True Martial Realm!

Within the Divine Phoenix Army's northern frontier, inside the Death Row Camp.

That day, accompanied by a thunderous boom, Ding Hao's blood and qi transformed into wolf-smoke and surged from the crown of his head, sweeping through the military camp!

Moreover, vast strands of Martial Dao True Meaning intertwined, ultimately transforming into a majestic True Martial aura that spread throughout the camp.

It not only drew cries of shock from countless death-row prisoners, but even many Divine Phoenix Army soldiers sensed it and turned to gaze toward the Death Row Camp!

"Someone has advanced into the True Martial Realm!"

"That direction is... the Death Row Camp?!"

"It's Ding Hao! It must be him advancing into the True Martial Realm!"

Many people reached that conclusion at once. In the vast Death Row Camp, Ding Hao alone possessed such talent and capability!

It had to be said!

Ding Hao was simply a martial arts prodigy. Though he was a death-row prisoner, neither his extraordinary talent nor his military achievements lost out to any commander!

"Mm, the Blood Qi Pills I rewarded him with were not wasted after all. He really advanced!"

"Haha, Brother Ding Hao truly is a rare martial arts genius!"

Among them, Luo Shenhuang and Ding Yishan each sighed in admiration.

In another direction, Zhang Dalong, renowned as the Divine Phoenix Army's fiercest general, was also staring fixedly toward the Death Row Camp!

Ding Hao had previously declared that he would return three blade strikes to him. Zhang Dalong had always believed that was impossible, but now, he wavered!

Although to him, someone newly advanced into the True Martial Realm was no different from a ninth-rank martial artist, if this continued, perhaps Ding Hao truly could shake him!

"Looks like I still need to find an opportunity to kill this fellow!"

Zhang Dalong muttered, while countless schemes had already risen within his heart.

At that moment, within the Death Row Camp, Ding Hao opened his tightly shut eyes.

The wildly surging blood and qi, along with his aura, were all drawn back into his body!

With a thought from him, his character panel immediately flickered into view!

Host: Ding Hao

Realm: True Martial Realm, First Layer

Blood and Qi: 36800

Spirit: 780

Comprehension: 1500

Luck: 0 (currently unavailable)

Talent Bloodline: Primordial Barbarian Bloodline (two and a half tenths), Natural Barbarian Strength, Light as a Swallow, Unyielding Resilience...

Cultivation Methods and Martial Arts: Heavenly Tyrant Body Art (second layer), One Qi Cultivation Method (great mastery), Three Talents Blade Technique (minor mastery), Tyrant Blade Slash (perfection), Stepping Wind (perfection), Golden Bell Shield (perfection)...

Martial Dao True Meaning: True Meaning of Strength (nine tenths), Blade True Meaning (five tenths), True Meaning of Fire (three tenths), True Meaning of Wind (two tenths)...

Possessions: Mysterious Iron Blade, Golden Silk Soft Armor, Mysterious Treasure Map (one corner)...

The realm section had clearly changed from ninth-rank martial artist to the first layer of the True Martial Realm!

Those few altered words had increased Ding Hao's strength by at least several times.

Furthermore, under his extraordinary comprehension enhanced over a hundredfold, the Heavenly Tyrant Body Art had successfully reached the second layer!

Though it had only risen by one layer, the boost to his combat power was no less than the transformation from the martial artist realm into the True Martial Realm!

Not to mention that after circulating the Heavenly Tyrant Body Art, the blood and qi he gained every moment had increased greatly. The second layer of the Heavenly Tyrant Body alone was enough for him to sweep aside numerous True Martial Realm cultivators of the same level!

With all his other methods added in, Ding Hao was confident he could slay mid-stage True Martial Realm cultivators!

"However, when facing a high-stage True Martial cultivator like Zhang Dalong, I'm still stretched thin!"

But after comparing himself to Zhang Dalong, Ding Hao reined in his joy and complacency.

Though this transformation had been enormous, he still needed to continue working hard!

Thus, he did not leave the camp. Instead, he continued circulating the second layer of the Heavenly Tyrant Body Art, doing everything possible to raise his cultivation!

That evening, an Imperial Edict from the imperial court arrived at the Divine Phoenix Army camp.

It was immediately delivered into the hands of Commander Luo Shenhuang!

"Mm!"

"The edict has finally arrived!"

"Now that the Northern Barbarians' main force has been crushed by us, the Northern Barbarian Army is no longer to be feared. Once this edict arrives, the Northern Barbarians are finished!"

Ding Yishan and several other generals happened to be within Luo Shenhuang's command tent.

The moment they saw the Imperial Edict sent back from the court, immense excitement rose in every one of them. The blazing battle intent in their eyes could no longer be restrained.

Even Luo Shenhuang's beautiful eyes flashed with sharp light. If she had not been waiting for a clear order from the court, she would have long since broken camp and continued the northern expedition, charging straight toward the Northern Barbarian Royal Court!

The instant she received the reply edict, Luo Shenhuang impatiently opened it and read it!

Yet the moment she looked it over, Luo Shenhuang's gaze quickly dimmed. By the time she finished reading, anger had already surfaced in her beautiful eyes!

"Commander?"

"What happened?"

Ding Yishan and the others immediately noticed Luo Shenhuang's expression.

With a sweep of her hand, Luo Shenhuang smashed the reply edict heavily onto the ground and suppressed her fury as she said, "What happened? See for yourselves!"

Ding Yishan and the others hurriedly picked up the reply edict and read it. Moments later—

Everyone exploded into uproar!

"What the hell is this?"

"Stop the northern expedition? Have our Divine Phoenix Army turn south to pick lychees?"

"Fuck! What is this nonsense? Which genius issued this edict?"

Luo Shenhuang merely snorted coldly. "This edict bears the imperial seal of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Who else could that genius be!"

Great Zhou's newly appointed Empress, Xia Weiyang!

At once, Ding Yishan and the others, who had been about to curse and condemn her, shut their mouths!

Luo Shenhuang fell silent for a moment before slamming her palm against the commander's desk. "Pass down my order. Have every True Martial Realm general in the army come to the tent for discussion!"

"Yes!"

Ding Yishan and the others turned to relay the order, but before they had left the main tent, Luo Shenhuang added from behind them, "Oh, right. Go to the Death Row Camp and summon Ding Hao as well, so he may listen in!"

Ding Hao!

The generals were slightly surprised, but none of them said anything!

After all, they had all clearly sensed Ding Hao's aura as he advanced into the True Martial Realm that day. Setting aside his identity as a death-row prisoner, it was no great issue for him to come and listen in!

Very soon.

As the military order was passed down, one True Martial general of the Divine Phoenix Army after another arrived—deputy generals, staff generals, commanding generals, and more!

There were eighteen in total. There had previously been more than twenty, but several had already fallen in the earlier battles!

Yet among these armored and helmeted Divine Phoenix Army generals, Ding Hao, dressed in gray-white death-row prisoner garb, appeared rather out of place!

He was like a beggar who had mistakenly wandered into a circle of elites!

Even Ding Hao himself was puzzled. Why had Luo Shenhuang insisted on calling a death-row prisoner like him to listen in while the Divine Phoenix Army generals held a meeting?

"Hm? Ding Hao, is this a place a death-row prisoner like you can enter?!"

"Get out at once, or this general will cut you down according to military law!"

At that moment, Zhang Dalong, who had just arrived, immediately glared furiously at Ding Hao. His hand even itched to draw his blade and kill Ding Hao!

Clearly, Ding Hao's advancement into the True Martial Realm had made him somewhat unable to sit still!

But before he could act, Luo Shenhuang stepped out from the inner tent!

"Insolence! Ding Hao was summoned here to listen in by my order!"

"You, Zhang Dalong—do you intend to cut off my head as well?!"

Zhang Dalong's body trembled violently. He could tell that Luo Shenhuang was in a terrible mood, so he hurriedly halted and pleaded guilty. "I would not dare!"

"Enough!"

After rebuking Zhang Dalong, Luo Shenhuang waved her hand. "Sit down, all of you, and listen to the... edict the court has given us!"

In the blink of an eye.

A personal guard read the edict aloud before all the generals and Ding Hao!

After hearing it, everyone inside the command tent became dumbstruck!!