The Great Zhou Movement, The Great Wall Legion Is Also Coming!

Beiyang City.

While the Dynasty was in constant motion, Orion was far from idle.

By midmorning, Orion had convened everyone in the council chamber of the city lord's mansion.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty, on entering the ranks of the Martial Emperor!"

As soon as Orion appeared, everyone noticed the change in his aura. He had indeed reached the Martial Emperor realm! The assembly quickly erupted in congratulatory remarks.

"Enough of the flattery!" Orion scolded with a smile. "Aren't you semi-saints embarrassed to be praising a mere Martial Emperor like me?"

The crowd chuckled. Ordinarily, a Martial Emperor wouldn't garner much attention from them, but Orion wasn't just any Martial Emperor—he was their leader. The respect between them was a given.

At the start of the meeting, Xu Chu brought in boxes filled with gold, silver, jewelry, rare artifacts, calligraphy, and paintings. Among these treasures was a box of spirit stones. Though they were only low-grade, the abundant spiritual energy they emitted was enough to invigorate everyone in the room.

"My lord, these gifts were delivered by the city's wealthy families this morning," Xu Chu reported with a simple smile. "They wanted to meet you, but I declined. Although they didn't get to see you, they insisted on leaving the gifts. I'm not sure who sent the spirit stones, but I accepted them too."

Spirit stones, vital for cultivation, were the hard currency of the continent, and their value was immense. Just the box of spirit stones alone surpassed the worth of all the other gifts combined.

"Hah, they have good timing," Orion remarked coldly. These local elites were opportunistic, ready to support whoever held power. Today, they offered gifts to Orion. Tomorrow, they might do the same for someone else. But for now, their offerings were useful.

"Keep the gifts," Orion instructed, "they might make suitable betrothal gifts for the Jiang family." He wasn't interested in wealth or material assets; such things were trivial to him.

As the conversation shifted to more serious matters, Orion turned to Yuxiang, who had gathered intelligence. "Yuxiang, any movement from the Zhou Dynasty?"

Sipping his tea, Orion knew the Dynasty wouldn't ignore his occupation of Beiyang City. Xiaoyu, with its extensive network, would have the latest information.

"My lord," Yuxiang began, "according to Xiaoyu's reports, the Zhou Dynasty has dispatched 300,000 imperial troops. Other regions are also sending reinforcements to Yizhou. Additionally, Wang Hu, commander of the Northern Great Wall Army, has deployed 300,000 soldiers to encircle us."

Orion's eyebrows lifted in interest. "The Great Wall Army too? Does the Empress not fear that the Northern Barbarian Empire might take advantage of this and send their forces south?"

The Great Wall Army was no stranger to Orion; after all, his predecessor—his father—had founded it. The army was stationed along the Northern Great Wall, ever vigilant against the northern barbarians. For the Empress to mobilize them suggested she viewed Orion as a greater threat than the Barbarian Empire.

"My lord," someone voiced a concern, "the Great Wall Army was founded by your father. Why would they... why would they come after you, the founder's son?"

Orion smirked, a hint of mockery in his voice. "Hah! My father was loyal to a fault. He believed in absolute loyalty to the emperor, and he instilled that belief in the Great Wall Legion. They swore undying loyalty to the Zhou Dynasty, no matter the situation. With the Empress's orders, those brainwashed loyalists will march against us, their loyalty to the Dynasty unwavering."

This was precisely why Orion had never sought the support of the Great Wall Legion. They were loyal to symbols, not to people. Wang Hu, their current commander, had already pledged allegiance to the Empress, making the Legion her pawns.

Orion laughed darkly. His father's unwavering loyalty had been foolish, and now, the very force he created was being used against his own son. The irony was bitter.

"But the Great Wall Legion is of no concern to me," Orion declared. "I won't hold back just because they once served my father. If they come at me, they better be ready to face the consequences."

Orion's eyes gleamed with a cold resolve. The Great Wall Legion, defenders of the realm, might have shed blood for the Zhou Dynasty, but they were now enemies. And enemies had to be eliminated.

"If they're marching south, they'll have to pass through Yumen Pass. The 10,000 Beifu soldiers stationed there will be under heavy pressure, but they'll hold out as long as possible. Once I've crushed the 300,000 imperial troops in Yizhou, the Great Wall Legion won't stand a chance."

Orion's confidence was unwavering. The Beifu Army might be small, but they were elite, capable of inflicting significant losses on the Great Wall Legion.

Just as Orion was finalizing his southern strategy, Ying Mo entered the room, kneeling before him.

"My lord, our Shadow Guards have apprehended several suspicious individuals near Beiyang City. They appear to be scouts from various factions."

"Oh? It seems we've attracted quite a bit of attention," Orion remarked, unsurprised. His recent actions had undoubtedly drawn the eyes of every faction in the Great Zhou Dynasty. Whether out of curiosity or intent, these factions were bound to investigate.

"Where are these scouts now?" Orion asked.

Ying Mo clapped his hands, and a group of Shadow Guards appeared, dragging in a dozen tied-up figures. Each of them was a martial master, their cultivation levels too high for them to be mere commoners.

It was no surprise. Those tasked with scouting such dangerous territories would naturally be highly skilled.