In the 96th year of Yuanshuo, at the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven, in Yang City, Shennong Division, Training Grounds.
"You are the worst batch of Shennong trainees I've ever led!" Lu Bang sneered as he looked at the crowd below. "The 'Incapable Training' has been going on for a month, yet you haven't managed even a single decent counterattack!"
"Do you see that formation of warriors to the southwest?"
"There are only three thousand of them! Yet you have ten thousand!"
"Just like you, they are also reserve troops. The highest among them isn't even beyond the Eighth Rank. Right now, those three thousand warriors are your opponents."
"And yet, when facing the enemy, all you do is run? What kind of Military Shennong are you supposed to be?"
"Back in the day, Grand Shennong Zhao Xing nearly overturned an entire warrior formation!"
"Do you know about King of Valor, Xia Jing? He was fearless, wasn't he? And yet, even he got beaten to the ground by the Shennong trainees, right here on this very training ground!"
"The 'Incapable Training' has only three sessions left before you graduate. I hope you won't be remembered as the worst batch ever!" Lu Bang swept his cold gaze over the reserve Military Shennong below.
"Let those warriors see your fighting spirit!"
Under Lu Bang's provocation, the reserve Military Shennong instantly roared in response.
Lu Bang was a high-ranking Third Rank official. These days, he rarely oversaw training personally, but in the past two years, he had become active again, even personally supervising drills.
To have such a powerful figure inspecting them was an honor, and the recruits had been quite excited about it—until Lu Bang labeled them as the worst batch ever. Who could accept that?
Immediately, their gazes towards the opposing warrior formation changed drastically.
At this moment, in the warrior formation, besides the original instructor Fang Hong, a few new figures clad in full armor had joined.
"I am Xia Jing, King of Valor! I was also a reserve warrior in the 16th year of the Jingxin Era, under the Black Armor Army!"
"Do you see those ten thousand Shennong trainees across from us?"
"Lord Lu Bang is right. I was indeed beaten by a Grand Shennong before—but that time, the Shennong formation still failed to defeat us warriors!"
Xia Jing looked down at the warriors and continued, "Since the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven garrison was established, there has never been a recorded case of warriors being overturned by Shennong professionals—not before the reconstruction and not after!"
"Of course, you can become the first to make history—if you're willing to let those Shennong stomp on you and eat dirt!"
Beside him, Instructor Liao Rulong bellowed, "Tell the King of Valor, do you want to be humiliated like that?"
"NO!" "NO!" "NO!"
The three thousand reserve warriors roared, pounding their chests in defiance.
Liao Rulong pointed his long sword at the Shennong formation.
"Then get down there and crush them!"
"CHARGE!"
At once, the two formations clashed into a chaotic melee, engaging in intense close combat. Meanwhile, Xia Jing, Liao Rulong, Lu Bang, Zhao Zheng, and Long Xiao gathered aboard a floating ship high above.
At this point, Xia Jing had not only inherited his father's title of Marquis of Valor, but had also elevated it to the status of King of a Commandery.
Back when Xia Jing entered the Divine Martial Academy, he apprenticed under Situ Wu, the world's foremost Qi cultivator, receiving his guidance for twelve years. Later, he participated in the Western Extremity War and eventually became the Vice Dean of the Qi Division at the Divine Martial Academy.
On this floating warship, Xia Jing had the highest title and was the most senior official.
Currently, he held the position of Left Military Commissioner of the Dayuan Military District in Pinghai Province, serving as the first deputy to the Prefectural Commander.
His direct superior was Ye Yukong, and the only people above him who had direct military authority over him were Zhao Xing and Lord Luo.
After all, Dayuan Prefecture was Zhao Xing's fiefdom, while Lord Luo was the Grand Marshal, the highest-ranking military official in the entire realm.
The Middle Military Commissioner was Long Xiao. Over the years, the Eastern Sea had seen little action, and even during the Western Extremity War, Long Xiao hadn't been able to participate. As a result, he still remained a First Rank Marquis, ranking beneath Xia Jing.
"The court has divided Pinghai Province into forty-six military districts. It's obvious they're preparing for war," Xia Jing muttered as he studied the map.
These days, Great Zhou had far too many powerful figures. Thinking back, in the Jingxin Era, he—the King of Valor—would have at least been a ruling King of the Military Realm. But now? He still had to take orders from others.
"Xia Jing, you should be grateful."
Long Xiao chuckled, "In the Dayuan Military District, aside from Ye Yukong, only Zhao Xing and Lord Luo can issue top-level commands to you."
"One is King Zhao, the highest military governor of his fief, and the other is Grand Marshal, the supreme military authority in the empire. They barely ever give you orders. What are you complaining about?"
"I was made a Marquis before you, I entered the Third Rank Primordial Soul Stage before you, and yet here I am, still a Marquis, taking orders from you—a damned outlier! Tell me, where's the fairness in that?"
"You just wanted to flex in front of us, didn't you? Do you think we don't know each other?"
"How dare you!" Xia Jing feigned anger, glaring at Long Xiao before turning to Liao Rulong.
"Marquis Shenwei, drag this man out and execute him!"
Liao Rulong laughed, "Military Commissioner, I'm merely a Deputy General. You're asking me to execute the Middle Military Commissioner? You might as well tell me to slay the Moon God!"
"Hahahaha!" Lu Bang burst into laughter, and even Zhao Zheng couldn't help but be infected by the atmosphere.
At that moment, someone pulled back the curtains and entered.
"Xia Jing, I heard you were planning to execute my in-law? How bold of you!"
The crowd immediately turned to look.
"Old Chen!" Long Xiao exclaimed in delight.
The Right Military Commissioner of the Dayuan Military District, Chen Shijie, had arrived. His title was lower, as he was only a Second Rank Marquis.
However, he was also the Vice Dean of the Earth Division at Kunyuan Academy.
Moreover, his role as Right Military Commissioner wasn't just about war—he also served as the Military Logistics Supervisor for both Jiutian Yingyuan Prefecture and Dayuan Prefecture, overseeing all military supplies.
If the Left and Middle Military Commissioners, or any of the subordinate armies, wanted to mobilize, they had to apply for resources from Chen Shijie.
Even Prefectural Commander Ye Yukong had to respect Chen Shijie, because certain crucial supplies were stored only in the provincial warehouses, and if they wanted to use them, it was Chen Shijie who had to approve it.
"Lord Chen, spare me! Please, take the main seat!" Xia Jing deliberately cupped his hands and bowed.
"Hahahaha—" The gathering erupted into laughter once again.
"Old Chen, I never expected you to take up the position of Right Military Commissioner. Now that you're here, I can rest easy!" Xia Jing said with a smile. "As you said, Great Zhou has too many powerful figures now."
Chen Shijie sighed, "People like us can only squeeze into Zhao Xing's fief's military district to serve."
Pinghai Province had a total of forty-six military districts, but only a little over a hundred positions could be considered as true power-holders.
Beyond that were the various military commanders. Take Liao Rulong for example—he was the Commander of the Shenwei Army, but it was still classified as a secondary force. If war broke out, it would be difficult for him to secure direct combat missions.
Ahead of them were at least a hundred other armies waiting for their turn. Thus, the commander of a secondary force was only considered a second-tier position at best.
Of course, top-tier Imperial Army commanders were a different matter entirely. Those still wielded considerable influence.
Xia Jing, Chen Shijie, Long Xiao, Zhao Zheng, and Liao Rulong could only operate within Dayuan Prefecture's military district.
As for Lu Bang, he was merely the Grand Shennong of Ten Sun Cave-Heaven, responsible for training low-ranking recruits. He had even less say in the grand scheme of things. He was only here today to reconnect with old acquaintances.
"Jinggong, where did you transfer from?" Lu Bang asked.
He had never trained Chen Shijie before, and in terms of rank and strength, he was actually inferior to him.
However, Chen Shijie still showed great respect towards Lu Bang and replied, "Lord Lu, I departed from Kunyuan Academy in Daoyuan Province, reported to Pinghai Province's capital, and then came here to assume my position."
"I see."
Xia Jing leaned in with curiosity, "Old Chen, since you came from the provincial capital, do you have any definite news about when the war will start? Also, when will the Pacification Merit Ranking be released?"
Originally, Pinghai Province did not have a provincial capital, but it was established in the 50th year of Yuanshuo.
Preparations for war had begun long ago, ever since the Qi Tide was confirmed. However, back then, the framework was only barely set up.
Now, in the 96th year of Yuanshuo, large-scale troop deployments were beginning, and officials were being assigned to their posts.
Everyone knew that the Great Campaign Against the Barbarians was about to start, but the official decree had not yet been issued.
As for the exact date, Xia Jing was unsure—the imperial court had kept its lips tightly sealed.
"At most three years, but if things escalate, it could start at any moment," Chen Shijie said.
Xia Jing nodded. With the Military Shennong already in position, war was clearly imminent.
"Lord Chen, can we start moving our forces ahead of time?" Zhao Zheng and Liao Rulong exchanged a glance before seizing the opportunity to interject.
The Shenwei Army, a secondary force, was under Long Xiao's command as the Middle Military Commissioner.
He commanded over a hundred different armies, among which Shenwei Army was considered one of the main forces.
Of course, moving troops was easy—Long Xiao only needed to issue an order.
But without military supplies, nothing would happen.
"Where do you want to move?" Chen Shijie turned to Zhao Zheng.
Although Liao Rulong was officially the Commander of the Shenwei Army, it was Zhao Zheng who truly called the shots.
Zhao Zheng surpassed Liao Rulong in both strength and military command abilities.
That being said, Liao Rulong was competent in his own right, and since Zhao Zheng had no opportunity for a promotion, the current arrangement remained unchanged.
Rustle—
Zhao Zheng unfolded a military map, pointing to a location in the middle of the Canglan River.
"Not far. We just want to relocate the Shenwei Army's operational area to the nineteenth to twenty-fifth islands in the northern segment of Yingyuan Prefecture, near Canglan River."
Chen Shijie and Xia Jing took one look and immediately burst into laughter.
Zhao Zheng, you cunning fox.
"You say 'not far', and technically, it's not," Xia Jing chuckled.
"But once war breaks out, those river islands will become strategic maneuver zones."
"When the river currents surge, the army will be forced to 'drift' along with the waters—giving you the perfect excuse to rush ahead and seize the initiative."
"'General, my defensive sector has been overrun by the enemy—I had no choice but to break through! That's reasonable, right?'"
"And let me guess—where you break through is purely coincidental?"
"Hiding your real battle plans from your superior commanders—you've pulled this trick more than once, haven't you?" Chen Shijie smirked.
"Absolutely not! I would never!" Zhao Zheng said righteously, "Our Shenwei Army always follows orders from our superior officers!"
"Look at him," Xia Jing pointed at Zhao Zheng, "spouting nonsense with a straight face, just like your brother."
"Hahahahaha!"
Long Xiao and the others laughed once more.
Zhao Zheng simply scratched his head in embarrassment.
"Long Xiao is your superior," Chen Shijie finally said. "If he approves your deployment, then go ahead. Come back three days from now to collect your supplies."
Then, he transmitted a message to Liao Rulong and Long Xiao privately.
"Don't take unnecessary risks—Zhao Xing only has this one younger brother."
"Understood."
Long Xiao and Liao Rulong both nodded.
If Zhao Chuanzong were present to hear this, he might have cried himself unconscious in a bathroom stall.
Because he had separated from the family early, had low presence, and later changed his name to serve as a low-ranking soldier, both Chen Shijie and Long Xiao assumed he was dead.
That said, even if Zhao Chuanzong were still alive, his status could never compare to Zhao Zheng's.
"I plan to transfer Wang Ji and Han Bing into the Dayuan Military District."
"Lu Yuanwei is also pending transfer, and I'm planning to request him."
"Old Chen, I've got someone promising, but transferring him from the Eastern Sea Corps is tricky.
I plan to have him move through the supply transport route from Chongming → Longyuan → Tianhe → Mingyue → Anping → Dayuan Prefecture, then switch to a military officer role.
Think that could work?"
"As long as you can get him to Mingyue Prefecture, there shouldn't be any issues."
"But who is he? Worth transferring across over thirty military districts in the southeast?"
"A sword cultivator named Yun Yi—his swordsmanship is exceptional."
"Oh? I think I've heard of him before—didn't Zhao Xing mention him in the past?"
"In the Pinghai Province Dojo, Yun Yi's battle record has already climbed to ninth place, ranking among the top ten sword immortals of Pinghai."
"You know, I'm starting to notice something… A lot of the people I saved at the end of the Jingxin Era have become high-ranking officials.
Lately, the karmic resonance has been hitting like crazy."
"I feel the same way."
"Could it be that Zhao Xing foresaw all of this centuries ago?"
"What a monster!"
In the 95th year of Yuanshuo, Yun Tiandao reappeared, but few people knew about it.
In the following year, Great Zhou's war preparations accelerated significantly.
Yun Tiandao refused to serve as an official, so Emperor Wu never granted him a title.
Instead, he worked behind the scenes, providing strategic counsel to Zhao Xing.
Zhao Xing had extraordinary foresight, but this was the first time he was overseeing a war against the Southern Barbarians as Grand Shennong, mobilizing the entire nation's resources.
Yun Tiandao had a wealth of experience in this area, and with their collaboration, it was like adding wings to a tiger.
Ji Che couldn't stop smiling. Even though Yun Tiandao hadn't officially joined the Great Zhou, the dynasty's Fortune had noticeably surged.
Zhao Xing could feel this change as well. In his previous life, once Yun Tiandao was released, the dynasty immediately gained numerous buffs, such as:
[Bountiful Harvest (Yun Tiandao Version)]:
All Cave-Heaven-level crops of Rank Seven and above within the nation have their yield increased by 500%.
This was because Yun Tiandao had mastered multiple Self School ultimate techniques. Though he had created only one himself and perfected it, he had already learned several others beforehand.
[Favorable Weather (Yun Tiandao Version)]:
Under Yuan Qi Tides, the probability of small-scale natural disasters occurring within the nation decreases by 90%.
The probability of medium-scale disasters decreases by 50%.
The probability of large-scale disasters decreases by 30%.
There is a certain chance to completely negate any natural disasters.
Yun Tiandao possessed two Minor Divine Abilities, one for Wind, the other for Clouds. Wherever he was, these auras followed.
[Internal Affairs Enhancement (Yun Tiandao Version)]:
Production of all minerals and wood increases by 500%.
Agricultural tax revenue increases by 100%, with annual increments.
Resource distribution efficiency increases by 100%.
Shennong Officials' administrative efficiency increases by 200%.
Yun Tiandao's experience spanned two dynasties, and he could always find new angles to generate wealth.
"You... Can you stop looking at me like that?"
Yun Tiandao put down the official documents, his mouth twitching slightly.
"I feel like you're looking at me in a weird way."
"Brother Yun, don't get worked up."
"I'm not worked up."
"If you're not worked up, then why are you clenching your fists? You don't need to grip your fists just to read documents, do you?"
"If you have something to say, say it."
Yun Tiandao took a deep breath.
A long time ago, he had believed that his Dao Heart had no room for further improvement. But Zhao Xing's presence made him realize—his Dao Heart was still incomplete.
"Take a look at this project and see if it makes sense?"
Zhao Xing got to the point, handing over a set of documents.
"Ancient Pathway? Let me see."
When it came to governance, Yun Tiandao immediately switched gears.
He had no choice but to take it seriously.
In one hundred twenty years, he must leave the Xuanhuang Realm, or he would die.
Anyone in his position would be meticulous!
"The first phase of the Pacification Ancient Pathway Project was completed in the 75th year of the Yuan Shuo Era, but it was never connected and has never been put into use."
"For the second phase, I plan to expand outward from the established nodes of the first phase, increasing the originally planned three ancient pathways to eighteen."
"However, I think there's still room for improvement in this plan."
Zhao Xing explained as he handed over the documents.
What he was showing Yun Tiandao was a secret underground pathway dug by the Geography Faction leading into the Southern Barbarians' territory.
Ever since the arrival of the Yuan Qi Tide, the Kun Yuan Divine Hoe had become even stronger.
Originally just an upper-grade Star Dao Weapon, it had now reached the level of a supreme-tier treasure. Zhao Xing even noticed that it was showing signs of evolving into a Boundary Weapon.
This was because the Kun Yuan Divine Hoe was a growth-type divine weapon!
For this very reason, it was regarded as a classic divine artifact.
"Pacification Ancient Pathway... You want to use it within the Severed Earth Domain?"
"Brother Yun, impressive! You saw through my intentions at a glance."
Zhao Xing praised him.
"My thought process is this—the Severed Earth Domain reduces everything within it, including mechanisms and formations, to a lower inherent level. But... it doesn't change the terrain itself."
"If we dig out the pathways ahead of time, we can create an underground battlefield. The subterranean space is far more complex than the surface. This way, in the early stages of war, we can greatly limit the effectiveness of cultivators."
"By engaging in tunnel warfare, we can turn the enemy's home ground into ours..."
Listening to Zhao Xing's enthusiastic explanation, Yun Tiandao was utterly astonished.
"How did you come up with this idea?"
Yun Tiandao had never fought a war like this before.
Back in the Xia Dynasty, they didn't have the Kun Yuan Divine Hoe.
Although they had some understanding of earth veins, they had never considered using them in the Severed Earth Domain.
"What about feasibility?" Zhao Xing asked.
"I have a few concerns."
Yun Tiandao got into the zone.
"Have these underground pathways been detected by the Babok Worms of the Kashen Clan?"
"No."
Zhao Xing shook his head.
"The Kun Yuan Divine Hoe can dig deeper than the Babok Worms can sense. As of now, the Pacification Ancient Pathway hasn't extended past Yinyou Mountain, so the Flame Light Royal Court won't be able to discover it anytime soon."
"It's too deep," Yun Tiandao frowned.
"To avoid detection by the worms, the shallowest sections of the tunnels are over thirty thousand meters underground."
"While the tunnels themselves won't be affected, the earth veins will be. Originally, we could use Water-Element Earth Veins to create geysers and quickly surface, but that won't work within the Severed Earth Domain. Getting back up will be a major issue."
"Since mechanisms and formations will be rendered useless, you'll have to rely entirely on manual labor for your elevators and passageways."
"Unless you intend to turn the tunnels into underground refuges, or construct a series of underground supply bases."
"But if you go that route, the cost of supplies would skyrocket."
"The cost-effectiveness just isn't high."
Zhao Xing nodded.
"Comparing the current project scale to future utilization rates, it's completely a loss-making endeavor. But in warfare, it's better to consume resources than lives."
"War is all about losses—we have to be prepared to pay any price."
Yun Tiandao nodded in agreement.
Zhao Xing, this Grand Shennong, was very different from what he had expected. There were aspects of him that Yun Tiandao genuinely admired.
Setting aside these outlandish ideas, his values were actually quite aligned with Yun Tiandao's.
Now, Yun Tiandao was slowly starting to believe—perhaps in the future, they could truly become friends.
Next, Yun Tiandao raised several additional questions, and the two of them worked on refining and improving the plans for both Tunnel Warfare and Underground Supply Cities.
"During the Xia Dynasty War, the Severed Earth Domain's range stretched:
North to Yinyou Mountain
South to Four Pillar Mountains
West to the Extreme Flame Desert
East to Jiugou Lake"
"Between the north and south, the tributaries and main channels of the Canglan River crisscrossed, forming a series of natural moats. If we can preemptively send in supplies and construct defensive structures that can function within this domain, the difficulty of the war will be significantly reduced."
The entire Pacification War hinged on one critical aspect that both Yun Tiandao and Zhao Xing paid the most attention to—the special region formed by the Severed Earth Domain.
The early and mid-stages of the advance weren't particularly worth worrying about. Given the Great Zhou Dynasty's current strength, those phases were practically guaranteed victories.
"The Severed Earth Domain will undergo three phases. At that time, we..." Yun Tiandao began speaking but suddenly stopped.
"Why did you stop?" Zhao Xing noticed his prolonged pause and looked up to ask.
"It's nothing. Let's move on to the next topic," Yun Tiandao deflected, shifting the conversation.
Zhao Xing finally understood how Yun Tiandao must have felt back then. This guy didn't finish his sentence until the next day when they continued their discussion!
"Unbelievable. What a scheming old fox." Zhao Xing cursed inwardly.
Year 96 of the Yuan Shuo Era, one particular day.
Zhao Xing was reviewing a funding approval request.
"Grand Shennong, where is the budget for this Xuanfei Army coming from?" Meng Kun looked at the document, curiosity flashing across his face. "Is it from the Yu Intelligence Bureau? The intelligence department?"
"Yes." Zhao Xing nodded.
"Since when did the Yu Intelligence Bureau have its own dedicated military force?" Meng Kun was puzzled.
"They've had it for quite a while. It was established back in the 50th year of the Yuan Shou Era," Zhao Xing explained.
Their primary role was war propaganda.
Back when Zhao Xing returned from Jixi Dao, he had deliberately sent one of his avatars to infiltrate the Sect Domain to sabotage sect cultivators attempting to ascend during the Yuan Qi Tide. At the time, he had even cooperated with the Qi Tian Hall of the Heavenly Realm, stirring up trouble outside for nearly a hundred years.
To support Zhao Xing's actions, Emperor Wu had specially formed the Xuanfei Army.
However, this force wasn't actually active in the Sect Domain but instead operated in the four major royal courts of the Southern Barbarians. Their main function was to promote the Ascension Plan.
The struggle between the shamans and the imperial court was ultimately a battle of survival philosophies.
To minimize resistance upon entering the Southern Barbarian territories, the Xuanfei Army aggressively propagated the benefits of ascension. Their operations were led by Li Xiu, a strategist in charge of the Xuanfei Army.
First, they used the Forgetfulness Spell to break the Moon God's indoctrination. Then, they indoctrinated the Southern Barbarians with the Great Zhou Dynasty's imperial teachings.
The Xuanfei Army's strategists were running wild in the field.
Things like Intelligence Reduction Spells and Divide-and-Conquer Strategies were just standard maneuvers. Some strategists even abandoned conventional disguise techniques like Ganji Transformation and instead had specialists from the Hou Transformation Institute perform physical modifications, turning them into true Southern Barbarians.
"The Xuanfei Army's propaganda has been incredibly effective."
Meng Kun read through the secret reports. "They've successfully turned so many people, even members of the Golden Feather Royal Court's royal bloodline?"
"Well, we poured a lot of money into this," Zhao Xing remarked. "The Xuanfei Army's budget is comparable to the eighth-ranked Xuanming Army among the ten great Imperial Regiments."
"If they didn't show us results, producing some high-level traitors, there's no way they'd keep getting funding approvals."
Speaking of traitors, Zhao Xing couldn't help but think of Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable, the National Advisor of the Golden Feather Royal Court.
"Next year's war is imminent. I wonder if Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable is fully prepared."
Zhao Xing muttered inwardly, "Hopefully, he'll save me some effort."
Moreover, the Mist Walker-led Xuantian Divine Sect...
After the Dao Discourse Assembly, the Mist Walker had left and gone to serve as the National Advisor for the Light Royal Court.
The Xuantian Divine Sect had originally been a distinguished guest of the Golden Feather Royal Court, and the Xuantian Divine Venerable was one of its three major national advisors.
But since Purple Bone had already gained the Golden Feather Royal Court's favor, there was no reason for the Mist Walker to remain there.
After the Dao Discourse Assembly, Zhao Xing had orchestrated an opportunity for Mist Walker and Purple Bone to clash.
Leveraging the revival of the ancestors within the Xuantian Divine Sect, Zhao Xing took advantage of the situation to extract the majority of their resources, manpower, and financial assets from the Golden Feather Royal Court and redirect them to the Flame Light Royal Court.
This significantly strengthened his strategic positioning within the Flame Light Royal Court.
"If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have dared to dig the underground tunnels this close," Zhao Xing thought.
Ji Che's establishment of the Dao had one major benefit—it completely thwarted the Moon God's divination abilities.
Of course, this also meant that Ji Che himself could no longer foresee the future.
The two of them had essentially neutralized each other's destiny calculations, eliminating the need for Ji Si's Star-Fortune Calculations.
Now, Ji Si could be reassigned to the Rule Domain, where he could fully unleash his abilities and directly confront the Ten Heavenly Shamans.
With Yun Tiandao, who had mastered a minor divine ability in destiny, assisting him, Zhao Xing's plans were coming together seamlessly.
"The war begins next year. I should start sending my avatars to Pinghai Province soon."
Year 97 of the Yuan Shuo Era—An important wartime meeting in the Great Zhou Dynasty.
"Your Majesty, I estimate that the Pacification War will be divided into four phases."
During the Six Ministries Council, King Louhou was reporting to Ji Che.
"The first phase will advance from north to south, using the Nine Heavens Response Office as the horizontal anchor point.
The frontline will stretch 1.6 million li, covering forty-six military districts, advancing simultaneously from the Eastern Sea to the Western Cliff Mountains."
"The primary objectives are:
Establishing cities, erecting monuments, and constructing temples—fully consolidating captured territory.
Eliminating mid-to-low-tier enemy forces."
"I will ensure that the armies control the speed of advancement."
"The push will halt at Yinyou Mountain, and this phase is estimated to take around eight years."
As King Louhou outlined his battle strategy, everyone present fully believed he could execute it.
"Thanks to our dynasty's robust logistical foundation, Great Zhou has the absolute strength to dictate the pace of war.
Unless the Moon God decides not to activate the Severed Earth Domain and instead chooses to fight a decisive battle north of Yinyou Mountain, which would actually work in Great Zhou's favor."
But the chances of that happening were slim.
The Moon God would have to be insane to initiate a major battle north of Yinyou Mountain—unless he truly believed he could win and planned a counter-offensive.
"The second phase:
"The armies will use Yinyou Mountain as the reference point, with forty-six regiments executing a deep-encirclement strategy against the Southern Barbarians."
"The western defense line will extend along:
Demonic God Valley
Myriad Beast Forest
Soul-Breaking Cliff
Cemetery Battlefield
Thunder Mountain Range
Polar Battlefield
Chaos Stone Forest
Netherworld Valley"
"The northern defense line will extend along:
Cangfeng Plains
North Abyss Gorge
Starfall Valley
Mist Marsh
Spirit Jade Mines
Sky Barrier Pass
Flying Cloud Cliff"
"The eastern defense line will extend along:
Limitless Desert
Soul-Devouring Valley
Subjugation Dragon Mountain
Flame Demon Cave
Icewind Ridge
Poison Miasma Forest
Ancient Green Rock Battlefield
Snow Pine Valley"
"Three-sided ferocious attacks, opening up three high-grade battlefronts, forcing the four major royal courts of the Southern Barbarians into their heartland."
"The ten elite regiments will flank from the southwest and southeast, heading straight toward the Holy Mountain at the World's Edge."
"This phase is expected to last eight to sixteen years."
"If we complete the second phase, the four major royal courts under the Moon God, along with the Outer Sect Alliance, will have only two choices:
Let our armies ascend the mountain. or
Activate the Severed Earth Domain."
Climbing the mountain was naturally out of the question; the possibility was extremely low. Unless the Moon God had a sudden change of heart, willingly allowing the Great Zhou Dynasty to seize control over the largest Ascension Gateway in the Xuanhuang Realm and handing over the spiritual energy in his grasp, such a scenario was simply unrealistic.
The King Louhou gaze swept over Zhao Xing and Yuntian Dao, then he spoke,
"Minister does not even consider the first option, because there is nothing to consider—that would already count as a victory."
"Thus, the military strategy of the third phase will be prepared in response to the Moon God of the Southern Barbarians, who will most certainly deploy the Severing Heaven and Earth Passage."
"The Severing Heaven and Earth Passage is a legendary technique. This minister's understanding of it is far inferior to that of the Grand Shennong. I shall defer to the Grand Shennong to explain."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xing swept his gaze across the ministers of the Six Ministries before speaking.
"After extensive research and deduction conducted by this minister and the other Shennongs, we have concluded that the Severing Heaven and Earth Passage is a vast, long-lasting, controlled Derivation Technique that encompasses all Twenty-Four Solar Terms and Seventy-Two Phenological Responses."
"It influences both living beings and non-living matter."
"Even a martial artist of the Dao Establishment Realm, despite possessing an incredibly powerful physique, will 'degenerate' into an ordinary mortal upon entering the domain of the Severing Heaven and Earth Passage. Their Three Souls and Seven Spirits will become no different from that of an unranked commoner."
"Once they leave, they will return to normal. That is the principle of reverting the Derivation Transformation."
"My Primordial Sealing Method shares some similarities with this, but it is far less refined."
"Spells cannot be cast, and formations or mechanisms dependent on these spells will also fail."
"Even high-grade materials will be reduced to low-grade materials. This is a form of climate-based material degradation. The ancient technique 'Turning Stone into Gold' exists, but within the domain of the Severing Heaven and Earth Passage, it is the opposite—gold turns back into stone."
"Even the toughest weapons will degrade into unranked scrap metal."
Hearing Zhao Xing's explanation, many of the officials gained a much deeper understanding of the Severing Heaven and Earth Passage. Faced with such a terrifying divine ability, warfare would have to revert to its most primitive forms. It truly lived up to its name as a Great Divine Ability.
This was the technique that had thwarted dynasty after dynasty, turning countless Fortune Dynasties into nothing more than dust in the annals of history.
"The smaller the domain of the Severing Heaven and Earth Passage, the sooner it will be exhausted, leaving Great Zhou with more time to prepare for its grand Ascension."
"According to King Louhou's strategy: the first phase spans eight years, the second phase a maximum of sixteen years, and the third phase—where the Severing Heaven and Earth Passage takes effect—should not exceed thirty years."
Year 98 of Yuan Shuo, Spring Festival Day, Temple of Heaven and Earth.
The most grandiose sacrificial ceremony in the history of Great Zhou was being held.
"Outcast heretics, worshipping evil gods; deceiving the masses, corrupting morals; invading my lands, enslaving my people; committing atrocity upon atrocity, generation after generation..."
"Only war can manifest the majesty of the empire!"
At the Temple of Heaven and Earth, Ji Che stood before the sacrificial altar, offering incense. His voice, like a rolling flood, swept across Fengdu, then spread to Tianyong Prefecture, and ultimately resounded across all nineteen prefectures.
"I uphold the Heavenly Dao, seeking the ascension of the entire nation, so that all under heaven may become like dragons, enjoying eternal life."
"The Moon God, however, defies Heaven's Mandate, deceives all beings, and shackles their spiritual wisdom."
"The people of the Southern Barbarians have an average lifespan of no more than eighty years."
"Yet, the so-called Moon God has lived for 108,563 years."
"How can an immortal be anything but an abomination?"
"It is because he feeds upon the very lives of the Southern Barbarians, using their blood and flesh to sustain his longevity!"
"As a result, billions of beings suffer from disease, anguish in aging, and are bound by death—all because of the Moon God's wickedness!"
"In the ancient Divine Dynasties, after their ascension, they received the blessings of the Heavenly Dao—no sickness, no disaster, eternal life."
"Great Zhou has established the Temple of the Gods, passing down all techniques and establishing the Three Offices of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity—all to nurture the people, increase their lifespan, and bring blessings to hundreds of millions of citizens."
"Yet Great Zhou's potential has been stifled, all because of the Moon God's obstruction!"
In the front row of ministers, Zhao Xing listened to Ji Che's imperial edict, nearly laughing out loud.
Ji Che not only branded the Moon God as an evil god, but also meticulously enumerated his crimes from every conceivable angle, making every social class see him as a villain beyond redemption.
Those who wished to defend their homeland saw the Moon God as an invader.
Those who longed for eternal life saw him as the one blocking their path to ascension.
Even the natural cycles of birth, aging, sickness, and death—which were simply universal laws—were now being framed as the Moon God's fault!
Ji Che deliberately emphasized this, explaining it in the simplest of terms:
"Humans should never fall ill, should never grow old, and certainly should never die. The ancient Divine Dynasties already proved this!"
"As long as we ascend, all these things will be resolved."
"You will never be sick again, never grow old, and never die!"
"The Temple of the Gods and the Three Offices of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity have already proven this."
"Everything could be even better—if not for the Moon God blocking the way. Otherwise, I would have long led you all to ascension!"
"Citizens of Great Zhou, do you not agree that this Moon God and his Southern Barbarian Royal Court lackeys are utterly evil?"
"I, in accordance with Heaven's Mandate, issue this decree to Heaven above and Earth below."
"For the sake of all people, from this day forth, I shall lead the ministers and generals to crush the heretics and slay the evil god!"
"This war to pacify the barbarians shall not cease until death!"
Emperor Wu's voice echoed across the heavens and earth, as if he were proclaiming an oath to the world.
And indeed, this was his Dao Establishment Oath. In his previous life, from the moment he started the Southern Barbarian War, it never stopped until the very end of his life. The war was endless.
Year 98 of Yuan Shuo, after Spring Festival Day, Emperor Wu changed the era name to Yuan Ding, symbolizing the establishment of dominion over the entire world.
That spring, the Great Zhou Army, numbering fifty million troops, set out from Pinghai Prefecture.
Emperor Wu's campaign against the Southern Barbarians had already surpassed the largest Southern Barbarian War of the Emperor Jing's reign—from the very beginning!
The War of Barbarian Pacification had officially begun.
In its early phase, Emperor Wu nearly replicated his father's strategies, and the situation unfolded much like the past.
The Great Zhou Army crushed all resistance, securing victory after victory.
The only difference?
Under Emperor Wu, city-building, monument engraving, and temple construction happened faster—and military logistics were on a completely different level.
During Emperor Jing's reign, the army was swift, but the lands they conquered were unfamiliar and undeveloped, making the process of solidification slower.
When Zhao Xing was still serving as the Even Distribution Officer, he had visited many cities where temples were left incomplete, yet they had already been turned into military strongholds. This forced the army to split their forces to defend them, often uncertain if they could even hold the land.
However, ever since Zhao Xing took on the role of Grand Shennong, the situation of Great Zhou had changed completely.
The Shennong Division had cultivated rare materials in great abundance, the planting materials brought from the Dragon Court had vastly increased, and the number of derivation species had also multiplied.
Back in Emperor Jing's reign, there were times when specific materials would be in short supply, forcing the Shennong Division to focus all their efforts on rapidly cultivating a particular resource. But now, this was no longer necessary.
With an abundance of resources, martial artists could eat better, and mechanists had significantly enhanced their production capacity, leading to a massive leap in productivity.
From a logistical perspective, no Grand Shennong had ever done a better job than Zhao Xing.
Time passed swiftly, and soon, it was the eighth year of the Yuan Ding Era.
The pacification war against the Southern Barbarians had already lasted for eight years.
As per King Louhou's strategy, the first phase of the war had been successfully completed. The Great Zhou army had now advanced to the front of Yin You Mountain.
At this point, King Louhou deliberately suffered defeats, attempting to lure the Four Great Royal Courts into a decisive battle outside Yin You Mountain. However, this plan did not succeed. After a few tests, King Louhou swiftly shifted to Phase Two.
A total of forty-six legions crossed Yin You Mountain, using it as a foothold to begin an encirclement strategy from the east, west, and north, creating conditions for ten elite regiments to maneuver behind enemy lines from the south.
During the second phase, the resistance from the Southern Barbarians increased significantly. The war had now entered a high-level phase, and casualties began to soar.
The Four Great Royal Courts of the Southern Barbarians boasted incredible combat strength. With the spiritual energy tide, they had gained tremendous benefits, and their forces were further bolstered by top-tier cultivators from the Outer Path Sects.
This made it impossible for Great Zhou to complete the encirclement without suffering heavy casualties, nor could they shorten the battle duration with ease.
At the heart of the problem was Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable, the traitor, who had supplied the Southern Barbarians with an arsenal of divine weapons, mechanisms, formations, armor puppets, and massive warships.
It was precisely because Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable had obtained Pu Ta's inheritance that the Southern Barbarians and the Sect Alliance Army were able to hold their own against Great Zhou in the second phase of the war.
Thus, by the third year of the second phase, King Louhou sought out Zhao Xing.
"Zhao Xing, the time has come."
Holding a battle report, King Louhou arrived at the Shennong Hall.
"We can't let Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable keep up this act any longer. Over the years, he's built countless powerful divine weapons, mechanisms, and defensive formations for the Southern Barbarians."
"If he continues to stay hidden, achieving our second-phase objectives within eight to sixteen years will be extremely difficult, and our casualties will be enormous."
Zhao Xing glanced at the battle report and nodded.
"Indeed, at this point, the Southern Barbarian and Sect Alliance forces have already poured an overwhelming amount of resources into the battlefield. Even if they wanted to retreat, they wouldn't be able to do so immediately."
The reason they hadn't revealed Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable's betrayal at the start was that they needed to force the Southern Barbarian elites deep into the war first. If Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable had defected too early, it wouldn't have been as effective as waiting for the Southern Barbarian high-level forces to be completely entrenched in battle before stabbing them in the back.
Now that the war had entered the third year of the second phase, the time was ripe to utilize Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable.
Since Zhao Xing was the only person Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable communicated with, King Louhou had no choice but to consult him.
"I'll initiate contact with him immediately," Zhao Xing said.
"If he isn't fully prepared, he can first leak intelligence on a few key defensive positions instead of revealing everything at once."
King Louhou nodded expectantly.
"If he gives me the methods to break through the eight critical defense points, that alone will be enough to secure the second phase of our strategy."
"Ideally, he should go all in."
Zhao Xing chuckled.
"Otherwise, how could that match your philosophy of 'all-out assault'?"
"Alright, I'll be waiting for your news."
With that, King Louhou's figure vanished.
Watching Zhao Xing initiate contact with Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable, Yun Tian Dao, standing to the side, was visibly stunned.
"Wait… were you just talking about Pu Ta's successor?"
"That's right." Zhao Xing nodded.
Yun Tian Dao had met Qing Yuzi before, so he was well aware of Pu Ta and Su Xianzi. Naturally, he also knew that Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable had emerged as the final victor in the mechanist inheritance.
However, Yun Tian Dao didn't know the specifics of the inheritance process. Hearing the conversation between Zhao Xing and King Louhou now, he couldn't help but be shocked.
"If I recall correctly, the one who inherited Pu Ta's legacy, Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable, is the National Advisor of the Golden Feather Royal Court, right?"
"Correct. Over the past two years, he was even promoted—he is now the National Advisor of the entire Southern Barbarians."
"And he is known as the strongest mechanist of this era?"
"Yes."
"And he controls all of the Southern Barbarian's strategic war mechanisms, their military defenses, and their formation systems?"
"Exactly. Every layer of their defensive lines was personally designed by him."
While flipping through intelligence reports, Zhao Xing answered calmly.
"The series of puppets he created—the Purple God Series—has played a pivotal role in the past three years."
"These puppets allow a single controller to command an army of over ten thousand, breaking the traditional limit on mechanists, who could previously only control a few powerful puppets at a time. He raised that cap to over ten thousand."
"As the strongest mechanist, it's only natural that he was put in charge of the entire Southern Barbarian defense network."
"For the past few years, the Southern Barbarians have practically treated him as a savior. And now you're telling me… he's actually working for you?"
Yun Tian Dao's expression twisted into something indescribably bizarre.
Zhao Xing didn't answer. He simply smiled and raised an artifact in his hand—one that glowed faintly like a fluorescent rod.
"Buzz—"
A soft purple glow flickered, and soon, a vague face materialized in the air before them.
Before his body had fully formed, a skeletal face emerged and spoke first.
"Yo, big brother! That you?"
"It's me."
Zhao Xing nodded.
"Purple Bone, how's your situation? Do you have time to talk?"
"Of course."
With utmost confidence, Purple Bone Heavenly Venerable smirked.
"Right now, I am the most powerful man in all of the Southern Barbarians. No one dares to monitor me. Not even the Moon God!"
Yun Tian Dao: "..."
Hearing Purple Bone's cheerful tone, Yun Tian Dao actually felt a little sorry for the Southern Barbarian forces.