Yi Tianxing's Divine Sea was now nearly full of True Qi. Within the Divine Sea Realm, his cultivation was advancing by leaps and bounds—every breakthrough felt like a natural progression. All he needed was time, and he could swiftly ascend. This rapid growth would continue unabated until he reached the peak of the Divine Sea Realm. Though Sky Gang Pills were precious, they no longer held much importance to him.
He now planned to gift the Sky Gang Pills as rewards to core members of Xuanhuang Village—Yang Ye, Wang Dahu, Jia Yucun, and others.
"Really?" Cai Yan looked at Yi Tianxing with a hint of doubt.
But his face showed nothing but sincerity.
"Thank you, Brother Yi," she finally said after a moment of thought, accepting the bottle of pills.
"There's a village chief in Xuanhuang Village, but still no chief's wife. I don't know if you'd be willing, Wenji... I hope it will be you!!" Yi Tianxing suddenly locked eyes with her, asking without hesitation.
This direct question was a bold confession of his feelings.
From the moment he first saw Cai Yan, he had been drawn to her. Her dazzling appearance, unique temperament, and spiritual aura had moved him deeply. She was a woman of unmatched talent, deserving of her reputation as a learned beauty. She'd even managed to escape from the Xiongnu camp with cunning and bravery.
Even now, as he offered her the Sky Gang Pills, she hesitated—putting his needs above her own. Such a woman was rare: understanding, reasonable, gentle yet intelligent.
Facing Cai Yan, Yi Tianxing couldn't help but be moved. He had no experience in love—especially in this chaotic world, where leisure for romance was a luxury. So, he did the only thing he could—speak directly from the heart.
If you love, speak it.
If you don't, even years won't change anything.
Yi Tianxing knew clearly—he wanted Cai Yan. Missing out on her would become his regret. So he confessed, without a shred of hesitation.
This clearly caught Cai Yan off guard. She hadn't expected him to express himself now, and so directly. Blushing, she looked at him earnestly, not averting her gaze.
"I'm willing!!"
Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, she smiled and blinked adorably, responding clearly and without ambiguity.
Yi Tianxing had asked directly. She answered just as directly.
"In this life, I will never let you regret this."
Yi Tianxing smiled—truly, from the heart. He stepped forward and pulled Cai Yan into his arms. Her delicate body tensed and trembled, but quickly softened, melting into his embrace.
A deep sense of safety filled Cai Yan's heart, as if she had found a harbor in a storm. The feeling made her soul calm, even intoxicated.
From the moment she was abducted by the Xiongnu, losing contact with her father, experiencing misery and horror... to arriving in this alien world where everything was unfamiliar—what she lacked most was safety.
No matter how exceptional a woman may be, in the end, she too desires a shoulder to lean on—a shield from wind and rain.
She buried her head fully into his chest.
The scent of her body—sweet and pure—wafted into his nose, making Yi Tianxing's heart surge with both heat and unspeakable satisfaction.
These emotions were hard to put into words.
To others, it may be just love between man and woman, but Yi Tianxing, who came from the modern world, felt a strange joy and fulfillment knowing who she was.
After confirming their relationship, Yi Tianxing spent the day showing Cai Yan around Xuanhuang Village—strolling along the river, chatting, and making her laugh with stories of his past.
At the same time, the village was transforming at an astonishing pace.
Military recruitment was a massive success, with thousands joining the ranks—mostly strong young men. The total now reached five thousand soldiers, including those previously enlisted. This time, two to three thousand new recruits had joined.
In the military camp, training was intense. Yi Tianxing had worked with Yang Ye and Wang Dahu to design a regimen—formation drills, goose-stepping, and standing at attention under the blazing sun, all without using True Qi, to forge unwavering willpower.
Military rules were established. Soldiers took turns on guard duty, fighting fierce beasts and ferocious birds, and even ventured into nearby valleys to hone their combat skills. These life-and-death battles tempered their ferocity and gave them true battlefield experience.
With the cultivation technique Iron-Blooded Fiendish Qi (highlighted as new/important), everyone's progress accelerated rapidly.
Veterans led new recruits, strengthening unity and morale.
Yi Tianxing also suggested nightly gatherings where soldiers shared their stories, breaking down emotional barriers and drawing them closer together.
The village was expanding again.
More land was enclosed within Xuanhuang Village. New walls were being built—not simple wooden palisades this time, but composite walls made from wood and packed soil.
Thanks to cultivators with awakened Earth-type Life Apertures, especially those with the "Earth Pulse" Aperture, they could manipulate soil to fill and bind the wooden frames, even wrap the entire wall in hardened earth. The result: sturdy, fortified walls.
Every day, new sections rose from the ground.
Fields were cleared and planted with grains and vegetables. Though the varieties were limited—some from Yi Tianxing, some from traveling merchants—it was already a blessing to have vegetable seeds in this world.
Thanks to the rich Heaven and Earth Vital Qi in the Eternal Continent, plants grew incredibly fast. Some bok choy could be harvested in just a week—a miracle by old-world standards.
Meanwhile, at the Destiny Sky Pool, Yi Tianxing stood beside it, watching as the gray waters neared the rim.
More and more fate energy was rising from the pool.
Soon, it would overflow.
Thanks to all the recent development in Xuanhuang Village, the Sky Pool's accumulation of fate energy had skyrocketed. Every building, every policy, every breakthrough added more.
Especially when people's hearts aligned with Xuanhuang Village—and given that everyone was a cultivator, the growth of fate was even faster. Even individual cultivation breakthroughs added to the village's total destiny.
Unknowingly, the Sky Pool had become...
Full.
"I didn't expect it to fill this fast. It's unbelievable."
He looked at the golden Fate Carp swimming within the pool—massive, radiant, exuding overwhelming vitality and mystique.
Even Yi Tianxing couldn't predict this.
"It means I'm on the right path. Cultivation isn't just about personal ascension—it should be for the people, for the collective. Not about individuals becoming gods, but about a civilization where everyone is like a dragon."
The surge in fate energy started when the Heaven Registry Cards were officially issued and StarNet activated.
Inside the crystal orb, a vast sky shimmered with twinkling stars—each one representing a villager. Some bright, some faint.
Each star stored basic info, and updates would follow. If a star vanished, it meant death—similar to Soul Lamps in immortal sects.
Currently, over ten thousand stars sparkled in StarNet's sky.
A girl made of starlight, the Star Spirit, stood at the center, surrounded by stars. She looked like a goddess among the constellations—peerlessly beautiful.
"The Sky Pool is full. Our destiny has reached the current limit—it's time to advance to the next tier. From village to... town. But why... every time I think about it, my eyelids twitch. It feels like... something terrifying is waiting."
Everything else felt fine.
But whenever he considered promoting Xuanhuang Village, he sensed impending doom—like a disaster was looming.
This wasn't normal.
And he could guess: the moment he initiated the promotion, a catastrophic trial would descend.