With a hopeful anticipation for the establishment of the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty, Ying Zheng ordered someone to bring a large vat of water.
This was something he had ordered people to measure beforehand.
Using a full scoop (about 50 grams) per person as the standard, he measured out the amount for ten thousand people.
He added a few extra portions on top of the ten thousand-person amount to prevent any shortages during the process.
He ordered Wang Ben to directly carry the vat of water onto the stage, placing it firmly in front of him.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Ying Zheng took out a pill and dropped it into the vat of water.
The pill dissolved upon contact with the water, instantly spreading its medicinal power evenly throughout the vat.
The vat of water now contained the dissolved power of the Wan Hua Xian Lu pill.
Ying Zheng looked down at the crowd and ordered Meng Tian and Wang Ben to each summon five of their chosen thousand-man commanders from their five thousand elite soldiers.
Ten thousand-man commanders responded to the order and ascended to the stage.
With the steady hands of the palace attendants, ten full scoops of the potion were ladled out from the vat into ten bowls, which were then distributed to the ten thousand-man commanders.
Seeing that the ten thousand-man commanders had received their bowls and were awaiting orders, Ying Zheng directly instructed them:
"Drink the potion, not a single drop left."
The ten thousand-man commanders didn't hesitate. They tilted their heads back and drank the potion in their bowls, not a drop wasted.
Since the emperor had specifically emphasized "not a single drop left", they were extra careful as they drank, making sure not to waste a single drop of the potion.
The 50 milliliters of potion was just a bowlful. The group finished it in a few gulps, and as soon as they returned the bowls to the palace attendants, they felt a warm current surging through their bodies, from their limbs to every part of their being.
The ten thousand-man commanders all looked surprised and didn't forget to report back to Ying Zheng.
After the ten of them had consumed the potion and its medicinal power had started to take effect, Ying Zheng gave another order to Meng Tian and Wang Ben:
"Each of you will lead five thousand-man commanders and teach them the first four realms of the True Dragon Body Tempering Technique, while the power of the potion is still active.
"Once the thousand-man commanders reach the Bone Forging Realm, they will each lead ten hundred-man commanders, who will then drink the potion and learn the technique from them.
"After the hundred-man commanders reach the Bone Forging Realm, they will teach the ten-man commanders, and the ten-man commanders will teach the soldiers.
"I have provided the pills, and you have the technique. I want you two to create a ten-thousand-strong army of soldiers who have all reached the Bone Forging Realm, as quickly as possible.
"These ten thousand elite soldiers will all be chosen based on their military merit.
"They will be enhanced by the potion first, and then they will repay the value of the potion with military merit after they become an army.
"As for the rest..."
He looked down at the two columns of ten thousand soldiers who had not been selected.
After a pause, he continued:
"...they can also watch and learn the True Dragon Body Tempering Technique from the side.
"From this day forward, the first four realms of the True Dragon Body Tempering Technique can be taught throughout the entire army.
"The fifth realm and beyond of the technique, as well as the pills and potion used to enhance cultivation, will all be exchanged with military merit in the future."
Ying Zheng's orders were issued, and Meng Tian and Wang Ben responded with a bow.
The officers below were slightly stunned, but they quickly reacted as well.
His Majesty's words were an order to General Meng and General Wang.
They were also an explanation to them.
Thinking back to the scene of His Majesty soaring into the air and riding a dragon, none of the officers doubted the "True Dragon Body Tempering Technique" mentioned by His Majesty.
Even though they clearly heard that the two generals were teaching only the first four realms of the technique, how ordinary could the first four realms of a divine technique that allowed one to ride a dragon and soar through the air be?
If they could master it, they would be invincible in battle against enemy troops, wouldn't they?
Upon hearing this, thinking about this, the officers were filled with burning ambition.
Their eyes filled with reverence and faith, they looked at the majestic and powerful figure on the stage, and they cried out in unison:
"Wind! Wind! Great Wind!"
They were soldiers, generals.
They couldn't offer advice or help govern the empire for His Majesty.
But they were willing to be arrows in His Majesty's hands, utilizing the force of the wind to achieve victory.
Where their arrows pointed, that would be the territory of Qin under His Majesty's rule!
At this moment.
At home.
Looking at the scene of ten thousand soldiers shouting in unison on the live stream, seeing the fire and faith in the eyes of the thirty thousand soldiers, Li Yi couldn't help but exclaim:
"An army like this, how could it not be invincible?
"To be able to nurture such morale and military soul, it's no wonder that Great Qin was able to conquer the six kingdoms and unify China."
Lan Xing, who was sitting at her desk across from him, writing and drawing, looked up at him and asked, "What do you mean by 'no wonder'?"
"I mean, with an army like that, it's no wonder Great Qin could conquer the six kingdoms and unify China."
Then, he remembered that he was watching the live stream on the chat group, so Lan Xing hadn't seen it.
He saved the recorded video onto his phone, opened the video and said, "I forgot you didn't see it.
"I just recorded it, the living Great Qin iron cavalry. Do you want to see it?"
Lan Xing didn't say anything, she just got up and walked towards him.
Li Yi shifted to the side to make room for her, letting his fellow Blue Academy scholar sit next to him.
He clicked on the video and showed her the recording.
After watching it, Lan Xing nodded in agreement with Li Yi.
"They follow orders implicitly, their momentum is like a rainbow, their iron-blooded military soul has been forged in countless wars.
"These tens of thousands of Qin soldiers are no weaker than any modern army I've seen.
"Especially the ten thousand elite soldiers selected from among them, many of whom, even if they didn't have the advantage of modern weaponry, would be difficult to defeat even by the top special forces soldiers in various military districts.
"With an army of 30,000, if they don't rely on the firepower suppression of modern weapons, this army would be enough to fight any modern army without losing or winning.
"And those ten thousand elite soldiers, especially those in the front line, are like a modern army's special forces. If they were to be used in modern wars, even without modern weapons, they would be very powerful. The key is that they are extremely united and have the spirit of not being afraid of death."
Listening to her assessment, Li Yi asked in confusion, "Why is it neither losing nor winning?"
"Because of faith."
Lan Xing gently smoothed down a strand of Li Yi's hair that had stood up because of his poor posture, and smiled:
"This Qin army should have gone through many wars, tempered in countless battles for life and death.
"The army's military soul has already been forged.
"The moment the First Emperor appeared, I saw the reverent faith in their eyes.
"An army like this, as long as the leader doesn't give confusing orders on the battlefield, even if they face an enemy that is several times or even ten times their size, even if they are defeated, they will never retreat before receiving orders to retreat, fighting until the last man stands.
"And modern armies... let's not even talk about other countries.
"Our country, though it hasn't experienced large-scale wars for decades.
"But in the various elite units, the hundred-year-old military soul is still passed down from generation to generation.
"I dare not say that every soldier in every unit would be able to fight to the death without fear, even when facing this Qin army, but only the few elite units I have seen.
"I can say for sure that they have the courage and faith to face their enemies in the face of death and fight to the last man for their country.
"In the absence of firepower suppression from modern weapons, warfare is about morale.
"When two armies of the same size, both capable of fighting to the last man without retreating, clash.
"The slight difference between individuals is negligible in the face of such a large number.
"So, if these two armies were to meet.
"Either they would reach a stalemate and agree to a truce, or they would fight to the last man and die together.
"Even if one side could wipe out the other, the survivors from the other side would not exceed two digits.
"That kind of outcome, not much different from a mutually assured destruction, a fight to the death."