November 11th, Chen Hour.
The sky was already bright and clear.
Zhao Xing was riding in Zong Shichang's carriage, returning to the city with the officials.
“...Last night I fell asleep, and when I woke up, it was already Yin Hour. At first, I didn’t know what was happening, but I heard my teacher say that the Mysterious Heaven Sect appeared last night, which nearly scared me to death!”
“Fortunately, you let me sleep at the entrance, oh no, I mean, plant at the entrance. As soon as I woke up, I was discovered by the East Lake Army. It’s said that there was no battle in that area,” Zong Shichang clutched his chest, filled with lingering fear.
Zhao Xing listened to his account, unable to find words to respond. Zong Shichang was actually eroded by the Nightmare Evasion Technique and still managed to sleep until Yin Hour?
Was it good luck, or was he simply overlooked?
Not all officials were bewitched by the Mysterious Heaven Sect.
The vast majority of Agricultural Affairs Bureau officials fell into a deep sleep after being eroded, completely unaware.
Only those long-term A-list cultivators like Zhao Xing, Li Chengfeng, Wen Nanxing, and Xiao Ze were truly targeted.
But wasn’t Zong Shichang also a long-term A-list cultivator?
Why did he receive such a mediocre treatment?
“Zong Young Master, I really don’t know whether to be happy or sad for you,” Zhao Xing thought to himself.
Seeing him talk non-stop, Zhao Xing interrupted, “Brother Zong, allow me to rest for a moment.”
Zong Shichang immediately fell silent, “I understand, I won’t ask. You can rest assured, I will remember this favor silently.”
Zhao Xing closed his eyes and instantly fell into a dream.
He used the Dream Storage Technique to recreate the scenes of the past three days and nights, missing no details.
After reviewing, he roughly confirmed the reason for the Blood Spirit Sovereign's reappearance.
“It’s probably because I cultivated the Great Dream Chronicle, and he saw through it.”
In fact, the moment the Blood Spirit Sovereign appeared, Zhao Xing had thought of this possibility.
Because he had no other place that could attract the other party to personally show up.
At that time, Zhao Xing even wanted to hide it, not using his greatest trump card, the Sleep Bug.
But now thinking back, whether he used it or not, it didn’t matter.
The other party had no intention of attacking; he only came to confirm.
“What did he come to confirm? To check if I really cultivated the Great Dream Chronicle? Did he think I obtained the Great Dream Chronicle and was a disciple of the Nightmare Sect?”
“No, the Mysterious Heaven Sect and the Nightmare Sect have no connection. There’s no need for him to specifically check on me... So, was it for the Great Dream Chronicle?”
“Perhaps it’s not just the technique, but also the Soul Armor?” Zhao Xing pondered for a moment before leaving the dream.
“From the perspective of the Blood Spirit Sovereign, whether I am a disciple of the Nightmare Sect or coincidentally obtained it, it would be of great attraction to him. He probably wants to hunt me down and seize my treasures.”
After figuring this out, Zhao Xing felt relieved instead.
He wasn’t afraid of trouble; he was afraid of not knowing what trouble was.
After all, the Mysterious Heaven Sect was an enemy faction, and it was inevitable that they would cross paths in the future. Whether it was the Blood Spirit Sovereign or the Water Spirit Sovereign, it made no difference.
To hunt down someone who understood the Mysterious Heaven Sect well like him was not an easy task. He was about to go to the Divine Might Army, where strong cultivators were abundant; the Blood Spirit Sovereign could not possibly come to kill him and seize treasures.
As for the future? It was unclear who would kill whom.
He wasn’t worried about the Blood Spirit Sovereign; instead, he was concerned whether the Great Zhou Dynasty would have strong cultivators eyeing him.
After all, external enemies were not frightening; internal enemies were the real threat.
“With the treasures I obtain from the Grand Dream Academy increasing, it will eventually be exposed.”
“However, since I dare to seize this opportunity, I must accept this karma.” Zhao Xing’s gaze was resolute.
Being afraid of this and that, what’s the point of seeking longevity? It would be better to die early!
As long as he became strong enough, he would naturally fear no challenges!
“After this matter, I should talk to Old Chen.”
“I have already secured the official position, and there will soon be an opportunity for selection. If I don’t discuss it in advance and get assigned to another position, it would be troublesome.”
“Let’s wait for Old Chen to handle this matter first.”
On November 11th, the Grain City government issued a notice.
The Mysterious Heaven Sect’s demons intended to commit treason in Nanyang County on the night of the 10th.
Four counties experienced disturbances caused by demons.
The Grain City government and the East Lake Army promptly stopped the disturbances in this county, killing a total of one hundred seventy-eight Mysterious Heaven Sect demons and followers.
As for casualties, the notice did not mention it, only briefly glossing over it.
Later, Zhao Xing learned the specific battle report at the Chen Estate.
“The situation is basically similar to what the county government announced,” Chen Shijie said. “The purpose of the Mysterious Heaven Sect’s actions was to capture people, not to kill. Due to proper control, the casualties in Peaceful Town were minimal.”
“That night, the vast majority of the common people didn’t even notice the commotion at the scene.”
“However, there were still casualties; a few people from the East Lake Army died during the pursuit, and about ten were injured.”
“The officials, on the other hand, were not harmed; only four officials from the Agricultural Affairs Bureau went missing, and two from other departments. However, this was reported as heroic deaths rather than missing persons.”
Zhao Xing nodded; it was clear that the missing officials had been captured.
Reporting them as missing meant that their families would only be left worrying without any benefits.
Claiming them as heroic deaths would allow for a compensation payment.
According to the Mysterious Heaven Sect’s methods, captured officials would not be found again. When they reappeared, it would generally be decades later, by which time their relatives would likely have passed away.
So, closing the case like this was quite normal.
Zhao Xing glanced at the missing persons list; Li Chengfeng was indeed on it, and he ultimately could not be rescued.
The other two were also A-list cultivators, but compared to Li Chengfeng, they were much less impressive.
Chen Shijie said, “The Nanyang County King killed that Yin Soul after which the Mysterious Heaven Sect’s stronghold in Grain City was completely exposed. All cultivators and followers were discovered. Overall, Grain City performed the best.”
“Killing outland demons has always been considered a great achievement, and all participating departments share the credit.”
At this point, Chen Shijie revealed a slight smile, “My transfer order was issued earlier, and this incident happened later, so I can directly count it as a military achievement. The civil officials will receive commendations, and Li Wenzheng should grant a promotion, counting it as part of the ‘defending the region’ achievements.”
As for the officials? These achievements would be enough for the officials to share, and the participating officials would only receive a bonus, which would be distributed based on the conscience of the heads of each department.
However, at most, it would only be a few dozen taels, and it was impossible for everyone to receive that much.
Zhao Xing didn’t mind being able to eliminate the Mysterious Heaven Sect stronghold in Nanyang County, allowing him to go to the Divine Might Army without worries.
With the Blood Fiend Pearl and Blood Spirit Needle, he no longer cared about the court’s bonuses.
“As for the results of the Agricultural Affairs Bureau’s winter assessment,” Chen Shijie said, “as long as you participated, everyone passed, and the bonuses will be distributed. Each participant will receive about ten taels.”
“Long Xiao and I won’t take it.”
Chen Shijie didn’t mention Zhao Xing, clearly treating him as one of his own, making decisions about this small amount of money directly.
“Then wouldn’t I not get on the A-list?” Zhao Xing asked.
Chen Shijie smiled, “I’ll recommend you to take the Temple Examination, and the county’s Fan Dongping and Ji Ming have already given their approval. What more evaluation do you need?”
“You don’t even need to participate in the winter assessment; just prepare for the temple examination next spring.”
The winter assessment was the last evaluation of the year during the winter solstice.
However, hearing Chen Shijie say this, Zhao Xing didn’t need to exert that effort anymore.
He only needed to wait until next spring; once he passed the temple examination, he could take up an official position.
The temple examination combined practical and theoretical aspects, with the court directly setting the questions through the Temple of Divinity, supervised by the Yin Gods and designated officials.
The results would be released three days after the examination.
Originally, there was nothing more to think about, but Zhao Xing handed the Blood Fiend Pearl and Blood Spirit Needle to Chen Shijie, “I have no use for these two items; please help me exchange them for money.”
“Oh? You’ve made quite a harvest,” just then, Long Xiao walked in from the training grounds, “These are good items; where did you get them?”
“He killed a deputy hall master,” Chen Shijie explained. “I didn’t even use the protective straw man you made for me.”
“Not bad, better than Chen Er’s back then,” Long Xiao praised.
Zhao Xing didn’t respond because he saw Chen Shijie’s mouth twitch.
However, it seemed that Long Xiao had indeed achieved great merit this time; Chen Shijie didn’t say anything, allowing Long Xiao to show off.
“I’ll take this pearl,” Long Xiao said, picking up the Blood Fiend Pearl and unceremoniously putting it in his pocket, “When you get to the Divine Might Army, I’ll calculate it for you based on equivalent points. If you want to buy something, just find me for help.”
“Sure.” Zhao Xing nodded; the army didn’t use gold and silver but replaced it with a points system.
This points system was not only popular in the army but also in the Great Zhou’s seventy-two academies and schools. There were also the ‘Three Society Points System’ and ‘Three Academy Points System.’
It retained the evaluation system of ‘Excellent,’ ‘Average,’ and ‘Fail,’ while combining it with a highly operable numerical system.
If the points were sufficient, one could be promoted from the outer academy to the inner academy, from the lower society to the upper society, and even become a teacher at the Dao Academy.
In the military merit points system, reaching a certain level could lead to promotions, titles, and honors.
“I’ll help you handle the Blood Spirit Needle,” Chen Shijie said, putting away the Blood Spirit Needle, “You’ll definitely find it useful when you go to the Military Realm for training.”
Zhao Xing’s eyes lit up, “Going to the Divine Might Army as an Agricultural Affairs official, I still have to train in the Military Realm first?”
Long Xiao proudly said, “Of course! Do you think just anyone can enter my Divine Might Army?”
“You want to take up an official position as a clerk; waiting for a thousand years won’t get you into the Divine Might Army.”
Zhao Xing curiously asked, “What rank did the Divine Might Army place in the last Military Realm drill?”
“Five hundred eighty-seven!”
Five hundred plus, what’s there to be proud of!
If one didn’t know better, they might think you were one of the top ten elite armies!
Seeing Zhao Xing not reacting to this number, Long Xiao became anxious, “Kid, don’t think five hundred plus is bad. Do you know how many armies participated in the last Military Realm drill?”
“How many?”
“Eight thousand seven hundred ninety-three!” Long Xiao said, “My Divine Might Army ranked over five hundred; isn’t that impressive?”
“Impressive,” Zhao Xing nodded in agreement.
Over eight thousand armies is still considered a small number for the Great Zhou, which boasts a vast population across the Nineteen Provinces.
During the time of the Great Ancestor, the number of armies participating in the Military Realm drill exceeded fifty thousand, but during Emperor Wen’s reign, he hardly waged wars.
The number of Military Realm drills reached a historical low, with only over five thousand armies participating.
During Emperor Jing’s reign, it slightly increased, with multiple drills, and the number of armies exceeded ten thousand.
The most exaggerated was during Emperor Wu’s time, which directly broke the Great Ancestor’s record; during the peak of the Military Realm drill, the number of participating armies reached an astonishing five hundred thousand!
Even on average, the number of armies participating in each Military Realm drill never fell below one hundred thousand.
Emperor Wu favored explosive military actions and territorial expansion, and he didn’t just fill the ranks; the Military Realm drills he held had high standards, and among the various dynasties of the Great Zhou, the quality of his armies was second only to that of the Great Ancestor, and in some periods, even surpassed it.
The Military Realm drills had participation thresholds.
Local armies like the East Lake Army didn’t even qualify to participate.
“Does the Divine Might Army have its own Cavern Heaven?” Zhao Xing asked.
As soon as this question was asked, Long Xiao looked somewhat deflated, and Chen Shijie’s expression also dimmed.
“Almost had one.”
That meant they didn’t have one.
Zhao Xing felt slightly disappointed.
What is the Military Realm?
The Military Realm is where the Great Zhou connects various Cavern Heaven worlds across the Nineteen Provinces.
Once the level increases, whether it’s spells or martial techniques, their power and range would grow exponentially.
The Nineteen Provinces simply couldn’t withstand the construction.
For example, Zhao Xing, at the current Ninth Rank, could use the Cloud Swallowing Technique to cover half of Grain County.
The range of a martial artist’s secret technique isn’t that large, but its power is still considerable.
Taking the Agricultural Affairs Bureau as an example, many times, land-based spells require practicing on the ley lines, and the Celestial Methods are the same.
If the ground suddenly collapses or the seasons change erratically, who can the common people rely on?
Thus, any relatively high-level army usually trains in the Cavern Heaven worlds.
Cavern Heaven worlds have various miraculous properties.
The area is large enough to withstand construction, and they also have unique and rich resources.
For instance, there is a book in the Agricultural Affairs Bureau’s library called “Cavern Heaven Beneficial Things,” which describes the wonders of the ‘Guangling Cavern Heaven.’
In spring, five grains can be sown, and they mature in spring, with one ear feeding five people.
In summer, one can plant the Hundred Blood Vines, which can be harvested in summer, and the vine fruits can replenish various blood types.
In autumn, one can cultivate Golden Beans, which can be harvested in autumn, gathering essence in three days and entering the market in a month, priced like gold.
In winter, one can dig for Bone-Reconnecting Ginseng, which can reconnect bones in ten days and regenerate severed limbs in a hundred days.
The Guangling Cavern Heaven is home to one of the top fifty armies of the Great Zhou, the Guangling Army.
The Guangling Cavern Heaven is still not the largest or most miraculous; the largest Cavern Heaven worlds are occupied by the top ten elite armies.
The Military Realm drills are held in those largest ten Cavern Heavens in rotation.
“A strong army occupying a Cavern Heaven, while the Divine Might Army didn’t even make it into the top three hundred, means they can only share a Cavern Heaven with other armies or even multiple armies.”
“But what does Long Xiao mean by ‘almost had one’?”
Seeing Long Xiao and Chen Shijie not elaborating, Zhao Xing didn’t continue to ask; he vaguely guessed that this might involve the core secrets of the Divine Might Army.
“If I go to train in the Military Realm, which Cavern Heaven will I go to?” Zhao Xing asked.
“Not sure yet,” Chen Shijie shook his head, “I’ve stayed in the Jinting Cavern Heaven and Danxia Cavern Heaven before, but now that the Divine Might Army has been reactivated, there will definitely be changes in this regard.”
“However, by next spring, it will be confirmed, and Long Xiao and I will also wait until then to set off.”
Zhao Xing nodded and asked about other matters, “Does the Divine Might Army have a good relationship with the Fire Leaving Dao Academy?”
The Fire Leaving Divine Altar, although it has usage conditions, it’s not something just anyone can borrow.
In the Nineteen Provinces, the number of armies is as numerous as the hairs on a cow, but there are only seventy-two Dao Academies.
If you want to borrow, you have to be respected by them.
“The Marquis has some connections with the Fire Leaving Dao Academy,” Chen Shijie said, “He studied there for a period in his early years.”
“May I know the Marquis’s name and title?”
“Of course,” Long Xiao said, “The Marquis’s surname is Yang, named An, and he was granted the title of Bo Ping Marquis in the first year of Emperor Jing.”
Not called Divine Might Marquis? Bo Ping... could it be a county marquis?
Zhao Xing was somewhat puzzled; seeing how Chen Shijie and Long Xiao revered that Marquis, yet he was just a county marquis, it was quite strange.
The title of Marquis reveals a lot.
A first-rank marquis usually carries the characters ‘Might’ or ‘Hero,’ selected by the royal family based on special deeds or personal characteristics, or to express expectations and grand visions.
A second-rank marquis is conferred based on the five virtues of a soldier: ‘Strict, Brave, Martial, Wise, Trustworthy,’ known as the Five Virtue Title.
A third-rank marquis is usually named after their fief.
A fourth-rank marquis is not among the military marquises, and their names can be quite varied; they generally have no fief, only a fiefdom. This means that on that land, they can only collect some taxes, while a fief includes not only taxes but also conscription, mining, etc.
Bo Ping Marquis sounds like a third-rank marquis, but why is he associated with the Divine Might Army?
“I wonder what story lies within; the future renowned Divine Might Marquis and Divine Might Army are now just a Bo Ping County Marquis. Could it be that Emperor Jing was too stingy?”
Zhao Xing then asked about other matters regarding the Divine Might Army, such as its scale, number of troops, battle achievements, etc., gaining a general understanding of the place he was about to go.
Overall, the Divine Might Army aligned well with his next step.
With fewer troops, there would be many opportunities to achieve merit. From Long Xiao and Chen Shijie’s personal qualities, one could see that.
Moreover, the Divine Might Army would eventually gain renown across the world; mingling with the Divine Might Army would provide ample room for advancement.
The only hidden danger was that he didn’t know why they were ultimately disbanded.
“But this is not unchangeable,” Zhao Xing thought to himself, “My presence will inevitably bring about a butterfly effect. For instance, the Mysterious Heaven Sect’s actions in Nanyang County; without me, Old Chen wouldn’t have been alert enough to invite Long Xiao and notify the Nanyang County King.”
“True strong cultivators never complain about their environment; no matter how much the future changes, it cannot alter my determination for longevity!”
At the Chen Estate, after Long Xiao watched Zhao Xing leave, he couldn’t help but stroke his chin, “This kid is not simple; his resolve is firm. Taking up the position of military Agricultural Affairs seems to be a direction he had already decided on rather than one you advised.”
“In the Mysterious Heaven Sect incident, he showed both courage and strategy, able to strategize with you, and at a critical moment, he dared to act against a hall master.”
“But during the inspection in Peaceful Town, he clearly had the protective straw man with him, yet he didn’t act greedily.”
“While chatting with him, I only said a few words, yet he seemed to have guessed many things.”
“I have a feeling he will definitely bring us surprises.”
Chen Shijie smiled, “You seem to have more faith in him than I do, but let’s not get too excited; let’s wait until he passes the temple examination before we talk.”
(End of Chapter)