Wang Long's expression was utterly blank as he listlessly raised the Tianyi blade, intending to execute Ye Xiu right there in the frozen wasteland. Unexpectedly, the entire world suddenly erupted in blinding sunlight—a fierce, dazzling glare that washed everything above and below in stark white, making it impossible to open one's eyes. Ye Xiu clutched his head in agony; the sudden, intense light had left him dizzy. Utterly disoriented, the last thing he registered was a sharp whoosh, followed by Wang Long’s enraged curses and the sound of clashing swords nearby, before consciousness slipped away entirely.

Through the darkness drifted flecks of snow white. The skirt of the Snow Woman’s blue gown spun enchantingly as she danced—a dance to topple cities; she smiled—a smile to bring down kingdoms. Yet, the final punctuation mark to this beautiful scene was severed by a single, shrill, wicked blade, casting them into separation across the vast world. Ye Xiu slowly opened his eyes. His head still throbbed painfully, and the cracking sounds of massive boulders being sheared away by Wang Long's sword energy still echoed in his ears. What offered slight solace was the gentle hint of sea breeze, confirming he was near the coast.

“You are finally awake.” The slow voice of an old man reached him from beside him.

Ye Xiu shook his head, straining to push himself up. A multitude of aches assaulted his body. He recognized the voice—the old man was an emissary of the Divine, Donghai Jun, the legendary Peng Zu.

“I told you that you are the chosen one of the Divine; the Divine will not abandon you.” Donghai Jun spoke without any discernible emotion, perhaps having seen too much bitterness and sweetness in the human realm to be outwardly moved.

“What about the others? Xue'er? Ji Jiang?” Ye Xiu barely registered anything else, immediately grabbing the hem of Donghai Jun’s robe. “Why didn’t you save them too?”

Donghai Jun stared at Ye Xiu with slight confusion. “Who is Ji Jiang? That name sounds familiar, as if I’ve heard it somewhere.”

“I asked why you didn’t save them!” Ye Xiu pressed on, merely venting his frustration, even though he already knew Donghai Jun’s answer.

“You are the only one chosen by the Divine; the survival or demise of the others is left to Fate,” Donghai Jun’s tone remained unchanged. “Regardless, your task is simply to find Han Xin and replace him. This is the first step assigned to you by the Divine.”

Ye Xiu shook his head and staggered backward, roaring, “The Divine! The Divine! If the Divine is so great, why doesn’t he do it himself? Why must I do it? Are you trying to use me as a mere pawn? Why must I obey your arrangements?”

“This is your destiny, and you cannot escape it. Therefore, the only thing you can do is submit to the Divine’s plan. The Divine will pave the way for everything,” Donghai Jun spread his arms wide, conveying an air of all-embracing generosity.

“Fine, fine. First, tell me where I am. Wasn't I just in the South Sea?”

“The shore of the East Sea.”

Ye Xiu’s heart jolted; it seemed unbelievable. “How could I escape from the South Sea and end up in the East Sea in an instant?”

Donghai Jun smirked. “There are things the Divine can achieve that you cannot possibly imagine. You’ve witnessed some of it already; there is no need for doubt.”

“Then what is the situation in the South Sea now? Do you know? And what about that place called Tianjing!” Ye Xiu pressed further. “Does the Divine know that another ambitious soul seeks to swallow the Central Plains? Can the Divine stop him?”

Donghai Jun let out a slow breath. “The Divine is not omnipotent, but the Divine Will can alter the Will of Heaven.”

“Hmph! It seems like nothing more than parlor tricks,” Ye Xiu retorted, trying to provoke Donghai Jun into revealing more about the Divine. “In the end, perhaps this world will be ruled by Wang Long.”

“It matters not,” Donghai Jun said coolly, fixing his gaze on Ye Xiu. “As long as you are here, this world will move in the direction it is meant to. Many processes may change, but the outcome is already determined.”

“Me? Fine, I am the savior,” Ye Xiu managed a mocking smile. “Right now, I can’t even scratch one of Wang Long’s fingers, let alone the fact that he controls the entire Ghost Trace Island and will soon possess that mysterious Tianjing.”

“That is precisely why you must return to the Central Plains, find Han Xin, and replace him. Use the strength of the entire Central Plains to oppose that ambitious fiend. With your abilities, you can accomplish this.”

“Hah…” Ye Xiu felt bewildered. His original task was just to find someone; now it seemed he was meant to represent the entire Central Plains against a powerful evil force. It was certainly intense.

“Do you remember the treasure I gave you on your twentieth birthday?” Donghai Jun looked intently at Ye Xiu, whose eyes seemed dull. “It was a deadly weapon, but it had another crucial function.”

“Right! The 2B pencil! I can use this to blow up the mysterious Tianjing!” Ye Xiu grinned, suddenly remembering this potent tool still on him. He fumbled down his trouser leg and found the 2B pencil had indeed returned to his possession.

“No,” Donghai Jun quickly intervened. “That treasure must never be thrown into the sea again. Do you remember the tsunami on the shores of the East Sea last time? Damaging the foundation of the sea causes tsunamis. With the technology of this era, we cannot cope. I fear human civilization itself would end.”

“Then what can I do? How can I fight Wang Long!” Ye Xiu was furious. This way was blocked, and that way was blocked; hope seemed extinguished.

Donghai Jun watched Ye Xiu pace back and forth before him, his composure utterly unshaken. “What do you think the First Emperor relied on to unify the Six States?”

“When the Qin state unified the Six States, their supremacy was based on military might—vast numbers of soldiers and horses,” Ye Xiu knew the formidable power of the Qin army. Even setting aside the unification wars, the Qin siege engines and arrow volleys during the battle of Yongqiu were enough to strike terror into their enemies.

“Then have you ever heard of the million elite troops of the Qin state vanishing overnight after the First Emperor unified the realm?” Donghai Jun’s words carried a hidden meaning.

Ye Xiu stroked his chin, recalling some obscure historical anecdotes he had read. There were indeed mentions of the Qin army’s million best troops being disbanded without reason. Another theory suggested the First Emperor had used living people to create the Terracotta Army to guard his tomb, and those million elites had become the living sacrifices.

“The First Emperor is long dead, yet no one can locate his mausoleum. What do you make of that?” Donghai Jun continued pressing. “How could such a massive tomb construction project go entirely undiscovered?”

“That is an age-old mystery; no one knows. Could it be related to the Divine?” As Ye Xiu considered this, a light sparked in his eyes, mixed with a touch of fear. “What exactly is the Divine? What has he done for this age?”

Donghai Jun walked past Ye Xiu with his hands behind his back, his expression unchanged. “I once told you the First Emperor was also chosen by the Divine. The Divine helped him unify the Six States; the Qin’s million Shenggui Jun (Spirit Ghost Army) was a gift bestowed by the Divine.”

“The Shenggui Jun?” Ye Xiu never imagined such an army existed.

Donghai Jun flicked the dust from his fingers and slowly recounted, “The Shenggui Jun is an army summoned by the Divine, an invincible force that has never known defeat.”

“Invincible? Can any army in the world guarantee constant victory? Are they truly gods, or ghosts?” Ye Xiu understood the Divine’s power, but commanding a million troops suggested something truly extraordinary.

“Each summoning of the Shenggui Jun can only last for ten days, with an interval of only thirty days between summonings. Ten days after a summoning begins, regardless of victory or defeat, the entire army is wiped out!” Donghai Jun displayed a look of great pride as he spoke.

“No wonder the Qin people were so fierce; a million strong soldiers yet they could advance and retreat with such ease,” Ye Xiu deduced, though suspicion lingered. “If that’s the case, this million-strong army is essentially immortal; they should be able to fight a hundred battles without fail.”

Donghai Jun took a few steps, shook his head, and sighed. “The Shenggui Jun only reanimates fallen soldiers and throws them back into battle. Although they possess fierce fighting ability, they are still mortal bodies; casualties occur.”

“Reanimated repeatedly?” Ye Xiu was somewhat confused.

Donghai Jun focused his gaze. “Those soldiers are warriors who have already died. They possess consciousness and thought. The Divine granted them a brief existence, and their sole spiritual anchor is their will to fight—that is why they fight so bravely. Moreover, the Shenggui Jun has a crucial commanding figure?”

“A commanding figure?” Ye Xiu was intensely curious about this individual who could exist for ten days every thirty days. “Is this person also a famous military strategist who has passed away?”

“Indeed. His name is Sun Wu!” Donghai Jun pursed his lips slightly. “You certainly do not doubt the Divine’s ability to manipulate space and time, just as you traveled to this era. The Divine also chose a leader for this Shenggui Jun—that leader was Sun Wu and Wu Qi.”

“Sun Wu! Sun Wu and Wu Qi?”

Donghai Jun continued, “That Sun Wu and Wu Qi were undoubtedly great military strategists in history. However, the Divine did not expect that upon their revival, they would have absolutely no interest in warfare and could not lead such a bloodthirsty force. Therefore, the Divine chose a mere foot soldier who spent constant time near them to be the commander, naming him Sun Wu.”

“Hah…” Ye Xiu sucked in a sharp breath. He never imagined the mighty Qin relied on such a terrifying army to dominate the world. “If the Divine is so omnipotent, why does he need to choose a representative to come to this world? Why choose me?”

Donghai Jun stopped speaking, turned around, and stared intently at Ye Xiu.

“If they need to fight, they have the Shenggui Jun; if they need talent, they have Zhang Liang and many others. Why choose me, and why choose me from my era?” Ye Xiu’s temper flared, and all his previous dissatisfaction surged out.

“The Divine also has secrets he does not wish most people to know; the Divine is not omnipotent!” Donghai Jun remained composed; his expression showed little change from before. “The Divine believes he needs your help, and you will surely be able to do something for him. In return, he can grant you everything.”

“And what about you? Donghai Jun Peng Zu! Aren’t you the legendary figure known as ‘Rénmài’ (Intermediary/Connection)? Did the Divine grant you such immense benefits that you serve as his slave?”

Donghai Jun sighed, a slight glimmer appearing in his eyes. “Later generations call me Rénmài. What benefit do you think the Divine bestowed upon me?”