The Northern Desert Tribes Wish to Honor the Great Zhou Emperor as the Sacred Khagan

Wang Hao did not get angry.

He just looked at Tiemu Shan.

"You think the pasture belongs to you?"

Tiemu Shan said, "Our ancestors defended it with their blood, so of course it is ours."

Wang Hao nodded, "Good."

The next moment, he suddenly raised his hand.

The Thunder Abyss Demon Suppressing Tower roared into the sky.

The tower door opened.

The power of the Eighth Realm Thunder Phoenix descended!

Boom!

A giant phoenix formed of white lightning rushed out of the tower, spanning the sky. Its wings spread out for hundreds of meters, and its lightning feathers illuminated the entire grassland.

All the warhorses between heaven and earth whinnied in sorrow and knelt down simultaneously.

The warriors of the various tribes of the grassland turned pale.

Tiemu Shan stood up abruptly, his astral qi erupting, but under the pressure of the Thunder Phoenix, he was like a candle in the wind.

Wang Hao didn't let the Thunder Phoenix strike the people.

He merely pointed at a distant unmanned rocky mountain.

The Thunder Phoenix swept past.

Without a sound.

And then—

Boom!

That rocky mountain exploded into a sky full of dust on the spot.

The mountain was gone.

A giant scorched pit was left on the ground.

Thunder and fire rolled, refusing to extinguish for a long time.

Wang Hao retracted his hand, his tone still gentle.

"Now, this pasture has been defended by my lightning."

He looked at Tiemu Shan.

"If you want to talk to me about ancestors shedding blood, I respect that. But if you want to ask who can defend the grassland, I can give you the answer right now."

Tiemu Shan's face was deathly pale.

Behind Wang Hao, Wang Wudi sighed.

"This kid is getting more and more convincing when reasoning."

Old Master Ren stroked his beard, "Mainly because this reasoning can blow up a mountain."

Old Master Li said faintly, "If the Holy Land also doesn't understand, he'll probably have to blow up an even bigger one."

Tiemu Shan stared fixedly at Wang Hao.

Everyone on the grassland was waiting for his choice.

A moment later, the leader of the Red Wolf Tribe slowly knelt down.

His voice was hoarse, but clear enough.

"The Red Wolf Tribe is willing to honor Your Majesty as the co-lord of the grassland."

He raised his scimitar with both hands above his head.

"Please grant your canonization, Your Majesty."

This kneel was like a mountain collapsing.

The other tribal leaders no longer hesitated.

"The White Deer Tribe is willing to honor Your Majesty as the co-lord of the grassland!"

"The Black Eagle Tribe is willing to honor!"

"The tribes of the Golden Tent are willing to honor!"

"The tribes of Mobei are willing to honor the Emperor of the Great Zhou as the Holy Khan!"

The voices went from scattered to uniform.

Finally, on the entire Golden Tent Plain, hundreds of thousands of grassland people knelt down at the same time, shouting like thunder.

"Holy Khan!"

"Holy Khan!"

"Holy Khan!"

The black dragon of national destiny churned in the sea of clouds, its dragon roar shaking a thousand miles.

Wang Hao sat on his horse, looking down at Mobei.

At this moment, the national destiny of the Great Zhou surged northward.

Above the grassland, intangible providence converged like thousands of rivers flowing into the sea, pouring into the body of the black dragon.

White lightning flickered slightly in Wang Hao's eyes.

The voice of the check-in system also sounded in his mind.

[Special Location: Mobei Golden Tent Plain.]

[Check-in successful.]

[Obtained: Heavenly Wolf Battle Soul Flag.]

[Intelligence Update: Among the Mobei tribes, the Red Wolf, Black Eagle, and White Deer tribes have the most prosperous providence and can serve as the core of the Mobei Legion. In addition, the Central Continent Kunlun Law Enforcement Hall has sent secret envoys to the Northern Plains, attempting to contact the old Mobei nobility to disrupt the northern line of the Great Zhou. The secret envoys carry life plate sub-talismans, which can briefly interfere with the minds of the tribal leaders.]

Wang Hao's eyes narrowed slightly.

They came as expected.

He looked down at the tribal leaders kneeling in front of him, his smile growing even gentler.

So gentle that Wei Zhongxian shivered beside him.

Whenever the Emperor showed this kind of smile, it meant someone was going to be out of luck.

And out of luck in a very layered way.

Wang Hao spoke slowly.

"Since the tribes honor me as the Holy Khan, I shall confer titles here."

"Wanyan Lie, conferred the title of Prince of Mobei, to command the Northern Barbarian tribes."

"Tiemu Shan, conferred the title of Marquis of Red Wolf, to guard the northwest pastures."

"Leader of the White Deer Tribe, conferred the title of Marquis of White Deer, to control the eastern salt routes."

"Leader of the Black Eagle Tribe, conferred the title of Marquis of Black Eagle, to lead the grassland scouts."

"The rest of the tribes will be conferred the titles of King, Marquis, and Count according to their population and military merits."

The leaders of the grassland tribes kowtowed and gave thanks for the grace.

Wang Hao continued, "At the same time, the Mobei Protectorate is established. Wanyan Gu is appointed as the Vanguard Chief Commander of the Mobei Legion."

Wanyan Gu was taken aback.

"Me?"

Wang Hao looked at him, "Who else? You've eaten so much of my grain, it's time to work."

Wanyan Gu was overjoyed and knelt on one knee, "I receive the decree!"

New Emperor Sword muttered, "Making him the Chief Commander, won't the grassland really turn into a colosseum?"

Wang Hao said indifferently, "That's why you're staying behind to help him for a few days."

New Emperor Sword was startled, "Me?"

"Responsible for supervising the reorganization."

"I am a sword!"

"And a door latch."

New Emperor Sword said indignantly, "Tyrant!"

Wang Hao ignored it.

He looked towards the grassland tribes, his voice like thunder.

"In seven days, a grand muster on the Golden Tent Plain."

"All tribes in Mobei, any knight above the Aperture Opening realm, shall be registered."

"Any warrior above the True Intent realm shall enter the elite camp."

"I want to organize fifty guards in Mobei."

"From today on, the Mobei Legion shall be the blade of the Great Zhou's northern frontier."

The hearts of the grassland tribes trembled.

They finally understood that Wang Hao was not here to collect tribute, not here to hunt, nor simply to show off his power.

He was here to turn the entire Mobei into an army.

And the blade of this army would point west.

Point towards the Central Continent.

The Golden Tent Plain was sleepless for seven days.

The cattle and sheep of the grassland tribes were driven to the periphery. Countless felt tents spread out along the river, and bonfires burned from dusk till dawn.

The people of Mobei had seen countless alliances in their lives.

Alliances to rob pastures.

Alliances to divide spoils.

Alliances for marriage.

Alliances where they cursed each other's ancestors after fighting.

But they had never seen an alliance like this.

The Great Zhou Emperor sat in the Golden Tent, forty Void-walking mighty figures suppressed the four directions, a hundred thousand Great Zhou iron cavalry arrayed like a mountain, the leaders of the grassland tribes entered the tent according to their titles, and the tribal warriors registered according to their realm, age, horses, and bow strength.

Rolls of military registers were unrolled on the Golden Tent Plain.

Every grassland warrior received not just a tribal wooden tag, but a military plate engraved with a black dragon pattern and a heavenly wolf pattern.

The black dragon above.

The heavenly wolf below.

This meant that from today on, they were still sons of the grassland, but also soldiers of the Great Zhou.

On the first day, the Northern Barbarian tribes registered 150,000 cavalry.

On the second day, the Red Wolf, Black Eagle, and White Deer tribes registered 180,000 cavalry.

On the third day, the small and medium-sized tribes of Mobei arrived one after another, their horse hooves shattering the morning mist of the grassland, adding another 210,000 cavalry.

On the fourth day, the remote tribes rushed over, and even a few small tribes that used to hide in the shadows of the snowy mountains came.

They originally didn't want to come.

But hearing that even the Red Wolf Tribe had knelt, and that there was a Thunder Phoenix on the Golden Tent Plain that could peck a mountain into nothingness, these small tribes packed their tents overnight and ran faster than fleeing from a famine.

The reason was also very simple.

If they didn't come, they might die.

If they came, at least they could eat military rations.

At dusk on the fifth day, Wei Zhongxian entered the tent holding the master register.

"Your Majesty, the registered cavalry of the Mobei tribes totals 637,426 men."

Wang Hao looked up, "How many are capable of fighting?"

"Over 600,000."

"And the rest?"

"Some are a bit too young, some have good horsemanship but insufficient cultivation base, some..."

Wei Zhongxian paused.

"Some squeezed in on their own, saying that as long as they are fed, they can sing for Your Majesty's warhorses."

Wang Hao was silent for a moment.

"The grassland has quite a few talents."

Wei Zhongxian lowered his head, "This old slave thinks so too."

New Emperor Sword squatted at the entrance of the tent, looking as if life had lost all meaning.

It had been grabbed by Wang Hao to supervise the military registration these past few days.

A dignified bizarre artifact, hanging above the muster platform every day shouting:

"Next!"

"Report your name!"

"Why does your horse look more energetic than you?"

"You say you're in the True Intent realm? Then why are you releasing astral aura? Oh, you can't even release it? Drag him away and retest him!"

It felt its life as a sword had been insulted.

But later it discovered that whenever someone lied about their cultivation realm, it could use its hilt to smash their knees. Its mood instantly improved by half.

By the fifth day, it had even fallen in love with this job.

Because the people of the grasslands had tough bones, the sound of them being smashed was exceptionally crisp.

It whispered to Wanyan Gu, "You Mobei people have nice knees."

Wanyan Gu was on guard. "What do you want?"

The New Emperor Sword said seriously, "I am studying the musical rhythm of breaking legs."

Wanyan Gu took a half-step back. "Pervert."

The New Emperor Sword was furious. "What right does a guy who likes headbutting people have to call me a pervert?"

The two argued endlessly.

Inside the Golden Tent, Wang Hao was looking at the military organization map.

The Mobei Corps consisted of fifty guards.

Each guard had twelve thousand cavalrymen.

Among them, thirty guards were light cavalry, excelling in rapid raids, harassment, and skirmishing.

Ten guards were heavy cavalry, selected from the elites of the Northern Barbarian, Red Wolf, and Black Eagle tribes, equipped with the Great Zhou's standard half-body iron armor and aura-breaking spears.

Five guards were Heavenly Wolf archer cavalry, exclusively using strong bows and equipped with runic arrows.

Five guards were the Royal Court's personal army, taking orders directly from the Mobei Protectorate and the Emperor of Great Zhou.

Wanyan Gu was the Vanguard Grand Commander.

Tiemu Shan was the Red Wolf Left Commander.

The Black Eagle tribe leader Agulan was the Scout Grand Commander.

The White Deer tribe leader Suhe was the Supply Route Commander.

Wanyan Lie was the Prince of Mobei, nominally commanding all the tribes, but the military power was dismantled into fifty guards. The guard generals were appointed by the imperial court, while military pay, salt, iron, bows, and armor were all distributed by the Great Zhou.

This was Wang Hao's method.

He did not abolish the tribes.

But he integrated all the tribes' able-bodied men, warhorses, pastures, salt, and iron into the Great Zhou's military and political system.

The leaders were still leaders.

But if they wanted to mobilize their own warriors, they first had to see the military tallies.

If they wanted to launch a private war, they first had to ask the Protectorate.

Wanted to grow too powerful?

That was even simpler.

Wang Hao had even prepared the enfeoffment seals.

The seals were in the hands of the Great Zhou.

Noble titles could be bestowed, and they could also be stripped away.

After Old Master Ren finished looking at the military organization map, he drew in a sharp breath of cold air.

"How is this conquering the grasslands? You have dismantled the grasslands, washed them clean, and then stitched them into the armor of the Great Zhou."

Wang Hao said modestly, "They are just minor tricks."

Old Master Li's mouth twitched. "Minor tricks? If your methods are considered minor, then Xie Wujiu of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion can only be considered a street fortune teller."

Wang Wudi looked at the map, his eyes full of admiration.

"The hardest part about the grassland tribes is not beating them into submission, but keeping them from rebelling afterward. You gave them titles, salt, iron, and military promotions, and you also directed their blades outward. As long as this war yields benefits, Mobei will take the initiative to cling to the Great Zhou."

Wang Hao nodded. "People always need to eat. The people of the grasslands are the same. In the past, they raided the Great Zhou because raiding the Great Zhou allowed them to eat their fill. In the future, if they fight others for the Great Zhou, they will also be able to eat their fill, and eat more decently. Then they will naturally know how to choose."

Old Master Ren said faintly, "Then does the Central State know about this?"

Wang Hao smiled.

"No rush. I will let them know."

...

The night of the sixth day.

Three hundred miles outside the Golden Tent Plains, in the Wulan River Valley.

A team of men in black quietly infiltrated the Red Wolf tribe's camp.

The leader was tall and thin, with a cyan runic mark between his eyebrows, holding a small black jade plate in his hand.

On the black jade plate, fate lines faintly circulated.

He was a dark envoy of the Kunlun Law Enforcement Hall, named Qing Heng.

After Xuan Xiao was slapped six times by Wang Hao, the Kunlun Law Enforcement Hall was furious.

However, with the Kunlun Assembly approaching, the eighteen sacred lands could not ostensibly send Martial Gods to suppress the Great Zhou directly, otherwise it would make the sacred lands look as if they feared an emperor from the Eastern Wasteland.

Thus, they chose a more familiar method.

Plucking fate.

Sowing discord.

Borrowing a knife to kill.

Mobei had just surrendered, and the Great Zhou's foundation was not yet stable.

As long as they made the Red Wolf tribe rebel, threw the Black Eagle tribe into chaos, and caused suspicion within the Northern Barbarians, Wang Hao's northern inspection tour would become a joke.

At that time, with the Great Zhou's one hundred thousand iron cavalry bogged down in the grasslands, they naturally wouldn't be able to attend the Kunlun Assembly.

Even if they went, they could only bow their heads.

Qing Heng sneered.

"No matter how strong the Eastern Wasteland Emperor's martial prowess is, how could he understand the sacred lands' millennium-long schemes?"

A man in black behind him whispered, "My Lord, the Marquis of Red Wolf, Tiemu Shan, is right in the main tent ahead."

Qing Heng nodded.

"The fate plate's sub-rune can stir the unwillingness in his heart. He was never one to willingly submit to others; just a sliver of obsession will be enough to make him raise an army."

"When the time comes, the Red Wolf tribe will rebel first, the Black Eagle tribe will inevitably make a move, the White Deer tribe will watch from the sidelines, the Northern Barbarians will protect themselves, and Mobei's fifty guards will scatter before they are even formed."

Another person flattered, "A brilliant plan, My Lord."

Qing Heng said indifferently, "It's not that my plan is brilliant, but that the people of the grasslands are stupid. The so-called tribal heroes are nothing more than a pack of beasts chasing after grass."

Just as his voice fell.

A faint voice suddenly came from the nearby bushes.

"Do you Central State people not check the bushes before you insult others?"

Qing Heng's expression changed.

Boom!

The bushes exploded.

Wanyan Gu jumped out carrying a mace on his shoulder, followed by a squad of Royal Forest Army scouts.

The New Emperor Sword transformed into a black-and-gold humanoid artifact spirit, sitting on a warhorse, still holding half a roasted leg of lamb in its hand.

It had a look of disgust on its face.

"I said it earlier, this group of people acting all sneaky didn't look like anything good."

Wanyan Gu looked at it. "When did you say that?"

The New Emperor Sword said, "I just said it in my heart."

Wanyan Gu: "..."

Qing Heng's expression was gloomy. "How did you find us?"

The New Emperor Sword raised the leg of lamb. "You stepped on my bones."

Qing Heng: "?"

Wanyan Gu explained, "It's been addicted to eating roasted lamb legs these past few days and threw the bones everywhere."

For a moment, Qing Heng didn't know whether he should be angry or disgusted.

A dark envoy of the Kunlun Law Enforcement Hall, a fate plate sub-rune, a thousand-mile infiltration, a sacred land's grand scheme.

And it was ruined by a lamb leg bone?

Was this reasonable?

The New Emperor Sword took a bite of mutton and mumbled, "It's reasonable. Fate is just that absurd."

Qing Heng shouted angrily, "Kill them!"

The men in black attacked simultaneously.

Their cultivation bases were not weak; all of them were in the True Intent or Astral Aura realms, and Qing Heng himself was in the early stage of the Void Riding realm.

The fate plate sub-rune floated up, its dark light spreading, attempting to sway the minds of Wanyan Gu and the surrounding scouts.

Wanyan Gu's eyes became dazed for a moment.

An image appeared in his mind of himself becoming the King of the Grasslands, stepping on Wang Hao, punching the sacred lands, and holding a hundred roasted lamb legs in his arms.

Then he suddenly snapped out of it, flying into a rage.

"You dare use lamb legs to tempt me!"

Qing Heng was stunned.

Wanyan Gu's mace was already smashing towards him.