Daqin Zhentiansi

Chen Tieling Main Fortress.

Like the skull of a prehistoric beast, it stands proudly at the heart of a newly opened territory spanning millions of miles.

At its highest observation deck, the fierce wind was as sharp as a knife, enough to tear apart the protective true essence of ordinary cultivators.

Zhang Yuan stood there quietly, his black Daoist robe fluttering in the wind, yet he remained motionless, as if he were one with the fortress.

His gaze slowly swept over the land below, which had been reborn from the ashes under his will.

The lava flames ignited by the nine "fire marrow dragon veins" illuminated half of the Chentie Ridge mountain wall as if it were blood amber in broad daylight.

The enormous "Star Furnace" spewed out bluish-white flames. Each burst of flame was accompanied by a muffled, thunderous roar, the roar of war weapons such as the "Stone-class" heavy armor, the "Abyss-class" powerful bow, and the "Demon-Slaying Cone Tower Shield" taking shape under the high temperature and the giant hammer.

In the firelight, Lei Zhen's iron-like figure could be vaguely seen sweating profusely in front of the core furnace, commanding with composure.

This ceaseless roar day and night is the sound of Zhang Yuan forging the steel bones and muscles of the "Primordial Iron Wall".

Even from a great distance, the deafening shouts of battle, the roars of demons, the clash of weapons, and the instructors' cold commands, like invisible waves of sound, faintly pierced through the gale.

That is the process of newborn blood boiling, being tempered, and turning into steel in the furnace of "blood and fire".

Zhang Yuan could almost see the hideous scars on Pan Yue throbbing as it roared.

Seeing Yue Zhenshan's indifferent figure recording on the black giant rock, and witnessing the transformation from fear to perseverance in the eyes of the new recruits.

This sound is the will of the future iron wall gathering.

The enormous "floating cloud boat," specially made by the Tiangong Hall of Jielei Pass, is slowly landing on the expanded material transfer platform.

The Heavenly Palace emblem on the ship appeared somewhat dim under the golden light of the beacon towers.

Young Master Xuanlan, covered in dust from his journey, was directing his men to unload the mountain of supply crates in a tense but orderly manner.

The "Starry Essence Gold" shimmering with starlight, the "Earth Vein Essence" flowing with the vitality of the earth, the chilling "Void Crystal Diamonds," bundles of talismans, boxes of pills...

This is the lifeblood that keeps the entire massive war machine running.

It was the result of Xuan Lan's maneuvering, trading, and even coercion and enticement among the various forces at Jielu Pass.

Further into the Dark Demon Realm, in Zhang Yuan's perception, the three hundred beacon nodes, like golden stars embedded in the dark curtain, were radiating a warm and resilient light.

They are interconnected, forming a magnificent golden net of celestial laws covering a vast territory spanning millions of miles.

At the edge of this golden net, deep within the surging demonic energy, several extremely faint yet steadily flickering "signals" were quietly being transmitted back.

Those were "shadow tentacles" like Zhao San's squad, eyes and ears that penetrated deep into the heart of the demon realm.

Every piece of intelligence and every map they brought back added new coordinates to the ever-improving strategic blueprint of "nibbling away" in Zhang Yuan's mind.

Beneath the golden net lie countless "Lei Zhen," "Pan Yue," "Xuan Lan," "Zhao San," and so on...

These figures, both famous and unknown, are using their sweat, blood, wisdom, perseverance, and even lives to jointly build the foundation of the "immortal fortress".

Zhang Yuan slowly closed his eyes.

He was not resting, but rather immersing his mind completely in the earth beneath his feet, in the magnificent network of three hundred beacon towers, and in the surging, unyielding, and indignant will of three hundred thousand soldiers and civilians.

--------------

Three years have passed in the blink of an eye.

The Great Qin Dynasty, the Imperial Palace.

Yu Kuizhen stood bowing below the imperial steps. The hall was brightly lit by candlelight, illuminating the heavy book in Emperor Yuankang's hands.

The emperor's deep voice echoed in the empty hall as he recounted the inspiring records in the books.

"Over the past three years, the primordial spiritual energy has flowed into the Nine Provinces, the primordial energy of heaven and earth has been abundant, and powerful figures have emerged in great numbers."

"Those at the Grandmaster level and above number eight thousand nine hundred. There are also more than thirteen hundred Saint-level experts."

Emperor Yuankang's gaze swept over the shining names on the book.

"Among them, the most outstanding are those like Confucius, who have comprehended the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, and whose realm is unfathomable; and Ying Wuji, whose might as the Martial King protects the nation, whose cultivation at the second level of the Saint Realm is becoming increasingly solid, truly a pillar of stability for our Great Qin..."

Yu Kuizhen listened attentively. When the emperor paused slightly, he stepped forward and respectfully said, "Your Majesty, Marquis Qingyang, Zhang Yuan, has sent back an urgent message from the front lines of the Primordial World."

"He is well aware of the perilous and arduous battlefield of Tongzhou, where the demonic tide is surging and cannot be resisted by ordinary forces. Therefore, he earnestly requests Your Majesty to reopen the interdimensional space passage!"

He took a deep breath and continued, "Lord Qingyang said that he will arrange for some of the strategic materials obtained from the Primordial World to be transported back to the Great Qin through the passage to support the Tongzhou battlefield."

"This batch of supplies was captured or refined from the Primordial Battlefield. The spiritual materials used are rare and far beyond what we can find in the present world of our Nine Provinces. The armor and weapons forged from them are extremely powerful and can greatly enhance our army's combat strength."

"At the same time," Yu Kuizhen's voice was tinged with excitement, "the Marquis of Qingyang also requests Your Majesty to select cultivators from our Great Qin, especially the elite and promising new talents in the army, and send them to the front lines of the Primordial World through this passage!"

"By honing one's skills in that war-torn land where the laws are so different, one's progress will surely be rapid!"

Emperor Yuankang nodded slightly, his deep gaze seemingly piercing through the palace and reaching the distant, primordial smoke of war. He said in a deep voice, "Granted. However, this method of traversing time and space consumes the power of the very origin of heaven and earth each time it is activated, and the price is extremely high."

"The opening three years ago was barely accomplished by Marquis Qingyang, who traversed both realms."

"This restart is only possible because the divine beasts of Tongzhou have recovered a significant amount of strength. The next one will have to wait at least five years."

His fingers tapped lightly on the armrest of the dragon throne, and his tone became solemn: "What we need to be even more vigilant about is that as the laws of the two realms continue to merge and collide, the risk of such a forced opening of a passage being detected by a behemoth like the Primordial Heavenly Palace will increase day by day."

"Therefore, this passage should never be opened lightly unless absolutely necessary. This time, it is only to receive the resources of the Primordial World to aid our Tongzhou battlefield and to send our elite troops there for training."

"Issue the decree!" Emperor Yuankang's voice suddenly rose, carrying an unquestionable authority, "Order Prince Zhenguo, Ying Wuji, to immediately select the elite troops from among the million soldiers!"

"Follow him through the spatial passage to the front lines of the Primordial World, and submit to the command of Marquis Qingyang, Zhang Yuan! On this journey, we shall use blood and fire as our furnace and our demonic bodies as our whetstone to hone the might of our Great Qin!"

"Five years from now, the passage will reopen, and I will see them all return!"

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes: "Five years of tempering in the primordial wilderness, living in a place where the primordial energy of heaven and earth coexisted with the murderous aura of killing, and being personally commanded by the Marquis of Qingyang..."

"When these million soldiers return, their cultivation levels... will likely all be at least at the Grandmaster level! A million Grandmasters... such combat power will be the brilliant foundation for our Great Qin to sweep across the continents and reunite our land!"

……

On the other side, at the Qingyang Marquis's residence.

The imperial edict has arrived.

After the eunuch finished reading the imperial decree in his high-pitched voice, he respectfully presented the decree, which symbolized the emperor's mandate and opportunity, to Princess Zhao Yu. Zhao Yu accepted the decree, her fingertips trembling slightly.

The dignified composure on her exquisite face was finally broken by a tremendous surprise, and a captivating light shone from the depths of her eyes, like a star that had been dormant for many years suddenly illuminating.

She gently stroked the patterns on the imperial edict, her voice filled with barely suppressed excitement and longing, and whispered, "Finally... finally I can go to the primordial world and see my husband!"

On the primordial wasteland, somewhere on a lost fragment of the primordial world.

The space fluctuated violently, like a boulder being thrown into a calm body of water.

Several enormous figures, exuding an ancient and primordial aura, suddenly descended!

They come in various shapes and sizes, some resembling a black tortoise carrying a mountain on its back, with ancient runes flowing on its shell.

Or like a white tiger with murderous aura soaring to the sky, its sharp claws tearing through the void; or like a roc with golden wings splitting the sky, its wings covering the sky and the sun.

Or like a Qilin walking on fire, its horns gleaming with azure light... It is a primordial divine beast that has long been on good terms with Zhang Yuan and formed an alliance!

The moment they appeared, they resonated with the laws of heaven and earth around them, and their immense pressure caused the broken fragments to tremble slightly.

Immediately afterwards, divine light flowed, and these enormous creatures all retracted their original forms and transformed into human shapes.

The black tortoise transformed into an old man with tortoise shell patterns on his back and a deep, mountain-like aura.

The white tiger transformed into a cold and aloof man with snow-white hair and sharp, piercing eyes.

The Golden-Winged Roc transformed into a young man in a golden robe and crown, with a haughty gaze.

The Qilin then transformed into a middle-aged man dressed in a green robe, exuding both gentleness and majesty...

Opposite them, ripples spread through the space, and Zhang Yuan stepped out.

He was clad in dark black light armor, his aura was as deep as the sea, his left eye was a chaotic starry river, and his right eye was a dark yellow mountain and river. Although he did not deliberately release his pressure, he naturally became the center of this world.

Behind him was a force of about 100,000 men, all clad in fine armor, their auras deep and fierce—the elite of the primordial human race under his command, tempered by blood and fire!

Even more striking were the tens of thousands of enormous boxes piled up beside the procession, their surfaces shimmering with runes, clearly containing vast quantities of strategic resources such as rare materials extracted from monster corpses and abyssal mines, crafted armor and weapons, and healing elixirs.

The red-clad woman, transformed from the Vermilion Bird, possessed a graceful figure yet carried an intense aura capable of burning everything; she had been waiting there for some time.

Lei Zhen and other core generals also stood solemnly to the side, their eyes fixed intently on Zhang Yuan and the massive army and supplies he brought.

Zhang Yuan's gaze swept over several figures whose auras were as deep as the sea.

The old man in brown robes, who was actually a Xuan Turtle in disguise, was as steady as a mountain.

The golden-crowned youth, transformed from the Golden-Winged Roc, soared into the sky with sharp and vigorous spirit

The middle-aged man in a green robe, who was transformed from a fire-riding unicorn, possessed a gentle demeanor that concealed majesty.

The white tiger with snow-white hair and eyes as cold as knives, and the last one, the yellow-robed giant with the most profound aura, seemingly one with the earth beneath his feet, are all manifestations of the earth vein divine beast summoned by Zhang Yuan.

"Esteemed seniors, it's been a long time." Zhang Yuan cupped his hands in greeting, his voice steady and powerful, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

In his left eye, the chaotic starry river spun slightly, while in his right eye, the Xuanhuang Mountain River flowed. The aura around him resonated faintly with the blood and qi of the 100,000-strong human army behind him.

"After three years of training, the foundation outside the Great Wall has finally been somewhat solidified." Zhang Yuan's palm rested lightly on the edge of the sand table, where the golden light representing the newly opened territory firmly resisted the surging crimson demonic clouds around it.

"However, to forge an impenetrable fortress, solitary defense is not a good strategy. Today, we have invited all of you seniors to come in person for a major event that concerns the very foundation of the primordial world, as well as the retreat and future of our human race."

He pointed his finger at the center of the sand table, and the light and shadow shifted, instantly expanding the sand table to reveal a more vast star map, but one filled with cracks and dim areas.

Countless fragments of land, large and small, like lost stars, floated slowly around the shattered edge of the primordial main continent.

"This is the lost Three Thousand Six Hundred Sky Continents!" Zhuque's eyes gleamed as he saw the light and shadow.

Zhang Yuan nodded.

Beside him, the White Tiger's voice carried a heavy tone, reminiscing about the glory of the primordial world: "They are not direct extensions of the main continent of the primordial world, but rather subsidiary continents created by great supernatural powers and suspended outside the boundary barrier during the ancient primordial Heavenly Court era."

"Up there, life once flourished and civilization was brilliant; it was also a node connecting all directions and monitoring all worlds in the primordial era!"

Zhang Yuan's fingers traced across the dim fragments, finally settling on one that was relatively close and marked with complex runes.

"The connection between the Sky-Patrolling Continents, and between them and the Primordial Main Continent, does not rely on flying, but on the 'Sky-Patrolling Teleportation Array' buried deep in the core of the continents!"

The surroundings were completely silent, except for the faint hum of the shifting light and shadow.

Whether it was the human generals or the incarnations of the divine beasts, their eyes became incredibly focused.

“This place,” Zhang Yuan pointed to the marked point, his fingertip creating ripples on the sand table, “is the remnant core of the Lost Sky-Patrol Continent that corresponds to this fragment of primordial chaos beneath our feet!”

"After much effort and investigation, I am certain that the foundation of a 'Sky-Patrolling Teleportation Array' still exists here!"

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping intently over the crowd before finally settling on the divine beasts, his tone resolute: "My goal on this journey is to find the core of this ruin and dedicate all my strength to its restoration!"

"By borrowing the power of this ancient formation that pierces through time and space, I can connect with the source of my bloodline—the Nine Provinces of the Great Qin!"

"Om-!"

Upon hearing this, the eyes of everyone around suddenly became solemn and fervent.

Connect to another world!
This not only opens up an unprecedented escape route, but also signifies endless possibilities!
"There's no time to lose!" Zhang Yuan decisively ordered, "Target: the core ruins of Xuntian Continent! All troops, move out!"

……

The ruins of Xuntianzhou, on the edge of the Burial Abyss.

This area is even more desolate and barren than the Demon Realm outside Chentie Ridge.

The twisted black mountains resembled the skeletons of a colossal beast, the earth was riddled with bottomless cracks, and the air was filled with an aura of decay and destruction that was more ancient and purer than the chaotic demonic clouds.

Under the gloomy sky, the broken, massive stone pillars and the collapsed foundations of magnificent palaces are faintly visible, telling tales of past glory and present ruin.

Zhang Yuan's 100,000 elite troops, forming a battle formation, resembled a giant golden ship cutting through the waves of a murky, demonic sea.

They wore the latest "Stone Sky Patrol" heavy armor forged by Lei Zhen, and wielded the "Abyss Piercer" crossbow engraved with purification runes.

Their movements were perfectly synchronized, exuding a chilling, iron-blooded aura that contrasted sharply with the surrounding desolate demonic realm. (End of Chapter)