At this time, the capital of the Tang Dynasty was Chang'an.
Li Xiao, the Lord of the Tang Kingdom, and his ministers had already received the news that the Giant Kingdom was planning to invade the Tang Kingdom. As one of the overlords of the region, it was impossible for the Tang Kingdom to be unaware of the famous Giant Kingdom.
Moreover, the Giant Kingdom had a history of burning and plundering other nations, which had long been a major concern for other countries. As such, the Tang Kingdom always kept an eye on the movements of the Giant Kingdom.
Once the Giant Kingdom's actions were discovered, spies reported the news through thought worms, allowing the Tang Kingdom to react instantaneously, no matter what happened.
"Your Majesty, the Giant Kingdom is not to be underestimated this time. They've sent tens of millions of giant warriors, almost all their forces, and instead of raiding and pillaging, their goal is to destroy our Tang Kingdom." One of the ministers' faces was grave.
If the Giant Kingdom only intended to plunder, they wouldn't have sent so many giant warriors, nor would the Lord of the Giant Kingdom have personally led the charge. There was no doubt that the Giant Kingdom had firmly decided to invade the Tang Kingdom, and this battle was inevitable.
"Your Majesty, while our Tang Kingdom's strength has grown considerably, the Giant Kingdom is an ancient empire, almost all of its warriors being giants standing over ten meters tall. Their combat power is overwhelming, and if we face them head-on, we risk being defeated instantly," another minister expressed his concerns.
The truth was, no army on this land could compete with the giant legions. A ten-meter-tall giant could easily crush the elite forces of hundreds of soldiers. If tens of millions of giant warriors charged together, no army would stand a chance.
The only force that could resist these giants was the world props.
"Rest assured, our army will not engage the Giant Kingdom head-on. We don't need to confront these reckless giants. This is an excellent opportunity for us—do they not seek their own destruction by coming out in full force?" Li Xiao smiled, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
The Tang Kingdom had been silent for ten years, primarily to consolidate its territory and population, ensuring the stability of its foundations. However, this did not mean Li Xiao lacked ambition. He still sought to annex the lands and people of neighboring countries.
For the Tang Kingdom, the size of its current territory was never enough. Li Xiao aimed for expansion—expansion that would stretch as far as the eye could see, until the very ends of the earth. His appetite for growth was insatiable.
"Of course, there's no need to worry about the Giant Kingdom's threat. We are under the protection of the ancient gods. The Giant Kingdom may have its might, but they will not be able to challenge us," Li Xiao continued dismissively.
Although the Tang Kingdom did not yet possess any powerful world props, the ancient gods who supported them were more powerful and incomprehensible than any artifact. As long as the ancient gods stood behind the Tang Kingdom, there was no reason for defeat.
"Do you suggest we call upon the gods for help?"
"The issue is, it's not yet the destruction of the Tang Kingdom, and we have no reason to ask Lord Shenming for intervention."
"Indeed, if we rely on the gods for everything, we risk angering them and losing their favor."
Many ministers expressed their concerns.
They knew that if the ancient gods intervened, the Giant Kingdom would be crushed without a doubt. The problem was that such intervention could not be invoked at will. Over-reliance would result in them being seen as insatiable, which would lead to the loss of the gods' grace.
They would rather accept heavy losses than risk losing the gods' favor.
"Haha, you need not worry. If we wish to call upon the gods, we must offer a fitting sacrifice. As long as we provide enough valuable sacrifices, I am confident the gods will grant us their assistance in destroying the Giant Kingdom," Li Xiao said with a slight smile.
"A worthy sacrifice?" One minister asked, curious. "What could possibly be worth the destruction of the Giant Kingdom?"
"Could it be that Your Majesty has found a new world prop?" Another minister asked, astonished.
Li Xiao nodded. "Indeed, over the past ten years, while the Tang Kingdom has steadily grown, I have sent people to search for treasures. Finally, the Emperor's efforts have paid off. We have discovered a world prop."
Given the vast territory of the Tang Kingdom, it was not surprising to find world props hidden within. After all, people with world props could build nations, but some of them blended in with the crowd, remaining indistinguishable from ordinary people. Some props even lay dormant in ruins, waiting for someone to uncover them.
"What kind of world prop is it, Your Majesty?" one minister asked eagerly.
Li Xiao's voice grew serious. "The world prop is called the Space Bag."
"The Space Bag?" The ministers fell silent. "Its function is quite simple: it contains a dimensional space, and the size of that space is proportional to the strength of the holder. If I control it, the space inside would measure a thousand cubic meters, allowing it to hold a vast quantity of items."
Everyone was silent. While this world prop had a practical use, it did not possess the offensive or defensive power necessary for war. Its primary function was auxiliary.
Some ministers believed it could be used for logistical purposes, but after the Fire Horse and Sky Bird, the Space Bag seemed insignificant.
"Your Majesty is wise. If this world prop can be exchanged for the destruction of the Giant Kingdom, then it would be a great bargain," one minister said excitedly.
Indeed, the Space Bag may not have been a powerful world prop in itself, but if it could be sacrificed to the ancient gods to ensure the defeat of the Giant Kingdom, it would be an excellent deal. Any emperor would be eager to make such an exchange.