The Extreme Alchemist of the Mighty Cauldron

Chapter 1709: Chapter 1806: The 9-Country Structure

Since the Two Lands War ended, the Nine Countries, which had suffered great losses, are still in the process of gradual recovery.

The Lower Three Kingdoms were completely annihilated by the three sects, and two of the Middle Three Kingdoms suffered devastating blows, almost to the point of destruction, making recovery impossible in the short term.

Fortunately, the Upper Three Countries extended aid, assisting the reconstruction of the obliterated nations.

Amid this process, someone proposed an idea, arguing that the current Nine Countries structure was too burdensome. The Lower Three Kingdoms should no longer exist and should logically merge into the Middle Three Kingdoms, reducing the Nine Countries to Six Countries.

This way, if the Two Lands War were to erupt again, there would no longer be a burden like the Lower Three Kingdoms. The Middle Three Kingdoms would grow stronger, and the Upper Three Countries would not have to divert their strength to protect the frail Lower Three Kingdoms.

At first glance, this proposal seemed highly feasible and reasonable. It quickly sparked no small amount of discussion, with many people supporting it and hoping for changes in the structure of the Nine Countries.

Indeed, this proposal had its logic. The Nine Countries’ structure undeniably had issues with imbalance between strong and weak. For instance, the Tang Country, one of the Upper Three Countries, became the main battlefield during the Two Lands War. Although it suffered losses, its national power remained intact, avoiding the fate of total annihilation.

On the other hand, the weak Lower Three Kingdoms fell one after another not long after the war began, allowing the three sects to establish a foothold within the Nine Countries and shifting the balance in favor of the three sects.

If it hadn’t been for Fang Lin leading troops to defend against the three sects in Qian Country, holding out for a significant period and stalling their advance, the three sects might have gained an even greater advantage at that time.

As for the Middle Three Kingdoms, they were caught in an awkward position of being neither strong nor weak. If the Lower Three Kingdoms were to merge into the Middle Three Kingdoms, not only would the Upper Three Countries shed their burden, but the Middle Three Kingdoms’ strength would also be enhanced, achieving a dual benefit.

Even if the Two Lands War erupted again, concentrating strength within the Six Countries would make it much harder for the three sects to penetrate compared to before.

However, to the high-ranking officials of the Upper Three Countries, this seemingly viable proposal was actually unworkable.

The Nine Countries’ structure had existed for so many years for a reason. The frail Lower Three Kingdoms could easily be swallowed by the Middle or Upper Three Countries, yet over the years, such annexations by stronger nations had almost never occurred.

It wasn’t due to a lack of capability but because the Nine Countries had to maintain this structure to hold their ground against the three sects.

Compared to the three sects, whose available territory was scarce, the combined vast lands of the Nine Countries created a challenge. If the three sects wanted to attack the Nine Countries, they had only two possible approaches.

The first was to launch a direct assault on any of the Upper Three Countries, breaking through by force—simple but foolish.

This method was undesirable for both the Nine Countries and the three sects. The three sects, in particular, wished to avoid it as it meant engaging in a head-on clash from the outset, leaving no time to establish a foothold within the Nine Countries. This way, the Nine Countries would immediately face the strongest offensive and most formidable fighters from the three sects.

The second approach, however, was to divert part of their forces to occupy the Lower Three Kingdoms, creating a situation where the Nine Countries were besieged. This was the preferred and most acceptable strategy for the three sects.

This tactic gave both sides breathing room and means of response, making the battles more diverse and adaptable.

For the Nine Countries especially, sacrificing the Lower Three Kingdoms to lure part of the three sects’ forces deeper into their territory wasn’t reckless but rather an excellent strategy for easing their pressure.

As long as the three sects committed resources to occupy the Lower Three Kingdoms and then launched attacks on the Middle Three Kingdoms, at least forty percent of their forces would be tied up in the Nine Countries’ territory.

Thus, the pressure on the frontlines of the Upper Three Countries would significantly diminish.

Painful lessons from the past wars repeatedly demonstrated that only by using this seemingly ruthless approach could the Nine Countries secure a rare chance at ultimate victory.

Put bluntly, the existence of the Lower Three Kingdoms was destined for sacrifice. The three sects would always target the Lower Three Kingdoms first to gain the upper hand, while the Nine Countries awaited the three sects’ forces to step into their trap, striking back at their own pace.

The downside, of course, was the immense suffering experienced by the people of the Lower Three Kingdoms. Every time the Two Lands War erupted, the area that saw the most deaths was the Lower Three Kingdoms. Even on the Tang Country’s frontlines, the casualties didn’t compare to the combined losses of the Lower Three Kingdoms.

Therefore, the Lower Three Kingdoms must exist. If they were merged into the Middle Three Kingdoms to bolster their strength and deny the three sects an opportunity, then when the next Two Lands War erupted, the three sects would have no choice but to launch a direct assault on the Upper Three Countries. At that point, the level of brutality would reach unimaginable extremes for both sides.

With only one path forward for both sides, the conflict would inevitably lead to total annihilation, a fight to the bitter end.

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A hundred miles east of Yun Country lay an expansive forest. However, it contained few Demon Beasts, and even fewer of significant power.

Yun Country, one of the Lower Three Kingdoms, was quietly licking its wounds left by the Two Lands War. At the very least, it had reassembled the semblance of a nation.

On this day, outside the eastern border of Yun Country, at the top of a city wall, many Yun Country soldiers had gathered, nervously watching the forest beyond the city.

Terrifying roars echoed through the air, unsettling not just the soldiers stationed on the wall but everyone living in the city below.

The most powerful individual in this border city was no more than a Heavenly Origin-stage Martial Artist. No one there had even attained the Spirit Vein stage.

But such a situation was unsurprising. After all, it was the Lower Three Kingdoms. A Heavenly Origin Martial Artist was already considered an extraordinary existence. Spirit Vein practitioners were exceedingly rare, and as for Spirit Bone or Spirit Source cultivators, they didn’t exist at all.

At this moment, the Heavenly Origin Martial Artist stood atop the city wall along with many soldiers, his expression grim as he gazed at the forest.

A large flock of birds swept across the sky, appearing panicked. From within the forest came the pitiful cries of numerous animals, as if they sensed an impending catastrophe.

“City Lord, what’s going on?” a young soldier asked the Heavenly Origin expert nervously.

The middle-aged man, who commanded the Heavenly Origin stage, cursed under his breath. How could he know what was happening? He neither had a Spirit Eye nor Pupil Skill. His eyesight was only somewhat sharper than the average person’s, and he couldn’t discern what exactly was unfolding in the forest.

“City Lord, look! There seems to be fog spreading!” another sharp-eyed soldier shouted loudly.

The middle-aged man squinted, focusing hard. He could see a gray fog spreading through the forest and several animals lying dead on the ground—shriveled, withered, and lifeless.

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