While Hydra continued scheming in the shadows, preparing a new round of plots against Great Yi...
Back in the dynasty itself, following the success of the Fengshen Ceremony, the crisis of spiritual energy aberrations had been fully resolved.
Across all the lands, spirit fields returned to normal.The scarecrows, too, began frolicking once again through the crops, dancing joyfully.
Anyone watching them could feel their delight—a contagious happiness that moved even the coldest hearts.Farmers, in turn, became even more devoted to tending their lands.
Seeing the fields heavy with bounty, smiles blossomed across countless faces.
Eternal Calendar, Year 50, Month 11, Day 15
Dang—Dang—Dang—!!
That morning, the clear chime of the morning bell rang out from the towering Holy King Palace.
A staircase of clouds unfurled from the heavens.
One after another, the ministers of Great Yi ascended the cloud-ladder, making their way to the Heavenward Hall.
Outside the hall, officials greeted one another with smiles and nods.
Great Yi was thriving like never before, and every minister was enjoying the blessings of its prosperity.
Each person shone with good fortune and destiny.Whatever task they undertook, it felt as though divine hands aided them.
There were no political factions or party struggles in the imperial court—only differing perspectives.
Grudges were few.
Cooperation was the norm.
With this being a Great Court Assembly, everyone maintained a harmonious air.
Upon entering the grand hall, the civil and military officials took their respective places on the left and right.
When Yi Tianxing appeared, all officials bowed together and declared:
"Long live the Holy King! May His Sacred Majesty live forever!"
Yi Tianxing nodded slightly and raised his hand in a gentle gesture.
"You may rise."
Xun Yu stepped forward first, smiling as he gave his report:
"Holy King, the Five Great Realms have now all come fully under our control.
Over the past few months, Great Yi's governance has deeply taken root.
The human populace of the four newly annexed realms now fully identify as citizens of Great Yi.
They take pride in their identity, have begun cultivating, and undergo the baptism of the sun and moon.
Their loyalty is unwavering.
The chaos has been swept away, peace has returned, and across every realm, the people sing praises of Your Majesty.
You are wise and benevolent—your virtue is boundless."
There was a touch of flattery in his words, but who could argue?
Uniting five major realms had made Great Yi's power skyrocket.
Resources surged. The abundance alone had brought joy to countless civilians.
But the most important point?
The human race had grown stronger.
That was the ultimate goal.
Next, Pei Ju stepped forward to report on the Iron-Blood Great Wall:
"Holy King, after months of sacrificing fierce beasts, sea monsters, and Ice Crystal Clan creatures to the Iron-Blood Wall,it has now fully materialized and encompasses all five realms.
Infiltrators from other domains can no longer enter Great Yi so easily.
However, the manpower required to guard the wall has increased exponentially.
The military must begin reallocating forces."
The announcement brought relief to the ministers.
The Iron-Blood Great Wall was one of Great Yi's greatest defensive bulwarks.
As long as it stood, no force could enter Great Yi unnoticed.
Once the Iron-Blood Barrier was activated, even divine beings would struggle to breach it.
It was a sacred symbol—an extension of Great Yi's sovereignty.
Before the wall fully materialized, it was certain that enemy agents had already infiltrated the empire.But now? Such threats were greatly minimized.
Still, more troops were needed.
On the Great Wall:
Every 1,000 kilometers, there stood an Iron-Blood Fortress
Each fortress housed 100,000 soldiers
Every 5 meters of wall had a stationed sentry
Every fortress had a battle general overseeing it
Every fortress came equipped with teleportation arrays, allowing for rapid troop deployment
And now, with expansion, the number of fortresses had multiplied manyfold.
The troop demand was astronomical.
Zhuge Liang stepped forward with a calm smile:
"Please be at ease, Holy King.
The Military Council has already made arrangements.
The War Soul Battlefield still holds numerous ready soldiers.
Our reserve forces continue to grow annually.
Filling these positions will not be difficult.
Furthermore, the army has produced many young talents—
While they may not be qualified to lead entire legions,they are more than capable of defending individual fortresses.
With experience, they may one day become true pillars of our army."
With the Preliminary Soldier System and the unwavering loyalty of those transformed by the Innocent Heavenly Sound Tree,Great Yi had never had a shortage of troops.
Even with the empire's territory expanding massively,the population growth ensured that the army could match pace.
Yi Tianxing nodded in satisfaction:
"Good. After this assembly, begin dispatching troops to the fortresses immediately.
The Iron-Blood Wall must remain flawless.
Continue the sacrificial rituals.
The Ice Crystal Clan, with their unique reproductive splitting method, are ideal sacrifices.
I've opened a new pocket world where time flows differently—meaning we can produce as many Ice Crystals as needed.
But keep in mind:
the wall is not to be expanded further at this time.
Let it accumulate power.
Once needed, we will unleash it all at once."
Pei Ju smiled:
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty.
The sacrifices have never ceased."
To him, the Ice Crystal Clan was nothing more than fodder—nurturing the wall with their deaths.
This was their only value.
And perhaps, in their twisted way, they were happy to serve.
Then, Tong Huang stepped forward:
"Holy King, based on intel from the Calamity Hall's spies,we have fully mapped the surrounding realms.
A total of eight realms border Great Yi."
The hall grew instantly silent.
Every minister leaned forward in attention.
To the military, these names meant future campaigns and potential glory.
To the civil officials, they represented expansion and resources.
To everyone—they were targets.
"What are the names of these eight realms?"Yi Tianxing asked, eyes gleaming with interest.
Now that stability had returned, expansion would naturally follow.
With trillions of citizens under his rule, the empire had no choice but to grow continuously.
Tong Huang replied:
"The eight neighboring realms are:
Dark Ring Realm (魔戒界域)
Beastman Realm (狂兽界域)
Titan Realm (泰坦界域)
Metalstone Realm (金石界域)
Shushan Realm (蜀山界域)
Dragonbeast Realm (龙兽界域)
Skyfire Realm (天火界域)
Featherwing Realm (飞羽界域)"
Each realm had been painstakingly scouted by Calamity Hall agents,who risked their lives to breach realm barriers and draw detailed maps.
These were now stored in the Great Yi Scripture Repository.
"Eight realms…" the ministers murmured, their eyes glowing.
Zhuge Liang asked:
"Can you briefly describe each realm, Lord Tong?"
Tong Huang nodded with a smile:
"Naturally."
"Dark Ring Realm – said to contain the legendary Supreme Demonic Rings.
Possession of such a ring grants incredible powers.
The realm houses a multitude of races: dwarves, elves, treants, humans, beastmen...
Most humans here are Caucasian, though many Asians exist as well.
The realm lacks a single unifying power—its factions are fragmented."
"Beastman Realm – dominated by beastmen.
A branch of the Lion King Royal Clan leads the beastmen and has established an Emperor dynasty.
They are powerful and unified—attacking them won't be easy."
"Titan Realm – home to many races, but ruled by Titan Giants.
A warlord named Thanos rose among them.
Under his command, they conquered the entire realm and renamed it.
Their strength is formidable—never to be underestimated."
"Shushan Realm – a mountainous and spiritual land.
Home to many powerful cultivation sects.
These sects dominate the imperial courts.
They decide the rise and fall of dynasties.
Demons, monsters, and ghosts roam freely.
When war erupts, blood can soak a thousand miles."
"Dragonbeast Realm – ruled by a race of dinosaurs with dragon blood.
They have evolved their own unique bloodline and shapeshifting techniques.
The entire realm is under their command.
Their physical strength is terrifying."
"Skyfire Realm – dominated by the Flame Race…"
"Featherwing Realm – ruled by the Winged People…"
Tong Huang continued, detailing the unique traits and power structures of each realm.