"Yes. If Big Brother comes back, everything will definitely turn around. Nothing in this world can stop him!"

Jiang Xiaofan clenched his fists and stared ahead.

In the distance, that crimson figure drew closer and closer.

Flames wrapped around the figure's body. Even from far away, waves of scorching heat rolled forward and pressed down on everyone with suffocating tension.

"This person is very strong! Stronger than me!"

Yuan Tiangang wiped a trace of sweat from his forehead and spoke with a grave expression.

"This person is probably not Ling Feng. It has only been half a year. There is no way he could become this powerful so quickly! Jingwang, make preparations!"

As he spoke, Yuan Tiangang raised his hand and ordered the soldiers to prepare the crystal energy cannons.

If such an expert approached the fortress, a single strike might cause hundreds of casualties.

Even if all the high-ranking generals attacked together, they might not be able to stop him.

"Wait a little longer."

Mo Feng shook his head.

"If this person truly had malicious intent, the eight checkpoints he passed earlier would not have remained completely unharmed."

"That does make sense."

Yuan Tiangang nodded slowly.

"Still, this person is most likely not Ling Feng. Your Highness should not raise your hopes too high."

Even from a thousand zhang away, the pressure made someone like him, a high-tier Human Emperor, feel uneasy. The newcomer was likely a peak Human Emperor.

When Ling Feng left, he was only at the Spiritual Element Realm. Half a year was nowhere near enough time to reach such terrifying strength.

At last, the figure flew close enough.

Ling Feng dispersed the Devouring Flame around his body, revealing his true appearance. He laughed loudly.

"Commander-in-chief, I only just returned. There is no need for such a grand welcome from the entire army! Hahaha!"

"It really is him!"

Yuan Tiangang's pupils shrank. Shock spread across his face.

Only half a year had passed. Just how had this kid trained?

"Big Brother!"

Jiang Xiaofan could no longer hold himself back. He shot into the air and rushed straight toward Ling Feng.

"Big Brother, it really is you!"

"Yes. I'm back."

Ling Feng pressed a hand onto Jiang Xiaofan's shoulder and examined him carefully. Seeing Xiaofan's clear improvement, he nodded with satisfaction.

"Good. You did not disappoint me!"

Jiang Xiaofan had not yet broken through to the Human Emperor, but reaching the peak of the Spiritual Sea Realm at his age already placed him among the top geniuses.

Of course, he possessed the Xuanwu blood. Ordinary cultivators could not compare.

"Everything I have today is thanks to you, Big Brother!"

Jiang Xiaofan's eyes turned red as tears rolled down his face.

"You have no idea. Something huge has happened in the Tianbai Empire!"

He looked at Ling Feng like a child who had finally found someone he could rely on. The tears would not stop.

In Jiang Xiaofan's heart, Ling Feng was his true elder brother. Their bond was even deeper than blood.

"You are already a general now. Why are you crying like this?"

Ling Feng patted his shoulder.

"I already know a little about the situation. Come, let's meet the others."

His gaze shifted toward Mo Feng.

No. He should be called Jingwang now.

The current Mo Feng no longer looked timid. There was a clear aura of a ruler about him. Ling Feng felt genuinely pleased.

Then there was Li Bufan. He seemed far more mature and steady than before. There were dark circles under his eyes though, which likely meant he had not been sleeping well since hearing the news from the imperial capital.

"Everyone, I'm back!"

Ling Feng landed on the city wall.

Amid shocked, astonished, and even stunned gazes, he stood firmly in place.

Yes. He had returned.

And he had returned as a true expert!

"Brother Feng!"

Mo Feng stepped forward excitedly and grabbed Ling Feng's arm tightly.

"Now that you are back, I can finally relax."

"I am glad to see how much you have grown."

Ling Feng smiled faintly.

The old "Feng Mo" would never have had the courage to command the Three Armies, nor the resolve to stand against Yan Jinghong.

"People only grow when they are forced to."

Mo Feng clenched his fists.

"Brother Feng, without you, I would still just be Feng Mo."

He gritted his teeth.

"But this time, I truly have no idea what to do. Thank heaven you came back."

"When a ship reaches the bridge, it will naturally pass."

Ling Feng spoke calmly.

"No matter what the problem is, there is always a solution."

Mo Feng nodded firmly.

With Ling Feng back, he felt as though the backbone of everything had returned. His confidence surged again.

After his initial excitement faded, Li Bufan stepped forward.

"Ling Feng, what level has your cultivation reached now?"

"Yes, General Ling. Your aura is terrifyingly strong!"

Wang Meng, Li Qing, and the other generals of Tianmang Fortress could not help staring at Ling Feng.

Even Yuan Tiangang leaned in slightly, clearly curious.

Ling Feng's cultivation seemed to be early-tier Human Emperor, probably not beyond the fourth level of the Creation Realm. Yet the vitality radiating from him was simply terrifying.

Ling Feng smiled.

"After half a year of training, I finally became a disciple of the Dongling Immortal Pool. My cultivation is now slightly ahead of yours and Xiaofan's. I have reached the third level of the Creation Realm."

He said it casually, as if mentioning something trivial.

"Third level of the Creation Realm..."

Li Bufan studied him carefully, then nodded.

"At least you did not leave us too far behind."

Li Bufan himself had reached the peak of the Spiritual Sea Realm. In terms of actual combat strength, quite a few early-tier Human Emperors in the fortress were no match for him.

After all, he and Jiang Xiaofan both possessed Treasures of Heaven and Earth given by Ling Feng, along with the Sacred Dragon Tyrant-Blood Pill that had transformed their physiques.

Ling Feng smiled lightly.

"You two have improved very quickly as well!"

Technically, he was only an early-tier Human Emperor.

But he had already achieved an emperor-level body. He cultivated qi, body refinement, and spiritual refinement at the same time. Even ordinary early-tier great emperors would not be his match.

Still, there was no need to say that out loud. It might destroy his brothers' motivation to cultivate.

"Only the third level of the Creation Realm?"

Yuan Tiangang wiped sweat from his palms and muttered to himself.

"I don't believe a word of that. This kid always hides his real strength!"

Back when Ling Feng was only at the Spiritual Element Realm, he could already crush king-tier experts and even give early-tier Human Emperors trouble.

Now that he had reached the third level of the Creation Realm, there was probably no one left in the Human Emperor realm who could defeat him.

Old foxes truly were old foxes. His guess was completely correct.

"Let us stop reminiscing for now."

Ling Feng turned toward Yuan Tiangang.

"On my way back from the Dongling Immortal Pool, I gathered quite a bit of information. Commander-in-chief, I would like to hear about the strength of both sides and your plan going forward."

Yuan Tiangang shook his head slowly.

"Boy, you should ask Jingwang about those matters. I am only an old man nearing the end of his years. Everything is decided by His Highness now."

"Oh?"

Ling Feng's eyebrows lifted in surprise.

He had not expected this old fox to truly hand over power.

It seemed that during his absence, the ones who had changed were not just Mo Feng and the others. Even Yuan Tiangang's mindset had shifted quite a bit.