The Creation of the Heavens and All Realms

Chapter 5: Passing the Test

Less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea after Zhou Tianci entered the military camp, news of his return was reported to General Liu Yuntao, Commander of the Western Campaign. “There are actually survivors from the Blood Battle Legion? Zhang Kai, bring this Zhou Shi here immediately!” Liu Yuntao ordered at once. Guided by the memories of his previous incarnation, Zhou Tianci made his way to the room that belonged to him. In a cultivation world like this, martial prowess is the most important measure of one’s status, and the military—which wields such power—naturally holds a high standing. Although Zhou Tianci’s predecessor had not reached a high level of cultivation and held only the rank of squad leader, he was still entitled to his own room in the City of Tears and Blood. After last night’s fierce battle and the long journey, Zhou Tianci’s body was exhausted from lack of rest, yet his spirit was highly exhilarated. In just 24 hours, the bizarre events Zhou Tianci had encountered far exceeded anything he’d experienced during his 400-year journey of cosmic exploration; even with his resilient character, he now needed time to gradually compose himself. Zhou Tianci sat cross-legged on the bed, slowly calming his mind while focusing his attention on sensing the condition of his body. After a while, he opened his eyes, somewhat surprised to find that his perception of his internal state was almost unnaturally clear. “At my current ‘Post-Heaven’ cultivation level, I should only be able to sense spiritual energy and the general locations of my meridians and acupoints. Yet just now, I clearly perceived the specific details of my meridians and acupoints. Isn’t that the ‘inner vision’ ability reserved for ‘Pre-Heaven’ cultivators?” Zhou Tianci thought to himself. Although the reality exceeded his expectations, Zhou Tianci had experienced so much over the course of the day that the ability to see within his body didn’t seem all that surprising. Besides, it was, after all, a good thing. “Heaven has three treasures: the sun, the moon, and the stars; Earth has three treasures: water, fire, and wind; and humans have three treasures: essence, energy, and spirit. Cultivators gradually strengthen their essence, energy, and spirit,” Zhou Tianci recalled his past-life research on cultivation. Combining this with the memories of his current body, he gradually formed some hypotheses in his mind. He believed that his ability to see within was undoubtedly due to the strength of his “spirit.” Zhou Tianci channeled the spiritual energy within his body to circulate along the pathways outlined in the *Blood Battle Art*. To his perception, threads of spiritual energy seeped into his meridians and acupoints, strengthening his body. At the same time, his bones trembled slightly, and he occasionally felt a tingling sensation—a sign that his inner strength was penetrating deep into his bone marrow. Zhou Tianci sensed that, within a day at most, his cultivation would break through to the Marrow Refining stage, reaching the late Post-Heaven realm! Once he reached the late Post-Heaven realm, his ability to protect his life would undoubtedly increase significantly. According to his recollection, among the entire Northwest Legion—an army of 200,000—no more than a thousand had reached the late Post-Heaven realm, and as for those capable of reaching the Pre-Heaven realm, there were likely only a handful. Just as Zhou Tianci was preparing to push through the breakthrough in one go, a noise from outside the door interrupted his cultivation. “Someone’s coming!” Zhou Tianci, who had mastered mid-Postnatal cultivation, possessed exceptionally keen hearing. He leaped off the bed and hurried toward the door. Zhang Kai arrived at Zhou Tianci’s door with a force of over 30 soldiers. “Where is Zhou Shi?” Zhang Kai bellowed. Zhou Tianci’s heart skipped a beat, then he bowed deeply: “Zhou Shi of the Blood Battle Legion is here!” “I bring the General of the West’s order: Zhou Shi is to report to the General’s Mansion immediately!” Zhang Kai looked at Zhou Tianci with a scrutinizing gaze. “Military orders are as unyielding as a mountain. Let’s go.” Zhou Tianci wasn’t surprised by Zhang Kai’s arrival; he’d known this would happen. After all, the entire Blood Battle Legion had been wiped out, and he was the only one to return—anyone in Zhang Kai’s position would have launched an investigation. “May I change my clothes?” Zhou Tianci asked, pointing to his tattered garments. Zhang Kai shot him a cold, piercing glance. “The General is already waiting for you. There can be no delay. Let’s go.” From Zhang Kai’s tone, Zhou Tianci sensed a hint of hostility, which puzzled him. However, he didn’t dwell on it. The Great State of Yu’s military discipline was strict; Zhang Kai was merely a captain, and it wouldn’t be easy for him to harm Zhou Tianci out of personal grudge. Zhou Tianci followed Zhang Kai and his men to the General’s Mansion. Along the way, more than 30 elite soldiers surrounded him on all sides, drawing curious glances from passersby. At the main gate of the General’s Mansion, Zhou Tianci’s party encountered another group of soldiers. “Captain Zhang, it’s been a while,” said a handsome young man, stepping in front of Zhang Kai with a cheerful smile. Upon seeing the young man, Zhang Kai’s expression shifted slightly. “Thank you for your concern, Young Master Huang. I am currently on official business and have no time for small talk. Please step aside.” Zhou Tianci watched with interest. From what he remembered, aside from the official authorities, the City of Tears and Blood was also ruled by the four major clans: the Zhangs, the Huangs, the Wangs, and the Zhaos. Judging by Zhang Kai’s demeanor, he surmised that the young man before him was most likely a disciple of the Huang clan. Young Master Huang gave a faint smile: “Captain Zhang, I am now a Guerrilla General in the Great State of Yu’s army, which makes me your superior. You’d best watch your tone.” Zhang Kai replied stiffly, “In my eyes, there is only the General’s Order for the Conquest of the West. I recognize no such title as ‘Ranger General.’ ” Young Master Huang’s face flushed slightly; he was already furious. However, he knew that Zhang Kai was a confidant of Liu Yuntao. Although his own rank was higher, he was powerless to do anything to him. With that in mind, Young Master Huang suppressed his anger and changed the subject: “Is this the sole survivor of the Blood Battle Legion? I’ve heard that all 5,000 members of the Blood Battle Legion were killed in action, and he was the only one who escaped. In my opinion, this man is either a deserter or a spy for the Golden Wolf Empire. Regardless of his identity, for the safety of the City of Tears and Blood, he must be executed!” Zhou Tianci was taken aback; he hadn’t expected the conflict between the two sides to spill over onto him. However, he didn’t feel angry; instead, he wondered why the other party would want him dead. “Given my previous identity, it’s unlikely I’ve offended someone of Young Master Huang’s stature. The fact that he mentioned the Blood Battle Legion’s total annihilation likely has something to do with the underhanded dealings involved. In any case, I must remain vigilant. Fortunately, this man is clearly at odds with Liu Yuntao, so Liu Yuntao probably won’t go along with his wishes…” Zhou Tianci thought to himself. Paying no heed to Young Master Huang’s expression, Zhang Kai said, “Whether he’s a deserter or a spy, the General will naturally reach a conclusion after investigating. How to deal with him is the General’s decision.” “Fine, fine, fine, Zhang Kai. You really are Liu Yuntao’s loyal lapdog.” Young Master Huang narrowed his slanted eyes, which glinted with a sinister light. “We’ll see about that!” As Young Master Huang turned to leave, he shot Zhou Tianci a glance; his vicious gaze made every hair on Zhou Tianci’s body stand on end. “Captain Zhang, who is this?” With the other man’s intent to kill so obvious, Zhou Tianci had already marked Young Master Huang as an enemy in his mind, so he immediately asked Zhang Kai. “That’s Huang Jue, the young master of the Huang family. Don’t worry about his threats—with the General here, as long as you haven’t violated military law, no one will dare lay a finger on you,” Zhang Kai said calmly, his tone much friendlier than before. Zhou Tianci nodded thoughtfully. Zhang Kai led Zhou Tianci into the General’s Mansion. About ten minutes later, in the council hall, Zhou Tianci met Liu Yuntao, the de facto ruler of the City of Tears and Blood. “Zhou Shi, squad leader of the Fifth Squad, First Platoon, Third Battalion of the Blood Battle Legion, salutes you, General!” Zhou Tianci knelt on one knee and saluted Liu Yuntao according to the military etiquette of the Great State of Yu. “Rise.” Liu Yuntao’s voice was soft, but to Zhou Tianci’s ears, it sounded incredibly deep and resonant. Zhou Tianci rose to his feet and quickly took in Liu Yuntao’s appearance. Liu Yuntao appeared to be in his early thirties, with a broad forehead and gaunt cheeks. Were it not for his piercing gaze, one would find it hard to imagine that he was a general commanding an army of 200,000. When Liu Yuntao’s gaze fell upon him, Zhou Tianci felt as though he had been completely seen through; it took him a moment to regain his composure. “The Blood Battle Legion was annihilated at the edge of the grasslands. Why are you the only one who returned?” Liu Yuntao’s voice boomed in Zhou Tianci’s ears like the deep toll of a great bell. Zhou Tianci replied instinctively, “This subordinate accompanied the Blood Battle Legion in pursuit of the grassland cavalry. East of Cangyun Ridge, we were surrounded by 30,000 elite enemy troops. Under General Mo’s command, we fought to the death, but outnumbered as we were, our entire force was annihilated—not a single man survived. I was wounded and lost consciousness during the battle, but last night I miraculously regained consciousness and escaped back to the City of Tears and Blood under cover of darkness.” Liu Yuntao asked again, “Why did the Blood Battle Legion fall into an ambush?” “I do not know.” “Apart from you, were there any other survivors from the Blood Battle Legion?” “I do not know that either. When I came to, there was not a single living soul left on the battlefield. Before I lost consciousness, not a single member of the Blood Battle Legion had withdrawn from the fight.” Liu Yuntao asked no further questions, but Zhou Tianci was drenched in sweat. Moments ago, he had been so intimidated by Liu Yuntao that all his answers had been instinctive—which was precisely Liu Yuntao’s intention. Fortunately, Zhou Tianci had managed to maintain some control and hadn’t revealed the truth about his time travel; otherwise, he would have been finished. Liu Yuntao was somewhat disappointed not to have received the answer he wanted. He attributed Zhou Tianci’s survival to mere luck. He didn’t doubt Zhou Tianci’s words; as a soldier at the mid-Post-Heaven realm, the man simply lacked the ability to lie to him. “General!” Seeing Liu Yuntao lost in thought, Zhou Tianci knelt and said, “Although I was fortunate to survive, the Blood Battle Legion’s grievance must be avenged. I earnestly beg the General to rebuild the Blood Battle Legion. One day, I will personally behead Jin Huan to honor the memory of General Mo and the 5,000 soldiers!” Jin Huan was the Grand Marshal of the Golden Wolf Empire and the commander-in-chief of the attack on the City of Tears and Blood. With his back to Zhou Tianci, Liu Yuntao said slowly, “I will consider the matter of rebuilding the Blood Battle Legion. Return to the barracks and await further notice. Also, do not leave the barracks during this time.” Liu Yuntao said no more; he waved for someone to escort Zhou Tianci out. As he stepped out of the council chamber, Zhou Tianci let out a long, silent sigh of relief. In Liu Yuntao’s presence, Zhou Tianci had felt immense pressure; the sensation that his life and death were in someone else’s hands made him extremely uneasy. “At least the hardest hurdle is behind me,” Zhou Tianci said self-deprecatingly, feeling the cold sweat on his back.