The Divine-Demon Battlefield was, naturally, an incomparably perilous place. Anyone who entered it faced the risk of falling, of dying in battle—no one could guarantee survival. The last expedition had merely been a trial, a game between both sides. But this time, it was different. According to countless reports, each Heaven and Earth Cataclysm was invariably the moment when Eternal Night invades Eternity.
The force of the Calamity Fiend Qi caused Eternal Night and Eternity to draw closer to one another—like two eggs pressing together, overlapping. The Divine-Demon Battlefield was this very overlapping space.
The difficulty of opening portals between realms would decrease drastically at such times. Thus, every Heaven and Earth Cataclysm was also the inevitable moment when the Divine-Demon Battlefield opened.
Naturally, there was no opposition from the court officials regarding the decision to send troops to the Divine-Demon Battlefield.
"This minister seconds the proposal."
Stepping forward, Zhuge Liang said, "However, among the military formations under the Grand Council of War, the Four Divine Beast Corps only have the Vermilion Bird and Azure Dragon Corps fully formed, leaving two missing. The Four Absolute Corps—Demonbreakers, Fiendslayers, Immortaltrap, and Godbane—are complete. The Five Element Corps have only the Flood Corps formed, lacking four. The Seven Color Corps have the Blue, Red, and Yellow Corps established, lacking four more. The Twelve Zodiac Corps currently have five formed: War Tiger, Snow Rabbit, Heavenly Horse, Spirit Snake, and White Dragon, lacking seven. As for the Special Corps, such as Hundred Blossom, Divine Raven, and Golden Scale, all three are complete."
"Each corps contains 500,000 soldiers. Altogether, the fully formed corps number about nine million troops, still short of the ten million mark."
"In my opinion, we still have ten years before the Divine-Demon Battlefield reopens. During these ten years, we should complete the remaining corps. The Great Yi Empire does not lack soldiers—it lacks top-tier generals who can lead armies into battle. As long as capable generals are appointed, any corps can be rapidly assembled."
As head of the Grand Council of War, Zhuge Liang was naturally intimately familiar with the military.
For instance, the Spirit Snake Corps, under General Wu Changren, was composed entirely of elite divine marksmen. Their primary weapon was the Runic Sniper Rifle, while their Spirit Snake Phantom Armor housed hidden blades for close-quarters combat. They were like assassins, striking from the shadows with lethal precision.
These 500,000 soldiers were carefully selected from hundreds of millions, the absolute cream of the crop. Once positioned in favorable terrain, the Spirit Snake Corps' lethality was utterly terrifying. Their specialized weapon, the Spirit Snake Sniper Rifle, possessed devastating firepower.
These elite units represented the regular army of the Great Yi Empire—fully structured forces with elite combat strength. Beyond the regular army, the empire also maintained massive numbers of garrison troops stationed along the Iron-Blood Great Wall, constantly training and defending the borders.
At the time of the last Divine-Demon Battlefield expedition, Great Yi had brought back 60 million troops, later absorbing millions more from the Wei Dynasty. Now, the official registered military personnel of the empire exceeded 100 million. Yet, formal corps soldiers still made up less than one-tenth of that.
The remaining 90% served as reserves, stationed on the Great Wall or under training, prepared to replace casualties in the elite units at a moment's notice. Every soldier had undergone training within various corps, ensuring immediate combat readiness if assigned.
"Agreed," said Jia Xu, nodding in support. "Our Great Yi Empire has risen to overwhelming prominence. With a population in thirty billions, it will only continue to grow. It's not difficult to find qualified generals among the people."
He continued, "Though the Imperial Examination System includes a military division, it's ultimately too limited in scope. Instead, I suggest we hold a full Martial Examination (武举) to select battle-worthy generals for our corps."
The Imperial Examinations could assess some martial acumen, but they could not replace real, targeted assessment. A Martial Examination would do just that.
"Very well," Emperor Yi Tianxing nodded. "There are many hidden talents among the people. Let's proceed with the Martial Examination. But we must define the structure of this examination. This cannot be delayed. Everyone, offer your suggestions."
With such a massive military, the only real shortfall was in capable leaders.
"The Martial Examination should select true battlefield commanders," said Huang Chengyan. "The two essential qualities are personal strength and strategic command. Without formidable strength, one cannot command troops. Without strategy, one cannot win wars."
"Paper generals will not do. I propose the exam involve direct combat, where candidates fight each other to determine the strongest. From there, we select our commanders."
"But such direct combat could cause injuries," Jia Xu noted. "Why not hold the Martial Examination within the StarNet (星网)? With its integration of the 'King's Battle Chess' (王者斗战棋), we can simulate both one-on-one duels and army-vs-army confrontations perfectly."
This would allow detailed, risk-free observation of candidates' performance.
"Excellent idea," said another. "We can observe solo duels and group tactics without real casualties."
The entire court enthusiastically approved. StarNet had long become an inseparable part of the Great Yi people's lives—far beyond even the old "internet." The King's Battle Chess was one of its most popular features.
Within StarNet, King's Battle Chess offered:
One-on-one duels
Three-versus-three battles
Five-versus-five skirmishes
Free-for-all brawls
Army Battles (军团战)
Of these, the most complex and impressive was the Army Battle. Both sides had a core crystal, and the objective was to destroy the opponent's. Each general chose troop types using equal funds. Unit costs varied, demanding clever resource allocation and strategic deployment.
Once deployed, purchased units would spawn in the simulation, where each candidate would lead them into battle.
This tested not just personal strength but comprehensive military talent—the perfect evaluation method.
"Approved!" Yi Tianxing declared. "After court adjourns, Zhuge Liang and Jia Xu shall devise the examination framework and present it for approval. Any person with true ability shall be rewarded with rank and honors accordingly."
If enough top-tier generals appeared, not only could they fill existing corps commander roles, but new corps could be created just for them.
"Gongshu Lin," Yi Tianxing then turned, "our soldiers need more powerful crossbows. Can they be completed within ten years?"
"Rest assured, Your Majesty," replied Gongshu Lin, stepping forward. "We of the Heavenly Craft Pavilion have been researching new forging materials. Recently, with materials from the Underworld, our progress has accelerated. Soon, we will produce materials that combine yin and yang properties."
Yi Tianxing nodded. As the troops' power had increased, their old Divine Machine Crossbows had begun to show limitations. The Craft Pavilion had long been preparing for this.
"Moreover," Gongshu Lin added, "we've already designed a new siege weapon—the Godslayer Crossbow (诛神弩). Its power far surpasses the Divine Machine Crossbow. Once production begins, it will be deployed across all major corps."
This battlefield killing machine, created in collaboration with Lu Master and the Heavenly Craft Pavilion, would elevate Great Yi's military might to a whole new level.
"Excellent," said Yi Tianxing. "After court adjourns, focus all efforts on forging this new material. The Godslayer Crossbow must be completed within ten years."
"As you command," Gongshu Lin affirmed confidently. Success was near.
"One final decree," Yi Tianxing announced. "For the next ten years, Great Yi will halt all territorial expansion. All future plans will resume after the next Divine-Demon Battlefield expedition."