"Sigh, A-Cheng, Yan Feng is one of the most talented among the younger generation of our Holy Spirit Cult. After this incident, he will surely realize his mistake. How about giving me some face and letting him go, hmm?"
Zhongli Wu pondered for a moment, then slowly spoke.
"Even the Cult Master said, this duel was 'life and death disregarded'..."
Xu Cheng curled his lips into a smile.
Beneath him, the massive bone dragon slowly shifted its huge body. The previously coiled form stretched out, and when its full thousand-meter length was revealed, the crowd finally saw its true appearance.
But Yan Feng was in no mood to admire.
He had already transformed into his Martial Soul True Body — the Ice Dragon — and attempted to flee into the distance.
On his way out, he even launched an Ice Dragon Bomb in hopes of slowing Xu Cheng down to buy himself time.
But the bone dragon took the hit head-on without the slightest effect. Despite its seemingly clumsy form, its speed was astonishing. Space around it even seemed torn as it moved, and a sky-darkening shadow loomed over the escaping Yan Feng. Then, as Yan Feng looked back in despair, a giant claw came crashing down.
"Boom!"
The dragon claw smashed toward the ground. With a mighty force, the earth trembled, hard stones flew in all directions, and when the dust settled, a deep crater had formed — Yan Feng had already been crushed into a bloody mist...
"Roarrr!"
The dragon's roar echoed through the underground cavern.
Under countless awe-struck gazes, Zhongli Wu's cold glare, and Tang Ya and others' joyful expressions, the bone dragon slowly crouched. Xu Cheng leaped down from its head and looked toward the black-robed referee.
"Third Elder, can you announce the result now?"
"Uh... Ahem! Of course, Your Highness the Holy Son." The Third Elder wiped cold sweat from his forehead and quickly shouted out Xu Cheng's victory.
The stronger one's strength, the clearer they felt the terrifying aura of the bone dragon.
If it could crush Yan Feng... it could crush him too...
And most frightening of all — Xu Cheng was only fifteen years old!
What terrifying heights could he reach in ten or twenty years?
Even the current Cult Master — could he still suppress him then?
"Hmph!"
Zhongli Wu watched Xu Cheng being praised and surrounded like a star among the moon, giving him a smiling look. Zhongli Wu simply snorted coldly, flicked his sleeve, and vanished from the cave.
"Brother, our forces have expanded once again. As you instructed, I've filtered the recruits — they've all taken lives, but none are bloodthirsty or driven purely by violent desire. With some correction, they still have hope." Nana, dressed in a female officer's uniform of the Soul Tool Army, spoke seriously.
"Many have surrendered, but after screening, at least three-quarters were removed."
"Better to have fewer but better troops." Xu Cheng lay on his executive chair, patting his thigh.
Nana's pretty face turned slightly red. She cautiously looked around before sitting on Xu Cheng's lap, adjusting her skirt.
It was summer. Between the two, only a thin layer of fabric separated them — the sensation growing increasingly intimate.
Ever since Juzi left, Nana had taken over the role of secretary. As chief secretary, she not only handled reports and coordination with the army but also managed Xu Cheng's faction within the Holy Spirit Cult — and, well, other responsibilities too.
When there was business, the secretary handled it. When there wasn't... Xu Cheng made creative use of her skills.
Not that the high-ranking little secretary minded — in fact, she was filled with anticipation…
"How's Juzi's promotion going?" Xu Cheng lifted her skirt slightly and gently caressed her smooth thigh, eyes closed, enjoying her massage.
"She's successfully promoted to Major General — officially appointed as a Battalion Commander." Nana bit her lip, eyes flashing with a trace of grievance.
We're already at the brink of passion here, and you're still talking business? Seriously…
The military ranks of the Sun-Moon Empire were different from the original Three Kingdoms.
From Soul Engineer, to Soul Tool Regiment Lieutenant Rank, to Captain Rank, to General Rank — the highest was Marshal. (In the original story, Juzi eventually held this title.)
And Soul Tool Regiments were a different class.
Even the lowest member of the regiment was at least a Level 5 Soul Engineer, so their starting rank was already Captain. Squad leaders were Majors, Battalion leaders were Colonels, and Regiment leaders — like Juzi — held the rank of Major General. As for a full Regiment Commander like Huo Qing, they held the Lieutenant General.
General, however, was reserved only for:
The Royal Soul Tool Regiment Commander
Xu Jiangnian
Eleventh Prince Xu Cheng
And the currently vacant Marshal post, plus Kong Deming
Kong Lao and Xu Cheng technically held honorary positions — they didn't need military rank to establish prestige…
Because Juzi had parachuted into her role, Xu Cheng initially gave her a Colonel's rank. With her recent promotion to Major General and command of the Mecha Battalion, she was now officially recognized in her position.
"Still far from Empress," Xu Cheng muttered with a sigh, eyes closed in comfort.
This major victory showed Juzi's decisiveness and resolve. As for her military acumen, though still a bit green, she had great potential. He looked forward to shaping her into a polished gem that would shine brightly.
As Han Xin once said, "The more soldiers I command, the better I perform." But not everyone had that same gift.
[Han Xin (韩信) was a famous general and military strategist during the early Western Han Dynasty in China. He is best known for his crucial role in helping Liu Bang (who later became Emperor Gaozu of Han) establish the Han Dynasty after the fall of the Qin Dynasty.]
Coordinating a military force was an intricate science.
Though Soul Tool tech made logistics easier (even storage soul tools solved the issue of supply lines), to fight a true information warfare battle — swiftly annihilating and controlling the enemy — was still something the Sun-Moon Empire had to master.
War inevitably brings destruction and disaster.
But since Xu Cheng ran a charity-based system, he also had a responsibility to minimize civilian casualties during war.
After all — what if the system rewarded him for it?
"Empress? You've already decided?" Nana gasped, covering her mouth.
"What, you want to compete for the spot?" Xu Cheng smiled, not explaining further.
"Just being by your side is more than enough..." Nana gently wrapped her slender arms around Xu Cheng's neck, whispering softly.
She truly didn't care for power. Otherwise, she wouldn't stay indifferent while holding such authority.
She was more like a death guard — yearning for love, yet humbly afraid of losing it.
"It's all the same." Xu Cheng stroked her hair, inhaling her sweet scent.
"Shall we get to work?"
"Mmm~" Nana nodded shyly.
Inside the office, passion surged — spring filled the air, unspoken and overflowing…