Hu Liena persuading Si Long made Qian Renxue look at her in a new light.
"This foxy vixen really is something. To proactively talk someone into being a fence-sitter—this kind of surrender tactic is practically unheard of."
Qian Renxue had to admit, though bizarre, the approach worked on someone like Si Long. He wasn't strong, wouldn't have access to any Spirit Empire secrets, and as long as he obediently stayed in Gengxin City forging weapons, it hardly mattered whether his surrender was wholehearted or not.
So long as the Spirit Empire unified the continent, no matter how unwilling he was now, he would have no choice but to accept his fate later.
Besides, in her heart, Qian Renxue didn't actually want to wipe out the Blacksmith Association. As someone with grand ambition, unifying the continent wasn't the end of the road; how to develop after unification was also something a leader had to consider.
Qian Renxue had an idea: to improve people's lives, focusing only on how to make soul masters stronger wouldn't do. Ordinary people weren't soul masters and couldn't cultivate.
The things that could help ordinary people, in a term she'd heard from Tianlin, were called "technology."
Her plan was to launch a soul tool development program once the continent was unified. Most of the techniques for crafting soul tools had been lost; the only ones barely surviving were methods for making storage-type soul tools.
She wanted to develop more practical soul tools—to assist the people in plowing fields, constructing buildings, and even allow ordinary folk to soar and travel like soul masters.
To achieve that, the strength of craftsmen and soul masters had to be combined.
"Elder Judgment, what do you think of my arrangement for President Si Long? Will it work?" Hu Liena asked, looking at Qian Renxue.
Qian Renxue nodded. "Do as you said. Si Long, until the continent is unified, stay in Gengxin City and forge weapons. Don't entertain any crooked thoughts."
"Tuoba Xi, lead your Holy Dragon Legion to temporarily garrison Gengxin City. The Star Luo Empire may not value this place highly, but they won't simply let us take it. Prepare for a major battle. We struck by surprise this time and didn't bring many troops. I'll return to the Spirit Empire at once and dispatch reinforcements."
"Yes!" Tuoba Xi accepted the order.
After the Golden Generation trio and Qian Renxue left, he heaved a long sigh. He admitted that the Elder of Judgment and the Saintess were formidable, but they'd stumbled into making wedding clothes for Tianlin.
Taking over the Blacksmith Association and arming his Holy Dragon Legion—how was that any different from aiding the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? After all, his true boss was Tianlin!
…
Two days later, inside the Star Luo Empire's imperial palace.
A domineering, awe-inspiring man stared down at the assembled ministers. The immense pressure of his soul power kept everyone below from even raising their heads. He was the Star Luo Emperor—father of Dai Mubai and Dai Weisi—Dai Tianjue.
The Star Luo royal house differed from the Heaven Dou royal family. Heaven Dou's inherited martial soul was the harmless swan; Emperor Xue Ye, though advanced in years, was only a forty-sixth-rank Soul Ancestor.
If not for his imperial status, his standing would be on par with the Grandmaster's at best.
The Star Luo Emperor was different. With the top-tier martial soul Evil-Eyed White Tiger, he was a powerhouse whose strength matched his station.
"Speak. Why is no one speaking? On the very first day the Spirit Empire was founded, I ordered surveillance of their every move. And yet Gengxin City was wiped out, and I only got the news two days later," the emperor said, enunciating each word.
Seeing his expression, everyone knew he was on the verge of exploding. They all knelt, not daring to utter a sound.
"Father, please quell your anger. Gengxin City isn't in Star Luo's heartland but on the periphery. Spirit Hall's surprise tactics were hard to guard against. But from this, we can surmise their plan: first sever a major source of our armaments, then use Gengxin City as a foothold to push into our heartland. Our top priority is to send an army to retake Gengxin City as soon as possible," Dai Weisi stepped forward and said. Having bested Dai Mubai, he was now the Star Luo Crown Prince, and his cultivation had advanced considerably—sixty-eighth-rank Soul Emperor, only slightly inferior to Spirit Hall's Golden Generation.
"How many troops are currently garrisoned in Gengxin City?" The emperor's majestic gaze fell on a minister in charge of intelligence. If the man failed to answer today, he'd lose not just his post but his life. In Star Luo, there was no power that could stand shoulder to shoulder with the emperor—his word was law.
Trembling, the official knelt and said, "Your Majesty, I have verified the situation. At present, Gengxin City is held by Tuoba Xi, Sect Master of the Holy Dragon Sect. The Holy Dragon Legion consists of fifteen thousand soul masters and a hundred thousand elite soldiers."
He exhaled in relief. Thankfully, the emperor had asked what he knew. Otherwise, his head would hardly be safe today.
"A hundred thousand soldiers are of no consequence; it's the fifteen thousand soul masters that pose a problem," Dai Tianjue said in a low voice. Though Star Luo's military might far outstripped Heaven Dou's, its soul master strength did not. Large and small soul master sects preferred to establish themselves in Heaven Dou because of Star Luo's domineering, me-only policies.
Soul masters who joined the royal house and met combat standards numbered only around eight thousand. Subtract those garrisoning various locales, and they could muster at most three to four thousand for a field army—far too inferior compared to Spirit Hall.
"Father, as the saying goes: with a five-to-one advantage, attack; with a ten-to-one, encircle. Directly clashing with a soul master legion would be unwise. I propose we hurl five hundred thousand troops at them. Human-wave tactics are the most appropriate way to break a soul master legion," Dai Weisi suggested.
Dai Tianjue nodded. "Well said. Are you willing to take command and, together with Zhu Zhuyun, campaign against the Spirit Empire?"
"Your son is willing." Dai Weisi immediately knelt to receive the decree. This was an excellent chance to grasp military power—how could he let it slip by?
"Father, I have another suggestion. The Grandmaster from Heaven Dou came before, proposing that they deal with the bulk of Spirit Hall's soul master legions while we only engage the regular armies. Now is the time to formalize the alliance. Please dispatch envoys to negotiate with them."
"Very good. Rest easy—your father will handle it." Dai Tianjue accepted Dai Weisi's proposals in full. Though confident in his nation's strength, no one who climbed to the summit of power was a fool.
Star Luo was strong, yes, but it couldn't beat Spirit Hall alone. They had to unite with Heaven Dou.
…
Meanwhile, in the Heaven Dou Empire, to counter Spirit Hall's soul master legions, the Grandmaster and Tai Tan were arduously drilling the Tang Army—an army of hidden weapons.
The Grandmaster was a different man now, his eyes shadowed. He had pinned his hopes of proving his theories on Tang San alone—and Tang San had perished at the hands of the Emperor Team. Now, his hatred for the Emperor Team and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect far surpassed his hatred for Spirit Hall.
He would not only use this hidden weapon army to destroy Spirit Hall, but also to annihilate the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.