68: Pre-war preparations

For three days, Chu Ye drank tea and watched the show within the hundred phoenix diagram, while the Guanghan Immortal Palace repeatedly jumped between ice and fire.

Just as he was pondering how to write the "Medicinal Efficacy Longevity Evaluation Report," Ni Chang arrived at his door in a flurry.

This Empress of Great Qin and number one business partner brought a piece of news that wasn't too surprising but was urgent enough: "Those people from the Central Domain have started forming a team. Their target is clear: the Great Chu Empire."

Intelligence showed that the Guanghan Immortal Palace had clearly identified the mastermind behind the scenes through some "unspeakable" experiences.

Right now, they were disregarding their reputation, connecting with people everywhere, and preparing to pull in a bunch of allies to play a big game: either go all out to suppress Chu Ye, or... be wiped out by him in one go.

"A cornered dog jumps over the wall, and the wall is quite high."

Chu Ye commented, and then with a thought.

Inside the hundred phoenix diagram, the "Palace of Ten Thousand Phoenixes Paying Homage," which he had tinkered with in his spare time, instantly became lively.

Ni Chang brought her own Empress aura, looking down on the world; Witch Empress Jiuyou was deep and mysterious; Fox Immortal Su Qingyue was incomparably cold; Abbess Miaoyin's Buddhist beads were clicking rapidly; the Chu family's Old Ancestor was steady and unafraid; the Imperial Father Chu Tianxing had a grave expression but a straight back; and the newly minted True Immortal thug, Madam Hua Yu, was dignified and elegant... It could be called the first representative assembly of Chu Ye's "Interpersonal Network and Potential In-Law Alliance."

Ni Chang gave a concise report on the enemy situation, and the core idea was just one sentence: The cake in the Central Domain is only so big. If we "outsiders" and "nouveaux riches" want to sit at the table and share, we have to beat the security guards first.

Everyone present was a thousand-year-old fox, and they understood immediately. Chu Shanhe, the Chu family's Old Ancestor, was the first to make a decision: "There's no choice for the battlefield; it will definitely be in Great Chu. They can't find you, kid, so the first strike will definitely be at the Old Ancestor's Foundation."

Chu Ye frowned slightly.

Using one's hometown directly as the main battlefield was too risky.

Imperial Father Chu Tianxing, however, slapped him on the shoulder, his eyes full of the heroism of "Son, I understand you, but don't be a coward": "What are you afraid of? Which Imperial Dynasty's rise doesn't involve getting beaten a few times? Men of Great Chu would rather lose standing up than be cowards on their knees! You go ahead and do it; we have your back!"

Chu Ye felt a surge of warmth in his heart and stopped hesitating: "Fine! Then we'll prepare a 'surprise gift pack' for them in Great Chu."

With a wave of his hand, treasure light instantly filled the hall. Piles of Formation Plates—with different types for automatic defense, illusionary confusion, and spiritual power absorption—bottles and jars of Medicinal Pills ranging from berserk-mode to healing to backstabbing, and all sorts of eye-blinding Sharp Weapons (Note: Exchanged with System points, the kings of cost-performance)... were piled into a small mountain.

"Distribute them! Equip all our elites!"

"Bring all the trusted core members into the hundred phoenix diagram for intensive training. When the time comes, with a single thought from me, the entire force will be deployed to strike them from the inside out!"

During the phase of assigning tasks and refining tactics, Ni Chang instantly entered "War God Empress" mode. Her troop deployment and resource allocation were logical and clear, making even the Old Ancestor nod repeatedly.

Everyone discussed her plan intensely, optimizing details and selecting the Medicinal Pills and Formations best suited to their respective power's characteristics.

The atmosphere in the hall was heated, yet it carried a sense of gravity and unity, as if they were saying, "Either we all go to heaven together, or we all go to hell together."

Chu Ye looked at this "community of interests and emotions" gathered because of him and rubbed his chin: "It seems we have to eat this meal even if we don't want to. Fine... let's see whose chopsticks are harder in the end."

The strategic meeting turned into Ni Chang's personal command show.

As the overt co-ruler of the Four Domains, she dispatched forces and assigned tasks with fluid ease. No one was unimpressed, as if she were the rightful mistress of this hundred phoenix diagram palace.

Chu Ye was happy to be idle, acting only as a "resource ATM."

Watching Ni Chang's valiant appearance as she issued orders, he praised her inwardly: "Work hard, keep working hard! The stronger my wife is, the flatter I can lie down."

As night fell, the crowd dispersed.

Seeing that Ni Chang was still focused on pondering the defense details, Chu Ye leaned over and took out a shimmering Medicinal Pill.

"An immortal realm breakthrough pill. I don't have much stock left; I saved this for you."

He introduced it like he was selling health supplements. "If someone at the Peak Emperor Realm uses it, they'll achieve Immortal Ascension directly. If you use it, you can also level up. How to use it is up to you."

Ni Chang glanced at him and accepted it without any hesitation: "I suppose you have a bit of a conscience."

Afterward, the two of them turned into a "cultivation world construction crew," flying over the Great Chu Empire late at night to work overtime.

Chu Ye served as the chief designer, directing the layout of the infamously named Bloodthirsty Berserk Formation.

Ni Chang was responsible for precise placement, burying the Formation cores at key nodes. From a distance, it looked calm, but in reality, it hid a surprise package that would be "unforgettable for a lifetime" once stepped into.

After finishing, Chu Ye rubbed his chin and suggested: "How about... I set up a set for your Great Qin too? Consider it a combat reserve."

Ni Chang's eyes flickered slightly, and she didn't object.

The two moved to Great Qin. Borrowing the Qi of the Empire's dragon vein, they joined forces to set up a magnificent Dragon Emperor Formation.

Looking at the double insurance in place, Ni Chang's expression was grave: "If we win this battle, we will have a seat at the Central Domain's table."

Chu Ye smiled and put his arm around her shoulder: "Isn't this exactly what you wanted? The unification progress bar has been sped up tenfold."

"It's too fast," Ni Chang shook her head. "The waters of the Central Domain are deep; we should have proceeded slowly. Now... you've forcibly turned it into a speedrun."

"The complicated stuff is for you," Chu Ye shrugged, but his tone was serious. "I'm responsible for the simple and crude part: you want ambition, I give support; you want ability, I give resources. If you want to unify, I will help you unify."

In the night, the two exchanged a look that required no words.

Two days later—

In the middle of the night, a terrifying streak of light that tore through the sky suddenly blasted toward the Great Chu border!

Hum—!

On the ground, the Formation patterns instantly lit up. The Bloodthirsty Berserk Formation was like a waking giant beast, opening its crimson fangs.

The flames of war were ignited in an instant!

The prelude to the great war was first opened by the Myriad Dao Alliance.

More than ten Immortal Realm Elders arrived together, Dao rhymes flowing and Formation diagrams magnificent. Their first move was a stance to seal the heavens and earth, intending to suppress Great Chu's national fortune with the brilliant Righteous Path.

Chu Ye stood at the Formation core, but only calmly raised his hand.

The Bloodthirsty Berserk Formation operated at full power. Within the Formation, blood Qi surged and illusions arose, actually counter-eroding the minds of the various immortals of the Myriad Dao Alliance.

The struggle of Formations fell into a stalemate in the first round.

Before this round was decided, the Divine Craft Workshop's war tower already spanned the sky.

The thousand-foot-long ship's cannons were grim. Countless spirit crossbows, thunder spears, and mountain-collapsing hammers engraved with runes poured down like rain—a flood of destruction driven by massive resources and the pinnacle of Artifact Refining.

Witch Empress Jiuyou of the Western Domain appeared at this moment.

With a roll of her sleeves, ten thousand miles of poisonous miasma blotted out the sun, corroding spiritual light and dissolving metal and stone.

The advantage of external objects that the Divine Craft Workshop relied on was suddenly reduced in power before the extremely Yin and soft filthy poisonous miasma.

Immediately after, cold moonlight washed over the battlefield.

Palace Mistress of Guanghan, Li Yue, finally arrived. The zither music was like a flowing ice spring, and wherever it passed, everything fell silent, pointing straight at the core of the great Formation.

The former Dominator of the Northern Domain, Fox Immortal Su Qingyue, smiled sweetly. Between the unfolding of her nine tails, she laid down an endless Dream Heaven, quietly leading that silent zither music into the depths of nothingness.

The two peak Fairies did not clash directly, but they had already begun an invisible contest at the level of Law.

A dragon's roar shook the nine heavens as the Central Domain Dragon Clan arrived.

Several golden dragons' true bodies appeared, their claws and teeth tearing the sky. Pure power, carrying ancient pressure, intended to crush all obstacles in the most brutal way.