The Divine Soldiers, Cavalry, Captains, and Commander stood silently.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
One hundred soldiers stood like statues carved from iron.
The cavalry held their reins lightly, winged spirit horses lowering their heads in submission.
The ten Divine Captains stood slightly ahead, eyes lowered, awaiting command.
Divine Commander Tianyuan stood straight, hands behind his back, aura restrained to the extreme.
The entire square was quiet.
So quiet that Feng Hao could hear his own breathing.
He slowly turned around and walked back toward the Golden Dragon Throne.
Each step echoed softly.
When he sat down, he leaned back slightly, one arm resting on the armrest, fingers tapping once.
That single sound—
Tap.
Every soldier straightened subconsciously.
Feng Hao's gaze swept across them again.
This time, his eyes were no longer observing.
"System," Feng Hao said inwardly.
"Yes, dear host."
"Open sign-in interface."
A golden panel appeared.
[Daily Sign-In Available]
[Would you like to sign in?]
"Yes."
The moment Feng Hao confirmed—
The panel shattered into light.
A deep bell sound echoed.
DONG——
[Congratulations, Host.]
[You have received the following reward:]
Barracks Upgrade Stone ×1
Grade: Divine
Effect: Instantly upgrades Fortress of the Infinite Legacy by one level.
[Fortress of the Infinite Legacy – Upgrade in Progress]
Level 1 → Level 2
The carvings on the mountain shifted.
New figures appeared.
Larger.
More profound.
An entire section of the mountain cracked open, revealing sealed halls within.
A massive gate engraved with the words "Elder Hall" faintly materialized before sealing again.
Another silhouette appeared above—
A Mount Hall.
But it remained blurred.
Not yet unlocked.
Upgrade Complete
[Fortress of the Infinite Legacy – Level 2]
Summon Capacity Increased
Training Efficiency Increased
The pressure around the palace increased subtly.
Even Feng Hao felt it this time.
Not oppressive.
But heavy with authority.
The Divine Commander's eyes flickered briefly.
Then he lowered his head again.
First Decree
Feng Hao stood up.
This time, he did not walk.
His voice echoed naturally across the square.
"From today onward—"
"The Nine God Dynasty is officially established."
No thunder.
No heavenly response.
Yet—
Every summoned unit felt something engraved into their souls.
"Divine Commander Tianyuan."
"Yes, Emperor."
"You will oversee all military affairs."
"Divide the Divine Soldiers into internal defense and patrol units."
"Cavalry will remain hidden unless summoned."
"No banners."
"No unnecessary movement."
Tianyuan knelt.
"As the Emperor commands."
"Divine Captains."
"Yes!"
"You will train the soldiers daily."
"Do not rush breakthroughs."
"Foundation before speed."
The captains answered in unison.
"Yes, Emperor!"
Night slowly descended upon the capital of the Nine God Dynasty.
The palace lamps lit one by one, soft golden light illuminating the vast hall. Outside, the Divine Soldiers had already dispersed according to orders, their movements silent and orderly. Patrol routes were established, formations hidden, everything proceeding with machine-like precision.
Inside the main palace, Feng Hao sat cross-legged upon the Golden Dragon Throne.
He did not cultivate immediately.
Instead, he closed his eyes and felt.
Felt his body.
Felt his blood.
Felt the world.
"This body…" Feng Hao thought calmly.
There was no discomfort.
No rejection.
It was as if this Primordial God body had always been his.
Every bone, every vein, every drop of blood contained terrifying vitality. Even without circulating cultivation techniques, his flesh alone already surpassed countless cultivators.
The air around him faintly trembled.
Spirit energy gathered instinctively.
"System," Feng Hao spoke inwardly.
"Yes, host."
"What is my current cultivation realm?"
"Replying to the host. You currently possess no active cultivation realm. However—"
A pause.
"Your true combat capability far exceeds Divine Transformation due to race, bloodline, physique, and talents."
Feng Hao nodded slightly.
He straightened his posture.
Hands resting on his knees.
Breathing slowed.
"Begin cultivation."
The moment he formed that thought—
Something awakened.
Deep within his body, an ancient, indescribable origin stirred.
It was not qi.
It was not spiritual energy.
It was Primordial Origin.
A colorless, formless essence more fundamental than heaven and earth.
The Primordial God bloodline responded instantly.
Boom.
His heart beat once.
The palace trembled slightly.
Outside, several Divine Soldiers subconsciously turned toward the palace, then steadied themselves.
Inside Feng Hao's body—
Countless invisible meridians that should not exist naturally began to unfold.
They were vast.
Endless.
Like cosmic rivers.
Body Refining Realm
Normally, cultivators tempered flesh through pain.
Breaking bones.
Refining blood.
Enduring suffering.
Feng Hao did none of that.
His body refined itself.
Each breath caused his flesh to glow faintly, impurities burning away before they could even form.
Bones crystallized.
Blood transformed.
Cells resonated with primordial rhythm.
[Body Refining → Complete]
No bottleneck.
No resistance.
No effort.
Qi Refining Realm
Spirit energy surged.
No—
It flooded.
Like an ocean pouring into a bottomless abyss.
Feng Hao did not absorb it.
His body devoured it.
Qi condensed naturally, flowing through his meridians without guidance.
One cycle.
Two cycles.
Ten cycles.
Hundreds.
[Qi Refining Lv.1 → Lv.9]
The realm shattered like thin glass.
Foundation Establishment
This was where most cultivators struggled.
Condensing foundation.
Stabilizing dao.
Choosing paths.
Feng Hao's Primordial Origin simply descended.
A foundation formed.
Not a platform.
Not a pillar.
But a Primordial Altar.
Stable.
Perfect.
Eternal.
[Foundation Establishment → Complete]
Feng Hao opened his eyes.
The entire process had taken—
Less than ten breaths.
He exhaled softly.
"Too fast," he muttered.
He checked his status.
[Current Cultivation Realm: Foundation Establishment Realm (Peak)]
"Even restraining myself…" Feng Hao shook his head slightly.
"It still went this far."
He looked down at his palm.
A faint phantom shadow overlapped it.
It was enormous.
Boundless.
As if a hand large enough to cover the heavens was hidden within his own.
"Heaven Covering Palm…"
He did not activate it.
Just sensing it caused space to ripple faintly.
Feng Hao clenched his fist.
The shadow vanished.
Outside the palace—
The Divine Commander suddenly frowned.
He felt it.
That brief fluctuation.
Not pressure.
Not killing intent.
But authority.
As if the heaven itself had acknowledged someone.
He immediately knelt toward the palace direction.
"So the Emperor has begun cultivating already…"
"Terrifying."
Inside, Feng Hao calmed his aura completely.
He stood up from the throne and walked toward the window.
The capital city below was quiet.
Lights flickered.
Mortals slept.
None of them knew—
That an existence capable of shaking worlds had just casually completed his first cultivation.
"This is only the beginning," Feng Hao said softly.
"Others will struggle for years…"
"For decades…"
"For lifetimes…"
"And this is just my starting line."
He turned back.
"System."
"Yes, host."
"Announce my cultivation to the dynasty?"
"Replying to the host. Would you like to conceal it?"
"Yes."
"Replying… concealment activated."
No ripples spread.
No notices appeared.
The world remained ignorant.
Feng Hao nodded in satisfaction.
"Good."
"Let them think we are weak."
He returned to the throne and sat down slowly.
Eyes closing once more.
This time—
Not to cultivate.
But to observe.