"Your Majesty, I recall that within the Qingshan Immortal Sect's mountain range, there remain tens of millions of Ice Crystal Eggs, formed from the fallen Ice Crystal warriors. If we can obtain those eggs, it will undoubtedly allow large portions of our Iron-Blood Great Wall to solidify once again. This is a feast laid out before us, waiting to be devoured," Zhuge Liang proposed.
Given the current circumstances of the Qingshan Immortal Sect, an alliance with the Great Yi Dynasty was inevitable. Once such an alliance was forged, it was highly likely—nine chances out of ten—that these eggs would be handed over as a diplomatic gift. After all, to ordinary cultivators, these Ice Crystal Eggs were useless. Rather than hoard them, it made more sense to gift them to the Great Yi—a convenient gesture to gain favor.
From a cultivator's perspective, the strategic value was clear. More importantly, these eggs were also a latent threat.
"Hmm, indeed an excellent idea," Yi Tianxing's eyes lit up, nodding to himself. This was undeniably a great way to strengthen the Iron-Blood Great Wall. The more solidified the wall became, the greater its power. If the wall could be fully materialized to span the entirety of the Great Yi's territory, it would connect to the nation's fate itself—able to draw upon the full power of the realm.
Its protective strength would be vastly enhanced.
"I'll send word to Mister Wenhe. He can negotiate with the Qingshan Immortal Sect. Let's first get our hands on those Ice Crystal Eggs."
With a thought, Yi Tianxing opened his communication bracelet.
At that moment, Jia Xu was seated atop Green Pine Peak, drinking spiritual tea with Qing Yunzi in a serene pavilion. The tea—called Matsutake Spirit Tea—was a Qingshan specialty. Resembling slender green pine needles, once brewed, it exuded a tranquil fragrance, clearing the mind and calming the spirit.
This tea was far from ordinary. Frequent consumption could extend lifespan, purify one's body and bloodline, and even enhance one's comprehension of natural laws. Its annual yield was extremely limited, and only the upper echelons of the sect had access to it.
That Jia Xu was drinking it now was proof of his status—as the representative of the Great Yi, he naturally commanded great respect.
As he sipped the tea, Jia Xu raised his wrist to check the incoming message. After reading it, he turned to Qing Yunzi and said, "Daoist friend, His Majesty has just sent word. Our Great Yi forces have already entered Snow Continent and destroyed one of the Ice Crystal Tribes. We've established an Immortal City there and secured a foothold. Soon, we will launch a full campaign to systematically consume the continent."
"Excellent! The Great Yi's army has come just in time!" Qing Yunzi clapped his hands in joy.
Though he sat here sipping tea, he hadn't forgotten that over ten million elite Ice Crystal warriors still besieged his sect. They could break through any moment. The ever-present threat made it hard to remain calm.
News of the Great Yi's invasion thrilled him—this was the help he desperately needed.
"His Majesty has a question for you," Jia Xu continued.
"Please speak, my friend," Qing Yunzi straightened, solemn.
"May I ask—regarding the Ice Crystal Eggs formed from fallen Ice Crystal warriors—do you have any use for them? If not, His Majesty wishes to acquire them."
"The Ice Crystal Eggs?" Qing Yunzi looked surprised, then replied, "Those are offspring of the Ice Crystal race. We have gathered such eggs before after battles, tried studying them… but they're little more than hard ice. Once broken, any trace of life dissipates immediately. They're just lumps of ice. No matter how you cook them—steam, fry, boil—they're useless. Just waste."
Indeed, the sect had tested various methods, but nothing worked. The only effective approach was to destroy the eggs as soon as a hatchling emerged. Until then, they were left untouched.
Now that the Great Yi wanted them, Qing Yunzi was naturally curious—but he didn't object. Instead, he readily replied, "These eggs are useless to us. Worse, they're a potential threat if the Ice Crystals launch another assault. If you can take them, all the eggs in our possession are yours. Consider it a token of our goodwill."
Sending off these useless eggs while earning favor from the Great Yi was an easy decision.
"Many thanks, Sect Master," Jia Xu smiled and nodded.
With a wave of his hand, a massive space gate appeared above the Qingshan Mountains.
"If you would allow your disciples to assist in collecting the eggs and transferring them into this portal, it would be greatly appreciated," Jia Xu added.
"Of course," Qing Yunzi replied meaningfully.
At his command, numerous disciples surged forth, quickly gathering the scattered Ice Crystal Eggs throughout the mountains. With the aid of their cultivation, a vast river of glimmering eggs flowed into the space gate and vanished from sight.
Meanwhile, at the gates of Ice Crack City, another space gate opened. From it, the Ice Crystal Eggs poured out—not falling to the ground, but being directly absorbed by the Iron-Blood Great Wall.
Instantly, the halted transformation of the wall resumed.
Segments of the wall rapidly materialized, stone by stone.
Each block of the wall was of uniform size: a full zhang thick (roughly 3 meters), with the wall itself standing forty-nine zhang tall. Each segment required forty-nine such blocks. With the steady stream of Ice Crystal Eggs, the Iron-Blood Great Wall evolved at astonishing speed—both on land and over the sea.
This was a stunning transformation.
The wall grew constantly, fueled daily by the remains of slain sea beasts and monsters, and by the honored dead of Great Yi, who saw burial within the wall as a mark of glory.
But this growth had always lagged behind the realm's rapid expansion.
Now, with the Ice Crystal Eggs, that gap might finally be closed.
"Excellent. With these eggs, we may be able to fully materialize the entire Iron-Blood Great Wall—at least enough to cover our current territory. And with more conquests in Snow Continent, we'll gather even more eggs. We can bring the entire continent under the wall's protection," Yi Tianxing nodded in satisfaction.
These Ice Crystals were truly a priceless resource. Alive, they were formidable enemies—dead, they were invaluable assets.
Such a race… perhaps it shouldn't be wiped out entirely.
"Your Majesty," Zhuge Liang said again, "now is the moment before the Ice Crystal Court can react. It's the perfect opportunity to expand. We should dispatch our armies from Ice Crack City, claim territory quickly before the enemy regroups. The larger the area we control, the more strategic advantage we gain."
"Approved," Yi Tianxing nodded. "All legions may act. Upon discovering any Ice Crystal Tribe, attack and seize their lands. Establish an Immortal City every thousand li. In the shortest time possible, secure the greatest gains."
"Kill! Kill! Kill!!"
The various legions, already descending through the Rainbow Bridge, erupted with excitement and battle cries as they surged in all directions.
Vast Sea Dragon Palace
Within the palace, a Sea King Mirror floated in the air, displaying scenes from Snow Continent. The expressions of the gathered dragons were dark with anger and grim focus.
"This Great Yi Dynasty is far too arrogant," one young dragon scoffed. "They know we dragons have made our move. They know the Dragon Gate is about to open. Yet they still dare launch an invasion and expand their lands? They clearly don't take us seriously—they want a direct confrontation."
The Dragon Clan had openly declared its intention to become the destined ruler of Heaven and Earth. By right, others should have recoiled, submitted, or at least halted expansion. Great Yi, on the other hand, showed no fear—expanding faster than ever.
This was nothing short of a slap to their face.
"Dragon King," said the Turtle Prime Minister with a chuckle, "Emperor Yi has agreed to attend our Dragon Palace Bridal Selection Banquet. That shows he understands what the future holds. Once he marries a dragon princess, the fate of Great Yi will be tied to our Dragon Clan. Let him wage war—he's merely sewing robes for our wedding."
"Year after year, bitterly threading gold—only to clothe another's bride."
But whose gold thread?And whose wedding robes?