Chapter 0716 – Fate Forms the River, Thunder Forms the Water

"Found the nation!!"

"Found the nation!!"

...

Countless citizens heard those words, and their eyes began to light up. Their hearts pounded violently, as if their blood was boiling and their hearts were about to leap from their chests. A surge of overwhelming excitement and ecstasy flooded their minds and souls—it was an indescribable, all-consuming feeling.

Founding a nation.This was something countless people had dreamed of for so long.

Since the fusion of all realms, families were torn apart, and nations had fallen. Now, what they had built with their own hands—brick by brick, blade by blade—through sweat, blood, and sacrifice, was finally reaching its culmination.

Here in Xuanhuang City, many had already formed new families and built new homes. But even then, something was missing. The human settlements remained scattered and ununified, lacking systematic governance. Power could not be coordinated or efficiently dispatched. Not even the mightiest ancient city could manage that.

Xuanhuang City could only influence a range of ten thousand miles around it—no more.

It wasn't that it couldn't be done, but without a national system, without laws and governance, nothing could be sustained. A city alone could not accomplish it.

Only after founding a nation could offices be planned, officials dispatched, and authority distributed—only then could the proper structure and scale be established.

More importantly, founding a nation would unite the people's hearts and reach a peak of cohesion.

Right now, towns and villages respected Xuanhuang City, but they lacked the righteous mandate. Each village still saw itself as an individual unit. Only the establishment of a unified nation could truly bind all the people into one, aligning their hearts and unleashing their full strength.

For all of humanity, this would bring immeasurable benefits.

One after another, people looked up and began to shout.

The desire to establish a nation had become unstoppable.Creating a country of their own was an irresistible temptation for everyone.

Not just the common folk—even figures like Huang Chengyan, Master Lu, and Jia Xu wore expressions of anticipation and yearning.Founding a nation would make them founding ministers—dragons' aides, meritorious subjects of legend. The rewards would be unimaginable. They would be recorded in the Eternal Continent's history with bold, vivid strokes.

Their names would go down in history.

No one is free from the pursuit of fame and fortune. It is simply human nature.

"My lord speaks truly. The founding of a nation is now imperative," Huang Chengyan declared, bowing deeply."As of now, Xuanhuang City governs the surrounding villages and towns, but if other towns rise to the status of cities, our authority will lack legitimacy. Presently, no city in the surrounding region can compare to ours. To unite the people around us, nation-building is a necessity.Having just defeated the orc coalition and gained tremendous prestige, now is the perfect moment to found a nation."

"Please, my lord, found the nation!"

Jia Xu smiled slightly."To found a nation not in peace, but on the battlefield—this is the aura of a war-time monarch. To use the blood and bones of enemies as offering—unexpected, but auspicious."

"Please, my lord, found the nation!"

Master Lu added,"Heaven's will is clear. If we do not act with the momentum of fate, we will suffer its backlash.The founding of the nation is inevitable. Let the defeat of the orcs symbolize Xuanhuang City's unyielding spirit and courage."

He too bowed."Please, my lord, found the nation!"

"Found the nation! Found the nation!!"

The cries echoed along the Iron-Blood Great Wall, spreading throughout Xuanhuang City. Countless citizens shouted fanatically.

This was the will of the people. The voice of the masses. Unstoppable.

Yi Tianxing nodded."Very well. Today, we shall found our nation. But before that—there is one thing that must be done:Xuanhuang City must be promoted to a Royal City."

"Only a Royal City can bear the nation's fate, only it can carry the destiny of a kingdom."

He took a deep breath and proclaimed:

"Heaven and Earth above, I, Yi Tianxing, ruler of Xuanhuang City, humbly report—Since our establishment, we have spared no effort. We have welcomed the people, repelled ferocious beasts, protected our citizens, and reached a population of over three million.Trade thrives, civilization is reborn, we've fought with foreign races and repelled the orc invasion.Today, our city's destiny has reached its peak, and the ancient city can no longer contain it.I beseech Heaven and Earth—grant Xuanhuang City ascension to a Royal City.Allow it to guard this realm and guide the people!"

This was a petition to the heavens, citing the city's merits.

Protecting the people from beasts is merit.Granting dignity in life and honor in death is merit.Fostering civilization, prosperity, and stability is merit.Everything a city should do—it had done to perfection.

And so, it had the right to be judged.

BOOM!!

As his words fell, an invisible will of heaven and earth gathered above.An unseen eye seemed to stare down on Xuanhuang City—solemn, vast, and beyond comprehension.

Under this pressure, even those on the Iron-Blood Great Wall felt as if their bodies were frozen—unable to move.

"Permitted!!"

A mysterious divine voice echoed from the void.

FLASH!!

A divine light appeared from thin air, forming a majestic ancient Dragon Gate.From it emanated tremendous pressure.Within it, one could see countless true dragons roaring and soaringvivid and lifelike.

"The Dragon Gate!!"

Yi Tianxing's eyes lit up.

When the city first ascended, a Dragon Gate had appeared—allowing the Golden Carp to become a Fish-Dragon.But during the second promotion, no gate appeared—only Heavenly Tribulation.Now, as the city advanced to Royal City status, the Dragon Gate reappeared.Could there be a pattern?

"It must be due to the transformation of bloodline," he guessed.

The leap from fish to dragon required passing through the Dragon Gate.But the transition from fish-dragon to dragon-serpent needed only tribulation.Yet from dragon-serpent to flood dragon (蛟龙)—a true dragon variant—this was a significant leap.A Flood Dragon can summon wind and rain, stir the clouds and seas.It must be refined through the Dragon Gate.

This time, the Dragon Gate's pressure was far beyond that of the first.

Suddenly, the Golden Dragon-Serpent dwelling in the Fate Pool let out a high-pitched roar.

The core space opened, revealing the Fate Pool to the world.

Eighty-one zhang in diameter, filled with churning red waters, and in it swam the massive Golden Dragon-Serpent, now 20–30 zhang long, its golden scales shimmering with nobility.

The Fate Pool overflowed, forming thick clouds of fate energy, swirling intensely.

FLASH!!

At that moment, the fate clouds surged skyward, forming a mighty river of fate, stretching toward the Dragon Gate—a golden river under the heavens.

🔸 New Concept: "Fate Becomes a River, Thunder Becomes the Water" (气运化河,雷霆为水)

Only by riding the River of Fate can the Golden Dragon-Serpent reach the Dragon Gate.Below the gate, no living being can fly. Only fate can carry them.If the river is insufficient, the attempt fails.

This was the measure of a force's foundation. Without long-term accumulation, no one could do it.

Fortunately, with the vast fate of Xuanhuang City, and the fate plundered from the defeated orc coalition, the river was easily formed.

ROAR!!

The Golden Dragon-Serpent flicked its tail and surged upward—against the current, straight toward the Dragon Gate.

BOOM BOOM BOOM!!

But just then, the Dragon Gate poured down with thunder, like a tidal wave, into the River of Fate.

🔸 The Dragon Gate forms the river's body from fate, but its waters are made of thunder.

To ascend, one must endure the Thunder-Waters.Fail, and be shattered.Survive, and earn the right to ascend.

Lightning flashed. Thunder cracked. The entire river rumbled.The Dragon-Serpent was bombarded, its golden scales shattering, body charring, cracks forming...

Every moment was torment and destruction—a true trial by thunder.