"Welcome, and thank you all for coming here," Yan Xiaobao said with a gentle smile. His greeting prompted many commanders to nod toward him, a gesture of respect toward a cultivator weaker than them. "Tomorrow, I want everyone in the army to line up when the sun pierces the sky. We will begin transforming these guards into real soldiers," Yan Xiaobao continued. His words echoed throughout the arena and surrounding areas. Many guards stood on the ground, gazing at the Emperor and Yan Xiaobao. As soon as they heard his words, their blood began to boil within them. Their faces lit up with uncontrollable smiles, and their eyes sparkled with excitement. While they enjoyed being cultivators, they understood that mere guards were insufficient in war. With this young man known for his insane cultivation speed personally training them, they had a genuine chance to significantly improve. Yan Xiaobao, aware of their thoughts, offered just a faint smile. To him, as long as they obeyed his command and accepted this mission, motivating these experts wasn’t all that critical. "That’s all I have for today," Yan Xiaobao said with a gentle smile and a slight nod toward the experts in front of him. Once dismissed, all the Emperors left the arena. As they exited, everyone was surprised to see that Yan Xiaobao remained unmoving. His expression unchanged, a hint of calm remained on his face as he watched the Emperors leave. However, lingering in the arena clearly signified his intention for a confrontation, challenging any who dared to step onto the stage against the Great Marshall. If they won, would they be punished? Yet intentionally losing was not something they wanted either—their pride could not endure such humiliation. Yan Xiaobao stayed rooted where he stood, waiting for all the commanders to clear the stage. When the last one finally did so, Yan Xiaobao cleared his throat and spoke softly, "Anyone among you Eight-star cultivators who thinks they can defeat me, please, come try." His voice was low but carried by the wind to all corners of the arena, ensuring that everyone could hear his words. Interestingly, he didn’t even need to raise his voice. How he managed this feat was a mystery to everyone present. Though they knew how to use Qi to amplify sound over vast distances, using the wind to carry one’s voice was entirely unprecedented. The crowd remained silent; not a single person dared to approach the stage. Consumed by the fear of engaging him in combat, they were hesitant. Knowing what the experts were thinking, Yan Xiaobao shook his head and sighed once again. "Don’t be afraid," he said gently, his voice brimming with vitality and strength. "I will not punish anyone who defeats me. Let all the cultivators present bear witness to this oath," Yan Xiaobao declared solemnly. His words commanded immense respect in their hearts. To swear an oath not to misuse his authority was something the guards had never anticipated, and their respect for him only deepened as they observed his growth. Although his oath brought some relief, no one rushed to fight him at once. However, the expressions of those present shifted from outright refusal to a reluctant consideration of the idea. After a long silence and glances exchanged among the experts, one finally stepped forward. It was a small-framed man with a lean body and golden feline pupils. A sleek black tail swayed behind him, and on his head were visible black cat ears. As Yan Xiaobao looked at him, he immediately recognized the man as a rare beast—a Black Lightning Cat. "My lord, although I am but an Eight-star King, I have been at this level for twenty years now. I would be delighted to compare myself to you, who has just achieved this level," the man said politely, bowing deeply in respect toward Yan Xiaobao. The white-haired youth smiled faintly in response and stepped onto the stage, taking his position. It was time to test the abilities he had learned from the monk. The Black Lightning Cat wasn’t large, nor was his physique muscular and bulky like some of the other experts Yan Xiaobao had previously faced. Rather, he was an expert whose strength lay in speed and agility, using his dexterous body to overpower his enemies. Yan Xiaobao also considered speed one of his fortes, especially after mastering the advanced skill, Velocity Flow. Nonetheless, he couldn’t help but wonder if he was truly faster than this opponent. At least this battle wouldn’t solely test speed. It was also an opportunity for him to figure out how to control the monk’s abilities that he had recently learned. The sensations gifted to him by the monk felt completely different from the ones he experienced with the wolf fusion. With the wolf, everything had been straightforward—he instinctively knew what the wolf favored when attacking. His body could execute every move without prior practice. The monk’s abilities, however, were far more nuanced. Three abilities flashed through Yan Xiaobao’s mind. Although immensely powerful, they still felt incomplete, as though the young man required further enlightenment to wield them effectively. These techniques, once perfected, could dominate his opponent’s cultivation base. Standing leisurely before the Black Lightning Cat, Yan Xiaobao casually flipped himself over and stretched, appearing completely at ease. He was acutely aware that he could not afford to lose this battle—failure would risk his authority and the army’s respect for him. However, the truth was that the young man felt little concern about the upcoming duel. If he hadn’t undergone the monk fusion, he certainly wouldn’t have displayed such brazen confidence, but now he knew his newfound abilities left him far more formidable than ever before.