Recruiting People for the Army

Jia Ma Qing's efficiency was truly top-notch. In just two days, they had finalized the negotiations with the royal envoy members.

The emperor of the Chu Yun Empire, Nan Gong Yu, felt incredibly stifled. Although he commanded the Chu Yun Empire's 400,000 strong army, facing two Dou Ancestors and over twenty Dou Emperors was like an egg hitting a rock.

Now that the Ten Thousand Scorpion Gate and the Misty Cloud Sect had merged, their combined forces, along with the Jia Ma Empire's 530,000 troops, left Chu Yun with no room to retaliate. Even the envoys secretly sent to other nations for aid were captured one by one. In the end, they were forced to sign a letter of surrender and become a vassal state of Jia Ma.

This massive shift terrified the Mu Lan Empire and the Yan Luo Empire. The emperors of both nations sent envoys back and forth multiple times, secretly discussing how to resist the rise of Jia Ma.

An atmosphere of impending war permeated the four nations, causing the leaders of various factions in the Mu Lan Empire to become hot-headed, entertaining thoughts of switching allegiances.

Meanwhile, on Misty Cloud Mountain, Ye Qianqian had been quite bothered lately. It was because every time she tried to trick someone these past few days, she did so with a pounding heart, terrified of her Dou Master strength being exposed.

If she didn't find a way to become stronger, she might be exposed by some reckless fool one day.

"Looks like I need to find a way to improve my strength," she thought.

With that in mind, she entered the system space.

There were many ways to become stronger, and the system offered over thirty options.

Some involved consuming pills to become an immortal or a god, others involved spending a large amount of Shock Points to increase her realm, and some relied on dual cultivation to achieve godhood.

"Yuri is great!" Ye Qianqian casually opened a few books to look.

Sisterly Joy Method 5,000,000 Shock Points, Effect: Her happiness is my happiness.

Male Friend's Love Technique 1,000,000 Shock Points, Effect: Friendship-filled and fast leveling.

Dragon-Phoenix Bliss Zen 250,000 Shock Points, Effect: The next generation will be smarter.

"Too expensive, I can't afford it."

Currently, the Shock Points she had accumulated from tricking people amounted to just over 400,000, not enough to buy the cultivation method involving rolling in bed with girls. As for the cheaper male-female dual cultivation method, she really didn't want to exchange for it. Even though she had become a woman, her soul was still that of a man!

Even if she threw away her shame and wanted to do intimate things with a boy, could she really go through with the final step?

After sifting through many options, only bloodline exchanges remained.

On the Dou Qi Continent, everyone highly valued the quality of their bloodline, as it was a key determinant of a person's lifelong destiny.

For example, those with the Dou God bloodline had cultivation speeds that were a thousand miles a day, comparable to a VIP who had paid money, and three to four times faster than ordinary people.

Therefore, Ye Qianqian set her sights on bloodline upgrades.

Indeed, the system offered quite a variety of bloodlines.

From the Naruto world: Otsutsuki Bloodline, Six Paths Bloodline, Asura Bloodline, Indra Bloodline.

From Greek mythology: Olympian God Bloodline.

From the Marvel world: Norse God Austin Bloodline.

From anime: Saiyan Bloodline.

From the cultivation world: Earth Immortal Bloodline, Golden Immortal Bloodline, Grand Unity Golden Immortal Bloodline, Jade Emperor Bloodline, Tathagata Bloodline, Wutian Buddha Bloodline, Pangu Bloodline, Nuwa Bloodline, Hongjun Bloodline...

From the Bible: Paul Bloodline, Moses Bloodline, Jesus Bloodline, God Bloodline...

These bloodlines were almost all-inclusive, and the sheer number of items made Ye Qianqian's eyes blur.

But she still couldn't afford them!

The cheapest ones here, the Asura and Indra bloodlines, cost at least a million. It was like staring at something she couldn't reach!

No, she had to find a way to obtain more Shock Points.

After thinking for a long time, she finally came up with a good idea.

Currently, Jia Ma and Chu Yun were amassing troops, gathering a 700,000-strong expeditionary force, intending to attack the nearest Mu Lan Empire soon. Both nations' military departments were procuring grain and medicinal materials. While grain was easy to procure, there was a shortage of alchemists, which gave her an idea for a grand scheme.

"System, exchange this for the first volume of Supreme Pill Dao," Ye Qianqian said, pointing at an alchemy book in the mall.

"Ding!"

Congratulations to the host for a successful exchange. 200,000 Shock Points have been consumed.

This Supreme Pill Dao was an alchemy technique written by Lao Tzu. It was divided into five volumes. Although she only had the first volume, it recorded the methods for refining pills below Grade 3, which was definitely a worthwhile purchase for Ye Qianqian.

On this Dou Qi Continent, becoming an alchemist was a matter of great honor.

Those alchemists, relying on their ability to refine pills, walked around with their noses in the air all day, acting incredibly arrogant.

Not only that, but alchemists could also use the pills they refined as payment to recruit thugs for their own use. If they disliked someone, they could resolve the issue in minutes with a single pill.

Furthermore, not just anyone could become an alchemist. To become one, there were very strict requirements: one needed to mix a trace of wood-attribute Dou Qi into fire-attribute Dou Qi. Many people lacked this innate talent, which led to the saying on the Dou Qi Continent: "Better to be killed by a strong person than to provoke an alchemist."

Gently opening the alchemy book, the first page featured a profound poem:

Golden elixirs are easy to forge, immortals hard to cultivate, A thousand flowers and herbs, a half-filled furnace of sorrow. With a banana fan stirring, true fire dances, On the path to eternal life, how many remain?

This is Lao Tzu's lament for the cultivators of the world, making Ye Qianqian feel as if she saw those cultivators who, in their pursuit of immortality, ultimately turned into piles of white bones.

After pondering the pill book for half a day, under the system's forceful infusion, she had already thoroughly understood the refining experience for pills below third grade.

"It's time to show my true skills."

She suddenly stood up, puffed out her small chest, and a face full of confidence was evident.

Since the Ten Thousand Scorpion Gate had been annexed by the Misty Cloud Sect and successfully brought under its jurisdiction, Yun Shan and Yun Yun were busy figuring out how to incorporate the Poison Masters from the Ten Thousand Scorpion Gate. Ye Qianqian could only ask Na Lan Yan Ran to accompany her to the Alchemist Guild of the Jia Ma Empire.

At this time, Ma Fa was also busy. To prepare supplies for the armies of both countries, he had called upon over a hundred alchemists and five hundred apprentices, and they were frantically refining pills, yet still unable to meet the target quota.

"Sigh! This won't do. The number of pills is completely insufficient. If only they could extend the deadline by another ten days."

Ma Fa frowned in the guild. Ever since the ancestor of the Misty Cloud Sect appeared, the situation in the Jia Ma Empire had undergone earth-shattering changes. In just a few days, Jia Ma had merged with the Chu Yun Empire, leaving everyone reeling.

"Little Ma, why the long face? What's troubling you?"

A young girl and a little maid suddenly walked in, startling Ma Fa. He immediately stood up and respectfully welcomed them.

"I did not expect Senior's arrival at the Alchemist Guild. Please forgive my lack of proper welcome."

Ma Fa dared not show any disrespect towards Ye Qianqian's appearance. Although this little girl looked harmless, she was an ancestor of the Misty Cloud Sect! He absolutely could not afford to offend her.

"No need for formalities," Ye Qianqian smiled. "I noticed you've been frowning this whole time. Have you encountered any difficulties?"

Ma Fa gave a wry smile. "Senior has sharp eyes. I do indeed have a difficult problem that I cannot solve."

"Just say it. Perhaps I can help you!"

Hearing Ye Qianqian's words, Ma Fa began to pour out his troubles, explaining the situation of not being able to gather enough medicinal pills for the expeditionary force.

If it were only to supply the Jia Ma Empire's legions, the Alchemist Guild's reserves over the years would have been sufficient. However, the Chu Yun Empire still had three legions that needed pill supplies, which made things difficult.

"I thought it was some difficult matter. So, you're troubled by such a trivial thing!" Ye Qianqian shook her head and smiled.

Ma Fa's face twitched. Such a trivial matter?

To equip the Chu Yun Empire's legions with pill reserves within two days, and this was a trivial matter?

"Little Ma, go and summon all the alchemists in the guild now, bring a large amount of medicinal ingredients, and come with me to the Chu Yun military camp."

"Yes, I will do it now." Ma Fa, full of doubt, didn't understand what Ye Qianqian meant at all, but he still had the alchemist masters in the guild stop their work.

And so, an army of over a hundred alchemist masters followed closely behind a little girl, heading towards the Chu Yun military camp in a grand procession.

"Commander, why are we attacking the Mu Lan Empire with Jia Ma?"

"How should I know? Go ask the Emperor of Jia Ma."

In the Chu Yun Empire's military camp, Commander Feng Ling was extremely vexed. After Chu Yun was annexed by Jia Ma, the military issued a brainless order: to attack the Mu Lan Empire together with the Jia Ma legions.

Feng Ling, who had been fighting on the battlefield for many years, knew that this military strategy was highly unreasonable.

The Mu Lan Empire was not an easy opponent. A rash attack, even with the numerical advantage of merging with the Jia Ma legions, would result in heavy casualties.

Feng Ling grew more and more angry as he thought about it. He really didn't know what those high-ranking officials in charge were thinking. They didn't even consider the casualty rate of the soldiers if they launched an attack.

"Reporting, Commander. Over a hundred alchemist masters have arrived outside the military camp. They say they are from the Jia Ma Empire's Alchemist Guild and wish to enter the camp," a guard reported in a hurry.

"Oh?" Feng Ling's curiosity was piqued. What were these alchemists doing here? But he dared not delay and quickly ordered his subordinate to invite these esteemed alchemists in.

All the soldiers of the Chu Yun Empire looked over curiously. They saw these alchemists collectively following a little girl, about five or six years old, completely lacking their usual arrogant demeanor.

"Little Ma Fa, bring me more medicinal ingredients for Qi Gathering Powder. Oh, and let me see your cauldron."

Walking onto the training ground's high platform, Ye Qianqian looked at the tens of thousands of Chu Yun soldiers below and began to prepare her grand plan.

Ma Fa received the order and immediately flipped his middle finger, pulling out a small black cauldron from his storage ring.

This cauldron was carved with three ferocious beasts: a lion, a tiger, and a bear. It was a treasure Ma Fa had obtained in his early years, the Three Beast Fury Cauldron.

"The cauldron is not bad," Ye Qianqian said, playing with it for a while before throwing it on the ground. In a moment, the Three Beast Fury Cauldron began to enlarge rapidly.

Many alchemists and Chu Yun soldiers were confused. What was this little girl trying to do? Was she planning to refine pills in public?

Ye Qianqian then asked Na Lan Yan Ran to find some wood and slowly lit a fire under the cauldron. Finally, she had Na Lan Yan Ran stuff the mountain of medicinal ingredients in front of them into the cauldron all at once, creating a chaotic mess.

At this point, all the alchemists couldn't stand it anymore. This wasn't refining pills; it was clearly wasting medicinal ingredients!

If it weren't for the fact that the person in front of them was a significant figure, they would have already rushed forward to curse them out.

"Senior, you can't do this!"

As an alchemist, Ma Fa valued medicinal ingredients more than his own life. Seeing so many ingredients being wasted, how could he tolerate it?

When alchemists refine pills, they first use fire-attribute Dou Qi to heat the cauldron, then extract the essence from the medicinal ingredients one by one, and finally condense the pills. But what was this adult doing? It was simply fooling around!

Ye Qianqian heard him and shook her head, putting her hands behind her back as if pretending to be a master alchemist, and said:

"Little Ma Fa, there are countless strange and unusual things in the world. If you want to improve your rank as an alchemist, you need to listen and observe more. Today, I will show you what it means to have ten thousand pills gathered together."