Chapter 951

A fourth-rank battle soldier corresponds to the first layer of the Primordial Foundation realm.

A seventh-rank battle soldier corresponds to the first layer of the Purple Mansion realm.

A first-rank commander corresponds to the first layer of the Primordial Sea realm.

A fourth-rank commander corresponds to the first layer of the Star Wheel realm.

A seventh-rank commander corresponds to the first layer of the Moon Wheel realm.

A first-rank war general corresponds to the first layer of the Sun Wheel realm.

A fourth-rank war general corresponds to the first layer of the Myriad Phenomena realm.

A seventh-rank war general corresponds to the first layer of the Primordial Spirit realm.

To become a first-rank grand general, one must reach the first layer of the Heaven-Man realm.

Looking across the entire Cangling Dynasty, no one meets this standard, so the number of grand generals is zero.

Only the Chancellor Yuwen Feng has reached the standard of a seventh-rank war general.

As for promotion pathways, there are two.

One is cultivation base, the other is battlefield merit!

No family connections are needed—so long as battlefield merit is sufficient, one may rise through the ranks!

Faced with this new military system, everyone in the hall wholeheartedly agreed, praising the King's wisdom.

Then, after Jiang Shan had conferred titles upon the last person, his gaze suddenly fell upon Qin Wang.

Through the immense perception of the Taotie's spiritual sense, he discerned the man's physical condition in an instant.

His blood and qi were decaying, his spirit and mind damaged, his vitality frail, faintly exuding an aura of death.

"His time is near—he will not live beyond three months..."

Jiang Shan's eyes revealed a flicker of understanding.

Had it not been for Daqian's invasion, given his condition, he might have lived at least two more years.

But now, under the crushing pressure from Daqian, his spirit and mind have been shattered, his energy exhausted—he is already at the brink of death!

Upon realizing this, Jiang Shan's gaze flickered, and he immediately devised a plan.

Thus, before all eyes, he spoke slowly: "From this day forth, Wang Bojing of Qin shall be granted the title 'Duke of Qin' of the Cangling Dynasty, holding the rank of duke, with hereditary succession; each inheritance shall descend one rank, stopping at the viscount rank, after which no further descent shall occur—this title shall be passed down through generations!"

(Rank hierarchy: Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, Baron—five tiers)

Considering his voluntary abdication, Jiang Shan had no objection to granting him one final dignity.

As originally promised, he would treat the Qin royal house with kindness.

With no real power, only the honor of a hereditary, descending title, his influence on the Cangling Dynasty is minimal.

It also signals to the other eight states: if they surrender to Cangling, their royal houses may survive, without mass slaughter, and live out their days in peace under Cangling.

Typically, when two states wage war and one falls, the victor almost always exterminates the defeated dynasty's royal family to secure rule and eliminate any lingering threat.

This is why, unless a dynasty is truly at its last gasp, it will never surrender—it will fight to the death!

At that moment, as Jiang Shan's words ended, Duke of Qin Wang Bojing's body trembled instinctively, then he hurriedly knelt and bowed: "Your servant kneels to thank the King!"

With his own formal bestowal, the weight upon his heart finally lifted.

Hereditary title—so long as the Cangling Dynasty endures, the Qin royal house shall endure forever, enjoying eternal glory and wealth!

Seeing this, Jiang Shan nodded slightly.

He then turned to Jiang Xuanji and said gravely: "Xuanji, since you now hold the post of Grand Commandant and command all three armies, you must swiftly mobilize the nation's troops and strive to bring all Daqian territory under our dynasty as soon as possible!"

Dressed in pitch-black battle armor, Jiang Xuanji bowed and replied: "Your servant, at your command!"

Jiang Shan then turned to Yuwen Cheng: "You hold the post of Central Commandant, tasked with maintaining order in the royal city, but now, with external enemies at our gates, I have heard you excel in military formations—so you shall also serve as Deputy Commander of the Three Armies, assisting Xuanji in striking Daqian!"

Seeing his long-awaited chance to act, Yuwen Cheng's face lit with excitement, his blood surging: "Your servant, at your command!"

Jiang Shan sheathed the Imperial Seal, gripped the hilt of the Imperial Sword in his right hand, and raised it to his chest.

He swept his arm.

The razor-sharp tip of the blade pointed far into the distance, revealing overwhelming might!

"My lords, follow me! Crush Daqian, sweep the eight states, forge an eternal, unshakable glory, and achieve a feat unmatched through the ages!"

The moment he finished speaking,

The civil and military officials in the hall all knelt and shouted: "Where the sword points, so goes our heart—we swear to follow the King to the death, and build this great cause together!"

"We swear to follow the King to the death, and build this great cause together!"

"We swear to follow the King to the death, and build this great cause together!"

"We swear to follow the King to the death, and build this great cause together!"

One voice after another rose in succession, deafening and unceasing!

They merged into a single wave of sound, spreading outward, engulfing the entire royal palace!

Then, Jiang Shan slowly lowered the Imperial Sword.

His eyes shone brightly as he gazed into the distance.

He spoke then, in a voice low, heavy, and filled with authority: "March on Daqian!"

"At your command!!"

Several days later.

With the founding of the Cangling Dynasty, the eight states were stunned!

Thanks to its deep reservoir of powerful cultivators and the military formation methods passed down by Jiang Shan, the Cangling army's terrifying battlefield performance shocked the world, instantly reversing the tide and driving Daqian into retreat!

In just a few days, Daqian had returned ninety percent of its occupied territory, retaining only the border prefectures closest to the frontier, such as Fengxian Prefecture.

If Cangling's offensive continues unabated, all could foresee that within three days at most, Daqian's forces would be driven beyond the frontier!

At that point, the roles would reverse—Cangling's army would breach Daqian's frontier and plunge deep into its heartland.

And given the terrifying dominance the Cangling army has displayed so far, breaking through the capital of Da Qian was only a matter of time.