Chapter 617: Chapter 375 The Last Man Standing_2
Seeing the steady stream of experts on the stage showing no signs of stopping, Yan Xiaobao smiled and finally turned to walk back to the castle. Now was the time for him to begin his training. The goal was to refine more Yin Energy and merge his Yin Yang Energy to create greater martial power. So far, everything was proceeding according to plan, and Yan Xiaobao was very pleased with the progress. Over the next day, and throughout the following month, the guards did nothing but engage in group battles day after day. Initially, many experts would leave the stage early during this process, but as time went on, fewer and fewer were injured. The fights became tougher and more desperate, and everyone was determined to prove themselves better than the others. Witnessing their progress, Yan Xiaobao was extremely satisfied with the guards’ performance. These guards were finally starting to understand what it meant to be an army, albeit a five-person army.
After spending a long time bickering among themselves in their small groups, Yan Xiaobao observed many experts grappling with their own limitations and nodded with approval. He decided it was time to initiate the second stage of training.
The next day, Yan Xiaobao divided the entire army into two groups instead of the usual five-person teams. Now, two armies would attack each other. The outcome was reminiscent of the situation nearly a month ago when they began their first group battles—many "casualties" occurred at the start. However, as time passed, fewer people were unable to continue the practice. The fights grew increasingly desperate, and in the end, only a small number of experts left the battlefield. Most persisted, refusing to yield and managing to hold their ground. Seeing this, Yan Xiaobao was finally satisfied.
After leaving the training grounds, unlike on other days, Yan Xiaobao didn’t return to his room. Instead, he followed a familiar path to Wan Qiao’s chamber. A smile graced his face, and his eyes shimmered with a serene blue light, a calming presence that seemed to soothe anyone who looked at him.
*Knock* *Knock*
The door slowly opened, revealing not only Wan Qiao but also Mr. Pan inside. For some reason, Yan Xiaobao wasn’t surprised to find the two together. He respectfully greeted the elderly man seated at the table.
As soon as Yan Xiaobao entered, Wan Qiao’s face blossomed into a genuine, warm smile—a smile that conveyed her joy in seeing this young man. For the past several days, Yan Xiaobao hadn’t visited her or shared any updates, leaving her wondering about the reasons behind his silence. The Divine Origin Queen had grown anxious about the lack of information.
As the Forest King, Wan Qiao knew what the training entailed. Like all the other Lords, she was astonished by the intensity of the drills Yan Xiaobao had implemented for the army. Though they understood the reasoning behind it, none had anticipated that Yan Xiaobao, instead of leading an immediate march against Siban, would actually dedicate time and effort to prepare the army for warfare.
Seeing the genuine happiness on Wan Qiao’s face, Yan Xiaobao walked to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down. While some might perceive his behavior as rude or arrogant, Wan Qiao saw it differently. She, too, sat at the table, and now, two Lords and a young human boy were gathered together.
"They’re ready," Yan Xiaobao said with a smile. "I cannot train the army to be any better than this; they are performing exceptionally well now. I believe our casualties will hit a historical low." As he spoke, a faint sparkle lit up Wan Qiao’s eyes.
"I don’t intend to plan strategy with the Lords," Yan Xiaobao continued, "so what I want to say is that we now need to prepare for war."
Wan Qiao’s smile shifted to something more sinister, and even Pan Long’s expression turned bloodthirsty as cruel grins spread across their faces. Yan Xiaobao couldn’t help but sigh lightly. He had managed to turn the Kings and Emperors into soldiers, but he hadn’t done anything to change the Forest King. These people were still bloodthirsty cultivators, preferring one-on-one duels to settle things until someone emerged victorious. This was how Saints would fight, which is why Yan Xiaobao didn’t bother to train them to fight as soldiers.
Having said his piece, Yan Xiaobao waited patiently for Wan Qiao to respond, but she remained silent. She simply offered a radiant smile, her eyes fixed on Yan Xiaobao. The young man immediately realized that, though the war was Wan Qiao’s idea, the entire responsibility had landed squarely on his shoulders. He would have to prepare for war, managing logistics and organizing the army. Coming to this conclusion, Yan Xiaobao shook his head involuntarily. Not even in ancient China would someone expect a single person to handle every facet of warfare, but after some thought, Yan Xiaobao frowned. He realized that while he had brought knowledge from his past life, this was not ancient China. It was an entirely new domain.
Considering the logistics required to supply the entire army, Yan Xiaobao couldn’t help but feel another headache creeping in.
"I need help," he finally stated as he stood. Yan Xiaobao had hoped that Wan Qiao and Pan Long would be annoyed by his request, but instead, their faces lit up with joy. It seemed the two had been waiting for Yan Xiaobao to permit them to participate.
"Don’t hold back! Don’t hold back!" Both Lords eagerly exclaimed at the same time. Their smiles widened, and their eyes sparkled with excitement. Seeing how elated they were, Yan Xiaobao thought his next words might dampen their spirits, but even so, he opened his mouth to speak.
"I need terms for the army. I need funding to pay the troops, and I need someone who can guide me into Siban Empire in the best possible way—a guide would be preferable."
Hearing all of Yan Xiaobao’s requests, their smiles didn’t falter in the slightest. On the contrary, the two seemed thoroughly entertained by his demands. As soon as Yan Xiaobao finished speaking, they raised their hands.
"I’ll handle the guide!"
"I’ll take care of the money!"
They spoke simultaneously, raising their hands high in the air, then burst into laughter. Even Yan Xiaobao was surprised at their antics, but not long after, he, too, chuckled at the two experts’ behavior.
"Alright, alright," he said, laughing, "you can deal with those matters. Let me clarify what I’m after."
"Regarding the money, I need funds to pay every soldier for participating in the army, and I need to use gold as incentives. The more enemies they eliminate, the more Gold Coins they will earn." Yan Xiaobao said seriously, "I simply can’t gather that much gold myself," he confessed honestly, "which means we’ll need to collect gold. Forest King, go from Lord to Lord and see what contributions they’re willing to make. Try to gather at least two million Gold Coins."
Yan Xiaobao understood Gold Coins. He had used the same currency in the Sun Kingdom, and he felt two million Gold Coins was an enormous amount. Paying fifty silver coins per soldier didn’t sound like much; however, despite being a single army, each soldier earned fifty silver, making the total an astronomical figure. Moreover, they would earn beyond fifty silver. As long as they could confirm their kills, they would receive additional pay per kill. That’s why Yan Xiaobao demanded two million Gold Coins—funding all the soldiers required a vast amount of gold.
"Two million gold?" Wan Qiao furrowed her brows. For a moment, Yan Xiaobao worried he had set the price too high.
"I can fund two million myself," Wan Qiao said, her face showing a faintly puzzled expression. "Our Beast Lords have lived for countless years. Accumulating wealth comes easily to us, so every Lord should contribute at least one million Gold Coins. Whatever the case, Pan Long, go squeeze them dry!" Wan Qiao’s face revealed an ominous grin. "Drain them thoroughly so we can cover more troop costs. The more we invest, the likelier we are to have an army driven mad by the promise of riches."
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