Northern Expedition! Northern Expedition!

## Chapter 41

Aperture Opening Realm!

These three words held a magical power. As Chen Qing broke through, the vortex of spiritual energy and malevolent energy that had stirred the heavens and earth slowly subsided. The imposing aura emanating from him, as stable as a mountain and integrated with his surroundings, caused Old Niu, Sun Quezi, and the others who rushed over to stop involuntarily outside the camp gate. A sense of awe filled them, and they dared not approach rashly.

It was a natural pressure stemming from a difference in life levels.

Chen Qing slowly opened his eyes. The dark red vortex in his pupils had vanished, replaced by depths as profound as an ancient well. Yet, with every blink, a piercing light still flowed. He felt the power surging within him like a great river, resonating faintly with the heavens and earth. He also sensed the Fierce Tiger Domain, extending five zhang around him, responding to his will like an extension of his own arm, imbued with the true intent of slaughter and annihilation. An unprecedented sense of control washed over him.

"General... you, you've broken through?" Old Niu's voice trembled slightly, a mix of excitement and reverence.

Chen Qing nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "Clear the battlefield. Imprison the heavily injured Azure Wolf Death Warriors and guard them strictly."

"Yes!" everyone responded with a roar, their gazes toward Chen Qing becoming even more fervent. Even the Royal Court's Azure Wolf Death Warriors could be defeated and captured; the General's strength was unfathomable!

Soon, the camp was cleaned up. The Azure Wolf Death Warrior, whose arm had been severed and who was on the verge of death, was secretly imprisoned. This individual held immense value, whether for interrogating the Royal Court for intelligence or for studying the annihilation malevolent energy he cultivated; both would greatly benefit Chen Qing.

The news of Chen Qing's breakthrough to the Aperture Opening Realm and his defeat of the Azure Wolf Death Warrior squad could not, and did not need to, be concealed. It swept through the Northern Frontier like a hurricane, spreading to the border and back to the Imperial Capital faster than any previous event.

The Northern Frontier defense line erupted!

"Aperture Opening! General Zhenbei has broken through to the Aperture Opening Realm!"

"The General even defeated the Azure Wolf Death Warriors! My heavens!"

"Northern Expedition! Northern Expedition! Let's flatten the Northern Mang Royal Court!"

The soldiers' morale soared to its peak, and countless requests to fight flew like snowflakes toward the commander's tent and Chen Qing's desk. Everyone realized that an unprecedented opportunity had arrived!

The Imperial Capital, Yujing City.

This time, even the Great Yan Emperor, who usually sat on his dragon throne with an unreadable expression, couldn't help but stand up abruptly upon receiving the battle report, his face revealing unconcealed shock and... a hint of apprehension.

"Aperture Opening Realm... a mere youth of twenty who has reached the Aperture Opening Realm..." the Emperor muttered to himself, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the armrest of his throne. "Chen Qing... this child is truly a Fiend Star sent from the heavens."

Below, the civil and military officials were silent, many with shifting expressions and varied thoughts. Chen Qing's rise had been too rapid, so rapid it was unsettling. Especially his malevolent energy, which was incompatible with orthodox cultivation, had now reached the Aperture Opening Realm. His strength and threat had surpassed many people's control.

"Your Majesty," the Minister of War stepped forward, his voice dry, "General Chen's merits are world-shattering. His breakthrough to Aperture Opening is truly a great fortune for the nation. However, the Northern Mang Royal Court has been established for hundreds of years, with deep foundations, and the Shaman National Preceptor is stationed there. I fear they have already entered the mid or even late stages of Aperture Opening years ago... Is a Northern Expedition at this time... too hasty?"

"Too hasty?" the Emperor snorted. "Should we wait for the Northern Mang to recover and march south again? Chen Qing has already broken through, and he carries the momentum of a great victory! The morale is usable! Transmit my decree!"

He swept his gaze over the court officials and declared with unwavering resolve, "Chen Qing is hereby enfeoffed as the 'Great General of the Northern Expedition,' with overall command of all military and political affairs in the Northern Frontier. He is granted the axe, whip, and insignia, with the authority to act at his discretion! Order him to immediately assemble the army and march north, striking directly at the Northern Mang Royal Court! I, in Yujing, await news of his triumphant return!"

Great General of the Northern Expedition! Overall command of Northern Frontier military and political affairs! Authority to act at his discretion!

This was almost handing over the entire power of the Northern Frontier to Chen Qing alone! It showed the Emperor's great determination and also his complex, inexpressible attitude toward Chen Qing—he wanted to use Chen Qing's sharpness but had to grant him immense power.

The imperial edict was sent out again via express courier.

***

Northern Frontier, the Black Tiger Camp had been renamed the "Northern Expeditionary Army" camp.

Inside the commander's tent, Chen Qing received the Emperor's edict and the axe, whip, and insignia symbolizing supreme authority. His expression was calm, without much excitement. Power, to him, was merely a tool.

He casually set the edict aside and his gaze fell upon the large map of the Northern Frontier hanging on the wall. His finger finally landed on the area symbolizing the core of Northern Mang's power.

"Issue an order to the three armies," he said in a plain voice, yet with an undeniable decisiveness that echoed through the tent. "In three days, we will swear the oath for the Northern Expedition. Our blade will point towards—the Northern Mang Royal Court!"

"Northern Expedition!"

"Northern Expedition!"

"Northern Expedition!"

Outside the tent, tens of thousands of Northern Expeditionary Army soldiers let out earth-shattering roars. Their malevolent energy surged to the heavens, their battle intent like a rainbow!

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

On the training grounds, fifty thousand elite soldiers of the Northern Expeditionary Army stood in formation, their armor gleaming, their weapons like a forest. A fierce and domineering military formation aura shot straight into the sky. These fifty thousand men were the bravest warriors selected by Chen Qing from the entire Northern Frontier defense line, with the core still being the five thousand veteran soldiers of the Black Tiger Camp.

Chen Qing stood on the reviewing stand, clad in dark black armor, his cloak fluttering. He didn't say much, merely slowly drew the ring-pommel sword at his waist.

The blade was dark red, its malevolent energy contained, yet it possessed a heart-stopping majesty.

The blade pointed north.

"Depart."

There was no impassioned proclamation, only two simple words.

But these two words were like the fuse lit on a powder keg!

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

The fifty thousand troops roared in unison, their voices like a tsunami sweeping across the land! Hooves pounded, the earth trembled, and a black torrent, like a breached dam's raging waves, surged northward, towards their fated enemy!

The Northern Expedition had officially begun!

Chen Qing rode at the forefront, his Aperture Opening Realm aura faintly connected to the malevolent energy of the entire army formation. This made the army move with an indomitable and unstoppable fierce momentum.

Along the way, all Northern Mang outposts and strongholds fled at the sight of them, not daring to confront their might. The Northern Expeditionary Army advanced hundreds of miles into the Northern Mang heartland without shedding a drop of blood.

News of this reached the Northern Mang Royal Court, shocking the entire nation!

The Left Virtuous King, Wuwei, looked ashen. He knew the final decisive battle was unavoidable. While frantically reinforcing the Royal Court's defenses, he once again sent an urgent plea for help to the sacred mountain forbidden zone.

Deep within the sacred mountain forbidden zone, upon the ice-sealed altar, the Northern Mang National Preceptor, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, slowly opened them. His eyes were no longer their usual profound depths, but burned with two clusters of ghostly blue flames.

Before him stood nine Azure Wolf Death Warriors, their auras even deeper and colder than the previous three death warriors.

"Aperture Opening Realm... Fierce Tiger..." the National Preceptor's voice carried an ancient weariness and a cold killing intent. "As expected, the destined enemy, the successor of the Black Tiger..."

He slowly rose, and the nine totem stone pillars surrounding the altar simultaneously lit up with a dim, dark glow.

"Awaken... the 'Wolf God Guard'."

The bodies of the nine Azure Wolf Death Warriors trembled simultaneously, fanaticism and resolve appearing in their eyes. They responded in unison:

"We shall obey the National Preceptor's decree!"

The Northern Mang Royal Court's final trump card was about to awaken.

Meanwhile, the Northern Expeditionary Army led by Chen Qing continued its unwavering advance toward the Royal Court.

The two forces, representing the peak strength of both sides, were approaching their final point of collision with unavoidable momentum.

The fate of the Northern Frontier, and even the entire world's landscape, would be irrevocably rewritten in this battle.