Heavenly Soldier Battle Formation (Please Keep Reading!!!)

The Plaza was packed shoulder to shoulder. At this rate, anyone joining the line would still be waiting tomorrow, even if they stayed up all night.

"Let's go!"

Xiao Yu saw that Xiao Yan hadn't listened to a word she'd said. She gritted her teeth, but the thought of his strength made her swallow her complaint.

The Powerhouse always had privileges.

"Follow me!"

With that, she led the Xiao Clan's younger disciples down a secluded path. Heavily armored guards stood watch there, exuding a grim air.

Xiao Yu carefully presented a jade-green token.

The commanding officer's expression softened when he saw it. He waved for the soldiers blocking the path to lower their weapons.

Xiao Yu tipped her chin at the others, looking rather pleased with herself, as if showing off her connections.

Xiao Yan had already stepped between the soldiers lining the path, their blades drawn and a faint aura of bloodshed hanging over them. He glanced at the middle-aged officer and fell into thought.

This was a fantasy world, after all. Armies did more than pile on numbers. After being tempered in battle, they possessed a strange, baleful aura. It reminded him of the Battle Array Masters from The Great Ruler.

A commander could lead thousands into battle and wield the power of their formation. Even without a high cultivation level, they could fight above their rank.

His Second Brother was a fierce wolf, but no lone wolf. In the original story, he had built a substantial power base through sheer ruthlessness and resolve. Perhaps he had the potential to follow this path. As for battle formations, this world had no such inheritance, but... they did sound rather like the Heavenly Soldiers of the Heavenly Court.

So...

Teacher, do you have a Cultivation Method practiced by Heavenly Soldiers in that world? Even an incomplete version would do.

Xiao Yan asked silently.

"A Cultivation Method for Heavenly Soldiers?" The Old Lord was briefly puzzled. Then he glanced at the guards on either side and smiled in understanding.

"I do, but one or two people couldn't bring out its power. You would need tens of thousands working as one, each carefully chosen from the very best. Only if they trained in it together would they show even a fraction of its might."

"Military formations are unlike other arts. They're built for battle and must function as a whole. With the forces you have now, raising such an army would be next to impossible..."

No harm in dreaming. Xiao Yan smiled.

The Old Lord's standards were absurdly high. He probably thought only an army on the level of the Heavenly Soldiers was worth considering. But for Xiao Yan, even a lesser version of the Heavenly Soldiers would be enough to dominate this world.

He could show that so-called God of War from The Great Ruler what a real god of war looked like.

Besides, beyond this world, Different Demons ran rampant. What had happened to the guy next door's lower plane showed just how bad an invasion could get.

Brothers fought tigers together; fathers and sons went to war side by side. Sooner or later, he would face the Different Demons. He needed to start building a force that could stand against them.

But...

He was getting ahead of himself.

Xiao Yan took another step and cleared the ten-meter passage. The view opened up before him: crowds surged beyond the Plaza, while long lines stretched toward several enrollment desks inside the Plaza.

"You all..."

He looked back and found Xiao Ning, Xiao Mei'er, and even Xiao Yi Xian struggling against the soldiers' murderous aura. Only Xiao Yu and Xiao Xun'er had kept pace with him.

He raised an eyebrow. This was apparently a trial for anyone taking the back entrance, so he said nothing and simply steadied Xiao Mei'er, who looked ready to collapse.

"Thank you, Cousin Xiao Yan." The soft-featured girl wiped the sweat from her brow and spoke a little shyly.

"We're family. No need to thank me." Xiao Yan flashed her a bright smile.

"Ow..."

Xiao Ning staggered over and dropped onto the ground, his face pale.

Xiao Yan kicked him in the backside. "Come on!"

Xiao Ning bared his teeth and glared at him.

Then Xiao Yan held out a hand, his body shielding Xiao Ning from the blazing sun. Xiao Ning paused, broke into a grin, and grabbed the hand to haul himself up.

This Xiao Clan... is something else.

The middle-aged officer glanced at Xiao Yan, admiration filling his eyes. He had seen plenty of ugly infighting in great families. Yet here was a young man of near-monstrous talent and a temperament as warm as the sun, drawing his clansmen together around him.

Their rise was only a matter of time.

They reached the lines.

"Well, if it isn't Yu Yu! You've grown again since I last saw you." A pretty young woman with a ponytail and a striking figure came over. She sniffed at Xiao Yu's neck, gave her full chest a furtive squeeze, and grinned as she teased her.

"Get off me, you shameless thing!" Xiao Yu's face flushed red.

Xiao Yan gave Xiao Yu an odd look.

Was this really a respectable academy?

"This is Xue Ni, a friend of mine at Jia Nan Academy. She's a four-star Dou Zhe." Xiao Yu coughed lightly, then introduced Xue Ni to Xiao Yan and the others.

"Anyway, I need to take them to Instructor Ruo Lin."

"Luo Bu is here too. Just... be careful," Xue Ni whispered.

"Him?" Xiao Yu frowned, then glanced at Xiao Yan, who looked thoroughly bored. A smile curved her lips. It was time someone gave him a little trouble—payback for feeling up her thigh.

"Junior Xiao Yu, the room's full. Instructor Ruo Lin is testing them one by one. If you don't want to wait, you could use my..." A young man stepped into their path with a smile.

"Thank you for the offer, Senior Luo Bu, but Instructor Ruo Lin specifically asked to see my little brother. We'll wait." Xiao Yu declined politely, though she wrapped her arms around Xiao Yan's and made it clear she wanted Luo Bu to keep his distance.

Xiao Yan calmly sized Luo Bu up.

Luo Bu's expression darkened at once.

He gave Xiao Yan a dangerous look. "Is that so? New students still have to follow the rules. Otherwise, things will be even harder for them once they enter the academy. Spend half an hour out in the sun. Consider it your entrance test."

"..."

The scene fell silent. Everyone knew Luo Bu was asserting his authority. Veteran students often bullied newcomers at Jia Nan Academy, and the academy turned a blind eye, believing it spurred students to train harder.

"Xiao Yu, Luo Bu is a Five-Star Dou Zhe..." Worry filled Xue Ni's eyes.

If Luo Bu weren't so strong, he wouldn't have attracted a gang of lackeys.

"Senior, may I ask how many stars you have as a Dou Zhe?"

Xiao Yan smiled brightly.

"Five." Luo Bu chuckled and folded his arms, looking smug. He savored the shocked, envious, and admiring looks some of the new students cast his way.

"A Five-Star Dou Zhe in his twenties?"

Xiao Yan frowned slightly and turned to Xiao Yu with a puzzled look. "How is that any different from being useless?"

Xiao Yu: "..."

She was twenty-one and had yet to reach the level of a Five-Star Dou Zhe herself.

P.S. Another chapter in an hour.