Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 478 - Two Hundred and Fifteen: The Might of the Military Formation

Chapter 478: Chapter Two Hundred and Fifteen: The Might of the Military Formation

Seven hundred li might be a long way for mortals, but for someone like Xu Yuan, who had undergone Mortal Transcendence, it was merely a half-day’s journey on foot.

Truth be told, Xu Yuan did harbor some expectations for the Barbarian Tribe Holy City.

However, upon seeing the squat walls that were less than twenty zhang tall, a flash of inexplicable disappointment couldn’t help but streak across his eyes.

It was like being accustomed to metropolitan cities, then suddenly returning to a small county town and being told that this was the prime location.

Through the snowflake-free night, Xu Yuan sped along, gazing at the Barbarian Tribe Holy City standing within the vast canyon, and suddenly turned his head to ask Li Qingyan who was beside him,

"Qingyan, after this battle, will we station troops here permanently?"

He thought of the Protectorate of the Western Regions from his past life in the Great Tang.

Li Qingyan’s crimson eyes flickered with a strange light as she glanced at him, a smile tugging at her lips:

"Are you an idiot?"

Xu Yuan replied nonchalantly:

"The city already exists, no need for resources to build one, and if we station troops here and carry out routine patrols annually, there’s a high probability the Barbarian Tribes will never become a serious threat."

"Not a bad idea."

As they neared the Barbarian Tribe Holy City, Li Qingyan was clearly in a good mood, and after praising him, she pointed a delicate finger towards the desolate darkness surrounding them, saying:

"Stationing troops in such a place, not to mention the soldiers’ morale, do you have any idea how much resources Qujiang would consume each year?"

"I’m not a commander; how would I know?" Xu Yuan’s response was rather blunt.

Li Qingyan kicked at him, and after dodging it, she revealed a coy smile:

"Tenfold."

"Ah?"

"Stationing an army here means the supply consumption would be ten times what it is within Dayan Territory."

Li Qingyan spoke calmly: "To completely suppress the Extreme Black Lands, a single Qujiang’s force won’t be enough. At the very least, an entire battalion of elite troops and more would be necessary, with astronomical figures for carving Formation Patterns, soldiers’ entertainment, cold-weather supplies, and provisions. Moreover, the Extreme Black Lands hang isolated from Dayan; nothing might happen for a short while, but what about in ten years, or several decades?"

After saying this, she looked at Xu Yuan as if seeing an idiot.

Xu Yuan glanced at her, amused, and said:

"But this would be a feat of territorial expansion."

"Territorial expansion?"

A touch of playful scorn crossed Li Qingyan’s heroic phoenix eyes:

"According to your calculation, Changtian, over these ten plus years, I have already expanded Dayan’s borders a thousand li northward, pushing the front line from Northern Border City to Houting County, and then to Dali Mountain."

"If defending against enemies beyond the nation’s gate is counted as territorial expansion, then such a feat... would come too easily."

"......"

Watching the regal figure in a stunning red dress, nonchalantly dismissive, Xu Yuan was somewhat baffled by the Wrapped Chest Princess’s thought process.

If this wasn’t considered expanding territory, then what was?

Fighting the Barbarian Tribes from the Northern Border all the way to Dali Mountain, and then building an altar to offer sacrifices to the heavens, one could almost be ennobled as the Guardian Marquis.

Noticing Xu Yuan’s gaze, a softness entered Li Qingyan’s beautiful eyes:

"Changtian...

"In today’s world,

"The only one worthy of being called a contributor to territorial expansion is Ancient Abyss."

"....."

After a moment of eye contact, Xu Yuan opened his mouth but said nothing.

He suddenly understood the red-clad princess’s definition of a feat of expanding territory.

Expanding territory meant to enhance the Empire’s power, rather than depleting it in maintaining useless lands.

The only land that held allure for the Dayan Empire nowadays was probably just the Ancient Abyss.

The Demonic Beast tide that occurred annually evidenced the plentiful resources of the Ancient Abyss.

The Demon Race dwelling in Ancient Abyss, where the land was fertile and energy abundant, was highly conducive to the growth of various spiritual herbs, with an abundance of resources.

Because of the unique nature of the Ancient Abyss Demon Race, a grim reality was forged,

If Ancient Abyss were to attack Dayan, they would be directly adjacent.

But should Dayan wish to attack Ancient Abyss, it would first have to cross the Wanxing Mountain Range, an immense primeval forest with no visible end.

In such terrain with undulating mountain ranges, an invading force would be at a considerable disadvantage, with Ancient Abyss holding the absolute terrain advantage.

And more importantly, the Sects might cause trouble in the mix, potentially leading to a nation-destroying headline.

In other words,

Unless the Sects were eradicated, Dayan simply couldn’t invade, and the feat of expansion that Li Qingyan aspired to would remain unattainable....

"Don’t look at me like that, the matter of Ancient Abyss is just talk for now."

With a light snort, Li Qingyan casually tossed a red veiled canopy to Xu Yuan: "Put it on, we’re entering the city."

Xu Yuan instinctively caught it, hesitating a bit:

"Why do I need to wear this?"

Li Qingyan glanced at Xu Yuan’s crimson phoenix eyes, along with the eerie patterns strewn across his handsome cheeks:

"Have you taken a look in the mirror at what you look like now? Do you think you resemble a human? Don’t cause unnecessary trouble."

Upon hearing her words, Xu Yuan laughed, flew a bit closer, and leaned in to whisper:

"Don’t you find this lord’s appearance to have a sinister charm..."

"Shut up and just put it on."

Li Qingyan gave him a sidelong glare, pushed his face with her hand, and shoved him away, her tone laced with disgust: "Turn back to a human form as soon as possible; your Ghostly form is sickening to look at."

"Such a woman of contradictions."

Xu Yuan touched his chin, fastened the red gauze curtain to his head, and tentatively smiled as he gave the Wrapped Chest Princess a preemptive warning:

"Let’s get this straight, it was this Prince Consort who saved you in the silent Underground Palace. After I lost my Transcendent Mortal Cultivation, you better not think about taking revenge."

"....."

Upon hearing this, Li Qingyan turned back, staring at him for a few moments then glanced at Bai Muxi and suddenly smiled beamingly with deep meaning:

"Alright, I’ll strive for that~"

"....."

Watching her regained arrogance through the red gauze, Xu Yuan softly "hissed" and reached out to grab her, his words teasing:

"Hey, I’m still a Transcendent Mortal powerhouse now, so you’d better show some respect...."

...

...

...

In the Barbarian Tribe Holy City, a hundred-man squad was conducting its daily patrol atop the city walls.

Although the nearby barbarian tribes had been cleared out and it was highly unlikely that the barbarian tribes would attack the city, the strict discipline of the elite troops made them adhere to their military responsibilities.

Li Yongliang walked at the forefront, sighing as he went.

The task of reporting anomalies was ultimately handed over to that guy from Wang Cheng.

Although they had agreed that the majority of the military merits for this intelligence would go to him, upon reflection, this was one of the few opportunities to gain recognition in front of Lord Hou.

To become familiar to someone like Lord Hou... this was far better than any trivial military merit.

Wang Cheng,

you really deserve to die.

To actually scheme against an honest man like me.

Thinking this, Li Yongliang felt sorrow arise from his heart, and let out another sigh:

"Sigh....."

"Sigh."

"Sigh!!"

"...."

The White Armor soldiers of the Northern Border behind him looked at their continuously sighing leader, exchanging glances in silence.

Ever since a few days ago when their leader began acting this way, no one dared to say or ask anything.

A hundred men patrolled amidst the constant sighs.

After an unknown amount of time, the White Armor soldiers suddenly noticed that the sighing from the front of the column had stopped.

Looking forward with curiosity, they saw Li Yongliang standing still, staring blankly at the sky in the southeast direction of the Barbarian Tribe Holy City.

"......"

Li Yongliang felt a resonance with the Energy Mechanism from within his Cultivation Technique.

The Military Formation Technique within the army was quite unique, akin to a mother-child technique, structured like a pyramid, layer upon layer of command.

The common soldiers cultivated the child technique, while the squad leaders were the lowest level of the mother technique, and he, Li Yongliang, as a Qujiang, practiced a Military Formation Technique that was the backbone in an army.

Having been through countless battle arrays, he was able to sense a call usually sent out by officers at the level of teeth generals or colonels.

But at this moment,

Li Yongliang sensed that the Energy Mechanism was that of the Commander.

He remembered that in the vast Northern Border Army, only two people practiced this technique.

One was Lord Hou.

The other was His Highness.

With thoughts racing, Li Yongliang immediately began operating his cultivation technique at full power.

Although he did not understand the situation, his elite military training made him very clear that this resonance with the Energy Mechanism was a signal from the Commander to the middle-ranking officers to activate their military formations.

Not only Li Yongliang, but all the Northern Border Army officers stationed within the Barbarian Tribe Holy City sensed the call from the unique Energy Mechanism of the Commander’s Cultivation Technique.

Without any hesitation, even Bai Jiaqi, who was indulging in pleasure on a bed, paused his hips and began to operate his cultivation technique instinctively.

This was the war readiness of the true elite officers of the Dayan Empire.

Following the officers, the ordinary soldiers who were affected by the officers’ Energy Mechanism began...

...

...

...

"....now still a Transcendent Mortal powerhouse, you’d better show me some respect... respect..."

In the sky outside the city, Xu Yuan’s cheerful words hadn’t finished when his expression suddenly stiffened.

He felt a dangerous change in the aura of the woman in the red robe soaring beside him.

Military formation...

Clicking his tongue,

he cautiously withdrew his wandering hands while lightly coughing to correct himself:

"...ahem... respect...."

"Snap."

The hand he attempted to retract was caught by her in a reverse grip, and Li Qingyan pulled him close.

With her long hair swirling around her stunning face due to the wind, Li Qingyan, her phoenix eyes swirling with red flames, cocked her head and looked at him with a curiosity tinged with amusement:

"Changtian, I didn’t quite catch that. What were you... saying just now?"