Way of Heaven

Chapter 14 – Establishing an Empire (1)

Translator: BipBop

The territory of the feathered race was located in the southern continent. 

Mountains shrouded in fog towered, their peaks piercing the clouds. A city, surrounded by mountains and hills, was enclosed by lofty city walls from three sides: west, east, and south. On the north side, there was a colossal mountain that was dozens of kilometers tall, forming a natural barrier. A quarter of the buildings in the city were constructed on the mountain.

Pavilions wrapped around the mountains. Baiyu Mountain was covered with buildings that were designed according to the feathered race’s unique style. 

TL Note: Baiyu means white feather

At the foot of the mountain, Baiyu City, one of the 97 major cities belonging to the featured race, controlled three other cities and dozens of feather tribes of all sizes. Having numerous warriors, the feathered race could be considered one of the strongest forces in the world. The strongest being under the heavens, Feng Yu, was the ruler of Baiyu City.

Occasionally, figures with the head of a bird and feathered wings on their back would fly, returning to the city with prey. On the lively city streets, there were many shops. Crowds of feathered people mingled and traded with each other. There were even foreign merchants of all sorts of races trading in the city.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

The sounds of drums resounded from the top of the mountain, carrying its way through the city, amping its inhabitants up.

Suddenly, countless feathered people darted upward, flying towards Baiyu Mountain. They folded their wings and landed on the steps of Baiyu Mountain, their faces full of reverence. They stepped up the mountain and ascended to the peak, similar to a pilgrimage.

After passing through many buildings and climbing many steps, the feathered people eventually gathered outside a splendid, grand temple, which was just below the peaks and ridges of the mountain. They began to worship the statue of the Feather God. They demonstrated their undying faith.

Under the direction of their high priest, musical instruments made of ceramic and bronze began to play. A mantra praising their god began to be recited.

Men and women of the feathered race, dressed in gorgeous feathered robes, which rippled with color, and beautiful accessories, began the ritual dance.

Invisible to the mortal eye, the power of faith emitted throughout the feathered people, fluttering like floating dots of light. They tried to fly towards the sky, trying to reach the Heavenly Dao Dimension. But, an invisible force sucked them towards the god statue in the temple. The statue absorbed the power of faith. A sliver of spirituality began to form in its body…

After several hours, the grand worshiping ceremony concluded. It was a once-a-month ceremony. The feathered people began to disperse. They returned to Baiyu City.

Inside the temple, the nobles of Baiyu, the high priest, the chiefs of the surrounding tribes, and the blood-coagulation warriors gathered to discuss the future of Baiyu City.

“The feathered race has countless warriors and a vast population. It can be considered one of the strongest races on the entire continent. However, our territory only covers the Cloudy Peaks. Why is that? It’s because our power is scattered. All of the major cities have their own leaders and government. If my Baiyu City can unify the feathered race. The feathered race shall surely prosper!”

“Indeed. Baiyu City currently has 26 coagulation realm experts, 376 blood realm warriors, and countless flesh realm warriors. In the past few years, although there were many new blood realm and flesh realm warriors, the only new person to reach the coagulation realm is Feng Yang.”

“The number of warriors in Baiyu City has reached a bottleneck. There are only so many beasts and cultivation resources here. If we want more experts, we have to unify the feathered race and plunder the resources of the other races.”

“However the division between major cities in the feathered race has already been long established and agreed upon. If our Baiyu City suddenly declares our intent of unification, the other unwilling major cities will surely group up and attack us together.”  

……

Everyone in the meeting began to talk about if Baiyu City should launch a war for unification against the other major cities. Finally, under the decision of the King of Baiyu City, Feng Yu, they decided they would first let the high priest communicate with the Feather God. The high priest lit up beast bones, performing a divination on the outcome of the war. 

The high priest started to carefully observe the shape of cracks on the burning skull. He was using a sacred divination art passed on by the feathered race’s high priests. 

Interpreting the divination:

This war for unification is… auspicious!

The nobles of Baiyu City rejoiced at the outcome, their faces flushed with excitement. Reassured, Feng Yu resolved to commence the war of unification. The entire Baiyu City started to bustle, preparing for war.

A few months later, on the 31st year of the wanzu calendar, Baiyu City mobilized 10,000 warriors. Half of them attacked feathered tribes. The opening steps to establish the first empire in the Yuan World had been taken.

Tl Note: The wanzu calendar starts right after the descent of spirit qi. So, it’s been 31 years since the descent of spirit qi.

Elite warriors, their weapons sharp and their ferocity fearsome, allowed Baiyu City’s army to be peerless. Wherever it went, all those who opposed it would be torn, crushed, and obliterated. Many feathered tribes saw their defeat certain and surrendered, succumbing to Baiyu City.

The sudden war launched by Baiyu City had taken many major cities by surprise. Many had fallen before they could even react. The territory of Baiyu City had expanded by several times over in a short period of time.

During this time, warriors on both sides demonstrated their prowess. Fearsome feathered warriors could tear a person in half with their bare hands. Stones would crumble in their hands.

Some warriors, their whole body flooded with blood, could draw huge stone bows and with one arrow kill dozens of people instantly. 

Some warriors wielded immense bronze hammers or iron rods, wantonly slicing in the battlefield filled with enemies. Ordinary soldiers would get seriously injured just by being brushed by their weapons. If an ordinary soldier was hit, they became meat paste.

The dozens of coagulated realm experts in Baiyu City were even more fearsome. They were like sharp swords, piercing freely through armies and easily murdering the enemy general, collapsing the morale of the enemy troops.

In a battle for a city, the city’s towering walls couldn’t stop them in the slightest. In a few light steps, they scaled the wall and reached the inside of the city.

These powerful warriors allowed Baiyu City to conquer large areas of land with few casualties. Wherever they went, they dominated. Baiyu adopted an army raising strategy, absorbing defeated soldiers. Their numbers increased.

Of course, Baiyu City had fierce opposition. Baiyu City had numerous warriors, which other major cities’ armies naturally matched. It’s just that the quality of their warriors was much stronger.

After all, Feng Yu, the strongest being under the heavens, was the King of Baiyu City. With his guidance, Baiyu City’s blood coagulation experts naturally far exceeded the other cities’.

However, when the major cities grouped up, the number of their coagulation realm experts was roughly the same as that of Baiyu City. 

In a valley, Baiyu City’s army was ambushed by three major city armies. Grossly outnumbered at the time, Fang Yu made a move.

Feng Yu faced ten blood coagulation experts alone. It was one against ten. His domineering cultivation base erupted, his blood and qi furiously whirling and burning like a furnace, blazing.

After the fierce fight, massive trees collapsed and boulders shattered. The valley was wrecked. Feng Yu beheaded several coagulation experts while the remaining experts fled severely injured.

The top powers in three major cities were defeated single-handedly. The remaining forces in the valley suffered consecutive defeats and soon surrendered to Baiyu City’s army, one by one. The fame of the strongest being in the heavens thundered across the world.

After Feng Yu defeated ten coagulation experts, his reputation yet again soared, reaching unprecedented heights. His achievements shook the feathered race, the other races, and the Yuan World.