……

The Boundary Rift guarded by Great Gan was originally a small rift, and the outer demon realm on the other side was in a remote location, considered a backwater even by the standards of the outer region demons.

This area was vast but sparsely populated with demons, with only three Demon King Fortresses scattered across a large expanse, commanding just under a hundred Demon King territories.

Even for traversing the Boundary Rift, there were only two small flying shuttles, both quite old and worn out.

This was unavoidable, as the difficulty of manufacturing Boundary Traversing Boats was extremely high. Many of the core crafting components and formation talisman parts were remnants from the Shenwu period, and the crafting techniques were long incomplete. Nowadays, they were barely maintained by the Hundred Refinements Hall and the Formation Talisman Hall of the Immortal Dynasty.

The small flying shuttles had poor transport capacity. When transporting the "Wang's Giant Cannon," the cannon components had to be dismantled and transported in batches. Once through the Boundary Rift into the demon realm, they had to be reassembled.

Thus, just transporting this batch of goods to the demon realm would take several months.

This was unavoidable, as the Immortal Dynasty also had a tight supply of Boundary Traversing Boats. For "frontier defense lines" like Eastern Gan, they had to make do with what they had.

"Shichao, you're in charge of overseeing the production of various crafting products and are familiar with our Wang's Clan's research capabilities," Wang Liyao asked somewhat wearily at the welcoming banquet, "Is there any possibility for our Wang's Clan to replicate the Boundary Traversing Boat?"

It was no wonder she was tired. As the overall commander of this upgraded "Spring Thunder Operation," she had to manage all aspects of coordination. Even with a team of elite Wang's Clan members assisting her, it wasn't an easy task.

Nowadays, Wang Liyao found herself admiring Princess Suiyun of the Immortal Dynasty.

It was said that Princess Suiyun started from the bottom in logistics and gradually rose to become the deputy commander of a large defense zone. Her comprehensive abilities were exceptionally strong, and she seemed to never tire, day in and day out for centuries.

She couldn't fathom how she managed it.

Wang Shichao quickly put down his chopsticks, sat upright, and said, "Third Aunt, you may not know, but I'm just a manager overseeing production. My understanding of the technologies is only superficial."

"To replicate a Boundary Traversing Boat, our elite technical team would need to conduct a comprehensive inspection of the boat to identify the technical challenges," he said, frowning slightly. "However, based on my understanding of our technical team, replicating a Boundary Traversing Boat would be extremely difficult. First, it would require a lot of time for research, and no one can guarantee how long it would take. Second, we have far fewer talents in formation talismans compared to crafting."

"Doesn't the Immortal Dynasty have a Formation Talisman Hall?" Wang Liyao mused, "Then let Ning Xi make a trip to recruit some talents from the Formation Talisman Hall at a high salary."

Wang Shichao almost spat out blood.

Ning Xi is a crafting genius from our family, not someone who specializes in poaching talents. Besides, he got sanctioned by the Immortal Emperor for poaching talents and only recently had the sanction lifted...

However, despite his internal grumbling, Wang Shichao knew that Third Aunt's requests were paramount. After all, it was Ning Xi who got sanctioned, not him, Wang Shichao.

Those who can, do more work~

After a series of thoughts flashed through his mind, Wang Shichao solemnly replied, "I will take note of this matter. I will report this project to Aunt Liyue when I return and put it on the agenda. I will also convey your request to Ning Xi."

"Good, good." Wang Liyao happily toasted Wang Shichao with a glass of wine, "If this succeeds, I will credit you with a great achievement."

She had been displeased with these old and small Boundary Traversing Boats for a long time.

Wang Shichao was immediately excited, "Thank you, Third Aunt. I will do my best to arrange it."

……

Time flew by, and everyone was busy.

In the outer regions, at the main base of the Eastern Gan defense zone.

This was a massive city with a complex structure. Although its construction style was that of Great Gan, the stones used were sourced locally in the demon realm, giving the overall color a black-red hue.

The thick and towering city walls were incomparable to those within Great Gan. The ancient divine crossbows on the walls were gradually being replaced by Wang's Divine Might Cannons.

The Divine Might Cannon had a simple structure, was easy to mass-produce and maintain, and was easier to operate, making it an excellent choice for defensive battles.

Beyond the main base, there were numerous outposts, and various defensive fortresses were scattered every few dozen miles.

This defense system was painstakingly built by Great Gan over thousands of years. Every inch of this land was soaked with the blood of ancestors and buried with their bodies.

Behind the main base was a rugged cliff, and beyond the cliff lay a vast "Black Wave Sea," shrouded in a perpetual mist of black fog that inspired fear.

This sea was known to the people of Great Gan as the Demon Sea.

Although the sea was filled with dangers and uncertainties, fortunately, the sea monsters rarely came ashore to attack human bases, making them much more "amiable" compared to the outer region demons.

Building a human base next to the Demon Sea was a way to reduce the width of the defense line and alleviate the overall defensive pressure.

At this moment.

Beside the Demon Sea, on a protruding black rock, stood an elderly man with wide sleeves and a large cannon.

Despite his gray hair and aged appearance, his posture was still straight, exuding a spirited and dignified aura.

He held a "lure rod," occasionally casting it into the water and rhythmically retrieving the lure, his expression blank, almost mechanically playing with the lure.

This man was none other than Emperor Longchang, who had been "exiled" to guard the outer region battlefield by Wang Shouzhe.

It was no wonder he was mechanical and numb. Anyone who had been fishing in the outer region battlefield for years would become numb.

Now, he had played with the lure so much that it had become muscle memory. Even if his mind wandered off, the rhythm and cadence of retrieving the lure were unerring.

The lure bounced on the water, almost as if it were alive.

Suddenly.

A flash of red appeared on the black fog-covered sea.

In the next moment, a foot-long red demon prawn shot out from beneath the sea like an arrow, leaping into the air and clamping onto the lure with its pincers, refusing to let go.

Emperor Longchang's expression didn't change at all. He skillfully reeled it in, and within moments, the red demon prawn was dragged onto the rock.

The red demon prawn was as thick as an arm, with a dark red shell like blood, covered in menacing spikes, and had a pair of powerful pincers, making it quite intimidating.

"Tch!"

Emperor Longchang glanced at it disdainfully and kicked it aside, not even considering putting it in the fish cage.

These red demon prawns were abundant in various waters of the demon realm, with a voracious appetite, eating almost anything, and reproducing rapidly. Their survival ability was also strong, able to live for a long time even out of water.

Despite their relatively small size compared to other demonic beasts, they were notorious in the demon realm.

The reason was simple: they were adept at digging holes and destroying the crops planted by the demons.

Some might wonder, do demons eat crops too?

Of course, they do.

All living beings need to eat. If demons didn't farm, how could they feed their numerous demon soldiers?

However, due to various limitations, their farming methods were much more primitive compared to humans. They didn't even have a basic theoretical system, let alone refined farming techniques.

Most of the time, they would just pick a suitable place, plant the seeds at the right time, and apart from weeding and driving away various demonic beasts that would come to eat the crops, they did little else, relying entirely on the whims of nature.

Under such circumstances, the harvest was naturally not great.

Of course, this was fortunate. Otherwise, if the population of the outer region demons increased, humans would have even less breathing room under the oppression of the demons.

From this perspective, the red demon prawn, one of the "Four Pests" of the demon realm, could be considered a beneficial shrimp for humans. It could curb the production of demon crops and slow their population growth.

Another important point was that the red demon prawn, due to its varied diet and high tolerance for harsh environments, had low requirements for the concentration of demonic energy in its habitat. As a result, its meat had relatively low residual demonic energy, making it one of the few foods humans could eat.

The Eastern Gan stationed troops would occasionally hunt some red demon prawns for food, alleviating the pressure on logistical food supplies.

However, the shrimp had a coarse texture, bland taste, and could cause stomach discomfort if consumed in large quantities by low-level cultivators, making it unsuitable for long-term consumption. Therefore, apart from the cannon fodder camp, other departments would only eat it occasionally.

As for Emperor Longchang, he had no interest in it after trying it once.

He was just about to give it another kick, sending the still claw-waving red demon prawn back into the sea, when he paused and suddenly looked up at the sky.

In the distance, a streak of light was breaking through the gray mist, rapidly approaching.

In the blink of an eye, the light had reached Emperor Longchang.

A figure descended from the light, bowed to Emperor Longchang, and said, "Ancestor, Miss Liyao requests your presence at a meeting."

Upon closer inspection, the visitor was none other than the newly appointed Prince Yongheng of Great Gan!

He had arrived in the outer region with Emperor Longchang and had been serving here for several years.

"Hmph!" Emperor Longchang snorted discontentedly, "Why should I attend a meeting just because that girl asked me to? I'm not going, I'm going to fish~"

With that, he tossed the demon prawn into the fish cage, planning to send it back to Wang Shouzhe to disgust him.

"My dear ancestor, the outer region battlefield is in a state of war," Prince Yongheng said helplessly, looking at his increasingly willful ancestor. "In such circumstances, the outer region battlefield is led by the Holy Land, which has the authority to mobilize all resources for the war effort. Although you haven't abdicated, if she invites you to a meeting, it's inappropriate not to attend."

"No problem, she can sanction me~ After all, I've already been exiled to the outer region battlefield by her father. What worse outcome could there be?" Emperor Longchang replied with a "dead pig not afraid of boiling water" attitude, "I haven't seen Xian'er in years, and I don't know how that rascal Wang Shouzhe has mistreated her. My poor Xian'er~"

"Well..." Prince Yongheng suddenly remembered something and said, "I heard Miss Xian'er sent an avatar."

"What? Xian'er came to see me?" Emperor Longchang was overjoyed. He immediately put away his fishing rod and soared into the sky toward the main base.

His speed was so fast that it created a long trail of airwaves in the sky.

Prince Yongheng quickly followed on his light, but his speed was always a step behind. In just a short while, Emperor Longchang had disappeared from his sight.

Before long.

Outside the main base's command meeting room, a figure descended like a cannonball, landing in the courtyard with a "boom."

The ground was instantly covered in dust from the rolling energy waves.

The guards at the meeting room door were startled, but upon seeing that it was Emperor Longchang, they breathed a sigh of relief.

At this time, the people inside the meeting room also sensed the commotion outside and looked over.

In the next moment, a little girl in a green dress flew out, throwing herself into Emperor Longchang's arms like a swallow returning to its nest, "Grandpa Emperor, Xian'er missed you so much~~"

It had to be admitted that due to Emperor Longchang's doting and companionship since childhood, Wang Lixian genuinely regarded him as a grandfather, and their relationship was very close.

"Oh, my little Xian'er, I missed you too." Emperor Longchang picked up Wang Lixian, looking her over from all angles, then wailed in distress, "My little Xian'er~~ How did you get so thin? That scoundrel Wang Shouzhe can't even take care of a child! I am at odds with him!"

"Grandpa Emperor, don't blame Father." Wang Lixian said obediently, "As long as it doesn't involve schoolwork, Father is very kind to Xian'er."

Indeed, when there was no schoolwork, it was all fatherly love and filial piety, but once the report card came out, it was chaos and disorder.

"Hmph, schoolwork, schoolwork, all he knows is schoolwork." Emperor Longchang carried Wang Lixian into the meeting room, muttering under his breath, "Why doesn't he go back and remake himself? Xian'er, don't be afraid of him. Stay with Grandpa Emperor for a while longer~~ If he comes after you for schoolwork, I'll block him for you!"

At these words, Wang Lixian's face fell, and she said with great grievance, "It's no use. I've now developed another avatar, and it's currently buried in study at the Clan School..."

"……"

Emperor Longchang also felt a headache.

Why did this girl create so many avatars? It wasn't even convenient to skip school while on a business trip.

As they spoke, the old and young pair entered the meeting room.

Inside the meeting room, many important members of the Wang's Clan were already seated. When Emperor Longchang entered, everyone looked over in unison.

Emperor Longchang hadn't paid much attention initially, but his gaze swept over and noticed a woman in a white research coat with short ear-length hair and gold-rimmed glasses sitting near the head of the table. Her demeanor was cold and aloof.

The woman's gaze swept over him, and through the lenses, her eyes were inscrutable.

Emperor Longchang's expression stiffened, and the smile on his face became forced, "Oh, Liyue is here too?"

The woman in the white research coat was none other than Wang Liyue, the current leader of the Wang's Clan's technical team and the director of the Wang's Research Institute.

While outsiders only knew of Wang Shouzhe's formidable eldest daughter, Wang Liyao, who was the Little Holy Master of Lingyun Holy Land and had combat prowess that defied the heavens among the younger generation, only the internal members of the Wang's Clan knew that Wang Liyue, as the director of the Wang's Research Institute, was equally remarkable, perhaps even more terrifying in some respects.

"Your Majesty, long time no see." Wang Liyue looked at Emperor Longchang with an unperturbed gaze, seemingly having forgotten her past pursuit of him for "imperial blood" research.

However, she was no longer interested in "imperial blood."

Firstly, she had already conducted research on it. Due to previous technical limitations, she hadn't discovered much. Secondly, she now knew many Lingxu Realm experts and didn't need to focus solely on Emperor Longchang.

"Long time no see, Liyue. What are you researching now?" Emperor Longchang asked, slightly relieved.

"Collaborating with my brother Wang Zongteng to research how to absorb demonic energy from demon realm lands on a large scale," Wang Liyue replied calmly. "Many lands in the demon realm are rich in humus and nutrients. If we can remove the demonic energy and use my father's latest 'Black Crystal Rice No. 9,' we can cultivate and harvest large areas in the demon realm. However, this is not my independent project; there's a dedicated team for it."

Emperor Longchang was momentarily stunned before responding with praise, "An impressive study. I wish you success."

He thought to himself that as long as she didn't ask for imperial blood, it was best to support her.

"Your Majesty, there's actually another project that's been on hold." Wang Liyue pulled out an agreement and handed it to him, "I have a body donation agreement here. The donor can pledge to donate their body after death. We hope to make progress in the study of breaking through to the Lingxu Realm more easily..."

"Don't even think about it!" Emperor Longchang's face darkened, "Even if I die in battle, I won't donate my body!"

"Ah~ I expected you to say that." Wang Liyue seemed slightly disappointed but didn't insist, putting away the donation agreement, "Fine~ As you wish, Your Majesty. I'll focus my attention on Zongteng for now."

As she spoke, she looked down at Wang Zongteng beside her, her eyes filled with anticipation.

Under her gaze, Wang Zongteng shivered slightly, slowly curling the vine branches that were hanging loosely and quietly tucking them under his belly.

Wuwuwu~ So scary~

He had heard from Brother Zongkun and Sister Lixian about Sister Liyue's matters. Sister, wuwu~ won't do anything strange to him, right?

His young heart trembled slightly, feeling that even being able to leave the Clan School for a break didn't seem so appealing anymore~

"Alright, alright, Liyue, put your experiments on hold for now." Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Wang Liyao finally spoke up, smoothing things over, "Your Majesty, please take your seat. We're about to start the meeting."

After returning from the Officer Training Academy, Wang Liyao's demeanor was even more impressive than before. Now, just by sitting there, she exuded an aura of authority, captivating those around her.

As a Heavenly Daughter, Wang Liyao was now a favored child of the heavens. Her bloodline was in constant subtle resonance with the world, naturally giving her a divine and sacred aura, unlike ordinary people.

However, the Wang's Clan had decided to keep a low profile. Although many internal members had advanced significantly with the resources from the Officer Training Academy, they kept it a secret and did not make it public. Therefore, Wang Liyao's publicly announced bloodline aptitude was still that of a Peerless Prodigy, even keeping it from Emperor Longchang.

This allowed her to appear openly on the outer region battlefield as the "Little Holy Master."

Otherwise, no matter how open-minded Emperor Longchang was, or how lax the Great Gan defense zone was, they wouldn't allow a Heavenly Daughter in the Purple Mansion Realm to be on the outer region battlefield.

"Then let's start the meeting." Emperor Longchang sat at the head of the table, holding Wang Lixian.

"This meeting is mainly about the enhanced version of the Spring Thunder Operation and the main combat strategy," Wang Liyao cleared her throat and said solemnly, "For a long time, our Great Gan has been in a standoff with the outer region demons, with small-scale battles never ceasing, constantly wearing each other down."

"And in recent decades, the three Demon King Fortresses we've been defending against have inexplicably increased their pressure, frequently attacking our defense zone. Although, with our current strength, we can withstand the assaults of the three Demon King Fortresses."

"However, passive defense is not a long-term solution. Currently, the outer region demons have eight Demon Gods and countless Demon King Fortresses, with overall strength far surpassing humans. Once they undergo internal changes, our small defense zone could easily become a target."

Emperor Longchang raised an eyebrow, "Liyao, the situation isn't as exaggerated as you say, is it? We're dealing with three Demon King Fortresses under the Nether Fiend Demon God. If the Nether Fiend Demon God sends additional demon troops to attack us, the other armies of the Immortal Dynasty and Demon Dynasty won't stand idly by."

"That's true, but compared to the outer region demons, humanity's overall strength is still far from enough, which means our risk tolerance is very low," Wang Liyao explained confidently, "We can't rely on the enemy's disunity and instability. The fact that the Yincha Demon God is trying to bring back the Great Demon Lord is a bad sign. It means that some Demon Gods are already trying to unite the demon forces, even if they haven't succeeded yet."

"And we all know that if the demons manage to unite their forces, humanity will be doomed. At that time, the human territories will be devastated, and it will be almost certain death."

"Everyone knows this issue, but there's no solution, right?" Emperor Longchang frowned, "Unless we can cultivate four True Immortal Realm experts in a short time, there's no chance."

"Father's idea is that although we can't solve this problem in the short term, we must change the mode of warfare," Wang Liyao said, her expression becoming serious, "Instead of passively defending and constantly being worn down, we should open up the outer demon realm, turning this land into a human habitat to strengthen ourselves."

"Compared to the demons, our greatest advantage is our stronger reproductive ability. As long as we have suitable agricultural output, anywhere can be a home for humans. Our current defense zone, combined with the territory of the three Demon King Fortresses, is almost as large as our entire Great Gan. Once fully annexed and digested, in just a few hundred years, our overall strength will more than double."

This speech left Emperor Longchang speechless, "The so-called Spring Thunder Operation, does it mean annexing the three Demon King Fortresses' territory and making it part of our Great Gan?"

"Spring thunder awakens all things!" Wang Liyao said calmly, "We must sound the horn of attack for humanity and fire the first shot."

"Only by continuously devouring the demon realm and making it our own territory will we become stronger as we fight. Only then will humanity have a chance to see the dawn of victory in this war. Although it's difficult, it's the only hope."

"And we will be the beginning of it all."

"We will become the spring thunder, tearing through the cold night, bringing a glimmer of life to this protracted war!"

Wang Liyao's bold words were like a heavy hammer, striking everyone's hearts.

Everyone's hearts began to race uncontrollably.

Emperor Longchang was also deeply moved, unable to speak for a long time.

Goodness, during his reign, he was only concerned with holding the Boundary Rift, and just achieving that left him exhausted.

But Wang Shouzhe had already started contemplating a reverse "invasion" of the demon realm.

……