The Northern Prince's Mansion!
This was the place Qin Chuan and Yu Qing were heading to, the so-called prince, who had been granted the title of Northern Prince, second only to the current Crown Prince.
In truth, the situation in Mingyue Kingdom wasn't much better. Aside from the power struggle with the Crown Prince, the regional warlords were rife with infighting, and there were three other powerful warlords outside, far stronger than the royal family.
However, the royal family was, after all, the Son of Heaven, but their strength was no match for Zhuge Liang. They didn't pay taxes, didn't obey royal commands, and ruled independently. The royal family was now practically a figurehead, but if things continued this way, they would eventually be completely devoured.
Both the Crown Prince and the Northern Prince in this area were highly capable individuals, and they hoped for centralized imperial power to address the warlordism. The
Crown Prince, however, was narrow-minded and saw the Northern Prince as a thorn in his side, constantly plotting to eliminate him. Their relationship was irreconcilable, and the Northern Prince had no choice but to resist for self-preservation.
Having learned some of the situation, Qin Chuan didn't know how to feel. The lack of kinship within the royal family, driven solely by self-interest, was truly terrifying.
At this point, the royal family was still vying for power; it would be strange if they weren't weakening. Qin Chuan even considered not helping them.
However, it was a path, a shortcut, because it was still legitimate, at least for now, and aligned with the will of Heaven. Besides, the three vassal states didn't want to overthrow the royal family anytime soon; it was too risky, and no one wanted to be the first to pave the way for someone else.
Therefore, time didn't allow Qin Chuan to help the vassal states, so he could only choose Huang Shi. This was also why Yu Qing chose the Northern King.
Logically, choosing the Crown Prince would have been better, as it would be better for him to succeed to the throne. However, the Crown Prince was narrow-minded, and Qin Chuan disliked his character. So, considering everything, helping the Northern King was the most suitable option.
The Emperor was now terminally ill and could die at any moment. The Crown Prince was acting as regent and relentlessly persecuting the Northern King, who could only defend himself within his own territory.
The royal family was currently weak, and it wouldn't be easy to take down the Northern King in a short time. Although the Crown Prince had the upper hand in several battles, he couldn't defeat the Northern King quickly.
The Northern King City was tall and imposing, like a colossal, primordial beast, lying dormant as if in deep sleep.
Upon seeing this city, Qin Chuan knew he had underestimated the top strength of the Bright Moon Kingdom; this single Northern King City was already unfathomable.
Yu Qing and Qin Chuan received a warm welcome from the Northern King upon arriving in the Northern King City, who waited for them at the palace gates.
This was a man who looked quite young, dressed in magnificent robes, exuding elegance and nobility. His face was calm and humble, his bearing extraordinary, giving him an air of authority.
"Hmm, the countenance of an emperor!"
These words flashed through Qin Chuan's mind. He possessed the aura of a monarch; this was a man with imperial power. No wonder the Crown Prince was willing to go to any lengths to eliminate him.
"Fairy Qing, who is this?" the man asked with a smile.
"Northern King, this is my husband, Qin Chuan, and this is the Northern King," Yu Qing replied with a smile.
Qin Chuan felt incredibly comfortable, while the Northern King, slightly taken aback, smiled and said, "Congratulations, Fairy Qing! I'm truly happy to see you've found the man you desire. Hello, Mr. Qin!"
"Hello!" Qin Chuan smiled and greeted him. He was quite satisfied with the man's reaction and couldn't help but feel a sense of goodwill towards him.
The three of them went inside, sat down, and were served tea. The man said, "I welcome you both. Fairy Qing has told me everything. I won't say anything nice, but whatever the outcome, I will be generously rewarded." The Northern King said earnestly.
"I need to understand your military strength and the general's abilities, Northern King," Qin Chuan said.
The world here in the Nine Heavens Land is truly wondrous. Many people can awaken their talents, communicate with the primordial energy of heaven and earth, and possess their own unique innate power.
For example, Qin Chuan, with his Divine Shield Body, communicates with heaven and earth, using himself as the center to transform the power of heaven and earth to amplify the combat power of all friendly forces around him.
In this world, whether it's a nation, a sect, or a family, a vast system is required. No matter how powerful an individual is, it's practically impossible to truly dominate everything.
Because even if you can defeat 10,000, 100,000, or even a million, there will always be someone you can't withstand. If you can defeat a million, I can have a hundred people who can defeat 100,000, forming a battle formation, plus a magic array, easily slaying someone who can defeat a million.
Besides, there are some special abilities that can stun you for a moment, which can be fatal. So this is a world that requires united battles. Individual strength is important, but individual combat power cannot determine the outcome.
"Of course, this isn't much, but overall it can be considered elite troops. I have five generals who can defeat 10,000, and fifty who can defeat 1,000..." the Northern King said slowly.
Two hundred thousand elite troops, three thousand special troops, plus the previous generals, this is the Northern King's entire combat strength.
In this world where battles often involve millions of troops, the Northern King's strength can only be described as insignificant. Not to mention compared to the three vassal states, even compared to the Crown Prince, he is far, far inferior.
Qin Chuan frowned slightly. This was indeed a bit troublesome. His own strength here was only considered good, probably not even enough to defeat 10,000, but much stronger than someone who could defeat 1,000.
Qin Chuan primarily relies on his array formations and talent for assistance. His talent combined with his array formations is terrifying; whoever he assists will undoubtedly achieve unstoppable progress.
This is why Qin Chuan chose this path; for others, reaching the level of the Nine Heavens Land via this route would be an extremely difficult feat.
Qin Chuan felt this was his shortcut, but he hadn't anticipated the vast difference in strength between the Northern King he was assisting and others.
Therefore, he had to prioritize development, expanding his army, and training troops. Unfortunately, Qin Chuan didn't have time to wait for him to train troops, so he could only sustain himself through war. Others didn't have readily available, well-trained soldiers; they could simply acquire them for immediate combat.
The Northern King was very humble. Perhaps he trusted Yu Qing, or perhaps he sensed Qin Chuan's extraordinary qualities from his demeanor; in any case, he treated Qin Chuan with great respect.
Yu Qing told him that Qin Chuan was someone who could help him, and the Northern King deeply believed Yu Qing's words. Furthermore, Qin Chuan was Yu Qing's man.
Knowing that a man worthy of Yu Qing must be exceptional, the Northern King's intuition told him he must possess extraordinary abilities.
Qin Chuan didn't hide his talent and finally told the Northern King directly about it. This shocked the Northern King immensely. With such talent combined with Yu Qing's, they would be unstoppable.
However, even the most skilled cook can't cook without rice. This kind of army-wide amplification talent naturally benefits from a larger force; with only 200,000 troops, they would be easily scattered.
Battles depend on strength, morale, and cohesion. The Northern King himself was powerful, and most importantly, he possessed an ability that virtually eliminated the chance of soldiers deserting while he was present.
This ability was very powerful, making it suitable for a monarch's personal campaign. However, he still needed to recruit soldiers, not new recruits. Therefore, he summoned other strategists and generals to discuss the matter.