22: Chapter 22 The First Direct Confrontation

After the instructor announced the assessment rules, the atmosphere in the entire classroom became even more heavy.

In everyone's eyes, there was a hint of vigilance and competitiveness.

"Before the monthly assessment, to let you adapt to the combat intensity of the Key Class as quickly as possible, today's first lesson is the Divine Kingdom Martial Exercise."

The instructor's voice echoed in the quiet classroom.

He walked to the center of the classroom and lightly tapped his finger in the Void Realm.

Buzz.

A light screen projected from the ceiling, forming a massive 3D holographic sand table in the center of the classroom.

Mountains, rivers, and woodlands—every detail of the terrain was visible.

"The Divine Kingdom Martial Exercise is a non-damaging tactical confrontation conducted on a Virtual Sand Table, primarily testing your command capabilities and tactical application."

"You can project the believers from your Divine Kingdom into it to conduct the most realistic simulated confrontation."

Just as the instructor finished speaking.

A young man wearing a flashy floral shirt stood up; he was one of Monitor Zhou Yi's most loyal followers, Zhao Kai.

His Divine Kingdom civilization was the C-rank Storm War Eagles, known for their mobility and aerial superiority.

Zhao Kai's gaze swept past the crowd and locked onto Jiang Xun in the corner, his face showing unabashed provocation.

"Instructor, I would like to initiate a martial exercise challenge against Jiang Xun to let him get familiar with the 'atmosphere' of our Key Class as soon as possible. Would that be alright?"

He deliberately emphasized the word "atmosphere."

Everyone's eyes focused on Jiang Xun once again in unison.

This was an open scheme.

It was a continuation of yesterday's silent confrontation.

Monitor Zhou Yi leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, with a playful smile on his face, as if watching a play with a predetermined ending.

"You may."

The instructor nodded; the rules allowed for free challenges.

Jiang Xun slowly closed the ancient book in his hands and stood up.

He pushed up his glasses, his gaze behind the lenses calm and rippleless.

"I accept."

Three simple words, without a hint of extra emotion.

The two stood on opposite sides of the sand table and pressed their hands onto the activation device.

"The martial exercise begins!"

With the instructor's command, the light and shadows on the sand table shifted.

Screech...

A piercing eagle's cry echoed throughout the sand table as Zhao Kai's Divine Kingdom projection was completed first.

Nearly a hundred robust Storm War Eagles with iron-like wings appeared out of thin air, circling above the sand table and casting large shadows, creating a powerful aerial suppression.

"Jiang Xun, aren't all your believers ground units?"

Zhao Kai's voice was full of banter.

"I hope those mud-legged followers of yours can run a bit faster so they don't get torn to shreds by my babies in a single dive! Haha!"

Just as he finished speaking, Jiang Xun's Divine Kingdom projection also emerged.

There were no flashy special effects, just those one hundred Human Race believers who had undergone several baptisms of battle, wearing leather armor and holding weapons.

Before the aerial legion of Storm War Eagles, they appeared so small, as if they could be torn apart by the birds of prey in the sky at any moment.

In the classroom, many scions of noble families wore mocking smiles.

In the War of Gods, the importance of air superiority went without saying.

Using pure ground troops against a well-organized aerial unit was no different from striking a rock with an egg.

Xu Qingran's brow furrowed slightly; she also did not have high hopes for Jiang Xun.

However, Jiang Xun on the sand table gave a command that no one could understand.

The believers under his command did not seek cover, nor did they scatter to dodge.

They quickly assembled, drawing close in a peculiar Formation.

The two flanks advanced while the center retracted, overall presenting an elegant yet dangerous arc.

Like a crescent moon hanging over the earth...

"What kind of trick is this? What kind of garbage Formation is that? Daring to bunch up against an air force—are you afraid you won't die fast enough?" Zhao Kai sneered.

With a wave of his hand, he issued the attack command.

"First squad, dive! Tear their Formation apart!"

Over ten Storm War Eagles let out a shriek, like arrows released from a bow, diving down from the high sky, their sharp claws and teeth glinting with a cold light.

Everyone held their breath, as if they could already see the bloody scene of the Human Race believers being torn to shreds.

At the exact moment the Storm War Eagles entered attack range.

Jiang Xun's eyes suddenly narrowed.

"Fire!"

That crescent-like Formation suddenly erupted with a lethal cold light.

The believers in the front row of the Formation had, at some unknown point, fixed their short spears diagonally into the ground, forming a forest of upward-pointing spears.

Meanwhile, the believers in the rear of the Formation simultaneously drew their short bows.

Swish, swish, swish!

A dense rain of arrows soared into the sky.

But strangely, these arrows were not shot straight up; instead, they were fired from various positions in the Formation at different angles.

In mid-air, they wove into a comprehensive three-dimensional fire net!

The Storm War Eagles charging at the very front had no time to react and crashed headlong into this web of death.

Puchi! Puchi!

The sounds of sharp arrows piercing wings and tearing through bodies rang out one after another.

Several Storm War Eagles wailed, turning into specks of light as they fell from the sky.

The following war eagles, facing the forest of spears that had suddenly risen below, tried to pull up but were too late, crashing into them and being directly impaled by the sharp spearheads!

In just one round of confrontation, Zhao Kai's first squad was completely annihilated!

The smile on Zhao Kai's face froze instantly.

"How is this possible?!"

He couldn't believe his eyes.

"All units! Full attack! Crush them from the high sky for me!"

Zhao Kai roared, somewhat exasperated.

The remaining eighty-plus Storm War Eagles pressed forward like a dark cloud, blotting out the sky.

Jiang Xun's expression remained calm.

"Change Formation, volley fire."

That crescent Formation shifted flexibly; the archers in the rear split into three groups, conducting continuous, alternating volleys.

A fire net with a wider coverage and greater lethality blanketed the entire sky.

On the sand table, an inconceivable slaughter unfolded.

A slaughter from the ground against the sky.

The Storm War Eagles were like moths flying into a spiderweb; no matter what angle they attacked from, they were covered by arrows and javelins from all directions.

Their proud speed and flexibility appeared so laughable before this ancient meat grinder known as the Queyue Formation.

One after another.

The light spots in the sky kept exploding and then going out, like a grand yet cruel firework display.

In less than three minutes.

When the last Storm War Eagle was pinned to the sand table's ground by a javelin and dissipated into light spots, the entire classroom was so silent that one could hear a pin drop.

Zhao Kai's face was pale, his mouth slightly agape, staring blankly at the empty sky of the sand table, unable to utter a single word.

In the center of the Virtual Sand Table, two large characters slowly rose.

[Jiang Xun, Victory!]

Uproar...

After the dead silence came an uncontrollable uproar.

The faces of all the Prodigies were filled with astonishment and confusion.

The instructor stepped forward and pulled up the replay of the martial exercise, his eyes full of unconcealable admiration.

"A perfect Formation, perfect command."

"Zhao Kai, you relied too much on the advantage brought by your talent; your tactics were rigid, and you were overconfident and reckless. Your loss is well-deserved."

He looked at Jiang Xun and asked, "What is the name of this Formation?"

"Queyue Formation," Jiang Xun replied calmly.

"Queyue Formation..."

The instructor murmured to himself, a trace of confusion flashing in his eyes; he had never seen this name in any modern tactical texts.

In the corner, Xu Qingran's eyes fluctuated violently for the first time as she stared fixedly at the outline of the now-dissipated Formation on the sand table.

This Formation—she felt it looked somewhat familiar.

It seemed... it seemed like she had seen a similar record in the tattered tactical notes left by her father!

Jiang Xun ignored everyone's gazes and turned to walk down from the Martial Exercise Stage.

A figure blocked his path.

It was Monitor Zhou Yi.

His face no longer held its previous flippancy and banter, replaced instead by an unprecedented solemnity.

He stared intently at Jiang Xun and asked word by word.

"Where did you learn this Formation from?"

Jiang Xun stopped, looked up, and met his gaze.

He pushed up his glasses, the corner of his mouth curling into an unfathomable curve.

"Take a guess?"