Assembling Troops for the Expedition

Chapter 14: Mustering the Troops for Campaign

At the third quarter of the Yin hour, Taiyi opened his eyes.

The sleeping chambers were dark, with only a faint sliver of moonlight filtering through the window, casting blurry lattice shadows on the floor. He didn't light a lamp, just lay on the couch, staring at the carved star patterns on the ceiling. The stars were inlaid with luminous jade, glowing faintly in the darkness like a real night sky.

Couldn't sleep.

Tomorrow, they were setting out on a campaign—though calling it a "campaign" was a bit of an exaggeration. It was just taking three thousand demon soldiers to the foot of Buzhou Mountain for a quick look around, to probe the Witch Race's strength. But for Eastern Emperor Taiyi, it couldn't just be a "quick look around." He had to show presence, display majesty, and let those barbarians of the Witch Race know that the Heavenly Court's eyes were upon them.

But Taiyi knew clearly that this trip wasn't just for that.

He rolled over, placing a hand on his chest. Through the fabric of his clothes, he could feel the outlines of the two jade pendants—a Golden Crow and an eagle, side by side against his heart, warm. Di Jun's words from that night echoed in his ears again: "No matter what happens, remember—brother's here."

Brother's here.

But some paths, one could only walk alone.

He sat up, his bare feet landing on the cold ground. He walked to the window and pushed it open. The night wind immediately rushed in, carrying the damp, cool mist from the sea of clouds. Outside, it was still pitch black, with only the distant torchlight of patrolling demon soldiers, dotting the clouds like scattered embers.

Time to prepare.

He walked back to the couch. Without lighting a lamp, he took out the set of light armor from a hidden compartment, using the faint moonlight. The armor was forged from profound iron, with sun patterns carved on its surface. It felt cool to the touch, but after a while, it exuded a subtle warmth—it was made from the mother ore of profound iron mined from the depths of the Sun Star, tempered with the Golden Crow's true fire, and it resonated with his bloodline.

He put it on piece by piece.

When the chest plate clicked shut, it made a crisp sound. Bracers, leg guards, knee pads... With each piece fastened, the restlessness in his heart subsided a little more. By the time the last shoulder guard was secured, his entire demeanor had changed—he was no longer the Taiyi who suffered from insomnia at night, but the Eastern Emperor, the invincible Eastern Emperor Taiyi of the Demon Race.

He walked to the bronze mirror.

The figure in the mirror was blurry, but his eyes were terrifyingly bright. Deep within his golden pupils, a hint of dark red flickered, the Chaos True Sun Fire circulating. He stared at the mirror for a while, then suddenly pulled at the corner of his mouth, revealing a smile.

The smile was cold, arrogant, the kind of smile Eastern Emperor Taiyi should have.

"Time to get to work," he said in a low voice.

When he pushed the door open, it was just past the Yin hour. The corridor was empty, with only the echo of his own footsteps. The on-duty Demon Guards straightened up as they saw him: "Your Majesty."

"Where is Fei Lian?"

"He's waiting for you at the training grounds."

"Mm."

Taiyi said no more, heading directly to the training grounds. His steps were not fast, but each one was firm, his profound iron battle boots striking the jade floor with a steady thud.

The training grounds were on the west side of the Heavenly Court, a cloud platform spanning ten li. By the time Taiyi arrived, the eastern sky had just begun to show a fish-belly white, and a hazy light illuminated the dense, dark formation below.

Three thousand demon soldiers, divided into thirty squads of one hundred, stood in neat formation. Utter silence.

Only the rustling of the wind through the banners and the occasional light clink of armor could be heard. Each demon soldier wore a standard dark green scale armor, a standard long saber strapped to their back, and a bow and crossbow at their waist. They wore masks that covered half their faces, revealing only their eyes—some excited, some nervous, some calm.

Fei Lian stood below the command platform. Seeing Taiyi arrive, he bowed: "Your Majesty."

"Are they all here?" Taiyi asked.

"All here." Fei Lian handed over the roster, "As you commanded, all three thousand are elites from the Wind Division. The ten centurions are all at the early Golden Immortal cultivation level, their deputies at the peak Heavenly Immortal level. The lowest-ranking soldiers are at least mid-level Heavenly Immortals."

Taiyi took the roster but didn't look at it, tossing it casually onto the table. He walked onto the command platform, his gaze slowly sweeping over the three thousand faces below.

Silence.

Even the wind seemed to quiet down.

"Do you know where we're going?" Taiyi asked, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears.

"Buzhou Mountain!" the three thousand responded in unison.

"Do you know what we're going to do?"

"Scout the enemy!"

"Wrong," Taiyi said.

There was a moment of silence below.

Taiyi stepped down from the command platform and walked slowly along the formation. His battle boots made a dull sound on the cloud stone. He stopped in the middle of the third row, looking at a young demon soldier in front of him.

The young man looked to be in his early twenties—though one couldn't tell the age of demon race members by their faces. He stood ramrod straight, but his grip on his saber was tight, his knuckles white.

"You," Taiyi pointed at him, "tell me, what are we going to Buzhou Mountain for?"

The young demon soldier was startled, then quickly straightened his chest: "Reporting to Your Majesty! To investigate the Witch Race's movements and ascertain their strength!"

"And then?"

"Then... then we report back to the Heavenly Court and formulate countermeasures!"

"Wrong again," Taiyi shook his head.

He turned and walked back onto the command platform, facing three thousand confused eyes:

"We are going to Buzhou Mountain, not to investigate, not to scout."

"We are going to tell them—"

He paused, his voice suddenly rising, like a drawn sword:

"Tell them the Heavenly Court's eyes are on them. Tell them the Demon Race is not sleeping. Tell them if they want to stir up trouble, they'd better weigh their own strength first!"

The voice echoed over the training grounds.

The eyes of the three thousand demon soldiers lit up, an suppressed excitement like sparks, igniting bit by bit.

"So," Taiyi continued, his voice calming down again, "this trip is not about going to war. But you must adopt the posture of going to war. Your formations must be neat, your morale must be high, and your gazes must be fierce. Let those barbarians take one look and know – this group of people is not to be trifled with."

His gaze swept across the entire field:

"Did everyone understand?"

"Understood!" the three thousand roared in unison.

"Good." Taiyi nodded. "Fei Lian."

"Here."

"You will lead the team first. Set up camp fifty miles outside Buzhou Mountain. Establish patrols and set up formations. I will join you later."

"Yes!"

Fei Lian bowed, turned, and waved his hand. The three thousand demon soldiers moved instantly, transforming into three thousand streams of dark green light that shot into the sky. They converged into a dark cloud in the air and swept towards the South Heaven Gate. Their movements were clean and swift, frighteningly orderly.

Taiyi watched the dark cloud disappear at the edge of the sea of clouds before retracting his gaze. He didn't leave immediately, standing on the command platform for a while longer. The morning light gradually brightened, golden sunlight piercing through the clouds and scattering onto the training grounds, making the dark green cloud stone shine.

It was time to go to Tanggu Valley.

Tanggu Valley was located in the southeastern corner of the Heavenly Court, a valley surrounded by the Fusang Forest. The valley had natural hot springs, with steam rising constantly, keeping it warm like spring all year round. The ten Golden Crows were raised here – actually, they weren't that small anymore, they had all taken human form, but their temperaments were still like children's.

When Taiyi arrived, the valley was bustling.

Before he even entered the forest, he could hear chirping and shouting, as well as the sound of splashing water. Passing through the Fusang Forest, the view suddenly opened up – nine Golden Crows were splashing in the hot spring pool, sending water flying high. The tenth one, the youngest, Lu Ya, was squatting on a large rock by the edge of the pool, resting his chin on his hand, his small face etched with boredom.

"Uncle!"

Lu Ya had sharp eyes and was the first to spot Taiyi. He jumped off the rock and ran over barefoot, his feet making wet slapping sounds. He was only wearing a thin short shirt, which was half-soaked, and his hair was also dripping wet.

Taiyi reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him from rushing forward – his armor was hard, and he was afraid of hurting the child.

"Why aren't you playing with them?" he asked.

"It's boring," Lu Ya pouted. "They just splash water, it's childish."

Hearing this from a child who looked about seven or eight years old was a little amusing. Taiyi ruffled his wet hair. "Then what do you think is interesting?"

"Cultivation," Lu Ya's eyes lit up. "Uncle, the 'Golden Crow Swoops Through the Sky' you taught me last time, I've already practiced it to the third level! Look, look—"

He was about to demonstrate when Taiyi stopped him. "Wait a moment. Change your clothes first, you'll catch a cold if you stay wet."

"Oh." Lu Ya obediently agreed and ran to a small hut nearby. A moment later, he came out wearing a dry short shirt, his hair half-dried with a cloth towel.

Taiyi found a flat rock by the pool and sat down, patting the spot next to him. "Come, demonstrate for me."

Lu Ya nodded excitedly, took a few steps back, and stood firm. He took a deep breath and formed a hand seal.

A faint golden light emanated from his body. This light was not as fierce and overbearing as Taiyi's True Sun Fire, but softer, like the sunlight at the first hint of dawn. The golden light grew brighter, and Lu Ya's figure flickered—

Whoosh!

A stream of golden light shot into the sky, drawing a beautiful arc in the air, then turning, circling, diving, and rising again. Although his movements were still a bit clumsy, and his turns were slightly stiff, the agility and speed already hinted at the divine charm of the Golden Crow race's flight and escape techniques.

Finally, the golden light converged, and Lu Ya landed steadily back in place, his small face flushed with excitement, his eyes shining as he looked at Taiyi. "How was it?"

"Not bad," Taiyi commented. "The turns weren't smooth enough, and you pulled out of the dive too abruptly. But... to reach the third level like this is good."

Lu Ya's smile narrowed his eyes into crescent moons. He leaned closer and sat next to Taiyi. "Uncle, I heard them say you're going to Buzhou Mountain?"

"Mm."

"Take me with you." Lu Ya tilted his small face up. "I can fly very fast now, and I can fight too. Really, I tried with my third brother, and he couldn't beat me!"

In the hot spring pool, the "third brother" who was mentioned surfaced, spat out water, and retorted, "Pah! I was letting you win!"

"Who asked you to let me!" Lu Ya made a face at the pool.

Taiyi watched them bicker, and the tense string in his heart, caused by the impending expedition, loosened a little. He reached out and ruffled Lu Ya's hair. "What you need to do now is cultivate well and grow up properly. When it comes to fighting, I'm here, your Father Emperor is here, it's not your turn to worry about it."

"But..." Lu Ya wanted to say more.

"No buts." Taiyi interrupted him, his tone becoming serious. "Lu Ya, you are a Golden Crow, an innate divine being born from the Sun Star. Your path is long; there's no need to rush."

Lu Ya fell silent, lowered his head, and picked at the cracks in the stone with his fingers.

Taiyi looked at him, at the child's tender profile, and a complex emotion suddenly surged within him. He knew Lu Ya's future – or rather, he knew Lu Ya's future in the original "script." The Ten Suns Across the Sky, Houyi Shoots the Suns, nine brothers died tragically, and only this youngest one narrowly escaped, bearing the deep hatred of a sea of blood, living a life of loneliness and obsession.

But now it was different.

Since he had arrived, since he was wearing the skin of Eastern Emperor Taiyi, he had to protect these children's lives.

"Lu Ya," Taiyi said, his voice softening. "When I return, I will check your progress. If you can practice 'Golden Crow Swoops Through the Sky' to the fourth level, I will teach you a new move – 'True Sun Fire Manifestation.' Do you want to learn it?"

Lu Ya's head shot up, his eyes shining again. "Yes!"

"Then practice hard."

"Mm!" Lu Ya nodded heavily.

Taiyi got up, ready to leave. He took two steps, then stopped again. He took something out from his robes—it was a palm-sized statue of a Golden Crow, carved from sun-warmed jade. The carving wasn't particularly intricate, but it captured the spirit perfectly, lifelike.

"This is for you," he said, handing the statue to Lu Ya. "Wear it. If you miss me, look at it."

Lu Ya took the statue, clutching it tightly in his palm. The jade was warm, pressing against his palm, and the warmth spread all the way to his heart.

"Uncle," he looked up, his eyes a little red, "come back soon."

"I know."

Taiyi didn't linger any longer and turned to leave Tanggu Valley. As he walked out of the Fusang Forest, he looked back. Lu Ya was still standing on the large rock by the pond, holding the jade statue, watching him with longing.

He raised his hand and waved.

Then he turned and didn't look back again.

Outside the South Heaven Gate, Fei Lian was already waiting.

Seeing Taiyi approach, he bowed, "Your Majesty, three thousand demon soldiers have arrived outside Buzhou Mountain and are setting up camp. As you ordered, the camp is set up in a valley fifty li away, which is concealed and easy to defend."

"Mm," Taiyi nodded. "Any news from Bai Ze?"

"Lord Bai Ze just sent a message," Fei Lian handed over a jade slip. "Regarding the Witch Race, it's true that thirty thousand troops from the Houtu Tribe have indeed relocated to the western foothills of Buzhou Mountain, and twenty thousand elites from the Gonggong Tribe have also appeared on the shores of the East Sea. However... it's a bit strange."

"What is it?"

"Their movements are very slow," Fei Lian said. "It doesn't look like they're preparing for an emergency, more like... a routine rotation? But rotating at this critical juncture doesn't make sense."

Taiyi took the jade slip and scanned it with his divine sense. The slip contained intelligence compiled by Bai Ze, detailing the recent movements of various Witch Race tribes. It was indeed as Fei Lian said; there were troop movements, but the pace was sluggish, not like they were preparing for war.

"Either they aren't ready yet," Taiyi put away the jade slip, "or... they have other plans."

"Which do you think it is, Your Majesty?"

"We'll know when we get there," Taiyi said. "Let's go."

The two transformed into streams of light and shot into the sky, speeding towards Buzhou Mountain. The wind whistled past their ears, and the sea of clouds rapidly receded beneath them. Taiyi flew at the forefront, his golden rainbow light tearing through the sky like a sharp sword, pointing directly at the divine mountain that propped up heaven and earth.

After flying for about an hour, the outline of Buzhou Mountain appeared on the horizon.

High, so high.

The mountain rose from the earth, piercing straight into the clouds. The upper half was hidden in the clouds, making it impossible to see clearly. The mountain was dark green, covered with white snow, reflecting dazzling light under the sun. At the foot of the mountain lay vast tracts of primeval forest, beyond which were grasslands, hills, and the lands where the Witch Race had lived for generations.

Taiyi lowered his altitude and slowed down.

Fei Lian caught up and pointed southeast, "The camp is over there."

Taiyi looked in the direction he pointed. About fifty li away, there was a hidden valley, its entrance obscured by a dense ancient forest, making it almost invisible from the sky. Inside the valley, the outlines of tents could be vaguely seen, along with faint fluctuations of formations—it was an invisibility formation set up by the Wind Tribe.

"Let's not go to the camp yet," Taiyi said. "Let's fly around Buzhou Mountain."

"Your Majesty?" Fei Lian was taken aback.

"Let's check the situation," Taiyi explained. "The movement of three thousand people setting up camp is not small. The Witch Race couldn't possibly be unaware. But they haven't reacted—that's not right. Either they haven't discovered it, or they have discovered it but don't care."

He narrowed his eyes and looked at the vast forest at the foot of Buzhou Mountain:

"I lean towards the latter."

The two adjusted their direction and flew slowly around the perimeter of Buzhou Mountain. Taiyi's divine sense spread out, covering a radius of a hundred li. Forests, rivers, hills, grasslands... every blade of grass and every tree appeared clearly within his perception.

Then he felt it.

In a dense forest about thirty li away from them, there was activity. Not wild beasts, but people—or rather, Witches. About twenty of them were busy around a fallen giant beast, seemingly on a hunt.

A Witch Race hunting party.

A cold smile touched Taiyi's lips.

"Go," he said, "let's go say hello."

The golden rainbow changed direction and swooped down towards the dense forest.