The Peerless Emperor (TPE)

Time flew by unnoticed, and it had already been half a year since Lin Qian had entered the small world.

During this period, the strength of the humans in the "Initial State" had been growing at an astonishing rate, changing day by day.

The severance of their cultivation civilization in the past had left them with a weak foundation, like feeling their way across a river by stepping on stones without any clear guidance or reference.

Lin Qian had even discovered that they had taken many detours or even gone astray on their path of cultivation.

These factors had resulted in the humans of this small world being significantly weaker than they should have been at their respective cultivation levels.

However, with their previously low foundation and strength, their progress now seemed all the more remarkable.

As time passed and they learned more, these humans were filled with emotion, realizing that their bloodline wasn't as weak as they had believed. If their cultivation civilization hadn't been severed, history might have been very different.

Lin Qian could clearly sense the growing confidence of the humans in this small world. Especially after he mentioned that the Giant Goblins and Dwarf Goblins outside this world were merely slaves to humanity, this confidence became even stronger.

Over the course of six months, the humans aboard the warships had completely transformed.

The number of Breakthrough Realm cultivators (comparable to the Nascent Soul stage in other cultivation systems) had increased beyond the four great tribal leaders—Zhao Wei, Qian Ling, Sun Ang, and Li Yi.

Several tribal leaders who had been stuck at the peak of the Nirvana Realm had broken through their bottlenecks with Lin Qian's help and successfully advanced.

Now, there were fifteen Breakthrough Realm soul cultivators among the human population.

Meanwhile, the number of Nirvana Realm soul cultivators had also seen a significant rise, reaching over 400.

As for the remaining Soul Formation Realm cultivators, their numbers were even greater, totaling at least seventy to eighty thousand.

Although the humans were still not as strong as the Dwarf Goblins and Giant Goblins, the gap had drastically narrowed compared to before.

Moreover, when it came to actual combat, the humans might not necessarily lose. Thanks to Lin Qian's efforts, their potential had been fully unleashed.

Onboard the warships, every human soul cultivator was brimming with determination, their eyes fixed on the north. Their gaze burned with anger, and the once distant dream of taking back the northern lands no longer seemed out of reach—it was now within arm's reach.

They couldn't wait any longer.

On the largest warship hovering above the forest, the finest human soul cultivators had gathered in the first deck of the ship.

Despite not filling the entire deck with troops, the space was vast and bright, illuminated by glowing crystals that cast light on every face.

As Lin Qian stood on a raised platform, he looked out at the fervent gazes of the humans below him. "In these six months, I've witnessed your growth firsthand. The days of peaceful cultivation are over; it's time to take action."

At his words, the humans in the deck felt a surge of battle intent. Yet, mixed with that determination was a trace of nervousness and apprehension.

They could feel the improvements in their strength, but they still harbored doubts about how they would fare in real combat.

Only by facing their enemies could they truly test the fruits of their efforts.

"The Dwarf Goblins and Giant Goblins are still searching for us, splitting into smaller groups to cover more ground.

Each group is led by a Nirvana Realm commander, followed by Soul Formation Realm warriors.

A Giant Goblin group consists of one Nirvana Realm leader and a hundred Soul Formation Realm followers.

A Dwarf Goblin group usually has two Nirvana Realm leaders, each commanding two hundred Soul Formation Realm warriors.

These two races have been growing their populations in the north for so long that it's normal for their numbers to surpass ours. If not for their lower birth rates compared to humans, their numbers would be even more staggering."

"But now, their forces are truly dispersed," Lin Qian continued, his gaze sweeping across his fellow humans. "You know what to do, right?"

"Yes!" The humans responded in unison to Lin Qian's question.

"Then fight! Use the blood of the enemy to wash away your humiliation. Rebuild the dignity of our people on their bones." Lin Qian spread his arms, his imperial robes blazing with fiery energy as nine dragons circled him. The emperor's aura radiated from him, stirring the resolve of the humans.

"Fight! Fight! Fight!"

The entire deck echoed with the humans' war cries as they raised their arms and shouted, their bodies gradually enveloped in a pure white glow.

As Lin Qian rallied the troops in the deck, the central warship began moving northward, leaving the forest behind.

"Where the hell did those damn humans go?" A hundred feet from the edge of the forest, a group of towering Giant Goblins muttered amongst themselves.

Another Giant Goblin shook his head and patted his flat leather pouch at his waist. "At this time of year, we'd normally have so many humans stuffed into our bags that we'd have to eat some as we went along. But now, we haven't seen a single shadow."

"Over the past six months, we've occasionally spotted humans, but they vanished in the blink of an eye. I just don't understand."

"By the way, have you heard the news? It seems some of our people were sacrificed to that Lord Lu in the north." Soon, the topic of conversation shifted from the humans to something else.

One of the Giant Goblins nodded. "How could I not know? My wife was one of the sacrifices. We couldn't resist—it was said to be for our future."

"Luo Erheng, you always seem to know things. Do you have any idea what's going on?"

"I've heard a rumor that after the sacrifices, that lord will be able to control the undead and use them to find the humans. For now, even when the mist clears, the undead aren't triggered—it seems related to that."

The surrounding Giant Goblins nodded in understanding. "No wonder we can move around when the mist clears without worrying about the undead."

As the Giant Goblin group continued eastward, deep in conversation, the leader of the group—a towering, bald Giant Goblin—shouted in frustration at the sky, "Come out, you cowardly humans! If you dare, come face me!!!"

The loud roar echoed in the air, causing the dry branches of nearby withered trees to tremble slightly.

"How amusing. We've just returned to the ground, and someone is already welcoming us. Quite the voice you've got there." Just as the Giant Goblin finished shouting, a mocking voice suddenly came from behind him.

All the Giant Goblins turned around simultaneously, shocked to see a massive army of humans standing behind them—tens of thousands strong.

"The humans are here!"