When he reached the courtyard, Zhou Fan put up the items he bought and went straight to his room. He hadn't cultivated seriously in a while and felt excited to do it again. He decided to spend four days cultivating before the empire's soldiers arrived.
Although he wouldn't be able to make too much improvement, he could probably break into the 4th level. Not wasting any time, Zhou Fan sat on his bed and got into a meditation position.
While cultivating, time flew past and before he knew it, 4 days had passed.
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Zhou Fan stood up from his bed and stretched his body that hadn't moved in 4 days. He noticed that it was getting much easier to get into a state where time moves extremely fast.
After the four days, he had broken into the 4th level of core formation. Unfortunately, Zhou Fan only made it to around 25% to the next level.
It seemed that cultivation was going to keep getting harder and harder. After a couple more realms, it might take 100 years to break through. Thinking that far, Zhou Fan hoped that his lifespan would also increase. Otherwise, his life would end before he knew it.
After thinking, Zhou Fan went outside and saw Yipeng. Throughout the last four days, Zhou Fan would subconsciously see him walk past him to get food before leaving for the rest of the day. Zhou Fan assumed that he had been meeting up with his friends at the park.
Zhou Fan did tell Yipeng that he would be meditating for four days straight beforehand, therefore, he wasn't worried for him.
After a quick chat, Zhou Fan learned that the army hadn't arrived just yet but should be here any minute. Hearing that, he walked over to the city gates and saw the people who hadn't evacuated lining the city walls. Zhou Fan went up the stairs and arrived there in order to see what was going on.
When he arrived, he noticed the sudden silence. He looked out of the city and was awed at the sight before him. In the distance, a mass of black dots was making its way to the city. Such a scene would strike fear into anyone's heart. Looking at them, Zhou Fan wasn't sure if he could defeat them with his current strength. He estimated that he should be able to win at 6th realm core formation.
However, such thoughts did nothing to quell the slight fear in his heart. Even now, he wasn't invincible. However, he might be once he reaches the realm after core formation. Thinking of that, Zhou Fan was extremely excited. The day when he could walk through the world unmatched is near.
It wasn't long before the ground started to shake. Most people fled from the city walls since they felt it was going to fall down. Some people such as Zhou Fan chose to stay up there because they knew it wouldn't fall.
When the army reached the city, it sent a few people towards it before it circled around the wall. Looking at the army up close, Zhou Fan started to count. Even with his current brain, it still took two minutes before he came up with a number. 10 million! Many were riding horses while many others held a sword or a bow and marched.
The army only stopped when they were defending the spot that the truth empire would come towards. It was then that they started to set up camp while a group of 200 rode towards the city. The people who had come earlier were here to deliver news.
However, Zhou Fan could tell from afar that this group was different. In the back, 150 men with medals across their uniforms rode. In the middle, 49 crowned men rode. Finally, leading the group, a man with a much more elegant crown rode. When Zhou Fan saw him, he instantly recognized him.
The boundless emperor! Emperor of the boundless empire. Behind him rode 49 of the 150 kings of the empire and behind them were the greatest generals in the empire.
It didn't take long before they reached the gate. Everyone within their sight kneeled in respect. After all, they wouldn't even dare stand in the presence of a king, much less the emperor and 49 kings.
Since they were far away from them on the city walls, few people bothered kneeling. Zhou Fan was one of the ones who stood. In fact, even if the emperor were right in front of him, Zhou Fan wouldn't kneel.
Although he wasn't exactly a prideful person, it seemed shameful to the name of a cultivator to kneel.
The emperor passed through the city without stopping and went right to the mayor's house. The mayor was one of the few people who had to stay behind regardless of their personal reasons or feelings.
He greeted the emperor at the manors' gate and led him inside along with the 49 kings. The generals stayed outside and guarded the area, although unecessary.
That was all Zhou Fan could see as he once again looked at the 10 million strong army outside the city walls. By now, they had mostly set up camp.
Since the great arriving had finished, Zhou Fan went back to his courtyard. When he got back, he explained to Yipeng what he had missed. Yipeng was awed at the description of the 10 million strong army and the arrival of the emperor. He was also feeling regretful that he didn't go and instead went to the park to see his friends.
After their chat, Zhou Fan went inside and started cultivating. Although he wouldn't reach the 5th level in the remaining 3 days, Zhou Fan still chose to make some progress.
2 days passed in a flash and Zhou Fan decided to spend the last day before the war looking around the city.
He walked into shops he had never entered before and visited the places he hadn't seen. After all, Zhou Fan had no idea whether the city would still be here after the war. It wasn't long before night fell and Zhou Fan cultivated once again.
Finally, at 10 o'clock in the morning, Zhou Fan felt the ground shake.