Beyond the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons, lay the Frost Wind Valley.

Here, an arctic gale raged all year round, a tempest of such frigid power that ordinary cultivators, upon encountering it, would instantly perish, their bodies and souls freezing solid. Only during the deep winter month, when the Frost Wind’s fury swept across the mundane world, would its ferocity here temporarily abate, allowing a narrow passage to open between realms.

And it was in this brief window that humanity and the demon race, gathered around this precarious crossing, would engage in slaughter even more brutal than the Frost Wind itself.

The winter month in Frost Wind Valley was a spectacle painted in red and white.

In one of the shallow depressions, a lone figure stood out, his head tilted, attentively listening to the words of the man beside him, occasionally nodding his assent with phrases like “Um,” “Oh,” and “Like so.”

This figure, clad in a white robe and wielding a silver spear, possessed a countenance as bright as his clear eyes, his bearing unparalleled. He was none other than Ji Zhaonan of Great Qi.

Frost Wind Valley was not the exclusive domain of any one faction. Each time the passage opened, forces from all sides would converge, vying with the demon race for the precious resources within. Regardless of the myriad conflicts that plagued the mundane world, the common enemy in the aftermath of the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons was the demon race, and resisting them was the paramount righteousness for humanity.

The man speaking to Ji Zhaonan seemed to sense the imminent success of his persuasion, speaking with growing excitement, his gestures bordering on a commander directing troops.

Ji Zhaonan listened on, then abruptly raised his hand. That world-renowned spear, like a silver thread lancing across the sky, pierced through the speaker’s throat and out the back of his skull!

Life and voice extinguished in a single instant, the man collapsed into the white snow of Frost Wind Valley.

The sequence of events was exceedingly simple.

After a fierce battle, the demon race had temporarily retreated, and Ji Zhaonan and his comrades occupied this mountain depression.

This individual had then suddenly approached, claiming camaraderie, and exchanged a few pleasantries. As the greetings continued, he subtly, almost unintentionally, brought up certain matters. It was nothing more than talk of “when the birds are gone, the good bow is hidden,” of the mutual suspicion between monarch and minister, words hinting at the precarious position of a military god…

Ji Zhaonan hadn’t waited for him to finish.

Killing someone after the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons was a grave taboo, but among those who could fight in Frost Wind Valley, truly few were fools.

Everyone present clearly understood the man’s intentions.

To deliberately bring the entanglements of the mundane world to the aftermath of the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons, to utter such nonsensical, provocative words… if Ji Zhaonan had simply ignored him, then so be it. But to kill him was also not something to be blamed.

Under the watchful eyes of all, how many truly failed to see the right and wrong of the situation?

Those who could not see, for the most part, were blinded by prejudice or chose not to.

“How can you be so ruthless?”

Standing on a large rock opposite, a man in a black daoist robe, carrying a sword, spoke. His demeanor was typically stern, yet at this moment, a hint of a smile played on his lips: “That person’s words were quite reasonable, and he was even thinking for you and your master!”

This was none other than Chunyu Gui, the divine arrival heavenly proud from Jing Country.

In the mundane world, they would be locked in a battle to the death, swords drawn and bows taut. Yet, having arrived after the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons, they could calmly converse, even fight shoulder to shoulder against the demons.

This was the world after the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons.

A world that could not definitively be called more cruel, nor more pure.

“War is a cunning path, where nothing is left unutilized. To be able to transmit words here, one must admit that the people of Xia Country possess some capability.”

Ji Zhaonan curled his lips: “Only… were they too foolish? What use is it to transmit such words to me? Even if I were swayed, would I not fear death?”

Chunyu Gui let out a laugh.

After his laughter subsided, he said: “There’s no need to fear death quite so much. My Jing Country’s great sect is willing to open its doors for you, Ji Zhaonan. Let’s see who can kill you then?”

Ji Zhaonan seemed to contemplate this with great interest for a moment, then asked: “What was the name of that Inner Mansion realm heavenly proud of yours who died last year?”

Chunyu Gui shrugged his shoulders: “Life is inevitably full of accidents.”

Ji Zhaonan retorted: “Then your accidents are far too numerous!”

“And yours as well,” Chunyu Gui replied.

“Ah, accidents!” Ji Zhaonan sighed.

Chunyu Gui lightly tapped the stone beneath his feet, then abruptly asked: “Tell me the truth. Was Zhao Xuanyang killed by you Qi people?”

He looked at Ji Zhaonan, emphasizing: “Humanity does not deceive humanity.”

“Yes,” Ji Zhaonan nodded without hesitation.

He even recounted the process with enthusiasm: “Originally, Qi people are hospitable and enthusiastic. Jiang Wang gave Zhao Xuanyang face and only accompanied him for a few days. Who knew that fellow Zhao Xuanyang would push his luck and actually try to take Jiang Wang to Jade Capital Mountain? Jiang Wang said, ‘If you let go now, I will spare your dog’s life.’ Zhao Xuanyang, in a fit of rage, attacked, unleashing one move, Heaven Absolute Earth Extinguish Sword. That fellow flattened the mountain! How easy is it to deal with my Qi Country’s heavenly proud? One strike of Sword Immortal Person—tsk tsk, chopped him until not even dregs remained!”

Chunyu Gui scoffed: “Spare me. He can’t even beat Chong Xuanzun, what grounds does he have to kill Zhao Xuanyang?”

“Whether he can beat Chong Xuanzun and whether he can kill Zhao Xuanyang, what necessary connection is there?” Ji Zhaonan said: “The true strength of my Qi people is revealed in moments of life and death!”

Chunyu Gui said coldly: “Wait until the Stone Rhino Demon King arrives, then let me experience it myself.”

Ji Zhaonan chuckled: “If it’s for your revenge, I will.”

Around them, a scattered group of people, those from Qi and Jing maintaining their silence and seriousness, while others from different countries wore expressions of anticipation, eagerly enjoying the bickering.

Chunyu Gui grew tired of speaking.

But Ji Zhaonan spoke again: “What did you just say? Jiang Wang can’t beat Chong Xuanzun? Inner Mansion cannot beat Outer Building, isn’t that perfectly normal? Is it even worth mentioning?”

“How long has it been since you left the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons?” Chunyu Gui asked: “Jiang Wang has completed the fourth floor, Chong Xuanzun is already Divine Arrival!”

“The young are indeed formidable!” Ji Zhaonan sighed, then added: “Why are you so concerned with my Qi Country’s people? Is it because your Jing Country’s roots are rotten and its branches withered, with no one left worth caring about?”

To Ji Zhaonan’s mix of bickering and probing, Chunyu Gui merely smiled: “I only know that the name of the first person under thirty in your Qi Country is about to be obliterated. What ‘unmatched first,’ what ‘youthful spear,’ truly laughable. Others have seized all the glory of your generation, now they are at the same realm as you. Your so-called glory has all been stolen!”

Ji Zhaonan also laughed: “Although your method of provocation is incredibly stupid and ugly, I have to admit, I am provoked. Wait and see, I’ll go back and teach him a lesson.”

But as his laughter faded, his body surged with Dao Yuan, and he raised his spear, leaping directly out of the mountain depression.

Chunyu Gui was equally swift, following closely behind, his long sword already in hand.

A sound like an ox horn’s call echoed – the demon race had arrived!

“The clash of two great nations, of course, will ultimately manifest in military force. But national-level warfare is absolutely not limited solely to military force.”

In the darkness, a voice thus spoke: “Jiang Shu’s breaking of Sword Edge Mountain before the Yellow River Assembly was to make the people of Xia Country see reality clearly, recognize the disparity, and wear down their courage.

Then, resolving the matter of Yi Tian View was to strip away Xia Country’s external power.

With this set, the hard shell of Xia Country has already been cracked open a layer. This is a true momentum victory.”

“So, in your view, is Qi’s attack on Xia a foregone conclusion?” another voice asked.

Both voices were ethereal, concealing Dao principles and obscuring heavenly secrets, making their original appearance impossible to discern.

The former voice said: “Momentum victory does not equate to overall victory… Where is there ever a guaranteed win? Xia Country will not allow itself to be slaughtered. Though Si Yuan is dead, his legacy is not extinguished. The mighty army may be exhausted, but their bloody courage remains. Such a country, even if its outer shell is broken, its great pincers are still intact. Even if the pincers are also broken, it still possesses sharp claws and firm teeth. It still has flesh with reverse thorns, not so easy to devour! Moreover, Xia Country’s victory lies in a single child, Qi Country’s victory in a single game. The disparity in difficulty is significant. In my view, the outcome is still uncertain.”

Si Yuan was the original name of the Xia Xiang Emperor of that year.

The latter voice, naturally aware of this, merely asked: “So you think, should we risk taking action this time or not?”

“Zhao Wang has already clearly indicated that he will not interfere in this war… Do you have the time?” the former voice asked faintly.

“Hehe,” the latter voice responded: “Time is both very important to us, and not important. I just feel that letting Jiang Shu swallow Xia is not a good choice.”

“Who do you think Jiang Mengxiong is waiting for? And who do you think Jiang Shu, sitting in Lin Zi, is waiting for?” the former voice said: “Since you know that taking action this time is a ‘risk,’ then we should not take action.”

The latter voice was silent for a moment, then said: “You are right.”

“Wait and see,” the former voice echoed: “Time is both very important to us, and not important.”

The latter voice chuckled softly, then suddenly said: “Holy Duke, I’ve always been very curious. Who exactly are you?”

“I have no desire to know who you, Divine Hero, are,” the former voice said: “I only know your ideals, know your ambitions. Those with the same ambition and compatible paths, why must they reveal their faces?”

“Perhaps in life, the distant path is unreachable… Those who intersect are difficult to truly know. Those who walk together, who knows how many will return together?” the latter voice said: “But you are right, let it be just like this.”

Thus, both voices dispersed.

If someone had been able to eavesdrop on this conversation, they would undoubtedly have been astonished by the identities of the speakers.

For the Holy Duke, the Divine Hero, and Zhao Wang… these were precisely the three great leaders of the Equality Country!

Always, like a dragon, their heads were seen but their tails remained hidden.

Finally, concealed, unheard by the world.

Dao Calendar 3920, the eleventh month, fifteenth day.

Cao Ji led one million Qi army eastwards. Along the way, small countries all made way, the army’s momentum reaching the sky, banners unfurled, finally arriving at the border of Xia Country.

Even several small countries proactively mobilized their armies to follow the Qi army into battle.

Cao Ji, however, did not conscript them, stating, “I can only command the strength of one million, I cannot have outside commanders.”

He did not even collect provisions, only strictly ordering the various countries along the way to maintain a smooth supply line for the army.

The necessary military supplies set out together with the main army.

In an era where state systems prevailed, the so-called supply of war was naturally not like the sectarian warfare of the past, conducted with carts and measures.

General storage boxes had limited capacity and were insufficient to meet the demands of a vast army.

Those tools with extremely small bodies but extremely large storage spaces were of high value and impossible to universally apply throughout the army.

As for Qi Country, they typically relied on storage square carts produced by artifact workshops for supply transport, drawn by wind-chasing demon horses, and overseen by specialized transport officials.

These transport officials were all selected from the elite warriors within the army, possessing extraordinary strength. They held a high status within the army, standing alongside the flag officers, generally referred to by ordinary soldiers as “the two lads,” meaning “flag lad” and “grain lad.” Ji Zhaonan, in the past, had his origins as a flag lad.

Regardless of their current position, soldiers would often communicate with pride, saying they were the grain lad of such and such army in such and such year.

The object limitations of the storage square cart and the speed of the pack animals were both areas that works officials needed to diligently improve upon. And this effort, to some extent, was precisely an embodiment of national strength.

The strength of the various great hegemonic countries was truly multifaceted. Hidden in the livelihoods of the people, manifested in the troops, and reaching into the court.

The supply for a hundred thousand army, one team of transport officials, and around ten storage square carts could complete one trip.

In the great wars of the state era,

The consumption of supplies was greatly reduced, the speed of supply was unprecedentedly increased, and the pressure on the supply line was also significantly lessened.

Of course, supply remained a critical element in marching and deploying forces.

Cao Ji led his army eastward, setting up flags along the way, calling upon the various countries for defense, forming a thousand-mile array to ensure the unimpeded flow of the soldier’s pulse.

This war flag had a name: the “conquest flag.”

Generally speaking, it possessed the abilities of warning, path-holding, attack, and conquest.

“Warning” was easy to understand, and could even be considered the most important ability of the conquest flag, as it could effectively guarantee the safety of the supplies.

All conquest flags had a mutual induction between them, which could be considered a form of long-distance communication, although it could only transmit very simple warning information. However, the conquest flag, this soldier Dao tool, was currently the only tool that could maintain long-distance induction during war! Its preciousness was therefore immense.

Secondly was “path-holding.” The conquest flag had two effects in this regard: one was to gather the Heaven and Earth Yuan Force of the placed location, which could help the holder and the arriving transport officials and wind-chasing demon horses quickly recover their state. The other was to increase the flying speed of the holder, transport officials, and wind-chasing demon horses within the range of influence. On a long supply line, these two effects were very important.

Furthermore, the conquest flag generally possessed certain attack and conquest abilities. Within the coverage of the conquest flag, transport officials could borrow the power of the conquest flag to fight.

The conquest flag was so important, and Qi Country’s “Purple Extreme Conquest” was among the elite, a heavy soldier Dao tool infused with the national momentum of Great Qi!

From the Qi border to the Xia border, one was set up every hundred li, lined up all the way, establishing a stable supply line.

Each conquest flag had specialized soldiers stationed at it. Simultaneously, the various countries along the way also had to provide corresponding protection during the war. If anything was lost… the hegemonic country would hold them accountable!

War was not a duel between one or two people, not a simple drawing of swords to decide life and death.

Rather, it was the feeding of people and horses, the management of every aspect of movement, rest, eating, drinking, defecation—every single detail, counted in thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions… how to control all of it freely.

With over ten thousand people, the scale was boundless.

With over a hundred thousand soldiers, they were like a vast ocean.

To command ten thousand was to be a dragon and phoenix among people.

To command a hundred thousand was to be a hero of the world.

To command a million army required a general of unparalleled fame.

The Qi army set out on November seventh and arrived in Xia on November fifteenth.

In a mere eight days, they had orderly brought one million army to the Xia border, their appearance disciplined, their momentum like a dragon, truly embodying the quality of a famous general.

Of course, for Cao Ji, this was normal, nothing worth boasting about.

Now, the first challenge before him was that the Xia army had directly abandoned the national border line, choosing a strategy of scorched earth and fortified walls, creating a hundred-li wasteland, setting up countless traps, using Dao techniques, tools, or mechanisms… all aimed at delaying the spearhead of the Qi army.

The second challenge was, after the hundred-li wasteland, that one mountain, straight as if piercing the sky—Sword Edge Mountain…

On Sword Edge Mountain, the Great Xia Min King, Yu Liyang, personally sat in command.

This was the first confrontation between Cao Ji and Yu Liyang.

Neither wished to have a second.

—Outside the Topic—

Regarding the topic, I opened the expression point today, and I only received the physical book. I can compare it with the paper map to write the plot.

It’s not as big as I imagined! I thought it would be that kind of large map that could be hung on the wall. I could circle and point on it with a pen, wouldn’t that give me a great sense of immersion, like Cao Ji directing troops…

But now it’s only about the same size as my computer screen.