That one sentence!
It instantly reassured all the fallen soldiers present.
"Your Highness."
"Then where exactly are we now?"
Among the hundreds of thousands of souls, an old comrade who had followed Zhao Feng on his conquests, Xiao Han, stepped forward.
He had fought alongside Zhao Feng and died on the battlefield during the Northern Frontier campaign against the Donghu.
Though he possessed martial cultivation, it had not been profound at the time.
"You are now within the world I rule."
"This realm is the Netherworld, the world of departed souls."
"Now that the Netherworld has been established, and I control this world, I have also created a place for reincarnation."
"You all followed me in battle for a lifetime, fought for Great Qin, and ultimately sacrificed your lives for the nation."
"I have spent my life waging wars, yet I was unable to keep you alive."
"But though you perished, I have been able to protect your souls."
"Now that I govern this Netherworld and have established reincarnation, I grant you two choices:
First, you may retain your soul bodies and remain in the Netherworld as ghost envoys or judges, cultivating as ghostly beings and existing eternally within the Netherworld.
Second, you may enter the cycle of reincarnation. As meritorious officials of Great Qin, you will be reborn into wealthy families, where your martial future will be promising."
"Your choices are yours to make."
Zhao Feng's voice echoed throughout the entire Netherworld.
Upon hearing this
Nearly ninety percent of the soldiers, without hesitation, knelt and declared, "We are willing to serve Your Highness unto death!"
The remaining ten percent hesitated.
"Regardless of what my brothers choose, I will honor your decision."
"Those who wish to reincarnate"
"May enter the human path and be reborn into noble families."
"Those who wish to stay in the Netherworld"
"Shall be granted the techniques of ghost envoys and ghostly cultivation, bestowed with the power of the Netherworld, and tasked with judging and guiding souls into reincarnation." Zhao Feng continued.
As his words fell
The remaining soldiers made their decisions one by one.
"I am willing to stay and continue serving Your Highness."
"I spent my entire life fighting and never experienced the warmth of family. I wish to enter reincarnation and enjoy a peaceful next life."
"I feel the same."
"I choose to stay…"
Each of them voiced their decisions.
Zhao Feng respected each choice.
The reincarnation passage opened.
One by one, the souls that chose to reincarnate became the first to enter the cycle of rebirth in this newly formed Netherworld, joining noble families within the small world.
In this small world, thousands of years had already passed. Its population had long since grown beyond the tens of millions of the past. With no wars or conflicts, the population had surged to over a billion, far exceeding that of Great Qin's mortal realm.
After all, time is the foundation of population growth.
Of course
The Yan Court remained in control of all authority in this small world.
Even though many martial sects and countless martial artists had emerged, the Yan Court remained supreme, enforcing Zhao Feng's will.
The Heavenly Profound Mirror and the Contribution Points System were still the main currency of the world.
In this small world, martial experts at the Martial Transcendence Realm were no weaker than those in Great Qin's empire. Those who reached this realm directly served the Yan Court and Great Qin.
Beyond the human race
The emergence of demonic beasts and demon clans was inevitable as the world continued to evolve.
"Xiao Han."
"You once followed me through life and death, rendering countless merits for Great Qin."
"Today, I bestow upon you the title of Nether King of the Netherworld. You shall hold the Book of Life and Death, oversee rewards and punishments, and judge souls to determine whether they enter hell or reincarnation."
"In addition"
"Chen Ling, Cao Wu, and others shall serve as judges of the Netherworld."
"The Eighteen Hells shall each have a warden responsible for administering punishments."
...
Soon
Zhao Feng officially appointed the judges of the Netherworld and the wardens of the various hells.
Of course
These positions were chosen from the generals among the hundreds of thousands of fallen soldiers.
As well as the ministers who had served Great Qin.
With this, the Netherworld began its initial operations.
And the Law of Reincarnation fully enveloped all beings in the small world.
As creatures died, their souls were drawn into the Netherworld.
Netherworld Boundary – Soul Reception Site
Thousands upon thousands of souls were guided by the power of the reincarnation law.
"Where is this?"
"I thought I was dead?"
"How am I still conscious?"
…
Many souls, upon entering the Netherworld, looked around in confusion.
At that moment
A group of ghost envoys dressed in dark robes, holding soul-binding chains, slowly approached.
"Your lifespans have ended. You are now in the Netherworld for judgment. The righteous shall enter reincarnation, while the wicked shall first suffer punishment in hell before being granted rebirth."
A judge stood at the forefront, holding the Book of Life and Death, and declared loudly.
"Ghost envoys? Netherworld?"
"I am the son of the sect master of True Martial Sect! How dare you try to deceive me?"
A ghost among the crowd stepped forward and shouted angrily.
The concept of ghosts was widely spoken of in the world, but even those who had cultivated the Martial Transcendence Realm could not fully comprehend the essence of souls.
Thus, many still harbored skepticism about the existence of spirits and reincarnation.
But the moment his voice fell
Crack!
"Aaah!"
The ghost let out a scream as his soul body flickered dimly.
"You have entered the Netherworld. No matter who you were in life, you shall abide by the laws of the Netherworld."
A ghost warden wielded a whip designed for soul bodies and coldly commanded.
Under this intimidation, the ghost dared not speak further, though his eyes still burned with resentment.
The judge holding the Book of Life and Death stepped forward and cast a glance at the ghost before him. The book emitted a flash of light, and the ghost's information immediately appeared on its pages.
"Lin Wu."
"Lifespan: 877 years. Perished in battle against others."
"Bloodstained hands: 5,679 lives taken, karma entangling the soul."
"Judgment: Sentenced to the Fifth Hell for a thousand years of punishment. Upon completion, reincarnation into the Animal Realm."
The judge read out the verdict in an indifferent tone.
"Battling and dying is the fundamental law of heaven and earth survival of the fittest!"
"Why should I be punished for a thousand years?"
"Why am I being forced into the Animal Realm?"
Though Lin Wu did not know exactly what the Animal Realm entailed, he instinctively realized it was no good. Furious, he shouted in protest.
But the judge ignored him. With a wave of his hand, a ghost warden stepped forward, shackles in hand.
Once the chains bound him, Lin Wu found himself completely immobilized.
No matter how powerful he had been in life, once he entered the Netherworld, he was nothing more than a lamb to the slaughter suppressed by the laws of the underworld.
The judges and ghost wardens continued their work, carrying out the orderly judgment of souls.
Observing this, Zhao Feng nodded in satisfaction.
"The Netherworld is complete."
"The world has reached its initial state of perfection."
His heart swelled with excitement.
At that very moment
Boom!
The Netherworld fully solidified, its laws coalescing.
The entire world underwent a true transformation.
Space became more stable, and the world's laws grew stronger.
At the heart of the realm, the World Tree, revered as the forbidden land of heaven and earth, began to grow rapidly.
The world's spiritual energy surged and thickened exponentially.
As the heavenly Dao of this world, Zhao Feng immediately sensed its grand metamorphosis.
"A Middle Thousand World!"
Zhao Feng suppressed his excitement.
The introduction of the cycle of reincarnation brought about an immense transformation in the world.
"From now on…"
"This world can be considered a true realm of its own."
Just then
"Host has presided over the world's evolution into a Middle Thousand World. Reward: 50 million points in all attributes. Claim now?"
The system's prompt appeared.
"That time I first established a Small World truly was a jackpot."
"Not only did I gain the authority of the Heavenly Dao, allowing me to comprehend the laws through the World Tree, but I also obtained a world with infinite potential."
"And just like the Human Dao, the world's ascension grants me immense rewards."
Seeing this, Zhao Feng smiled.
"Claim."
Without hesitation, he accepted the feedback of attributes from the world's advancement.
His consciousness returned.
Inside the royal palace's grand hall
Zhao Feng once again experienced a complete ascension of all attributes.
A terrifying aura erupted from him.
Zhao Feng's power surged to new heights.
High in the sky above the void
The vast power of the laws spread outward.
The entire void trembled in response.
Endless law energy poured into Zhao Feng's body.
His physical form underwent yet another profound transformation.
At this moment
With his attributes reaching a new peak, Zhao Feng was about to break through into the Martial Dao King Realm.
Upon entering this realm
He would attain a deeper mastery of laws, and his body would resonate with law energy, allowing for seamless control over it.
In times of crisis, he could merge with the laws, greatly enhancing his ability to manipulate them.
He would gain abilities such as rebirth from a single drop of blood, an indestructible soul, and boundless vitality.
This
was the might of the Martial Dao King Realm.
At this stage
In terms of realm alone, it was equivalent to the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm of immortal cultivation.
However, in terms of actual combat ability, the Martial Dao King Realm far surpassed the Taiyi Golden Immortal Realm.
And Zhao Feng had no weaknesses his growth was comprehensive.
"Martial Dao King Realm."
"Sixth Cycle of Profound Arts."
"All attributes have surpassed one hundred million."
"If my attributes undergo another great breakthrough, it might lead to an even greater transformation."
Zhao Feng opened his eyes, filled with indescribable excitement.
At this moment
Even against a Great Firmament Golden Immortal, Zhao Feng was confident he could fight and even kill them.
"With the world's ascension, even my Heavenly Dao Authority trait has changed."
Zhao Feng examined his attribute panel.
Heavenly Dao Authority - Red:
"As the master of a world's Heavenly Dao, you wield authority over its laws. You may use the world's laws for protection, merge your soul with them, and gain immense benefits from the world's evolution. By fusing with the world, you can shield yourself from fate's detection, rendering yourself untraceable. You can summon the Heavenly Dao Wheel, with a chance to pull higher-realm foes into your world."
Zhao Feng's full attributes had also undergone an evolution.
Attribute Panel:
Host: Zhao Feng
Age: 42
Traits: …
Law True Essence: 100 million (Martial Dao King Realm - First Level)
True Dragon Power: 100 million
Divine Light Speed: 100 million
Postnatal Dao Body: 100 million
Divine Sense: 100 million
Law Soul: 100 million
Lifespan: 500,861 years (Realm lifespan: 500,000 years)
Merit: 21,302,304 points (Merit brings the favor of heaven and earth. Can be consumed to enhance attributes.)
Karma: 110,203 points (The higher the karma, the greater the malice from heaven and earth. Karma can be transferred to others using merit.)
Portable Space: Infinite (Cannot store living beings)
Cultivation Technique: Nine-Cycle Chaos Tome (Sixth Cycle)
....
"Forcibly pulling a cultivator stronger than myself into my small world what a terrifying weapon this is!"
"The benefits brought by the world's ascension to a Middle Thousand World are immense."
Looking at the transformed attributes in his status panel, Zhao Feng couldn't help but feel a slight sense of awe.
Holding the authority of Heavenly Dao.
For Zhao Feng, who resided in the vast world of Honghuang, the greatest advantage was that he could wield the power of laws through his Heavenly Dao authority without needing to comprehend them individually. As long as they existed within his world, he could master them.
However, unleashing the full combat power of the Heavenly Dao was impossible.
But now, things were different.
If he encountered an enemy he couldn't defeat, he could drag them into his world his home turf.
With the power of the Heavenly Dao at his disposal, even a Quasi-Saint might have a chance of being slain.
This was truly an ultimate weapon!
"With the Nine Cycles Chaos Tome at the sixth cycle, my full attributes increase by ten thousand points daily."
"As long as I have enough time, I face no bottlenecks."
"Immortal cultivators rely on comprehension, spiritual fortune, and resources. I, however, rely on time itself."
"That said, killing enemies is a far quicker method." Zhao Feng smirked internally.
"Host's full attributes have reached one billion."
"Reward: Five Sixth-Tier Treasure Chests."
The system prompt appeared.
"Open them all."
Zhao Feng made his choice without hesitation.
"Opening Sixth-Tier Treasure Chests..."
"Obtained Innate Superior-Grade Spiritual Treasure: Fantian Seal."
"Obtained Innate Spiritual Root: Ten Peach Trees."
"Obtained Innate Undying Divine Light."
"Obtained One Supreme Spirit Vein."
"Obtained Innate Inferior-Grade Spiritual Treasure: Banana Fan - Yang."
"Fantian Seal."
"It was originally crafted from the shattered Buzhou Mountain when a Grand Wu crashed into it. A Saint later refined it into an Innate Spiritual Treasure."
"This seal wields immense power. When unleashed, it can suppress both heaven and earth."
"And now, it's in my possession."
"I wonder if Guang Chengzi is still alive. This was his treasure, after all. If he finds out I've taken it, he'll never let this go."
Zhao Feng laughed at the thought.
A true weapon of destruction.
A single strike could shatter the heavens.
"But then again"
"Kunlun was Guang Chengzi's sect, and I annihilated it. We were already sworn enemies."
"Besides"
"With my Heavenly Dao authority, no one can divine my whereabouts."
As far as Zhao Feng was concerned, a treasure that landed in his hands was his and his alone.
"A true Innate Spiritual Root Peach Trees."
"Innate Undying Divine Light tan transforms Postnatal treasures into Innate ones, even elevating Innate Spiritual Treasures to a higher level. Best to save it for later."
"Banana Fan now I have both the Yin and Yang fans."
Satisfied with his haul, Zhao Feng nodded approvingly.
He then immediately planted the Peach Trees at the base of the World Tree within his small world.
Sometime Later.
"Your Highness."
A voice called from outside.
"General Meng Tian seeks an audience."
It was Zhang Ming's voice.
"Let him in."
Zhao Feng replied.
Meng Tian strode into the hall.
"Your Highness."
"The spoils from the destruction of the Kunlun Immortal Sect have been cataloged."
"Please review the records."
Meng Tian presented a jade slip with great respect.
Zhao Feng raised his hand, and the jade slip flew into his grasp.
He scanned it with his divine sense and immediately understood everything.
"A significant haul."
"This alone rivals more than half of the mortal treasury of Great Qin."
"These Immortal Sects truly are absurdly wealthy."
Zhao Feng chuckled.
"Your Highness."
"Kunlun was indeed rich beyond measure elixirs, spirit stones, cultivation techniques, refining materials, and heavenly treasures, all in overwhelming abundance."
"It took our men days just to sort and store them in the Heavenly Profound Mirror."
"However, there are some matters that require your decision."
"Kunlun had gathered a significant amount of extracted spiritual essence. How should we handle it?"
Meng Tian said, presenting a storage ring with great reverence.
"The spirits have already been extracted; the dead cannot be brought back."
"Bury the remains of those mortals who were used as offerings."
"As for this spiritual essence, I will handle it myself."
Zhao Feng declared.
"Understood, Your Highness." Meng Tian bowed respectfully.
"Furthermore."
"Relay my decree."
"After conquering the lands once ruled by the Kunlun Immortal Sect, halt all further military campaigns for now."
"This battle has drawn immense attention. With Kunlun destroyed, word will soon spread."
"The Heavenly Court, the Buddhist Order, and other factions of the Earth Immortal Realm will undoubtedly turn their eyes toward Great Qin."
Zhao Feng stated gravely.
"Understood, Your Highness."
Meng Tian accepted the decree and withdrew.
The moment Meng Tian left, Han Fei entered the great hall.
"Your subject greets Your Highness." Han Fei bowed deeply.
"How goes the distribution of the Heavenly Profound Mirror? What of the martial cultivation program?"
Zhao Feng immediately inquired.
"Your Highness," Han Fei responded swiftly, "I have instructed the officials to implement the policy in full accordance with Great Qin's past measures."
"Every citizen within our territory who swears an oath to the Dao of Humanity shall receive a Heavenly Profound Mirror."
"They shall also be granted martial arts techniques that will allow them to cultivate up to the Grandmaster Realm."
"The implementation has proceeded smoothly without resistance."
"The script in the Immortal Realm still follows the writing of the Shang and Zhou Dynasties. Though spiritual currency exists, it must be standardized and tied to the contribution system."
"Unifying the written language and currency is imperative."
"Only by enforcing these changes can the people of the Immortal Realm truly integrate into Great Qin."
Zhao Feng spoke solemnly.
The divide between mortals and immortals was not just a matter of different worlds but also distinct cultures.
For them to fully integrate into Great Qin, they had to share the same language, customs, and identity.
"This is an arduous task."
"If you need more officials, liaise directly with the Prime Minister to deploy additional scribes and administrators to the Immortal Realm."
"Whatever you require, I will provide it."
"I want you to accomplish this as swiftly as possible."
"Reveal the truth of the Immortal Sects that they raised humans as livestock, drained them of their essence, and deceived them with so-called ascension rituals."
"This is your mission."
Zhao Feng's voice was resolute.
Han Fei immediately bowed deeply.
"Your subject understands."
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