This was the very same heavenly treasure that Yi Tianxing had obtained during the Great Cataclysm.
Since then, he had kept it hidden, never revealing it.
Because this Iron-Blood Great Wall required an unfathomable amount of flesh and bone to forge. The amount of material it needed was simply too immense. The corpse of an ordinary person could only be refined into a single, tiny brick. For cultivators with powerful cultivation, their flesh contained more energy, and thus could be condensed into more bricks. The stronger they were, the more potent their essence, and the more bricks that could be forged.
Moreover, if it began with the flesh and bones of soldiers, it would be more effective in condensing an immortal will.
That was the reason why Yi Tianxing had collected the corpses of fallen soldiers—not for their souls, but for the indestructible will they left behind. This will was embedded in their flesh and blood, then fused into the wall. In a way, it was a form of rebirth. Over time, these wills would become eternal and unshakable.
He had not originally intended to bring it out so soon.
However, with even a Supreme Divine Artifact blueprint revealed this time, there was no longer any need to conceal the Iron-Blood Great Wall. It could serve as a source of hope, a spiritual pillar. Among humanity, the desire for burial and returning to one's roots had always been deeply ingrained.
For a long time, the bodies of fallen soldiers had disappeared into his hands. That mystery had inevitably bred suspicion.
So be it—he would come clean.
Their flesh and bones had forged the Iron-Blood Great Wall. Looking at the Wall was like seeing their comrades, friends, and brothers once more.
Of course, there was an inherent danger in this, since not everyone would willingly accept their remains being used in such a way.
Now, gazing at the towering Wall in the distance, emanating its iron-blooded aura and indomitable will—
"I know that using the corpses and flesh of our people to forge the Iron-Blood Great Wall without your consent was a unilateral decision—unjust and perhaps wrong. But today, I present this Wall with full transparency, and give everyone a chance to make a choice. No judgment, no pressure—only based on your own will."
Yi Tianxing's voice rang out solemnly as he looked at the silent soldiers and citizens of Xuanhuang Town.
There was no attempt to hide anything. Had he kept quiet today, perhaps no one would have spoken up, but a silent thorn would have remained. The dead deserved dignity, and using their bodies without consent was a form of disrespect.
He wanted to remove that thorn now.
Having led Xuanhuang Town this long, Yi Tianxing's own aura had transformed. His vision now stretched far beyond the present.
"My lord, you needn't explain. I believe that those who gave their lives to protect Xuanhuang Town would have gladly offered their remains to continue guarding us," said Huang Chengyan earnestly.
"Exactly. We don't raise cowards in Xuanhuang Town. Every one of us is a blooded warrior, unafraid to clash with beasts and foreign races. We didn't flinch in life—why would we fear what becomes of our bodies in death? If I die in battle, I, Jia Yucun, would rather be buried beneath this Iron-Blood Great Wall, and give my last ounce of strength to defend our people," said Jia Yucun loudly.
"Enough words. Today marks the founding of the Iron-Blood Great Wall. Eternal Calendar, Year 1, Month 7, Day 15. I shall now perform the ritual for the soldiers and citizens who have died for Xuanhuang Town."
Yi Tianxing did not accept their reassurances. Some things simply had to be done.
Standing atop the city wall, he looked toward the Iron-Blood Great Wall in the distance, solemn and respectful. Slowly, he intoned:
"Today, I, Yi Tianxing, lord of Xuanhuang Town, call upon the heavens and earth to witness this rite. I hereby pay tribute to the heroic souls of the human race who have perished in battle."
His voice, empowered by true qi, spread across the entire town and battlefield, reverberating in all directions.
The battlefield fell completely silent.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on Yi Tianxing.
"Since the convergence of the myriad worlds and the birth of the Eternal Continent, countless humans have become prey to beasts, monsters, and foreign races. Across the forests, wilds, and plains lie bones upon bones—evidence of our suffering. But some among us have refused to cower. Human warriors rose up in defiance, their blood boiling, engaging in bloody battle with the beasts, slaying monsters, and clashing with foreign invaders. Blood dyed the earth red, corpses littered the land. And from that, Xuanhuang Town was carved—a haven where our people could live and multiply."
"To the heroic souls of humanity—glory!"
"May the wills of our heroic spirits endure for all eternity!"
Each word shook the hearts of the soldiers and civilians. Memories of hardship, of pain, of struggle to reach this point, came flooding back. From defenseless prey to a force that could fight—and win—against the foreign races. The sentiment grew stronger.
One by one, people began to echo his words:
"May the wills of our heroic spirits endure for all eternity!"
"May the wills of our heroic spirits endure for all eternity!"
Before they realized it, everyone—from soldiers to civilians, even visiting cultivators—was shouting together, their hearts united in solemn reverence.
Whoooosh!!
The Iron-Blood Great Wall began to tremble. From within streaks of blood-red light, figures began to emerge—the figures of soldiers and civilians. Each one exuded fierce battle intent and unyielding killing will, undiminished by death.
"What is this? Why am I seeing Uncle Li? Didn't he die in battle?"
"That's Daniu! I remember he died fighting beasts, but he was amazing—he killed several before falling!"
"That's Old Qin! He once smashed a foreign warrior's skull with a shovel—but he died bravely too. Are these... their souls?"
Cries of astonishment erupted across the battlefield.
Eyes locked on the Iron-Blood Great Wall. They all saw it—this was no illusion. These were truly the souls of the fallen.
Yes, these were the residual souls of the soldiers and civilians who had perished.
The Eternal Continent was still new and unstable. The Iron-Blood Great Wall had the ability to preserve and nourish souls. As long as their flesh became part of the Wall, they were granted the right to remain. And if they chose to, they could leave at any time and enter reincarnation. Until now, their souls had been in slumber.
Now, awakened by the ritual, they understood the current situation and the state of Xuanhuang Town. A look of comfort and pride spread across their faces.
Their sacrifice had not been in vain. Their blood had not been spilled for nothing. Their deaths had meaning.
"Fallen souls, I, Yi Tianxing, apologize. I used your corpses to forge the Iron-Blood Great Wall without your permission. That was my mistake. I hereby ask for your forgiveness during this ritual. If any among you are unwilling, I will remove your remains and give you a proper burial. This is entirely voluntary. You have nothing to fear—I will not be angered. Whether you choose to remain or not, this day every year will be set aside to honor you."
His words rang with sincerity and conviction.
Yi Tianxing truly meant it. If any of them wished it, he would retrieve their remains and bury them with full honors. They were heroes who had bled and died for Xuanhuang Town.
They deserved respect.
"My lord, you're too kind. Buried in the dirt, our bodies would be eaten by beasts and rot into dust. What meaning is there in that? In this harsh world, I would rather my flesh become part of the Wall, a foundation stone to protect Xuanhuang Town. That is true worth. My body is the Wall—and I will protect it forever!"
One soldier soul shouted, eyes burning with conviction.
"Exactly! I offer my flesh to forge this immortal Iron-Blood Great Wall. Even in death, my body shall guard this land. How could I miss out on such a meaningful thing?"
A civilian soul added passionately.
They would rather become part of the Iron-Blood Great Wall, where their will could endure eternally. The Wall stood, and so did their spirit.
This was an era of chaos.
Buried in the ground, they would become food for wild beasts. Their bones would rot, their memory fade. But become part of the Wall—and they would live on forever.
They chose to be buried in the Great Wall.
Not a single soul requested to be removed from it.
"Indeed. We bury the dead to remember them. But that remembrance fades. Instead, let them live on within the Iron-Blood Great Wall—not only guarding the future, but truly enduring for eternity. We can visit them every year, see the Wall, and remember our ancestors."
"When I die, bury me in the Iron-Blood Great Wall!"
"If I fall in battle, may my body become part of the Wall to guard the human race!"
From the voices of the heroic souls, countless people were moved. Their view of the Wall changed completely. A new thought took root in the minds of soldiers and civilians alike:
If I must die, let me be buried in the Iron-Blood Great Wall.
And that thought would one day blossom.