The sky finally went back to normal.
No golden clouds. No heavenly pressure. Just wind brushing past the mountain peaks and the faint smell of scorched stone where law-forged weapons had passed through earlier.
Feng Hao stood there for a long moment without moving.
Then he let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
"…So that's over."
His robe fluttered lightly. The Sword of Primordial Command hung at his side, its glow fading until it felt more like a heavy piece of metal than a divine weapon. For the first time since transmigrating, Feng Hao felt something close to tired.
Not weak.
Just… human.
He rubbed his face with one hand and sat down on the edge of the stone platform, ignoring the fact that millions of people technically considered him their emperor.
"Next time," he muttered, "a warning would be nice."
As if responding to his complaint, something deep inside his body shifted.
A low, dull pressure rolled through his dantian.
It wasn't violent.
It was inevitable.
Feng Hao straightened slightly, brows knitting together. He closed his eyes, focusing inward. The half-formed Qi Sea that had been stuck in a delicate balance finally tipped over.
Boom.
The sensation was like a dam giving way.
Qi surged, smooth and vast, spreading outward until it settled into a stable, rotating sea. It didn't feel explosive — it felt right, like a joint snapping back into place after being stiff for too long.
Feng Hao exhaled slowly.
"…Qi Sea."
No excitement. No shouting.
Just quiet confirmation.
At the same time, he felt it ripple outward. Not just through the land, but through people. Through soldiers training below, through captains giving orders, through generals standing guard.
Their auras adjusted naturally, as if following a tide they'd been waiting for.
He opened his eyes.
"Okay," he said softly. "That helps."
He pulled up the barracks interface, scrolling through it with the casual familiarity of someone managing a game they'd sunk too many hours into.
Resources weren't even a question anymore.
He didn't hesitate.
"Upgrade. All the way."
The mountain groaned.
Stone shifted. Ancient formations flared to life. Walls thickened, towers rose higher, and training grounds expanded until they spilled across nearby ridges. The sound wasn't dramatic — more like the deep, steady noise of something heavy being set into its proper place.
When it finished, Feng Hao leaned back slightly.
"…There it is."
A new structure had appeared behind the main barracks.
Not flashy.
Just solid.
An old-style hall, thick pillars, heavy doors. The kind of place where people who'd lived too long and fought too much would sit and argue.
The Elder Hall.
Feng Hao stared at it for a few seconds longer than necessary.
"Stronger than me by a few realms," he muttered. "Great. That won't be awkward at all."
Still, he nodded once.
This was power he needed, not power to show off.
He opened the sign-in panel, expecting more numbers.
The wind swept across the mountain again, cool and clean.
Feng Hao stood up from the stone platform and rolled his shoulders once. The exhaustion was still there, but it was lighter now—like soreness after a long night instead of bone-deep fatigue.
Qi Sea realm… yeah. That explained it.
He glanced toward the back mountain where the barracks sat, half-hidden in mist.
"Alright," he muttered, exhaling through his nose. "Let's see how much trouble you caused me this time."
"System," he said, voice calm but alert, "open barracks interface."
The familiar translucent panel unfolded before him.
[Fortress of the Infinite Legacy – Barracks Interface]
Barracks Level: 3
Status: Fully Operational
Upgrade Complete: ✔
Unlocked Functions: • Large-Scale Unit Summoning
• Realm Synchronization (Host Breakthrough Effect)
• Sub-Building: Elder Hall – Unlocked
Below it, the unit list refreshed. Feng Hao's eyes paused for a moment.
"…That's a lot."
[Active Units – After Qi Sea Breakthrough]
Divine Soldiers:
• Quantity: 12,500
• Realm: Foundation Establishment (Early)
Divine Cavalry:
• Quantity: 1,250
• Realm: Foundation Establishment (Mid)
• All mounts capable of flight
Divine Captains:
• Quantity: 625
• Realm: Foundation Establishment (Late)
Divine Commanders:
• Quantity: 125
• Realm: Half-Step Qi Sea
Divine Generals:
• Quantity: 12
• Realm: Qi Sea (Early)
Divine Marshal:
• Quantity: 1
• Realm: Qi Sea (Early)
[Elder Hall – Activated]
Recruitment Available (Daily):
• Low-Level Elders ×20
Realm: Qi Sea (Mid)
(Always 3 minor realms above Host)
• Mid-Level Elders ×8
Realm: Qi Sea (Late)
• High-Level Elders ×2
Realm: Half-Step Divine Bridge
Special Unit:
• Low-Level Heavenly King ×1
Realm: Qi Sea (Mid)
Status: Suppression-Class Entity
Feng Hao let out a quiet laugh under his breath.
"So I finally get subordinates who can yell at me and actually mean it."
He didn't summon them yet.
No rush.
First things first.
"Summon today's standard units," he said.
The mountain answered.
Mist surged outward as formations ignited one after another. Lines of soldiers emerged in disciplined silence, followed by cavalry descending from the air in controlled arcs. Captains appeared already issuing quiet commands. Commanders stabilized the Qi flow across the field.
No chaos.
No roar.
Just efficiency.
When it ended, the ground felt heavier.
The air felt denser.
Feng Hao opened the dynasty panel without thinking.
[Nine God Dynasty – Power Update]
Dynasty Rank: Tier 2 Mortal Dynasty
Territory: 148,000 km²
Population: 312,000
Military Combat Power:
→ Previous: 3,820,000
→ Current: 97,300,000
Total National Combat Power:
→ 97,300,000
"…That jumped more than I expected," he said quietly.
And then, as if remembering something important, he frowned.
"Oh. Right."
He opened the sign-in panel.
[Daily Sign-In – Complete]
Reward Obtained:
📜 Clan Land Construction Token
Effect:
• Instantly constructs a Clan-Grade Palace Complex
• Renovates Back Mountain into Cultivation Land
• Spirit Energy Density ×50 (Level 1)
• Scales with Dynasty Rank
Feng Hao stared at it, then tilted his head.
"System," he said flatly, "you really don't believe in pacing, do you?"
No answer.
He sighed once, then waved his hand.
"Use it."
The ground behind him shook.
Not violently—deliberately.
The back mountain split and reformed, stone folding like cloth under invisible hands. A vast palace complex rose layer by layer, ancient and solemn, its foundation sinking deep into the earth.
Spirit energy flooded the area instantly.
Not wild.
Not chaotic.
Pure. Dense. Heavy.
At the heart of it all stood a familiar structure.
[Ancestral Palace – Constructed]
Status: Active
Effect:
• Ancestor-Level Units Cultivation Speed ×10,000
• Dynasty Spirit Resonance Increased
• Territory Stability Enhanced
Feng Hao stood there, hands at his sides, watching the palace settle into place.
For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt something solid beneath his feet.
Not power.
Not fear.
Foundation.
"…Alright," he said, a bit more energy in his voice now.
"Now we're actually playing the game."
And somewhere beyond the borders of the Nine God Dynasty, forces that had ruled unchallenged for generations began to feel it—
A pressure they couldn't explain.