Lanxi City.
The capital of Yanzhou, and also the old capital of the Great Chen Dynasty. For people of Yu Chuhuai Xi and Huang Tingyu's generation, Lanxi City must have been a place that haunted their dreams. But for Lin Zhao, who was born on Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, he had no impression of Lanxi City. He had only often heard the elders mention it. Lanxi City was the capital of the Great Chen Dynasty, a place that millions of wandering descendants of the Great Chen Dynasty looked forward to.
Lin Zhao and Han Yetang, one person and one horse, walked side by side on the main avenue of Lanxi City. On both sides, players who had settled in Lanxi City passed by. Figures from guilds such as Canglong, Hancheng, Lin Yuan Xian Yu, and Jiang Jin Jiu could be seen everywhere.
"Li Chunyang?"
Lin Zhao frowned and said, "This Grand Overseer's name sounds so familiar..."
"Mm."
Han Yetang smiled slightly and said, "You must have heard of him. The 530,000 Yunzhou cavalry failed in their northern expedition back then. The demon race pursued the Yunzhou cavalry to Gu Xiaoguan. The Marquis of Wen, Wen Shuoyang, ordered Gu Xiaoguan to be sealed, preventing tens of thousands of Yunzhou cavalry from returning south. At that time, the Marquis of Wen dispatched the great general guarding Gu Xiaoguan, who was the famous general Li Chunyang of Western Shu. Later, in the battle of Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, Li Chunyang led 200,000 Western Shu cavalry to charge and kill hundreds of thousands of demons, making outstanding contributions. Not long after, this famous general of Western Shu was enfeoffed by His Majesty as Grand Overseer, in charge of the dynasty's military, with military power above that of us殿帅s."
"Is that so..."
Lin Zhao frowned. The dusty memories slowly unfolded, and his impression of Li Chunyang became naturally more profound.
...
At the end of the avenue, there was a continuous row of palaces. It was the imperial palace of the Great Chen Dynasty back then, and now it was the Lord's Mansion of Lanxi City. The owner had already changed to that Grand Overseer Li Chunyang.
"Greetings, Commander Han!"
A group of armored soldiers recognized Han Yetang and knelt down.
"Rise, please inform the Grand Overseer that Han Yetang requests an audience."
"Yes, Commander!"
A short while later, a person led the two to an audience. Han Yetang walked in front, and Lin Zhao followed behind. The two entered the depths of the City Lord's Mansion along pavilions and terraces, one after the other. After a few minutes, they entered a magnificent palace. Grand Overseer Li Chunyang, clad in golden armor, sat on the command seat. On both sides below him were two rows of generals with strong killing intent.
Li Chunyang was now a middle-aged man with a full forehead and restrained divine light. Lin Zhao knew his cultivation level with just a glance. He was at the peak of the Heavenly Origin realm, an eleven-stage martial artist. He was quite good among the human race's generals. The Marquis of the Northern Expedition, Yue Hao, was only in the Heavenly Origin realm back then. The Heavenly Origin realm was like a watershed for martial artists in the world. Those who could not pass the Heavenly Origin realm were just ordinary martial artists. Once they passed the Heavenly Origin realm and entered the legendary Rebirth realm, they could fight against the thirteen-stage demon race, which was equivalent to standing at the pinnacle of martial arts in the world.
Lin Zhao looked around, feeling quite unaccustomed to it. Turning the grand hall of the Great Chen Dynasty into a tent for military strategizing was somewhat inappropriate, appearing too extravagant. Could the generals living in such a hall really win battles? Perhaps not.
Han Yetang said in a low voice, "The Grand Overseer is in charge of all military affairs in the three northern prefectures. He not only commands the troops of Yunzhou, Yanzhou, and Ningzhou but also directly supervises the forces of the six commanders. Therefore, the Grand Overseer holds a very high position in the Ministry of War."
"Oh..."
Lin Zhao whispered, "What about the other prefectures?"
"Hmph~~~"
Han Yetang chuckled and said, "The three central prefectures, Jizhou, Shuzhou, and Liangzhou, are directly managed by the imperial family of the Great Shang Dynasty. The military forces of the three southern prefectures, Huangzhou, Furongzhou, and Yuzhou, are managed by the Grand Grand Marshal."
"Grand Grand Marshal?"
"Yes, Great Shang has two marshals in the true sense of the word: one is the Grand Overseer, and the other is the Grand Grand Marshal. Coupled with the Great Shang imperial family, the military power is divided into three parts. Of course, both marshals are subject to the emperor's command."
"Got it."
Lin Zhao nodded.
...
"Commander Han."
Li Chunyang rose from his command seat, clasped his hands towards Han Yetang, and smiled, "Long time no see! Guards, get a seat for the Commander."
"Yes, my lord!"
A golden-armored warrior stepped forward and brought a chair for Han Yetang.
Han Yetang did not sit down. He merely pulled Lin Zhao to the front of the golden steps and smiled, "Grand Overseer, I have come this time... actually, there is a very important matter to discuss with the Grand Overseer."
"Oh?"
Li Chunyang smiled, "Please speak, Commander!"
Han Yetang pointed to Lin Zhao beside him and said, "This young hero in white, he comes from Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. Recently, he has established an army of a thousand cavalry on Snow Domain Heavenly Pool and has made considerable contributions in his operations against the demon race."
"Oh~~~"
Li Chunyang narrowed his eyes, looked at Lin Zhao, and smiled, "I just received a message by swift fish a few days ago. Our spies who infiltrated the northern border have indeed confirmed that a battle took place on Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. And it wasn't just operating against the demon race. Young hero in white, you probably also designed to kill the eleven-stage great demon of the demon race, the strategist Shi Jungang from Zushan, didn't you?"
"Yes."
Lin Zhao nodded and smiled, "You know about it too, Grand Overseer?"
"Mm."
Li Chunyang stood up, walked straight down the golden steps, and came to the front of Han Yetang and Lin Zhao. He cupped his hands and bowed, "Anyone in the world who dares to fight against the demon race is qualified to receive a bow from me, Li Chunyang!"
Lin Zhao cupped his hands and returned the bow.
Han Yetang smiled and said, "Now, the young hero in white has begun to establish a foothold on Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, so he has come to me to discuss a major matter. But the matter is too big, so I can only come to the Grand Overseer."
"What is it?"
Li Chunyang raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Feel free to speak directly."
"Mm."
Han Yetang nodded and said, "Snow Domain Heavenly Pool is thousands of miles away from the Great Shang Dynasty, and it is inconvenient to travel back and forth. Therefore, the young hero in white wants to establish a teleportation array on Snow Domain Heavenly Pool that can connect to Shanhai Pass. Even the simplest and most crude array will suffice. However, the matter of establishing a teleportation array is of great importance, and I cannot make a decision, so I can only come to seek an audience with the Grand Overseer."
"Teleportation array?"
Li Chunyang could not help but frown and said, "This might not be easy to handle... Firstly, the cost of establishing a teleportation array is too great. The Great Shang treasury is currently tight, and the Mo Family's ancestral hall might not agree. Secondly, the war in the south against the barbarians is in full swing, and a teleportation array is also needed there to transport grain and supplies. Moreover, Snow Domain Heavenly Pool is located in a remote area, and even with a teleportation array, it would be an isolated city. Can it really be defended? Perhaps not. Once Snow Domain Heavenly Pool is lost, wouldn't the array we painstakingly built turn into bubbles?"
"Please rest assured, Grand Overseer."
Lin Zhao said in a deep voice, "We can defend Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. What we lack is only convenient transportation."
"Young man."
An old man in a gray and white long gown stepped in from the side door, leaning on a cane. He was an eleven-stage cultivator. He squinted and smiled, "You are young, but you have a big mouth. Why should I believe that you can defend Snow Domain Heavenly Pool just because you say so?"
Lin Zhao frowned, "On Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, there is the eleven-stage sword immortal, 杦栀, the Heavenly Origin realm martial artist, 木笡, the Sea Crossing realm martial artist, Chu Yu, and a well-trained human cavalry. Furthermore, with Wash Sword River and Fusang Great Wall behind us, Lin Xingchu of Wash Sword River and Lin Wanhua of Fusang Great Wall can support Snow Domain Heavenly Pool at any time. This is the confidence with which I say these words."
"Tsk tsk..."
The old cultivator could not help but chuckle, "Lin Xingchu of Wash Sword River, the foremost deity within the Great Shang Dynasty, who doesn't know him? Lin Wanhua of Fusang Great Wall, renowned alongside Su Qingjiu of Changming Mountain, known as the two most powerful twelve-stage cultivators in the world. Everyone knows this, but what does it have to do with you? Are they your relatives? Can they come whenever you call?"
Lin Zhao touched his nose, feeling a bit awkward.
Han Yetang smiled faintly and said nothing.
The next moment, Lin Zhao took out a dragon claw from his bag and held it in his hand. Instantly, the residual thirteen-stage demon aura in the dragon claw swept through the entire hall like a storm, forcing a group of mid-fifth stage generals to retreat repeatedly. Even the old cultivator and Li Chunyang involuntarily took half a step back. They couldn't help it; the thirteen-stage aura was too intense. The suppression of cultivation realms was like the pressure of the Dao of Heaven, which was impossible to resist.
"This is..."
Li Chunyang's brows furrowed.
Lin Zhao looked up, his eyes clear, and looked straight at the former famous general of Western Shu, saying, "Half a day ago, two thirteen-stage great demons attacked Snow Domain Heavenly Pool. One was the thirteen-stage Fu Sheng, and the other was the thirteen-stage Lu Hai. Both were notorious great demons. And this dragon claw is what remained of Lu Hai's severed arm. The two great demons fled from Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, and Lu Hai is now only at the eleven-stage."
Everyone was stunned.
Lin Zhao continued, "The news may not have reached the Great Shang Dynasty yet, but it should be soon."
...
"Hoo..."
Li Chunyang's brows furrowed, and he began to re-examine this young sword cultivator.
"Old Qin."
Li Chunyang focused his voice into a thread and spoke to the eleven-stage old man, "What do you think?"
This old man in gray and white long gown was named Qin Shang, Li Chunyang's foremost strategist. He was cunning and resourceful. Li Chunyang's ability to hold his position as Northern Commander was at least half due to the contributions of this "Old Qin."
"Young and impulsive, not necessarily trustworthy."
Qin Shang squinted his eyes and said to Li Chunyang in a telepathic voice, "The aura on Snow Domain Heavenly Pool is indeed chaotic, and a shocking battle may have occurred. But this kid's cultivation level is too low. How can a mere lower-fifth stage sword cultivator possess a severed arm of Lu Hai? Therefore, in my opinion, there are two possibilities."
"What two possibilities?"
"One is that this kid has a powerful backer, and a formidable one at that. Perhaps he really knows Lin Xingchu and Lin Wanhua, these two figures at the peak. But this possibility is small. After all, Lin Xingchu has guarded Wash Sword River for hundreds of years and has never interacted with cultivators from all over the world. As for Lin Wanhua, she lives in seclusion at Fusang Great Wall and spends all her time forging swords. Therefore, the first possibility is almost zero. The second possibility is that this kid is a wandering sword cultivator traveling in the northern region, who happened to arrive after the battle on Snow Domain Heavenly Pool ended. He picked up Lu Hai's arm in the deserted snowfield and brought it here to deceive the Grand Overseer. This possibility is very high."
Li Chunyang's heart trembled, "But he has an elite cavalry army of over a thousand people on Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, and has the allegiance of two upper-fifth stage cultivators, 杦栀 and 木笡. This is certain. The swift fish message we received clearly states that the commander of the Snow Domain Army is called 'Bai Yi' (White Robe), a lower-fifth stage sword cultivator. If nothing unexpected happens, it is him."
Qin Shang's lips curved slightly, "I knew the Grand Overseer valued talent. Since that is the case, let's test him. If it is true, we can indeed use a teleportation array to establish a connection with him. Perhaps we can even draw him and his army to join us. At that time, the northern strength of Great Shang will become even more consolidated!"
"Good!"
Li Chunyang nodded with a smile, already knowing what to do.