CHAPTER 601: CHAPTER 370: NOT ENOUGH TO DEFEAT THE EMPEROR_2

Although all the comments were incredibly hostile, Yan Xiaobao paid them no attention. He continued to walk toward the stairs, his movements in the audience quickly catching the Emperor’s notice. As they watched the young man heading toward the arena, their faces were full of smiles. While some commanders were still uncertain about their feelings toward this youth, they all respected him. Despite their respect and willingness to obey his orders, they still felt he was both too young and too weak to genuinely back his statements with strength.

It was his understanding of War Art that had allowed Yan Xiaobao to reach his current level. Though he did tell Wan Qiao about reincarnation, he had never mentioned War Art. When the topic of his rebirth came up, they weren’t thinking about war, and he naturally didn’t either. Later, when she brought up the matter of war, Yan Xiaobao did speak about the art of war; however, he didn’t elaborate on his knowledge of the book and never asked about it. When he needed to make excuses for Lord Pan, it seemed Wan believed him as well. Whether that person or she was an excellent actor or not, Yan Xiaobao decided it didn’t matter. What mattered now was whether he could convince everyone that the art of war was the key to victory.

He paused for a moment as he approached the stairs. Lost in thought, his eyes had grown vacant; however, when he stepped closer to the stairs, his gaze was fixed on his tightly clenched fists. His actions continued to draw hostile commentary, raindrops pelting him, but the young man ignored them as he took his first step onto the staircase.

"Ha, that kid needs to learn his limits! He’ll be crushed by those emperors. Death comes too easily for the arrogant!"

"Haha, who does he think he is? A useless fledgling King daring to share a stage with so many experts in our forest?"

The entire audience mocked him, eagerly anticipating the punishment the young man was bound to receive, with everyone reveling in their hostility. Knowing full well the malice directed at him, Yan Xiaobao did nothing but sigh. He climbed another step, still undeterred by these experts. Step by step, the tension grew thicker, as though it could be sliced apart with a blade. Everyone unexpectedly held their breath as they watched, uncertain of what was happening or when the young man would be dragged away.

Finally, Yan Xiaobao stepped onto the arena floor, and as he did, everyone leaned forward. This was surely the moment he would be punished, yet when the commanders on stage showed no signs of moving against him, a collective gasp filled the air. Instead, they all slightly lowered their heads, making room for him to continue toward the podium.

Every individual on the podium was filled with surprise, shock, and disbelief. Murmurs rippled across the surrounding area, fragments of sentences barely audible. "What’s he doing up there?" "Who is this person?" "Why does he look so weak?" "Is this for real?"

As Yan Xiaobao stood on the podium and cleared his throat, the questions directed toward the young man continued unabated. This gesture quieted many experts, who stared at the youth in disbelief. The young man was said to be weaker than them, and much younger. Some experts recognized him from the training grounds, while others had never laid eyes on him before.

"Good day," Yan Xiaobao said in a crisp, resonant voice, loud enough to reach every corner of the area, his words ringing crystal clear to every expert listening. All eyes fixed on him, some squinting in skepticism and others widening in shock. Yet, it seemed no one was truly concentrating on his words.

"I am Yan Xiaobao, the one granted the rank of Great Marshall," he declared, his voice loud once more, ensuring the experts heard every word. Understanding, however, seemed to elude them.

Realizing that no one was truly paying attention to what he was saying, Yan Xiaobao sighed again and paused. He said nothing more, simply eyeing the many experts in front of him. After deliberating for a moment, he wondered how he might capture their interest or, at the very least, help them set aside doubts about his rank so they could function normally. Suddenly, an idea struck him.

"I’m here representing your Lord," his voice rang out again. As soon as the Lords were mentioned, it was as if the cultivators in front of Xu Yue snapped out of their daze. Eyes widened, and backs straightened.

"The Lords have decided to appoint me as Great Marshall for this war. Though I may not be as strong as you. Though I may not be a seasoned duelist, nor truly grasp the honor of a cultivator at my young age, there is one thing I understand deeply—war!"

"What we’re facing is not a tournament; we’re not here to crown the strongest among our ranks. This isn’t a petty squabble with another Kingdom; this is war! A war filled with blood, despair, and death! In war, you don’t battle a single opponent. You put all your strength into killing anything that isn’t an ally."

"If you wish to earn glory for your Lords, you must win this war!"

"We will form forty armies, each controlled by your respective Upper Houses! Should any army fail, the loss will be catastrophic for your Lords. Survive for your self-interest, but more importantly, fight so your Lords may gain face!"

"I need each of you to assemble into forty groups. Gather under the banners of your respective Lords!" Yan Xiaobao finally roared, standing firm as his gaze swept over the many experts before him, his arms crossed against his chest. His eyes were sharp with impatience as he stared at the cultivators before him, his fingers drumming lightly on his arm, signaling his irritation.

Seeing his impatience, the experts behind him felt a sudden surge of danger. The Commander of Ten Thousand People leaped off the stage and promptly arranged himself in a precise line. Ten commanders stepped forward, forming the starting points of forty straight lines, each comprised of ten thousand experts in rows. Surveying the cultivators neatly aligned before him, Yan Xiaobao felt exhilarated, a smile spreading across his face.

"These forty armies will be assigned individual tasks," Yan Xiaobao continued, "but before that, I need every one of you to form groups of five. Create a group of five and listen carefully to your commander’s instructions. I need to revise some arrangements and strategies."

Having completed these instructions, Yan Xiaobao stepped down from the podium and headed back toward the stairs. He knew the commanders were better suited to persuading these experts of the benefits of group coordination.

As he left the arena, Yan Xiaobao wore a smile, observing how the commanders divided the many guards into groups of five. The commanders’ faces were grave and serious as they stared down at the experts under their command. Though they had never commanded anyone before, they naturally found confidence by repeating Yan Xiaobao’s words from the previous day. His speech convinced them that while they were cultivators, this wasn’t their forte—they needed to act as soldiers. Here and there, the commanders maintained harsh expressions as they explained to lower-ranked experts the importance of these arrangements. Witnessing their efforts, Yan Xiaobao couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction.

Once again, the young man walked through the tented encampment, but this time, everything felt entirely different. Earlier, Yan Xiaobao had been surrounded by bustling activity, with people rushing back and forth; now, it felt completely empty. The tents stood there, swaying in the breeze, but no one was nearby to see them.

Yan Xiaobao made his way back through the city gates and entered the bustling city. Everything was as it had been in the morning, the air saturated with a sense of anticipation and excitement, as though a festival were underway.

Returning to the castle, Yan Xiaobao greeted the guards and servants he encountered on his way back to his room. However, the closer he approached his quarters, the more Saints appeared. One after another, they sought to inquire about the details of his speech. Some asked about his performance, while others were curious about the reception he had received.

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