Of course, most gazes remained fixed on the bone coffins carried on the soldiers' shoulders.
One by one, a silent solemnity, reverence, and mourning welled up in every heart.
Silence. Stillness.
No one spoke. No words were uttered. They simply watched—quietly, intently.
Everyone personally witnessed battalions of soldiers emerging from the Gate of Gods and Demons, forming a vast black mass that stood upon the Rainbow Bridge. These legions far exceeded in number those that had departed for the frontlines. It was easy to infer that these newly formed legions had been established on the Battlefield of Gods and Demons.
It wasn't hard to understand—nor to accept.
This was the accumulated foundation of Great Yi.
And naturally, the stronger, the better.
"Heroes of Great Yi, your souls have returned."
Yi Tianxing took a deep breath and let out a loud cry toward the heavens.
"Heroes of Great Yi, your souls have returned!!"
Countless soldiers echoed the call, their voices filled with ancient sorrow and deep emotion. Those remains on their shoulders belonged to the brothers and comrades they had once shared the battlefield with.
"Heroes of Great Yi, your souls have returned!!"
The ministers of Great Yi shouted in unison. These were martyrs who had fought and died for the empire. Regardless of their identity, they were to be honored. If Yi Tianxing himself showed reverence, so too must they. Without the martyrs, they would not have their current status and glory.
"Heroes of Great Yi, your souls have returned."
At that moment, countless citizens joined the chorus—not only from Xuanhuang City, but from all the immortal cities across the territory of Great Yi. All shouted in unison. Everyone knew that within these coffins lay the fallen heroes of the war against Eternal Night.
RUMBLE!!
The void trembled.
Suddenly, a colossal Great Wall emerged from the borders of Great Yi, transitioning from illusion to reality. The Iron-Blood Great Wall stood tall like a miraculous creation, radiating an air of the extraordinary. Its entirety was tinged with blood-red, and within the wall, the spirits of countless fallen soldiers could be seen guarding the frontier.
"Escort the martyrs home!"
Yi Tianxing exhaled slowly and spoke firmly.
WHOOSH!!
Scarlet divine rays burst forth from the Iron-Blood Great Wall, stretching across the heavens and descending in front of the Rainbow Bridge. These were guiding lights, reaching out to receive the fallen heroes and carry them home.
"Send off our comrades!"
Zhuge Liang let out a low command.
One by one, the bone coffins were handed to the blood-colored light. Within them were the bodies of the martyrs. The coffins themselves had been forged from the corpses of Eternal Night fiends, offered as sacred vessels for the fallen.
Within the streaks of blood light, the coffins drifted toward the Iron-Blood Great Wall.
"How can we say we have no robes? We shall share yours, my brother. The king raises the army, and I shall ready the spear and halberd. Let us fight together as one!"
The soldiers began to sing an ancient, mournful battle song.
"How can we say we have no robes? We shall share your kindness, my brother. The king raises the army, and I shall forge the halberd. Let us rise together!"
"How can we say we have no robes? We shall share your armor, my brother. The king raises the army, and I shall ready the weapons. Let us march side by side!"
"May our comrades travel well. Let your bodies become the wall. Though you have fallen, your spirits endure. Your heroic souls shall never perish. Souls, return home!!"
In unison, the soldiers cried out, offering a military salute to the fallen.
To die in battle and be buried within the Iron-Blood Great Wall—this was the dream and faith of every soldier. It was the highest honor. Even in death, one could guard the borders of Great Yi and protect the human race. They did not fear such a death.
It was a supreme glory.
If they were to fall, they too wished to be buried in the Iron-Blood Wall.
This life, I regret not entering Great Yi sooner.This life, I regret not being born a human sooner!
The soul-guiding ceremony was swift. In the blink of an eye, all the martyrs were received and merged into the Iron-Blood Great Wall. As they were absorbed, the wall expanded. Crimson bricks manifested continuously, and within them, one could see heroic souls being reborn.
Though not true spirits, their battle intent remained, and their heroism endured.
"May the heroic souls of the human race remain eternal!"
The people echoed in unison.
"In this expedition to the Battlefield of Gods and Demons, our Human Race ranked first on the Hongmeng Universal Ranking, and our Great Yi Emperor Dynasty topped the Merit Rankings. The Human Race remains the chief among all races. The Human Race thrives through self-reliance. Glory to the Human Race! Glory to Great Yi!"
Yi Tianxing raised his eyes and shouted loudly, his voice ringing through the heavens.
"Glory to the Human Race! Glory to Great Yi!!"
The ministers echoed.
The people erupted.
A great pride surged in their hearts. All fear and unease were dispelled. They had won this war. Eternal Night had failed to overrun the battlefield, and the Human Race had seized first place on the Hongmeng Universal Ranking.
This signified a surge in the race's fortune.
In the future, there would be more prodigies among the Human Race—benefiting everyone.
And with Great Yi ranked first, the pride among the people reached its peak. Their sense of belonging was stronger than ever. A boundless pride swelled in their hearts.
This was their empire.
How could they not feel proud?
"All returning soldiers shall enter the War Soul Realm. Any may request leave to visit family."
"Open the Cloud Realm and the Fate Realm. All soldiers may enter the Fate Realm to seek partners. All Immortal Cities in Great Yi will activate teleport arrays to the Fate Realm. All eligible women may enter to find a partner among the soldiers. This initiative will last one year."
"In three days, a Grand Assembly will be held. All court officials must attend. Absentees will be stripped of their titles."
"To celebrate the return of Great Yi, proclaim to the empire: Every citizen shall be awarded 100 Eternal Coins, 1 measure of spirit rice, and 1 catty of spirit food."
Once all the fallen had been received into the Iron-Blood Great Wall, Yi Tianxing's aura suddenly surged back to its peak. Without hesitation, he issued decree after decree—each one an imperial edict, binding and unalterable.
The entire Great Yi Emperor Dynasty revolved naturally around him.
Power, destiny, will of heaven, will of the people—
All surrounded him.
Within Great Yi, he was the fruit of all causes, the master of heaven and earth.
He was the substitute for Heaven's Will—the sovereign of destiny.
His words were law. His actions became doctrine.
After issuing his commands, with a wave of his hand, the Nine-Dragon War Chariot soared into the air and raced toward the Imperial Palace, atop the sacred tree's crown.
After twenty years of war, he had returned.
There was nothing more to say.
Upon returning to the palace, the children, including Yi Xianhuang, quietly dispersed to their quarters, while Yi Tianxing and his consorts entered Emperor's Heart Palace.
They did not reappear for two days and two nights. No one exited. Not even a whisper escaped its walls.
Only Cao Zhengchun remained loyally posted outside, waiting in silence.
Needless to say, inside, a passionate and intense "battle" took place… unfit for outsiders to imagine. (After all, the Harmony Beast was too powerful to provoke.)
On the third day, Yi Tianxing reappeared—with a thought—within the core space of Xuanhuang City.
Standing there, he clearly felt an unparalleled sense of control over the city. Here, he was the sole sovereign, possessing the might to shatter the heavens—though this was only an illusion, not true omnipotence.
"Xuanhuang City has become even stronger…"
Yi Tianxing silently sensed the changes.
This was a Supreme Artifact fused with an imperial immortal city—a wondrous creation.
The Well of Eternity had become the city's core energy source, endlessly channeling power into Xuanhuang. But it was not the only one—the city had been constructed with Willing Power Orbs as its primary material. Faith and devotion were now the city's greatest source of strength.
Each moment, vast rivers of willing power flowed into the city, empowering it further.
This meant Xuanhuang City was powered by two distinct energy systems, a dual-core engine. Its foundations could not be shaken. Its strength could suppress all threats.
And now, the city had expanded greatly. Willing Power Orbs were still merging into it daily, enlarging its territory. As long as faith remained, the potential of the city was limitless.
"Xuanhuang City has already fused with the Supreme Artifact. If it also acquires the characteristics of the Eternal Heaven Ark, I wonder what it will evolve into…"
Yi Tianxing murmured, a Lotus Seed of Eternity appearing in his hand. He toyed with it absently, still undecided on whether to proceed with the fusion. Once fused, no one could predict the result. It could trigger unimaginable changes.
And it was precisely because he couldn't control those changes, that he hesitated.
"No need to rush. It can wait. But there's one thing I can't postpone."
A Chaos-Origin Coin appeared in his hand. He stood before a giant Golden Money Tree, and with a thought, a golden Eternal Coin flew out naturally.
To outsiders, it looked ordinary.
But it was the true Eternal Coin Prototype—the very first Eternal Coin in all existence. Its significance and value were beyond imagination.
When the two coins came into contact—Chaos Coin and Eternal Coin—they merged effortlessly. The fusion added mysterious runes and divine inscriptions to the original coin.
Moments later, the transformed coin vanished.
A few breaths passed—and it reappeared in Yi Tianxing's hand.
"Cleansed by the Spring of the Woodcutter, transformed from acquired to innate. This is now a true Innate Spirit Treasure—the one and only Eternal Coin Prototype."
Yi Tianxing smiled faintly, flicking the coin. It flew back into the Golden Money Tree, merging into it once more.