To establish an Immortal City, the core foundation lies in the Village Creation token (建村令). Only with such a decree can a city possess the potential to evolve into an Immortal City, laying a metamorphic groundwork. It is akin to a divine treasure, capable of forging an indestructible city, one that can gather the fortune of heaven and earth and manifest a multitude of inconceivable powers.Without the decree, even with countless Xuanhuang Bricks, there is no way to forge a seamlessly integrated city that can suppress an entire region.
Therefore, the forging of each Immortal City consumes one Village Creation Decree. These decrees are finite—once used, they're gone. Over the years, the Great Yi Dynasty has expended not thousands but tens of thousands of them. And as long as Great Yi continues to implement its strategy of suppressing all directions with Immortal Cities, the need for these decrees will never end. No matter how many exist, there will never be enough.
They are needed in limitless quantities.
The Village Creation Decree is the key bottleneck in the expansion of the Great Yi Dynasty and must be taken seriously.
"How many decrees do we currently have in our reserves, regardless of grade?" Yi Tianxing asked Xue Jin.
"Reporting to Your Majesty," Xue Jin replied, "currently we have 31,743 decrees stored in the national treasury. Additionally, we've issued tasks to collect more from the populace, and it's already begun to yield results. Also, outside of Great Yi, any tribal settlements or villages built using these decrees can be transformed into Immortal Cities belonging to our dynasty."
The sources of Immortal Cities weren't limited to decrees in reserve. Many came from conquered tribes and strongholds. As long as they were initially constructed with a decree, they could be seized, transformed, and rebuilt into cities, eventually reaching the mobile city stage, allowing for rapid deployment throughout various regions.
Even during conquest, the groundwork for future cities could be obtained.
"The decree collection must be ongoing—implemented as national policy," Yi Tianxing declared. "So long as Great Yi wages war, the collection of decrees must continue. Any citizen who contributes one will be awarded 10,000 merit points, even for the lowest black-iron grade. The higher the grade, the more merit."
Though the current reserve was considerable, gaps would eventually appear. The deeper the expansion, the more would be required. Preparations had to be made now to avoid future crises.
"All hail His Majesty's wisdom!"
The ministers all bowed in unison. As a fundamental national policy, there was no opposition.
"You are all dismissed. The expedition begins tomorrow. You have one day to prepare. I shall personally lead the army, but I will not intervene directly in the battles."
Yi Tianxing's tone was calm but resolute.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
General Yang Ye and the others exchanged looks of surprise.
An emperor personally leading the campaign was both inspiration and pressure. It meant they had to take the Snow Continent—failure was not an option. It wasn't just their own reputation at stake, but the face of the entire Great Yi Dynasty.
After the court session, the ministers filed out.
The generals of the Military Affairs Pavilion hurried into the Military Soul War Realm, beginning final preparations. None wanted to fall behind; each sought to prove their prowess in this coming battle.
Time passed quickly. The next day arrived.
In the Snow Continent, the Ice Crystal Clan remained fixated on Qingshan Immortal Sect. The Dragon-Pinning Nails remained embedded in the sect's spiritual veins. Removing them without damaging the veins was nearly impossible, especially given the Ice Soul Power contained within. If forcefully removed, the veins might be shattered.
The potential damage was devastating and irreversible—something Qingshan Immortal Sect dared not risk. Even if they repelled the Ice Crystal Clan, they would be gravely weakened.
The atmosphere in the sect was tense, filled with dread. Everyone wore grim expressions.
"Does anyone have a method to remove the Dragon-Pinning Nails?" Qing Yunzi asked solemnly.
"Their method is vicious," Nan Mingzi growled. "This version of the Dragon-Pinning Nail is even more insidious. The embedded Ice Soul Power has multiplied the difficulty of removal a hundredfold. Without damaging the spiritual veins, it's almost impossible."
"Only Feng Shui Masters excel at dealing with dragon veins—whether pinning or freeing them. Unfortunately, we have none. They're even rarer than formation masters, and far harder to train," Bai Lian Daoren lamented.
Feng Shui Masters could manipulate spiritual veins, even create them from nothing—truly miraculous talents. Without one, there was nothing the sect could do. And now, with the Ice Crystal Clan surrounding them, ready to strike again, the situation was critical. If the spiritual veins remained frozen too long, permanent damage could occur.
"Don't worry. While your sect lacks a Feng Shui Master, Great Yi has one," said Jia Xu confidently. "Our Director of the Astronomical Observatory, Jiang Ni, is a Feng Shui Grandmaster. With his skill, the odds of removing the nails without damage are 70–80%. If he arrives, your spiritual veins can be saved."
Jiang Ni had once arranged the Jiangshan Sheji Diagram, a top-tier Feng Shui formation. His mastery was unparalleled in Great Yi.
"Truly?" Qing Yunzi asked, eyes lighting up. "Can we invite Fellow Daoist Jiang to assist us? Qingshan Immortal Sect will reward him handsomely."
"Rest assured. I already reported your plight yesterday. His Majesty has ordered the campaign against the Ice Crystal Dynasty to begin today. Millions of elite troops will march, and Jiang Ni will accompany them. He'll surely assist your sect."
Jia Xu smiled. He had already relayed the situation to the court, and Yi Tianxing had responded decisively—giving Jia Xu the chance to build rapport with the sect.
"They're attacking Snow Continent already? The Ice Crystal Clan is fierce—entirely militarized," Qing Yunzi said, then paused thoughtfully. "Our sect has an extraordinary talisman, the Three Yang Talisman. When activated, it produces three suns, which float above the land. Under their blazing light, the Ice Crystal Clan must retreat and hide. It could create a crucial opportunity for your army to strike."
This was a trump card meant for emergencies. But with Great Yi now acting, it was worth sacrificing.
"Three Yang Talisman… an extraordinary treasure indeed."
Jia Xu's eyes sparkled. "Such a talisman mustn't be wasted. It should be used at the most strategic moment. But rest assured—a mere Snow Continent cannot halt the advance of Great Yi's forces. Just observe, and you'll see for yourself."
Great Yi had always sought out rare one-time-use treasures. To Yi Tianxing, the more, the better. Using them casually was indeed a waste.
"Expedition!"
In Xuanhuang City, deep within the Military Soul War Realm, regiments of elite troops began to gather.
Shua!!
With a command, a rainbow bridge burst forth in a dazzling seven-colored arc, spanning all of Great Yi.
At the forefront flew a troop riding giant flame ravens—the Divine Raven Corps led by the valiant Mu Guiying.
The rainbow light stretched across the empire, vanishing as the army reached the eastern seas.
Caw—Caw—Caw!!
As the rainbow faded, sharp raven cries echoed across the sky. The 100,000-strong Divine Raven Corps had arrived, each warrior riding a flame raven radiating a red glow.
Clad in red battle armor and armed with bone war bows and bundles of war spears, the soldiers exuded thick killing intent—an aura forged through countless battles. Every warrior, even the weakest, had reached the Life Diagram Realm, showcasing the effectiveness of war as the ultimate crucible for growth.
With the Rainbow Bridge, Great Yi's strategic mobility was unmatched under the heavens.