March 1, Year 8 of the Genesis Era-the day the Great Huan Dynasty held its Kingdom Ascension Ceremony.
The sun had just risen, and gentle morning light bathed the land, lending the mountain-filled Nine Dragons Commandery an even more peaceful, beautiful air. The Nine Dragons Imperial Capital was particularly striking, with the nine-colored Nine Dragons National Fortune hovering above it in a dazzling display.
Across the boundless Nine Dragons Imperial Capital, more than a thousand towering pillars stood densely arrayed, a wonder of the world. They were far grander than even Western architecture, with its preference for massive columns and rugged structures. Yet outsiders watched the spectacle, while insiders understood its workings. Those who knew nothing merely marveled at the imposing thousand-odd pillars; those who understood knew they were actually the strongest means of defending the Nine Dragons Imperial Capital-the formation foundations of the art of formations for which China Civilization was most renowned.
The Nine Dragons Imperial Capital had spent an enormous fortune erecting so many sky-piercing pillars, ranging from a hundred to three or four hundred zhang in height. One could well imagine the formidable defenses the Great Huan Dynasty had deployed for the Kingdom Ascension Ceremony. Coupled with the Great Huan Terracotta Warriors packed throughout the capital's streets and alleys, whose numbers had exploded during the decisive battle between the two dynasties and now numbered in the hundreds of millions, they gave the Nine Dragons Imperial Capital the overwhelming appearance of bronze walls and iron ramparts. Many forces hostile to the Great Huan Dynasty or harboring sinister intentions were left deeply anxious.
In sheer numbers alone, the forces arrayed in the Nine Dragons Imperial Capital were enough to shake the world. Even if they would someday be surpassed, they were at least unprecedented. How was this a