Daqin Zhentiansi

Xuanqiong Palace.

Elder Mingchen awaited the final verdict with bated breath, his forehead even beaded with sweat.

suddenly!

"Buzz!"

An irresistible and supreme will descended directly!

The jade talisman engraved with "Xuanqiong" instantly shone brightly, and a phantom image of a "Demon-Suppressing Tower" flowing with chaotic energy and entwined with golden patterns appeared on its surface—

This is the manifestation of the "Heavenly Emperor's Edict," the highest authority for mobilizing troops in the Heavenly Palace!

A golden ancient seal script that seemed to have been formed from the very origin of the Great Dao—

"allow".

The golden characters shone brightly in the void, radiating supreme majesty that suppressed all heavens and whose words became law!

"It's done! The Heavenly Venerable... the Heavenly Venerable has granted it!"

Elder Mingchen was stunned at first, then an immense joy erupted like a volcano, causing him to gasp and his voice to tremble with excitement!
He clenched his fists tightly, his eyes flashing with an unprecedented light as he stared intently at the floating golden edict phantom, as if he saw a glimmer of hope for the Xuanqiong Palace to turn the tide!

Zhang Yuan!

Three million troops under one command!
This double-edged sword, which he himself handed over, has now finally been given the right to be drawn by the Celestial Venerable!

The flames of war in the Nine Shepherds Wilderness will ignite the gaze of the entire primordial world!

The Heavenly Emperor's decree was earth-shattering!
The decree containing supreme majesty and flowing with chaotic golden patterns, bearing the character "准" (meaning "perfect"), exploded like a thunderclap from the heavens, instantly resounding deep within the consciousness of all forces in the primordial world!

Inside Xuan Qiong Hall.

The other elders in the hall had mixed expressions. Some were shocked that the Heavenly Venerable had actually granted the request, while others were worried that Zhang Yuan was becoming too powerful to control. But at this moment, the imperial edict was as firm as a mountain, and no one dared to object.

"Absurd!" Inside the Hall of Myriad Stars, the Star Radiance Venerable who had once manifested the world of flames had a solemn expression, and starlight flickered at his fingertips. "The Celestial Venerable actually allowed a human to command an army of three million? What kind of bewitching potion did that old man Xuan Yue give the Celestial Venerable? Zhang Yuan... his momentum is already established!"

The deputy commanders of the patrol division were even more ashen-faced. The humiliation of being turned into a fire puppet in Han Yu was still fresh in their minds. Now, their enemy held a large army and was directly threatening their right to wage war, which they regarded as their own private property.

"Raising a tiger is a recipe for disaster! The Xuanqiong Palace has invited a wolf into its house!"

The cold, angry rebuke echoed in the hall, yet it could not conceal a trace of apprehension.

The core of the Thousand Views Guardian Hall.

"Heavenly Venerable One, it's actually granted?!"

The Venerable Cangming held a phantom image of the imperial edict presented by Zhang Yuan.

"Three million! Three million garrison troops! Since the Heavenly Palace divided the realm into two, when has the human race ever had such power concentrated in the hands of one person? Fire General, you have torn open a gap for our human race!"

The Rock Venerable laughed loudly, his voice shaking the palace: "Hahaha! How exhilarating! How exhilarating! Fire General is mighty! With this decree in hand, the sons of my human race can finally gather in dignity under one battle flag!"

A pent-up frustration, suppressed for millennia, seemed to burst forth with this laughter.

In the southern land of fire, the Vermilion Bird gazed with its golden-red eyes toward the direction of the Sand-Sinking River.

Sensing the immense will of Heaven and the resolute destiny of humanity contained in the edict, she sighed softly, "Heavenly Venerable, you have taken such a risky step."

“Zhang Yuan, the knife in your hand is now sharpened and ready to draw blood. Its edge is so sharp that even the Heavenly Palace itself has to be wary of it.”

The central phantom of the Qilin Holy Spirit rippled slightly.

"Humanity's military might has risen again, and the situation in the Nine Provinces is unpredictable. Zhang Yuan's choice will determine the fate of countless lives."

……

"Heavenly decree! Three million troops are now under the command of Zhang Yuan?!"

The news swept across the desolate borderlands like a hurricane.

The chieftain of the Soul-Crying Bird clan bristled, the elder of the Fire Lizard opened and closed his scales erratically, and the leader of the Black-Scaled Crocodile sank deeper into the magma.

"The world is changing! The world is really changing!"

Countless races enslaved and oppressed by the Heavenly Palace whispered among themselves in the dark corners, their eyes gleaming with a complex light that was a mixture of "hope" and "fear".

On Xinzhao Plain, the newly allied rock pythons, black-scaled crocodiles, and other tribes were filled with fighting spirit, as if they could see the dawn of their future resistance.

Chensha River, Dingyue Peak.

Zhang Yuan stood alone amidst the howling wind, the "Qingyang" mark on his black robe and the golden patterns on the Heavenly Venerable's edict in his hand complementing each other.

His gaze was like lightning, sweeping across the primordial territory's luminous sand table that had materialized before him. His voice was deep and steady, yet carried the killing intent of a warrior, penetrating space and precisely imprinting itself on the core array of the guardian temple, the designated target.

"Pan Shi Town Guards, awaiting orders!"

On the sand table, the light spot representing Panshi Temple suddenly shone as brightly as stars.

Deep within the Panshi Temple, the abbot, Venerable Panyue, sits cross-legged atop a giant rock, the earth beneath him resonating with his presence.

The imperial edict and Zhang Yuan's voice exploded directly in his mind!

Pan Yue suddenly opened his eyes, a terrifying glint in them: "Your subordinate is here! I will obey the command of Marshal Huo!"

He suddenly stood up, his voice booming like thunder throughout the temple: "The Fire Commander has ordered! The main force of the Rock Temple, and all the heavy armored corps and assault warriors of the seventeen temples under its jurisdiction in the Northern Region, shall immediately break camp!"

"Target—'Iron Anvil Valley'! Arrive and assemble within thirty days! Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"

The earth rumbled as tens of thousands of armored warriors, clad in heavy black rock armor and wielding massive shields and axes, who were already fully prepared, surged out of the mountain gate like awakened mountains, their uniform, earth-shaking steps shaking the ground.

The earth's veins along the way were activated, and the divine light of the earth-yellow soil faintly rose.

"Iron Anvil Valley is a dangerous place that guards the northeastern gateway to the Nine Shepherds Wilderness!"

"The Fire Commander chose this place as the assembly point for the Arrowhead and Shield, intending to use us as the first heavy hammer to break through the charging bull!"

Pan Yue sensed the movement of the other light spots on the sand table and understood.

"Lord Liefeng, guard the watchtower and await orders!"

On the sand table, a streak of blue light flashed by in an instant.

Inside the Riftwind Temple, the temple master, Feng Wuying, seemed to blend into the wind, his figure flashing throughout the temple.

Upon receiving the decree, his figure suddenly solidified, and he clasped his fists towards the void: "This humble general, Feng Wuying, obeys the order!" He turned around and shouted sharply: "All Wind-Riding Scouts and Gale Sword Guards under the command of Liefeng, break into smaller groups and immediately infiltrate 'Wind Whisper Rift Gorge'! Deploy the 'Thousand Eyes Sky Patrol Formation'."

"I want to control every blade of grass and every tree within a million miles of the Nine Shepherds Wilderness!"

"Keep a close eye on the movements of the White Elephant Clan's 'Sinking Mountain Valley' and the Nine Savage Bull Clan's 'Rift Sky Plain'! Report three times a day, without fail!"

Countless swift figures, moving as fast as lightning, silently merged into the wind and disappeared at the edge of the vast wilderness.

They are the eyes and ears, the spearhead, of the entire army, tearing through the fog of the Nine Shepherds Wilderness. "Heavenly Crafts Guardian, heed my command!"

On the sand table, the light spot representing the Tiangong Temple is as hot as a furnace.

Inside the Tiangong Temple, the furnaces for refining weapons burn day and night.

The abbot, Ou Ye, was shirtless and pounding a piece of bright red spiritual material.

As the imperial edict arrived, he slammed his giant hammer down, causing the furnace fire to flicker.

“Ou Ye obeys!” His voice boomed as he addressed the forest of weapon refiners and strongmen behind him: “Fire Commander orders! Open all earth fire furnaces and floating workshops at Tiangong Temple! All armor, weapons, siege crossbows, supply pills, array plates and flags shall be inspected every three days according to the highest-level combat readiness standard!”

"The 'Fire Dragon Supply Battalion' shall be assembled immediately, and I shall personally escort it along the 'Earthfire Underground River' passage, directly to the army's assembly point, 'Furnace Plain'! If there is even a moment's delay, I shall cut off my own arm as an apology!"

The deafening forging sound instantly increased several times in volume, spiritual energy and flames soared into the sky, and the massive logistics machine roared into action.

The Furnace Plain is located in the core area of ​​the army's assembly, serving as a pre-designated logistics hub and reserve garrison, making its location of paramount importance.

"Qingteng Town Guardian, obey orders!"

On the sand table, a verdant halo rippled outwards.

Inside Qing Teng Temple, towering trees reach for the sky, teeming with life.

The visitor, Mu Qingzi, touches an ancient vine with his hand.

When the imperial edict arrived, the ancient vines moved swiftly without wind.

"Mu Qingzi obeys!"

With a gentle wave of her hand, countless emerald green runes merged into the ancient vines and the earth: "All Qingnang Pharmacists, Senluo Array Masters, and Giant Wood Guards, who belong to the Green Vine, heed my command!"

"Immediately activate the 'Ten Thousand Trees Rejuvenation Formation' and the 'Heavenly Net Vine' to construct a forward medical barrier and a defensive line of attack at the key node of the army's marching route, 'Qixia Pass'! Ensure the army's passage is unobstructed and the wounded receive immediate treatment!"

"At the same time, it will stimulate the earth's veins, purify the foul air at the edge of the wasteland, and provide a clean and pure place for the camp!"

Countless figures clad in green robes began their work alongside the enormous, revitalized ancient tree.

Roots spread beneath the earth, and vines intertwine in the sky.

A vibrant and formidable fortress is rapidly taking shape at the entrance to the wasteland.

Qixia Pass is the very throat through which the army enters the Jiumu Wilderness!

Xuanqiong Palace.

The core secret chamber.

A massive holographic sand table of the primordial world floated in the air. At this moment, countless points of light representing the Chensha River war zone and the nine star fields were drawn by an invisible force, transforming into torrents that were either heavy, swift, or scorching.

These torrents, with unparalleled precision and orderly maneuver, converged on the strategic nodes on the sand table that Zhang Yuan had highlighted: Iron Anvil Valley, Wind Whisper Gorge, Furnace Plain, Qixia Pass... The army moved in together!

"hiss……"

An elder from the Xuanqiong Palace, who was in charge of monitoring the sand table, gasped, his eyes filled with shock.

"All rivers flow into the sea, and all armies converge into the stream! Zhang Yuan has an uncanny knowledge of the characteristics, locations, and capabilities of each of his subordinate garrison commanders!"

"The orders were as precise as a god's, without the slightest error! Within thirty days, the three million-strong army, along with a massive amount of supplies, seemed to have been rehearsed a thousand times in his mind! What terrifying command and deductive abilities this commander possesses?!"

Elder Mingchen stood before the sand table, gazing at the cluster of light points that rapidly grew dazzling and began to resonate with each other, forming the nascent form of a massive and profound battle formation. For the first time, a look of near awe appeared on his face: "Using war to sustain war, commanding troops with orders, strategizing within the tent, and winning battles billions of miles away! This young man's use of troops has approached the 'Dao'! Heavenly Venerable, you truly have discerning eyes!"

On the sand table, the three million troops gathered there were not yet fully in place, but an invisible, iron-blooded, and steel-like military aura had already begun to rise, causing the sand table space to distort slightly.

Even the star track instrument used by the Xuanqiong Palace to deduce celestial secrets emitted a faint humming sound, as if it were about to burst under the strain!
In the desolate wilderness of Jiumu, a storm is brewing!
Deep in the wilderness, the perpetually swirling chaotic dust storm seemed to sense the terrifying pressure from beyond the heavens, and churned even more violently.

A fierce aura condensed, and faintly echoed the indomitable lament of a divine elephant, along with the wild battle roar of a savage bull, reverberating in the wind.

At the center of “Chenyue Valley”, on an altar made of the bones of a divine elephant.

The White Elephant King "Chen Yue" transformed into human form, a giant with an extremely strong body and a simple and resolute face.

He looked up at the sky, his gaze seemingly piercing through the endless dust storm, and saw the magnificent streams of light that pierced the sky and converged towards the edge of the wasteland.

That was the trajectory of spiritual energy caused by the mobilization of a large army.

He spoke slowly, his voice like a low groan of the earth: "The order from the Xuanqiong Palace, the Heavenly Venerable has approved three million troops, Zhang Yuan... what a grand gesture."

Beside him, a Kui Niu clan elder with an equally profound aura wore a solemn expression.

He was sent by Lei Yu to try and mediate.

“Fellow Daoist Shen Yue, Fire General Zhang Yuan is no ordinary lackey of the Heavenly Palace! He is favored by the Phoenix Ancestor and has connections with the Vermilion Bird, the Qilin, and even my Kui Niu clan!”

"This troop deployment may have a deeper meaning; it may not necessarily be intended to carry out an extermination! Why not..."

Before he finished speaking, a mountain peak next to him, made up of countless giant bull horns, suddenly shook violently!
A ferocious figure soared into the sky—it was none other than the Nine Savage Bull King, "Skybreaker"!
Even in human form, he was incredibly robust, with muscles coiled like a dragon, blood-red eyes, and a pair of illusory, curved horns on his forehead that seemed capable of piercing the sky.

"Profound meaning?! Bullshit!" Lieqiong's roar shook the entire valley, causing rocks to fall. "The decree has been issued; three million heavenly soldiers are pressing in!"

"The blade is aimed directly at my Nine Shepherds Wilderness! Even if Zhang Yuan has a past relationship with the divine beast, he is now acting on the orders of the Heavenly Venerable, wielding the Heavenly Palace's butcher's blade!"

"He wants to use the blood of my White Elephant and Nine Savage Bull clans to stain his Fire Commander's illustrious war achievements, to show his loyalty to the Heavenly Palace!"

He pointed sharply at the increasingly dense and approaching chilling aura on the horizon and roared at Shen Yue, "Brother! What are you still hesitating for? Do you expect Zhang Yuan to have pity on us 'remnants of the Divine Elephant'?"

"Do you expect the Heavenly Palace to let us, these 'unstable' primordial bloodlines, off the hook? Look at this! This is a war of annihilation! We have nowhere to retreat, nowhere to surrender!"

A violent aura emanated from him, soaring into the sky and triggering countless angry roars of wild bulls echoing from the depths of the wasteland.

"We must fight to the death! Let their blood be a sacrifice to the heroic spirit of our ancestral guardian elephant! Let our horns pierce through this ancient, invincible myth! Let all living beings of the primordial world see that the bloodline of the guardian elephant is unyielding and unbreakable!"

The roar that ripped through the sky carried a resolute and tragic grandeur, echoing in the howling winds of the wasteland like the beating of war drums.

Shen Yue gazed at the excited sky and then at the breathtaking military might on the horizon, his ancient face expressionless.

Only deep within his eyes, the "power to suppress the prison" belonging to the divine elephant quietly condensed, so heavy that the surrounding space slightly collapsed.

He slowly clenched his huge fist, his knuckles making a dull, thunderous cracking sound.

The Nine Shepherds Wilderness, the wind has already filled the tower, and the war clouds are as hard as iron!

A massive battle that will sweep across the world is about to erupt, with the iron torrent of three million troops as its prelude!

Standing alone on the precipice of Dingyue Peak, Zhang Yuan looked down at the torrents gathering on the sand table and the baleful aura rising from the Nine Shepherds Wasteland, the golden patterns of the Heavenly Venerable's decree on his fingertips slightly warm.

He whispered, his words barely audible in the mountain wind: "The glory of the majestic mountain statue, which has sunk the mountains and shattered the heavens, should not be a shackle. This battle is not for annihilation, but for... reshaping!"

Deep within his eyes, the chaotic divine light and the phoenix true flame mark shone brightly. (End of Chapter)