Steep gorges and perilous cliffs lock the bandits' nest; black armor gallops on the wind, shattering the silence.

"This is the divine ability of Scattering Beans into Soldiers."

Zhao Cheng looked at the divine general before him and sighed inwardly. "Combined with my Five-Transformation body, there is no need to rely on external objects. Just a few wisps of aura—even a single strand of hair—can transform into heavenly soldiers and generals with considerable battle prowess. It is truly unfathomably wondrous."

Feeling his own condition, he continued to ponder. "My aura is now restrained to the utmost; one can scarcely sense any fluctuations of cultivation from me. Yet my true strength is likely already more than ten times what it was before.

"If I can successfully break through to the Sixth Transformation, my strength should rise another level and reach a new pinnacle."

"It is simply that the Eight-Nine Arcane Art is far too profound. Every breakthrough consumes a vast amount of time and lifespan. To cultivate it to the perfection of the Ninth Transformation, who knows how much lifespan will be needed to sustain it."

Zhao Cheng shook his head slightly, then smiled in relief. "But no matter. With my current strength, even if I cannot wipe out the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect, if they wish to control me, they will have to pay a grievous price—and gain nothing from it."

Outside Pinggang City, banners snapped in the wind as the great army assembled.

The Blood-Clad Army stood arrayed at the rear, its ranks disciplined and its momentum soaring like a rainbow.

The Yan army led by Qin Yue advanced ahead as the vanguard, clearing the way.

The army was about to press deep beyond the frontier to subjugate Donghu. Qin Yue was explaining Donghu's distribution of power and population in detail to Zhao Cheng and Meng Tian.

"Donghu's total population is close to