Selection, Taking Shape
Eastern Region Holy Temple, Martial Arts Arena.
The first rays of morning sunlight pierced through the clouds and fell upon the training ground, bathing the entire area in gold.
More than 40,000 creatures stood motionless, neatly arranged on the training ground.
In just half a month, this army, cobbled together by cultivators from various races in the Eastern Domain, had undergone a complete transformation, becoming a truly formidable force.
All these changes originated from Li Yunjing.
Li Yunjing stood on the high platform of the training ground, his gaze calmly sweeping over the army below.
Behind him stood the Three Kings of the Eastern Domain, True Person Qingyun, Young Master Bi Shui, and Fairy Hongling, each with a hint of pride and self-satisfaction on their faces.
"Everyone," Li Yunjing's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of every cultivator, "Half a month ago, you were just a rabble, but now, you have become a true army. I am proud of you."
The cultivators below, upon hearing Li Yunjing's praise, all had a glint of excitement in their eyes.
"However, this is far from enough. Next, we will face the army of the Holy Domain."
The Holy Domain's army is far more powerful than you imagine. If this is all the strength you have, you will only become cannon fodder in the battles to come.
Li Yunjing changed the subject, his tone becoming serious.
"Therefore, starting today, I will select the most elite cultivators from among you to form three special Daoist armies."
These three groups of soldiers will become the spearhead of our army, invincible on the battlefield!
As soon as the words were spoken, the cultivators below erupted in excitement.
Everyone was eager and ready to try, hoping to be selected and become a member of the Dao soldiers.
Li Yunjing gestured for everyone to be quiet.
"The first Daoist soldier is called the Wu Earth Divine Soldiers," Li Yunjing said slowly.
"The Wu Earth Divine Soldiers is primarily trained in Earth-based Dao principles and excels in defense and direct assault."
I need five thousand strong and determined monks.
They will wear heavy armor forged from millennia-old Xuantie, wielding giant axes and shields, becoming an impregnable bulwark for our army.
"The second contingent of Daoist soldiers is called the Netherworld Shadow Slayer Army," Li Yunjing continued.
"The Netherworld Shadow Slayer Army specialize in assassination and stealth, and are adept at penetrating deep behind enemy lines to decapitate enemy generals."
I need three thousand agile and perceptive cultivators who will practice the stealth Cultivation Method I teach and become reapers on the battlefield.
"The third contingent of Daoist soldiers is called the Nine Heavens Thunderfire Army." Li Yunjing's voice rose a few decibels.
"The Nine Heavens Thunderfire Army specializes in thunder and Fire Element principles and excels in ranged attacks and large-scale damage."
I need two thousand cultivators with Fire Spirit Root. They will wield lightning and fire crossbows and harness the power of lightning and fire to become mobile artillery platforms on the battlefield.
The three groups of soldiers each have their own focus, and by cooperating with each other, they can achieve a result greater than the sum of their parts.
"Now, let the selection begin!"
With Li Yunjing's command, the selection process officially began.
The cultivators, according to their own strengths and wishes, went to three different areas to undergo assessments.
The entire training ground suddenly became lively.
The test for the Wu Earth Divine Soldiers is the simplest and most brutal: it's a contest of strength and endurance.
The monks needed to lift a boulder weighing a thousand pounds and hold it for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.
Those who can do it can become members of the Wu Earth Divine Soldiers.
Hei Feng volunteered to take command of the Wu Earth Divine Soldiers.
He is an earth-type Demon Beast with immense strength, making him ideal for training Wu Earth Divine Soldiers.
"Push your weight up! If you can't even lift a broken rock, what kind of Wu Earth Divine Soldiers are you!"
Hei Feng, wielding a massive spiked club, patrolled the assessment area, shouting loudly.
When he saw a cultivator about to give up, he would go up and kick him, yelling, "Useless trash! Get down!"
Although Hei Feng's method was simple and crude, the effect was surprisingly good.
The cultivators were inspired by him, and they gritted their teeth and persevered desperately.
The assessment for the Netherworld Shadow Slayer Army is much more complex.
The test involves finding a hidden token in a maze filled with restrictions and returning within a specified time.
During this process, there will also be sneak attacks and obstructions from other cultivators.
The Azure Scale King became the commander of the Netherworld Shadow Slayer Army. His true form is an Qinglin Giant Python, who excels at concealment and ambush, and has a profound mastery of stealth.
"Remember, as a Shadow Kill, the most important thing is not strength, but patience and composure," Azure Scale King said to the cultivators participating in the assessment, standing at the entrance of the maze.
"You must be like venomous snakes, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Once you strike, it must be a fatal blow."
The monks nodded and then entered the maze one by one.
Screams and the clanging of weapons could be heard intermittently throughout the maze.
Very few cultivators managed to successfully navigate the maze and obtain the token.
The Nine Heavens Thunderfire Army's assessment is to test cultivators' affinity for the power of thunder and fire.
The examiners will release a bolt of lightning, and the cultivators will need to use their spiritual power to guide the lightning and inject it into a testing stone.
The brighter the glow of the test stone, the higher its affinity.
The Golden Wing King became the commander of the Nine Heavens Thunderfire Army.
He is extremely fast and has a certain understanding of the laws of lightning, which allows him to effectively guide the training of the Nine Heavens Thunderfire Army.
"The power of thunder and fire is extremely strong and yang, and incomparably domineering," the Golden Wing King said to the cultivators participating in the assessment.
"You must learn to control the thunder and fire, not be controlled by it. Only in this way can you become a qualified member of the Nine Heavens Thunderfire Army."
The assessment continued until evening.
In the end, the selection of 5,000 Wu Earth Divine Soldiers, 3,000 Netherworld Shadow Slayer Army, and 2,000 Nine Heavens Thunderfire Army was completed.
The chosen cultivators beamed with excitement and pride, while those who were not chosen appeared somewhat disappointed.
Li Yunjing looked down at the ten thousand Dao soldiers and nodded in satisfaction.
"Very good," Li Yunjing said.
"From today onwards, you will be the exclusive Dao soldiers of my Luozhen Sect. I will personally teach you Cultivation Method and combat skills, and provide you with the best resources."
I hope you will not disappoint me and will achieve great feats for my Luozhen Sect in the battles to come!
"I swear to follow my lord to the death!"
Ten thousand Daoist soldiers knelt on one knee at the same time and shouted in unison, their voices resounding through the sky and echoing in the valley for a long time.
For the next month, Li Yunjing devoted all his energy to training the Dao soldiers.
He passed on all the methods for cultivating the three types of Dao soldiers.
He also used ancient Xuantie to forge them a complete set of heavy armor and weapons.
Each set of heavy armor weighs tens of thousands of kilograms, not only providing incredible defense but also amplifying the power of earth-elemental laws.
The same applies to the Netherworld Shadow Slayer Army and the Nine Heavens Thunderfire Army; Li Yunjing spares no expense in consuming resources to train them.
Under Li Yunjing's meticulous guidance and with the influx of massive resources, the strength of the three Daoist armies increased rapidly.
The cultivators of the Wu Earth Divine Soldiers have all become incredibly strong and possess astonishing defensive capabilities.
Their battle formation was like an impregnable fortress, and even a full-force attack from Late Spirit Transformation cultivator could not break through it.
The cultivators of the Netherworld Shadow Slayer Army have all become masters of stealth.
They can approach the enemy silently in broad daylight and then deliver a fatal blow.
The cultivators of the Nine Heavens Thunderfire Army are all skilled in controlling the power of thunder and fire.
The lightning-fire crossbow bolts they fired were incredibly powerful, easily piercing the defenses of the Nascent Soul Realm cultivators.
Seeing the three Daoist armies grow stronger day by day, Li Yunjing's heart was filled with satisfaction and anticipation.
These three Daoist soldiers will become an important force for him to conquer the Primordial Beginning Dao Realm.