The Iron-Blood Great Wall was the first line of external defense for the Great Yi Dynasty—a barrier and shield of unmatched might. Recently, with Great Yi's rapid expansion, although the Wall still enveloped all its territory, much of it had become illusory, projections stemming from the true Wall. These phantom extensions could still exert protective power, yet they could never compare to a fully materialized Great Wall.
And to solidify those illusory portions into real fortifications, an immense amount of blood and flesh was required—living sacrifices to forge the Wall.
That was the essence of the Iron-Blood Great Wall—forged with iron and blood.
Even as it stretched into the ocean, the Wall remained unaffected. Whether there was land or not, it could merge with seawater or even vanish completely into the heavens and earth. Unless it wished to be seen, no one could easily find it. Great Yi's expansion had been too fast; the Wall simply couldn't keep up.
"Rest assured, Your Majesty," said Huang Chengyan, "We're already collecting the flesh of sea beasts on a massive scale across the surrounding seas. Every day, large numbers of bounty hunters head out to hunt, and the process of turning illusion into reality continues unceasingly. However, the newly expanded territories are vast—fully covering them will still take time."
The Iron-Blood Great Wall was of vital importance—it was a national treasure of protection. No matter what, there could be no missteps. The sooner it covered the entire territory, the more prepared Great Yi would be against any future threats.
This was a hard-earned lesson, forged in countless battles.
"Your Majesty, there is one matter that requires your decision," said Mao Sui, stepping forward.
"Speak."Yi Tianxing nodded.
"A messenger from the Hanhai Dragon Clan has arrived. They request an audience with Your Majesty."
"The Dragon Clan?"Yi Tianxing's eyes narrowed. "What do they want?"
"They wish to become the Guardian Divine Beast of the Great Yi Dynasty," Mao Sui replied gravely.
"What?!"
"The Dragon Clan wants to become our guardian beast? What are they playing at?"
"Becoming a Guardian Divine Beast means sharing in the destiny and fate of our dynasty—and of the human race. Once enshrined, any mishap could severely affect our realm!"
"The Dragon Clan is already ambitious. They've seized the seas—now they want to extend their influence onto the land, even entangle themselves within our Great Yi? There's no way they have pure intentions."
"We can't agree to this. If the Dragon Clan becomes our divine beast, the implications would be enormous."
The moment Mao Sui's words landed, the entire court erupted in uproar. The Dragon Clan was already a shadowy rival—war could break out at any moment. And now they wished to become the dynasty's divine guardian?
That was no different from sleeping with wolves. Everyone knew what would eventually happen.
"Interesting," said Jia Xu, "this is likely a test from the Hanhai Dragon Clan. No doubt they have more plans in motion."
"We can't outright reject them," added Zhuge Liang. "Stall for time. Gain some breathing room."
"Let His Majesty remain in closed-door cultivation," suggested Gou Yu, stepping forward.
"Mao Aiqing, you shall handle this," Yi Tianxing said. "Tell them I am in secluded cultivation and cannot make such decisions. Drag it out as long as possible."
So—Yi Tianxing was going into "seclusion."
Of course, this was just a convenient excuse, a façade. Whether he was truly cultivating or not was irrelevant—so long as he wasn't publicly seen. If he needed to go out, he could just disguise himself a little. This "retreat" was more of a political smokescreen.
And Yi Tianxing accepted it readily.
Now was not the time to clash with the Dragon Clan. His experiences in the Underworld had made that clear—there were far too many terrifying powers in this world. The Dragon Clan, as one of the apex races, surely harbored formidable beings. Only time would tell.
Delaying them meant giving Great Yi more time to accumulate strength—and that was always valuable.
Not long after, the court assembly came to an end.
Yi Tianxing and many of his ministers headed to the Cloud Realm, formed by the divine tree at the heart of the imperial palace. They descended to its lowest level, each level containing vast, self-contained worlds.
The civilians brought over from the Great Wei Dynasty had to be settled. The current territories couldn't accommodate them all just yet. But as new immortal cities were built in the expanding territories, these people would become the ready-made population of those regions. Until then, they would temporarily reside in the Cloud Realm.
Naturally, Huang Chengyan and the others came along—they wouldn't miss this opportunity.
A massive spatial gate appeared out of thin air, and Yi Tianxing used his divine sense to notify the countless civilians still in the tower realm to prepare to pass through.
✨✨✨
With flashes of light, vast numbers of human civilians poured out of the gate.
Some came with families, others carried all their belongings. Young and old, packed together in streams. Everything they owned from their former lives was brought with them.
This place was vastly different from Weizhou—even the air carried a strong sense of vitality. They could feel it in their bones. Many looked around, astonished and curious.
"So this is the Great Yi Dynasty…"
A scholar stepped out of the gate and looked around in awe. He could feel the thick heavenly energy beyond the clouds—it filled him with peace and excitement.
"Zhìcái! Is that you?"
A familiar voice called out.
The scholar turned and spotted a group of officials—and within it, several familiar faces.
"Wényuò! What are you doing here?"
The scholar was none other than Xì Zhìcái, and the one calling out to him was Gou Yu. The two had long known each other—and now, they were reunited.
"Brother Zhìcái! I didn't expect we'd meet again. This is the Great Yi Dynasty—I serve as an official here. Come, let me treat you to a banquet to welcome you properly!"Gou Yu laughed heartily.
The reunion of kindred spirits was a rare and joyful thing.
"Mister Xi's arrival in Great Yi is a great fortune," Yi Tianxing said warmly. "Don't worry about anything for now. Stay with us a while—explore, observe."
A talent like Xì Zhìcái was certainly one Yi Tianxing desired—but such men could not be forced. One didn't simply wave a flag of charisma and expect genius strategists to kneel. Only mutual respect and alignment of ideals could forge such bonds.
"Your Majesty," Xì Zhìcái stepped forward and bowed. "I am honored to meet you."
Then Yi Tianxing turned to the countless civilians pouring into the Cloud Realm.
"People of the human race," Yi Tianxing proclaimed, "I am the ruler of the Great Yi Dynasty—Yi Tianxing. Though the Great Wei Dynasty has fallen, the human race will not perish."
"You are now under the protection of the Great Yi Dynasty. Here, you are safe. No longer must you live in fear of alien slaughter. No longer shall you fall asleep wondering if you'll see the next dawn."
"Here, you are citizens of Great Yi—children of humanity. And in this land, you will not only be free from alien threats—you will also gain the power to fight them."
"All citizens may cultivate. All may grow strong through their own efforts. You shall gain the power to protect yourselves and your loved ones."
"Do not cry. Do not fear. Though our bodies may be weaker than other races, it is precisely for this reason that we must become self-reliant and strong. Only then can we achieve the dream—where every human becomes a dragon."
Yi Tianxing's voice reached deep into their hearts.
He could see the confusion and anxiety in their eyes, and he knew he had to give them hope.
His words ignited a fire in countless civilians.
"This is the Great Yi Dynasty! We're finally safe!"
"I thought we were doomed… We only hoped to hide a little longer. But now, we've truly arrived in Great Yi!"
"They say Great Yi is the holy land of humanity… and now we know it's true!"
"We're saved. We survived. I don't want to feel powerless ever again—I'm going to cultivate. I'll become stronger, no matter what!"
"From now on, I'll grow stronger until I can kill those alien bastards myself!"
Joy and resolve surged through the crowd.
Just giving them the right to cultivate—that alone was something the Great Wei Dynasty could never achieve. And now, here they were… standing on the sacred land of humanity.
The difference was night and day.