The following year, the Xiongnu launched a large-scale invasion. Wei Qing led a grand army to attack the Hetao region occupied by the Xiongnu. Using a "flanking maneuver," he bypassed the Xiongnu army's rear, swiftly captured Gao Que, and then led elite cavalry to fly south, capturing thousands of Xiongnu in a single battle and controlling the Hetao region, thereby removing the direct threat to Chang'an.
Three years later, Emperor Wu ordered Wei Qing to lead thirty thousand cavalry from Gao Que. In this battle, they captured over ten sons of the Right Worthy King and more than fifteen thousand men and women, along with millions of livestock. This victory directly elevated Wei Qing to the position of Grand General, above the Prime Minister.
The following spring, Wei Qing commanded troops in six routes, capturing and killing over ten thousand Xiongnu soldiers. Although the Western Han suffered considerable casualties in this battle, it was also in this engagement that Wei Qing's nephew, Huo Qubing, began to shine and rise as a new star on the military stage.
In the spring of the fourth year of Yuanshou, Wei Qing and Huo Qubing each led fifty thousand cavalry, splitting into two routes to cross the desert on a distant expedition against the Xiongnu. In this campaign, Wei Qing's forces captured and killed a total of over nineteen thousand people. The Battle of the Northern Desert shattered the main force of the Xiongnu in the south of the desert, causing them to gradually migrate northwest, rendering them incapable of southward incursions for over a decade.
In the fifth year of Yuanfeng, Wei Qing passed away from illness. To commemorate his brilliant military achievements, Emperor Wu of Han constructed a tomb in the shape of Yin Mountain northeast of Maoling, its mound resembling Mount Lu!
"Ding! Congratulations to the host, the Fortune Nine Cauldrons have successfully advanced to level seven, becoming qualified for the Heavenly Court. The host can now promote the Great Han Sacred Court to Heavenly Court!"
"Ding! Congratulations to the host, the Heavenly Court promotion mission has been unlocked. Completing the Heavenly Court promotion will grant one Human Hero summoning opportunity!"
"System, deduct Fortune Merit value to enhance realm and strength!" Yang Hao spoke. Immortal Emperor! The supreme existence in the Immortal Realm! Today, he would ascend!
"Ding! Congratulations to the host, three hundred and ten billion Fortune Merit values have been successfully deducted. The host's realm will be elevated to the Immortal Emperor realm. This promotion will bypass the Immortal Realm's Great Dao surveillance, and there will be no need to enter the Ancient Star Road!"
The Immortal Emperor realm!
The supreme existence in the Immortal Realm!
To step into the Immortal Emperor realm is to achieve the Dao. This realm is the ultimate realm in the Immortal Realm, the highest cultivation path pursued by billions of sentient beings in the Immortal Realm. And today, he would achieve the Dao as an Immortal Emperor!
"Break!"
At this moment, Yang Hao roared, his entire physical body erupted with boundless immortal power. The Fortune Merit value surged into Yang Hao's body. The twelve divine beasts glowed. Yang Hao and the divine beasts nurtured within him were also linked to his realm. Twelve! Twelve! If he achieved the Dao, the Great Han Sacred Court would directly produce thirteen Immortal Emperors.
This process was exceedingly long. Yang Hao was enveloped by countless golden lights, and the imperial might of a sentient being achieving the Dao began to emanate from Yang Hao's body, strand by strand. The Human Heroes who had emerged looked towards Chang'an City. They bowed in unison, kneeling on one knee!
"Hoo!"
"Hoo!"
"Hoo!"
The soldiers of the more than a dozen great legions guarded the border. They shouted thrice, their war blades pointing towards the sky, kneeling on one knee. Their battle banners fluttered. Within Chang'an City, Yang Hao's aura, along with the aura of the twelve divine beasts, underwent earth-shattering changes. Three days later, behind Yang Hao and the twelve divine beasts, a turbid gas appeared, carrying immense power, churning and condensing violently, showing signs of forming into dragons. Three more days passed, and a robust divine dragon phantom solidified behind Yang Hao. With a roar, it shattered the bottleneck of the Quasi-Emperor realm. At this moment, the Nine Cauldrons trembled, and endless bronze divine light covered the entire territory of the Great Han Sacred Court.
Yang Hao achieved the Dao!
He stepped into the Immortal Emperor realm!
At this very instant, across the entire territory of the Great Han, the Human Heroes who had emerged unleashed colossal golden pillars tens of thousands of miles high. In a single breath, each emerging Human Hero's four minor realms rapidly advanced!
"Ding! Congratulations to the host, you have successfully entered the Immortal Emperor realm and control one Emperor's Mandate!"
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for breaking through a major realm, the summoned emerging Human Heroes will be elevated by four minor realms!"
"Ding! Congratulations to the host, summoned emerging Human Heroes Xian Zhen, Li Siye, Geng Yan, Wen Yuanyuan, Liang Fang, Zhang Hao, Zhebie, Deng Qiang, Wang Yanzhang, Liang Lin, Tan Daoji, Yang Xuangan, Gongsun Shu, Xiao He, Gan Jiang, Zhang Dingbian, Shan Shituo, Wu Tianxi, Wu Yunzhao have successfully advanced four minor realms, broken through the Immortal King realm bottleneck, and successfully stepped into the third layer of Immortal Emperor!"
"Ding! Congratulations to the host, summoned emerging Human Heroes Lu Kang, Han Qinghu, Chen Tang, Gan Ning, Ji Youyu, Xu Huang, Zhou Tai, Gongsun Zan, Fu Hao, Hua Mulan, Liang Hongyu, Li Wenzhong, Zhang Liao, Gao Ying, Cen Peng, Wang Bao'ao, Shi Wansui, Shan Xiongxin, Yao Li, Xun An, Lu Junyi, Cai Ze, Ge Congzhou, Zhou Decheng, and others have successfully advanced four minor realms, stepped into the seventh layer of Immortal Monarch!"
"Ding! Congratulations to the host, summoned emerging Human Heroes Zhu Sheng, Wu Yong, Wan Mizhai, Chen Gong, Bao Zheng, Yuwen Kai, Wei Zhongxian, Di Renjie, Liao Hua, Mao Xiang, Zhou Yuji, Gao Shun, Changsun Wuji, Jing Ke, Du Ruhui, Fang Xuanling have successfully advanced four minor realms, stepped into the fifth layer of Profound Immortal!"
"Ding! Congratulations to the host, summoned emerging Human Heroes Chang Yuchun, Meng Juehai, Zhou Yafu, Chen Qingzhi, Ju Wuba, Deng Tianwang have successfully advanced four minor realms, broken through the Immortal Emperor realm bottleneck, and successfully stepped into the Immortal Emperor realm, controlling two Emperor's Mandates!"
......
"Ding! Congratulations to the host, summoned emerging Human Heroes Xue Rengui, Wei Qing have successfully condensed four Emperor's Mandates, controlling a total of twenty-three Emperor's Mandates!"
"System, use two hundred million Fortune Merit value to purchase blind boxes!"
"Ding! Two hundred million Fortune Merit value successfully deducted!"
"Ding! Congratulations to the host, you have obtained twenty Epic Blind Boxes!"
"Ding! Do you wish to open them!"
"Open!" A single Emperor's Mandate had coalesced behind Yang Hao. Within the divine fire, each divine beast controlled an Emperor's Mandate. Vast imperial might permeated the entire grand hall.
"Bang!"
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining the Five-Phoenix Fan (Supreme Treasure: Forged from the true feathers of five Immortal Emperors of the Phoenix clan, possessing immense destructive power, unparalleled and mighty), a piece of Chaos Stone, one hundred thousand elite soldiers of the Eastern Han Dynasty, one hundred thousand sets of Azure Dragon Legion armor, one hundred thousand Han troops, a piece of Emperor-grade Immortal Gold, one hundred thousand Kui Niu Legion armor, one hundred thousand Tang troops, ten Emperor-grade Immortal Treasure warships, one hundred thousand sets of Ying Long Legion armor!"
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining one hundred thousand Ying Long Legion armor, a piece of Chaos Stone, one hundred thousand elite soldiers, ten Emperor-grade Immortal Treasure warships, a piece of Chaos Stone, a piece of Emperor-grade Immortal Gold, one hundred thousand Vermillion Bird Legion armor, a piece of Emperor-grade Immortal Gold, a piece of Chaos Stone, one hundred thousand sets of White Tiger Legion armor!"
"Issue an imperial decree!"
"In six months, the Great Han Sacred Court will be promoted to Heavenly Court!"
"Your will be done!"
Vast imperial might surged in all directions, and decrees shook the heavens, proclaiming to all quarters!
The Great Han Sacred Court!
This extraordinary nation would be promoted to Heavenly Court, its glory resonating through the ages!