Although they were far away, the sheer number of werewolf warriors gathered in a battle formation was overwhelming. Ten thousand warriors practicing simultaneously made the earth tremble. Each werewolf was brimming with passion, and all of them were in their prime, their powerful movements a clear testament to their ferocity.
These warriors were all under Qian Ye’s command, which meant that Qian Ye had already amassed a fully integrated legion, and not just any legion, but one of the elite!
None of the onlookers were fools, and they immediately recalled Qian Ye’s seemingly endless demand for military supplies. Now, it was clear where those supplies were going.
Werewolves were naturally fierce, and when armed with imperial equipment and given rigorous tactical training, the resulting army’s strength was truly alarming.
Kong Yu’s face turned somewhat pale, but he managed to maintain his composure. “Sir Qian Ye, your methods are truly commendable. However, the dark races are inherently treacherous. You must be cautious; do not train them only to have them turn against you.”
Everyone nodded in agreement, but the nearby werewolf chieftain priests were not pleased. The plump, brightly-feathered chieftain strode over, bellowing, “Who is this white-faced chick making such a racket? Sir Qian Ye is our sky, our land, and our god! Even if the Jade Sea dries up, we will never betray him! We werewolves are not like you, who abandon loyalty and righteousness.”
The chieftain was clearly not well-educated, but a learned priest nearby added, “Betrayal and treachery.”
The plump chieftain’s voice rose eight octaves, “Yes! Betrayal and treachery!”
This statement left the noble families feeling quite embarrassed. In comparison to the dark races, the Great Qin Empire indeed did not lack for deceit, but that was a matter of war between two great factions, where moral principles were not always a concern.
Although everyone was displeased, this was a lengthy matter to discuss, and the plump chieftain was clearly a high-ranking officer under Qian Ye, so it was difficult to rebuke him properly.
Kong Yu was rather annoyed, especially since the term “white-faced chick” was too apt. He could see that Yin Qi Qi was barely holding back her laughter.
He coughed and said calmly, “As the ancient sages have said, those who are not of our kind will always be different. Even if you can be loyal, the battlefield is unpredictable, and brute strength alone is not enough. You may be a valiant warrior, but compared to our elite soldiers, you are still inferior.”
The plump chieftain became furious, striding forward to stand before Kong Yu. The chieftain was already tall, standing at three meters in his werewolf form, with bright feathers covering his head and body, casting a shadow large enough to cover several people. He was like a giant.
Kong Yu was shocked and stepped back several paces, realizing too late.
The plump chieftain laughed heartily, pointing at Kong Yu, “On the battlefield, it’s about who is stronger. If I am not, are you? Why don’t we fight? If I don’t beat the eggs out of this white-faced chick, I’ll bark like a dog and never be a werewolf again!”
Yin Qi Qi could no longer hold back and burst into laughter.
Kong Yu turned pale with anger, his lips trembling, unable to think of a retort that would both avoid profanity and carry enough force. After all, except for crude language, there was nothing that could counter the humiliation of being called a “white-faced chick,” let alone the eggs.
Seeing he had the upper hand, the plump chieftain laughed and said, “As for what happens on the battlefield, I don’t care. Wherever Sir Qian Ye orders me to go, that’s where I’ll go.”
This statement made everyone nod secretly. Such a loyal, brave, and obedient general was a rare find. Judging by his actions and words, this tall, plump, and brightly colored werewolf was not a fool.
Noticing the awkwardness, Yin Qi Qi asked, “Qian Ye, these warriors are still training. Are there any that are already trained?”
Qian Ye nodded, “Yes, there are some.”
“How many?” Yin Qi Qi inquired, and everyone’s eyes fixed on Qian Ye, eagerly awaiting the answer. This was a good opportunity to assess Qian Ye’s military strength and decide on the family’s future investment.
Qian Ye smiled, “The number of those already trained is probably several times more than what you see here.”
“Several times!!”
The ten thousand elite werewolves in the training field already far exceeded the wildest imaginations of the noble families. These werewolves were still new recruits, and Qian Ye had several times more already trained troops. This meant that Qian Ye now had an army of several hundred thousand.
“This… this military strength… has already caught up with the Four Valves, hasn’t it?”
Kong Yu snorted, “The Four Valves do not have so many private armies.”
The nobles present understood that Kong Yu was referring to soldiers who were not just ordinary men with firearms but warriors with original force levels. In the face of the dark races, the human race lacked the ability to use their own kind as foot soldiers, as the dark races could.
Everyone took a deep breath.
Qian Ye said calmly, “The Four Valves hide dragons and tigers. I just have more soldiers. If we talk about the strength of the elites, I am far behind the Four Valves.”
“What more elites do you need? Aren’t you the strongest among the young generation? Even a low-level divine general would not be your match, right?”
Kong Yu suddenly realized, his gaze becoming deep and complex. Everyone knew Qian Ye’s potential was boundless, and given time, he would be worth a million soldiers. The Four Valves aside, which of the top noble families could claim to surpass Qian Ye in terms of elites?
“Qian Ye, where are your troops now?” Yin Qi Qi asked the most pressing question. She looked at Qian Ye’s expression and added, “Of course, if you don’t want to say, that’s fine.”
Qian Ye smiled, “Those who can come here are all friends. It’s no problem for you to know. Follow me, and you’ll see soon.”
Qian Ye led everyone onto the airship, and as they stood on the deck, the ship slowly ascended, flying a short distance before a thick white fog appeared on the horizon.
“It’s a portal!” someone exclaimed. Many were seeing the gate to the new world for the first time.
The airship continued forward, and soon the vast defensive positions below came into view. Even from a high altitude, the scale of the defensive positions, which once housed half a million soldiers, was breathtaking.
Traces of war still lingered on the ground, and tens of thousands of soldiers were still stationed there, while the rest of the area was idle.
Among the group, including Kong Yu, there were no shortage of military experts. They immediately recognized the meticulous and well-ordered layout, with comprehensive defense in all directions, especially the numerous anti-aircraft positions in the center. The entire position had no blind spots.
Gazing at the ground, Kong Yu sighed, “Just by looking at the layout, it’s clear that Sir Qian Ye had a thorough understanding of the beast army. Those attacking beast armies must have been completely annihilated by you, right?”
Qian Ye pointed to a series of continuous temporary warehouses, “They are all in there.”
“There are only tens of thousands of soldiers here, right? Where are the others?” Yin Qi Qi asked again.
Qian Ye pointed to the foggy area, “They are all on the other side of the ‘gate.'”
Kong Yu was moved, “I didn’t expect Sir Qian Ye not only to annihilate the invading beast army but also to have officially started the exploration of the new world. I thought the dark gold ore came from Yongyang, but it seems it comes from the new world, doesn’t it?”
Qian Ye nodded.
“Sir, could you let us see the other side of the gate? It would broaden our horizons.”
Qian Ye smiled and declined, “I’m sorry, only divine generals can move freely in the new world. Your strengths are still a bit lacking, and entering the new world would be very strenuous, possibly even life-threatening.”
Yin Qi Qi said, “Just say we’ll die if we go in, stop with the maybe.”
Although everyone was eager to see the new world, their lives were more important. Since Qian Ye had sent hundreds of thousands of soldiers into the new world, if ordinary soldiers could enter, the elite members of their families could as well. However, the foggy area was eerie, and how Qian Ye managed to send so many soldiers into the new world was a secret he wasn’t willing to share.
In fact, this was no longer a secret. The nobles present, although they never discussed it, knew through various channels that the beast blood glands and blood were in Qian Ye’s hands, and he controlled who could enter the new world.
Unfazed by her bluntness, Qian Ye did not get angry and simply ordered the airship to return to the city and land at the Duke’s mansion.
Kong Yu, without waiting to settle in, came to Qian Ye and said solemnly, “Sir Qian Ye, may I have a moment to discuss something important?”
Yin Qi Qi said, “I also have something important to discuss.”
Kong Yu glanced at her, “If I’m not mistaken, our purpose here is the same. If Sir Qian Ye doesn’t mind, I’d like to join you in discussing this matter.”
Yin Qi Qi became serious, “I have no objections.”
Qian Ye said, “Alright, follow me.”
The three went to the meeting room, and the other noble families, knowing they were far from the level of the Yin and Kong families, waited patiently for a second round of meetings.
Once seated in the meeting room, Kong Yu did not immediately bring up the important matter but asked, “Sir, what are your thoughts on the current state of the imperial families and factions?”
Qian Ye smiled, “I have been away from the empire for a long time and know little about each family, so I have no particular thoughts.”
Seeing that Qian Ye was not engaging, Kong Yu did not give up. He looked at Yin Qi Qi and said, “Sir, do you have any interest in founding a noble family in the empire?”
Qian Ye laughed, “Everyone knows my relatives in the empire. Apart from them, I have no family, so why would I found a noble family? It would be better to focus on building here in Yongyang.”
Kong Yu said seriously, “Sir, you have a good foundation in Yongyang, but think about it: which overseas vassal state can compare to a top-tier noble family?”
“Oh? Is the Kong family planning to help me establish a top-tier noble family?”
“That’s right!”
Qian Ye smiled, “My adopted father, Marshal Xi Tang, with his unparalleled abilities, served the country for decades, and he only managed to elevate the Lin family from a lower-tier to a top-tier noble family. I am far from my adopted father’s level, so why should I be able to establish a top-tier noble family right away? Besides, even if the Kong family could help, do you have the authority to make that decision?”
Kong Yu clenched his teeth, “I have the authority to make that decision!”
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