The meaning of Lin Qian's words was clear. Tongzi Xuan and the people of Ren Island now fully understood what their island lord's master intended for them.
From this moment on, the Chaotic Star Sea would be wiped away, leaving only the Xinghai Province of the Hua Xia Empire.
"Your Majesty, do you mean to unify the entire Chaotic Star Sea?" Tongzi Xuan, after listening to Lin Qian's words, was momentarily stunned, but quickly recovered.
Now, he understood that the conversation he was having with his master was not a private matter but one of state affairs, and thus the way he addressed his master should change accordingly.
Lin Qian nodded, looking at his disciple. "The Chaotic Star Sea is nothing but a wasteland. The major powers have deliberately left it alone, letting the most vile criminals gather here simply for convenience."
Lin Qian deeply agreed with this. If the major powers were to capture all the dangerous criminals, it would undoubtedly require a massive expenditure of effort and resources.
Especially when dealing with highly dangerous individuals, the cost would be even greater.
Thus, it was far easier for them to create places like the Chaotic Star Sea and the Wastelands, where these criminals could be abandoned to kill each other, saving time and energy.
As for the occasional dangerous criminals who would return from these places to wreak havoc, that was considered a minor issue.
However, the Hua Xia Empire, which Lin Qian envisioned, was different from other powers. Not only was its strength unparalleled, but its governance would also be on a whole different level. Lin Qian had no fear of such criminals.
Moreover, Lin Qian saw no reason for these wastelands to continue existing. Letting such fertile lands go to waste was a complete travesty.
The vast Chaotic Star Sea had the potential to be far more valuable. Its summer beauty and its breathtaking islands would be much more pleasing than the violence and chaos it was known for.
Rather than having his disciple and the people of Ren Island relocate to the Hua Xia Empire, it would be far more practical to turn the land they already lived on into part of the empire.
"But Master, while I'm capable of handling small matters, leading troops into battle is beyond me. I fear I may fail at such an important task." Although Tongzi Xuan agreed with his master's vision, he couldn't help but worry that he might not live up to his master's expectations.
Seeing his disciple's hesitation, Lin Qian frowned and scolded him, "Tongzi Xuan, being weak and indecisive is not benevolence. Do you understand?"
"When the time comes, you won't be fighting alone. Many generals of the Imperial Army and the Beast Army will assist you. You will learn from them as you fight alongside them."
"Remember, unifying the Chaotic Star Sea is merely a lesson for you. It's not as difficult as you think. Understand?"
Lin Qian's words brought clarity to Tongzi Xuan. At the same time, he couldn't help but feel amazed at his master's confidence. Only someone like his master could make unifying the Chaotic Star Sea sound like a mere lesson.
"Master, if this is just a lesson, then what is a true war?" Tongzi Xuan asked curiously, sensing that his master viewed the unification of the Chaotic Star Sea as something trivial.
Seeing the confused look in Tongzi Xuan's eyes, Lin Qian sighed deeply, his expression becoming serious as he pointed upwards. "That, up there, is the real problem."
When Lin Qian pointed upwards, Tongzi Xuan and the others immediately turned serious, their expressions darkening. The black shadow looming above them had indeed cast a shadow over their hearts.
The days of fighting the undead army still felt fresh in their memories. Facing those inhuman creatures had left an indelible mark on their minds, and even now, thinking back on it made their hearts race with fear.
Those undead soldiers were not only incredibly powerful but also incredibly resilient. Aside from skeletons, which could be stopped by destroying their skulls, the corpses and revenants could only be stopped by destroying their hearts.
As a result, fighting them was extremely difficult. Even if their heads were cut off, they would still attack.
Reflecting on this, Tongzi Xuan realized that, as his master had said, facing the undead army was indeed the true war.
Lin Qian, sitting at the head of the table, showed a hint of frustration as he thought about the undead army.
The infusion of death energy had caused the strength of the undead army to constantly grow, making them more powerful with each passing day. If this continued, their strength would rise rapidly.
With his current power, Lin Qian wasn't certain that even the combined forces of the Imperial Army and the Beast Army could easily crush the undead army once their strength reached a new level.
There was even a possibility of experiencing defeat for the first time, a scenario Lin Qian could not tolerate.
If the Imperial Army and the Beast Army were to suffer defeat on any battlefield, it wouldn't just be one lost battle. The civilians they protected would face heavy casualties as a result.
Since Lin Qian had established the Hua Xia Empire on the Soul Martial Continent, he had silently vowed to protect every citizen of the empire.
If he couldn't ensure their safety and they had to face such devastating losses, then what was the point of the Hua Xia Empire existing?
Furthermore, the empire he had painstakingly built would weaken significantly, a situation that Lin Qian, a fan of building and nurturing strength, would never accept.
In his philosophy, building only meant constant improvement and growth—there was no room for regression!
"Strength must be increased immediately!" With this thought, Lin Qian silently made up his mind. Even though it was only a possibility, Lin Qian refused to tolerate any chance of failure. Therefore, he called upon his disciple, Tongzi Xuan, to give him detailed instructions.
Lin Qian planned to send Tongzi Xuan a force of 300,000 Imperial Army and Beast Army troops, along with twenty-four military generals, six civil officers, thirty-six beast commanders, one hundred airships, two hundred Soul Cannons, and numerous other soul-powered weapons.
Personnel from the Engineering Department and the Fireworks Division would also be included. Lin Qian believed that with this force, Tongzi Xuan would have everything he needed to conquer the Chaotic Star Sea.
Additionally, Lin Qian ordered the Engineering Department to create a custom-tailored cultivation technique for Tongzi Xuan. He also promised that any subordinate who contributed greatly would receive generous rewards.
As Tongzi Xuan reviewed the new cultivation technique, he was utterly speechless. Previously, he had thought that the technique his master had given him was already excellent. Now, he realized how narrow his perspective had been.
When he saw the 300,000 soldiers and the airships hovering in the sky, his mind went completely blank.
With such a force at his disposal, Tongzi Xuan thought that even an idiot could conquer the entire Chaotic Star Sea.
After giving all these instructions, Lin Qian began his return journey to the Eastern Continent.
However, along the way, something strange caught his attention, causing him to stop and examine it closely.