After seizing three treasures from the cave, Zhao Xing immediately retreated.
Due to the overwhelming resonance of the three treasures, which could not be digested in a short time, he chose the Tian Tan Square.
Tian Tan Square is the outer area of the Temple of Divinity, where fighting is prohibited at certain times. As long as one enters during this period, they are absolutely safe.
Otherwise, the officials would compete against each other while also facing the dangers from the mountain, making it exceedingly difficult.
After Zhao Xing entered the square, although there were prying eyes, no one dared to act, nor could they act. The straw men also began to enter one after another.
“There are only thirty-four straw men left.”
“However, the Great Strength Vajras still account for half.”
The exploration of the Mountain Cat Cave had resulted in the greatest losses.
Some were due to the expiration of spell effects, while others had sustained damage, and Zhao Xing did not renew them.
“Originally, there were thirty-nine, but upon entering the Temple of Divinity, I lost five, including three Great Strength Vajras.” Zhao Xing's gaze turned cold as he looked in several directions.
Standing atop a large tree was an archer, holding a silver bow, with arrows shimmering with a splendid light beside him.
His clothing was also extraordinary, capable of changing with the environment. If one did not look closely, it would be easy to overlook him. It was this person who had caused him to lose three Great Strength Vajras.
“I remember you.” Zhao Xing looked at the archer.
“Oh? Then wait for you to find me.” The archer snorted coldly in response and then vanished into the jungle.
Although he was somewhat surprised that he could not completely pierce through the Great Strength Vajras, this person was merely an official from the Agricultural Affairs Bureau and posed no real threat to him.
In another direction stood a middle-aged scholar, wearing a crown and holding a feather fan. When Zhao Xing looked over, he not only did not show anger but instead smiled slightly and cupped his hands, as if he had not just burned the straw men.
“This is a ritual scholar,” Zhao Xing thought to himself. The ritual and music system of the Zhou Dynasty, where music refers to cultivators like Lu Qian.
The ritual also possesses immense power; they can also be referred to as 'literary cultivators,' as the civil officials wield the spells of ritual.
When that person suggested he put down the Spirit, Zhao Xing felt an impulse to obey his words. Fortunately, he used Yin Wind to shake the other’s soul, preventing the latter's flames from burning him.
In other directions, some had indeed made their moves, but Zhao Xing acted quickly, and the timing was precise. Some missed hitting Zhao Xing, while others had already passed the moment they could act and were unable to strike.
“This brother, I…” Someone, seeing Zhao Xing was young, wanted to approach and see if there was a chance to gain some benefits.
“Scram!” Zhao Xing interrupted without courtesy.
He controlled the straw men to form a surrounding circle in front of him, preventing those with ulterior motives from getting close, while also creating a wind wall to avoid being disturbed by noise.
Because the discussions about him were not small at the moment.
“Who is that person? His straw men, how come they are different from what I’ve seen? They seem quite formidable.”
“Can actually block Gu Feng’s three Meteor Arrows? Do straw men have such high defense?”
“I recognize him, Zhao Xing from Grain City, an official from the Agricultural Affairs Bureau.”
“I’ve heard of Li Chengfeng from Grain City, known as a gentleman. This person seems to have had a fortuitous encounter, having seized the thirteenth incense stick last night.”
“This friend, if you know him, could you introduce me? I wish to befriend him.”
“Befriend? Brother, are you interested in the Spirit he possesses?”
“I advise you not to get close; this person is not easy to provoke. Just now, when he roared, I felt my scalp tingle, as if someone had splashed a basin of cold water on me.”
“I felt the same; it was as if the wind around me blew into my bones. No matter how I circulated my vital Qi, I’m still feeling dizzy.”
“Tsk tsk tsk, there are more and more experts nowadays. Even the Agricultural Affairs Bureau has such a formidable character, one person with three Spirits, and so many miraculous straw men!”
“It seems tonight’s competition for the first incense stick will be even more lively than the first day.”
“Too bad I can’t see it; I wonder what happened last night?”
“I know a bit. Last night, that Yang Junxiong, with a bamboo horse, swept through his peers and entered the Temple of Divinity to seize the first incense stick. That heir of the Du family from Nanyang, Du Jiaojiao, arrived a bit late and only managed to seize the second incense stick.”
“Being from the Agricultural Affairs Bureau, I wonder how this person compares to the True Lord’s descendant, Cao Qiushui?”
“Probably incomparable, right?”
Summoning the wind to surround his body, isolating the external noise, Zhao Xing took out the treasures obtained from the Mountain Cat Cave.
A purple stone, a piece of yellow paper, and a blue lotus pod.
“Three items, all of them are mid-grade Spirits.”
“It seems that the Mountain Cat was so concerned about the high-grade Spirit, the Fortune Gold Cup.” Zhao Xing thought to himself.
He did not feel regret; being able to seize three Spirits at once and retreat safely was already quite rare.
When one’s Fortune erupts, as long as they are not greedy, they can preserve their gains.
If greedy, they might end up with nothing, and instead, be unable to escape safely. Zhao Xing had seen too many examples of this.
“If I make progress on the third day, then I will try again to seize the Fortune Gold Cup; if not, I won’t force it and will just descend the mountain.”
Clearing his mind, Zhao Xing focused on the present.
He did not dare to touch the purple stone with his hands but instead used the wind to support it, for even the Great Strength Vajras had been scorched by lightning; his fleshly palm would likely be ruined if he touched it.
The reason it was said to be scorched by lightning rather than burned was precisely because this purple stone was a Thunder Law Spirit.
The five elements of wind restrain thunder; using a gentle breeze to support it would prevent harm.
“What a rich power of thunder!” Zhao Xing held it close to his eyes and examined it carefully. The stone was semi-transparent, and beneath a thin layer of stone skin, it was filled with raging lightning.
This was completely a stone condensed from thunder!
“I wonder how that silly cat managed to carry it into the cave. No wonder I always felt that the Mountain Cat moved as fast as lightning; it was not an illusion. It probably gained considerable benefits from this stone.”
Undoubtedly, this Thunder Stone belonged to the Thunder Law Spirit, containing pure thunder power that could assist one in comprehending Thunder Law spells!
“Buzz~” Zhao Xing slowly brought his other hand closer, a wisp of vital Qi emerging from his fingertips, gently probing into it.
A slight tingling sensation spread from his fingertips, and soon Zhao Xing’s gaze was involuntarily drawn to the Thunder Stone, his eyes completely immersed in the world within the stone.
“Boom!”
The world within the stone was entirely a realm of thunder, and Zhao Xing felt as if he were in a thunder pool, watching the flickering lightning.
Zhao Xing's pupils reflected the thunderous world.
He could not help but begin to comprehend, and the proficiency of Thunder Law spells surged wildly.
[You have comprehended the mid-grade Spirit 'Thunder Stone,' Thunder Law proficiency increased by 1000 points!]
Just as he began, [Thunder Strike] immediately broke through to the eighth transformation, and [Lightning Summon] also smoothly broke through to the second transformation.
(End of this chapter)