The Western Border of Great Qin!
This was a barren land, lacking resources and sparsely populated.
Even a border city here had only a few tens of thousands of residents.
In the past, maintaining this westernmost frontier of Great Qin had been a great challenge due to the immense manpower and resources required to transport supplies, making life extremely difficult for the garrisoned troops.
However, the region had one advantage.
Many merchants from the Western nations entered Great Qin for trade through this border city, fostering a thriving commercial hub.
Various exotic goods from the western frontier flowed into Great Qin through this route.
On the City Walls
"Have you heard?"
"The Lantian and Wu'an military camps have already stationed their troops east of the city."
Several garrison soldiers chatted while keeping watch.
"Lantian and Wu'an house Great Qin's most elite troops. I heard that every warrior in their ranks has at least reached the eighth level of the Houtian (Postnatal) realm. Soon, the entire force may ascend to the Xiantian (Innate) realm."
"Sigh, if only I had better martial talent. Being able to join those camps would be life-changing." A soldier sighed with admiration for the elite warriors.
"Forget it. The camps are recruiting based on martial aptitude now. The better your physique, the more contribution points you earn. If you're talented enough, you can enlist and earn even more by killing enemies."
"Just in the past year, dozens of brothers from our city with good aptitude were recruited straight into the military camps. This is all about fate no point envying them," another soldier commented enviously.
"That's true."
"Joining the elite camps means access to higher-tier martial arts, more contribution points, and an increased stipend of medicinal pills. More importantly, every enemy killed earns contribution points just one kill is worth fifty points, enough to feed an entire family!"
"My talent is nothing special, but I hope my son has better luck when he gets tested. Maybe he'll become one of Great Qin's martial powerhouses someday."
As they discussed the elite military camps, the soldiers' conversations grew livelier, full of aspirations for martial prowess and military glory.
In today's Great Qin, both soldiers and civilians are no longer worried about basic survival those days were long gone. With the empire's vast territory and immense national strength, not a single citizen went hungry or cold. If there were such cases, it meant the local governor was neglecting his duties, and he would be swiftly dealt with by the imperial inspectors.
Now, the people of Qin pursued a new goal of becoming martial powerhouses. Achieving this meant securing a future as a hero, valued by the imperial court.
"By the way, have you all heard about the new policy from the Crown Prince?"
"Having children now earns contribution points." One soldier grinned.
"Of course!"
"I'm just waiting for my leave so I can go home and make babies with my wife. These contribution points are practically free! His Majesty and the Crown Prince have been incredibly generous to us no matter how many children we have, we can afford to raise them. The county academies even provide free education and martial aptitude testing. If we have enough kids, some of them are bound to be martial prodigies!"
"Hahaha, great minds think alike!"
The soldiers all laughed.
They couldn't change their martial talent, but they were more than capable of producing offspring. Ever since Zhao Feng implemented this policy, the nights in Qin had been lively with joy and celebration.
Moreover, having children was now seen as fulfilling the Crown Prince's decree a sacred duty for the empire. What an honor!
"Hey, I was talking about the military camps stationed behind the city, and you all ended up discussing babies!" The soldier who started the conversation sighed.
"Haha!"
"Old Ma, the arrival of these two military camps means war is coming in the west."
"Rumors say the barbarian tribes are planning to invade. Honestly, I hope they do. That means we'll have a chance to kill enemies and earn contribution points! Each barbarian is worth fifty points our skills may not match the elite troops, but handling those savages should be easy."
"Exactly!"
"Hopefully, the barbarians attack soon. If we let Great Qin take the initiative, we might not even get a share of the spoils!"
The soldiers chuckled confidently.
A strong nation breeds proud warriors.
To them, the barbarian threat was nothing but an opportunity.
At That Moment!
A squad of scout cavalry galloped back from the western frontier.
"Close the gates!"
"A barbarian army of no fewer than 100,000 has been spotted just ten miles away. They are preparing to attack us!"
The moment the scouts arrived, they shouted their urgent report from below the city walls.
Upon hearing this, the garrison soldiers grinned.
There was no fear only excitement.
Immediately, they moved to their posts, gripping their powerful composite bows in anticipation.
The city gates were swiftly shut.
"Scouts, report to the generals at once!"
"The rest of you, prepare for defense!"
The officer in charge barked orders.
"Yes, sir!"
The soldiers responded in unison.
Their eyes burned with eagerness, impatiently waiting for the battle to begin.
Inside the City
Wang Ben and Tu Sui sat facing each other.
"Generals, the barbarian army is now less than ten miles from our city. Our scouts report that this is a coalition force, not from a single nation. At least 100,000 troops have gathered for the vanguard." The garrison commander, General Cao Bo, reported respectfully.
"Thirty-six small nations united, sending a 100,000-strong vanguard?"
"That means their total forces are likely around 700,000 to 800,000," Tu Sui mused.
"Hmm." Wang Ben nodded but smirked. "A mere rabble of small nations no real threat."
"General Cao."
"Wang and I have already formulated our battle plan."
"There's no need for excessive caution when dealing with these savages."
"Once they've fully gathered at the border, our two elite camps will strike and annihilate them in one decisive move."
"For now, the city's defense is in your hands." Tu Sui smiled.
Hearing this, Cao Bo's eyes gleamed. He then saluted and said, "Thank you, Generals! With me and my 10,000 men, these barbarians will be powerless against us."
"Good. Dismissed."
Cao Bo left immediately.
"When the enemy reaches the city, my Wu'an camp will charge from the left, and your Lantian camp will strike from the right. Our cavalry will lead the charge. What do you think?" Tu Sui asked.
"Agreed."
"However, we must watch out for the Buddhist cultivators."
"They've entrenched themselves in the western lands for years. Their strength cannot be underestimated," Wang Ben cautioned.
"Don't worry."
"The National Teacher and his disciples are already here."
"If the Buddhist cultivators make a move, the National Teacher will not stand idly by." Tu Sui grinned.
"That's true."
"The National Teacher is an immortal. No Buddhist cultivator can surpass him." Wang Ben laughed heartily.
The barbarian army was no real concern.
At the Western Frontier
The 100,000-strong coalition of Western nations had assembled before the Qin border city.
Unlike the disciplined Qin formations, the barbarian army was chaotic and disorganized.
At their center, alongside their commanders, was a palanquin carrying a monk draped in a kasaya robe.
"So weak."
"And they think they can invade Great Qin?"
"Each one of them is worth fifty contribution points!"
"With our city defenses, we'll rack up plenty of kills!"
The Qin soldiers on the city walls sneered as they eyed the enemy forces.
At that moment
"Master."
"That city is the gateway to Qin. If we break through, our forces can flood into their lands!" A general from the Wusun tribe respectfully addressed the monk on the palanquin.
The Buddhist cultivator coldly nodded, fingers gently rolling the prayer beads in his hand, exuding the demeanor of a high monk.
The next moment
The Buddhist cultivator opened his eyes.
Without hesitation, he flung the prayer beads into the void.
"Boundless Buddhist Light!"
With a low chant, golden light burst forth from the beads, instantly enveloping the 100,000-strong Western Frontier coalition army.
As the Buddhist light descended
Every soldier's gaze turned fervent, their eyes filled with madness as they fixated on the frontier city of the Qin Empire.
"For the Buddha!"
"Kill! Kill!"
"For the Buddha!"
The 100,000 coalition soldiers roared fanatically, as if possessed, charging toward the Qin stronghold with reckless abandon.
They seemed as though they had taken a stimulant.
"Have these foreigners gone mad?"
On the city wall
Seeing the crazed, roaring enemy soldiers rushing forward without hesitation, the Qin soldiers looked at each other in shock.
"These enemy troops have been bewitched by Buddhist magic. They feel no pain and fear no death and exercise extreme caution."
At that moment
A voice rang out atop the city wall.
The soldiers turned to look.
An elderly man in a Daoist robe strode forward.
"National Preceptor!"
The Qin soldiers immediately saluted, their faces full of excitement.
In the past, Zhao Feng had lectured on martial arts using the Heavenly Profound Mirror, while Guiguzi had taught Daoist cultivation through the same medium. All of Qin's people knew of the National Preceptor's status as an immortal, and thus, many revered him.
"Hold the line."
"If any Buddhist cultivators attack, I will handle them myself." Guiguzi smiled faintly.
With that, he flickered and disappeared from the wall.
"Brothers!"
"This is our chance to make a name for ourselves! Such an opportunity does not come often!"
"Kill the enemy and earn merit!"
"This is the opportunity granted to us by the two Supreme Generals!"
"Archers, ready!"
"Catapults, prepare!"
"As soon as the enemy enters range, slaughter them without mercy!" General Cao Bo raised his bow and bellowed.
"Wind! Wind! Wind!"
"A great wind is coming!"
The countless Qin troops in the city shouted in unison.
As frontier soldiers, they rarely encountered large-scale battles.
Now, they were eager for bloodshed.
Under the influence of the Buddhist cultivators' magic
The enemy troops seemed utterly deranged, charging at the fortress-like madmen.
"Fire!"
Cao Bo gave the order.
A storm of arrows was unleashed.
Countless arrows rained down upon the enemy ranks.
At the same time, over a hundred catapults hurled massive boulders down upon the battlefield.
Instantly!
The enemy soldiers fell in waves, pierced by countless arrows.
However
Many of the enemy soldiers, even with arrows piercing through their bodies, did not falter. They continued their frenzied assault as if impervious to pain, only stopping once their life force was completely extinguished.
This was the terrifying power of Buddhist cultivation.
"Buddhist magic claims to bring salvation," a Qin soldier muttered, "but in truth, it enslaves the mind, turning men into puppets."
"These Buddhist cultivators are truly despicable," another soldier spat in disgust.
"They've turned these people into mindless, fearless puppets."
"Pain means nothing to them. Death does not deter them."
From atop the city wall, Qin soldiers watched in horror.
They had seen with their own eyes how the enemy troops, even with arrows piercing through them and blood gushing out, showed no signs of agony. Instead, they continued their suicidal charge, only falling when completely overwhelmed by arrow fire.
It was an unsettling sight.
However
As warriors of the Qin Empire, strengthened by martial cultivation, they remained fearless.
Arrows continued to rain down relentlessly, cutting down wave after wave of enemies.
The battle raged on.
One hour passed.
Two hours passed.
The ground before the fortress was already a mountain of corpses and a river of blood.
Yet, the enemy's assault did not cease.
Half of the 100,000-strong army had already perished.
"Reverend Master,"
"The Qin defenses are too strong. If we continue like this, we may never breach the city."
A general of the Wusun Kingdom turned to the Buddhist cultivator for guidance, his face tense.
The monk, however, remained indifferent.
"The reinforcements will arrive soon."
"Continue the assault. Do not stop."
He showed no concern for the mounting casualties.
On the contrary
As waves of blood energy rose from the battlefield, an invisible force gathered around the monk.
The battlefield's death and carnage were fueling his cultivation.
"This slaughter and spiritual energy... just what I need."
"If all goes well, this battle alone will allow my cultivation to soar."
The monk's eyes glowed with excitement.
At that moment
Behind him
A new wave of thunderous footsteps shook the ground.
A massive force of Western Frontier barbarian troops surged toward the battlefield.
Though the sky had darkened and night had fallen
The reinforcements were immediately ordered to attack.
And among their ranks
More Buddhist cultivators sat in meditation.
"Boundless Buddhist Light!"
As the reinforcements charged, the Buddhist monks unleashed their divine abilities.
Under the night sky, golden light spread out once again, ensnaring the minds of every barbarian soldier, and compelling them into a frenzied assault.
Clearly
The Buddhist cultivators had no regard for these soldiers' lives.
Their only concern was conquering the fortress, no matter the cost.
And more than that
As the carnage continued, they absorbed the battlefield's blood energy and spiritual essence to strengthen their cultivation.
Behind the city walls
The Qin Empire's 600,000 elite troops were already in position.
"Qin warriors attack!"
At the command of Generals Wang Ben and Tu Sui
Under the cover of night
The Black Armored Qin Cavalry moved like wraiths, launching a pincer attack on the frenzied enemy forces.
Nightfall signaled the beginning of the slaughter.
No matter how much the Buddhist monks bewitched their troops, rendering them fearless of pain and death
They were still mere mortals.
Against ordinary armies, such bewitchment was devastating.
But their opponents were Qin's elite martial cultivators.
As two massive battalions emerged from the flanks of the fortress, the battle was all but decided.
"Activate the Army Soul Battle Formation!"
Under the night sky, Wang Ben and Tu Sui roared in unison.
The blood energy of 300,000 elite soldiers surged and coalesced.
A terrifying crimson blade, over 500 meters long, condensed in the air
Slashing through the void
And cleaving into the heart of the enemy ranks.
A massacre ensued.
Thus
The great slaughter of the Western Frontier coalition began.
Under the darkened heavens, the killing would not cease.
...
Crown Prince's Residence
Zhao Feng opened his eyes.
With a simple raise of his hand, a fiery red spiritual flame appeared in his palm.
Around him, a nine-petaled green lotus hovered, forming an invisible shield that protected his entire body.
"Samadhi True Fire."
"Even immortals and deities can be burned to ashes by it."
"A primordial spiritual flame is truly extraordinary."
Looking at the Samadhi True Fire in his palm, Zhao Feng revealed a satisfied smile.
For the past few days, he had been in seclusion within his residence, refining magical treasures and spiritual flames.
Now, his efforts had finally borne fruit.
At that moment
Zhao Feng suddenly sensed something.
"The Seed of Time and the Seed of Thunder have successfully merged with my world!"
His face lit up with joy.
His divine sense immediately entered his miniature world.
At this moment
The small world was undergoing a transformation and ascension.
Originally spanning just 5,000 miles, the world was now expanding rapidly.
The branches of the World Tree stretched further, piercing through the void, and continuously expanding the world's boundaries.
After a long while
The small world reached an unimaginable size.
"100,000 miles!"
"It has officially entered the level of a Minor Thousand World!"
As the ruler of this small world, Zhao Feng could immediately sense its transformation.
"I never expected these two law seeds to bring such immense growth."
"With the world's ascension, the power of the Heavenly Dao has become even stronger!"
Zhao Feng was ecstatic.
With just a single thought
Boom! Boom!
Thunder rumbled across the sky.
Then
Rain began to pour.
"The Five Elements are now complete, and the world possesses the power of thunder."
"The integration of the Time Law means that this world now has its independent timeline, no longer synchronized with the Divine Continent."
"With this, I can alter the flow of time in my small world, allowing it to develop faster!"
With that thought
Zhao Feng immediately acted.
He harnessed the power of the Heavenly Dao
And accelerated the flow of time within the small world.
Of course
The living beings inside the small world were completely unaware of this change. To them, time passed normally.
Zhao Feng's divine sense returned to the Divine Continent.
"The time flow has changed."
"Under the current Heavenly Dao of my small world, one year in the Divine Continent equals fifty years in my small world. This is the maximum limit of the world's power."
"With this"
"I can use the small world to compensate for the time shortage in my Qin Empire's cultivation system!"
Upon sensing the difference in time flow, Zhao Feng immediately formed a plan.
The Qin Empire had only been spreading the path of cultivation for two years. While resources were abundant, time remained a limiting factor.
It wasn't about lifespan
Ra.ther, it was the risk that the celestial deities of the Upper Realm might soon intervene.
At present, the Qin Empire held absolute dominance over the mortal realm, easily crushing other nations with its martial prowess.
But against celestial immortals
They were still far too weak.
"With this advantage"
"I must establish a cultivation ground within my small world. Aside from enhancing the density of spiritual energy, the key benefit will be the accelerated time flow. A single year in the Divine Continent will allow for fifty years of training inside!"
"I will recruit individuals with superior bone structures and triple-spirit-root talent from the Imperial Academy and bring them into the small world to cultivate."
"This will exponentially accelerate the growth of the Qin Empire's strength!"
Zhao Feng's excitement grew.
The small world had given him an enormous surprise
He had never expected it to resolve the Qin Empire's biggest limitation.
"With a 100,000-mile expanse, the world's spiritual energy is even denser than that of the Divine Continent!"
"Very well, I shall establish a cultivation ground in the western region of my small world."
"The people of this world will not have access to it, nor will the Qin cultivators be able to leave without permission."
After some contemplation
Zhao Feng's divine sense entered the small world and activated the Heavenly Dao's power.
Instantly
A 100-mile-wide region was sealed off.
At his command, the density of spiritual energy in this region surged even further.
"Perfect."
"Now, I can create a true cultivation sanctuary for the Qin Empire."
"With abundant resources and accelerated time, the power of my empire's cultivators will explode exponentially!"
Zhao Feng smiled in satisfaction.
His divine sense returned to his body.
He summoned his Heavenly Dao Authority
Various law powers manifested upon the Dao Wheel.
The Five Elements.
The Law of Thunder.
The Law of Time.
All were laid bare before Zhao Feng's eyes.
"Even disciples of ancient Saints must immerse themselves in nature to comprehend the laws of the world."
"But with my Heavenly Dao Authority, the fundamental principles of the world are directly revealed to me!"
"I can grasp them effortlessly!"
"This is practically a cheat ability!"
"Even though I have just stepped into the realm of Martial Supremacy, I can already use the power of laws to battle my enemies. I may very well be the only one in history to achieve this!"
Zhao Feng chuckled.
Then
He calmed his mind.
Focusing on the Chaos Law, he began comprehending the Laws of Thunder and Time.
Imperial Court Hall
"Report!"
"Great victory in the Western Border!"
"The Lantian and Wuan battalions fiercely repelled the coalition forces of the Western nations at the border."
"In a single battle, over 300,000 enemies were slain, and more than 400,000 were captured!"
"Our forces suffered less than a thousand casualties an overwhelming triumph!"
"Additionally"
"The Western Buddhist sect attempted to use their so-called divine techniques to bewitch our troops, but thanks to our nation's protective destiny, their efforts failed."
"When the National Preceptor saw the Buddhist monks in action, he slew nearly a hundred of them with a single sword strike!"
"The Western forces are now in complete disarray, with fewer than ten thousand troops managing to flee!"
"Generals Wang Ben and Tu Sui are now leading our army in a full-scale invasion of the Western Territories."
"The National Preceptor and his disciples have joined them!"
Strategist Wei Liao delivered the report with great excitement.
"Excellent."
Emperor Ying Zheng nodded with a satisfied smile.
"With the might of my Qin army, we shall sweep across the world!"
"With the National Preceptor as an immortal, no one on this earth can oppose us!"
-support me on Patreon for more chapters, 375+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LordoftheReader