The next moment, he raised his hand and made a grasping motion. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth in the imperial study seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, converging towards his palm. In the blink of an eye, it condensed into a crystal-clear ball of energy, the swirling light containing a heart-palpitating power.
This divine ability to transform the primordial energy of heaven and earth into one's own is a hallmark of martial artists at the Human Immortal Realm.
Xue Qinghe's pupils suddenly contracted, and the teacup in his hand trembled slightly. Although he had not reached such a level, he knew what it meant— Yu Tianheng's strength had already broken free from the constraints of the ordinary Soul Master system and reached a level that he could hardly imagine.
An indescribable sense of apprehension welled up in Xue Qinghe's heart, but he quickly concealed it, a warm smile spreading across his face. His tone was full of admiration. " The Divine Martial King possesses such cultivation at such a young age; he is truly a prodigy! Having a strongman like you to govern the empire is a blessing for the Heaven Dou and a boon for countless citizens."
He stepped forward, his tone becoming earnest. "The situation on the mainland is currently turbulent, with various forces deeply entrenched. I am determined to achieve the great task of unifying the mainland, so that the people can live in peace and prosperity. With your unparalleled divine power, Divine Martial King, if you can lend me a hand, this monumental undertaking will surely be accomplished soon."
At this point, a sharp glint flashed in Xue Qinghe's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by gentleness. "Rest assured, as long as it succeeds, I will not treat you unfairly. At that time, the entire Heaven Dou Empire, and even the wider world, will have a place for you, enjoying unparalleled glory."
Yu Tianheng listened to these words with a faint smile on his face. After Xue Qinghe finished speaking, he nodded slightly, his tone calm but with an undeniable certainty. "Your Majesty is too kind. It is my duty to serve Your Majesty and contribute to the Empire."
With a simple sentence, he accepted the invitation while maintaining a perfectly appropriate distance, leaving Xue Qinghe unable to discern his true intentions. She could only suppress her doubts for the time being, smiling and gesturing, "With the words of the Divine Martial King, I am relieved. Men, prepare a banquet; I wish to welcome the Divine Martial King!"
The banquet meticulously prepared by the imperial kitchen was set up in a side hall, the amber wine in the jade cups gleaming softly. After several rounds of wine and dishes, Xue Qinghe put down his wine cup, shifting the conversation from pleasantries to the main topic, his tone becoming more serious.
"During the two years that the Divine Martial King was in seclusion, I dared not slacken my efforts." He picked up a piece of crystal pork jelly with the serving chopsticks and said slowly, "I rectified official corruption, dredged the canal, and trained three elite troops on the border. Now the national treasury is gradually replenished, the military appearance is quite orderly, and the national strength has indeed improved."
At this point, his tone shifted, a shadow crossing his eyes. "But compared to the Star Luo Empire, we're still a step behind. The Dai Hao family has governed Star Luo Empire like an ironclad fortress, and their military strength consistently ranks among the top on the continent. At the current rate, even if we try our best to catch up, it will likely take us at least a decade to reach their level."
Yu Tianheng listened quietly, tapping his fingertips lightly on the table, without interrupting.
Xue Qinghe looked up at him, her gaze sharp as an eagle's. "But I... can't wait that long."
The word "I" was emphasized very strongly, as if it contained some unquestionable determination. "There has been a message from Wuhun Palace that they are willing to join forces with me, Tiandou, to defeat Xingluo. As long as we can win this battle, destroying Xingluo will not be a problem, and the pattern of the entire continent will be reshaped by then."
He leaned forward slightly, looking directly into Yu Tianheng's eyes. " Divine Martial King, you have just broken through, and your strength is unfathomable. If this matter succeeds, we will both be the greatest contributors. I wonder what your opinion is on this matter?"
After the words were spoken, the side hall fell silent for a moment, with only the occasional crackling of the candlelight.
Xue Qinghe's eyes held anticipation, but also a hint of barely perceptible probing—he wanted to know if this newly emerged expert was willing to become the sharpest sword in his hand.
Upon hearing this, Yu Tianheng went to the map of the continent hanging in the main hall. This map was personally hung up by Xue Qinghe after he ascended the throne, to constantly remind himself of his responsibility to unify the continent.
Yu Tianheng's gaze finally settled on the territory of the Star Luo Empire, his tone both solemn and articulate. "Your Majesty, please look. The Star Luo Empire has a history spanning hundreds of years, and its military strength is extraordinary. Take their royal Martial Soul, the ' Evil Eye White Tiger, ' for example. Throughout its history, countless powerful figures have emerged from its lineage. The current Star Luo Empire Dai Mubai, is a leading figure among the younger generation, and his Tiger Ben Army is a seasoned veteran with formidable combat prowess."
He paused, pointing his finger to the border between Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empire on the map. "Although Heaven Dou has a million-strong army and ample supplies, Star Luo Empire's army is well-armored, and its cavalry is renowned for its striking power. If we rely solely on the strength of our nation to fight them head-on, even if we can wear them down with our national strength, we will inevitably suffer heavy losses on our own. At that time, our army will be severely weakened, our domestic defenses will be vulnerable, and we may even be coveted by neighboring forces, which would be a net loss."
At this point, Yu Tianheng looked up at Xue Qinghe, his eyes sharpening. "But an alliance with the Spirit Hall is different. The Spirit Hall's Soul Master Legion is recognized as the top fighting force on the continent, with Titled Douluo at its helm and countless Soul Douluo and Soul Saint. They are perfectly capable of suppressing the Star Luo Empire's Soul Master forces—although their White Tiger Legion's Soul Master are strong, they may not have the upper hand against the Spirit Hall's elite."
"Our Heaven Dou army of a million can leverage its numerical advantage to directly contain Star Luo Empire's regular army. Imagine, the Spirit Hall's Soul Master legion is like a sharp blade, tearing through the Star Luo Empire's Soul Master defenses and disrupting their command system; while our Heaven Dou army is like a giant net, pressing in from the front and gradually eroding their manpower."
He walked to the map and traced two arcs with his finger, as if he could already see the two-pronged attack. "No matter how strong the Star Luo Empire is, it can't withstand a pincer attack. Their Soul Master are tied down by the Spirit Hall, and their regular army is restrained by our forces, leaving them unable to support both ends. If this goes on, their supply lines will inevitably be cut off, and morale will crumble sooner or later. At that point, the destruction of the Star Luo Empire will only be a matter of time."
Finally, Yu Tianheng withdrew his hand, his tone resolute. "This plan can both break the deadlock with the help of the Spirit Hall and preserve our Heaven Dou Yuan Qi; it is truly the best choice."
Yu Tianheng's voice lowered a bit, his eyes locked tightly on the person in front of him, with unquestionable certainty in his tone. "However, after the destruction of Xingluo, the structure of the continent will completely change - only the Tiandou Empire and Wuhun Palace will be able to dominate at that time."
He paused, then abruptly changed the subject, speaking clearly, "But Your Majesty, your identity is special after all. You are Qian Renxue, the daughter of the Pope of the Spirit Hall. It's impossible for you to truly destroy the Spirit Hall that gave you birth and raised you for the sake of Heaven Dou, much less allow Heaven Dou to unify the continent alone."