"They were both beaten by the mountain cat," Zhao Xing said lightly.
"Well done," Zong Shichang clapped and cheered, "I've disliked that flower-faced guy for a long time."
"Do you have a grudge against him?" Zhao Xing asked in surprise.
Zong Shichang snorted, "My father wanted to invite a ritualist to accompany me up the mountain and had sought him out."
"Did you not reach an agreement?"
"Business is business, but there’s no need to hold a grudge. He offered a price and was very enthusiastic at first, but after we couldn't reach an agreement, he suddenly pretended to be aloof, saying my Zong family’s money stinks and he looked down on associating with us. Isn't that just smearing my family's reputation?"
Zhao Xing chuckled, "This person is indeed despicable. What about you and that Li Chengfeng?"
Zong Shichang's expression became somewhat complicated. "This is something from before we entered the mountain; you need not ask... I once genuinely considered him a friend, and although we've cut ties now, I don't wish to speak ill of him behind his back."
Zhao Xing nodded and did not press further.
At that moment, a steady voice reached their ears: "Brother Zhao, sorry for being late."
Zhao Xing turned his head and saw a familiar figure striding over with great speed. It was the talented martial artist from the Martial Division, Shen Zhui, whom they hadn't seen for the past two days.
"Not late at all, Brother Shen. There's still half an hour; you arrived early."
"I broke my promise," Shen Zhui said with a face full of shame. "I accidentally wandered into a Peach Blossom Spring and couldn't find my way out. It was only after finally getting out that I realized three days had passed, so I hurried here."
"Oh? Such a thing happened?" Zhao Xing became interested. "It seems Brother Shen had a fortuitous encounter inside."
Shen Zhui nodded. "After entering that Peach Blossom Spring, I discovered two ten-zhang tall giants playing chess under an enormous willow tree, and they even called me over."
"I don't understand the way of chess and felt that place was strange, so I just wanted to leave. As a result, they hit me with a chess piece and I suddenly found myself on a battlefield."
"And then?" Zong Shichang asked with a curious expression. "What happened next?"
Shen Zhui looked up at Zong Shichang. "I saw black and white soldiers appearing before me, fighting fiercely on the battlefield."
"I was forced to follow the white soldiers into battle. Oddly enough, every time I killed a soldier, a sword move would flash through my mind, and vital Qi would flow into my body. When the battle ended, I suddenly found myself outside that Peach Blossom Spring."
"And I even stepped into the Nine Product realm."
"Wow!" Zong Shichang gasped.
Zhao Xing teased, "Why are you gasping? As if you understood everything."
Zong Shichang replied, "Though I didn't understand, it feels quite remarkable. Uncle Cang, Uncle Hu, what do you think?"
The two nodded repeatedly; such matters were indeed shocking no matter where they were.
Yuan Bo suddenly spoke, "The world is a chessboard, vital Qi are the chess pieces, and the gods are playing against each other. You accidentally wandered in and became a chess piece, standing on the winning side, hence your cultivation increased greatly."
"What if he stood on the losing side?" Zong Shichang asked.
"Dead," Yuan Bo replied with a single word.
Shen Zhui's expression changed slightly, clearly realizing the danger only now.
Zhao Xing patted his shoulder and said, "No matter the reason, Brother Shen, it's good that you gained something. It's in the past, so there's no need to dwell on it."
"Yes," Shen Zhui nodded. "I had this awareness before entering the mountain, but I never expected such a thing to happen."
After a pause, he looked at Zhao Xing. "Brother Zhao, now that I've entered the realm, whether I get the first incense or not is no longer that important to me. Tonight, I will help you secure the first incense to make up for my previous absence."
"Hahaha."
Shen Zhui frowned at Zong Shichang. "Why are you laughing?"
Zong Shichang pointed at Zhao Xing. "If you had come out yesterday, you could indeed have helped him, but now, Zhao Sanjia doesn't need you and still has a great chance to claim the first incense."
"Huh?" Shen Zhui was taken aback. He re-evaluated Zhao Xing and found that the other party had already reached the Gathered Essence Ninth Level.
That wasn't too surprising, but upon further inspection, he noticed that Zhao Xing's aura was exceptionally unique, like the ocean, unfathomable, even giving him a sense of danger.
At that moment, Shen Zhui noticed a small cat's head peeking out from Zhao Xing's chest.
When he locked eyes with the cat's adorable big eyes, Shen Zhui was startled. "A beast of the realm?!"
Zhao Xing pushed the mountain cat's head back in. "Brother Shen, there's no need to panic; the mountain cat has been tamed by me."
Shen Zhui sighed. "I didn't even notice its presence. I... I was just speaking carelessly earlier."
It seemed he wasn't the only one with a fortuitous encounter; Zhao Xing's situation was even more powerful.
To think that before entering the mountain, Zhao Xing was only at the Gathered Essence Fourth Level.
Now, not only had he reached the Gathered Essence Ninth Level, but he had also tamed a beast of the realm!
"Many people are looking at you with hostility. Brother Zhao, what exactly did you do?" Shen Zhui asked, somewhat surprised, as he keenly sensed the gazes around them.
It wasn't directed at the mountain cat but at Zhao Xing himself.
This made him quite curious about Zhao Xing's experiences over the past two days.
"Nothing much, just had a friendly exchange with the mountain cat."
"You don't mean to say that the mountain cat stole a lot of people's spiritual treasures, do you? That's hardly friendly!" Shen Zhui seemed to understand something, realizing that Zhao Xing's skills and methods had greatly improved.
If it could make him, a beast of the realm, feel threatened, how much spiritual treasure must have been used?
But how could he gather so many treasures on his own?
It must have been the mountain cat's help in stealing!
Zhao Xing casually fabricated, "Brother Shen, you don't know. The mountain cat is wild and hard to tame; it wants to take people's lives upon encountering them. It was my kind heart and earnest persuasion that made it only steal spiritual treasures without harming anyone's life."
"As for the spiritual treasures it stole, it insisted that I consume them. What can I do?"
Shen Zhui: "..."
Zong Shichang: "..."
Meow! The mountain cat poked its head out from Zhao Xing's embrace, looking at him in confusion.
Wasn't it you who told me to steal? You were even fighting with me over the food!
"You see, it's being mischievous again," Zhao Xing casually pressed the small cat's head back down.
Shen Zhui glanced at the mountain cat. "With it around, it seems I won't be able to help much."
Zong Shichang joked, "How could that be? Brother Shen, a tall and strong man like you can't compare to a cat's intelligence?"
Shen Zhui didn't particularly like Zong Shichang's joke, but out of respect for Zhao Xing, he merely frowned and said nothing more.
Zong Shichang, feeling a bit embarrassed, stopped talking to Shen Zhui and found Zhao Xing more interesting.
Of course, the main reason was that Zhao Xing was currently attracting a lot of attention.
Zong Shichang thought that if he could chat and laugh with Zhao Xing, that Miss Liu would surely look at him more favorably, right?
"It turns out he is the master of the mountain cat; it's truly hard to believe," Liu Muqing looked at Zhao Xing's figure and couldn't help but sigh.
Originally, the position of Agricultural Affairs Bureau had no advantage in the competition, and one could even say it was a disadvantage.
But Zhao Xing's performance had exceeded everyone's expectations.
Last night, he had outperformed Cao Qiushui, helping Zong Shichang secure four incense sticks.
Today, he unexpectedly brought a beast of the realm, becoming the most eye-catching presence.
"Hmph, this guy is indeed incorrigible, always stealing from others." Lu Qian gritted her teeth, thinking she would have a chance to reclaim her Feathered Cloak tonight.
But who knew her enemy was getting stronger and stronger! Is there any justice in this?
"Qianqian, you seem to care a lot about this person," Du Jiaojiao said softly. "Do you have a grudge against him?"
"No, I just can't stand his way of doing things!" Lu Qian denied.
"If you won't say, I'll just assume that the Feathered Cloak is a gift you gave him," Du Jiaojiao said.
Liu Muqing teased, "Yeah, just consider it a gift for your lover."
"After tonight, if you want to get it back, it will be as hard as ascending to the heavens."
"I refuse! Lover? How could you think that?!"
"Then will you say it or not?"
"I'll say it!" Lu Qian then recounted the previous incident of competing with Zhao Xing for the Zhu fruit. "Sigh, now that he has the mountain cat protecting him, I'm really afraid I won't be able to get it back. If he takes it down the mountain, how will I face people in the future? It's so embarrassing."
Liu Muqing covered her mouth and laughed. "Your Feathered Cloak has already formed a spiritual connection with you, and once you go down the mountain, you'll forget everything that happened on the mountain... By then, you'll really think you had some beautiful fate with him on the mountain and go looking for him... Oh dear, maybe it could even lead to a good thing."
"Ah, no! I don't want that!" Upon hearing Liu Muqing's suggestion, Lu Qian immediately went into a frenzy.
As time passed, the sky had completely darkened.
In the Heavenly Altar Square, the number of people was fewer than last night, but the experts had increased.
By the end of the Hai hour, almost all the well-known experts had gathered in the square.
Moreover, in groups of three or five, each had their own small teams.
The newly promoted beastmaster Gu Feng had accepted Zhang Boran and Wen Zhao as his companions.
The Mechanist Hu Yang had also found two martial artists to assist him.
Except for Yang Junxiong, almost everyone had helpers, not fighting alone.
On this final day, no one could confidently say they could secure the first incense.
Because the competition was too fierce, aside from the human realm experts, even beasts of the realm like the mountain cat had appeared, and everyone knew there would be a fierce battle tonight.
"I didn't expect he actually tamed a beast of the realm," Gu Feng looked in Zhao Xing's direction, his gaze cold. "Previously, Zhang Boran and Wen Zhao, who had grievances with him, were severely injured by him. This person not only holds grudges but is also ruthless. Even Cao Qiushui fell for it. I must strike first and eliminate him."
Gu Feng was wary of the mountain cat, as beasts of the realm were harder to tame, and once they reached the realm, they were stronger than human martial artists. He wasn't confident he could defeat it.
But if he could first eliminate Zhao Xing, the mountain cat would surely not dare to attack recklessly.
"Hiss!" As if sensing something, the small mountain cat's head poked out, huffing in Gu Feng's direction.
Not far away, Yang Junxiong, riding the bamboo horse, suddenly glanced over, staring at Zhao Xing and the mountain cat, deep in thought.
"Dang!" A heavy bell rang from the Temple of Divinity.
The sundial's pointer also pointed to the 'Only Martial' area of the Zi hour!
Ten golden light orbs floated out from the temple door.
"Swish, swish, swish, swish!"
Figures moved, and in the darkness, some people began to act, leaping into the sky to seize the incense.
Gu Feng did not rush to seize the incense at first; instead, he targeted Zhao Xing.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!"
He shot arrows from the southwest, aiming directly at the vital points.
The arrows flew like shooting stars, and as soon as they were released, Zhao Xing felt a stinging pain on his skin.
A beastmaster of the realm had immense lethality, especially at this distance; to assassinate a ritualist was, in Gu Feng's view, as easy as pie!
However, at the moment he shot the arrows, Gu Feng suddenly felt a chill on his forehead, and the silver bow in his hand trembled.
"Dang!" "Dang dang dang!"
The outcome was beyond Gu Feng's expectations; all his arrow attacks were neutralized!
What surprised him was that it wasn't the mountain cat that blocked the arrows, but Shen Zhui, who was beside Zhao Xing!
At this moment, he held an iron ruler in his right hand and a shield in his left.
The shield was originally his 'Rattan Hat' on his head, a specially made rattan armor that he usually wore. In critical moments, it could be taken off and used as a shield, a top-grade treasure of the third tier!
Gu Feng had considered that the mountain cat could block his arrows.
But that seemingly ordinary young man wielding an iron ruler could also block them, and not with the shield, but by slicing through his arrows with his blade.
"Where did this expert come from? No, wait... my archery skills have diminished; I've been affected!" Gu Feng was alarmed.
Arrows from a beastmaster were hard to dodge; even when facing a higher level, they could still hit the target.
He had just used the secret technique 'Heart-Piercing Arrow,' but now it was blocked! This was absolutely abnormal!
There was no time to be surprised, as he felt that chill again, and the young martial artist was pursuing him.
He shot out seven arrows again, trying to stop Shen Zhui.
But this time, both the power and speed had weakened significantly.
The Nine Turns Yin Wind had invaded his soul, dispersing much of his energy to resist.
As a result, the arrows were easily blocked.
"A beastmaster who doesn't hide behind and shoot arrows but stands so close is simply asking for death!" Zhao Xing manipulated the Yin Wind, wrapping it around Gu Feng layer by layer.
The other party regarded him as a threat, and Zhao Xing felt the same way.
It wasn't out of vengeance; it was because among the realm experts present, the beastmaster posed the greatest threat to him.
Because the speed and power of arrows were too strong; even against an Eighth Product expert, if their movement was slightly lacking, they could be shot dead by a Ninth Product beastmaster.
Thus, as soon as the 'Only Martial' moment arrived, Zhao Xing immediately locked onto Gu Feng, summoning the Yin Wind from beneath his feet.
The Nine Turns Yin Wind shook Gu Feng's soul, causing his sense of direction and control over his own strength to diminish.
As a result, the mountain cat didn't even need to act, and Shen Zhui had already blocked him.
"Rituals of use, harmony..."
Wen Zhao initiated the ritual to help Gu Feng.
"Harmony your mother!"
Seeing Wen Zhao foolishly trying to participate in the battle among realm experts, Zhao Xing shouted, and the Yin Wind surged into his mind.
"Buzz!"
Wen Zhao felt as if his soul had left his body, and he floated up.
"Thud!"
He fell to the ground without hesitation.
The square fell into an eerie silence.
Because at that moment, Yang Junxiong and Du Jiaojiao had not acted to seize the incense; instead, they were observing the movements of the beastmaster and the mountain cat.
To them, the threats posed by the beastmaster and the mountain cat were equally matched.
As for the threat from the beastmaster, it was even slightly greater than that of the mountain cat.
If they jumped into the air at the start, it would be difficult to gain leverage in mid-air, making them live targets for the beastmaster.
As for Zhao Xing himself and the young expert beside him, they could be ignored.
Gu Feng was the first to target Zhao Xing, which they were more than happy to see.
Whether the mountain cat was shot dead or the beastmaster retreated, the outcome would be very favorable for Du Jiaojiao and Yang Junxiong.
But unexpectedly, the mountain cat did not act, and the beastmaster began to retreat.
"What is going on?" Lu Qian looked at this scene, puzzled. "As realm experts, how could that person block Gu Feng's arrows?"
Du Jiaojiao's eyes emitted a faint golden light, revealing her own Nine Turns Bright Eyes. "It's Zhao Xing; Gu Feng is wrapped in a layer of Yin Wind."
"What is Yin Wind?" Liu Muqing asked curiously, as she knew very little about the spells of the Agricultural Affairs Bureau.
"Earthly Yin Wind, specifically harmful to the soul," Du Jiaojiao said with some trepidation in her eyes. "If the strength and spirit are affected, the physical movements will become distorted, and the power will weaken. In severe cases, even the soul could be scattered."
"One layer, three layers, nine layers of Yin Wind?!" Du Jiaojiao's expression changed slightly.
The Nine Turns Yin Wind was completely beyond her expectations; with this technique, Zhao Xing could be regarded as a realm expert!
"This person is indeed insidious; even his spells are like this," Lu Qian recalled her previous encounter, where Zhao Xing had buried a scarecrow and pretended to be foolish to trick her into a trap.
"I understand now why Cao Qiushui lost last night; it must have been due to this Yin Wind technique," Du Jiaojiao sighed. "Tonight, securing the first incense will be difficult; even second place is uncertain."
"Again with this trick, it's this trick!" Cao Qiushui watched Gu Feng being pursued, his movements and arrows distorted, and immediately realized that he had fallen victim to Zhao Xing's Yin Wind method.
"What do you mean by this trick? Which trick?" others asked.
"The Yin Wind technique," Cao Qiushui said with some fear. "If one lacks soul-protecting treasures, this technique is unsolvable. Even Eighth Product experts can be affected at the mid-tier Nine Turns level."
Not far away, Li Chengfeng looked at an old official beside him.
"Brother Zhang, why don't we take advantage of their fierce battle and join forces to seize the initiative for everyone..."
"Join forces?" The Zhang surname official shook his head like a rattle drum. "Before Zhao Xing leaves, who would dare to join forces? Didn't you see that Cao Qiushui hasn't moved?"
Li Chengfeng was taken aback. "Is he that formidable?"
The Zhang surname official pointed to the sky. "Last night, he first defeated four Eighth Product ritualists and then forced Cao Qiushui to concede. It's not that everyone doesn't want to; it's that they don't dare. I advise you not to act rashly."
Upon hearing this, Li Chengfeng's expression became complicated. He thought he had a great opportunity to step into the Gathered Essence Ninth Level, enough to look down on others, but unexpectedly, Zhao Xing was even more powerful, leaving others with no thought of even trying.
The moment Gu Feng and Shen Zhui disappeared from the Heavenly Altar Square, someone moved.
Yang Junxiong leaped up from his bamboo horse, heading towards the golden light orbs in the air.
"Mountain cat, go!"
Zhao Xing patted the mountain cat's back, and it darted out, rushing towards Yang Junxiong from another angle.
However, at that moment, Yang Junxiong suddenly jumped off the bamboo horse, separating man and horse, and increased his speed by threefold.
At the same time, the bamboo horse suddenly raised its head and hooves, turning sharply.
"Clop, clop, clop~" The bamboo horse's hooves glowed, igniting with fiery red light, as if a heavenly horse was galloping through the air!
The light beneath its hooves flickered in the air, sending ripples that seemed to suppress the golden light of the incense!
"What? Such heavy killing intent; this is actually a battle soul bamboo horse?!" Mechanist Hu Yang suddenly looked up, unable to help but exclaim.
On the other side, Du Jiaojiao also sprang up, her spear shooting like a dragon towards the sky. "Zhao Xing, Zong Shichang, get out of the way!!"
(End of Chapter)