Assembling an army completely loyal to himself was one of Qi Ping's major goals. This army had to be composed of first-rate talents, equipped with the best manuals, spells, and artifacts, and possess the strongest battle arrays in the Star-Sea Continent. Currently, this wish was rapidly becoming a reality.
The Qing-God Army had originally absorbed the geniuses attracted to the Qingtian Domain and the Bee Daoist. After the establishment of the Star-Sea Nine Domains, the army's image was fully solidified. Coinciding with this Great Age where geniuses were emerging in droves, a massive number of talents flowed into the Qing-God Army. It could be said that the army now gathered the most and the best geniuses of the entire continent.
The people of the Nine Domains considered it an honor to join the Qing-God Army. Once successful, their status, connections, and benefits would all surge. For Qi Ping, the upper management of the army were almost all faith-vassals of the Earth Immortal Druid. Most of the army was the same. A small portion of those with decent talent who could not become his faith-vassals over a long period were quietly moved out of the army by Qi Ping's arrangements to serve in other parts of the Nine Domains.
He didn't suppress these people. Qi Ping knew some would be unwilling to become his faith-vassals, but that didn't mean they would betray him. They could still contribute to the development of the Nine Domains and become the backbone of the resistance against the Demon Race. However, for the core high-level management of the Qing-God Army who enjoyed the highest treatment, Qi Ping had to ensure total loyalty. This was his core strength.
Thus, the current Qing-God Army was essentially loyal to him from top to bottom. The entire system was designed by Lin Yue and finalized by Qi Ping, ensuring loyalty from an institutional level. For such an army, Qi Ping naturally chose to arm them to the teeth. Almost all core artifacts, spiritual herbs, pills, and newly researched items were funneled toward this force.
If one excluded Soul Transformation and Void Refinement cultivators, the Qing-God Army could sweep the entire Star-Sea Continent without finding an opponent! These soldiers, armed to the teeth and bolstered by battle arrays, already possessed the power to slay a Soul Transformation expert, though they might not be able to catch one if the expert chose to flee before the engagement. If the entire army gathered to form a super battle array, even Qi Ping wasn't sure what level their power would reach.
The number of soldiers in the Qing-God Army had already surpassed a million! Most were currently in closed-door cultivation to improve their states, and their overall strength was rising rapidly. Once this group finished their seclusion, their power would undoubtedly reach a brand-new level. Qi Ping looked forward to seeing what kind of "slaying gods and buddhas" capability a million elite Qing-God soldiers would possess.
An elite soldier of the Qing-God Army was enough to easily sweep ten or more ordinary cultivators of the same level. This was a conservative estimate. Because their equipment, manuals, spells, talent, and combat skills were all top-tier, an ordinary cultivator of the same level likely couldn't even break their defensive artifacts or spells, let alone face an elite in full combat mode.
If compared to Qi Ping himself in the past, he might not have been able to defeat many elite soldiers of the same rank. While their foundation and comprehension might not match his, their manuals, artifacts, and spells would have absolutely crushed the old Qi Ping. The resource gap was simply too vast. Furthermore, many of them possessed super-talents like the Primordial Spirit Celestial Body or special element physiques that were not inferior to Qi Ping's old self.
More terrifyingly, the individual strength of an elite was just the lowest unit of power. They were called an "Army" because the battle arrays and formations were their proudest strength! Under the integration of the formations, the overall strength they could exert was beyond logic. To other cultivators, fighting above one's level was a legend; for the Qing-God Army in formation, it was merely the basic standard. A squad that could not fight above its level was considered a disgrace.
But that wasn't the most frightening part. The true terror was their potential! Most were geniuses in their prime. Their growth potential, combined with the army's top-tier training system, gave them the most terrifying prospects for growth. Once this army fully matured, even Qi Ping, an Earth Immortal Druid, would feel his scalp go numb.
If it were like this for Qi Ping, it was even more so for others. Meng Tianqi and Bai Liyun had both said that once this army matured, even they would only meet a tragic end if they faced it! Experts would likely rise from within the army to rival or even surpass them. This wasn't alarmist; the potential and Qi Fortune of this army were too dense. After experiencing the baptism of war and gaining sufficient resources, it was impossible for brilliant experts not to emerge.
If Meng Tianqi and the others had possessed such an environment in their youth, they might have gone much further. For Qi Ping, if he weren't an Earth Immortal Druid—absolutely invincible within the Nine Domains—and if the army weren't absolutely loyal to him, even he would feel fear. He was certain that in the future, the Qing-God Army would likely break the myth that high-level cultivators cannot be defeated by those of a lower rank.
'Perhaps in the future, the Qing-God Army will be my greatest guarantee when facing the Myriad Worlds.' Qi Ping thought to himself.
As the discussions regarding the Azure Dragon's manifestation neared their end, its pressure reached a peak. When that powerful bloodline aura broke through the clouds, the Azure Dragon egg, now covered in cracks, finally shattered with a deafening roar!
In an instant, a brilliant azure light surged into the sky! The entire firmament was filled with that sacred light. Then, a majestic Azure Dragon of the Four Symbols soared upward! As it flew, the shattered eggshells were swept up, turning into nutrients absorbed by the dragon!
Incredibly, as it ascended, the uniquely divine dragon grew from the size of a human to a massive azure dragon radiating a terrifying pressure in the blink of an eye! But that wasn't the most exaggerated part. As it flew, its aura started at Rank 1. In just one breath, it reached Rank 2. The next breath, Rank 3. Then Rank 4. By the fifth breath, it had already reached Rank 5! Even its demon core condensed in an instant!
When the giant dragon stopped in the sky, its realm had reached the peak of Rank 5! That was equivalent to the peak of the Soul Transformation stage!
Hatching! Soul Transformation! One breath per realm! Reaching Soul Transformation in a single step!
The meaning of being the leader of the Four Symbols bloodlines was displayed perfectly in this moment. This was what a divine beast with a Providential Fate meant!
As the dragon broke through, a vast lightning tribulation rapidly gathered—three tribulations at once! The Golden Core Tribulation! The Nascent Soul Tribulation! The Soul Transformation Tribulation! Three different tribulations, each carrying vast heavenly power, appeared in succession!
This scene shocked everyone, including Qi Ping! Countless cultivators were stunned.
"One breath per realm, Soul Transformation in one step? Is this the Azure Dragon?"
"Holy crap, you can break through like that? I've seen divine beast bloodlines, but I've never seen anything this ridiculous!"
"Are the Four Symbols really this absurd? Does anyone know about this? Tell us!"
Everyone looked at the terrifying giant dragon, their minds reeling. But no one could explain it until someone finally spoke up after a long while.
"I have studied the Four Symbols divine beasts and know a bit..."
"Stop stroking your beard and speak! You're killing us with suspense!"
"Right, right!"
"Alright, alright, I'll speak! While divine beasts that possess high cultivation upon hatching are rare, they are not unheard of. Usually, they appear among divine beasts whose parents have immense power and dense bloodline concentration. Because the Four Symbols are rare and carry Providential Fate, their bloodline density is never low, so this happens. However..."
"However what?"
"However, breaking through to the Golden Core stage is usually considered excellent. Reaching the Nascent Soul stage in one go is rare. Reaching Soul Transformation in a single step can only be described as one in a million. To achieve this, there is only one possibility... Sacrifice!"
"Sacrifice?"
"Yes. At least one of the parents must have sacrificed their bloodline power or their very life as a price, merging their essence into the egg. Only then is this possible. Normally, no one is willing to do this because the loss is immense and it is a deficit. Unless faced with a special situation, no one would be so foolish; it's better to raise the child slowly."
"Does that mean this azure dragon could reach Soul Transformation in one step because of its parents' sacrifice?"
"According to the records, that is exactly the case!"
Hearing this, the cultivators couldn't help but gasp. That was the sacrifice of an adult Azure Dragon! What kind of power had forced a dragon carrying the head of the Four Symbols destiny to such a state? Undeniably, it was an unimaginable power.
At this moment, the way everyone looked at the dragon changed. Although this divine beast was powerful, carrying the head of the Four Symbols destiny and such a background meant it held immense karma and trouble! If such a beast appeared in the hands of an ordinary person, it would be a hot potato.
But in the hands of the Bee Daoist, it was a perfect match! In the entire Star-Sea Continent, it seemed no one else was qualified to bear such an opportunity!
While the cultivators were stunned by the dragon's breakthrough, Qi Ping was also looking on with surprise. He knew far more than those cultivators.
'Sacrifice power! What a powerful sacrifice, it even fooled me!'
Qi Ping had originally thought the egg had lasted so long because of constant resources and the seal of time. But now it seemed this sacrifice power was the core, and it was the primary reason the seal existed.
'Did they calculate this moment so many ages ago? Or is this a special power belonging to the Four Symbols destiny?'
Thinking of this, Qi Ping's eyes narrowed slightly. The Four Symbols power was very special in the cultivation world, distinct from the normal cultivation systems. It was incredibly divine and powerful. Most importantly, it was related to the essence and secrets of the cultivation world, carrying immense karma and involving some kind of "qualification."
When he had contracted animal companions in the past, he hadn't considered the Four Symbols—one because he couldn't find them, and two because he feared the trouble. Back then, he lacked the ability to bear such karma; touching it would have meant death. An existence like this newly hatched dragon, which carried the sacrifice power of an adult dragon, was bound to bring big trouble.
But for the current Qi Ping, it came at just the right time!
'No wonder the Little Immortal Tiger's calculation showed this egg was the most suitable for me!'
According to records, the Four Symbols destiny didn't just give the beast extraordinary powers; it brought incredible divine effects to the world and region it belonged to. The magnitude of this effect was tied to the strength of the destiny. Now, this dragon had reached Soul Transformation in one step and carried a sacrifice; this represented the fusion of two generations of destiny. The combined effect was absolutely not low.
With the Demon Race crisis imminent, the dragon's destiny power was enough to give the Star-Sea Continent's Qi Fortune and power a significant boost.
'Since the Little Immortal Tiger's deduction showed this is the most suitable for me and I have completed the contract, this destiny power will surely fall upon the Star-Sea Continent.'
'It can be used to counter the Demon Race's world projection.'
'As for the karma... if we lose this battle even with the boost of the Four Symbols, there's nothing more to say. But if we win and devour the entire Demon force, there will be nothing to fear from any karma!'