Empress Nuwa's Decision
When Huang Feihu asked, Ye Xuan gave a mysterious chuckle.
"These things are all called crossbows. To put it plainly, they are improved bows and arrows."
"Once the mechanism is triggered, the arrows loaded in advance will shoot out."
"Even someone too weak to truss a chicken can use one."
"Depending on their intended use, I have designed several sizes."
"This smallest kind is for soldiers. It can fire six arrows at once."
"This slightly larger kind is for the war-elephant cavalry. Once made, it can be fastened to a war elephant, and every arrow it fires will have boundless power."
"As for the largest kind, it is to be mounted on the city walls."
"It is meant for opponents of enormous size, and its killing power is the greatest of all."
Hearing the Human Emperor's explanation,
the three men exclaimed in amazement.
How could they ever have imagined that such marvelous things existed in the world?
Though much of what they heard went over their heads, they could naturally understand what these things actually did.
Seeing that they understood, Ye Xuan spoke again:
"Next, you must personally oversee the construction of a military factory devoted to developing and manufacturing this equipment."
"First, make the stirrups and saddles, then equip the war-elephant cavalry with them."
"At the same time, I will assign you sixty thousand elite imperial guards. When the time comes, bring out this war-elephant cavalry and broaden the horizons of the lords of the realm."
"Then lead this army on a circuit through the territories of the various lords. Wherever there are mountain bandits, brigands, Primordial World beasts, or mountain and wilderness spirits, wipe them all out for me!"
"On the one hand, this will intimidate the lords of the realm. If any of them dare harbor rebellious intentions, you may crush them outright with iron and blood, killing the chicken to warn the monkeys."
"On the other hand, it will allow you to support Grand Tutor Wen Zhong's army in the north from afar."
"If you encounter any useful people of talent and insight, do your best to win them over for me as well. Do you understand all this?"
Ye Xuan looked sternly at Huang Feihu.
This was an extremely crucial step. As the saying went, political power grew out of the barrel of a gun.
The tougher Chaoge's approach to the lords of the realm, the less they would dare to act rashly.
If Chaoge showed even the slightest hint of weakness, the lords of the realm would likely rebel all the sooner.
Huang Feihu's part in this was extremely crucial.
Whether Chaoge could once again establish genuine authority depended on Huang Feihu's actions this time.
Hearing the Human Emperor's arrangements,
Huang Feihu was naturally thrilled!
"Feihu swears to carry out your orders unto death. Should anything go wrong, Feihu will bring you his head!"
Ye Xuan nodded at Huang Feihu's words.
He had considerable trust in Huang Feihu.
Huang Feihu's mount was the Five-Colored Divine Ox, which could travel on clouds and through mist and possessed boundless strength.
His weapon was the Gold-Gripped Tilu Spear, and he was loyal and righteous, both wise and brave.
At a time when the gods and Buddhas filling the heavens had yet to enter the fray,
Huang Feihu was more than capable of dealing with ordinary lords.
The men discussed the details a little further.
Then each departed to carry out his orders.
Bi Gan was the current Human Emperor's royal uncle and held the office of second minister.
He also possessed an exquisitely perceptive heart with seven openings, and was naturally intelligent in the extreme.
With Bi Gan handling disaster relief, Ye Xuan could rest relatively easy.
Shang Rong, meanwhile, was a veteran minister of three reigns and the most respected man after Wen Zhong.
He could not have been better suited to finding food.
Huang Feihu was to intimidate the lords of the realm, and given his martial prowess, he was clearly well suited to the task as well.
After everything had been arranged,
a cold smile flickered in Ye Xuan's eyes.
Once he had made some preparations, it would be time to visit the Dragon Clan.
Now that the Ancestral Dragon was in his hands, he had no fear that those dragon sons and grandsons would refuse to submit.
Just as Ye Xuan was thinking of setting out for the East Sea,
Beyond the Thirty-Three Heavens, inside Wa Huang Palace,
an incomparably graceful figure abruptly opened her eyes.
In an instant, her eyes shone as brilliantly as a sky full of stars.
She was none other than Empress Nuwa, who had returned to Wa Huang Palace.
At this moment, shock showed in Empress Nuwa's eyes.
Through her connection to the Human Clan, Nuwa had sensed that its destiny had grown much stronger in ways unseen.
Yin Shang's destiny was also growing more robust.
Its slightly weakened national fortune seemed to have gained a trace of substance.
Could it really be because of that Human Emperor?
The Human Emperor had written a poem profaning her, and when Nuwa had gone to punish him, that sly fellow had actually put on a show of strength before her.
She had also overheard from the Human Emperor that Saint Zhunti was the one who had committed the misdeed.
She simply could not understand how the Human Emperor could possess such abilities.
That fellow was merely a Human Emperor, nothing more than a mortal with a lifespan of a few short decades. Where had he gained such abilities?
She pondered for a long time, but remained utterly baffled.
Sitting cross-legged on her bed, Nuwa held one hand as though supporting the heavens and the other with the might to cleave the earth. Both hands formed mysterious seals as she began to divine the answer.
Yet she could never divine the heavenly secrets concerning the Human Emperor. The current Human Emperor was truly a freak.
Her brows furrowed slightly on her bewitchingly beautiful face, but at last she opened her eyes.
Since the current Human Emperor had the means to know what came before and after, understand the future, and see all things clearly, he must have other means as well.
Perhaps the sudden emergence of the Ancestral Dragon's corpse had something to do with the Human Emperor too.
At that thought, the faintest hint of a smile appeared at the corners of Nuwa's mouth:
"That sly fellow really is an interesting one. The Great Tribulation of the Investiture of the Gods is about to begin, and this little trickster is right at the center of the Investiture of the Gods' whirlpool. Let us see how you break out of this predicament!"
"If you truly have some abilities, what harm is there in lending you a hand?"
At that thought, Nuwa's mood actually began to improve somewhat.
She would have to enter the tribulation sooner or later anyway. In that case, she might as well take the initiative and choose how to enter it.
With a turn of her right hand, she produced a golden gourd.
The gourd had no special function. Its sole effect was to nurture a miraculous white light within it.
That white light was said to be the first light in heaven and earth.
This white light could produce the mother Qi of all things and nurture many magical treasures.
The Demon-Summoning Banner, said to command all the demons in the world, was a treasure nurtured by this miraculous golden gourd!
Nuwa placed the Purple Gold Gourd below the vermilion steps, removed its lid, and pointed at it.
A beam of white light emerged from the gourd, as thin as a thread and more than four or five zhang high.
Above the white light hung a banner, its radiance spreading into five colors and casting a thousand auspicious rays. It was the famous "Demon-Summoning Banner"!
Nuwa reached out, took the Demon-Summoning Banner, and gently waved it once.
Before long, mournful winds whistled, a bleak mist spread, and dark clouds rose on every side.
At that instant, all the demons in the world received Nuwa's summons.
For a time, every demon was startled.
The Demon Clan had already fallen apart after the ancient Witch-Demon Tribulation.
Apart from those who had joined the lineages of the saints, the other members of the Demon Clan all obeyed Nuwa's commands.
But Nuwa had never before summoned the demons of the world on such a scale.
Before long, many great demons had arrived outside Wa Huang Palace to await her decree.
Maiden Caiyun of Wa Huang Palace quietly came outside.
At the sight of the great demons massed outside in a dense, dark crowd, she too felt her scalp go numb.
Among this host of demons were no few whose cultivation reached the heavens, and they were not to be trifled with.
After pondering for a moment, she finally spoke.