Without even breaking the defensive formations, they had managed to wipe out all the Blackhorn soldiers across five cities. Only a few Blackhorn clansmen, who lacked the blood-tainted aura, survived.
In fact, Lin Qian had noticed that as they continued advancing, the effects of the corrupted "Military Wine" became increasingly terrifying.
The inclusion of black blood in the wine had completely influenced the soul warriors who wielded power in the Blackhorn Kingdom, turning their temperaments violently savage.
It was as if the Blackhorn Kingdom had contracted a severe illness, one that had reached a critical stage.
If this festering wound wasn't cut out, the entire Blackhorn clan would be doomed.
The Gulin World would henceforth become the Gulin Province of the Huaxia Empire—this was an unchangeable fact.
Before turning this land into a part of his empire, Lin Qian had no qualms about excising the rotten flesh.
The battle lines continued to advance. Three months had passed since the war began, and most of the Blackhorn Kingdom had already been conquered.
What had originally been a horizontal battle line had now formed into a circle, enclosing the Blackhorn capital at its center, gradually tightening the noose.
Inside the temporary war strategy hall, Lin Qian held a large cup, sipping the black, bubbling liquid through an ice crystal straw.
Out of the original 150 warships, 32 had been lost. However, the enemy had paid a heavy price—ten Blackhorn clan members with Grandmaster-level combat power and 400 high-ranking Awakened realm soul warriors had been eliminated.
The design of the assault ships was such that their sheer mass and unparalleled force, once at full speed, could cause catastrophic destruction, followed by finishing strikes from their soul cannons.
It was this very design that rendered Shen Zhixing powerless when facing a fully accelerated assault ship. Even a low-grade assault ship could only be admired from afar.
However, the floating warships were different. Their weight and defensive strength were far inferior to the assault ships, and low-grade floating warships couldn't withstand the attacks of a Grandmaster-level Awakened warrior.
At the same time, although the Imperial Army's losses weren't staggering, they had still suffered over twenty million casualties.
The Blackhorn Kingdom was much stronger than the Qin Empire, especially as they delved deeper into enemy territory, where challenges became increasingly complex.
Near the Four Clans Domain, the Blackhorn clansmen, while affected by the bloodthirsty aura, still retained some rationality despite their violent tendencies.
But as they approached the royal city, these Blackhorn clansmen became increasingly deranged, adopting a suicidal style of combat—fighting with reckless abandon, without regard for their lives.
If they couldn't defeat you, they'd self-destruct. If they were on the brink of death, they'd self-destruct. Some even charged in just to grab an Imperial soldier and self-destruct.
If not for the fact that the Imperial Army was emotionless and knew no fear, their combat effectiveness might have significantly diminished under such insane assaults.
Fortunately, besides the Imperial Army, there was the Beast Army conducting ground offensives.
Since the battle line was advancing forward, it was impossible to cover every village and town, leaving these areas to the Beast Army.
Moreover, some Blackhorn military camps weren't located within fortified mountain cities but were hidden in forests or other secluded places, making it the perfect opportunity for the Beast Army to shine.
The existence of the Beast Army had initially shocked the seven clan elders—they had never seen soul beasts that could speak, wield soul weapons, and don full armor.
The one most fascinated by the Beast Army was Lu Shengshou, who was deeply curious about the soul weapons that these beasts could use.
After finishing his drink, Lin Qian sent the cup back to the Huaxia Empire, burping slightly before continuing to manipulate the system's interface.
The war was ongoing without pause. To Lin Qian, it felt like playing a game non-stop for three months without a break.
In the world of the game in his previous life, battles could be fast-forwarded. Once the troops were deployed, the combat phase would be simulated at several times the normal speed. If it played out in real-time, players would be stuck for months, if not years.
But now, Lin Qian was in a different world—no fast-forwarding, no game-like aids.
Thankfully, Lin Qian's current Awakened realm status was akin to a godly existence in his previous life. His powerful soul ensured he could endure without any adverse effects.
As the battle lines continued to tighten and casualties mounted, Lin Qian found the workload becoming increasingly manageable.
The warships trailing behind were staffed with civil officers who were busy assimilating the captured cities. Members of the four clans were gradually being relocated out of their overcrowded domains.
To them, the Four Clans Domain was far too cramped.
While the front lines were ablaze, the rear was bustling with activity. The civil officers from the Engineering Department were issuing documents to people from the human, Blackhorn, Redhorn, Dwarf, and Lingti clans, officially making them citizens of the Huaxia Empire.
With orders from their clan elders, the members of the four clans were more than willing to comply. Some Blackhorn clan members were still hesitant and apprehensive, unsure whether to trust the Huaxia Empire.
But upon seeing the prosperous lives awaiting them after joining, they couldn't resist and eagerly became citizens of the Huaxia Empire.
Back on the surface world, Ye Xin and the others could never have imagined that the Huaxia Empire had gained such a vast new territory and that other races were beginning to join the empire's citizenry.
"This isn't right, Chancellor. The taste of this cola is still off—it's too sweet, and there's too much fizz. We need to tweak it further," Lin Qian commented while adjusting the status of the warships and troops displayed on his system panel.
As he continued making adjustments, Lin Qian added, "This stuff is going to be crucial for the Huaxia Empire's future profits. If we don't get the cola right, our fast-food empire will lack its soul."
"Understood, Your Majesty. Rest assured, we'll make the necessary improvements immediately," Zhuge Ming assured him, to which Lin Qian nodded in approval.
After three months of combat, the seven clan elders had fully adapted to the Huaxia Empire's combat methods.
He Baili, Xu Wuwei, and Fu Deqing had all broken through to the seventh level of the Awakened realm, attaining Grandmaster-level combat power after enduring the crucible of war.
In fact, they had gained the most from this experience.
From their initial astonishment and discomfort, they had fully integrated into the Imperial Army's tactics, contributing significantly to the war effort.
Lin Qian's decision to involve the seven clan elders wasn't just about leveraging their strength; he also wanted to see if the Huaxia Empire's forces could effectively cooperate with the world's soul warriors.
The results were clear—it was a resounding success!
Having other races become citizens of the Huaxia Empire would not only make the empire's development more diverse but also diversify its combat strategies.
At that moment, a sudden blood-red light flared up on Lin Qian's body, intensifying before dissipating with a loud crack.
Lin Qian froze in his Nine Dragons Throne, utterly perplexed by the phenomenon.
"Your Majesty, it's likely the Emperor Emeritus is in danger," Zhuge Ming's voice suddenly cut through the confusion.
Lin Qian's face paled. "My father?"