Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

The snowfall was extremely heavy.

In just one night, the entire world was covered in a vast expanse of white.

The ancient tree, which was tens of meters tall, was covered with heavy icicles, which made a crisp sound like swords clashing when blown by the cold wind.

The bitter cold became a new and severe test for the Ming Dynasty's expeditionary force.

Winter in this New World is bitterly cold.

It was a cold mixed with the chill of the wilderness, and ordinary cotton clothes could not completely ward it off.

If it were the Ming army in the past, without sufficient supplies to keep warm, such a severe winter would have caused a large number of soldiers to suffer frostbite or even freeze to death, and morale would have plummeted.

However, inside and outside Zhenhai Fort, a completely different and wondrous scene unfolds.

In the early morning, the snow was ankle-deep.

On the drill ground outside Zhenhai Fort, the 50,000 Ming soldiers did not hide in their tents to keep warm.

Accompanied by the deafening sound of war drums, the soldiers, bare-chested and wearing only thin coarse cloth trousers, stood in neat rows in the wind and snow.

"breathe,"

The instructor stood on the high platform, waving the command flag in his hand, his voice booming like thunder.

Fifty thousand strong and capable men of the Ming Dynasty followed the command and began to practice the "First Chapter of the Great Ming Body Strengthening and Breathing Exercises".

This is not only a training exercise, but also a grand test of the secularization of this practice.

As the soldiers breathed, the rich spiritual energy of heaven and earth was forcibly drawn into their bodies through their mouths, noses, and pores.

Qi and blood circulate rapidly in the meridians like a rushing river, transforming into scorching torrents that flow through the limbs and bones.

Gradually, a breathtaking scene unfolded.

A wisp of white mist began to rise above the heads of the 50,000 soldiers.

That's water vapor formed when the body's blood and qi surge and the heat forced out of the body condenses upon cooling.

The fog grew thicker and thicker, eventually gathering into a vast white sea of ​​clouds above the training ground.

The soldiers' bare skin did not turn blue from the cold; instead, it took on a healthy bronze rosy hue.

The snow within a radius of several feet around the site began to melt at a visible speed under the heat emanating from this massive body of energy, turning into snow water that seeped into the soil.

There was no ethereal aura, nor any overwhelming supernatural power.

Only these 50,000 mortal bodies, using the simplest and most down-to-earth methods, managed to withstand the bitter cold of this desolate continent.

With their collective blood and energy, they forged a powerful and masculine energy in this icy and snowy land that was enough to terrify any demon beast.

On the city wall, Wang Shouren, wearing a cloak, watched the thrilling scene below.

His eyes showed no worry, but rather were full of pride.

"With such a fierce and powerful army, what need is there for the Ming Dynasty to fear unrest in this New World!"

On the impregnable walls of Zhenhai Fort, Shen You's "Gathering Earth and Returning to Origin Formation" also revealed another mysterious effect.

The earth element is rich and nurturing, and the formation draws power from the earth's veins.

It also draws up a trace of geothermal heat from deep underground, circulating it between every boulder of the city wall.

The sentries standing on the city wall could even feel the gentle warmth emanating from the stone bricks beneath their feet, as if they were stepping on a heated kang bed in the north.

This spared the soldiers responsible for keeping watch at night from the biting wind and snow, allowing them to maintain their sharpest fighting ability at all times.

The profound heritage of the Ming Dynasty, embellished by the methods of cultivating immortality, reveals an awe-inspiring vitality even in the midst of this harsh winter.

Heavy snow blocked the mountains, making the roads leading inland muddy and difficult to traverse, forcing the army to slow its advance.

Wang Shouren was not impatient.

He ordered his army to consolidate their defenses and fortify their camps, with Zhenhaibao and Wolongling as the core.

At the same time, a large number of scouts were dispatched to brave the snow and venture deep into the interior to create more detailed maps of this new continent.

The pace of war slowed down, and the civilian trade market enjoyed a rare period of leisure.

That evening.

The snow stopped, and a full moon hung in the clear night sky, illuminating the snow-covered ground as bright as day.

In a corner of the trade market area, a simple tavern run by merchants from Sichuan is wafting out a rich, spicy aroma.

It was a large pot of mutton soup bubbling with red oil. In addition to the usual mutton, it also stewed some antler deer meat, which is unique to the New World and has a firm texture.

Li Changqing sat at a wooden table at the very back of the tavern.

On the table sat a small red clay stove, on which a pot of the cheapest liquor was warming.

Holding chopsticks, he slowly picked up a piece of venison from the scalding hot oil pot, dipped it in the sauce, and put it in his mouth.

The spiciness and meaty aroma burst on the tongue, accompanied by a sip of warm shochu.

On this bitterly cold winter night, it is truly the highest form of enjoyment.

The tavern was filled with merchants and shop assistants who had stopped working and soldiers on leave, all playing drinking games.

They boasted about the thrilling hunts they had in the mountains and forests during the day, creating a noisy and enthusiastic atmosphere.

Amidst the hustle and bustle, Li Changqing felt as if he were in another tranquil world.

His deep eyes peered through the half-closed door of the tavern, gazing towards the wild mountains deeper within Wolong Ridge.

These past few days, he has been sitting behind the counter doing accounts.

But that immense divine consciousness always seemed to subtly shroud the surrounding hundreds of miles of land.

As the Ming army began to deeply mine the Ling stone veins of Wolong Ridge.

The sounds of excavation, tinged with the scent of mortals and gunpowder, were traveling along the intricate geological veins towards the unknown heartland of the New World.

Beneath this tranquil expanse covered in snow, Li Changqing could clearly sense an extremely ancient and subtle yet immensely powerful spiritual energy fluctuation slowly awakening deep within the earth in the far distance.

It wasn't the awakening of one or two ancient ferocious beasts, but rather more like a massive formation that had been dormant for millions of years.

Or perhaps it is the remnant of some once glorious ancient civilization that has sensed the invasion of outsiders.

It is instinctively making some kind of preparation for resistance.

"Those remaining array patterns are indeed not isolated cases. The old stories hidden deep within this new continent are far more complex than those few fire-breathing beasts."

Li Changqing downed the wine in his glass in one gulp and gently placed the glass on the table.

A relaxed yet expectant smile appeared on his lips.

The war chariots of the Ming Dynasty are rolling forward, and the fusion of mortals and immortals is creating miracles on this land.

Wang Shouren had his own way of commanding troops, and Shen You had his own principles of battle formations.

If he were to encounter those tough nut to crack left behind by the ancients, he wouldn't mind venturing into the snow of this cold winter to unravel the mysteries that have slumbered for thousands of years.

To sweep away the last gloom for the Ming Dynasty.

"Shopkeeper, the bill is due."

Li Changqing laid out a few copper coins on the table and stood up.

He tightened his woolen cloak, picked up the Xiangfei bamboo folding fan, pushed open the door of the tavern, and stepped into the cold moonlight and the vast expanse of white snow.

A cold wind blows, swirling up thousands of piles of snow.

The lone figure in blue left a trail of gentle footprints in the snow, gradually fading into the distance.

Until it merged into the boundless, desolate night.