After making his decision, Pei Xuanjing did not delay any further.
He contacted siblings Xue Hanyi and brought them with him outside the border to the army camp.
According to Tao Rong, during the years Xue Hanyi and his sibling secluded themselves, they lived peacefully without causing any trouble. It was even Xue Hanyi who actively proposed the speculation that the wolf pack the army encountered may be from the Demon Race.
Pei Xuanjing had interacted with the two before his seclusion. Apart from their initial condescending attitude, Xue Hanyi hadn't really done anything bad. Of course, there could also be the fact that they were deterred by Pei Xuanjing's strength.
Anyway, based on Pei Xuanjing's observation over these years, at least they had the sense of current affairs. They weren't the straight-laced kind who wouldn't cooperate or adapt. This led Pei Xuanjing to decide to not take action against them for the time being.
"As Heaven and Earth revive, the limits that this world can hold for the strong will continue to rise. It's already a foregone conclusion that the ancient forces and strong entities that had left will return. This is inevitable and no one can stop it."
This was Pei Xuanjing's response when Xue Hanyi's siblings prodded him.
There's nothing wrong with this statement. With the revival of Heaven and Earth, the return of ancient forces is inevitable. No one can stop it, not even Pei Xuanjing, unless he can become Immortal before their return; otherwise, everything is just wishful thinking.
However, even with the assistance of the simulator, Pei Xuanjing wasn't that confident. Let alone Becoming Immortal, he wasn't even sure about the speed of the revival of Heaven and Earth, nor did he know what Realm his strength could reach when that day arrived.
What Pei Xuanjing wanted to do was not to hinder those people from returning, but to seize the time and use all means to enhance his own strength. To ensure that he and the people and forces behind him had sufficient self-protection abilities to wield enough voice in the coming Great World, and not become the vassal of others.
"Given my current strength, I am already qualified to contend with all those ancient forces. But it's still too weak," thought Pei Xuanjing.
With his current strength—where his Dao of Qi Refining stepped into the Fourth Level of the Spiritual Realm, Body Refining reached Spirit Realm Sixth Level, and Refining Spirit stepped into the second level—could already dominate a territory in Tianhuang Realm.
However, Pei Xuanjing was not satisfied with this. He craved a voice of his own, not to dominate over those people, but at least to have the qualifications to stand on an equal footing.
At present, this upcoming Divine Dynasty Plan was an opportunity for Pei Xuanjing.
If the Divine Dynasty Plan was successful, it would provide Pei Xuanjing with an opportunity to enhance his strength.
According to his division, if the Dao of Refining Spirit can truly result in Becoming Immortal, it can be divided into two Daos: Ghost Immortal and Immortal. If he could grasp some heavenly authority before those people by taking advantage of the Enfeoffment of the Divine Dynasty Plan, it should greatly benefit the Dao of Refining Spirit.
"Although I'm not 100% certain, this is an opportunity I cannot afford to miss," thought Pei Xuanjing.
After all, the amount of Taoyun required for a life simulation is now too high. The Divine Dynasty Plan could quickly enhance his strength in addition to accumulating Taoyun.
Outside the border, in the Ming army camp.
The camp, after nearly three years of warfare, was likely more than just a camp. The Great Ming Dynasty had transformed it into a war fortress, perhaps more appropriately named as a military city.
Apart from the millions of soldiers of the imperial court, the rest were martial artists from all over the world.
Heaven and Earth are fair and do not favor any race.
After the revival of Heaven and Earth, the richness of the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi made it easier for human race martial artists to cultivate and breakthrough realms.
However, the benefits weren't only for the human race. With the growth of countless Lingzhen medicinal herbs, the emergence of Blessed Lands and Forbidden Places, the once ignorant animals also began to gradually develop some spirituality, giving birth to considerable wisdom.
Inside the territory of Great Ming, it seemed that many animals in the mountains had gained spiritual intelligence, beginning to absorb the essence of the sun and the moon to refine their bodies.
Originally, these signs were very slow. Yet, unfortunately, the arrival of the Demon Race accelerated this process, at least speeding up the development of spirituality in the animals bordering the territories.
Animals that were once ignorant, with the help of the Demon Race, a lot of them gained wisdom, learned to cultivate, and absorbed the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi. They were fiercer and stronger than before.
However, every advantage has its disadvantage. When they started killing these cultivating animals, now called demonic beasts, and discovered that their bodies could be used for cultivation, they immediately attracted countless martial artists.
After all, with the spread of Martial Classics, many people who originally had no chance to cultivate now had the opportunity to start their path as martial artists. As more fighters break through the ranks, the resources needed are also increasing, which amplifies the conflicts on the rivers and lakes, many times more than before.
Even with the revival of Heaven and Earth and the increase in spiritual energy, the growth of numerous exotic treasures, the appearance of Blessed Lands and Forbidden Places, they still could not bridge this huge gap, making the conflict even more crazy.
And now, when it was discovered that the bodies of these demonic beasts could be used for Pill Refining and Body Refining, it drove countless martial artists into a frenzy. They swarmed in and voluntarily joined this place to hunt demonic beasts.
"Commander, my master has come out of seclusion and will probably arrive in a few days after hearing the news here," Pang Hong respectfully told Wang Boan, who was dressed in a Confucian robe and holding a book in his hand.
Since hearing the news about the demonic beasts, Pang Hong had willingly come here. He wanted to fight the demonic beasts on this battlefield to enhance himself. After two years of fighting and honing, he had gained a lot, and shortly before that, he managed to achieve the third blood rebirth, stepping into the First-grade Mortal Realm, the final step for a mortal martial artist.
Even though Heaven and Earth had revived nearly fourteen years ago and many martial artists have broken through, strong individuals who had entered the Spirit Realm were emerging as if bamboo shoots in spring rain. However, First-grade martial artists were still the backbone of the world today.
For Pang Hong to reach this point at his current age was due to his efforts and luck, in addition to Pei Xuanjing and the Shenxiao Sect's support. After all, although many Forbidden Places and Blessed Lands appeared with numerous heirs, there were not many people who could really inherit.
However, even with his current status, Pang Hong didn't dare show any disrespect towards the commander of the millions of soldiers of the Great Ming, standing in front of him.
Not just because he was his master's friend, but also because of his strength.
If you were to ask who has been the most prominent figure in the past few decades, the undebatable answer would be the current number one person in the world, the head of Shenxiao Sect, the Great Ming National Master, Pei Xuanjing.
However, if you were to ask who is the most prominent person in the world, excluding Pei Xuanjing, there could be many answers: Zhao Baiyang, the Maitreya Sect Leader who once entered Tiandu and slayed the dragon, Xue Wuheng, the leader of the Demonic Cult who reorganized the sect, or perhaps it is Emperor Jiajing, renowned for his extraordinary methods,…
And so on, the debate about this could bring out countless people, and there would be countless arguments, each with its own support.
But, all these debates were decisively concluded two years ago, all arguments disappeared into thin air, just as the approval of Pei Xuanjing was generally acknowledged, a consensus was reached.
The second most prominent person in the world, aside from Pei Xuanjing, was none other than Wang Yun Wang Boan, standing before Pang Hong, the newly established noble of the Great Ming imperial court.
And his reputation was not only attributed to his leadership in the great military campaign to eradicate the remnants of the Former Yuan and the stand-off with the demonic beasts, but also attributed to his extraordinary strength, far beyond the ordinary.
Had it not been for an incident two years ago when a strong demon of the Spirit Realm Second Layer infiltrated the army intending to assassinate the Commander Wang Bo'an, and was later slain by his sudden display of formidable strength, no one would have thought that this great commander not only had the ability to command troops but also possessed the strength of the Spirit Realm Third Level!
The strength of the Spirit Realm Third Level was certainly shocking to all the strong fighters in the world when the news spread.
It's worth noting that at that time, it had been only ten years since Heaven and Earth revived. Even though people like Zhao Baiyang had made considerable gains after challenging Pei Xuanjing on Shenxiao Mountain and subsequently went into seclusion, none of them was as strong as Wang Bo'an's Spirit Realm Third Layer strength, even if some of them had broken through to the Spirit Realm Second Layer.
It could be said that at that time, aside from Pei Xuanjing, all the other strongmen of the world were inferior to him.
Most of his time over these ten years was spent on training elite soldiers and commanding troops in combat, he barely had any time for secluded cultivation, yet he possessed so much strength.
Upon further thought, this kind of talent was simply mind-boggling and shocked countless people.
It can be said that the present battlefield stability is mainly thanks to the support of the strong fighters of Heart Moon Lake and the Witch Deity Teachings, and also contributed massively by Wang Boan.
Also, it is because of this that Wang Boan, as a loyal supporter of the Great Ming imperial court, inadvertently bolstered the prestige of the court, which no one dared to underestimate.
Before such a strong man, Pang Hong would naturally not slack off in the slightest.
Wang Bo'an, unaware of Pang Hong's thoughts, revealed a smile upon hearing that Pei Xuanjing had come out of seclusion, "Oh, the National Master has come out of seclusion, that's really good news."
At this moment, the millions of troops of Great Ming outside the border and the Demon Race were at a deadlock, barely budging, and both sides were somewhat cautious, so a full-scale battle has not yet erupted, but rather sensibly restrained to occasional skirmishes.
Of course, this is the situation seen by others. In fact, for Wang Bo'an, with millions of troops at his disposal, these demonic beasts are no match for him, even ensnared. He could easily eradicate all the demonic beasts while paying a certain price.
The reason for not doing so is simple, sweeping out the demonic beasts with the army would inevitably come at a great cost. Even for Wang Bo'an, if he has a choice, he wouldn't want to make such a last-resort decision.
Secondly, there are those strong Demon Race fighters who have returned. Although Wang Bo'an has killed one of them, there are still several hiding among them. Right now, they can throttle countless demonic beasts here. If the beasts are exterminated, these unconstrained fighters would pose a threat far beyond the current situation.
So, he was waiting, waiting for Pei Xuanjing to come out of seclusion, or for other strong fighters from Great Ming to break through. He doesn't expect to surpass the Demon Race fighters, but only hopes to buy some time by holding the other side off.
Of course, the Demon Race fighters are also similarly biding their time. As time passes, the concentration of Heaven and Earth Essence Qi keeps increasing, making the demonic beasts stronger. Therefore, dragging on would also be beneficial for them.
Hearing the news that Pei Xuanjing would soon arrive, Wang Bo'an smiled. He instructed Pang Hong, "I am aware of the news, you go inform the others!"
"Yes!" Pang Hong responded and left.
While not everyone needs to know that Pei Xuanjing is coming, some people are certainly eligible to be informed. So, Pang Hong needed to notify them.
When Pei Xuanjing entered the Military City, he immediately noticed a familiar scene that reminded him of older times.
The city was almost the same as the Boundary City in his simulated life, bustling with martial artists akin to mercenaries, all gathering to hunt down demonic beasts in order to gain resources for cultivation.
At this moment, there were no ordinary people in this city. Even the vendors were martial artists who were trading their ways, each fighting their own way for their path of cultivation.
Despite being on the frontline of war and filled with all sorts of dangers, it was undeniable that the city offered opportunities far beyond what the Central Plains could provide.
For many people who lack resources, it is justifiable to give and take. What they fear the most is that after they have invested, they still can't reap the rewards. This is the fundamental reason for their dissatisfaction.
"Master! Two seniors." Pang Hong greeted Pei Xuanjing and the siblings Xue Hanyi.
Pei Xuanjing nodded, "Lead the way."
"Yes!"
While leading the way for Pei Xuanjing, Pang Hong also introduced the situation within the city.
The millions of soldiers from the Great Ming imperial court, the troops from all over the world, and the flocking martial artists were all gathered here.
The place they were at has nine cities in total. Each city housed almost a million soldiers and martial artists, with almost ten million humans standing against the demonic beasts at the borders.
However, compared to the martial artists now emerging in the territory of the Great Ming, this number was not that large. Martial artists from other places kept pouring in every day. It is estimated that it wouldn't take long for the population to exceed ten million.
"Apart from these nine cities nominally belonging to the Great Ming imperial court, apart from the three cities controlled by the court, the rest have been infiltrated by various forces." Pang Hong whispered.
Tao Rong had been stationed on Shenxiao Mountain for a long time and didn't know much about the situation here. Therefore, his disciple naturally needed to bring his master up to speed on the specifics.
Apart from this, it is also to make the master aware that they did not sit idly by during his years in seclusion.
"You've done well!" Pei Xuanjing said, praising with a smile.
It seems he had nurtured Pang Hong well, who was now fully capable of upholding the reputation of Shenxiao Sect.
One thing was undeniable for Pei Xuanjing. That was the irreversible impact of the power he had seized from the Great Ming royal family and imperial court when he showed his hand at the Great Morning Meeting.
Even though the Taoist School that Pei Xuanjing represented later formed an alliance with the Ming royal family, providing support to the Ming royal family and the imperial court, the ambition ignited by his actions was hard to extinguish in other factions.
"If Pei Xuanjing can do it, why can't I?"
Although no one voiced this sentence out loud, many forces started acting accordingly.
Especially when Pei Xuanjing and his associates chose to cede interests to the Ji Fang Alliances in order to expedite the Divine Dynasty's plan, it was already too late to reverse the course of events.
Today's Military City was infiltrated by various forces. The covert takeover of the city was an inevitable event, something nobody could prevent.
There may be dissatisfaction within the Great Ming royal family about this, but no one dared to voice it. After all, with Pei Xuanjing, the world's number one man, standing there, they had to take him into account even if he himself did not care.
Pei Xuanjing asked Pang Hong, "How many of these cities have we taken control of?"
"Two," Pang Hong answered honestly.
Pei Xuanjing pondered and said, "Let's cede control of one of the cities. It can be a place for martial artists across the world to freely inhabit, a place where they don't have to obey any force's rules."
"Master!" Pang Hong's face changed slightly and he replied anxiously.
The vast benefits that the two cities could provide were clear to a wise man like his master. As the world was awakening, these two cities could yield immense benefits, helping them foster more formidable fighters.
Even Xue Hanyi and Xue Hanyue, who were standing by, were slightly taken aback at Pei Xuanjing's resolute decision.
Having been sent back by the ancient country, they were no fools and clearly understood the massive benefits represented by each city. They couldn't help but wonder why Pei Xuanjing was giving up such benefits so easily.
Pei Xuanjing saw the urgency in Pang Hong and understood. He replied gently, "One city is enough, we don't need that many. We also need to provide a way out for the world's martial artists."
Of course, he knew what the cities represented. But Pei Xuanjing also knew what he wanted: not just for one person to become immortal, but for all beings to attain immortality.
At present, among the nine cities, three belonged to the Great Ming court. This included a vast network of vested interests, which he had no desire to manage. Of the remaining six, the Taoist Alliance occupied two, and the Demonic Cult, Buddhism School, and the world's noble families each held one. They had divided everything up and completely blocked the path of advancement for ordinary martial artists.
To Pei Xuanjing, this was simply unacceptable as it directly contradicted his objectives.
While he couldn't ensure complete equality for all living beings, he could at least try to do something within his power to prevent this world from becoming stagnant, without extinguishing the hopes of ordinary people.
"I'll handle compensations to the other Taoist factions myself. All you need to do is follow my arrangement." Pei Xuanjing cut Pang Hong off before he could say anything more and made the decision.
"Yes!" Pang Hong responded, calming down.
He was indeed anxious earlier, since Pei Xuanjing had handed over worldly affairs, and the ties between the Shenxiao Sect and the Taoist School were maintained by him. He had responsibilities towards both the Sect and the Taoist factions. But Pang Hong remembered that the Shenxiao Sect existed because of his master, and all that he had was given by his master. Hence, he naturally couldn't disobey his master's orders.
Pei Xuanjing nodded satisfactorily. Some things didn't need to be explained in detail.
Ceding a city might seem like a loss, but it could win him a good reputation. If things continued as they were, with ordinary martial artists having no way out, the Taoist School would surely become the first target and position itself against the whole world.
"Master is remarkable!" Xue Hanyi exclaimed as a trace of admiration flashed in her eyes.
With this move, Pei Xuanjing was literally winning people's hearts. The common martial artists of the world would remember this kindness. Moreover, even if Pei Xuanjing did give up the city, as long as it wasn't controlled by other powers, he would still hold great influence there.
This made Xue Hanyi admire his tactic. Indeed, even if other people saw through this open scheme, not everyone would have the resolution to follow through. This represented enormous benefits, not something anyone could easily give up.
Pei Xuanjing smiled lightly and did not say anything more. They all walked towards the City Lord's Mansion…
"Greetings to the National Teacher."
Wang Bo'an and a few others came forward to welcome Pei Xuanjing.
"Mr. Wang is too kind!" Pei Xuanjing replied with a smile to Wang Bo'an. "Mr. Wang's remarkable contributions make him a great hero of the Great Ming and the human race."
Wang Bo'an laughed, "National Teacher, you flatter me too much."
With a wave of his sleeve, he led Pei Xuanjing into the City Lord's Mansion.
"Hmm?" Pei Xuanjing noticed a familiar face among the accompany']."
"It's been quite a while, Officer Fu."
This familiar face happened to be Fu Changge, the God Catcher of the Six Gates, whom Pei Xuanjing had met after he first demonstrated his power in Tiandu by killing the Three Wolves of Mo Bei.
"It's an honour that the National Teacher still remembers me," Fu Changge said respectfully to Pei Xuanjing.
No wonder he was so respectful. He would never have expected that the young man who was intercepted by the Three Wolves of Mo Bei in Tiandu would become such a renowned figure within a short period. The once unknown youth was now the number one person in the world, the Taoist School's Grand Master, and the National Teacher of the empire – a person even his master had to treat with caution.
Even though he himself had already entered the First-grade Realm and was on the brink of reaching the Spirit Realm, he was simply incomparable to Pei Xuanjing.
Pei Xuanjing just smiled and did not say much else.
As a result of all the struggles he had gone through, he didn't have many friends. Moreover, at his current level, only a few old acquaintances could be considered his equals.
The group took their seats in the main hall of the Mansion. Despite Pei Xuanjing's repeated expressions of modesty, he eventually took the top seat alongside Wang Bo'an.
Afterwards, Wang Bo'an began briefing him about the current situation. As leader of the human race, no one understood the current situation better than he did.
After a long while, having listened to Wang Bo'an's summary, Pei Xuanjing had a complete grasp of the situation here.
According to Wang Bo'an's intelligence, aside from the Demon Race powerhouse he killed, there are another eight or nine. Among them, three are at the Spirit Realm Third Level, with the rest possessing the strength of the Spirit Realm Second Layer.
After gaining a rough understanding, Pei Xuanjing looked around and asked, "I heard that a powerhouse from the Sky Wasteland has arrived. Why isn't he here today?"