Daqin Zhentiansi

The merchants in the crowd were in an uproar.

"What a waste! What a waste!" A jewelry merchant exclaimed, pounding his chest. "These tortoise shells! Every piece of 'Molten Fire Crystal' is a natural treasure. With just cutting and polishing, they can become top-grade talisman base material or even natural magic weapon embryos! The patterns are natural fire-elemental amplification Dao patterns!"

Another herbalist's eyes gleamed: "Is that 'Earth's Core Fire Saliva' flowing from the cracks in the tortoise shell? Although its activity is suppressed by the cold air, its medicinal properties are extremely potent, making it an essential main ingredient for refining several top-tier breakthrough pills!"

"The Jiuchuan Alliance and Yuyuan Trading Company probably already have a lot of magma ooze scraped from the scattered animal skeletons in their port warehouses in the East China Sea. Now that the main party has arrived, won't they fight tooth and nail for it?"

Finally, the grand finale was the Crimson Scaled Sea-Swallowing Whale.

Although it had lost its life, its enormous corpse was still awe-inspiring. The massive skeleton was covered with tattered scales that still shone with a crimson luster, and its vertebrae, which were over two hundred feet long, resembled the spine of a mountain range.

The procession that transported it was the largest.

Hundreds of mechanical wooden oxen, driven by pure elemental crystals, struggled to carry this colossal object, which was covered with levitation and weight-reducing runes.

The whale's mouth gaped open, like a cave leading to an abyss. The remaining corrosive poisonous mist was tightly wrapped by a golden array, emitting an eerie blue halo.

"A colossal sea beast..." Among the onlookers were many experienced maritime merchants, some of whom recognized its origin: "It must be the overlord of the waters near the 'Guixu Sea Eye'!"

"This whale can swallow tsunamis; it can swallow ten thousand-ton ships in one gulp!"

"Its hide is a top-grade water-repellent material, and its red scales are sturdy yet lightweight, making it an excellent material for covering flying boats and war towers! Its bones are also top-grade spirit-guiding materials!"

The companion next to him whispered, "It's not just materials! Look at how much 'whale saliva incense' Yu Yuan Trading Company stockpiled at the beginning of the year; they're betting on it!"

"The 'fragrance sac' hidden inside this whale produces a spiritual fragrance that is a core ingredient in the top-grade elixir 'Soul Cleansing Jade Liquid'! And the 'Azure Whale Oil' can be refined into lamp oil by the Ministry of Works, and one lamp can illuminate a hundred miles of sea for months without going out..."

"The Jiuchuan Alliance began contacting the Ministry of Industry last month regarding the supply of navigational lighthouses in the East China Sea."

Both of their eyes gleamed with the light of immense wealth.

"See that?" An old manager wearing a robe bearing the logo of Yu Yuan Trading Company pointed at the giant whale and whispered to the young man beside him, "This is why the master family went bankrupt to invest in the 'Zhenhai' ship."

"Although the battle in the East China Sea was dangerous, the spoils from that battle... are enough to elevate the entire family to a higher level!"

"Truly... awe-inspiring." Several low-level cultivators muttered to themselves as they watched the giant whale carcass pass by. "Capturing the dragon crocodile alive, suppressing the rock turtle, hunting the sea-swallowing whale... the ingenuity of the Ministry of Works' talisman array creations and the blood and courage of the Eastern Navy's soldiers are already astonishing."

"But this masterful planning, transforming such a terrifying demonic war beast into a weapon, and then squeezing every last drop of value from its entire body... the merits, rewards, military supplies trade, and merchant competition behind it are likely an undercurrent even more turbulent than the hunting of the demonic beast itself!"

"The Qin army's advance not only destroys countries and annihilates clans, but it can also produce gold and refine jade!"

These colossal beasts advanced like mountains; they were not merely spoils of war showcasing martial prowess, but also miracles created through the collaborative efforts of the East Sea Garrison and the Ministry of Works.

It is the most direct conquest and sealing of "evil," and also the beginning of a huge industrial chain flowing with wealth, opportunities and imperial authority!
Li Yu, the chief official of the Ministry of Works, personally oversaw the procession. His expression was calm yet contained confidence and pride. He occasionally glanced at the eager merchants along the way, nodded slightly, and then solemnly bowed towards the direction of the imperial city.

His actions drew even more intense awe and admiration from the onlookers, and sparked a cacophony of discussion.

Following closely behind the behemoth was an even more shocking line of prison vans, stretching as far as the eye could see.

The prison carts were all made of black iron and engraved with demon-suppressing runes, reflecting a cold light in the early autumn sun.

Following the offering of gifts from the East China Sea, a long line of prison vans stretched out.

The Qin Dynasty placed the monsters of the East Sea first, while the fates of the kings and nobles of the four borders were placed last; the intention behind this is self-evident.

The four kingdoms, whose dynasties had come to an end, were not even as powerful as demonic beasts.

The wealthy merchants, such as the managers of Yu Yuan Trading Company and Jiu Chuan Alliance, still had their eyes greedily fixed on the mountain-like molten rock turtle and the red-scaled sea-swallowing whale, their minds racing to calculate the value of the scales, the spiritual conductivity of the bones, and just how much the "Earth Core Flowing Fire Saliva," which was regarded as a sacred guide to elixirs, could fetch at auction.

Their peripheral vision swept over the emaciated emperor in the prison cart. "A worthless wretch is not worth a laugh. The spoils of war from these behemoths are the real gold and silver. Betting on the East Sea is indeed a sure-fire way to make money..."

In the Eastern Wei Dynasty, the first few prison carts were the most conspicuous and also the most disheveled.

Emperor Yuwen Tuo of Eastern Wei was dressed in a tattered dragon robe stained with filth and blood. His hair was disheveled, his eyes were vacant, and his hands and feet were locked in heavy iron shackles. He leaned against a corner of the prison cage, a far cry from the madness he had displayed in the Nine Dragon Palace.

Behind him stood the imperial family and remaining high-ranking officials of the Eastern Wei dynasty, all of whom were like withered trees, devoid of life.

They were escorted by the most elite iron cavalry in the eastern border of the Great Qin, whose armor was stained with bloodstains from the Eastern Sea Demon War, resembling military medals.

As the prison cart passed through the main road outside Chengtianmen, a deafening chorus of boos and curses erupted from the crowd.

"Dark Lord!"

"Demon Lord Yuwen Tuo!"

The shouts and curses were incessant.

The chariot formation that followed carried members of the Zhao royal family and captured high-ranking cultivators.

Although he wasn't as disheveled as Yuwen Tuo, his face was still ashen.

They had already exhausted their energy and spirit in their struggle against the demonic tide in the East China Sea, and now they were like lambs to the slaughter.

Once a dignified and otherworldly cultivator, now his robes are tattered, his cultivation sealed, and his eyes are empty as he endures the humiliation.

Further on were the remnants of the Northern Yan resistance forces and the barbarian leaders who had submitted to them.

They were either captured in the final street battles of Gubei City, or their strongholds outside the Great Wall were uprooted.

The armor was shattered and stained with blood, a testament to the glorious achievements of the Northern army.

One by one, enormous, grotesque heads, preserved using secret methods, were displayed on wooden boxes covered with red cloth, carried high by soldiers and moved slowly.

The fearsome head of the barbarian king on the Chenzhou Ice Plains has now become proof of the military achievements of the eldest prince Ying Rong in guarding the northern border and expanding Chenzhou.

His rugged face was filled with astonishment and violence, and his hollow eye sockets pointed straight at the sky.

Each head seemed to bring with it a chilling aura from the north, moving in the direction it was heading.

The imperial city and its surroundings were already packed with people, a sea of ​​heads.

The people crowded the sides of the imperial road, the rooftops, and the windows of the pavilions.

At first, they were intimidated by the power of the giant beast and remained silent. But when the prison carts appeared, their suppressed excitement burst forth.

"Look! Yuwen Tuo! That tyrannical emperor has really been captured alive!"

"That's the Crown Prince of Zhao? I heard he tried to lure demon soldiers into attacking Qin in the East Sea. Serves him right!" "Tsk tsk, Lord Ouyang truly lives up to his title of Marquis of Zhenxi. Destroying Yan and avenging his family was clean and efficient! Those barbarian kings' heads are so satisfying to see!"

"The First Prince is truly mighty! The Chenzhou Ice Plains have become our Great Qin territory!"

"Lord Li of the East Sea is truly remarkable! He tamed such a massive monster! Commander Han brought back so many leaders from Eastern Wei; who can match his military achievements?"

"I think the Fifth Prince is quite capable! He really took Gubei City by sheer force!"

"They're both amazing! They're all heroes of our Great Qin! But, if we're talking about who has the highest battle achievements? Hey, I think it's General Han and the First Prince!"

"Huh? Where is Marquis Qingyang? He assembled the Eastern Army, suppressed the East Sea, and his influence is behind the armies of all four borders. Why...?"

"What do you know? The Marquis of Qingyang might become too powerful and threaten the emperor. We'll see!"

A viewing platform was set up on the Chengtianmen gate tower.

Jiang Zhengcheng, the former emperor of Qi who was newly enfeoffed as the Duke of Qi, stood by the railing.

He looked down at the surging army, the towering beasts, the heads of emperors and nobles in cages, and the boisterous cheers of the crowd, his expression extremely complex.

He thought of his uncle Jiang Yuanliang, who had also been an emperor. If he hadn't taken the "evil path," his fate might not have been much better than Yuwen Tuo's.

Thinking of the struggles of the Zhao state, the sudden collapse of the Northern Yan, and the final dust of the fierce barbarians of Chenzhou.

His brand-new Duke's robe stood in stark contrast to his disheveled "colleagues" below.

“Zhou Jinzhong,” Jiang Zhengcheng’s voice was low, tinged with an almost unreal sense of relief, “Look at them… and then think about you and me. I… I have become the only one among the five kingdoms and three regions who survived the Qin army’s onslaught and died a natural death?”

Beside him, Zhou Jinzhong, the former Vice Minister of Rites of the State of Qi, and others, were all now dressed in the official robes of the Qin Dynasty.

Zhou Jinzhong looked on with emotion and bowed deeply upon hearing this: "What the Duke said is absolutely right. Thunder and rain are all blessings from Heaven. If it weren't for the great virtue of His Majesty the Emperor of Great Qin and the promise kept by the Marquis of Qingyang, we would probably have... been reduced to ashes long ago."

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over his former colleagues, and said solemnly, "After today's ceremony of presenting the captives, we will all serve in the Qin court and share the burdens of the nation. The loyalty between ruler and subject of the past is now the friendship between colleagues of the Qin."

The other former officials of Qi who had submitted to Jiang Zhengcheng also bowed respectfully to him. Their eyes showed respect for their former master, but more so, they were determined to embark on a new path.

"Lord Zhou is right. All that has happened in the past is gone. From now on, we should address each other as colleagues and work together to assist the Great Qin."

Jiang Zhengcheng returned the greeting, a complex smile playing on his lips—a smile tinged with melancholy, relief, and a profound understanding born of great change: "I, Jiang... also wish you all a bright future and hope you will create a new era for the Great Qin. All that has happened in the past is history. Gentlemen, let us... serve as ministers in the same court."

He took one last look at the torrent of prisoners being presented below, a symbol of the complete end of the five kingdoms and three regions, his gaze lingering on the distant horizon.

Outside Chengtian Gate, the massive prisoner-of-war square finally contained all the glory and decay.

Duke Ningguo Han Qi, Marquis Zhenxi Ouyang Shucai, and the Fifth Prince Ying Li, representing their respective armies, stood proudly at the forefront.

The fluttering banners of the Eastern Iron Cavalry, the gleaming blades of the Northern Elite Soldiers, and the golden armor adorned with runes of the Western Imperial Guards, along with the mountain-like monsters and the numerous victories, constituted the most powerful language of the Qin army's four borders. Ultimately, they converged into a resounding battle cry, just like the response when the towering city walls were shattered.

"Great Qin—Victory!!!"

This roar, carrying the supreme majesty of victory, soared into the heavens, struck the nine cauldrons and the giant bell, proclaiming that there were no more rivals within Yongtian Continent, and a new era of Great Qin, unified and with its sights set on the distant stars and seas, had begun in a glorious manner!
When the Way of Heaven opens, all paths resound!

The step Emperor Yuankang took out of the Qianyang Palace was as if he stepped on the spine of the entire Yongtian Continent, which had been sleeping for 100,000 years, and shattered the last shackles that had been sealed away!

"boom--"

The sky exploded!

It wasn't shattering, but countless rays of primordial light from the chaotic depths of the heavens, surging forth wildly!

The light was indescribable in its color, resembling neither gold nor purple, containing the weight of the primordial chaos, yet brimming with the vitality of all things growing.

They converged like a surging galaxy, condensing into a sacred light staircase hundreds of feet wide, which was laid out beneath Emperor Yuankang's dragon boots!

The original white marble bricks below groaned under the weight, instantly turning into dust, only to be lifted up by the dazzling divine light and rise into star-like specks of gold dust.

The dark gold patterns on the imperial robe came to life, and the nine-clawed black dragon raised its head and roared, its eyes shooting out a divine light that illuminated the sky.

The aura that naturally surrounded him was no longer that of an emperor, but rather the roar of the entire continent after 100,000 years of silence and suppression.

The Great Dao's resounding voice solidified into a tangible halo that reverberated throughout the universe!
The entire Yongtian Continent was resonating intensely!
Within the capital of the Great Qin Dynasty, the depleted true essence and dormant blood and qi within the bodies of hundreds of millions of subjects found an outlet, like molten lava from underground.

The dusty brush on the old scholar's desk suddenly shattered!
His white hair curled back like frost-covered grass, his withered body visibly plumped up, his wrinkles smoothed out, and the turbidity in his eyes was replaced by clear, powerful energy.

The bottleneck in literature and art that had plagued them for decades shattered the moment the Heavenly Dao lifted its restrictions!

A Grandmaster in one step!

On the street, an old man carrying a load on his shoulder suddenly turned into gold dust, and the coarse rice in his load instantly transformed into jade-colored spiritual grains!
The old man looked down in astonishment, feeling as if his whole body was filled with the power of a bull. He let out a low roar, and the bluestone slab beneath his feet collapsed into a pit.

Further away, the mountains and rivers trembled!

In a secluded mountain cave, an old monster who had been in seclusion for a thousand years and was on the verge of death suddenly opened his eyes, and the coffin hanging above his head cracked inch by inch!

The tribulation clouds that had been accumulating for ten thousand years were dispersed by the light of heaven before they could even condense...

Bottleneck? In Yongtianzhou at this moment, the bottleneck is like a spider web, easily broken at the slightest touch!
At the foot of the imperial city, the banners of the twelve departments of the Heavenly Guard stood like a forest.

With a flick of his arms, Qin Wuyai, the head of the Martial Guard, summoned not thunder, but nine azure lightning dragons that meandered down from the heavenly light!

The dragon's body coiled around him, turning his beard and hair indigo. He stood like a pillar of strength, the space around him cracking inch by inch. With the power of a Grandmaster, he withstood the might of the cataclysmic change in the world, and roared like muffled thunder: "Suppress!"

Behind him—

Ye Qingfeng took a step forward, and his left arm, the Meteor Arm, suddenly lit up like the blazing sun. Seven ancient star-patterned flying swords were unsheathed with a clang, forming the Big Dipper to protect the throne!
The Myriad Demon Records in the hands of Lu Tianshu of the Kunde Demon Suppression Division unfolded with a whoosh, and the seventy-two sealed demon king spirits roared in pain amidst the golden light.

The judge's pen of the Netherworld Judge drew in the void, causing the long river of Yin energy deep within the earth's veins to roar and surge.

Before Lingzhen Sixingyan, the celestial disc spun wildly, with countless illusory stars flowing like a river...

The aura of tens of millions of guards soared into the sky, condensing into twelve colorful pillars of light that pierced the heavens!
Between the pillars of light, Luo Hongxiu's figure transformed into a poisoned shadow, "fleetingly beautiful" amidst the energy storm that tore through the void. Her sleeve sword grazed the spatial rift, leaving behind lingering dark green ripples.

As Wu Yusi's iron fist stomped the ground like a raging bear, its muscular right fist shattering the air, creating a sonic boom wherever it struck! (End of Chapter)