After Lin Qian left, the warriors and beast generals of the Huaxia Empire passed by Yuan Supreme, their eyes filled with intense battle spirit.
"Such strength, old man. It makes me want to have a bout with you."
"Don't cause trouble for the Emperor. Besides, against someone this powerful, you'd be taken down in an instant."
"If we all joined in, even a powerhouse like him wouldn't have much of a chance, right?"
"Don't act recklessly."
As they followed behind Lin Qian, the generals and beast warriors exchanged words, but a stern voice came from the front.
"Yuan Supreme has sworn loyalty to me. Watch your tongues!" Lin Qian's imperial might surged, pressing down on them, causing many of the generals and beast warriors to pale visibly.
After Lin Qian's rebuke, the somewhat chaotic situation quickly calmed down, and order was restored.
Following behind Lin Qian and his group of generals and beast warriors, a massive, orderly army of imperial soldiers and battle beasts emerged, their discipline and equipment impeccable. This sight left the Yuan family members in awe.
Further back, there were also scholars dressed in elegant robes and muscular men in leather garments.
"They're so different from the generals and marquises of the other kingdoms and empires. Though they are incredibly strong, they don't seem disorganized," one elder from the Yuan family muttered after the generals and beast warriors had passed.
"No, you're wrong. While they might appear boisterous and unruly, none of them even let their soul force slip outside their bodies," Yuan Wudi remarked, his expression grave as he watched Lin Qian's entourage move into the distance. "They aren't disorganized at all. They're moving in a formation, almost like a battle array."
"Some are battle-hungry, and others are restless, but don't be deceived by their words. From start to finish, their strange formation never faltered. Their aura is as solid as iron, and even their breathing is synchronized. Despite their different stances, their steps are in perfect harmony."
"Eight hundred ninth-stage Transcendence Realm warriors with completely different personalities, yet moving as one. Do you understand how terrifying that is?" Yuan Supreme added, gazing at the massive column of warriors with a growing sense of dread. "Father, what exactly is he planning? Is this truly just about punishing the so-called rebel Yun family? Eight hundred Transcendence Realm warriors could conquer the entire five regions—East, South, West, North, and Central—by themselves."
"You've already discerned the Young Master's intentions. Why bother asking further?" Yuan Supreme's calm words left Yuan Wudi dumbfounded and speechless.
"Let go of the burden of the Yuan family and focus on unifying the Soul Martial Continent," Yuan Supreme continued, recalling Lin Qian's words that still echoed in his mind. As he watched the seemingly endless procession of troops emerging from the portal, he realized that Lin Qian might truly achieve his ambitions.
Within the Yuan family's domain, the armies of the Huaxia Empire began to spread out in all directions, advancing toward the Yun family's territory.
The Yun family, which occupied 190 regions in the southwestern part of the Yuan family's domain, provided a vast array of resources for the family. The Yun family was renowned for their expertise in forging and formations, and their soul artifacts were highly sought after. In terms of wealth, they were unmatched among similar powers.
Moreover, the regions under the Yun family's control were rich in soul ore, which was essential for crafting soul artifacts. The spirit veins in their territories produced soul ore at an exceptionally rapid pace.
It was precisely because of this that Yun Junzhu (Yun Fan) was regarded as the Yun family's greatest hero. When the Yun family had dwindled to control only 103 regions, it was he who took up the mantle and, with his followers and family members, reclaimed one region after another.
Yun Fan had not only impressive strength but also an acute sense for battle.
However, there had always been something that puzzled Yun Fan. In some of the toughest battles, victory had come far too easily. It was only later that he realized his wife, Yun Rong, had been secretly aiding him all along, her strength far surpassing his own.
At this moment, Gale and Shadow had already infiltrated the Yun family's territory, and reconnaissance beasts had spread across all 190 regions.
Lin Qian had already gathered a comprehensive understanding of the Yun family's situation.
"Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will be victorious in a hundred battles."
The formation maps created by the scholars of the Huaxia Empire's Heavenly Works Department had been discreetly placed across the Yun family's territory by Gale and Shadow. The formation viruses had silently invaded.
The Huaxia Empire's unique and unfamiliar battle tactics were quietly seeping into the Yun family's domain like rain soaking into the earth.
Relying solely on numbers to crush the enemy would be wasteful. A true victory for the Huaxia Empire required domination on every front.
Back in Yongquan Province, Lin Di and Yun Yunyan (Lin Qian's parents) were vividly recounting how Lin Qian had commanded the forces of the Huaxia Empire to utterly defeat the Yun family's Transcendence Realm elders at Wan Yao Qian Mu Valley.
They also eagerly described the events of the Joyous Arena, their voices full of excitement and nostalgia.
"It was such an exhilarating battle! It's just a shame that Qian'er said there would only be one chance to fight in the Joyous Arena," Yun Yunyan said, her tone tinged with regret, leaving Yun Fan and Yun Rong stunned and speechless.
"Ah, it sounds like so much fun. If I had gone to Wan Yao Qian Mu Valley with you all, I could've experienced that playful fight myself," Yun Qingfeng groaned, shaking his head in frustration.
"But what's truly fascinating is that the people of the Huaxia Empire whom Qian'er commands possess such a well-defined system of power, and they work together with such harmony. It's as if they were born for it."
"The stronger one's strength and realm, the more they tend to focus on their personal power," Yun Fan mused. "Even in battles where there are many combatants, it often feels more like a series of individual duels."
Yun Rong nodded in agreement. "It seems that Qian'er prefers to unite everyone's strength into a single, cohesive force, rather than focusing solely on individual prowess."
"Speaking of which, Qian'er's power base is in the Southern Region, right? Now that he's come to the Central Region, what about the vast territory he's left behind?" Yun Qingfeng asked, throwing up his arms in disbelief at the thought of Lin Qian ruling the entire Southern Region.
"We once lived in seclusion in a small corner of the Southern Region. Back then, Qian'er was engaged to a young lady from the Ye family. Now, his fiancée is the one managing the Southern Region," Yun Yunyan said, recalling a memory of Ye Xin carefully adjusting Lin Qian's clothing when they were young. "She's a thoughtful girl—a good daughter-in-law."