Heaven's Devourer Chapter 0709: Burning Skies Barracks

Morning, the next day. Gathering at the courtyard.
Yuan Xunyu was strutting with hands clasped behind his back, trying to raise the suspense. When everyone was gathered, he coughed twice and smiled wryly. "It's a bright and early morning, and I already have two pieces of good news! Both will greatly affect everyone's careers as dark north soldiers. Are you excited?"
"Yes, Sir!" Everyone gave him face.
Yuan Xunyu was very satisfied, and continued, "The first piece of good news is that last night, I spent my whole night appealing to the chiliarch, both with pathos and logos. Because there are strong soldiers from our squad, and because I am eloquent, the chiliarch eventually agreed to let us enter the Alternate World to train and carry out missions for merits!"
Everyone cheered at this announcement. After becoming dark north soldiers, everyone wanted to go to the Alternate World. After all, it was just too boring out here.
"Everyone wants to go to the Alternate World, and no one wants to stay here. Everyone has to know that appealing to enter to the Alternate World is not easy. I talked my tongue off before the chiliarch finally consented...." Yuan Xunyu self-centeredly rambled on.
However, everyone knew the truth of the matter, and still patronized him a little.
This news was what Wu Yu had expected. He had already made preparations for the Alternate World.
He discovered that Yuan Xunyu was sneaking a few more looks at him today. Newfound respect?
"That's right. Centurion, you said you had two pieces of good news. What's the second?" someone asked.
Yuan Xunyu prolonged the moment, making them guess. Everyone had a shot, but no one got it. Finally, he reluctantly said, "Everyone knows that the previous dark north general the Blood Soul Barracks has reached the Dao Querying Three Disasters Realm. He has earned enough merits, therefore rising to become a dark sea general, and he has left for the core of the Dark Sea Army. In these few months, our Blood Soul Barracks has had no new dark north general."
Hearing this, everyone knew that this had to be related to the new dark north general.
Decarch, centurion, chiliarch - they were basically small ranks within the same larger tier.
Dark north general, dark sea general, dark sky general, that was another major tier.
This meant that the leap from chiliarch to dark north general was tremendous. Those like Black Skeleton were probably gunning for this leap to dark north general.
However, Black Skeleton currently did not have the ability and merits to qualify to be a dark north general.
"The good news is! From today onwards, the Blood Soul Barracks has a new dark north general! And from today onwards, the Blood Soul Barracks will formally change our name! As for our new dark north general and new name, follow me to the Blood Soul Arena! Once at the Blood Soul Arena, we will welcome our new dark north general, and everyone will know who it is!"
Yuan Xunyu's words fired them up. A few of the veterans knew the feeling of a barracks with no dark north general, and how important it was to have one. Without a dark north general, it was like a headless dragon. If you were bullied by others, there was no one who could stand up for you.
A dark north general was the core of a barracks.
This meant that they would have to go to the Blood Soul Arena before they could leave for the Alternate World.
Wu Yu was a little miffed. He had no interest in the new dark north general.
However, Yuan Xunyu was already leading the squad towards the Blood Soul Arena. The Blood Soul Arena was actually a huge courtyard, at least 100 times bigger than the one at the Yuan Dark Squad.
All 10,000 Primordial Spirit Transformation Realm dark north soldiers of the Blood Soul Barracks were gathered here. The appointment of a new dark north general meant that even those who were secluded, in the Alternate World, or serving at the Dark North Royal Region would all make their way back.
Wu Yu and the others had been in camp, and had not known how huge the movement was to get everyone back.
Of course, they did not dare to be resentful, because a majority of them were also waiting for the new dark north general to be appointed. A new dark north general could help them fight for better missions, for more merits, and, consequently, more resources exchanged. In these few months without a dark north general, they had clearly felt that they had lost out to others in terms of resources and missions, compared to the Blood Soul Barracks of the past.
This was a cause for celebration!
Wu Yu and the others were one of the earlier ones to reach the Blood Soul Arena.
But there were already 5,000 people here! This was his first time seeing more than 5,000 Primordial Spirit Transformation Realm cultivators gathered, all of them experts of the Seven Immortals of Shushan's level. This was an awe-inspiring sight.
Even Liu Qing and the others were moved at this scene, their eyes wide.
The numbers continued to swell.
More than 5000 people, all wearing the Dark Sea Battle Armor. An ice-cold killer atmosphere filled the Blood Soul Arena. The floor was stained red, a garish complement that made them seem like they were on the verge of war.
The murderous aura silenced the entire expanse.
Although there were thousands gathered here, not a single sound was made. Everyone stood serious. There was no chatter. This was their military bearing.
A cultivator army of over 10,000, each one at the Primordial Spirit Transformation Realm. This sort of group was what Wu Yu wished to lead.
Seemed a fine thing to become a dark north general.
When they arrived, Yuan Xunyu spotted the Blood Soul Barracks. Right now, the Blood Soul Barracks had 10 chiliarchs, and these 10 chiliarchs stood before their own contingent.
After spotting Black Skeleton, Yuan Xunyu and a few other centurions stood behind Black Skeleton, while the decarchs led their ordinary dark north soldiers to line up behind them. Basically, there were 10 lines behind each chiliarch, with 100 soldiers in each.
Black Skeleton's contingent had gathered recently, and therefore was the fastest to assemble. The other contingents were still flying in from outside, and therefore required some time. In this time, the dark north general did not make an appearance, so they could only stand around and wait.
On such an occasion, everyone managed to keep their silence.
Wu Yu saw that this was going to take some time, and he could not do anything about it. Since they could go to the Alternate World soon, he spent the time with his eyes shut, mastering mystiques and going over spirit designs in his mind.
A full half day had passed. Finally, at noon, the 10,000-strong army of the Blood Soul Barracks were all present.
At this time, the 10 chiliarchs stood before their contingents, speaking to them.
"The dark north general will appear soon. Everyone should know what to do."
"Yes, Sir!"
All the dark north soldiers looked towards the palace in front, their eyes shining with anticipation. Actually, the dark north general had been inside the whole time.
Since their numbers were all here, the dark north general would show himself. He transformed into a beam of light and flew out from the palace, hovering in the air before them.
Their first thought was: this dark north general is really young!
Those that reached the dark north general level were mostly middle-aged, having cultivated for over 200 years. They might even be elderly. Who would have thought that this dark north general would be a youth!
A youth, which meant that he was a genius!
Such a caliber of dark north general meant that they had high status, which meant that they were in luck. Such a dark north general would have a huge advantage in the contest for resources.
And many quickly recognized who it was.
Wu Yu's Eyes of Fire and Gold immediately spotted him when he appeared. Actually, he could roughly guess from the timeline already. That person had said before that he would enter the Dark Sea Army as a dark north general.
That's right, it was the son of the Li Heavenly Province's provincial lord, Duan Yi.
He had been assigned here as their dark north general.
In truth, he did not have the merits in the Dark Sea Army, but the Dark Sea Army had a rule that those who contributed greatly in other armies could be dispatched to the Dark Sea Army to serve.
Duan Yi had laid down huge accomplishments in the Li Heavenly Province Guard, and his ability was sufficient. There was no problem with him taking up the appointment of dark north general.
Of course, Wu Yu did not really care who became the dark north general. Unless Duan Yi decided to target him.
He naturally was distant with Wu Yu. Back when they had met at Violet Hill City, he clearly knew who Wu Yu was, but had not even looked at him from start to end, let alone pay attention to him. Clearly, he was unhappy with the relationship between Wu Yu and Princess You Xue. He was one of the suitors for Princess You Xue, and his reputation was even better than Yin Xuan's.
"Hail the dark north general!" At this time, all of the dark north soldiers took a knee as they roared in unison. The roar of 10,000 Primordial Spirit Transformation Realm cultivators shook the entire Blood Soul Barracks.
Wu Yu had followed suit. He was of military birth, and such courtesies were no trouble at all.
Duan Yi's voice rang out clearly. "Rise, everyone!"
The 10,000 dark north soldiers were exuberant at such a time, but their dark north general was even more forceful, and so his voice boomed out solidly as well.
Enough to shock them all.
"Perhaps many of you already recognize me. I am from the Li Heavenly Province, and my name is Duan Yi. I have been cultivating for more than 70 years, and am a ninth tier Primordial Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator. Although I am not yet at the level of the previous dark north general, I, Duan Yi, am confident in creating a better reputation and a brighter future for our barracks!
"I will not blab on. From today onwards, we will change our name from the Blood Soul Barracks to the Burning Skies Barracks! The Blood Soul Arena will become the Burning Skies Arena!"
Having announced this, he dismissed them. His way of command was just like how he had dispatched the sinister dragon. Clean and fast.
The dark north soldiers had yet to respond, and he had already vanished. The previous dark north general had gone on for half the day.
As he vanished back into the palace, Wu Yu watched with his Eyes of Fire and Gold.
Although they were very far away, in that instant, Wu Yu saw that there were others in the palace.
It was in the instant that Duan Yi had thrown open the doors and entered that Wu Yu saw a few people inside. Although the doors closed swiftly, but Wu Yu saw them clearly.
Gong Shenjun was amongst them.
The others were familiar faces as well.
It was the bunch that Gong Xingwei had called for yesterday on the street.
"So Duan Yi is also connected to them. Of course they belong to the same circle. It's only natural that they know each other and are connected."
At this time, Yuan Xunyu said to his people, "Let's go! To the Alternate World!"