He knew very well what war was truly about.
It was about money, about foundational strength, and about the power and quantity of equipment.
Judging from the steady stream of war supplies being transported out—various weapons and armaments—Kongxu Gongzi (Young Master Emptiness) was already certain that once these resources were unleashed, the combat strength of Xuanhuang Town would utterly shock the world.
While others were still struggling to survive with mundane weapons, the army of Xuanhuang Town was already wielding enchanted arrows, rune-inscribed swords, and warblades. In terms of weaponry alone, the difference was immediately massive.
Even though he had previously investigated Xuanhuang Town and believed its strength relied on a well-trained army of fifty thousand, he had never imagined its war readiness would be this formidable.
"What a powerful and mysterious Xuanhuang Town," murmured an outsider cultivator who had witnessed the scene, deeply shocked and beginning to develop wariness toward the town, as if staring into an unfathomable abyss.
"This human stronghold... it might just survive."
Many outsiders who saw the displayed war resources began to gain confidence in Xuanhuang Town's chances of withstanding the coming conflict. Some even started looking forward to the war.
This was the first true clash between the human race and the alien races in this region.
The implications were immense.The consequences of victory or defeat would be far-reaching and incalculable.
While the townspeople and outsiders alike were roused by the appearance of massive war resources, in the rear courtyard of the governor's mansion, Yi Tianxing stood with Master Lu in a pavilion.
Before them sat several black, orb-like objects. Each resembled a sphere, engraved with mysterious runes, faintly exuding a violent aura.
"My lord, I've completed the items you asked me to craft. I didn't fail you," said Master Lu. "However, they're still quite unstable. Even a slight impact could cause them to explode. They're not perfected yet. If I had more time, I might have resolved this issue completely."
He frowned slightly, clearly dissatisfied. In his eyes, these were only prototypes, not yet fully mature. Were it not for the looming war, he wouldn't have brought them out so hastily.
When Yi Tianxing had first shared his idea, Master Lu had been deeply intrigued. Crafting something like this was thrilling, a pleasurable creative process for him.
"No need to rush," Yi Tianxing replied calmly. "Creating something new always requires trial and error. Even a half-finished product has its uses. It may not be any less effective on the battlefield. You've done well, Master Lu. You'll be rewarded in military merit points for both the Divine Crossbow and these new items."
Yi Tianxing's gaze was full of interest as he examined the black orbs, which were forged from black iron-grade crystals. Somehow, they seemed to contain turbulent spiritual energy.
"Military merit points—good," said Master Lu without hesitation. "I've heard the Scripture Vault recently acquired many ancient texts, including works from the Mojia (Mohist School). I'm not interested in ordinary writings, but the core works on mechanical arts do require merit points to access. Don't shortchange me."
In Xuanhuang Town, many high-level resources—like those in the Scripture Vault—could only be exchanged for merit points. Eternal Coins were useless in such cases. The more merit points, the better.
"Understood," Yi Tianxing replied. "You can return now. A bitter war is coming, and I'll need you to continue supporting the town."
Master Lu nodded and left. He would rather spend his time researching mechanical techniques. Now that he knew the Scripture Vault had Mojia works, he couldn't wait to get his hands on them.
"Good stuff. With these, our chances of victory will increase significantly," Yi Tianxing muttered coldly. "And our casualties will be lower. We'll also be able to diversify our tactics. At the very least, I'll make sure the alien armies understand—Xuanhuang Town is not a place to be trifled with. Come, and don't expect to leave so easily."
Previously, he had been uncertain how to handle the Scorpionmen army. But now, he had a way to give them a painful lesson.
He turned and entered a quiet chamber. Not long after, large quantities of crystals and rune inkstones were delivered to the mansion.
Shortly after, crates of black orbs began to be forged and printed, then carefully transported out.
They were cushioned with soft cotton padding to reduce vibrations.
Time passed quietly.
That entire night, operations continued nonstop. Many teams worked in shifts to manufacture and transport the orbs. Everyone involved was a cultivator, and a night without rest was nothing—so long as one circulated their cultivation method, fatigue could be dispelled.
Of course, this method was only viable for a short period. Even cultivators weren't gods—fatigue would accumulate if they went too long without rest.
At dawn, just after breakfast, Wang Dahu appeared on the streets with a team of soldiers.
"All right, everyone—young and old! Grab your shovels and hoes. Follow me—we're going out to dig pits!"
His voice rang loud and clear, and instantly, a wave of townsfolk responded, enthusiastically grabbing their tools and surging out of the town.
The sight stunned many outsiders and even villagers from nearby settlements.
"What's going on? Why are so many people carrying shovels and rakes?"
"This is weird... Shouldn't they be building fortifications now? Why dig? I thought the bulletin yesterday said they were harvesting vegetables and grain today. They're not planting anything before the battle."
Confused and curious expressions spread through the onlookers. Even Kongxu Gongzi found himself intrigued.
"Is this Yi Tianxing's strategy for the coming war? What's he planning?" he wondered, trying to piece it together. But no matter how he thought about it, he couldn't crack the mystery.
They watched as the townspeople arrived outside the walls and began digging small pits—not very wide or deep, and spaced out deliberately.
The spacing wasn't too tight, nor too loose.
With cultivator strength, the digging was fast.
This wasn't confined to one direction either. The pits encircled all four sides of Xuanhuang Town, covering every inch of the outer area in a dense but deliberate pattern, as if planting sweet potatoes.
They didn't resemble anti-cavalry traps like the ones used against the Xiongnu before.
So to many onlookers, it just looked like people digging random holes, with no clear purpose.
Their curiosity surged, gnawing at their minds like an itch they couldn't scratch.
"Is this Lord Yi's hidden card against the alien army? Is he preparing some ultimate weapon?" wondered Huang Chengyan, observing the scene.
Even he couldn't fully grasp it. But his instincts told him it was part of a larger strategy, and that it would certainly play an important role in the coming battle.
At that moment, high in a nearby tree—hidden beneath dense foliage—two figures stood silently.
One was a middle-aged man in scholar's robes, with a gentle and approachable demeanor that made people naturally trust him. His eyes gleamed with intellectual brilliance—an aura that spoke of great talent.
Beside him stood a young man with delicate features, fair skin, and a clever gleam in his eyes. One look at him and you'd know: his mind was full of ideas.
"Brother Jia," the younger one asked, "can you make sense of what's happening? The people are digging pits everywhere… surely that's not a common move, not with war on the horizon. There must be something hidden behind it."
"It's not ordinary behavior, that's for sure," the older man replied calmly. "But without more information, I can't deduce the deeper meaning. We'll have to wait and see."