Setting out to conquer the north region was not only for the purpose of expanding territory and strengthening the power of the nation. There was another significance to this course of action, and that was to settle the feud with the Winter Moon Sect once and for all.
Ling Dong Xing had already reached the peak of the Spiritual Pedestal Tier, but for making the last step to advance to the Flower Blossom Tier, theoretically, he would still need a dozen, or even twenty, years' time. However, Ling Dong Xing could not wait that long, and neither could Ling Han.
If it was another person, they could only watch and wait helplessly, but Ling Han was the Alchemy Emperor; so what if his talent was a bit weak?
Consume alchemical pills!
There were as many as hundred stalks of Dragon Blood Tyrant Ginseng by now, and aside from setting a few aside for sowing, the rest could all be used as medicinal ingredients; how scary was that?
Ling Dong Xing forcefully raised his cultivation to the Flower Blossom Tier, and added with the fact that Ling Han had already established a nation and taken control of a massive territory, he, Ling Dong Xing, was revered as father of the reigning emperor, and was naturally capable of using the power of the nation. With the continuing expansion of the Ling Empire, the power of the nation would only become stronger and stronger.
Could such a Ling Dong Xing still be incapable of defeating Ao Feng?
Before setting out, Ling Han went once more to the old mine area in the Fire Country. Innumerable powerful elites were buried underground there, and could very possibly become the means to learn Underworld cultivation and open the way to the Underworld. To this realm, that similarly was an incomparably awful matter.
Ling Han was currently racing against time. Not only did he have to split open the skies before the five sects of the Immortal Realm made their move, but also had to do it before a bunch of living corpses did.
When he arrived, that giant silver spider actually appeared. It moved its giant legs that seemed akin to divine spears, and was breathing in the direction of the moon, seeming as if it was absorbing the essence of the moon.
The higher his cultivation level, the more terrifying he sensed this giant spider was.
An awesome creature on the level of a fifteen-eyed Great Corpse King!
This giant silver spider should have just happened to venture out to cultivate, and he had just so coincidentally come upon it. Otherwise, with how this giant spider disdained to cast a glance on him, how could it be possible that it would deliberately come out for him?
Ling Han estimated his own battle prowess.
The higher the cultivation level, the more difficult it was to battle an opponent on a higher cultivation level. That applied to Ling Han as well. After he had advanced into the Deity Transformation Tier, Ling Han's current battle prowess was gauged as one Star of the Heaven Tier, but when he'd previously broken through to the Spiritual Infant Tier, his battle prowess could match nine Battle Stars of the Deity Transformation Tier.
However, he was still the emperor of the Great Ling Dynasty, and as long as he was still in his own territory, he could draw upon the power of the nation to strengthen his own battle prowess.
This could add on another Star of battle prowess to him, and this was still the power upgrade he had after he had united the whole Desolate North.
If he could unify the whole north region as well, then the power upgrade would at least be five Stars, and with the unifying of all four regions… that would be even more awesome. Reaching ten Stars would be more than enough—on the condition that Ling Han's body could withstand such terrifying power of the nation.
With the instillation of power from the Black Tower, his battle prowess naturally spiked to the Shattering Void Tier, but the key was, how many Stars of Shattering Void Tier could he reach?
After all, the Desolate North was too small. Although it helped him to add on another Battle Star of battle prowess onto the foundations of Heaven Tier, in the case of the Shattering Void Tier, this increase could practically be ignored.
He was definitely still unable to defeat this giant spider.
Or so Ling Han thought. Shaking his head, he gave up the idea of wanting to investigate further. After all, it would be too wasteful to use the instillation of power from the Black Tower here.
He was just planning to turn around and leave when he stopped in his steps.
Although the old mine area was eternally enshrouded in black mist, and seemed eerie and frightful, this time, it looked even worse. That black mist was thicker than before as if it had turned solid. It was as black as ink, which made it appear even more terrifying.
Those people underground… were coming out?
Ling Han pricked up his ears to listen closely. There seemed to be someone whispering in the surroundings, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not clearly hear what was being said, just as if it was the talk of ghosts.
He left. This place was too bizarre, and extremely freaky. Without enough power, it would be best if he did not hang out around here.
The army moved and set out towards Fallen Moon Forge, starting a full invasion of the north region.
Ling Han revealed his status as a Heaven Grade alchemist, and everywhere he passed, the Alchemist Society would be the first to surrender. What a joke; he was a Heaven Grade alchemist, and to them, he was their God. Now that their God wanted them to follow him, how could they refuse?
And the Alchemist Society's status was in a league of its own. They possessed vast influence, which led to many cities directly surrendering without a battle.
What Ling Han wanted to do, on the contrary, was not to conquer the whole world—it would be too easy for him to conquer the north region; any general under his command would be an invincible existence in any region.
What was most important to cultivators? Power, naturally!
With enough power, others naturally could only submit. Furthermore, it was not something unacceptable for them to accept a Heaven Grade alchemist as their liege.
After a mere seven days, they had advanced all the way to the front of the mountain gates of the Winter Moon Sect.
The last time he'd been here, only with the instillation of power from the Black Tower could he manage to match an elite of the Spiritual Infant Tier, but now… his normal battle prowess had already advanced to the Heaven Tier, and could practically match his prowess in his last life. If the instillation of power from the Black Tower was included, he could even match a Shattering Void Tier elite and destroy this sect with a single finger.
"Your Majesty, do we attack immediately?" a young man asked. He was Jin Wuji, and had met Ling Han long ago in Da Yuan City. At the time, he had even fought Ling Han because of his younger brother.
At that time, he had not followed the others to the Winter Moon Sect. Instead, he had married a beautiful bride and began to enjoy life, but now with Ling Han's return, he, too, enlisted into the army to assist Ling Han.
He had just broken through into the Spiritual Ocean Tier, so his power was naturally not something that Ling Han cared about. However, what Ling Han needed were people that he could trust enough, and thus Jin Wuji was naturally placed in an important position.
But there were even more of his old acquaintances that were in the Winter Moon Sect. The first target of attack was the Winter Moon Sect—firstly because it was indeed very near, and secondly because Ling Han wanted to gather these old friends of his under his banner.
Ling Han nodded, and said, "Small Rock, you take the lead!"
The Rock Spirit cried out, and began its charge towards the Winter Moon Sect.
It had now broken through to the Deity Transformation Tier, and added with the special traits it had as a spirit of one of the five elements, its battle prowess could match a cultivator at the peak of the Deity Transformation Tier. A single punch had shattered the Mountain Protection Great Array that the Winter Moon Sect had.
Ling Han invited Ling Dong Xing out. The feud between himself and Ao Feng naturally had to be settled by him personally. This was a hatred that Ling Dong Xing had nursed for twenty years.
With the havoc caused by the Rock Spirit, the Winter Moon Sect could practically be considered having completely surrendered.
The law of martial arts was power was might. Since the Rock Spirit was so awesome, the Winter Moon Sect had naturally lost their fighting spirit, and as the army of millions called out in unison that those who surrendered would not be killed, everyone naturally handed over their weapons and obediently surrendered.
Ao Feng was dragged over. His Spirit Base had been crippled by Ling Han, so his cultivation level had stagnated at the early stages of the Flower Blossom Tier. When he saw Ling Han, he could not control his great hatred, and roared in rage, "If it had not been that b**** pleading at that time, and that I had a moment of soft-heartedness, had I just simply killed you little bastard, there wouldn't have been so much trouble!"
"How dare you!" Yuan Cheng He's fist slammed down on the back of Ao Feng's head, and the impact caused him to immediately drop onto the ground.
Ling Han nodded at Yue Kai Yu and his family as a form of address. Now, he did not have the time to deal with these relatives of his.
Ling Dong Xing stepped out, and said, "Ao Feng, fight me. If you can defeat me, then I will spare you!"
Ao Feng sneered, "Twenty years ago, you were already a loser. That is the case now, and so will it be in future!"
"Then let's battle!" Ling Dong Xing's fighting spirit soared as he stepped down with his sword in hand.