My military branches can Evolve Infinitely

Chapter 962: Chapter 518 Wholesale Recruitment Order, The Core of the Advanced Trial (4K)_2

So profound.

…

After leaving the arena, Mu Yuan exchanged a batch of items and blueprints at the Taixuan Alliance’s exchange point in the Capital City and then returned to Tianyuan City through the Starry Sky Gate.

The dusk had not yet fallen.

“Teleportation is indeed convenient,” he mused.

“Even if Isloa only had this teleportation ability, her status would be enough to be considered a Legendary Life.”

In Taixuan, only the Capital City, a few official major cities, and the frontline battle zones are equipped with teleportation arrays.

The Lord of Han Yue City must have traveled by teleportation array this time.

However, Taixuan’s teleportation arrays are not only scarce in number and incapable of mass teleportation but also consume a huge amount of energy when activated. Aside from emergencies, the arrays are only opened at specific times.

Unlike Isloa’s Starry Sky Gate, which is conveniently available to be opened and closed at any time.

Still, the Starry Sky Gate shares the common limitation—or, rather, characteristic—of the teleportation array: the more people and items teleported, the more energy consumed and the greater the load on the array.

Thus, Mu Yuan took only a small number of items and blueprints with him on the return trip.

The materials he purchased in bulk with Contribution Points and Soul Crystals had to be sent to Shiling City in batches by the Steel Train. There, the Tianyuan Caravan stationed in Shiling City would then transport the supplies back to Tianyuan City.

“Rumble—”

“Rumble—”

Outside of Tianyuan City, roaring sounds could be heard from time to time as Duo Lai was relocating veins of ore.

It had already shifted twenty to thirty veins of ore—Soul Sand Mines, Black Iron Mines, Red Copper Mines, and so on—nearby Tianyuan City using great power.

After this grand relocation, the number of mines under Tianyuan City’s jurisdiction had increased rather than decreased.

These veins were located outside the city, from one hundred to two hundred kilometers away, so they were not inside Tianyuan City and required warriors to be stationed there. But now, since the mines were not far from the city, in case of an enemy attack, the Tianyuan powerhouses could arrive in an instant, substantially reducing the pressure on defense.

“A certain distance must be maintained between veins,” Mu Yuan reflected.

“Different types of veins might even interfere with each other, so planning their placement is also a profound science.”

Isloa had no experience in this area.

Mu Yuan had brought back some reference books. Although most contained only rudimentary information, he thought that the capable Isloa would surely be able to handle it.

Therefore, the veins could not be placed too closely together.

“If the size of Tianyuan Territory could expand to several hundred kilometers away, then a unified defense system could also be built.”

This was a distant goal.

But upgrading the territory level and expanding the territory size was not far off.

It was what Mu Yuan planned to do.

He took out the items he had exchanged for with a large number of Contribution Points, one by one.

‘Refugee Recruitment Order (Excellence)’

‘Description: Depending on the level of development and the number of Guiding Landmarks in the territory, using this recruitment order can attract 200 to 2000 Territory Citizens.’

‘This recruitment order has no side effects.’

‘Note: The number of recruited refugees may also be related to the current world situation.’

Before, Mu Yuan had used recruitment coupons with side effects.

After Tianyuan City advanced to LV5, there was a prolonged period when the population did not increase.

Even now, the total population (Territory Citizens) of Tianyuan City was only just over fifty thousand, even after he continuously erected guiding markers.

“Advancing to a Level 6 Territory requires eighty thousand Territory Citizens.”

“Advancing to a Level 7 Territory requires three hundred thousand Territory Citizens.”

Aside from the strict requirement of the number of Territory Citizens, which required time to accumulate, he had already met all necessary conditions. The shortfall was in this time-consuming accumulation of citizens.

Naturally attracting refugees yielded limited numbers.

Hence, he turned to items.

Such recruitment orders, not being hot-selling items, only required 10,000 Contribution Points to exchange, and there was also a considerable supply available.

But Mu Yuan had exchanged a total of 220.

He went all out on the purchase.

The official in charge even repeatedly asked, “Are you sure you want to exchange for this many recruitment orders?”

Even Mu the Commander, who had just earned a large sum of Contribution Points, wouldn’t dare to spend like this.

Spending money on population in this manner, the cost-effectiveness was not high.

No, it was very low.

Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many available refugee recruitment orders on the platform.

Some lords were even worried about having too many people in their territories to support.

“But for me, elevating my territory from LV5 to LV7 is worth more than obtaining one or two Epic Treasures.”

“Upon upgrading the territory, not only does the scope of the territory expand and the Territorial Power increase, but various Miracle Buildings also receive a degree of enhancement.”

In comparison, the Epic Treasures that could be exchanged for 220,000 Contribution Points were just mediocre, and he no longer found them appealing.

It had been over half a year since Tianyuan City was promoted to a Level 5 small city territory.

Currently, Tianyuan City covered an extensive area, with residential districts being built one after another. The newly constructed residences could accommodate nearly a hundred thousand people.

Compared to the time it was promoted to LV5, now Tianyuan City had no need to rush to accommodate the influx of refugees.

However, to completely utilize these 220 refugee recruitment orders would still take quite some time.

“So, this honorable mission shall be entrusted to…”

…

After assigning the appropriate tasks to his lieutenants, Mu Yuan went straight to the Lord’s Altar and took out the Trial Key.

He entered the Lord’s purview, overlooking the surroundings.

Tianyuan City remained calm and peaceful, and outside the fortress of Dragon Head Mountain, only sparse waves of enemies assailed them.

But such tranquility could be shattered at any moment.

“It’s time to go.”

“This trial that requires a special item to unlock, let’s see what secrets it holds.”

‘Ding!’

‘Prompt: You have used the special item “Trial Key”; the gate to the Trial Secret Realm has opened, please enter promptly.’

‘Prompt: You have “1” attempt for this trial of the Secret Realm. You may exit at any time, and your performance will be evaluated upon exit.’

Mu Yuan walked through the golden whirlpool gate, stepping into a realm beyond words, seemingly without time and space.

If there were a comparison, it was somewhat akin to the Land of Origin!

‘Ding!’

‘Prompt: Advanced Trial has begun.’

‘Prompt: No troops can be dispatched in this trial, and the use of Epic Level or higher equipment and items is prohibited.’

The heavens and earth began to change.

Time began to flow, space was no longer stagnant, and light and darkness emerged.

In the blink of an eye, the surroundings transformed into a valley enveloped by fierce winds.

The Green Wind converged above, forming a row of large characters.

‘Discern the wind, perceive the wind, find the exit of the valley and walk out to proceed to the next challenge.’

“Whooosh~!”

The howling wind was like numerous sharp knives.

The wind blades struck the ground and mountain walls, emitting clangs like metal against metal.

Mu Yuan saw countless scratches on the surrounding cliff faces, marks made by the fierce winds.

“These Wind Blades are strong; each is as powerful as a full force strike from a Fourth-Order Leader.”

And there were far more than just ten or a hundred or a thousand Wind Blades howling before him.

A Fourth-Order Limit entering this place would not last long before meeting their end; only those at the Legendary Realm could survive here for a longer period.

“To find the exit of the valley, huh?”

There was a dead end behind him.

Ahead, the valley forked, likely with even more branches within each path.

He needed to find a way out while being slashed by the violent winds.

“Is that all there is to it?”

“No, there’s more to it.”

Mu Yuan closed his eyes; through the concept of wind between heaven and earth, he could clearly discern that the wind in the valley was growing stronger.

Perhaps at this moment the Heaven and Earth Realm could resist.

In a while, only a Peak Heaven and Earth Realm, Soul Realm, or Peak Divine Soul Realm would be able to endure.

His time was limited.

The longer he delayed, the stronger the storm would grow, and the more difficult his progress would become.

“To leave the valley within the time limit, that is the rule.”

“Powerful challengers can withstand stronger storms and have more time; this is also quite reasonable.”

So how should one advance through the challenge?

Method one: Forceful breakthrough.

The raging winds and Wind Blades are all wind, as long as he used overwhelmingly powerful attacks to split the storm, or opened a Perfect Domain to forcibly suppress it, he could naturally move unimpeded and quickly find the exit.

But,

“I can force my way through this challenge, but what about the next one, and the one after that?”

“To go further, one must understand the rules of the Advanced Trial and act accordingly.”

Advance refers to advancing the stages of the Lord’s Power.

The challenge also hinted at discerning and perceiving the wind.

Mu Yuan closed his eyes.

But the wind was violent, and the Wind Element Particles between heaven and earth seemed like a bunch of unruly fellows, moving in disarray.

It wasn’t easy to dismantle such wind.

So, he didn’t bother to dismantle it!

“Load Jun module.”

Jun had three Epic Abilities: Wind Trace, Soaring Nine Heavens, and Sigh of the Wind God.

Mu Yuan transformed as if he became the Wings of the Wind King.

The winds of heaven and earth became docile before him; the storm no longer appeared chaotic, but instead had distinct traces and trajectories.

No storm could stop the flight of the Wings of the Wind King!

They were the favorites of the Wind God, kings among the wind.

Mu Yuan rode the wind, hands in his pockets as he went with the flow, in a blink arriving at the mouth of the valley.