Jin Border City, Jin Nation:
Gao Xianzhi sat in the main hall of the city lord’s official residence and checked the reports that came from all over. Some of his subordinates sat respectfully at the side, working busily.
After reading reports for a long time, Gao Xianzhi rested for a while. As he drank some tea, he looked at the surrounding scribes.
At this moment, one of the old scribes looked at Gao Xianzhi and asked, “Commander-in-Chief, right now, our army has good momentum and strong morale. Why did we not take advantage of that and continue the attacks?”
“The purpose of our Gu Residence army is to subdue the world, not conquer it. We first take a huge victory and use our prestige to shock the four nations. After all, our army is limited. We should not be greedy for accomplishments. Otherwise, we will fall into a trap of our own making and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory!” Gao Xianzhi explained.
“Yes!”
“Furthermore, the situation in our camp is not stable yet. There are still many officers who are still unreconciled with their situation, right?” Gao Xianzhi looked at that old scribe.
“Indeed. They are different from us. They were sent out in a hurry, but we have followed Commander-in-Chief for decades already. Initially, we thought that we would not see Commander-in-Chief anymore after you joined an immortal sect. Unexpectedly, Commander-in-Chief returned!” The old scribe smiled.
“Immortal sect? Ha! It’s just cultivating immortality. You followed me in the past. This time, I returned to bring you to cultivate immortality with me!” Gao Xianzhi smiled.
The busy scribes and officials stopped what they were doing and looked up.
“Commander-in-Chief, what did you say? Is Mister Gu preparing to…” the earlier old scribe said in shock.
“There’s no need to kick up a big fuss. The residence master is planning to start his own nation with this intent. Furthermore, the residence master is broad-minded and generous. When he succeeds, everyone will rise with him. Do your best; everyone has a chance. Soon, he will hand out medicinal pills and cultivation techniques that immortals eat and cultivate. How much will depend on your efforts!” Gao Xianzhi said.
“Really? Do I have a chance as well?” the old scribe asked excitedly.
“The five general managers responsible for the five nations should have already received the medicinal pills that the residence master sent. Although they cannot extend your lifespan, they can at least keep you healthy without falling sick while strengthening cultivation. In the future, you will be rewarded based on your contribution!” Gao Xianzhi explained.
All the scribes showed excited expressions.
“You may spread this information. Let those unreconciled with their situation know that the path that the residence master provides is the best. Let those people who have other thoughts put them away!” Gao Xianzhi said seriously.
“Yes! Commander-in-Chief, rest assured. We will definitely do our best to contribute!” everyone said excitedly.
“This is a new group of people, and there are all sorts of people intermingled in them. I just took over not long ago, so send people to make detailed notes of the soldiers’ discipline. Punish anyone who spoils my Gu Residence’s reputation with military law!” Gao Xianzhi said seriously.
“Yes!” one of the officials responsible for supervision answered.
——
Soaring Pagoda, Gu Residence, Hulao Pass:
Gu Hai sat at his desk as he read the reports from the various battlefields. Gu Qin accompanied him at the side.
“Adoptive Father, there is news from the Cai Nation. The Cai Nation’s emperor has sincerely surrendered and hopes for generous treatment from Adoptive Father,” Gu Qin said seriously.
“The Cai Nation. That nation used to be subordinate to the First Song Sect, right? It looks like I have frightened them silly, causing them to surrender without hesitation.” Gu Hai smiled as he put down the reports and picked up a cup of tea.
“Adoptive Father, what do you think?”
“Confer him fifty kilometers of land and make him a baron. He can keep one percent of his nation’s treasures, and I, Gu Hai, will promise him the safety of the royal clan. In the future, he will be my citizen, provided, of course, that he cooperates in my Gu Residence’s complete takeover of the Cai Nation,” Gu Hai said seriously.
“Yes! Also, Manager Tang and Manager Li sent word that the Jin Nation’s royal court and the Lu Nation are cracking under the pressure and show signs of intending to surrender,” Gu Qin said seriously.
“The Jin Emperor? The Lu Emperor? Ha! Get the two general managers to increase the pressure. I don’t want this to drag on for too long. Also, get Gao Xianzhi to put on a show of strength, give the Jin Emperor and the Lu Emperor a reminder!” Gu Hai said.
“Yes, I will send the message right away!”
“Adoptive Father, right now, only the Zhao Nation is resisting. The Zhao Nation is backed by the Peony Sect and is taking a firm stance!” Gu Qin reported worriedly.
“The Zhao Nation? In that case, use the Zhao Nation to let Gao Xianzhi train his soldiers. After the Jin Nation and the Lu Nation surrender, send Gao Xianzhi’s army to subdue the Zhao Nation with full force!” Gu Hai said seriously.
“Yes!”
“Remind Gao Xianzhi to enforce military discipline. They are not to harass the citizens. In the future, they would all be citizens of my Gu Residence,” Gu Hai said.
“Adoptive Father, rest assured. I already gave that instruction before Gao Xianzhi left.” Gu Qin nodded.
“Adoptive Father, when are you going to establish the nation?” Gu Qin asked with some anticipation.
“Wait for a while longer. It is not time yet!” Gu Hao shook his head.
“Oh!” Gu Qin nodded in bewilderment.
“How is Chen Tianshan’s recruitment going?”
“He managed to recruit fifty cultivators for my Gu Residence. However, they are all early-stage Innate Realm independent cultivators. It is hard for cultivators to cultivate in the Thousand Islands Sea. As my Gu Residence will give out salaries in spirit stones, they are just finding a place to stay for now.”
“Having a start is pretty good.” Gu Hai smiled as he sipped his tea.
“Adoptive Father is not worried about the Peony Sect?”
“The Peony Sect that is hiding the dragon vein? That information already spread all over long ago. Now, an increasing number of cultivators are going over. What is the point of me worrying about them? Let’s focus on collecting this mundane region first. That is the priority,” Gu Hai said while shaking his head.
“Alright!” Gu Qin said with a bitter smile.
——
At the same time, on a mountain far from the Gu Residence:
The Divine Strategy Battalion’s Gao Liusheng led five men wearing conical bamboo hats to the summit. Then, they looked at the fog-covered Gu Residence’s surroundings.
“The Twenty-Eight Line-Pair World Ritual Array?” one of the five men said sullenly.
“Gao Liusheng, you aren’t asking us to barge into the ritual array and assassinate Gu Hai, right?”
“Back then, the East Sea Pirate King, Luo Tiange, fell to this ritual array. Although we are Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, we have only just advanced, yet you want us to barge into the ritual array? Aren’t you sending us to die?”
“The treasures that you promised are indeed tempting. However, we still need to be alive to enjoy the treasures!”
The five men looked at Gao Liusheng.
“Animal spirit kings, cultivating as animal spirits is very difficult; I believe that you understand this better than I do. Without treasures, how difficult would it be to reach the Nascent Soul Realm? There is a price to pay for everything. The battalion commander gave me these five treasures for this. While this job is indeed risky, such a good thing would not go to you without risks, right?” Gao Liusheng smiled.
The five men remained silent. After a while, one of them shook his head and said, “However, we do not dare to enter the Twenty-Eight Line-Pair World Ritual Array carelessly.”
“Gu Hai is in there. If you don’t assassinate him, you can’t obtain these treasures,” Gao Liusheng said.
The five animal spirit kings remained silent.
“Of course, you don’t have to enter the ritual array to deal with Gu Hai, right?” Gao Liusheng smiled.
“Oh?”
“You can lure Gu Hai out, can’t you? After all, he is just an Innate Realm cultivator, and you five animal spirit kings are Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, able to take human form. Are you really helpless to deal with him?” Gao Liusheng smiled.
The five animal spirit kings exchanged looks.
——
In the Gu Residence:
While Gu Hai and Gu Qin chatted, loud screams suddenly rang out.
“Ah! Monsters! Monsters!”
“Monsters are eating people!”
“Master, save us!”
“You beast! How dare you cause trouble in the Gu Residence?!”
“Shoot!”
The outside suddenly turned chaotic as loud sounds rang out.
“Huh?” Gu Hai narrowed his eyes as he got up and walked to the Soaring Pagoda’s entrance.
The Soaring Pagoda was the core of the Twenty-Eight Line-Pair World Ritual Array. From here, Gu Hai had a good view of everything outside the ritual array.
Gu Hai saw that the small town outside the Gu Residence had turned chaotic. Chen Tianshan and Shangguan Hen led a group of evil men over, all holding weapons as they dealt with five enormous creatures that had suddenly appeared.
There were two leopards, two wolves, and one bear—all of them thirty meters tall. They all emanated an extremely ferocious aura as surging shock waves spread out from their bodies and formed gales. The strong winds blew over the ordinary people in the small town.
“Roar!”
The five animal spirit kings struck the buildings in the town. When they opened their mouths and sucked, they sucked in some ordinary people. These people struggled painfully in vain before getting swallowed.
“Fire! Fire!” Chen Tianshan directed furiously.
The evil men quickly shot out manifested arrows. However, barriers around the five ferocious beasts blocked the arrows.
“Nascent Soul Realm?” Gu Hai’s face sank.
“Roar! Roar!”
As the five animal spirits roared ferociously, they pounced towards the evil men.
The evil men quickly scattered in all directions. At the same time, they worked together to fire arrows. However, the five animal spirits were overly ferocious. Their immense destructive power had already ruined half the small town. Many ordinary people suffered as they shouted in fear.
“Evil beasts!” Gu Hai suddenly shouted.
Gu Hai’s voice thundered, amplified by the ritual array.
“Master! Master! Save us!” The ordinary citizens in the surroundings ran to the ritual array in fear.
The five animal spirits seemed to be avoiding the ritual array. They blocked the ordinary people and continued their brutal killing.
“Adoptive Father, are these animal spirits targeting you? Are they trying to lure you out of the ritual array?” Gu Qin speculated worriedly.
“Gu Qin, you control the ritual array and support me!” Gu Hai said seriously.
“Adoptive Father, you cannot go out!” Gu Qin shouted worriedly.
Bang!
Gu Hai instantly stepped out of the ritual array. As he jumped out, a crimson saber suddenly appeared in his hands, and bloodthirsty energy filled his entire body.
“Roar!”
“Gu Hai is out!”
“Hahaha!”
The five animal spirits immediately started cackling. They stopped eating the ordinary people and pounced towards Gu Hai with open jaws. To them, Gu Hai was just an Innate Realm cultivator. No matter how strong he was, there would be a limit, right?
“Roar!”
A leopard spirit led the charge. Pushing off the ground, it sprang at Gu Hai with a ferocious air.
“You are seeking death!” Gu Hai glared as he swung the crimson saber in his hand.
Boom!
The crimson saber swung down and shot out a crimson beam of light, instantly dyeing half the sky crimson.
The approaching leopard spirit suddenly felt goosebumps. However, it was too late; the leopard spirit’s claw had already made contact.
Boom!
A loud sound rang out as a piercing crimson light blinded everyone. Then, an inconceivable scene appeared before everyone.
The enormous leopard spirit did not smash the “insignificant” Gu Hai dead. Instead, the saber shattered its protective barrier and sent it flying. The attack tore a wound across its chest and belly, causing voluminous blood to fountain out.
“This is impossible!” The enormous leopard spirit looked at Gu Hai in horror as it vomited blood in midair.
“What?” The other animal spirits paused as they looked at Gu Hai in shock.
Gu Hai landed while holding the crimson saber. The crimson light and crimson energy covering him made him look like an incredibly ferocious demon that had climbed out of a prison of blood.
