In the capital of the Qin Dynasty, Qin Lingtian's face was so cold it seemed like water might drip from it. The situation had developed far worse than he had ever imagined. He had never expected that the Huaxia Empire would push the Qin Dynasty into such a dire situation.
The entire Qin Dynasty occupied thirty-two provinces, divided into eight provinces each to the east, west, north, and south. The imperial capital sat in the very center of the Qin Dynasty's territory.
In the southern eight provinces, where Lin Qian and his forces were located, the Qin Dynasty's forces suffered a devastating defeat, with massive casualties. Those who fled and returned to the interior of the Qin Dynasty's territory found themselves under strange attacks.
Not only were these fleeing soldiers targeted, but the Qin Dynasty's forces gathered in the southern eight provinces were also under sporadic attacks. Soul power condensed into pillars and struck with great force.
Attempts to investigate the situation ended in failure, with the scouts trapped in formation mazes and never seen again. The formation masters sent to unravel the mysteries were at a loss, their skills inadequate to break the formations.
In light of this, the only option was to take detours and avoid these areas. However, the vastness of the Qin Dynasty's territory meant they had no clear understanding of where the soul power cannons were hidden and where they weren't, forcing them to remain constantly vigilant.
Sending scouts ahead proved useless, as the hidden soul power cannons would remain dormant until the main Qin Dynasty forces passed through, at which point they would unleash their devastating attacks.
As a result, the Qin Dynasty's troops had to move cautiously, and many soldiers couldn't shake the feeling that they were no longer in their own homeland.
It was as if they were navigating enemy territory, wary of ambushes at every turn, despite being within what should have been the safety of their own lands.
In the distance, they could see yellow dragon-like pillars of light shooting into the sky, marking the enemy's presence. The once familiar terrain had suddenly become alien, as if their homeland had already fallen into enemy hands.
In the western provinces, along the coastal region, one province had already fallen completely into the hands of the Imperial Army.
With five warships dominating the skies and twenty million Imperial troops at their disposal, they had more than enough power to sweep through the region. Furthermore, the area had been left defenseless, with all awakened experts sent to the southernmost province of Shunshui. No one remained to resist the onslaught.
Moreover, the Eight-Armed Sea Clan's Eastern Division Leader, Zhang Nianxin, along with his clan's elders, were all awakened experts. Even if some awakened experts had remained in the Qin Dynasty, they would not have been able to contend with such power.
At this moment, Zhang Nianxin stood at the forefront of one of the five warships, gazing into the distance as they moved forward from the conquered province toward their next target.
Standing at the bow of the ship, Zhang Nianxin couldn't help but feel a deep sense of admiration for the warships' combat prowess. The enemy forces hadn't even gotten close before being obliterated by the soul power cannons mounted on the warships.
Even more impressive was the way the Imperial Army decimated the Qin Dynasty's garrison and city defense forces, crushing them so swiftly that Zhang Nianxin himself struggled to keep up.
Since no awakened experts had appeared along the way, there had been little need for the Eight-Armed Sea Clan's own experts to intervene.
In fact, the conquest of the province had been entirely the Huaxia Empire's victory. Zhang Nianxin and his forces had simply stood by and watched as the Huaxia Empire tore through the enemy with ease.
What surprised the Eight-Armed Sea Clan even more was that the common people of the Qin Dynasty didn't mourn the deaths of their own soldiers and city defenders. Instead, they celebrated.
In many cases, the locations of hidden Qin Dynasty forces were revealed to the Imperial Army by the local populace, who seemed more than eager to assist in their destruction.
It was as if the deaths of the Qin Dynasty's troops brought joy to the people, as though they were ridding themselves of mortal enemies rather than fellow countrymen.
After investigating the situation, Zhang Nianxin and his clan fully understood the reasons behind this reaction, and they couldn't help but nod grimly.
"Well deserved!" they said.
Upon learning how the Qin Dynasty treated its people, Zhang Nianxin and the other members of the Eight-Armed Sea Clan were furious. Unlike humans, the Eight-Armed Sea Clan greatly valued even the most ordinary of their kin, much like how humans valued their civilians.
Knowing the brutal way in which the Qin Dynasty treated its citizens, Zhang Nianxin and his clan were both outraged and grateful that Lin Qian and the Huaxia Empire were now attacking the Qin Dynasty.
In the Qin Dynasty, all resources were controlled by the royal family, the marquises, and the military, leaving the common people with no hope of a better life. They longed to resist but lacked the strength to do so.
Without the Huaxia Empire's intervention, the people of the Qin Dynasty would have continued to suffer, trapped in a life without hope.
As for whether the Huaxia Empire would treat these people well in the future, Zhang Nianxin and his clan had no doubts. They were well aware of how things were in Linhai Prefecture. Compared to the Qin Dynasty, the lives of the people in Linhai Prefecture were nothing short of paradise.
In fact, many members of the Eight-Armed Sea Clan enjoyed visiting Linhai Prefecture, and in just four years, so much had changed.
While the appearance of the Eight-Armed Sea Clan in Linhai Prefecture might have once caused a stir, by now, the people of Linhai were accustomed to their presence.
Especially in the former area of Jin Hai Gate, nearly every citizen of Linhai Prefecture had two or three friends among the Eight-Armed Sea Clan.
As Zhang Nianxin thought about the uncertain future the people of the Qin Dynasty might face under the Huaxia Empire's rule, he couldn't help but feel eager to see their reactions. Would they be able to believe the changes that awaited them?
More than once, Zhang Nianxin had told the people of the Qin Dynasty that the Huaxia Empire's rule would not disappoint them.
"When the Huaxia Empire takes over, you will live in a paradise. The young emperor of this empire is a benevolent ruler, a king of righteousness!"
While the five warships advanced from the west, the east was also engulfed in flames of war, though they had not yet reached the Qin Dynasty. Instead, the conflict had ignited in Wei and Qiu Kingdoms.
Not only was the Huaxia Empire attacking, but the hidden soul warrior organization known as the Hall of Fate within Wei and Qiu Kingdoms had also taken this opportunity to strike.
Unlike the Qin Dynasty, where the ruling powers kept a tight grip on the populace, the surveillance in Wei and Qiu Kingdoms was far more lax. In the Qin Dynasty, those with exceptional talent were either recruited or eliminated.
In contrast, in Wei and Qiu Kingdoms, these gifted individuals had quietly banded together, forming the Hall of Fate within the shadows of the two nations.
The name Hall of Fate symbolized their desire to control their own destinies.
Originally, they had been biding their time, gathering strength to overthrow the ruling powers of Wei and Qiu Kingdoms. Now that the Huaxia Empire, Xiaoyao Sect, and Blood Spirit Valley were all attacking, it was the perfect moment for them to rise.