Once he reached the Northwestern Circuit, by his estimate, the Spirit Stones collected from its provinces each year could hardly amount to less than a billion, could they?
After all, the Northwestern Circuit had fifteen provinces. Previously, each province in the Southeastern Circuit had paid over two hundred million Spirit Stones a year, and even a province in the Lingnan Circuit paid tens of millions a year.
Qing Chen asked evenly, "What route did they take?"
Xu Jiuling said, "They did not enter through the Southeastern Circuit."
As he said this, he looked up at Qing Chen.
"There were too many complications in the Southeastern Circuit, too many customs inspections. Bringing four hundred thousand Dao Soldiers through there would certainly have been troublesome. So Elder Xin Bairen accepted Jia Daoyi's suggestion and headed north into Xuanshuo Province in the Northeastern Circuit."
The sea chart on the Water Mirror changed again.
A long marching route led north from the Rihai Sea Region, skirted the Southeastern Circuit, passed through a storm-swept strait, and finally reached the coast of Xuanshuo Province in Great Jin's Northeastern Circuit.
"Xuanshuo Province is close to the Northern Border. It is mountainous and cold, and its trade routes are not particularly prosperous. A hundred years ago, our sect used a trading association's name to purchase a stretch of peaks on White Bone Ridge in Xuanshuo Province, called White Bone Mountain. On the surface, it is an extensive mining site for Artifact Refining materials. In reality, we have already excavated five underground encampments, more than a dozen Hidden Soldier Valleys, and three temporary Treasure Ship Docks."
"The main force of four hundred thousand Dao Soldiers is now resting and refitting at White Bone Mountain."
After hearing this, Qing Chen sank into thought.
His gaze settled on the map in