"My heavens… These are Great Yi's war soldiers?"
"How many are there—tens of billions? Hundreds of billions? Trillions?"
The newly appointed generals stood before a sight that left them nearly breathless.
"Unbelievable. I heard Great Yi sold war soldiers to various human forces, but this number… What was sold was just a speck compared to this sea of troops!"
"Each soldier here—male or female—has near-perfect presence, physique, and combat aura. Not a single one is subpar."
"The rumors about Great Yi purifying Evernight's slave soldiers—those were just the surface. This isn't small-scale purification; this is mass cleansing. The ones sold are just crumbs—tokens to strengthen the other factions."
"The Emperor's vision… It's far beyond anything we imagined."
Their hearts thundered with excitement and disbelief. Eighteen elite generals were nearly swooning with happiness.
In the past, recruiting even a few quality troops had required endless pleading and begging. Now? They had their pick from hundreds of billions of elite war soldiers—many already tempered in battle and wholly loyal to Great Yi. There were even vast legions of female soldiers, their strength no less than that of the men.
"So many women warriors! I thought forming a female legion would be hard—but now? That's no longer a problem," said Shen Luoyan, thrilled.
"No wonder the Emperor had no hesitation about forming female-only legions. He was already prepared," nodded Fan Lihua.
But they weren't just thinking about soldiers. A far more significant realization dawned on them.
Once the Great Yi Dynasty returned to the Eternal World, these countless war soldiers could be demobilized—turned into civilians. With so many, they could repopulate the land, spread far and wide, and plant the seeds of new generations across Great Yi's ever-growing territory.
Population breeds prosperity.
With such numbers, the empire's foundations would swell, and its territory could easily expand several-fold, even dozens of times.
It was awe-inspiring. Just the thought made their blood stir.
Joining Great Yi… was without question the most correct decision of their lives.
This was no ordinary nation—this was the Number One Destiny Dynasty under heaven.
To fight for it… to grow within it… was their greatest honor.
Meanwhile, back in the Eternal World, within the territory of Great Yi—
The entire domain was protected by the vast and unseen barrier of the Iron-Blood Great Wall. The wall separated order from chaos, shielding its cities from the outside world's storms.
Beyond the wall lay regions of utter chaos, but nothing penetrated the barrier.
Over time, countless corpses and remnants of war were drawn in and absorbed by the Iron-Blood Wall, refining the wall's strength. Though the territory hadn't expanded yet, its foundation grew increasingly dense. Once released, that power could double the size of Great Yi's domain in an instant.
This spoke volumes about how savage the battles between the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin Clans had become. Across the Eternal World, the ground was littered with bodies—the toll of war.
Yet within Great Yi, life continued peacefully.
In the immortal cities, the people tended their spiritual fields, hunted beasts, and educated their youth. Each city rang with the sound of children studying, training, and cultivating—laying down the path for the future.
Their faces held hope, not fear.
The Three-Clan War barely reached them. But conversations often turned toward the Divine-Demonic Battlefield, and the warriors sent there to fight off the Evernight invaders.
All thoughts lingered on Emperor Yi Tianxing, who had journeyed to the frontlines.
At that moment, the Xuanhuang Imperial City drifted freely through the skies—patrolling and overseeing the vast lands of Great Yi. It had grown even larger than before.
Above the imperial city, golden clouds of merit hung thick, blotting out the sun. A massive fortune dragon curled within them, looming in the sky like a divine beast, emanating overwhelming might.
The dragon was growing—visibly strengthening with each passing moment.
"I hereby appoint Zhou Yafu as Commander of the Volcano Legion. First Class Rank. May the fire sigil empower him and the Empire's fortune protect him."
"I appoint Liang Hongyu as…"
The voices echoed throughout the sky as decree after decree was issued—each accompanied by a surge in the fortune dragon's strength.
These proclamations spread across the entire empire. Countless citizens stopped what they were doing and looked up.
"That's the Emperor's voice! He's bestowing command upon new legions!"
"Our nation's fortune is rising again! That means the Emperor is still alive—still safe on the battlefield!"
"So many new legions—each with a million soldiers… How? Didn't the Emperor leave with far fewer troops?"
Confusion swirled among the people. Where did all these troops come from? Still, what mattered most was that Great Yi was stronger than ever. And their pride in the Empire grew deeper.
In the Divine Palace, beneath the Celestial Treasure Tree, Cai Yan looked to the sky, her eyes shining with concern and admiration.
"Looks like my husband is doing well on the battlefield," she murmured."But this massive military expansion… Is he preparing for an even larger war?"
Though she trusted Yi Tianxing's strength completely, how could a wife not worry?
"Is Father coming back?" asked Yi Xianhuang, her daughter.
Now grown into a beautiful young woman, Yi Xianhuang stood beside her siblings, eyes filled with expectation.
"Not yet," Cai Yan replied with a soft smile."But as long as he lives, he will return."
Then, in a serious tone:
"Your father once said that when you come of age, you'll be sent to temper yourselves. Sons must start as ordinary soldiers—never revealing their identities. They must climb the ranks with their own merit."
"If you choose to roam alone, you must bring back the head of a mighty foe as your rite of passage."
"Whatever you choose, it must yield achievement. Otherwise, even your noble status as imperial heirs will be revoked. Your resources cut off. This rule will be enforced strictly."
"You receive blessings ordinary people cannot even dream of. If you can't rise above others with such advantages, then you must accept the consequences."
This was no empty threat.
Yi Tianxing would never allow his children to become pampered wastrels. He wanted them to be worthy—in battle, in mind, or in any other field. Whatever the path, they must stand on their own.
Back on the Divine-Demonic Battlefield
White Crow City
Following the conclusion of the Martial Examination, the city began to calm. The Mutual Market had lasted three days and then closed. Going forward, it would reopen at regular intervals, each time for three days.
This inaugural market had been a resounding success. Tens of billions of Eternal Coins had been circulated—possibly more, though exact figures were still being tallied.
Some visitors had returned to their own war cities—but many remained behind, choosing to settle permanently in White Crow City. They were essentially offering themselves up to become citizens of Great Yi.
Yi Tianxing had neither accepted nor refused them—choosing instead to observe. Among them were certainly individuals of talent.
Meanwhile, White Crow City had drifted to a very strange, foreboding area.
On the city wall, Yi Tianxing stood alongside his generals.
"Your Majesty," one of them said solemnly,"If the information we received is correct, then the God-Demon Well lies within this forbidden zone.
But entering it will not be easy—this place is a dead zone for life on the battlefield…"