"Good!" Ming Ren nodded satisfied, "Now, see how many can you call at once!"

Multiple summons? Once was surprising, can she summon more?

Lin Dong and Lin Qiang stared in astonishment. Seeing Ming Ren wasn't joking, Lin Qiang once again directed her pinkish energy..

This time she envisioned the Wild Ape. A powerful Ape appeared, Cultivation base at the First Layer of the Spirit Sea Realm.

"Again!" Ming Ren urged her.

The summoning energy flew and a Saber-Toothed Cat emerged. Peak of the Body Tempering Realm.

"I.. this is my limit.." Lin Qiang felt going any further would create a substantial burden on her body and make the summon dismiss.

"That's fine, this is more than enough," Ming Ren knew this was much beyond a mere Beast Summoner. With her raw innate potential, each summon went down by one layer. Increasing her Cultivation base meant more powerful creatures. Not merely that, they simulated the original beasts in their attributes.

Once Lin Qiang mastered this power, how could she not turn into a formidable entity?

Ming Ren crossed his arms, leaned the hand on his chin and remained there thinking of what else he could do. Could their Cultivation improve further?

No. They pushed too much. Since their Cultivation Law reached new heights there wasn't any concealed danger, but it would be best not to press matters any further.

Each breakthrough needed time and effort to consolidate the realm. Ming Ren knew there were threats, but [Bright Eyes] could identify him if something went awry.

'A Battle Formation!' The improved techniques of the Forest Clan didn't include Battle Formations. Ming Ren forgot those. Back then during the battle against the Spirit Beasts, he perceived the struggle and then looked at the group using it.

"Show me the Forest Clan Battle Formation!" Ming Ren looked straight at Lin Dong.

"...!" Knowing what his benefactor was thinking, Lin Dong wasted no time in teaching him the [Strong Wood Formation].

Ming Ren once again took a thinking posture. What were [Battle Formations]?

Military formations were a pattern or distribution of soldiers in a coordinated form in battle. A cultivator's Battle Formation followed the same line of thought: a pattern of positioning, but it took things further. Not only it determined positioning but ways of moving, attacking, and defending. They were Battle Techniques suited for groups and not only ways of arranging people.

Some Battle Formations were closer to Cultivation Laws since they could contain special principles or powers, such as innate elements., Ming Ren couldn't approach those right now. Fortunately, the Forest Clan Formation was nowhere near that stage.

Battle Formations depended on the three elements from techniques: Might, Group Speed, and Spirit Consumption, plus Rhythm, Leadership, and Size. The initial three functioned as techniques.

The rhythm was a complex quality that explained to the users how, where or when to strike, defend, or back down. It was by far the [Core] of any Battle Formation. More complex instructions made it much harder to comprehend and put the formation into motion.

Rhythm looked like a True Formation's [Core], except it positioned individuals, not flags or other tools. Ming Ren liked to t about people in a Battle Formation as conduits or meridians, transporting the Qi needed to demonstrate its might.

If meridians were the roads into which Spirit Energy flew from a Cultivator, Cultivators were the meridians of a Battle Formation.

A single person led, just like in a military formation. [Leadership] was fundamental to any formation. Even in a dual formation, one led and the other followed. Battle Formations might have over one head, but most followed the military rule and rank. One competent officer was enough, but one capable and one incompetent one ruined the formation.

The leader was essential to avoid and correct mistakes. He needed to understand the formation the most so to avoid it crumbling or people breaking out. This position reflected on the overall power of the Battle Formation.

The size was about the optimal amount of people in this formation. Often they still worked with fewer or more people, but Battle Formations improved and changed over the ages, so the optimal number worked best.

The Forest Clan's [Strong Wood Formation] was a low-grade human tier formation with Low Qi Might, Low Group Speed, and High Spirit Consumption, with a rigid rhythm and an optimal size of ten. It specialized in controlling the flow and reducing damage and risk, more of an organized system for the group to attack with no mystical powers.

Unlike other techniques, the realm did not restrict Battle Formations, not even for people of the same realm. Spirit Gate cultivators could join with Spirit Sea cultivators on the same formation. Common cultivators wouldn't be prepared to support their movements or resist the might. The formation tier showed its ideal realm. Human tier referred to the Body Tempering, Earth to the Spirit Sea, and Heaven to the Spirit Gate Realm

A Human Tier Battle Formation didn't require its members to use Spirit Sea Realm abilities such as True Elements or Rare energies.

So, another point to deal with was the number of options available. Spirit Sea cultivators could use Spirit Energy outside the body, pulling power from True Elements and Rare Energies. Spirit Gate cultivators had Gates available to them. A formation that focused on Martial Arts would not be optimal to them without considering those factors.

Ming Ren adjusted the positioning of the formation as to concentrate on increasing its might by sacrificing speed. He focused on reducing damage and controlling the flow, like the initial [Strong Wood Formation]. It didn't take long for him to finish improving it to his current limit.

"Good!" Ming Ren transferred the formation back to them.

"... This!" How could they not know how much it changed?

Lin Qiang was the first to talk, "This Battle Formation.. it can form a bigger formation!"

Ming Ren smiled satisfied, "As more groups come it will turn into a huge ancient forest on the battleground. The attacking might not be there yet, but your Forest Clan's power should increase!"

Even Jana was slack-jawed. How long did that take?

"I thank benefactor once again! But.. I fear this is beyond my means. There's no way I can comprehend this formation in a short time." Lin Dong said.

Lin Qiang was more confident, but not too sure either.

"No need! That formation is for your clan. Let me think of one for us.." Ming Ren once again went back to thinking.

Jana, Lin Qiang, and Lin Dong felt weak. Elder Lin Dong felt his legs wobble.

Create a battle formation real quick?

Ming Ren concentrated on his learning and changed several patterns for a Battle Formation. He took into consideration the other two, so it was one made for the three. Things such as how the joined Spirit Energy would flow, how and when should it circulate, which forms and stances to take.

[Ming Ren Style Battle Formation - Sword, Beast, and Fist Trinity]

High Offensive Qi Might, Medium Defensive Qi Might, High Battle Speed, Low Spirit Consumption, High Pace Rhythm, and a fixed size of three. Heaven-Grade Human Tier Formation.

This formation specialized in attacking. The Fist user became the spearpoint, taking the brunt of the opponent's strikes, sword user focused on speed to disrupt and slash, and Beast Summoner could take on any role, from support to defensive.

Beast Summoning was flexible. By summoning a copy of Little Red, support abilities were possible. A copy Monster Snake added in poison, Wild Ape provided a tank, Flood Mantis provided slashing power. Since Ming Ren was the leader, through his Spirit Sense the others would be able to adapt to this Battle Formation. Even if they didn't, he could still correct their mistakes.

His cultivation base should have decreased the overall might of the formation, but Ming Ren could use his might for a few instants and balance the overall amplitude of power. This created a heavy toll on his body.

Ming Ren thought about it for a while and created another formation for Lin Qiang and Lin Dong. He would leave after this event was over and he might have given them too much, attracting greedy from everywhere. If his cultivation was at the Spirit Sea Realm, he could improve the techniques just so they'd become powerhouses only inferior to those heaven-defying genius or those at the Spirit Gate Realm.

[Ming Ren Style Battle Formation - Fist And Beast Collaboration]

This formation focused on flexibility, allowing for both offensive and defensive might. The fist once again was the vanguard and the Summoner the jack-of-all-trades. Another Heaven-Grade Battle Formation.

Ming Ren nodded with satisfaction and transferred the formations over to Lin Qiang and Lin Dong. This time they weren't as surprised. They became numb to Ming Ren's act of going against everything they knew.

Ming Ren used his Spirit Sense to explain to Jana how to fix the formation in the simplest way possible. Jana just thought its friend would die on the spot if they knew someone could fix his made formation with a single simple step.

'Oh, right.. you need not worry about that girl! I'll send a message to my friend again, the one that created this formation. He owes me a lot. I'll make sure he takes that girl under his wing!' Jana sent Ming Ren a sound transmission.

Ming Ren sighed in relief. If a great power could shelter Lin Qiang until she grew that would be for the best.

Having no more worries, Ming Ren looked at the two, "A double-hour! Then we will head out. Use this time to focus on learning the first formation. I will guide you!"

Ming Ren guided them in learning the formation and tried to pass knowledge to them about cultivation. While they did not know how he came across this knowledge, they knew one thing:

Heaven-defying, ah!