The dozen or so newly added realms, once covered by Great Yi, saw the rampaging Demon Calamity immediately suppressed. Swarms of bounty hunters surged into the wilderness, slaughtering and subduing the Eternal Night demons. The Feng Shui array regulated the land's spiritual energy, and Great Yi's laws exerted their invisible pressure across the realms. Within these realms, even the regular Great Yi legions were unnecessary—bounty hunters alone ensured that the demon forces could not even attempt to run rampant. Every trace of arrogance and chaos was forcibly crushed.
Now, across these realms, not a single sign of disorder remained. Instead, there was only the spectacle of revival and rapid development.
Such a scene filled the Nine-Headed Hydra with fury. This was far from what they had expected. Even if Great Yi expanded, they had assumed the new realms would remain ungovernable, that Great Yi would struggle to stabilize the situation. But now… everything exceeded expectations.
The suppression of these realms occurred without even deploying Great Yi's armies.
What is this?
The Eternal Night had essentially provided Great Yi with a knife to push this expansion forward. How could they swallow such humiliation?
"Heh… All citizens are cultivators, every one of them capable. Great Yi's foresight is astonishing. Each citizen is no weakling. Adults are already cultivators, proud to hunt fierce beasts. Even when the elite legions are deployed elsewhere, they can mobilize trillions of troops internally. The strength of their bounty hunters is remarkable, even astonishing. This time, we truly underestimated them," said Xie Tiandaozun, appearing at the forefront, his eyes grave.
The civilian power of Great Yi alone could enable them to swallow a dozen realms.
"We've effectively sharpened the knife for Great Yi. If it weren't for the Demon Calamity's devastation forcing these realms to surrender, Great Yi would have no reason, no pretext, to strike. They could never have expanded. This is our miscalculation," Xie Tian dao observed.
He could see through the situation, but there was nothing they could do to change it. They had assumed Great Yi lacked the foundation for expansion. Now, merely through civilian power, Great Yi could easily annex a dozen realms. What's more, Great Yi's population reserves exceeded all predictions. Everything had unfolded exactly opposite to their expectations. This was the bitter fruit… and one they had to swallow.
"Evil Lord, what should we do? Great Yi's momentum must be suppressed. Otherwise, no one knows how far their foundation extends, how many more realms they could expand into. The larger they grow, the more terrifying the eventual power of the Immortal Court will be," asked the Green-Robed figure.
Xie Tiandao replied with a sly grin:
"Great Yi has reached a stage where they value their reputation. They will not act rashly without justification. The best strategy is to prevent other realms from submitting petitions. Without these petitions, Great Yi has no excuse to mobilize forces. Any action would be unjust. In the meantime, instruct the surrounding demon abyss to cease their attacks and remain dormant. Give these realms breathing space. Only then will they have no reason to submit, and Great Yi's expansion can be fully contained."
"Magnificent, Evil Lord," said the Yellow-Robed figure, filled with admiration.
The plan would not completely halt Great Yi, but its effectiveness could easily reach ninety percent.
"We can also implement a decapitation plan. The new city lords of these realms can be targeted by assassins. Though their official positions are high, they cannot compare to the rulers of other dynasties. New city lords, inexperienced and weak, are prime targets. If we strike at these officials instead of Yi Tianxing directly, success is far more likely. After Great Yi expands, the governance of new territories can be destabilized. The operation of the dynasty ultimately relies on these city lords," said the Black-Robed figure.
Sometimes, changing the target changes everything. Assassinating officials in the cities is easier than striking Yi Tianxing, yet the impact would be enormous, sowing panic and disruption. A high-risk, high-reward strategy.
"Hmm… finally, a clear path. The decapitation plan proceeds. Eternal Night's bounty on Yi Tianxing keeps increasing. The Dragon Slayer should be ready to strike soon," Xie Tian dao said with a light chuckle.
"Once Dragon Slayer acts, the chance of success is very high. We can simply wait for the good news," said the Red-Robed figures, smiling confidently.
"Observe carefully. But when action is required, we must act. This is when the Nine-Headed Hydra demonstrates its worth," Xie Tian dao added, eyes glinting with a warning. Without value, there is no right to exist.
…
At Great Yi's Immortal Palace, Zhi Xing Hall, Yi Tianxing sat calmly, surrounded by officials. Reports continued arriving concerning the newly added realms.
"In the Divine Spring Realm, nine sacred springs have been discovered. Drinking individually strengthens one's foundation; drinking all nine simultaneously can reverse aging, condense Immortal skin and bones, and extend lifespan. They are the Nine Marvelous Sacred Springs, located at the nine cardinal positions of the realm. I propose guarding these springs with nearby Immortal Cities. They can serve as a major foundational treasure of Great Yi," proposed He Shen.
"Approved," Yi Tianxing said calmly.
"In the Milky Way Realm, Milky Sand has been discovered. One grain can turn barren fields into fertile spirit fields, allowing large-scale cultivation of spiritual plants. I propose listing Milky Sand as off-limits to civilians. If it falls into other factions' hands, it would threaten Great Yi," said Pei Ju.
"Approved," Yi Tianxing nodded decisively.
Great Yi's annexed realms required not only the subjugation of demons but also rapid surveying of resources. Rare resources were particularly critical—they had to be secured and utilized immediately.
"Your Majesty, additional petitions have arrived. These realms wish for Great Yi's assistance and are willing to join us: Flower Dew, Smog, Forest Sea, Monster, Blood Hunt, Star Sand, Dragon Blood, Aurora, Black Marsh, Flash Spirit, Ice Fire, Martial Soul, Demon Scorpion, Wangchuan, Ghoul, Red Clouds, and Hidden Wind. Seventeen realms in total. Shall we proceed with annexation?" asked Mao Sui.
Having already annexed several realms, another seventeen would test Great Yi's control. Expansion was good, but foundations had to be secure.
"Seventeen… what say you, ministers?" Yi Tianxing asked calmly, smiling faintly.
"It is true rapid expansion could stress the dynasty. But meat at the edge of the mouth should be eaten first. If we secure these realms, whether they are good or bad, we can govern and digest them. If we miss the opportunity, it would require longer planning and waiting, which is far costlier. I advise accepting the petitions and bringing these realms under Great Yi's governance," Liu Bowen stated decisively.
"I concur. Though expansion will create pressure, pressure breeds motivation. Opportunities to expand are rare. When the chance arises, we must seize as many realms as possible," Xun Yu agreed.
The other ministers nodded in agreement. More realms meant more power. Even if it risked temporary overextension, Great Yi would take them all. Meat at the edge of the mouth should not be wasted.
"Very well. Proceed with expansion. Issue an edict: next month, Great Yi will hold another Imperial Examination to recruit talents, preparing for any shortage of officials. Meat at the edge of the mouth—how can we let it go?" Yi Tianxing decreed.
The knife of the Demon Calamity may not last long, but while it can be wielded, it must be used. To miss this opportunity would be Great Yi's loss.