"By Imperial Decree, the ministers of the Military Affairs Department are summoned to the hall for deliberation!"
Outside the Imperial Study, Wei Zhongxian roared to the assembled crowd. Led by Li Si, the ministers of the Military Affairs Department rose and entered the Imperial Study.
"Your subject, Li Si!"
"Your subject, Changsun Wuji!"
"Your subject, Du Ruhui!"
...
"Your subject, Fang Xuanling!"
"We pay respects to the Divine Emperor, may the Divine Emperor live ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!"
"Rise," Yang Hao said from his imperial throne.
"Thank you, Divine Emperor!"
The ministers rose, standing respectfully.
"Ministers," Yang Hao stood and looked at the assembled ministers of the Military Affairs Department in the hall, speaking in a deep voice, "The Blackwater Immortal Dynasty, the Fallen Immortal Dynasty, the White Tiger Pavilion, and the Black Tortoise Hall have all been swept away. All three thousand Daozhou planes, except for the Central Continent, are now in the hands of my Great Han. However, our current foundation still lags significantly behind the eight great families of the Central Continent!"
"The main branches of the eight great families of the Central Continent have developed over an era, with countless Chaos Dao Venerables. Not to mention the beings at the Creation God Venerable realm, especially the Hong family, the Jiangzuo family, the Hun family, and the Chu family, who have allied with Candle Dragon. As all ministers know, this Candle Dragon has been possessed by the leader of the Void Demonic Race. Beings like the Great Yin Immortal Emperor have gained immense power from the Void Demonic Race's divine power, becoming countless times stronger. I suspect that the beings of the four Hong family clans now possess the Void Demonic Race's divine power. Otherwise, how could they suppress the four Wang family clans!"
"The Divine Emperor is wise. Your subject believes that with only the Candle Dragon, the four Hong family clans, and the four Wang family clans remaining in this plane, the world has become a tripartite standoff!"
"Although my Great Han is unaware of the situation in the Central Continent, judging from Yun Yi's participation in the Central Continent's war and the hasty advancement of the Human Race Grand Ceremony, it is evident that the four Wang family clans are slightly weaker. Even if Candle Dragon has not recovered to his peak, he cannot contend with the four Hong family clans!"
Li Si cupped his hands and said again, "Since the blood sea and suspended coffins, my Great Han Divine Dynasty has been at odds with the four Hong family clans. Not to mention the collateral branches of the Hong family, even the great elders of the collateral branches of the four Hong family clans recently perished outside Chang'an City. The four Hong family clans now harbor deep resentment towards my Great Han Divine Dynasty and are eager to eliminate us!"
"The Prime Minister speaks the truth!"
Changsun Wuji stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Although my Great Han Divine Dynasty controls the Western Border, Northern You, Southern Ze, and Eastern Yao regions, we still have a considerable gap with the eight great families of the Central Continent. Since the blood sea and suspended coffins, my Great Han Divine Dynasty has forged a good relationship with the four Wang family clans, and our relations are relatively harmonious!"
"Your subject believes that to minimize casualties for my Great Han and conquer the Central Continent at the smallest cost, we can ally with the four Wang family clans to jointly oppose the Candle Dragon's forces!"
"Leveraging the power of the four Wang family clans, we can gradually weaken the four Hong family clans. Once my Great Han Divine Dynasty's foundation is strong enough to annex the entire plane, we can advance from both sides, sweep through the four Hong family clans, and force the four Wang family clans to submit. At that time, the world will be at peace!"
"Your subject concurs!"
Du Ruhui stepped forward and said, "Divine Emperor, with the care of Candle Dragon, the four Hong family clans have undoubtedly gained mysterious power from the Void Demonic Race. Even ordinary Creation God Venerables can rival beings at the Chaos Dao Venerable realm. Considering this, the strength of the four Hong family clans cannot be underestimated. Moreover, my Great Han Divine Dynasty has just pacified the Southern Ze and Eastern Yao regions, with heavy administrative duties and greatly increased borderlines to defend. At this juncture, it is not advisable to make too many enemies. Allying with the four Wang family clans to resist the four Hong family clans is an excellent strategy!"
"Your subject concurs!"
Fang Xuanling stepped forward and said, "Divine Emperor, the great elders of the collateral branches of the four Jiangzuo Tan clans perished outside my Chang'an City. This achievement is enough to declare the might of my Great Han Divine Dynasty to the eight great families of the Central Continent and the world. The four Wang family clans, seeking balance, have a greater chance of eliminating the four Hong family clans and must consider my Great Han Divine Dynasty. Your subject speculates that representatives from the four Wang family clans will soon come to Chang'an for an audience!"
"Your subject believes that what my Great Han Divine Dynasty should do now is to further consolidate the Northern You, Southern Ze, and Eastern Yao regions, deploying the ten great legions along the borders one by one. When the opportune moment arrives, the ten great legions will jointly enter the Central Continent, initiating the war to pacify the plane!"
"All my esteemed ministers speak with reason. The four Hong family clans, with Candle Dragon's favor, are exceptionally powerful, even capable of suppressing the four Wang family clans and my Great Han Divine Dynasty. A single dominant four Hong family clans is detrimental to the balance of power in the plane. Forming an alliance with the four Wang family clans to jointly resist the four Hong family clans will reduce my Great Han's casualties and lay the foundation for the Divine Dynasty's development!"
"Currently, the Northern You, Southern Ze, and Eastern Yao regions have all been pacified. It is only necessary for the Ministry of War to dispatch garrisons to guard them. Then, according to your esteemed ministers' opinions, how should the border between my Great Han Divine Dynasty and the Central Continent be arranged?"
Yang Hao heard this and sat on his imperial throne, scanning the ministers of the Military Affairs Department, and spoke softly.
"Divine Emperor, your subject believes that the Heaven-Splitting Rhinoceros Legion stationed at Qianmen Pass, the Kui Niu Legion at Sanzuo Pass, the Vermillion Bird Legion at Jianmen, the Qiongqi Legion at Liangmen, and the Qilin Legion at Houshan City should remain in their positions."
"Recall the Golden Lion Legion and continue to station it at Hengzhong City. Additionally, at the junction of the Gu family, the Jiangzuo family, and my Great Han Divine Dynasty, establish another city named Hengshang City and station the White Tiger Legion there."
"Between Jianmen and Sanzuo Pass, a new city will be built and garrisoned by the Azure Dragon Legion. At the junction of the Chu family, the Hun family, and my Great Han Divine Dynasty, a new city will be established, named Qianshan City, and garrisoned by the Black Tortoise Legion."
"The ten great legions will be arranged in succession around the Jiangzuo family, the Hun family, the Hong family, and the Chu family for defense. However, along the borderlines of the four great families of Gu, Wang, Zhan, and Jian, border fortresses must also be constructed layer by layer, with local heroes like Ye Fei and Ye Wei leading the armies to guard against any unforeseen events," Li Si stepped forward and stated each point.
"Divine Emperor, in addition to solidifying the border, it is also necessary to dispatch large armies to occupy and receive all the affiliated lower planes of the Great Yin Immortal Dynasty, the Human Realm, the Blackwater Immortal Dynasty, the Fallen Immortal Dynasty, the Black Tortoise Hall, the Azure Dragon Palace, the Vermillion Bird City, and the White Tiger Pavilion, to further consolidate my Great Han's territory," Changsun Wuji stepped forward again and said in a deep voice.
Lower planes can condense plane origins, which are crucial for beings at the Divine Fire realm to open their first and second mansions. Origins are precious and must not be underestimated. The top fighting forces of the Great Han Divine Dynasty must advance step by step and steadily. However, the cultivation of the younger generation must not be flawed. Although the Nine Cauldrons of Fortune can also produce plane origins each month, the current Great Han Divine Dynasty spans vast territories with billions of beings, and the demand for lower plane origins is enormous.
"Granted!"
Yang Hao scanned the ministers in the hall and said sternly, "The construction of border fortresses will commence immediately. The Ministry of War may handle the collection of lower planes at its discretion to further consolidate the Southern Ze and Eastern Yao regions."