Chapter 547: Chapter 345: Inner Energy
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Upon witnessing his Inner Energy, his ranking within the world soared dramatically, adhering to Wan Qiao’s rigorous training regimen. As he engaged in physical training, his body absorbed vast amounts of Heaven and Earth Essence. His ranking climbed to fourth within the Duke Level, and his Inner Energy pushed toward the ranks of Kings.
During Yan Xiaobao’s entire period in Chenyuan, he had done everything he could not achieve within his Dantian Cave using his soul. He hoped they wouldn’t coalesce into the true fragments of his soul, like wolves. He yearned to trust his own strength, which was surging rapidly.
*Knock* *Knock*
Yan Xiaobao opened his eyes and gazed as Wan Qiao’s smile surfaced on her face.
"Prepare yourself; it’s time for some new training. A human delegation from the Siban Empire has entered the Divine Domain. We plan to meet them and learn the reason for their intrusion into my domain."
Upon hearing the command, Yan Xiaobao knew he had no choice but to comply. He quickly stood up, stretched a little, and then followed Wan Qiao out of the palace.
In the palace grounds before them, numerous guards awaited Wan Qiao’s arrival. When they saw her appear, pride filled their expressions; however, their brows furrowed and their eyes glared in discontent upon noticing their goddess walking shoulder to shoulder with a young man with white hair. Clearly, this interaction was nothing extraordinary.
All the guards were familiar with Hui Yue, personally trained by Wan Qiao herself—a woman capable of disrupting even the resilience of the palace guards.
But this young man was a mystery. Though he was not a Saint, he possessed an aura that made him appear human. His restrained beast aura seemed nearly imperceptible unless he assumed beast transformation.
Wan Qiao often made him fight in both human and beast form. She had him battle against guards one by one, and rumors about him quickly spread among the ranks. None of the guards could comprehend why Wan Qiao devoted so much time and effort to a mere human.
Though hostility simmered from all those present toward Yan Xiaobao, none dared to utter a single word. As they awaited Wan Qiao’s command, the entire courtyard remained silent.
The woman cast a fleeting glance at them, fully aware of their thoughts, but saw no reason to address them. Nor was she inclined to shield Yan Xiaobao. This expedition would teach him the lesson of trust—namely, not to trust anyone. It would teach him perpetual vigilance and unwavering obedience to her commands. The guards, comprised of mystical beasts, would all assume their primal forms and hunt down the dispatched delegation. Yan Xiaobao would have to imitate them in his human form, enduring their relentless torment.
In Wan Qiao’s eyes, this was a form of training. It was how young beasts were molded into individuals, and Wan Qiao somewhat regarded Yan Xiaobao as her fledgling—the one she sought to shape and train.
Yan Xiaobao stared at the guards and immediately grasped Wan Qiao’s intentions. Letting out a sigh, he understood that on this expedition, he would suffer harm and be beaten. Yet his eyes gleamed with an icy resolve, for he vowed to make anyone who followed him pay a hundredfold. Anyone bold enough to raise a hand against him would know he wasn’t someone easily defeated, nor easily bullied.
Wan Qiao observed Yan Xiaobao and was satisfied with what she saw. She studied him for a moment longer before spreading her arms and focusing her gaze on the hundred guards standing before her.
"Brethren! We have just been informed that the Siban Empire has dispatched a delegation to our lands—a delegation of cultivators wreaking havoc upon village after village. They have captured our subjects and taken them prisoner; they have ravaged our land."
"Everyone! Follow me. Follow me as we hunt down those humans who dare enter our Empire. Let us show them what happens when arrogance blinds them to reason!"
When Wan Qiao’s words thundered through the courtyard, everyone raised their arms high. Slowly, they each transformed into various formidable beasts. Some took flight as birds, while others became land animals. Among them were blood foxes, Purple Maned Lions, scale demon horses, Unihorn Eagles, and Swift Queen Sparrows. Yan Xiaobao watched as beasts appeared from all directions. Even Wan Qiao beside him transformed—a giant eagle towering two meters tall, with a wingspan of four meters. Seeing the thought flash across Yan Xiaobao’s eyes, he shifted his legs into wolf-like limbs, leaping high into the sky before landing squarely atop Wan Qiao’s feathery back.
"Thanks for the lift," Yan Xiaobao said shamelessly. Wan Qiao was taken aback, but after a moment, the woman burst into laughter. She had never imagined anyone would act so brazenly, yet she couldn’t help but let out a hearty laugh. "Of course, if you can hold on, I’ll give you a lift. If not, don’t die from the fall!"
With that, the massive bird soared into the sky. The beasts followed, both on the ground and in the air, glaring daggers at the young man who now sat comfortably atop their beloved Queen.
When the guards saw Yan Xiaobao assert himself atop the Queen, they were dumbstruck. Many of them hoped Wan Qiao would immediately kill him for his insolence—surely, she wouldn’t stoop so low as to serve as a mule for a mere youth. Yet when they heard her beautiful laughter echo through the air as she ascended, the guards were struck with disbelief. The young man hung leisurely from her golden feathers, his belly tickled from the motion as they reached speeds far surpassing anything he’d experienced before. Compared to her flight, even Velocity Flow was slower than a tortoise.