Starting from the border troops, I've worked my way up to become a Martial Emperor.

Chapter 155 Rank 6 Profound Technique

In Lu Yuan's view, the Shengman and Guman are the two groups that must be taken down within the next two years.

If we could bring both of these forces under the control of the Northern Barbarians.

Their strength will increase significantly, and the major warlords will naturally choose to submit.

The strength unleashed by a unified Northern Barbarian tribe is absolutely unimaginable.

Now, we have not only food but also silver. If we don't act now, how will we be able to act in the future?

Then, the data panel popped up.

[Fifth-grade cultivation technique "Primordial Essence Condensation Technique" - Core Formation (110223/100000 Spirit Fusion, use 10,000 proficiency points to advance?)]

Looking at the pop-up message, Lu Yuan's lips curled up.

He was finally able to break through. Since reaching the peak and achieving a perfect physique, his upper limit had been raised to the level of the Divine Fusion Realm. Therefore, Lu Yuan spent most of his time cultivating the "Primordial Chaos Condensation Technique" this winter.

Now, the results are finally in, and I can advance.

Moreover, his cultivation level has reached the Divine Palace Realm.

Reaching this level means you've entered the ranks of experts.

He opened up a divine palace within his body, and his strength underwent another earth-shattering change.

Given Lu Yuan's combat strength, he could fight even stronger opponents.

In short, unlike in the past, when encountering high-ranking officials in the central government would leave one helpless.

In the realm of cultivation, above the Divine Origin Realm, there are also the Divine Power Realm, the Dharma Aspect Realm, and then the Earth Immortal Realm.

The Divine Power Realm, as the name suggests, is about cultivating supernatural powers within the body. This is extremely important and has a great impact on future cultivation.

The strongest known supernatural power is that of Grand Tutor Da Yu, who controls the inner world.

When used in conjunction with his own Dharma form, he once captured a local immortal, preventing him from escaping.

Life is worn down until death.

From then on, many people avoided fighting him.

However, these things are still quite far away for Lu Yuan.

What he needs to do now is to improve his own strength.

After choosing to advance, a powerful force erupted from the depths of his body, and a large number of insights and memories about cultivation appeared in his mind.

He seemed to have become a top master, possessing countless cultivation experiences.

He could easily acquire many things, and one day, he finally created a powerful technique.

Then, the system data resurfaced in my mind.

[Sixth-Rank Cultivation Technique "Hun Yuan Xuan Gong" Divine Palace, (223/1000 Minor Success)]

"Finally, I've broken through," Lu Yuan thought to himself.

"Mysterious Skill" is a term used only for high-level martial arts techniques. Techniques below the sixth rank are not qualified to be called "Mysterious Skill".

Those who can cultivate this kind of technique are either royal family members, young masters of ancient families, or the chief disciple of a sect.

At this moment, Lu Yuan finally had a cultivation technique that matched him.

Actually, when he first came to the Northern Barbarians, the Xiao family wanted to give him royal cultivation techniques to practice, but Lu Yuan ultimately refused.

Firstly, he had seen that cultivation method before, and it was not the same as his own path of cultivation. Secondly, if he really practiced it, he would really be labeled.

Even if no one dares to speak out, the members of the Northern Barbarian royal family will inevitably be dissatisfied.

He has a systematic method to improve his skills, so there's no need for him to make things difficult for the Xiao family.

"call!"

After letting out a breath, Lu Yuan stood up and walked outside.

It was already springtime, but the snow and ice hadn't completely melted yet. Stepping outside, a fresh, earthy scent wafted towards you.

The pearls inside the Prince's Mansion reflected a hazy luster.

Although it was already dark, it was not dim.

Lu Yuan was not one to mistreat himself. Since he had earned money, he took out a portion of it and sent it to Tianwang Village to help Wu Han train his army.

Having no shortage of cultivation resources, he naturally purchased various items.

For example, in this palace, all the candles of the past have been abandoned, and replaced with bright pearls, which can illuminate the room even at night.

This was true both inside the house and in the mansion, and as for how much it cost, it was naturally not a small amount.

But the money was earned by someone else, and others can only be envious without any recourse.

Moreover, the imperial court has made a lot of money following Lu Yuan's lead. The national treasury is full of silver, and the Imperial Guards, Tiger Warriors, and Elite Cavalry are all well-funded, in addition to their fixed monthly rations.

From then on, every winter month, there was an extra tael of charcoal silver.

Although it's not a lot, it's definitely not a small amount either. If an ordinary soldier adds a little more, he can buy some coal for heating during the winter.

The smoke is a bit thicker, but it's still much better than freezing to death.

Therefore, the resentment towards the court that had existed in the past disappeared. Instead, they felt guilty for having some inappropriate thoughts when the court was in trouble, which led to greater loyalty in the army than before.

In addition to wages, weapons, armor, and basic training supplies have also gradually caught up.

In the past, it wasn't that the Xiao family was unwilling to treat their subordinates well; they simply didn't have the money.

Now that the imperial court is wealthy, various supporting resources have begun to be supplied, and the treatment is even slightly better than during the most prosperous period of the Northern Barbarians.

After Lu Yuan walked out of the courtyard, he said to the guards standing outside the main gate, "Bring Cai Chong here and have him wait in the front hall."

After Lu Yuan walked out of the courtyard, he said to the guards standing outside the main gate, "Bring Cai Chong here and have him wait in the front hall."

After saying that, he walked forward.

The guard responded and quickly withdrew. A short while later...

Lu Yuan had just sat down in the front hall when he saw Cai Chong bow and walk in. Upon seeing Lu Yuan, Cai Chong bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Highness."

"Don't stand on ceremony. The main reason I called you here at this hour is to ask about the situation in the south of the city."

"Your Highness, our academy in the capital has been completed. The first batch of students numbered nearly 15,000, and there were also more than 1,000 teachers who had moved in."

The two thousand teachers you subsequently transfer can also start working at the academy as soon as they arrive.

The surrounding houses have all been built on land purchased last year, and construction has started on subsequent purchases. The second phase is expected to be completed after summer.

The treasury currently holds over 80 billion taels of silver, but further investment is still underway.

People continue to flock to buy houses to enroll their children in schools.

Restaurants, brothels, and street-front shops have all been built; except for a few large buildings, the rest have been rented out.

Listening to Cai Chong's introduction, Lu Yuan nodded in satisfaction.

He then said, "That's good. You've worked hard these past few days. Here's some cultivation material for breaking through to the Divine Power Realm. Take it back and use it."

After saying that, he handed a storage ring to Cai Chong.

The other person's face lit up with surprise, and then he said to Lu Yuan, "Thank you, Your Highness."

"This is what you deserve." Lu Yuan is not lacking in resources now.

He would naturally not hesitate to spend money if it could improve the strength of his subordinates.

Then, he waved for Cai Chong to step down.

Now, he has everything ready except for the final push.

We'll see if the court officials agree to his attack on the barbarians at tomorrow's court meeting.

As for the regional warlords, just as Lu Yuan had imagined, they had already started fighting each other, divided into two factions, and were locked in a fierce battle.

One side, led by the Manku tribe, was unwilling to submit to the imperial court.

The other side is the Manchen tribe, which, under the deliberate efforts of the court to win them over and divide them, has now developed the intention to submit to the court.

In order to gain the support of the imperial court, the chieftain of the Manchen tribe even sent his son to the academy to cultivate, thus demonstrating his attitude and stance.

Therefore, the situation within the imperial court remains relatively stable for the time being.

In short, regardless of the circumstances, Lu Yuan believed that the barbarians had to be fought, and not only fought, but also subdued.

Only in this way can the Northern Barbarians be qualified to fight against various forces.

At the very least, we can have a dialogue from an equal perspective, or even look down on each other slightly.

If things continue as they are now, even with money, we'll be good at maintaining the status quo but not at expanding.

After making up his mind, Lu Yuan drank a cup of tea and walked towards his own courtyard.

He planned to submit a memorial to the court early the next morning.

On a spring morning, the ground was covered with white frost. After a night had passed, when Lu Yuan walked out of his residence early in the morning, he saw that the palace gates were already full of people.

Upon seeing him, they all came up to greet him.

"Oh my, it's not easy for Your Highness to come so early. Usually, you only enter the palace after the gates have been opened," someone teased in good-nature.

He was an elder in the imperial clan and doted on Lu Yuan.

"Hehe, Elder Zong, you're joking."

"King Qin, it's still about the Northern Expedition against the barbarians, isn't it? This matter has been debated for several days now, and the court officials are all against it. I think you should just give up and abandon this idea," Elder Zong reminded him in a low voice.

Lu Yuan shook his head: "No, if we don't fight now, we'll never have another chance."

The surrounding officials shook their heads helplessly upon hearing his words, realizing that this King of Qin was truly stubborn.

He wouldn't even listen to the Prime Minister's advice and insisted on fighting the barbarians.

They truly don't believe that someone can accomplish something that was impossible in previous dynasties.

Actually, the most important reason is that they couldn't defeat the Northern Barbarians; however, starting a war wouldn't be very meaningful for the Northern Barbarians.

Although Lu Yuan claimed he could conquer the barbarians, who in the court would believe him?

If things go wrong, it could trigger a rebellion between the living and the ancient barbarians, and the northern barbarians would have to go through war again.

At that time, all the money I painstakingly accumulated over the winter will probably have to be thrown away again.

While they were talking.

"Boom!"

The palace gates opened, and after the eunuchs finished calling out the names, the officials walked inside one by one.

As soon as they entered and stood still in the Chaotian Hall, Lady Xiao walked in.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

"Everyone, please rise," Xiao's calm voice rang out.

Just then, Lu Yuan, who had just sat down, stood up, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that now is the best time to attack the barbarians."

I am willing to sign a military pledge: if I fail to annihilate the barbarians and capture their chieftain, I am willing to accept military punishment!

He spoke with absolute certainty.

Some of the younger generals below echoed, "We are willing to go with the King of Qin."

Seeing this situation, Li Qing and the others could only manage a wry smile.

Nowadays, the young and strong generals of the Northern Barbarians all regard Lu Yuan as their idol, but fighting a war is never that simple.

And I don't know how long I'll have to keep trying.

As he spoke, he stared longingly at Lu Yuan.

I hope the other party will agree.

Li Qing knew that if Lu Yuan insisted on doing it, the Xiao family would likely compromise, and he had already overestimated the boy's position in front of His Majesty.

I didn't expect that I had underestimated him. I almost agreed to let Lu Yuan lead the troops into battle yesterday.

All these old men of mine were outshone by this King of Qin.

The Grand Minister of the Imperial Clan also frowned and said, "Your Majesty, this old minister does not agree with starting a war now. I think it would be more appropriate to wait."

Having experienced war and the court's predicament, these veteran officials now only want to maintain stability for a while.

However, Lu Yuan said loudly, "Everyone, we Northern Barbarians can't wait any longer. If we don't deal with the Raw Barbarians and the Ancient Barbarians now, we won't have time in a year or two."

Therefore, I believe that we must launch an expedition this year, and the sooner the better. I humbly request Your Majesty's permission.

Xiao Hua, standing to the side, couldn't help but tug at her mother's sleeve and act coquettishly.

Empress Xiao, seated on the dragon throne, gazed at the eager ministers.

After a moment of contemplation, he said, "I approve of Lu Yuan's plan. The subjugation of the Shengman and Guman has always been the goal that our Northern Barbarians have strived for. What our predecessors could not accomplish, our descendants need to inherit their wishes and continue to do."

Hesitant and timid, when will we be able to regain the glory of the Qin Dynasty?

From today onwards, the Prime Minister will be in charge of the allocation of provisions and supplies to prepare for the army's expedition.

"Yes, sir!" Li Qing replied with a bow, though he was reluctant.

Then, looking at the now energetic Lu Yuan, Lady Xiao said, "King Qin, tell me your plan."

"Your Majesty is willing to select 50,000 beast cavalry to launch a surprise attack on the Ancient Barbarian Tribe. However, Your Majesty needs to send a general to lead the main force to guard the border of the Ancient Barbarian Tribe and make it appear as if they are attacking, so that they will not dare to act rashly."

"I will do my utmost to destroy the royal tent of the barbarian tribe within a month!"

Lu Yuan's words were resounding, but the officials below frowned.

This plan seems simple, but in reality, a single misstep could lead to utter ruin, especially for Lu Yuan, who led a mere 50,000 troops into the barbarian lands, which was extremely dangerous.

If you are trapped inside, even rescue efforts will be difficult to reach.

Sure enough, the next moment, Xiao Gu stepped forward and said, "I disagree. Doing so is too dangerous. If the King of Qin encounters danger in the Shengman tribe, there will be no time to rescue him."

Li Qing also said, "With a large-scale surprise attack, food supplies are the most important thing. With 50,000 cavalrymen entering the barbarian lands, resupply will be a major problem."

"Storage rings can store food, and when the army enters the barbarian lands, supplies are everywhere, so they can eat wherever they go."

As long as you have knives and guns, why worry about not finding food?

There are certainly dangers, but if we succeed, the survival problem will be solved.

My Northern Barbarian strength will rise even further; this risk is worthwhile.

Moreover, I have already done some research. The Shengman tribe is rich in body-refining medicinal herbs and has abundant animal populations, making it a treasure trove for gathering herbs and hunting. There are also a large number of minerals that can be mined.

All the various imperial courts had large transactions with them every year.

"If we obtain it, it will provide the Northern Barbarians with an inexhaustible source of resources." Lu Yuan's expression was solemn.

His stubbornness left the courtiers somewhat helpless; this Prince Qin was determined to fight the barbarians.

After a moment, the Prime Minister said, "Very well, since His Highness Prince Qin insists on trying, then let's have a fight. However, I would like to trouble the Grand Master of the Imperial Clan to send experts from the Prajna Temple to accompany him. If we really reach a dead end, we must bring Prince Qin back."

After saying this, Xiao Gu nodded: "I will take care of it."

A bitter smile appeared on Xiao Shi's lips as he sat on the dragon throne. It seemed that everyone was not optimistic about this battle.

Xiao Hua was also a little nervous. She was very conflicted and didn't know whether she should support Lu Yuan.

They were worried that if the other person actually went to Shengman, there would be danger.

But seeing how supportive Lu Yuan was, she couldn't bear to refuse.

At this moment, Lu Yuan hurriedly said, "Since His Majesty has agreed, I will go back and mobilize the troops immediately. This matter should be handled as soon as possible, and we will set off in three days."

"allow!"

The Northern Expedition was approved.

After deliberating on the battle for most of the day, the imperial court held a meeting.

Lu Yuan then returned to the palace with a military tally.

This time, he led Xiao Lie on the expedition with 50,000 of the most elite beast riders and ten storage rings filled with provisions and pills.

However, it would only be enough for the army to use for half a month.

The rest will have to be plundered by the army.

It's not that the imperial court didn't want to give us more things; these storage rings are considered strategic resources, and the imperial court wouldn't have too many.

Ten coins already represent most of the royal family's stock.

Moreover, most of them would carry some medicinal pills, while food was secondary.

After all, the use of elixirs is paramount when armies are engaged in large-scale warfare.

Especially some pills that restore strength and heal wounds and stop bleeding.

Over the next few days, Lu Yuan spent almost all his time selecting soldiers and preparing provisions.

His own storage space and the storage buckle on the jade belt around his waist were also filled with pills, all of which he paid for himself.

They did not ask the imperial court for it.

Xiao Hua has been following Lu Yuan around like a shadow these past two days.

His own storage space and the storage buckle on the jade belt around his waist were also filled with pills, all of which he paid for himself.

They did not ask the imperial court for it.

Xiao Hua has been following Lu Yuan around like a shadow these past two days.

Three days later, early in the morning, Lu Yuan led five hundred beast cavalry guards out of the mansion and saw Xiao Shi and Xiao Hua fighting outside the palace gates again.

Besides the two, there were also Li Qing and others.

Seeing this display of power, Lu Yuan dared not be negligent and immediately stepped forward, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

"Ah Yuan, please take care of yourself in this battle. Preserving yourself is the most important thing. Everything else can be rebuilt. If things become unbearable, retreat immediately," Madam Xiao said softly.

Li Qing also sighed: "Your Highness, I know that everything you do is for the Northern Barbarians. Please do not hold past disputes against me. Now that the war has begun, I will do my best to support you from the rear."

Regardless of victory or defeat, I hope you return safely.

Da Zongzheng nodded and then gestured for the eight powerful figures behind him to join Lu Yuan's group.

These eight people were none other than the powerful figures who had accompanied Lu Yuan and the others to the East Sea.

Upon seeing these eight people, Lu Yuan understood.

This was what the Grand Master kept for himself to save his life.

A warmth filled his heart, and he bowed, saying, "Rest assured, everyone. This expedition will surely crush the barbarians in one fell swoop. If we do not achieve victory, we will not return to the capital!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the ministers' faces showed even more bitterness. They had originally thought that if Lu Yuan could give it a try and return safely after hitting a wall, they would not mention the Northern Expedition again.

But now, the other side has not yet returned to court after achieving their goal, which made the group of people feel uneasy.

We must persuade them immediately.

But Lu Yuan had already leaped onto his warhorse, clasped his hands in greeting to the crowd, and galloped straight toward the city gate to join the army.

At that very moment, Xiao Xiong, a general of the Northern Barbarian royal family, led 100,000 beast riders and 300,000 elite cavalry towards the border of the ancient barbarians.

They had set off a day earlier, with elite cavalry joining them along the way.

However, the court officials were not optimistic about this battle.

Meanwhile, within the Great Yong Dynasty, Emperor Yong sat in his main hall, holding a message delivered by a palace attendant, and said with a smile, "Is this the latest battle report from the Northern Barbarians? They actually intend to attack the barbarians. That's quite interesting."

Normally we would avoid them at all costs, but this time we are going to take the initiative to attack. Lu Yuan is just trying to gain popularity by making a scene. It seems that I am going to drag the Northern Barbarians into the war.

However, this is good news.

"To avoid giving them a two-year reprieve, which would make it difficult to take action later."

After speaking, he tossed the battle report aside and said to the eunuch, "Let's continue to observe."