Daqin Zhentiansi

Young Master Xuanlan clasped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Zhang Yuan, his face devoid of any of his former arrogance, displaying only admiration and resolute determination: "Fire General's divine might has won me over!"

"We aspire to such petty and despicable acts within the palace! We have come here willingly to serve under your command, General, and to guard the Blood Millstone together, even unto death! We beg you, General, to take us in!"

The others also clasped their hands in a fist salute.

Looking at the resolute faces before him, Zhang Yuan's cold gaze softened slightly.

He nodded slowly: "We are all in the same boat, what difference is there between heaven and man? Stay."

Xuan Lan and the other two immediately showed joy and bowed respectfully: "Thank you, Commander Huo!"

The post-war period was filled with numerous tasks: reorganizing the army, deploying defenses, treating wounded soldiers, taking over new garrisons, and receiving a token "reward."

When the night was deep and quiet, and only Zhang Yuan remained in the tent, he sat quietly for a moment, his mind sinking into the depths of his consciousness.

Spring Mountain Cave, the stream remains the same, the fragrance of tea lingers.

The painting hanging at the center unfolded quietly.

Zhang Yuan's illusory spirit raised his hand, a gentle yet firm will swirling around his fingertips, and slowly wrote four characters in a blank corner of the scroll:

Stay safe and sound, don't worry.

The handwriting enters the painting, carrying a timeless comfort, quietly blending into it.

Inside the cave, Zhao Yu, who had been waiting by the painting, instantly sensed that familiar fluctuation.

She was struck as if by lightning, and suddenly lunged at the painting, her fingertips trembling as she traced the four characters that seemed to carry her warmth.

The long-tense tension in her heart suddenly relaxed, and all the accumulated worries, longing, and fears turned into hot tears that slid down her cheeks. Finally, on her tear-stained, bright face, a relieved and radiant smile bloomed, enough to light up the entire cave.

"My lord...my lord is well!" In the real imperial city, Yu Kuizhen, who had been anxiously sensing the movements of the grotto-heaven, suddenly opened his eyes and scrambled towards Qianyang Palace, his voice hoarse with joy, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Marquis Qingyang is safe! He left a message in the grotto-heaven! He's back! He's safe!!!"

Inside the hall, Emperor Yuankang, who had been standing with his hands behind his back, exuding a deep and unfathomable aura, suddenly turned around, and his tightly furrowed brows relaxed abruptly.

The long-suppressed worry in his deep eyes finally transformed into a relieved warmth. A slight smile played on his lips as he murmured to himself:

"It's good that you're alive...it's good that you're alive..."

……

Imperial City.

Qianyang Palace.

With Zhang Yuan's written account, the tumultuous waves he faced in the prehistoric world and the grand plans he undertook were transmitted back with unparalleled clarity.

The ministers were unfamiliar with this enormous "Heavenly Palace".

Wang Anzhi coughed lightly, recalling the damaged records of the previous Great Zhou Immortal Dynasty: "In the ancient primordial world, divine beasts were prominent, but a great calamity suddenly came. 'Endless heavenly demons came from the depths of chaos and tore apart the primordial world.'"

"Divine beasts shed blood, all spirits waile... The sky tilts to the northwest, palaces are reduced to ruins... Could it be that the Heavenly Palace is about to perish?"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of everyone in the hall changed drastically, becoming even more solemn.

The ancient calamity of the Heavenly Demon!

The primordial world is shattered!

The Heavenly Palace has collapsed!

These ancient terms were now connected to the "Heavenly Palace" and "Heavenly Demon" that Zhang Yuan was facing.

Sun Qi took a deep breath, his voice heavy: "So, the reason why my Great Qin of the Nine Provinces has survived to this day is not because the Heavenly Demons are merciful, but because they have almost forgotten this place?"

"Within that void and chaos, from ancient times to the present, have lurked countless celestial demons powerful enough to tear apart the primordial world?"

The ministers present understood immediately.

Zhang Yuanyuan's journey to the primordial world was not a momentary impulse, but a destiny-defying act that transcended time and space for the future survival of the entire Qin Dynasty.

"Indeed!" Emperor Yuankang slammed his hand on the imperial desk, his voice resolute and carrying an unquestionable imperial will. "What Marquis Qingyang has done is not for the sake of one person's achievements, but for the foundation of our Great Qin for all eternity! In the primordial world, he is performing a heaven-defying act to change the fate of our Great Qin for its future!"

The emperor's gaze swept over every high-ranking official in the hall, his eyes filled with both worry and determination: "I, Yu Kuizhen, inform the Marquis of Qingyang! Great Qin is his strongest backing! Whatever he needs, the entire nation will provide, and he will be given whatever he desires!"

"Whether it's divine weapons, rare and precious materials, or... the power of the Heavenly Dao!"

Emperor Yuankang's voice suddenly rose, carrying a do-or-die determination.

"If it really comes to that critical moment, I will need to summon the Great Qin Heavenly Dao to rush into the primordial world and reverse the course of time... Even if it alarms the Heavenly Venerable and attracts the attention of the extraterrestrial demons, I will not hesitate!"

"This is a battle for the survival of the Qin Dynasty; there is no way to retreat!"

"Your Majesty is wise!" the ministers echoed in unison, their hearts surging with emotion.

Zhao Yu stepped forward, her eyes slightly red but bright, holding several jade slips that emitted a faint golden light in her hands: "Your Majesty, esteemed officials. Although my husband is in danger, his heart is with the Great Qin."

"Through secret methods, he has meticulously recorded here all his experiences in fighting against the Heavenly Demons on the Primordial Battlefield, as well as the Heavenly Demons' habits, weaknesses, and even countermeasures."

"My husband said that this was obtained in the midst of blood and fire, and it may be able to help our Qin army. If we are attacked by the Heavenly Demon in the future, we can shed less blood and have a better chance of winning."

Emperor Yuankang was moved and solemnly accepted the jade slip: "Marquis Qingyang... unparalleled in loyalty and courage, a peerless national hero! Minister Sun!"

"Your subject is here!" Grand Councilor Sun Qi immediately bowed.

"From this day forward, the Military Affairs Department shall dedicate half its resources to fully simulating the prehistoric war situation!" Emperor Yuankang declared in a deep voice. "Based on the intelligence relayed back by Marquis Qingyang, we shall gather wisdom from all quarters, simulate the movements of the Heavenly Demons, and deduce offensive and defensive strategies. Even across countless ages, we must provide Marquis Qingyang with the strongest strategy on the front lines of the prehistoric world!"

"I want him to always have the wisdom of the entire Qin Dynasty supporting him!"

"Your Majesty, I obey!" Sun Qi's eyes gleamed with a sharp light, feeling an immense sense of responsibility. "We will do our utmost to devise a foolproof plan for Marquis Qingyang!"

The atmosphere inside the main hall was solemn.

After Sun Qi and other senior military officials received their orders, the rest of the people in the hall bowed and took their leave, leaving only Wang Anzhi, Lu Jun, and a few other close ministers.

Zhao Yu took a deep breath and solemnly took out the scroll from his sleeve.

“Your Majesty,” Zhao Yu’s voice was clear and melodious, “my husband is well aware of the dangers of this journey, and is even more worried about the very foundation of the Great Qin.”

"In the lull between the bloody battles, he used his supreme martial arts essence to forcibly imprint the remaining traces of heaven and earth on the ancient battlefield, the primordial imprints scattered after the fall of gods and demons, and the fragments of chaotic laws caused by the tearing of the void by the Heavenly Demon..."

"Although it appears rough and straightforward due to the hasty recording, lacking in refinement, it is precisely because of its original simplicity that it points directly to the core essence of power!"

These are all true primordial legacies!

Zhao Yu presented the scroll with both hands: "This is my husband's personally transcribed 'The Origin of Primordial Battle Qi,' containing his personal insights and deductions of primordial cultivation methods." "Although it is not a systematic whole, it is like a spring of sweet water unearthed in barren sand. For the peak experts of our Great Qin who have reached the pinnacle of their abilities but are searching for the path forward without finding the way, it may become a glimmer of hope to break through their own limitations and glimpse a higher realm!"

Emperor Yuankang, with a solemn expression, personally accepted the scroll.

The moment you hold it, a vast, violent, and primal heat emanates from the scroll, as if you are grasping a burning, ancient land.

He unfolded a corner of the book, his gaze sweeping over the words and images that resembled knife marks, imbued with the aura of chaotic thunder, his pupils shrinking slightly.

Even with his imperial status and extensive knowledge of treasures, he could still sense the immense power and pure artistic conception that pointed directly to the Great Dao contained within.

This is by no means an ordinary cultivation method, but a core secret of heaven and earth that only an unparalleled powerhouse who has fought bloody battles in the desolate wilderness and merged with the heavenly Dao of the two realms can glimpse and forcibly seize!

Zhao Yu's voice continued, carrying Zhang Yuan's unique grand vision and fearless sharpness: "My husband further stated that this is only the first step. He ventured alone into the primordial wilderness, battling the Heavenly Demons, and his ambitions are far greater!"
"His core plan is to 'draw upon the primordial energy of the Great Qin to nourish it!' He intends to use himself as a fulcrum between the two realms, leveraging the resonance between the Heavenly Dao of the Great Qin and the barrier of the primordial world, to simultaneously destroy the chaotic demonic source, purify the filth, and reshape order on the primordial battlefield, while attempting to intercept a wisp of pure primordial energy, traversing the long river of time, and bringing it into the world of my Great Qin!"

"If this move succeeds, the primordial energy of the ancient world will enter Qin, greatly enriching and strengthening the power of the Heavenly Dao of Qin, just as ancient glacial meltwater will be injected into a dried-up river!"

"More importantly, this energy contains the primordial essence of chaos and fragments of supreme rules from the beginning of the world. For cultivators of the Great Qin, this is an unparalleled opportunity to break through the shackles of bloodline and raise the upper limit of cultivation!"

"This is the foundation of my husband's plan—to secure a path to heaven for our Great Qin!"

Emperor Yuankang slowly closed the scroll, his eyes shining with a light like the radiance of heaven.

He nodded heavily, each word spoken with a weight as firm as a mountain:
"I understand."

Inside the main hall, everyone looked up.

At this moment, the Great Qin Heavenly Dao seemed to coalesce into a black dragon spanning hundreds of millions of miles, roaring towards the sky.

flood.

Blood Millstone, Battalion No. 7, Class C.

Zhang Yuan sat alone in the rather simple general's tent.

The camp isolated the outside world from bloodshed and clamor, but it could not isolate the chilling and chaotic atmosphere that permeated the heavens and earth.

What floated before him was not a military treatise or strategy book, but a jade talisman that had just been transmitted through the mysterious connection of the Spring Mountain Grotto, radiating a warm white light and a faint scent of ink.

Flowing within the jade talisman was Emperor Yuankang's resounding promise—

"Use the power of the entire nation to take whatever you want! Even if it means defying the will of Heaven, we will not hesitate!"

A genuine and warm smile slowly appeared on Zhang Yuan's cold and stern face.

He gently closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, all that remained in his eyes was unwavering determination and burning fighting spirit.

"I've never fought alone," he murmured to himself, his voice soft yet carrying immense power.

"Behind me... lies the entire Great Qin!"

————————————————————

Chen Tieling, Yingzui Cliff, and Guxingbao.

The three outposts, which had just been recaptured from the clutches of the Heavenly Demon, were like three nails hanging precariously on the edge of a chaotic storm, forming a new fulcrum for the defense line of the Seventh Battalion of the C-Class.

The cold imperial edict issued from the heavens, "Hold this line firmly, not an inch of land shall be lost," carried a weight heavier than a thousand pounds.

Inside the tent, several precious material cores, each shimmering with a different primal luster, floated before Zhang Yuan.

The "Wood Ancestor Core" is as green as jade and contains endless vitality.

The "Remnant Branch of the Ancient Tree of All Spirits" flows with a dark golden luster, like solidified amber of life.

And the “Heavenly Demon Essence Crystal” and “Demon God Bone” piled up like mountains, exuding an aura of chaos and destruction.

"The Heavenly Palace thought this was a dead end, a meat grinder..."

Zhang Yuan's gaze swept over the floating supplies, his eyes swirling with chaotic divine light, carrying a hint of cold sharpness. "Little did they know, this is precisely the furnace for refining 'weapons' and reforging 'arrays'! Yue Zhenshan!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"Using the 'Prison-Suppressing Black Tortoise Shell Pattern' as the base, and the 'Demon God Bone' as the foundation, refine it with the power of 'Spatial Annihilation Crystal' to construct the main array base of Chentie Ridge! Thunderclap!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"Eagle Beak Cliff, with the 'Remnant Branch of the Ancient Tree of Ten Thousand Spirits' as its core, integrates the vitality of the 'Wood Ancestor Core', connects with the earth's veins, and forms the 'Azure Sun Pure Domain'! Pan Yue!"

"Your subordinate is here!"

"Lone Star Fortress is situated in a perilous location. Using 'Crystal Essence of Heavenly Demons' as a catalyst, the 'Shattering Star Thunder Prison' was forged! The array's core is inlaid with 'Filthy Demonic Gold,' whose filth backfires on demonic energy!"

Orders were issued layer by layer, and the entire No. 7 Battalion of the C-Class operated efficiently under the command of Zhang Yuan, the "master craftsman."

Young Master Xuanlan, who was in the camp, and several other elite celestial beings were currently following behind Zhang Yuan, inspecting the construction site of the array base.

They came with a mixture of reverence and curiosity, but their eyes were soon filled with intense shock.

A piece of "Demon God Bone" about a foot square and incredibly hard was broken down into 360 bone needles of varying lengths and as thin as hair by the chaotic divine fire bursting from Zhang Yuan's fingertips and his true essence cutting with precision down to the millimeter!
On the bone needle, layers of defensive, spirit-attracting, and shock-reflecting runes of different properties were etched using micro-carving techniques. Each rune shimmered with a different light, and finally they were combined into an extremely complex miniature array node, which was then embedded in the core of the main array.

Its sophistication and complexity far exceeded their understanding of weapon crafting and array formation.

"This...this is simply ingenious!" Young Master Xuanlan stared in disbelief. "If the Heavenly Palace array masters obtained this, they would simply embed the entire piece into the array platform. How could they have conceived of such a meticulous and precise method!"

On the other side, the subtle linkage of the array was personally outlined by Zhang Yuan on the main array base of Chen Tieling.

His fingertips flowed with primordial energy and chaotic essence, as if he were plucking the strings of the laws of heaven and earth.

The turns, depths, and energy convergence points of each array pattern have been precisely calculated.

Not only is its own structure perfect, but it also echoes the power of the Xuan Turtle Venerable buried deep underground, the auspicious pure aura of the Qilin Saint Son, and even the rudimentary formations of Eagle Beak Cliff and Lone Star Fortress in the distance.

As energy flows, the outline of a huge, invisible network covering the three fortresses is faintly forming.

A Celestial Elite, skilled in array formations, watched with rapt attention, murmuring, "Drawing the attack without releasing it, meticulously crafted, with each element intricately linked... This is hardly a crude fortress defense array; it is clearly the prototype for constructing a 'Heaven and Earth Dao Field'!"

"Such exquisite resonance of laws and guidance of energy, even the core array plate of the Heavenly Palace's central hall is no more than this, right?"

Although the Celestial Race possessed the advantages of the Primordial Great Dao and almost monopolized its inheritance, it was still far too crude compared to the inheritance of the Great Qin Dynasty in later generations.

Whether it's the methods of cultivation or the various means of protecting the path, they are vastly different.

What made the primordial world superior to later generations was the boundless and profound power of the Great Dao, and the unparalleled strength of its origin. (End of Chapter)