The methods to establish a Destiny Dynasty might differ, but all of them should ultimately lead to the same result—a Dynasty rooted in fate. While there were many such secret methods, they were still exceedingly rare and extremely precious.No one would easily share them.Passing down even a single copy could mean creating a potential rival—perhaps even a future mortal enemy.Yi Tianxing was not yet selfless enough to offer such a treasure freely to others.
Upon seeing the materials required to forge the five National Destiny Artifacts, Yi Tianxing felt deeply fortunate that he had instinctively seized a batch of exotic treasures during the Cataclysm. These were among his foundational resources for rising to power.
"Of the five Destiny Artifacts, I already possess the materials for the Imperial Seal of the Nation—it can be forged with the Xuanhuang Divine Jade, far more precious than any other gemstone. The Hall of Ten Thousand Immortals requires Willing Force Pearls, and I have the Money Tree, which can steadily accumulate them. Given enough time, this one too will be completed.The Investiture of the Gods and the Imperial Edict can be crafted with peerless materials I obtained among the heavenly treasures.Only the Heaven-Sacrificing Altar remains troublesome—but I'll find a way."
A strange gleam flashed through Yi Tianxing's eyes as he murmured to himself, then stored away the Heavenly Court Forging Manual.
This harvest had been enormous—beyond what he ever could have imagined. Before venturing to the Immortal Tomb, he never would have guessed he'd return with such gains. His strength had once again undergone a qualitative leap—far beyond what it had been before.Most importantly, he had now obtained a complete method to establish a Destiny Dynasty. As long as he followed the steps, he could bring it into existence almost effortlessly.The foundation for his future had now been firmly laid.
"I need more people... and more land."
Yi Tianxing took a deep breath and murmured softly.A Destiny Dynasty was built upon people—they were its very foundation. Population was its root. He had to do everything in his power to increase it. Expand his territory.
Once everything was put away, Yi Tianxing stood up and walked toward the main hall.
Ding dong—!
As he stepped out of his meditation room, the clear and ethereal sound of a zither drifted naturally into his ears. The melody was light and transcendent. Within it, one could sense the imagery of spring's return, birds chirping and flowers blooming, a symphony of nature awakening. The scene it evoked was so vivid it seemed to manifest directly within the mind—bringing peace and clarity to all who heard it.
"Zhao Ji is practicing the piece Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix. Played on the Celestial Phoenix Zither, even without infusing true energy, it still calms the heart. Her mastery of zither arts is already at an extraordinary level. In the path of sound techniques—always strange and formidable—Zhao Ji must never be underestimated if she truly delves into this Dao."
Yi Tianxing nodded to himself.Cai Yan's natural talent in music was outstanding, especially with the awakening of her Heavenly Sound Aperture, which granted her unparalleled sensitivity to musical resonance. Dedicating herself to the zither was clearly the right path.
Without disturbing her, Yi Tianxing left the courtyard and made his way to the main hall.
"My lord!!"
As soon as he entered, the hall was already filled with the key personnel of Xuanhuang Town—all responsible for important matters. Upon seeing him, they all bowed respectfully.
"No need for formalities," Yi Tianxing said, taking the seat of honor. Beside him stood Cao Zhengchun, calm and composed, seemingly unremarkable.
Yet none in the room dared overlook him.This was the steward by Yi Tianxing's side—his position was not trivial. At times, he even spoke directly on behalf of the lord himself.
"My lord," Huang Chengyan spoke first, "to summon us all so urgently—has something major happened?"
He was aware of Yi Tianxing's expedition to the treasure site but hadn't expected such a swift return—let alone an immediate gathering of the town's leadership. Clearly, something serious had occurred. Otherwise, based on what he knew of Yi Tianxing, such commotion would not have been stirred.
"Yes," Yi Tianxing replied. "I went to the treasure site and successfully acquired the treasure. However, with that acquisition, I've also drawn the attention of countless foreign races.Xuanhuang Town will likely face a brutal battle very soon.Not just a skirmish—a full-scale war. Against the alien races."
He swiftly recounted what had happened in the Immortal Tomb—omitting many details, of course. Even so, everyone was left stunned and deeply alarmed.No one had imagined the treasure site would conceal an ancient tomb—let alone that of the King of Huainan.
Yang Ye immediately stepped forward and declared:
"My lord, since the treasure now belongs to you, it belongs to Xuanhuang Town. If these aliens wish to take it from us—they must pay in blood!Our soldiers do not fear any enemy. Foreign races? They deserve to be slain!"
His voice was filled with killing intent. He harbored no goodwill toward the alien races—who had inflicted endless suffering upon the human race.When faced with an enemy, there was only one answer: battle.
"Indeed. The new recruits have been fully trained—every one of them has seen blood, battled fierce beasts, and are all cultivators. With Master Lu's guidance and the Heavenly Craft Pavilion crafting all kinds of powerful weapons—if the aliens dare come, we'll make them regret it,"
roared Wang Dahu.He held significant influence in Xuanhuang Town's army. His cultivation had also risen rapidly. Like Yi Tianxing, he had fought through countless deadly encounters and had no pity for alien invaders.His words were sharp, brimming with murderous aura.
"Generals, patience,"
Huang Chengyan said with a chuckle.
"As the saying goes: 'Before the troops march, intelligence must come first.' If we don't even know who the enemy is—how they fight, what their strengths are—we'll suffer needless losses.Xuanhuang Town is not weak, but we lack deep foundations. Time has been too short.A head-on clash is not the best strategy.Strategy must lead. Direct assault comes second.With our weaponry and wartime potential, we may still win—but we must be wise about it."
Clearly, he did not advocate brute force. Even victory would come with heavy losses.
As in the battle against the Xiongnu, it was far better to cripple the enemy through strategy first—then crush them outright.Every lost soldier now was a precious loss. In this era, population was priceless.
"Alas," Master Lu sighed, "strategy isn't my strength. Old Huang is good at domestic affairs but not warfare either.General Yang is a battle-hardened warrior—I'm sure he has insight. But truly, the lord himself is the master of unexpected tactics.I wonder, my lord, do you already have a plan?"
Everyone turned toward Yi Tianxing, curious to hear his thoughts.
In the past, he had effortlessly devised a plan to destroy the Xiongnu army during the night—leading to a massacre that left them broken and defeated.That kind of unexpected, low-cost, high-reward strategy was exactly what every strategist dreamed of.In warfare, strategy was judged not by its complexity but by its effectiveness.
Yang Ye shook his head:
"I've read plenty of war manuals, but I'm no strategist—I'm a general, not a planner.But the lord's ideas? Now those are worth hearing."
Yi Tianxing smiled and shook his head.
"Let's not talk about that now."
He knew it too—Xuanhuang Town still lacked deep foundations, especially when it came to talent. What they lacked most… were military strategists.And while he himself had modern experience and a flexible mind, he was no true strategist. He had relied on unconventional thinking to devise what others could not—but he had never underestimated true strategists.A true strategist could command from afar, shape entire campaigns, and reshape the world.If he had one beside him now, he would not need to worry about planning against foreign invaders himself.
"First, let's review the current state of Xuanhuang Town."
Rather than jumping into battle plans, Yi Tianxing wanted to understand the full situation first.
"My lord," Jia Yucun stepped forward, "we have officially registered and issued Heavenly Registration Cards to 113,634 citizens.The number grows daily—hundreds more every day.At this pace, we'll easily break 200,000 in the near future—perhaps far more."
That was their current population.Xuanhuang Town had already undergone another expansion, preparing to build more homes and infrastructure.
"My lord," Yang Yanping added, "our Military Affairs Division has recorded 50,000 enlisted soldiers.All are cultivators. All have been blooded in battle.Their training is complete."
These soldiers were included within the population total.That meant nearly half the population had joined the military—a truly formidable ratio.