Outside the Yucheng, the demon corpses had long since turned to dust after losing the support of demon blood.

It looked like a desolate wasteland.

In the wasteland, there were two faint lights.

However, these lights were isolated by a formation and not detectable by any outsiders.

Two marks lit up simultaneously.

Finally, they intertwined to form a faint shadow.

Both of them were not ignorant people. Even though they had never seen these marks before, they could figure out their function with a little research.

Ying Wuji's conclusion was: low pixel camera and 3D projection.

With the host's permission, the camera could be turned on for live broadcasting and projecting a shadow for video conferencing.

So, the recent battle had already been seen by the Tianren Clan.

Soon, the shadow took shape.

This time, it seemed even clearer.

The envoy glanced at the two of them and calmly said, "You did well."

Ji Tong remained silent.

Ying Wuji nonchalantly pursed his lips and said, "Of course! Do I not know how outstanding I am?"

The envoy: "..."

He looked deeply at Ying Wuji for a while and curiously asked, "How did you manage to master so many divine powers right after breaking through to the realm of a soldier?"

In his tone, there was a hint of envy and jealousy.

After all, he was just an envoy, representing the Tianren Clan faction behind him, and only had the cultivation of a soldier.

With the strength of the two of them now, even in the Tianren Clan, they would be considered at the level of elders.

Ying Wuji's talent could almost surpass the entire Tianren Clan, except for that freak, no one could achieve such a level.

But that person was the result of several generations of accumulation by the Tianren Clan to the extreme, to stimulate the bloodline of the Tianren Clan.

Ying Wuji shrugged, "Do you understand the value of the Emperor's body combined with the bloodline of the Tianren Clan?"

The envoy fell silent.

If only considering talent, the Emperor's body could at least be compared to the top bloodlines in the Tianren Clan.

The combination of the two was not unreasonable to reach this level.

His attitude quietly changed. If the Bai family really reintegrated into the Tianren Clan, Ying Wuji's position would definitely not be low, and he might even become his superior.

Naturally, they could not be treated slowly as before.

Of course, the premise was that they could integrate.

But from their current performance, they were basically qualified.

The envoy smiled faintly and asked, "What do you two think of the strength of the demon clan?"

Upon hearing this, the two of them couldn't help but show a serious expression.

The strength of the demon clan was needless to say, it was naturally strong to an absurd degree. Although they had won this time, they had only defeated a small advance team of the demon clan.

Just a small advance team made them feel overwhelmed.

The envoy was very satisfied with their reaction.

The Tianren Clan had been imprisoned for a long time, so they did not fully trust anyone.

This included Zhou Tianzi, Ji Tong, and Ying Wuji.

But they dared to cooperate with these people because the demon clan was powerful enough that these people could not stand without the Tianren Clan.

These two people, no matter how strong they were, were still just two people.

The average strength of their subordinates was not at the same level as the demon clan.

The envoy asked with a smile, "Ji Hou, how did you feel when you fought with that Phoenix girl just now? We also have some understanding of the demon clan's situation. The strength of that Phoenix girl should be close to the seven great saints of the demon clan. You being able to fight her to a draw truly makes you a rare hero among the human clan."

"She's very strong!"

Ji Tong's expression was mixed with a hint of defeat, "I did my best, but she didn't have the intention to kill, and even practiced her swordsmanship. If we really fought to the death, the one who would die in the end would definitely be me."

The envoy smiled faintly, "Actually, there's no need to belittle yourself like this. The demon clan has indeed changed a lot now, and it's not something the human clan can resist. As long as you two firmly stand with our Tianren Clan, the demon clan is not worth mentioning at all. The young soldiers under Zhou Tianzi have made tremendous progress in their cultivation. You must have seen it clearly, and I'm not deceiving you."

Ying Wuji nodded slightly.

Those group of useless young soldiers had improved to such a level.

If they were placed among his elite troops, they would only have a greater effect.

This was not an exaggeration.

He pursed his lips, "This battle has already proven that Zhou Tianzi is useless, and the resources should have been taken over by us."

The envoy smiled faintly, "Naturally."

Ying Wuji asked in a deep voice, "Where are they?"

The envoy smiled and directly formed a hand seal.

The space began to faintly tremble, and this feeling was somewhat similar to the scene when Qing Xu used the Sword of Light to communicate with the Sword Spirit at the Sword Immortal Conference years ago, connecting the real world with the Capital of the Great Ming.There was not such a big battle this time.

Even though the special envoy had used all his tricks, the barrier between the two realms only trembled slightly.

But this slight tremble was enough, and many water droplets condensed in the air.

After the tremble ended, the special envoy condensed the water droplets into two groups.

Thirty-seven.

The smaller portion was given to Ji Tong.

The larger portion was given to Ying Wuji.

Ji Tong's face remained calm, but a hint of gloom flashed in his eyes. This wave...

It was indeed a blood loss.

The plan to pit Zhou Tianzi had backfired.

But he didn't expect the Yao Clan to be so ruthless, almost causing their own downfall.

Then Ying Wuji took a deep breath, but he was thinking of causing trouble, and ended up stealing the credit from Ying Wuji.

The city was guarded by Ying Wuji, and the mother insect was killed by Ying Wuji.

Thirty percent...

This feeling of shooting oneself in the foot really made him feel suffocated.

But since it had come to this, he wouldn't say much, after all, this was not a one-time deal.

Ying Wuji looked at the water ball floating in his palm, sniffed it lightly, and felt his whole body's blood... No! Even his spirit was stirred up.

He was quite surprised: "What is this exactly?"

"I don't know!"

The special envoy said in a deep voice, "To be precise, the entire Celestial Human Clan doesn't know what this is. They only know that it can enhance cultivation. You can simply treat it as a treasure of heaven and earth. The portion in your hand is enough for fifteen thousand people."

Ying Wuji frowned, "Why only fifteen thousand? Isn't it thirty thousand for Zhou Tianzi?"

The special envoy hesitated, "Their thirty thousand only took a tiny amount, and it can only exert its full power by using secret methods. The effect can only last for three months. Yours is a sufficient amount."

"Oh..."

Ying Wuji understood. This thing was like the difference between a limited-time skin and a permanent skin.

In that case, the fifteen thousand portions could be considered quite generous.

After all, he had felt that something was off before.

The Celestial Human Clan casually gave it, and it helped Zhou Tianzi build a thirty thousand elite army.

It was too extravagant.

No need to worry.

Anyway, they should still be able to take advantage of the situation in the future.

Without delay, he directly found a jade bottle and stored it in it.

He did have doubts about whether this thing had side effects, but even if it did, it was very limited. After all, according to the Celestial Human Clan, there had always been leaks in the Yao Domain, which led to the Yao Clan becoming stronger and stronger. But according to the observations of the Bai Family, apart from becoming stronger, the Yao Clan had not undergone any major changes.

He was curious about the nature of this thing.

But there was no way to investigate it now, so he simply didn't think about it.

Anyway, as long as it could be used.

The special envoy glanced at the two of them, "Since we have confirmed that you are the cooperating party, let's discuss the content of the cooperation! The military order that Zhou Tianzi gave us before, through the Battle of Suppressing the Yao, and then reorganizing the entire Ji Clan Alliance, made them all realize that the Celestial Human Clan is the only hope for the human race to resist the Yao Clan.

As long as the Ji Clan Alliance can sweep the world, they can gather the power of the world to welcome the Celestial Human Clan.

However...

The situation has changed too much this time, and the two of you have performed quite well.

To be honest, the presence of the Celestial Human Clan is not very high. In the future, if the two of you can really dominate, it will be your power that stands out, not the power of the Celestial Human Clan.

Therefore, the strategy should change.

You can take a look at this simple book. Each task has a corresponding reward.

Whoever completes it, gets the benefits."

With that, he waved his hand, and the air directly condensed into a task list.

Each task corresponded to a specific reward for individuals.

After the special envoy had done all this, he directly turned into a stream of light and returned to the hands of the two.

The two looked at the tasks in the book and fell into contemplation.

Destroy the Kingdom of Qi: twenty thousand portions.

Destroy the Kingdom of Jiang: one thousand portions.

Destroy the Kingdom of Wei: ten thousand portions.

...

All the rewards had been marked, and they were indeed generous. What they had received today seemed to be just a deposit, and the main storyline was still to unify the Central Plains.

They were quite familiar with the situation in the Central Plains, and had already completely given up on the so-called Ji Clan Alliance.

Among them, the highest were the Kingdom of Qian and the Kingdom of Li, both with thirty thousand portions.

Gathering all of them would not be excessive, and it would be enough to create an elite army of over ten thousand. However, compared to the Yao Clan, they were still lacking.

These could only be considered small rewards.

The big rewards were on the other tasks.

Find and destroy the heart of Emperor Zhuanxu: one hundred thousand portions.

Develop believers for the Celestial Human Clan: the higher the status, the higher the value.

The heart of Emperor Zhuanxu.

Ying Wuji's eyebrows jumped. He had actually asked Jiandizi about this matter. Jiandizi said that he could basically locate the heart of Emperor Zhuanxu, but the time was not yet right. When he asked when the time would be right, Jiandizi said he would tell him when the time came.

He was truly a mysterious person.However, even if the Emperor's Heart is found, it is impossible to destroy it.

He glanced at Ji Tong and warned, "For the latter part of the characters, you better not have any crooked thoughts."

Ji Tong's expression turned slightly cold, "My path to becoming a saint does not include the Celestial Race."

Quite a backbone.

Ying Wuji pursed his lips, already understanding what kind of person Ji Tong was. This person had gone crazy for the sake of the new order in his heart.

No good or evil.

No morality.

No principles.

Just like an AI, he set the highest command, which is to follow his path to becoming a saint.

No matter what choice he faces, the one he chooses will lead directly to his path to becoming a saint.

Completely insane.

In this way.

He also figured out his logic of doing things and his mentality became much calmer.

It's not like worrying every day that he'll explode like a time bomb.

"How?"

Ying Wuji looked at him mockingly, "How do you plan to arrange things in the future, my ally?"

Ji Tong remained calm, "Since we are allies, we should unite. Now, the two countries of Wu and Flame should return to their roots. Wu is weak, Flame has not yet recovered, and Chu has been fundamentally damaged. It's time to huddle together for warmth.

Although the Ji alliance has been dismembered, Emperor Zhou is not one to sit and wait for death.

Now that the Yan Kingdom has made some progress in reform, Wei and Han are also reforming, which is quite resistant to my order, but they will also deceive us. It's a matter of who will swallow whom.

The Qi Kingdom is not weak, and now that the last obstacle of the Jiang family has been cleared, its national strength will definitely grow.

The Qian and Li Kingdoms are both strong countries, and it is not something that you and I can deal with alone.

I also hope that you can recognize the interests and not do anything irrational."

"Completely agree!"

Ying Wuji nodded with a smile, his views were quite consistent with Ji Tong's.

Now that the forces in the world are basically clear, although the Li Kingdom is recuperating, there are several strong cities standing there, and no one will easily encroach.

The Qian Kingdom is a country of tigers and wolves. Although it was overshadowed by the demon war, the direct guards of Emperor Zhou, who performed even more brilliantly, are now gone. Ji Tong's Black Armor Legion has only thirty thousand left and did not get what they wanted. His own performance was not false, but it was also a result of sacrificing his life. The final grand array was also created by gathering the elites of various countries, and in terms of strength, it was not so intimidating.

The Qian Kingdom is still one of the strongest countries in terms of actual strength.

It's hard to say for the Qi Kingdom, but it is definitely a strong country.

Chu has joined on its own, indeed gaining a lot, but it has also hurt its vitality.

The Ji alliance is the most awkward, and it has essentially split. It should not turn its face on the surface, after all, Wei and Han need to recuperate, and so does Wu and Flame. Emperor Zhou still needs to expand his tiger skin.

Therefore, Chu and Flame must cooperate honestly, at least in terms of military cooperation.

To deal with the threats from the Qian and Qi Kingdoms.

After all, these two countries are the ones that can launch military threats the fastest.

The pressure is quite high.

Ying Wuji stretched lazily, "If there's nothing else, I'll go back first. Goodbye!"

With that, he directly disappeared into the void, preparing to leave invisibly.

However, Ji Tong stopped him, "Is there a way to help me remove this nail in Sui City?"

"Tsk!"

Ying Wuji spread his hands, "That nail was driven in by the Li Kingdom. My wife and child are still in the Li Kingdom. Even if I have a way, would I dare to use it?"

Ji Tong choked and did not speak again.

Ying Wuji chuckled and flew directly back to Yu City.

Kidding.

We finally nailed it in, and now you want me to pull it out? Dream on.

...

Back at the Bai family's camp.

The howling cries shook the sky, and these little green commanders were braver than ever when fighting, but now they were starting to cry out in pain.

But it's understandable.

Last time, during the grand array, they only slaughtered with the Zhao family without Nangong Yan's Black Armor Army.

This time, it was a real life-and-death battle.

Although they were covered by their own buff aura throughout, they were constantly charging into the most dangerous front lines.

The death rate was not high.

But the injuries were extremely severe.

With such serious injuries, they probably won't sleep well tonight.

Ying Wuji casually comforted and encouraged them, then returned to his own room. As soon as he pushed the door open, he saw three women staring blankly at eight cradles.

"Young Master!"

Bai Zhi saw Ying Wuji and immediately greeted him excitedly, checking up and down to make sure there was no damage to any parts, then heaved a long sigh of relief.

Then she immediately pulled Ying Wuji to the side of the cradle and told him about their previous experiences.

Seeing these eight little guys.

Ying Wuji breathed a sigh of relief. The main goal had finally been achieved.

These little guys were definitely a weapon to infiltrate the demon race.Their situation was similar to Bai Zhi's, forcibly shaped into human fetuses using secret methods. Presumably, they also intended to follow the path of fetal transformation cultivation, and had absorbed a significant amount of human energy refined from the blood pool of the Yao clan.

Judging from the situation, it should go smoothly.

However, after listening to Bai Zhi's description, his brows furrowed involuntarily.

This Phoenix Lady... seems a bit strange.

Because of this action, it seemed like a helpless act of entrusting orphans, but Bai's delivery was too smooth. Even though Bai Zhi and the others had only known each other for a few months, she could still sense that something was wrong.

If Bai Zhi could feel that something was off, then something was definitely wrong.

What was she plotting?

He checked the inside of the jade pendant and found that it was indeed used to seal a certain part of memory, and there was nothing wrong with it.

So...

Did the Phoenix Lady voluntarily send this over?

Ying Wuji couldn't quite understand, because he knew very little about the Yao clan. He only knew that the Phoenix Lady was not on good terms with the seven Yao clan great sages, but it wasn't enough for her to directly align herself with him, right?

What was going on?

He pondered left and right, feeling a sense of threat.

But this threat was not enough to make him give up on this decision.

After all, a child raised and sent out at such a young age would definitely be influenced by their environment, and that was not something that could be corrected in just a few words.

Moreover, he had quite a few brainwashing spells at his disposal.

"Wuji!"

Bai Yi observed a baby while asking, "Are we going to raise them?"

"Of course we are!"

Ying Wuji nodded and directly transferred the energy from his dantian to the babies. Because they were still young, he only used half, but it was already saturated.

After they digested it, their aptitude should further improve.

"That's good!"

Bai Yi smiled and nodded, "Their aptitude is not weak at all. It would be a pity to give up on them. Our Bai family has many cultivation techniques suitable for the Yao clan, so we..."

Ying Wuji took over with a smile, "I want to take them back to Kingdom Li for upbringing!"

"Huh?"

Bai Yi was taken aback. From the perspective of nurturing talents, it would be best for them to stay by their side. However, after thinking about it, she nodded and said, "That's fine! There are also many renowned teachers in Kingdom Li..."

Ying Wuji shook his head, "I plan to place them in ordinary households in Kingdom Li!"

"..."

Hua Chao pinched Bai Yi's hand and smiled, "Mother! It's not easy for Wuji to teach people, and what he needs is not a genius, but a supporter of the new policies. How the strong live is never a reason for someone to love their country, but how the weak live is."

Although she had never gone hungry as a child, she had truly experienced the bottom rung of society, and in the new land, she had come into contact with workers who were all ordinary people. So, she understood Ying Wuji's thoughts very well.

She also believed that the common people in Kingdom Li were very moving.

After pondering for a moment, Bai Yi nodded and said, "Wuji, you can make the arrangements."

"Okay!"

Ying Wuji nodded and then smiled, "Father said that after the war between humans and Yao ends, he will let me report the good news as soon as possible. This is considered a great victory, so it's better to report it in person and take these children with me."

"Okay! Go ahead!"

Bai Yi also felt emotional. Zhao Ji was indeed the most ambitious person she had ever met.

She didn't understand how a pair of good brothers from the past had developed into two extremes.

Ying Wuji nodded and then bound all eight cradles.

With a wave of his hand, he slashed a sword and disappeared into the crack. The next time he appeared, it was already in a deserted wilderness.

A thought away.

A world away.

With just one step, he had gone from within the borders of Kingdom Chu to the sky above Jiang City.

The night in Jiang City was always brighter than in other cities. Although he had only left not long ago, Ying Wuji felt as if he had traveled through time.

The Jiang City at this moment was completely different from the one just now.

One was the epitome of peace.

The other was the epitome of unease.

He didn't know when this world would truly welcome a prosperous era.

Shaking his head, Ying Wuji headed towards the Marquis's Mansion with the eight cradles.

After he left, Kingdom Li announced the cancellation of his status as a marquis, but did not declare any sanctions, which seemed like a sign of weakness to the outside world.

But the actual situation was not something that outsiders needed to know.

The Marquis's Mansion was no longer the Marquis's Mansion, but it had not been given to anyone else. Instead, it retained its servants and looked completely uninhabited.

After settling them in and setting up the formation, Ying Wuji headed straight for the royal palace, without attracting anyone's attention along the way.

After all, the method he used to conceal his figure was not something that even a sage could detect, let alone these ordinary experts.

Hastening his steps, he headed straight for the Chongli Palace.

He didn't even make a detour to the Qingjiang Palace.These days, although he has been anxious about the battle against the demons, he has also been paying attention to the situation in the Li Kingdom. He knew that after Zhao Ning ascended the throne, although Zhao Ji had already retired to the position of the Supreme King, he was still living in Chongli Palace.

If everything goes as expected, he should be resting in the rear hall right now.

However, when passing by the main hall, Ying Wuji found that the lights inside were still on, which surprised him.

It's already late at night.

In just over an hour, the roosters would start crowing.

Is it because the main wife hasn't finished her work yet, or did the old man suddenly want to take a look at his palace?

Ying Wuji hesitated for a moment, then hurried towards the main hall.

As he got closer and closer, he felt an inexplicable nervousness.

It was as if he was feeling homesick.

Images flashed through his mind, the last time he saw Zhao Ji's encouragement still echoed in his ears.

Go to Xuan City.

Make a name for yourself.

From the looks of it now, he should have achieved that.

Even if it's not a perfect score, it's at least ninety-nine percent.

Originally, it should have been a time to bring the exam papers home to show his parents, but when he reached the door, he was somewhat panicked.

Fortunately.

When he stepped through the gate, Zhao Ning was sitting on the high seat.

Ying Wuji breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt a sense of relief from the tension.

He took a few steps forward and found Zhao Ning propping up her chin with one hand, pretending to be asleep.

Even though there was no sound or breath leaking out, Zhao Ning seemed to sense something and raised her head, looking at the empty hall, tentatively asking, "Wuji?"

"I'm here!"

Ying Wuji appeared in front of her with a smile, looking at the pile of memorials on her desk and her haggard face, he held her face and complained, "Why aren't you resting so late? What if you turn into an old lady?"

Zhao Ning pursed her lips, "There are many matters to attend to for the capital relocation, and... I was waiting for you."

Ying Wuji couldn't help but grin.

The capital relocation was indeed imminent. The new Li City was undoubtedly the future economic and political center of the Li Kingdom, and the old capital of Jiangcheng had to be transformed into a military stronghold because it was not far from the Wei and Han countries.

As for waiting for him...

Although the army gathered in Xuan City was not too large, it was still the focus of attention for all the countries, and Zhao Du must have sent a message back.

She was waiting for him here, as if she had thought of it.

Ying Wuji chuckled, "I won't disappoint you. This great victory, where's the king? I'll go give him the good news!"

"The king..."

Zhao Ning's eyes dimmed imperceptibly, then she forced a smile and got up, grabbing his wrist, "The king is also waiting for you, come with me!"

With that, she led Ying Wuji to the rear hall of Chongli Palace.

As soon as they entered, Ying Wuji's heart sank, the whole room was draped in white...

He felt as if he had been hit in the chest, and his breathing became difficult, "Wh-when?"

Zhao Ning's voice sounded calm, "The night I ascended the throne."

Ying Wuji calculated that it had been some time, and asked in confusion, "But why is there still no...?"

"He's waiting for you!"

Zhao Ning pinched his hand and smiled slightly, "The king said that if he left without your victory report, he wouldn't rest in peace!"

Ying Wuji: "..."

He felt his head start to ache, as if he had lost the ability to think for a moment.

He let Zhao Ning lead him inside.

It was unknown how long it had been before they stopped.

In front of the jade coffin, the lights were still on.

A middle-aged woman with graying hair was quietly keeping watch.

In just a few days, Xuan Ji had aged a lot, her once black and beautiful hair had started to gray at the temples.

Hearing footsteps, she turned to look at Ying Wuji, a kind smile on her face, "Wuji, you're here!"

Ying Wuji's eyes were a little hot, and he bowed deeply to her, "Unworthy son Wuji, pays respects to the Queen Mother!"

"Get up quickly!"

Xuan Ji quickly helped him up, smiling and wiping away her tears, "You're still unworthy, you and your father are both heroes. Today, you've come back to share good news, so there's no need for all this crying."

"Mm!"

Ying Wuji nodded heavily and looked at the jade coffin, where Zhao Ji was lying quietly.

Today, he no longer looked as withered as he did the last time they met.

The Li royal family had a dedicated embalmer, so Zhao Ji wouldn't leave the world in an undignified manner.

At this moment, Zhao Ji looked kind and dignified, lying quietly as if he were just asleep. Ying Wuji even felt that he might sit up at any moment and kick him in the butt, saying that he had scared away his fish again.

But this situation...

It was unlikely to happen.

Zhao Ji's hands were placed on his chest, holding the secret letter that Ying Wuji had given him that day. The letter contained all of his confessions, and he had asked Zhao Ji to open it when he felt the urge to kill, but the letter had remained sealed until Ying Wuji left the Li Kingdom.

Now it seemed that he had only opened it when he was on his deathbed.Around the jade coffin, there was a piece of source stone and a jade slip.

The quality of the source stone was very high, it was mined from the demon vein and stored in the underground warehouse of the Crown Prince's Mansion in Xingli City.

The jade slip looked like it was personally engraved, and over the years, he had recorded all his learnings on it, keeping it in the same place as the source stone.

Zhao Ji lay quietly.

There was a smile on his lips.

Xuan Ji smiled beside him, "Your father said that his biggest regret in life was not having a son, but unexpectedly, in the last few years before entering the coffin, this wish was fulfilled. Throughout history, there has never been a son of any king who could compare to him."

He had a son, but Zhao Qi was not worthy of being his son.

Even though their relationship was short, it was enough.

Ying Wuji felt like his eyes had been punched, and there was a constant flow of heat.

Xuan Ji chuckled, "But that's just his way of saying things, he told me to tell you this if you return victorious."

Ying Wuji couldn't help but ask, "What about the other way?"

Xuan Ji: "You little brat..."

She stopped herself before finishing the sentence.

Ying Wuji: "..."

Seeing his expression, Xuan Ji burst into laughter, wiped her eyes, and said, "You two should accompany your father, I'm tired, I'll go back and rest. Ning, you shouldn't stay out too late either, tomorrow is the day of your father's funeral..."

With that, she left as if escaping.

Ying Wuji sighed deeply, but the lingering bitterness in his eyes couldn't dissipate.

Zhao Ning stood beside him, looking a bit haggard, but he smiled and pointed to the jade coffin, "Don't be sad, look at what's written on it."

Ying Wuji looked closely and saw two lines of words.

A thousand sails pass by the sunken boat.

In front of the sick tree, all the trees are in spring.

He smiled, "Our father is not a sick tree."

Zhao Ning nodded, "I don't think so either!"

The atmosphere in front of the jade coffin became much lighter.

Zhao Ning smiled, "When our father passed away, he said that if you return victorious, burn the letter in front of his coffin. If you come back in person, tell him everything."

"Okay!"

Ying Wuji nodded and recounted the entire battle against the demons in vivid detail, as if Zhao Ji was really listening.

Finally, he turned to Zhao Ning and talked about his plans, "I've taken fifteen thousand resources from the Celestial Tribe, and apart from Ji Tong, no one else knows the truth. I only plan to keep five thousand resources there, and the rest will stay in Kingdom Li. The distribution of demon blood crystals is based on merit, and I can't bring them back to Kingdom Li. However, when setting up the formation, I made Zhao Du more familiar with the formation, so the Li army will be the main attack, and we should be able to allocate a lot, probably enough for over ten thousand elite warhorses."

"Okay!"

Zhao Ning smiled, "The speed at which Kingdom Li is getting rich is even faster than I imagined."

The two powerful weapons, soap and glass.

Vast and fertile new land.

A continuous supply of cultivation resources from the demon vein.

And gunpowder enough to defeat all low-level forces...

Now there were also demon blood crystals and cultivation resources from the Celestial Tribe.

Zhao Ning couldn't imagine how powerful Kingdom Li would be in a few years when they really went to war.

She looked at Ying Wuji with a light smile, "You can rest assured about those eight brats. Our officials in the new land are quite aware of the situation among the people, and it's not difficult to find some open-minded ordinary families for them. In any case, I don't believe there will be any people who don't like Kingdom Li."

Ying Wuji nodded, "That's for sure!"

"It's almost dawn!"

Zhao Ning looked outside and said, "I'll take you back, it could be trouble if the people from Kingdom Chu find out."

"Okay!"

Ying Wuji nodded and deeply bowed to Zhao Ji before leaving with her.

But before leaving, he took a drop of blood from his heart.

Zhao Ning looked a bit dazed, and although she didn't say much, there seemed to be a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

It was not yet dawn.

But it was not far from breaking.

As they left, Zhao Ning glanced at Ying Wuji with some reluctance.

Ying Wuji smiled and hugged her tightly.

They embraced for a long time.

Suddenly, Zhao Ning smiled, "I have something to tell you, I was worried about pressuring you in there."

Ying Wuji asked, "What is it?"

Zhao Ning pursed her lips, "Given the current situation in Kingdom Chu, marriage is the best choice. I've discussed this with Cai Mei, and we both think you should have a marriage with Mi Xingli, but... when the King of Chu publicly introduced you for the first time, he called you his adopted son. Wuji, I don't advise you to be emotional about this matter."

"There's nothing emotional about it."Ying Wuji chuckled, "This time I ventured far from home to make a name for myself. If I, a grand pretender to sainthood, need to rely on marriage alliances to preserve myself, then what's the point? Why not just stay put and be the great marshal of Kingdom Li?"

"But..."

"No buts! My home is here, and whenever Kingdom Li needs me, I will return. I don't want to deceive anyone's feelings.

You don't have to worry about me. For a long time, the royal family of Kingdom Chu will be closely allied with me, and I will propose a mutually beneficial plan.

Even if we eventually part ways, I am confident that we can part on good terms.

Schemes are for those who lack strength.

The true way of a king is like Kingdom Li today.

My father once told me to steadfastly walk the path of a sage, how could I abandon my principles for temporary gains?

One day, when I unify the Central Plains, I will be able to stand tall before my father's grave and recount the journey to him with pride."

"Mhm!"

Zhao Ning smiled warmly, not insisting further.

He gently patted Ying Wuji's shoulder, "While it's still dark, go see Mi Xingli and the child."

"Mhm!"

Ying Wuji nodded, then sliced open a rift in space and stepped through it with Zhao Ning.

Inside the room.

Tang Tang was sweetly embracing the child in her sleep.

Ying Wuji didn't want to make a sound, so he just sat beside the bed with Zhao Ning, carefully observing the two for a long time.

When some light began to appear outside the window, he lifted Zhao Ning's chin and kissed her gently, reluctantly looked back, and then tore through space to leave.

...

The next day.

Most of the soldiers of Yu City didn't wake up until the afternoon.

Upon awakening, though injured, their energy was full and spirits high.

Seeing the clear skies and recalling the apocalyptic scenes of the previous night, they felt as if they were in a different world.

Once everyone had rested sufficiently.

Kingdom Chu organized a lavish victory feast, where soldiers from all nations gathered together, clinking glasses without any barriers, regardless of their countries' relations.

As the wine took effect.

The high-ranking officials of the various nations held one last meeting.

The meeting had two important points: first, within half a year, no nation was to wage war against Kingdom Chu, or they would be considered allies of the demon race.

The second matter was the distribution of the demon blood crystals. Although there was much debate, everyone had a sense of who contributed most, and it generally matched the performance from the day before. Ying Wuji, as the leading contributor, received thirty percent of the share.

It was estimated that this could produce thousands of elite warhorses.

After the victory feast.

Everyone returned to their respective homes.

If predictions were correct, they would set off the next day, leaving Yu City to return to their nations.

"Phew..."

Ying Wuji smirked, "Half a year... that's quite urgent!"

"Brother Ying!"

Mi Xingli was clearly a bit drunk, her steps unsteady, but her mind was still clear, with only her gaze slightly blurred, showing no other signs of inebriation.

Ying Wuji turned around, "What's up?"

Mi Xingli pointed in the direction of the city lord's mansion, "My father requests your presence!"

Ying Wuji nodded and headed towards the city lord's mansion.

The city lord's mansion was brightly lit.

When they arrived, Mi Diao was frantically scratching his head over the documents on his desk, looking quite worried.

Seeing Ying Wuji.

Mi Diao quickly stood up and greeted him with a hearty laugh, "Wuji, you can really hold your liquor! You just drank so much without even turning red or losing breath."

Ying Wuji cheerfully returned the flattery, "My father-in-law is like the ocean in capacity. Just now, I saw you drink at least three large jars of wine without any trouble."

The two exchanged pleasantries.

The atmosphere was very harmonious.

It was then that Ying Wuji asked, "What did my father-in-law want to see me for?"

Mi Diao didn't answer immediately but smiled and pulled Ying Wuji to sit opposite him at the desk, "Wuji, your father-in-law promised you quite a few things before, do you remember?"

"Of course, I remember!"

Ying Wuji replied with a smile, though he was somewhat puzzled inside.

Mi Diao laughed heartily, "A gentleman's word is his bond. You don't have to worry about me going back on my word. Everything I promised you will be delivered. Just now, the three families of Qu, Jing, and Zhao came to me, presenting all sorts of arguments for their interests, but I rejected them all.

Once we return, I will immediately appoint you as the Grand General, and you will not lack anything, be it mansions or lands.

However..."

Ying Wuji grinned, knowing that as long as the key things were given, there wouldn't be any major issues.

He asked, "Please speak frankly, father-in-law!"

Mi Diao looked a bit embarrassed, "About the salary... I won't hide it from you, the internal strife in Kingdom Chu is severe, and the tax revenue from the lands of the Qu, Jing, and Zhao families has always been a big issue. This war has dragged on for too long, and the national treasury is somewhat depleted."Our Kingdom Chu is a major producer, so naturally, we don't lack food. However, money and cultivation resources might be a bit tight for the next two months, especially with the army's healing expenses. Do you think we could delay..."

Ying Wuji grinned, "I still have a twenty percent income from the jade soap factory. I can wait for two months. But have things really gotten this bad?"

This was truly unexpected.

But indeed, Mi Duo had promised quite a lot to himself and the Bai family.

With such sudden additional expenses, it was indeed difficult to come up with the resources after the war.

He could also see that Mi Duo genuinely wanted to retain talent. If it weren't for the severe resource strain, he wouldn't have humbled himself to say such things.

"Alas!"

Mi Duo sighed deeply, his expression filled with worry.

Ying Wuji smiled, "We can't think of changing methods without money. If my adoptive father is short on cash, I could actually lend you some."

Financially choked.

This novel is available on "pawread dot com".

No way to change anything.

Mi Duo was stunned, looking at Ying Wuji in shock, "I'm already embarrassed about the delayed salaries, and now you're offering to pay to hold office?"

Ying Wuji: "..."

To speak or not to speak.

He really did have the potential to be an expert.

Paying to work, such a move had come into play.

He smiled, "Of course not. Anyway, I have a way to help my adoptive father out of this urgent situation, but I haven't prepared a detailed plan yet. You just relax these days, and by the time we return to Ying Capital, I should have a concrete proposal ready."

Mi Duo was immediately overjoyed, "Wonderful!"

Mi Xingli was silent for a while before speaking softly, "Father, why do I feel like Brother Ying is here to aid the poor and distressed?"

Mi Duo: "..."

Ying Wuji: "..."

To speak or not to speak.

That was indeed the intention.

If so, it would be even more convenient to propose terms for cooperation.

After boasting for a while longer.

Mi Duo asked Mi Xingli to escort Ying Wuji back.

Back home.

He saw that the light was already on in the adjacent room.

Ying Wuji paused, then pushed open the door.

And then, he saw Nangong Yu's hollow eyes.