of Great Yi—
All of whom were trained and capable fighters in this nationalized war system.
As long as one Immortal City was in place, the local people could defend it.No need to launch attacks—just hold the line.
Reinforcements would follow.
Logistics would flow.
Cities would grow.
This was the essence of the Tianyuan War Doctrine—a system only possible because Great Yi's population were all cultivators.
Any other dynasty, with weak commoners, would crumble under the first tribal assault.
Now, the forty-four armies surged out toward all directions.
Their mission:
In the shortest possible time, land Immortal Cities on every island and continent of the Vast Sea Realm.
Spread the presence of Great Yi everywhere.
This objective had already been passed down across all units before the war even began.
"War! War! War!!"
"The might of Great Yi is unstoppable! Invincible! Charge!!"
"We fight for the survival of our human kin!"
Roars echoed as the soldiers raised their voices to the sky.
They had waited twenty long years for this day.
Now, Great Yi's military would carve its legacy into history.
"All armies of Great Yi—advance!!"
Zhuge Liang flicked his feather fan.
Command tokens fell into the hands of each military commander.The campaign had officially begun.
"Activate the Rainbow Bridges! Begin deployment!"
Jia Xu gave the order.
Whoosh—!!
Within the Rainbow Realm (彩虹界), the mystical Rainbow Bridges (彩虹桥) began to shimmer in prismatic light.
Having undergone tempering through Eternal Divine Power, these Rainbow Bridges had become Innate Spirit Treasures,with unmatched teleportation abilities.
Though they couldn't yet reach the entire Eternal World,they could easily access anywhere within the Vast Sea Realm—
This was one of the key reasons Great Yi dared to launch such an ambitious war.
Even more, Great Yi had a detailed terrain map of the Vast Sea Realm.This was originally obtained from the Vast Sea Dragon Palace,then perfected over the years by the spies of the Calamity Hall,who added even the most desolate islands to it.
Thus, the war headquarters—Tiance Palace and Military Affairs Cabinet—was now relocated into the Rainbow Realm,stationed directly atop the Rainbow Bridges,serving as the command nexus for the entire war effort.
Shua! Shua! Shua!
One legion after another stepped onto the Rainbow Bridges.
Joining them were elite geomancers (风水师) from the Celestial Observatory (钦天监).Over twenty years, Jiang Ni had cultivated a new generation of geomancy talent,all carefully selected from promising cultivators across the human race.
These geomancers now wore glowing white bracelets—not ordinary accessories,but true Cave-Heaven Treasures (洞天至宝).
These were forged from the Fallen Feathers of the Corrupted Son (堕落圣子),purified under the Innocent Heavenly Melody Divine Tree,transformed from black to white, and stripped of their demonic influence.
Each bracelet housed a complete Immortal City.
This solved a long-standing problem:No more need to haul cities manually.Now, cities were portable, deployable at will by the geomancers themselves.
This revolutionary logistics upgrade would massively accelerate the city-planting campaign.
The Eternal Divine Well (永恒之井) poured Eternal Power into the Rainbow Bridges, sustaining their immense energy needs.
From within Great Yi's borders, radiant rainbows streaked across the sky,piercing into the outer realms of the Vast Sea.
"So beautiful..."
"One... two... three... so many rainbows! That means the Rainbow Bridges are active!"
"Great Yi is finally expanding!"
Excitement erupted across the empire.
Commoners knew what this meant:
New cities.
New lands.
New opportunities.
As before, each Immortal City would be populated with 500,000 civilians.
Those who registered first would be selected first.Everyone watching those rainbows felt pride and hope.
"This is the start of a new era."
⚔ Deployment Begins
In the outer reaches of the Vast Sea Realm—on a barren island, a Rainbow Bridge shimmered in the air.
Flash!
Blue Skyships appeared mid-air, loaded with soldiers wielding swords and crossbows. It was the Blue Skyship Corps, led by Zhou Yu.
"Purge the beasts from the island," Zhou Yu ordered calmly.
The island was only about 100 li wide—miniscule in Eternal World terms.
Nevertheless, soldiers launched coordinated strikes, arrows raining down,clearing the beasts in moments.
Then came the next step.
"Sir, please establish the Immortal City for Great Yi."
Zhou Yu turned to a young geomancer in blue robes, with a white bracelet.
"Of course," the youth smiled, without hesitation.
He tapped his bracelet.
Flash!
An Immortal City appeared, hovering in midair.
Raising a Mountain-Driving Whip (赶山鞭), the geomancer whipped the city.
"Descend!"
The city fell precisely onto the cleared land.
Formed from Xuanhuang bricks, the city merged seamlessly with the land.The geomancer whipped the earth, guiding the terrain to shift, channeling spiritual veins into the city's core.
A new dragon vein formed beneath the city,anchoring it as the spiritual and geographical center of the island.
Moments later, teleportation arrays inside the city flickered.
Several officials stepped out—wearing the official Azure Cloud Robes (青云袍) of Great Yi.
These robes, adorned with auspicious cloud patterns, were symbols of rank and elegance.
Three small clouds adorned one man's robe:
He was a Third-Rank Official, appointed as the City Lord of this Immortal City.