The True Dragon of Fate shimmered in the sky, its eyes radiating intense joy and excitement. From all directions, vast amounts of fate energy flowed toward it, visibly enlarging its body. With every breath, its form expanded. From its previous length of 5,000 zhang, it had now reached 7,000 zhang—a growth visible to the naked eye.
During this time, Great Yi had expanded far more rapidly than before. The territory and domain it had acquired dwarfed previous expansions many times over. The newly annexed regions alone generated an immense surge of earth destiny, which caused the True Dragon of Fate to grow explosively. In addition, countless Immortal Cities had been deployed across the new lands, and the massive army of over 20 trillion soldiers in Xuanhuang Immortal City had been scattered outward across the empire.
This expansion included not only the original population of Great Yi, but also the numerous human populations from across the Vast Sea Realm that had been integrated.
All told, the Great Yi's Household Registration Hall now recorded a staggering 23 trillion citizens.
Not all of them were simply settled. A selected portion—about one trillion—had been drafted into the military and formally entered the military register. This was the empire's prime source of elite troops, its true war-fighting foundation, and the backbone of the imperial system.
Despite their status as professional soldiers, they were not forbidden from marrying or having children. Most had settled permanently in the Cloud Realm, where they lived like ordinary people—only with military responsibilities.
This colossal population naturally allowed Great Yi to fully control every region, island, and continent within its reach—and from there, begin to radiate influence outward. With this control, new earth destiny continuously formed from the surrounding regions and flowed into the empire.
Once the Vast Sea Realm was fully integrated, the fate brought by the newly added 23 trillion citizens was nothing short of a tidal wave.
Furthermore, conquering rival forces and tribal entities also generated vast destiny. Even though a large portion of this destiny was converted and reduced before becoming part of the imperial fate, what remained was still tremendous—enough to cause the True Dragon of Fate to surge in size, now reaching over 7,000 zhang.
Seen in the sky, it was truly a colossal being.
Then, as the six-clawed Azure Dragon of Fate appeared, it suddenly shot out from the auspicious clouds of merit, streaking across the sky.
Wherever it flew, azure light spread like an ocean, illuminating the heavens.
Its speed was lightning fast, soaring above one Immortal City after another, darting across wildernesses, sweeping through the void.
Yi Prefecture, Skyhawk Island, Python Island, Snow Province, Sakura Province…
The True Dragon of Fate swiftly traversed the entire territory, its magnificent form appearing above every piece of land under Great Yi's rule. The people in each Immortal City looked up and witnessed its divine figure. Wherever a Great Yi Immortal City existed, the dragon could arrive in an instant.
Its posture was unmistakable—it was patrolling its sovereign realm, proclaiming its lord's dominion, and declaring:
"This land is mine. My master rules this world."
The six-clawed Azure Dragon's figure spread across the entire Vast Sea Realm.
It circled once through the entire realm—an awe-inspiring sight for the citizens.
"Was that the True Dragon of Fate just now? Incredible! I couldn't even see its head or tail—its body stretched across the entire sky!"
"They say the Fate Dragon is the foundation of a Destiny Dynasty. That one looked at least 6,000 or 7,000 zhang long—astounding! It's a sign of Great Yi's prosperity!"
"This must mean Great Yi has truly unified the Vast Sea Realm. From now on, this entire region belongs to our people—to us! Who still dares to look down on the human race? On Great Yi? I wonder when we'll be promoted to Holy Court status…"
The masses were overjoyed as they witnessed the dragon patrol their land, their pride and excitement radiating from every face.
In the hierarchy of destiny dynasties, the ranks are: Village → Town → City → King → Imperial → Emperor → Holy → Immortal → Heavenly.
Fate colors: gray, white, red, yellow, blue, cyan, gold, purple, violet-gold.
Fate Avatars:
Golden Carp (1 zhang)
Fish-Dragon (10 zhang)
Dragon-Serpent (100 zhang)
Flood Dragon (1,000 zhang)
Five-Clawed Blue Dragon (3,000 zhang)
Six-Clawed Azure Dragon (10,000 zhang)
Seven-Clawed Golden Dragon (100,000 zhang)
Eight-Clawed Purple Dragon (1,000,000 zhang)
Nine-Clawed Violet-Gold Dragon (10,000,000 zhang)
Under normal circumstances, a dynasty must reach a corresponding level of fate avatar before it can be promoted.
Now, Great Yi stood at the Emperor Dynasty level, and its True Dragon of Fate must grow to 10,000 zhang before it could submit a heavenly memorial and apply for ascension.
At its current size of 7,000 zhang, there was still some way to go.
But as long as order was maintained and the people prospered, this latest expansion would be digested smoothly. The underlying strength of the empire would surge, and fate would enter a period of explosive growth.
At that point, reaching the 10,000 zhang threshold would no longer be a distant dream.
Of course, reaching 10,000 zhang is one thing; whether the court would ascend was another. Even after reaching the size requirement, the dragon could continue to grow. The more fate it stored, the stronger the foundation for future conversion into higher-grade fate upon ascension.
The deeper the roots, the more confident the rise.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! With the Vast Sea Realm unified, Great Yi reigns supreme. The human race stands at the top!"
Within the Imperial Palace, the ministers bowed in celebration, their faces filled with genuine smiles.
This moment marked the complete domination of the Vast Sea Realm by Great Yi. Immortal Cities now dotted the entire region, and the Landscape and Nation Diagram Grand Array had extended its feng shui over the entire domain.
The feeling was unprecedented.
The Vast Sea Realm now belonged to Great Yi—belonged to the human race. Humanity could now present itself to the myriad races with true strength and pride.
To command a domain was to earn the right to speak for your race.
Now, Great Yi truly had the authority to represent the human race at its core.
It was no longer a hollow title to call Great Yi the "First Human Destiny Dynasty."
It was earned—and undeniable.
"Very well," Yi Tianxing said with a smile. "Announce it to the world: Great Yi has unified the Vast Sea Realm. Let all rejoice! Every citizen shall receive one jin of spirit rice, ten Eternal Coins, one jin of fierce beast meat, and one jin of basic spirit wine—to mark this day of celebration."
His smile was genuine.
This was a historic breakthrough—and cause for celebration. Not just for the imperial court, but for all the people.
"True celebration lies in sharing," he declared.
His way of celebrating? Distributing real rewards to the people. Food, money, meat, wine. Not just ceremonial. Substantial, meaningful gifts.
The ministers were equally delighted. They were well aware of their Emperor's character—no empty gestures. Everything he did was real and generous.
Even though this would cost a massive amount of resources, it was merely a drop in the bucket for Great Yi's rich treasury.
Food stores were overflowing. Spirit rice continued to grow rapidly, especially with large-scale cultivation efforts. Inside the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Pagoda, enormous fields of spirit crops were harvested regularly, filling imperial granaries with ease.
Those spirit rice varieties that were easy to grow and highly productive were always the top priority.
The Strawmen maintained the spiritual fields within the pagoda.
Over the years, Great Yi had built a mutually beneficial relationship with them. Most fields—rice paddies and vegetable plots alike—were managed by the Strawmen.
In return, the straw stalks from the spiritual crops were given to them to create more Strawmen, forming a self-sustaining cycle.
Today, Strawmen had become an inseparable part of daily life in Great Yi. Their natural inclination toward guardianship and diligence made them ideal companions. Their unwavering loyalty made them invaluable.
"The Emperor is benevolent. The people will surely be filled with gratitude," Jia Yucun chimed in, never missing a chance to flatter with a grin.
"Now that Great Yi has unified the Vast Sea Realm," Yi Tianxing continued, "the real challenge begins. Seizing a realm is easy—ruling it is not. Governing the world is even harder. That will require the joint efforts of all of you. Together, we shall make Great Yi stronger. Let every citizen live better lives. Let us build a true sacred land for humanity."
Governing a great nation was like cooking a delicate dish—not something to be rushed or done alone. It would take countless officials and talents working together.
"Indeed," said Xun Yu gravely, "this expansion has depleted our reserves. Our talent pool is nearly empty. And with this vast increase in population, we must have overlooked many hidden talents among the people. I propose that we open the Enlightened Examinations to allow those with ability to rise."
It was an urgent matter. Talent was the lifeblood of any empire.
"I second the proposal," said another minister. "We must replenish our talent reserves as soon as possible."
"Only with abundant talent can we continue our rapid development. A hundred schools of thought competing—a hundred flowers blooming—that is what best serves Great Yi."
The entire hall echoed with agreement.
These were not ordinary men. Each one had a clear view of the bigger picture.
Opening the Enlightened Examinations was one of the best ways to discover and cultivate talent.
It would ensure a steady stream of capable individuals, reduce accidental loss of gifted people, and accelerate their training.
Its benefits were immeasurable.
"Very well. One month from now, the Enlightened Examinations will open—civil and military tracks both."
Yi Tianxing nodded in full approval.