"Zhaoji, you need not worry. With the Emperor's strength, nothing could have happened to him on the battlefield. The soul lamp he left behind in Great Yi is still lit—it proves he's unharmed. His return this time might even herald some great opportunity or fortune. What's coming next will shake Great Yi to its very foundations."
Cai Yong turned to Cai Yan and spoke calmly.
He stroked his beard, his eyes glinting with wisdom.
These past twenty years had not only been years of war on the Battlefield of Gods and Demons, but also twenty years of peaceful development and rapid growth for Great Yi. In that time of relative calm, countless sparks of wisdom had ignited innovations that far exceeded the imagination. These changes were reflected not only in everyday life, but in every facet of society. Today, most of the vessels used for venturing into the wilderness were modeled after the Seven-Colored Heavenly Ark, resulting in a variety of flying ships.
There were even war puppets indistinguishable from real people, and ever-evolving wristwatches.
At present, the watches—after countless rounds of research by the Heavenly Works Pavilion—had been fully integrated with the Star Network. These upgraded timepieces were now universally known as Heavenly Star Watches. Far more than mere clocks, they were powerful multi-functional tools capable of communication, video, storage, scanning, identification, and more. They were also equipped with card slots for inserting Star Cards.
These Star Cards were essentially a new form of talisman, inscribed on specially refined blank cards. Each card contained spell patterns—rune inscriptions—allowing them to replicate the effects of techniques and magical abilities.
Through the Heavenly Star Watch, the user could unleash the spells stored within the Star Cards—without needing to practice or cultivate them personally. Of course, Star Cards weren't omnipotent or everlasting. Each spell could only be used a limited number of times before the card would break.
They were consumables, yet far more powerful than standard talismans.
Ordinary talismans were typically single-use. Jade talismans could be used a few times, and only top-grade spirit talismans had the ability to recover over time. But even then, they needed rest to recharge. The Star Card, by contrast, was specifically designed to integrate with the Heavenly Star Watch, functioning like a spiritual extension of it.
From the moment of its invention, the Star Card became wildly popular in Great Yi. It was convenient, flexible, and in some cases allowed individuals to wield extraordinary power without cultivating at all.
In many ways, it vastly boosted Great Yi's overall strength.
As for Card Forgers, most were simply former talisman craftsmen who had switched professions. Since the skillsets overlapped, the transition was smooth, even effortless—and the results were exceptional.
Today, the Heavenly Star Watch also had storage space, capable of holding various items. That space could be expanded by fusing in spatial treasures, provided one could find them.
Some watches even held beast spirits, drawn from the Phantom Beast Hall. These spirits acted like intelligent companions—akin to spirit artifacts—helping the user control the watch, grow alongside them, and relieve loneliness.
By now, the Heavenly Star Watch had become indispensable within the Great Yi Emperor Dynasty. Every citizen received a basic model at birth, which would grow with them. To unlock more functions, one had to pay and upgrade—everything cost Star Coins.
In fact, Star Coins had become as widely used as Eternal Coins, and they were even exchangeable with one another.
This was a monumental achievement.
It turned the Star Network into a core pillar of life in Great Yi—completely integrated with society.
For example, many cultivators had started live streaming—broadcasting their beast hunts, dungeon explorations, and adventures directly to the Star Network, where other cultivators could pay Star Coins to watch. Others uploaded their cultivation techniques and combat arts like instructional materials. Some even created private online spaces to offer one-on-one tutoring, no matter how far apart they were.
Even if separated by ten thousand miles, they could teach face-to-face.
This made the Star Network deeply beloved by the people. Great Yi had fully entered a strange and wondrous new era of cultivation.
Above Xuanhuang City, a massive golden Heavenly Eye floated in the sky.
It was part of the Star Network's infrastructure, a tool used to monitor all developments within the Great Yi Emperor Dynasty. Every phenomenon, every anomaly—it was all recorded. Ordinarily, the Heavenly Eye operated at a high-level passive mode. Only events that triggered significant power fluctuations—like major battles between top experts—would cause it to activate fully.
There was a threshold, and if crossed, it could cause problems.
After all, most powerful cultivators didn't like the idea of a giant eye hovering above them at all times. It felt stifling—like being constantly watched—and that was the fastest way to lose the hearts of the people.
The live-streaming and surveillance functions of the Heavenly Star Watch were simply extensions of the Heavenly Eye's power, granting limited access to its capabilities.
But today, the Heavenly Eye had manifested directly.
Its purpose: to broadcast the return of Great Yi's expeditionary forces to the entire populace.
A full live broadcast—a moment for the entire nation to witness.
Though all this takes time to explain, it happened in the blink of an eye.
Countless pairs of eyes locked onto Xuanhuang City.
Even citizens and cultivators in faraway immortal cities instantly activated their Heavenly Star Watches. From them, holographic projections emerged—crisp, vivid displays of everything happening in Xuanhuang City. Some cities even had giant communal projections, allowing everyone to experience the event in sharp detail.
It was no different than being there in person.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!!"
"Great Yi Legion—invincible and unstoppable! Kill!!"
"Our brothers return, their souls home at last!!"
From the enormous Gate of Gods and Demons, waves of battle cries erupted. Endless killing intent, laced with grief and solemnity.
ROAR!!
SCREECH!!
Amidst the war cries came ancient, primeval dragon roars. A flash of divine light—suddenly, nine enormous Ancient Dragon Sons, each thousands of meters long, emerged from the gate one by one.
Their fierce visages and overwhelming draconic auras swept across heaven and earth, shaking all who witnessed it. Countless citizens watching the live broadcast felt a chill of awe in their hearts.
"It's the Nine-Dragon War Chariot! The Emperor's personal chariot! He's finally back!"
"Incredible. That chariot alone could probably crush entire armies. I doubt even the strongest in Great Yi could scratch those Ancient Dragon Sons."
In Xuanhuang City, the people cheered wildly. This was their Emperor—the symbol of Great Yi. Only their Emperor could command such a majestic chariot.
It was the face of the Emperor Dynasty of Great Yi—undeniable, absolute.
"I wonder how many soldiers will return this time…"
But amid their joy, many hearts held silent worry. So many troops had been sent to the front, wave after wave. And war always brought death—it was just a matter of how many.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!!
The Nine-Dragon War Chariot slowly crossed the rainbow bridge and appeared before the crowd. Yi Tianxing stood tall upon it, his gaze sweeping the world. A complicated emotion flashed in his eyes, but it vanished quickly—replaced by the majestic aura of an Emperor, as though a Heavenly Sovereign had descended upon the mortal world.
This scene, transmitted via the Heavenly Eye, spread instantly to every inch of the Great Yi Dynasty.
The public erupted in frenzied reverence, devotion flooding the realm like a tidal wave.
"Long live the Emperor! May your immortal blessings endure forever!"
Shouts rang out from every immortal city.
Yi Tianxing's twenty-year absence had not diminished his prestige—on the contrary, it had deepened. Everyone knew exactly who had made their current life possible.
In fact, every immortal city had statues of Yi Tianxing standing tall.
In countless homes, his portraits were hung and worshipped morning and night—the light of ten thousand households.
Now, with his return from the battlefield, his reputation reached an all-time high.
"We welcome the Emperor's return!"
Ministers like Huang Chengyan bowed in unison.
"Husband!"
Cai Yan looked at Yi Tianxing with emotion in her eyes.
Yi Tianxing nodded, reached out, and lifted her onto the chariot to stand by his side. But he said nothing further—he simply stood tall in the sky, quietly waiting.
As he emerged from the Gate of Gods and Demons, squads of soldiers followed behind him in perfect formation, marching steadily onto the rainbow bridge.
They did not return empty-handed—they carried bone coffins, forged from the remains of Eternal Night fiends. Within them lay the bodies of their fallen comrades—heroes who had died in the war.
This return was not just for the living—but also a homecoming for the dead.
Azure Dragon Legion!
White Tiger Legion!
Vermilion Bird Legion!
Black Tortoise Legion!
One by one, the great legions emerged, assembling flawlessly on the bridge. Each formation exuded a thick aura of slaughter, the kind born only from oceans of blood. Each legion was one million strong, and the lowest cultivation level among them was the Dharma Phase Realm.
Their collective pressure surged like a tide, shaking the very soul.
"So powerful… they're far stronger than when they left. Just looking at them hurts. Wait, weren't the legions five hundred thousand strong before? Why are they a million now?!"
Many were stunned by the numbers.
What that implied... was beyond comprehension.