The reconstruction plan had already been put into motion. Scholars from the Ministry of Engineering, along with Gale, were busy surveying the conditions of the 190 states.
The plan would adapt to the specific conditions of each state, tailoring the future construction accordingly. Given that these 190 states had been utterly destroyed, they could now be rebuilt entirely in the image the Huaxia Empire desired.
For example, city planning, road construction, and other infrastructure could be redesigned from scratch. These 190 states could even serve as an experimental ground.
Lin Qian was hard at work reshaping the territories under his control, striving to turn the Huaxia Empire into a high-tech cultivation civilization. Sometimes, starting from scratch was much easier than trying to modify what already existed.
Meanwhile, the Yuan Clan had provided him with intelligence regarding their confrontations with the foreign races along the human borders.
Upon receiving this report, Lin Qian realized that the situation on the borders of human territories was dire.
There were at least a hundred locations where human borders were being attacked by foreign races, and the Yuan Clan alone had been defending all these fronts.
It was clear that the Yuan Clan was incredibly formidable.
However, these attacks were not full-scale assaults by the foreign races. If the foreign races were to launch an all-out offensive against the Huaxia Empire, the situation might be far more uncertain.
But now that the Yuan Clan had the backing of Lin Qian's Huaxia Empire, everything had changed. The empire was the towering tree under which the Yuan Clan could now seek shelter.
Artisans from the Ministry of Fireworks had already set out with the Yuan Clan forces, accompanied by Gale and Nightshade, along with five elite warriors from each of their divisions—all of them Transcendent Realm fighters.
The responsibility of the Ministry of Fireworks' artisans was to help install the Soul Cannons, while Gale and Nightshade's task was to gather intelligence for Lin Qian.
The inevitable war between the Huaxia Empire and the foreign races was only a matter of time. Preparing in advance by collecting intelligence on the foreign races would only benefit the Huaxia Empire.
In the process, they would also be assisting the Yuan Clan. After all, the Yuan Clan was now part of the Huaxia Empire, and Lin Qian could not simply stand by and let his own people die in vain.
Supreme Master Yuan was deeply grateful for Lin Qian's actions, knowing full well the impact these Soul Cannons would have on the survival of the younger members of the Yuan Clan.
In addition, Lin Qian had sent them a large supply of emergency potions, stored with Gale and Nightshade, to be administered to any critically injured Yuan Clan members. This would save lives in dire moments.
Lin Qian was confident that over time, the ordinary members of the Yuan Clan would grow to appreciate and embrace the Huaxia Empire, ultimately recognizing themselves as part of it.
After all, the Yuan Clan was vast. Forcing them all to swear a Heart Demon Oath and join the empire immediately would not be practical.
But once they became part of the Huaxia Empire and experienced life within it, Lin Qian was certain that even if he wanted to drive them away, they wouldn't want to leave.
With this in mind, Lin Qian refocused his thoughts and began discussing with Zhuge Ming how to shape the future of the 190 states.
The first priority was to construct residences. Lin Qian intended to mimic the architectural style of his previous life, building high-rise apartment buildings to conserve land.
Once they obtained time-related tools from the Mall, Lin Qian could construct areas similar to The Valley of Myriad Herbs and Trees throughout the territory.
These areas would be called Agricultural Valleys, where not only medicinal herbs but also edible crops could be grown—essentially, anything useful.
The Ministry of Transportation would also see rapid development. Instead of modifying existing roads, it would be faster to build new ones from scratch.
While Lin Qian was busy managing the reconstruction of the 190 states, a fleet was rapidly approaching the western sea of the Southern Domain, which was part of the Huaxia Empire's territory.
The ships were all constructed from a dark purple wood, cutting through the waves at high speed.
The crew on board were all members of a foreign race with light green skin. Standing on the bow of the lead ship was an elderly figure, his face filled with worry. Beside him stood a middle-aged member of the same race.
"Father, do you think seeking refuge with this Huaxia Empire will work? Will they really accept us?" the middle-aged foreigner asked.
"Though those three were trapped, they didn't seem like liars. Our race has been driven from our lands, and this chaotic sea has already claimed the lives of over ten thousand of our people. It's no longer a place where we can survive," the elder replied. "Our only hope lies with the Huaxia Empire, as mentioned by those three. I hope it's a place where our people can live in peace. This token—let's hope it doesn't let us down." The elder glanced back at his people, who were weary and filled with sorrow.
Many were injured, their eyes dull as they stared at the vast ocean with expressions of despair and loss.
"But Father, can we really trust humans?" the middle-aged foreigner asked, disbelief flickering in his eyes as he looked ahead. "This is human territory, after all, and we are not the same race."
"Prepare yourself, child. We may end up as a vassal race, serving as slaves."
"Slaves... That's a bitter pill to swallow!"
"Living is better than the extermination of our race. Let's hope the ruler of the Huaxia Empire is as benevolent as those three said."
As the two spoke, the water ahead suddenly surged, and several figures emerged from the waves, standing atop the sea.
In an instant, the calm waters erupted into towering waves, forming a massive water wall that stood in the fleet's path.
The fleet was forced to a halt by the enormous waves, and the elder and the middle-aged foreigner stared in surprise at the scene before them.
Standing on the waves were various sea creatures, including the Eight-Armed Sea Clan, Water Spirit Clan, and Giant Claw Clan, as well as the Shell Clan.
At the forefront, a young member of the Eight-Armed Sea Clan fixed them with a piercing gaze, his voice echoing powerfully with soul force. "You have entered the waters of the Huaxia Empire. I am Zhang Zide, General of the Treading Waves Army of the Huaxia Empire. If you move any further, do not blame us for showing no mercy."
"Stop!" Many members of the sea clans echoed the command from atop the waves.
"The Huaxia Empire?" The elder of the foreign race stared in disbelief at the figures ahead. "Isn't the Huaxia Empire a human power?"