Volume 1, Chapter 275 – Rewards

Shi Lan was not particularly interested in this so-called rewarding of merit, because she did not believe she had rendered any true service in this war.

Although the overall situation had now been decided, Shi Lan still felt somewhat uneasy. After all, Bai Weiyang had been taken away by that demon woman, and his safety now did not look promising.

After putting on her armor properly, Shi Lan followed Shi Tianlu to the Battle Merit Hall in the city.

There were far fewer people in the Battle Merit Hall than Shi Lan had expected. At a glance, there were fewer than a thousand.

These people were all that remained of the officers at the rank of Thousand Commander and above.

Compared with the vast organization of the Demon-Suppressing Army, this number was almost negligible.

Among the officers who had survived, nearly half were young people in their twenties or thirties. They carried a distinguished air unlike that of ordinary men, and one look was enough to tell they were scions of great clans.

Most of these aristocratic youths had some unique life-preserving methods, and their chances of surviving on the battlefield were far higher than those of ordinary people.

There were quite a few strong experts in the hall. Nearly three hundred were above the Heavenly Astral Realm, most of them officers above the rank of Ten-Thousand Commander.

As Shi Lan swept her gaze across the hall, her eyes flickered when she saw a young man.

He was tall and imposing, his features sharply defined. A dark jade headband bound his brow, and his eyes carried a chill that kept others at a distance, like ice a thousand chi deep. He looked only a little over twenty, but judging from his steady bearing, he had likely already passed thirty.

The reason Shi Lan noticed him was because there was something about him that felt strangely familiar. Though he was only at the early stage of the Heavenly Astral Realm, she felt that he was far stronger than many of the late-stage Heavenly Astral Realm Ten-Thousand Commanders present.

The moment Shi Lan entered the hall, she drew the attention of most of the people inside. Her name had long since spread throughout the Demon-Suppressing Army, and when they saw the armor she wore, the armor unique to a Demon-Suppressing General, several sharp intakes of breath immediately sounded in the hall.

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As the hall stirred slightly, several figures slowly descended from the upper gallery. At the front was a mild-mannered middle-aged man in a green robe. His features were utterly ordinary, and he looked like nothing more than a common schoolteacher.

But from the several Demon-Suppressing Marshals following behind him, Yue Xiuwen included, one could easily guess just how terrifying the status of this plain-looking middle-aged man at the front was.

The more Shi Lan looked, the more absentminded she became, and she could not help wondering who exactly he was.

Once those men reached the hall, silence fell completely. The young man Shi Lan had noticed earlier, upon seeing this middle-aged man, had the icy coldness in his eyes instantly turn into fiery, fanatical reverence.

“Greetings, High General Yun Chen!”

The neatly unified voices around her jolted Shi Lan awake. The words “High General” dispelled her confusion.

A first-rank High General of the Demon-Suppressing Army, directly subordinate to the Sovereign, commanding ten million Demon-Suppressing troops, with the authority to make independent decisions on campaigns and wars between the races!

A supreme figure whose single thought could decide the lives and deaths of hundreds of millions, a pinnacle existence capable of shaking the Vast Land of Shenzhou!

“You are all outstanding talents. There is no need for ceremony today.”

Yun Chen smiled faintly and took a gold-edged document scroll from Yue Xiuwen at his side.

Shi Lan quietly lifted her eyes for a glance and vaguely made out three large characters: Battle Merit Register.

“As always, we will first mourn the comrades who died in battle.”

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The smile at the corner of Yun Chen’s lips faded slightly as he spoke in a grave voice.

The hall fell solemnly silent.

“Qi Ruiyu, second-rank Demon-Suppressing Marshal of the Demon-Suppressing Army, entered the Demon-Suppressing Army in the year 45053 of the Taishi Era. To date, he served for three thousand eight hundred and seventy-two years. He slew forty-three Heaven Demons, and countless great demons below the Nascent Soul Realm. His battle merit will shine for all ages. He is posthumously elevated to first-rank Demon-Suppressing High General, granted the title Marquis Yu, and bestowed one imperial decree token. Three generations of his descendants may enter the Imperial Martial Pavilion for three years of study.”

“Ji Yunlan, second-rank Demon-Suppressing Marshal of the Demon-Suppressing Army, entered the Demon-Suppressing Army in the year 46726 of the Taishi Era. To date, he served for two thousand one hundred and ninety-nine years. He slew thirty-one Heaven Demons…”

…

One familiar or unfamiliar name after another flowed from Yun Chen’s mouth, and a faint sorrow spread through the hall. Those who received posthumous honors had forever lost any chance of returning to life.

Posthumous honors were for the dead.

Even being enfeoffed as a marquis or raised to generalship was only a hazy passing rain. In the end, nothing truly fell into their hands.

“All our fallen comrades died protecting the lands of our human race. Their heroic spirits shall forever receive offerings of incense. When our human race regains full command of Lingyang and restores the glory of the ancient age, their names will all be entered into the Human Race Annals and remembered for all ages. As for all of you standing here, I hope your names never appear upon the Heroic Spirit Monument.”

After speaking, Yun Chen turned a page of the Battle Merit Register in his hand and called out sharply:

“Long Yujiang, step forward and receive your appointment!”

“This subordinate is here!”

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A middle-aged man of around forty stepped forward and bowed in half salute.

“You entered the Myriad Phenomena Realm one hundred and thirty years ago. Your battle merit is now sufficient. You are hereby appointed third-rank Demon-Suppressing General and placed in command of three hundred thousand Demon-Suppressing troops.”

“Many thanks, High General!”

“Qin Lie, step forward and receive your appointment!”

…

“Xia Yixiu, step forward and receive your appointment!”

Hearing a somewhat familiar name, Shi Lan looked up and saw that the young man from earlier had stepped forward.

Xia Yixiu…

Shi Lan’s memory was fairly good. She quickly recalled that this was the same Ten-Thousand Commander who, back when the Demon-Suppressing Army had clashed with the Sacred Martial Immortal Sect, had defeated nineteen true disciples in succession and suppressed the younger generation.

“Shi Lan, step forward and receive your appointment!”

A few breaths later, Shi Lan vaguely heard her own name. She came back to herself and stepped forward two paces.

Yun Chen glanced at Shi Lan, and there was a hidden depth of meaning in his eyes.

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“In the battle of Xianwu City, you rendered a world-shaking service. The Imperial Court has decided to grant you the position of upper third-rank Demon-Suppressing General. However, you have been in the Demon-Suppressing Army for too short a time, and your seniority is insufficient to convince the masses. Therefore, military command has not been given to you.”

Among third-rank Demon-Suppressing Generals, there was a distinction between upper and lower ranks. Only those above the Nascent Soul Realm were normally qualified to hold the position of upper third-rank Demon-Suppressing General.

Everyone in the hall focused their gaze on Shi Lan. At barely twenty, being promoted across realms to upper third-rank Demon-Suppressing General was an honor so great that even among the very finest prodigies of the younger generation in the Central Heaven Domain, there were probably few who could match it.

Only after they heard Yun Chen say that she had not been given military command did the commotion in the hall ease somewhat.

A Demon-Suppressing General without troops under command was only an honorary post.

“Though no military command has been granted to you, the Imperial Court has another reward for you. Stay behind later. This General has something to ask you.”

Yun Chen’s voice transmission sounded at Shi Lan’s ear. Her face showed nothing as she bowed in thanks, accepted the pale gold Demon-Suppressing Token belonging only to Demon-Suppressing Generals, and withdrew back into the crowd.

The conferment of rewards ended quickly. Shi Lan did not return to the residence with Shi Tianlu, but found an excuse to remain behind.

Before long, aside from High General Yun Chen, Shi Lan was the only one left in the Battle Merit Hall.

“Though the Imperial Court did not give you military command, it has decided to grant you a great reward.”

Yun Chen lifted his head and raised an eyebrow, looking out toward the patch of starry sky beyond the hall.

“A star. Do you want it or not?”