CHAPTER 610: CHAPTER 372 HIS SAD SMILE_2

During the remaining hours of the evening, Yan Xiaobao inspected his body without even opening his eyes. He didn’t feel any difficulty controlling his new powers. It was as if he had established a stronger bond with his body and fused with the power inside him. The young man sat down, and as he did, he felt his body blending seamlessly with his surroundings—the air, the bed, and the tranquility of the room. When his body started to emit flashes, a faint buzzing sound could be heard. Though lying in the same spot on the bed, he seemed not to have moved. Yet, his body subtly flickered back and forth by mere centimeters. Watching this, Wan Qiao squinted in disbelief, startled by the phenomenon taking place before her, though she couldn’t make sense of its significance; she had never witnessed anything like it before.

Yan Xiaobao felt incredible. His body seemed to integrate perfectly with the environment. As this occurred, his Upper Dantian felt like a swirling vortex, absorbing the energy in his surroundings. It refined the Yin Yang Energy, merging it into one harmonious power.

Soon, Yan Xiaobao had been sitting for an extended period, and as time went by, Wan Qiao continued observing him closely. Yan Xiaobao consistently absorbed the essence of heaven and earth. Everything seemed normal, except for the astonishing rate at which Wu Wei expanded within Yan Xiaobao’s Upper Dantian. Compared to the energy shown by the blue cloud earlier, it had multiplied significantly.

As the first rays of dawn pierced the horizon, Yan Xiaobao opened his eyes. His blue eyes glimmered with golden light for a fleeting moment before the glow vanished. Rising once more from the bed, the young man stretched and gazed out the window. It was time for him to lead the army. As Yan Xiaobao approached the doorway, Wan Qiao noticed that the young man appeared to be floating—a sight that bewildered her. His movements had become more elegant than ever, as if he were truly one with the air itself. Yan Xiaobao drifted silently out of the castle, and no resistance seemed to impede his steps. Wan Qiao followed behind him even as he moved toward the city. Though her shadow remained unseen, she sensed their proximity and trusted in her power; in the Divine Domain forest, she felt she had little to fear.

Xu Yue failed to notice Wan Qiao, though he was fully aware she was trailing him closely. The young man moved through the city tirelessly until he eventually arrived at the city gate. Exiting the city, Yan Xiaobao entered the military camp once more. But unlike last time, soldiers could now be seen within the tents. Space was limited, so the guards adhered to various schedules for training. However, Yan Xiaobao paid no attention to those experts and headed straight for the arena.

Upon Yan Xiaobao’s entrance into the camp, a large group of experts immediately noticed him. But when they realized who he was, their vigilance eased. They recognized this was the young man they had seen before. As experts, they possessed sharp memories and keen eyesight, and each recalled the Great Marshall of the army vividly.

Given their strong recollection, all these experts were aware that this individual was previously a King-level expert. Yet here he stood before them now, surpassing even his Eight-star rank of just days earlier. The young man had ascended eight ranks within two days—a feat that was utterly impossible. Even if he had spent two days meditating and consuming medicinal herbs without pause, Yan Xiaobao shouldn’t have gained such formidable strength. Observing the youth, the guards struggled to comprehend how such a transformation could be conceivable and began doubting their own eyes. Their curiosity was piqued, and they began shadowing him, following him to the arena.

Beside the arena stood a massive bell. This bell was used to summon the entire army to assemble before the arena. Xu Hui debated whether to gather the army in its entirety but eventually decided against it. Instead, he made his way toward the commander overseeing the guards’ training. He wanted to evaluate the training regimen he had previously left for them.

As he approached the commander, more experts took notice of his graceful movements and recognized the handsome Great Marshall. However, once they recognized him, they felt a sense of awe and disbelief. Watching him for a while, they gradually acknowledged that their prior assessment of his rank was incorrect. Their eyes widened, their mouths went dry, and each expert realized they were standing before a man who had transformed from someone they could once look down upon into a High-level King—someone the army would now hold in the utmost regard.

For Yan Xiaobao to achieve such a dramatic improvement, the Gods themselves must have infused the young man with energy personally. Yet, everyone knew that no Gods remained on this plane; the four holy deities had long fallen into eternal slumber. Thus, Yan Xiaobao’s sudden surge in power was far beyond anyone’s understanding and left them astounded. Some wondered if he had deliberately concealed his true strength all along. But upon further reflection, they realized it would have been impossible for Yan Xiaobao to hide his power from the Emperor, meaning his rapid ascension over the past two days was genuine. Somehow, he had gained tremendous strength within such a short span of time—ascending eight King-level ranks in two days. This was unprecedented. Such a feat had never been heard of before. As to how he had managed it? No one knew, but everyone desperately wanted to.

When Yan Xiaobao reached the arena, everyone in sight froze what they were doing, whether Kings or Emperors. All eyes were drawn to Yan Xiaobao, and as they witnessed the enormous leap brought about by his cultivation, they were utterly dumbstruck.

"Master!" One of the Emperors finally broke free from the paralyzing shock of witnessing the young man’s power and rushed forward eagerly. "Do you wish for us all to gather together? We can summon the army in an instant and await your command."

Hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Yan Xiaobao’s lips. His eyes retained their peculiar calm, which made the Emperor feel as though he were watching a boy. Standing before Yan Xiaobao made him feel as though he was facing a father or a revered elder of his family—someone who commanded awe and respect.

"I want to speak with all commanders," Yan Xiaobao said calmly as he moved to the arena and gently seated himself on the stairs. He gazed at the crowd of experts fixating on him, his expression unwavering.

The Emperor, having regained his composure, adopted a fully serious demeanor. He nodded firmly, tightened his eyes, and pursed his lips before rushing off to summon the commanders, bringing them before the waiting Yan Xiaobao. Though the Emperor had respected Yan Xiaobao previously, his reverence now swelled further, accounting for not only the young man’s immense cultivation abilities but also his unparalleled speed in advancing his martial rank.

It wasn’t long before the commanders began arriving one after another. Upon seeing Yan Xiaobao and his elevated rank, they experienced shock and disbelief. Each of them had to acknowledge his newfound status, as no other explanation made sense. Even the commanders themselves found themselves deeply intrigued by the young man’s mysterious transformation.

The commanders leaped into the arena. As the first expert appeared, Yan Xiaobao rose leisurely, then approached him to exchange pleasantries with a composed demeanor.

"Master, if you don’t mind me asking, are you truly now an Eight-star expert?" One commander hesitated before posing the question. While he could feel Yan Xiaobao’s overwhelming energy, his mind struggled to accept the reality he perceived. However, the only response he received was Yan Xiaobao’s serene smile before the young man deftly shifted topics. "I heard the army has been training in groups of five. Are they prepared for intense drills tomorrow?" he asked with curiosity. The Emperor, proud of his accomplishments, instantly forgot the earlier subject and beamed, nodding enthusiastically.

"Although it was challenging to convince them of the benefits of teamwork, we managed to persuade many soldiers to work collaboratively. Speaking of training, may I ask what your plans are for tomorrow’s regiment?"

"I will inform you once everyone has arrived," Yan Xiaobao replied dismissively, before greeting another commander. The crowd swiftly assembled, and silence descended over the arena as everyone anticipated Yan Xiaobao’s leadership. Now, everyone looked at Yan Xiaobao differently. If he could truly ascend to an Eight-star rank so quickly, it meant he might advance to Emperor rank in due time. Watching him, many commanders began to sense an air of danger surrounding him. There was something unsettling about the calm he radiated.

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