Chapter 6: The Boy King’s War Preparations
The grand halls of the Black Dragon Palace echoed with the decisive footsteps of servants and ministers, their movements a reflection of the frantic energy surging through the kingdom. The Boy King, Tian Yu, had summoned his court. War was no longer a distant possibility—it was a certainty.
Seated on the Obsidian Throne, Tian Yu's gaze swept over the room. His black robes, adorned with the insignia of the Black Dragon, billowed with the faint aura of his cultivation. Whispers of his power had spread, yet no one had confirmed his true strength.
Tian Yu stood, his voice calm yet commanding, reverberating across the throne room.
"The time has come for My Kingdom to expand. The neighbors who mocked us will soon bow before the Black Dragon banner. I want full readiness within three years."
The court buzzed with activity as ministers scrambled to fulfill their king's orders.
1. The Cabinet of War was tasked with forming the backbone of the imperial army. Tian Yu divided his forces into four main divisions:
The Blazing Sun Legion, led by General Feng Yan, a Nascent Soul cultivator specializing in fire techniques.
The Frozen Moon Brigade, under General Mei Ling, whose water-based tactics rivaled the most skilled cultivators.
The Iron Earth Corps, commanded by General Gu Lin, a defensive strategist.
The Wind Shadow Troop, an elite force trained in stealth and speed, commanded by Tian Yu himself.
The Cabinet of Intelligence, bolstered by the Shadow Lotus Information Agency, was ordered to infiltrate neighboring kingdoms. Tian Yu commanded spies to plant themselves deep within the courts of enemy rulers. Reports of troop movements, resources, and internal conflicts would be relayed back.
The Cabinet of Trade was charged with stockpiling resources. Gold, grains, weapons, and pills poured into the capital, ensuring the armies would march well-fed and well-armed.
One of Tian Yu's most ambitious strategies involved sowing discord among his enemies. Using the Eternal Sovereign System, he crafted a plan to embed spies into the Feilong Kingdom, a neighboring Tier 4 Spirit-grade kingdom with the strength to rival The Black Dragon.
The Shadow Lotus agents worked tirelessly, slipping into Feilong under the guise of merchants, travelers, and even refugees. They identified weak points in the kingdom's hierarchy and began spreading rumors to divide its court. One agent, Wu Xian, managed to infiltrate the royal palace itself, serving as a low-level attendant to the Feilong king.
Despite Tian Yu's sweeping reforms, not everyone within Yunxiao had been tamed. His two elder brothers, Tian Liang and Tian Feng, joined forces with exiled nobles to challenge the Boy King's authority.
One fateful night, their rebellion culminated in an attack on an imperial outpost near the northern border. The rebels, believing Tian Yu weak, underestimated his preparations.
When news of the attack reached Tian Yu, he personally led the Wind Shadow Troop to the battlefield. What followed was a display that would forever etch the Boy King's name into legend.
As Tian Yu arrived on the battlefield, his presence silenced both ally and enemy alike. Clad in dark armor, his figure radiated the aura of a cultivator at the 12th stage of Core Formation, the peak of his realm. For years, his cultivation had been concealed, but now the truth was evident.
With a flick of his hand, he summoned a black spear engraved with runes. The artifact, a High-grade Earth-tier weapon, pulsed with energy as Tian Yu charged into the fray.
The battle was over in mere moments. Tian Yu's strikes were precise and devastating, each blow felling rebels as though they were mere weeds. His movements were swift, his spear a blur as he cut through ranks of his enemies.
When the dust settled, Tian Yu stood alone amidst a field of corpses. His brothers and the rebellious nobles were captured alive.
The following day, Tian Yu ordered the execution of the traitors in the capital square. His brothers, once proud contenders for the throne, now knelt in chains before the gathered crowd.
"This is the fate of all who dare challenge the Black Dragon," Tian Yu declared, his voice echoing through the square.
With a single motion, the executioner's blade fell, and the rebellion was no more.
As the years passed, the Black Dragon Kingdom transformed into a war machine. The four standing armies, bolstered by the introduction of new cultivation techniques, reached unprecedented strength. Using the divine pill cauldron, Tian Yu ensured his soldiers were equipped with high-grade Profound pills, enhancing their strength and resilience.
The Chamber of Commerce continued to expand, bringing wealth and influence to the kingdom. Tian Yu used its resources to purchase rare artifacts and cultivation techniques, strengthening his forces further.
The Shadow Lotus Information Agency reached its zenith, providing critical intelligence about the movements of neighboring kingdoms. Feilong, in particular, had grown increasingly unstable due to internal strife—a direct result of Tian Yu's agents' efforts.
Three years after the coronation, the armies of the Kingdom gathered at the borders. Tens of thousands of soldiers stood ready, their banners fluttering in the wind. The Blazing Sun Legion, Frozen Moon Brigade, Iron Earth Corps, and Wind Shadow Troop formed a united front, their presence a testament to Tian Yu's leadership.
Tian Yu addressed his generals, his voice calm but resolute.
"The time has come. We march not for conquest, but for survival. This is the dawn of a new era—the era of the Black Dragon Empire."
The soldiers erupted into cheers, their morale soaring as Tian Yu mounted his steed. With the Black Dragon banner raised high, the Boy King led his armies forward, the first steps in a campaign that would reshape the world.
The era of the Black Dragon had truly begun.