Stepping out of Chen Estate, Zhao Xing still felt a bit shocked. He did not expect to meet an old acquaintance here. Nor did he anticipate that Long Xiao had such a close relationship with Chen Shijie. Even more surprising was that the Divine Might Army, which Chen Shijie wanted to take him to, would later be disbanded!
“Should I still go with Old Chen?”
Joining the army was a certainty; after all, his original plan was to become a military agricultural officer. If he wanted to rise quickly, the military was undoubtedly the fastest route. With his foresight, he was confident he could do well.
“The Divine Might Army was once renowned, but later suffered heavy losses while fighting against the barbaric foreign tribes, even losing its structure.”
“The Martial Emperor’s campaign against the barbarians was largely due to his father suffering great losses in his later years against the foreign tribes.”
Zhao Xing recalled that the Marquis of Shenxiao, Long Xiao, harbored a deep hatred for the barbaric foreign tribes, perhaps due to his experiences in the Divine Might Army. Long Xiao rose during the latter part of Emperor Jing's reign and was granted the title of Martial Marquis for his achievements in the campaign against the barbarians during the Martial Emperor's era.
In Zhao Xing's future plans, Long Xiao was on his investment list. If he was stronger than Long Xiao before his rise, he would lend him a hand as an investment; if he was still weaker, he would follow Long Xiao.
“It’s only the mid-reign of Emperor Jing; after Jingxin, there will be a period of great governance and eternal governance, almost two hundred years left.”
Listening to Old Chen and Long Xiao chat, Zhao Xing realized that although the Divine Might Army had a bit of fame before, it was limited to one prefecture and had not yet reached the level of being renowned throughout the world. Now, it had just been restored for use.
“Joining now has its benefits; the Divine Might Army has just been activated, and there are plenty of opportunities to make achievements. As for later? If it comes to it, I can always jump ship; Long Xiao is living well after all.” Zhao Xing shook his head, no longer thinking too much about it; after all, he had a few months before making a decision.
He would gather more information first; if he assessed later that it was not feasible, there were plenty of other options available to him. For now, he needed to get through the Heavenly Profound Sect hurdle and secure his official position before anything else.
Sanwan Town, Maple Leaf Manor.
Inside Maple Leaf Manor, there was a rockery, and within this rockery, a hidden passage had been dug, leading deep underground.
At this moment, in the depths of the underground space, there was a small altar. The altar stood in the midst of a blood pool, crimson blood covering half of the statue.
The two hall masters of Sanwan Hall knelt below, waiting. The Falcon Guardian knelt beside the blood pool, worshipping the statue.
Chen Deshun and Wu Mei felt a bit anxious. Originally, this was not a time for sacrifice, but a few days ago, they received a warning from the Sovereign. After returning, they reported to the Guardian.
Those in hiding were sensitive to even the slightest disturbance, and the Falcon took it seriously, immediately coming to this altar to pray to the divine and inquire about the specific reason for the warning.
“Gulon~” The statue emitted a faint red light, illuminating the air and revealing a scene of Chen Deshun at the Niu Family Courtyard.
Then the statue quickly sank into the blood pool, and the strange phenomenon disappeared.
The Falcon Guardian bowed devoutly again and then slowly descended from the altar.
“Guardian… pu~” Just as Chen Deshun wanted to ask what had happened, he and Wu Mei were slapped away by the Falcon, spitting out a mouthful of blood, losing two teeth in the process.
The two looked panicked, quickly crawling over to kneel respectfully after falling to the ground.
“You two fools!” The Falcon glared at them with a dark expression, “I sent you to Peaceful Town to scout; what exactly did you do to expose your identities?”
“What?” Chen Deshun exclaimed in shock, “We exposed ourselves?”
Wu Mei also looked terrified: “Guardian, please see clearly, we did nothing.”
The Falcon's gaze was cold: “Still dare to quibble? The Sovereign's warning indicates that someone has detected your identities through secret methods.”
“What? How is that possible…” Chen Deshun and Wu Mei were horrified, completely unaware of how such a situation had arisen.
They had been in this underground altar for the past two days, sensing that things were getting serious, but they did not expect it to be this severe.
“You can no longer use your identities.” The Falcon snorted, “Enter the Blood Spirit Pool.”
“Y-yes.” The two walked into the altar's blood pool with some fear.
Then the Falcon waved, and a man and a woman, both disciples, approached.
They were naked, and when they reached the Falcon, they knelt respectfully: “Greetings, Guardian.”
The Falcon slowly said, “It’s an urgent time now; you need to contribute to the great cause. In the future, the Heavenly Profound Sect will recreate your golden bodies, granting you eternal peace.”
The man and woman looked at the statue with fervor: “Willing to die for the Heavenly Profound Sect!”
They then rose and jumped into the blood pool.
“Gulon~”
The blood pool emitted a faint red light, and soon, the man and woman emerged from the blood pool again.
The Falcon looked at them: “For this month, do not take any actions; familiarize yourselves with your new identities.”
“Understood.” Chen Deshun and Wu Mei responded.
On October 7th, Cold Dew.
The weather in Grain City gradually turned cold, and the courtyard of Xue Wenzhong's Huai Liu Courtyard was no longer in spring colors but had returned to the seasonal changes of the outside world.
Xue Wenzhong pointed to the sky where wisps of mist spread from around.
“After Cold Dew comes the three mornings, when crossing water, one must seek a bridge.”
“The pure white and crystal-clear dew turns cold and is about to congeal; this is the seventeenth method in the Seasonal Command.”
“Practicing the Seasonal Command, you will clearly sense the yin of the earth veins during this season, and many spells will thus greatly increase in power, such as the ones you practice: Yin Wind and Ice Rain.”
“During the Cold Dew season, there are seven significant phenomena that can cause seven types of ordinary beasts to transform into extraordinary beasts and seven types of ordinary plants to transform into spiritual plants; similarly, it can also cause extraordinary beasts to degenerate and spiritual plants to wither.”
“However, I am dull-witted, and with the Cold Dew Seasonal Command, I can only achieve the ‘three phenomena of Cold Dew’; it is sufficient for Grain City, but if you aim to join the army, it is slightly insufficient. You can consult Chen Shijie more in the future; he will definitely teach you how to use it.”
Zhao Xing nodded. After officially becoming a military agricultural officer, he could practice the Seasonal Command. At that time, the spell range of the military agricultural officer would greatly increase due to the position in the Fortune Dynasty, though this increase would only be limited to the Great Zhou territory.
At the same time, the Seasonal Command was not just a simple method of determining and changing the weather; it would also come with various miraculous abilities, such as enhancing spells and utilizing phenomena for changes.
This was even more widely applicable in military operations. When a large army arrived in an unfamiliar wilderness, which meats were edible and which were not had to be discerned by the military agricultural officer.
However, in such a vast world with countless species, even a military agricultural officer might not be able to identify everything completely.
Utilizing seasonal phenomena could help select edible items from the wilderness.
For military agricultural officers, the distinction was only between what could be eaten directly and what could be made edible.
Xue Wenzhong had nothing more to teach Zhao Xing regarding specific spells; he could only discuss the Seasonal Command, which could only be mastered after becoming an official military agricultural officer.
Zhao Xing knew that his time with the old agricultural officer was limited, and even though much of it was just common sense, he listened attentively.
On October 9th, Zhao Xing arrived at Chen Estate.
At this time, Chen Shijie was busily preparing traps.
Most of his pear garden had been cleared, and many seedlings had been pulled out, replaced with several new plants.
Zhao Xing curiously ran over to take a look, instantly dumbfounded: “Are you planning to blow up the Heavenly Profound Sect?”
Chen Shijie replied nonchalantly, “The geographical environment of Nanyang County is still lacking; these things will grow here, but their power will be a bit diminished.”
Long Xiao said, “No worries, I also shipped some high-grade goods for you, a hundred segments.”
Zhao Xing cautiously asked, “About how many levels?”
Long Xiao held up a hand, and Zhao Xing's expression changed drastically: “Is this really okay?”
Chen Shijie spoke up, “It’s necessary; those two from Sanwan Town are already dead, and their house has burned down. These Heavenly Profound Sect demons are not simple; they are highly alert, and they must have changed their appearances.”
Long Xiao laughed, “Relax, it’ll be fine.”
Zhao Xing sighed, “When the time comes, I need to keep my distance from you two.”
After a pause, he added, “Can you spare me some smaller ones?”
“Hahaha, do you think this thing is useful? Sure, no problem!”
On October 15th, at the Zong Mansion.
Zong Shichang handed a box to Zhao Xing.
“I searched for a long time and only found a top-grade Sand Soul Box of the third level; I don’t know if it’s enough for you.”
Zhao Xing took a look: “It’s enough.”
Zong Shichang, despite the cold weather, was still flamboyantly fanning himself: “This kind of thing is only useful for holding some Soul Calming Talisman; I don’t know what else it’s good for. Can you tell me?”
Zhao Xing smiled, “Don’t ask; I don’t want to say, don’t force me to lie to you.”
Zong Shichang closed his fan: “You’re quite honest; I like this about you, so I won’t ask. How about we drink a bit more today?”
Zhao Xing shook his head: “No more drinking; I need to prepare well for the Winter Assessment.”
Zong Shichang was surprised: “Isn’t it unnecessary to be so diligent? Nowadays, your spot in Grain City is already secured; who can compete with you?”
Zhao Xing looked up at a 45-degree angle: “True strong individuals only compare with themselves.”
Zong Shichang laughed and scolded, “Damn, you just say it like that; you really know how to act.”
On October 23rd, Frost's Descent.
The weather in Grain City grew increasingly cold, and every morning, a thin layer of frost could be seen on the ground.
During this seasonal period, Zhao Xing clearly felt that his Ice Rain and Yin Wind spells had further strengthened.
Compared to the Autumn Equinox, their power had increased by at least thirty percent.
“The influence of the seasons on spells is quite significant. Once I become official, my primary task will be to practice the Seasonal Command. This is equivalent to creating a suitable home-field environment for myself.” Zhao Xing wrapped himself in autumn clothing and went to the backyard to take a look.
The Heavenly Origin Pear Tree had already been moved to the corner.
The effects of the earth veins were fully nourishing several other plants.
The vegetable patch in the backyard was also covered by a layer of cloud and mist, making it impossible for outsiders to see what was happening inside.
“The growth is good.” Zhao Xing scanned the area, “I hope it won’t come to use; it would be best if Old Chen and Long Xiao could handle it, allowing me to rest easy.”
On October 28th.
“Hu~”
The fourth-level Enlightening Painting ‘Phantom Palace’ suddenly ignited, indicating that the last opportunity for comprehension had been used up.
Zhao Xing looked at the panel.
[Boundless Subterranean Palace: Intermediate Spell]
[Progress: 8012/9999]
[Effect: Using earth veins as a foundation, forge a Boundless Subterranean Palace, releasing powerful absorption capabilities, can stack up to eight times.]
[Five Elements Cracking Earth: Intermediate Spell]
[Progress: 7215/9999]
[Effect: Earth veins surge wildly, wreaking havoc in the world, using the random power of the five elements' earth veins to attack.]
[Cloud Swallowing: Intermediate Spell]
[Progress: 8523/9999]
[Effect: Intermediate cloud technique, can swallow and absorb various cloud energies, gaining the effects of the absorbed cloud energies.]
[Earth Zang Returning Origin · Human Path: Intermediate Spell]
[Progress: 6536/9999]
[Effect: Arrange an earth vein formation, absorb earth vein power, replenish vital Qi, and maintain an endless cycle of spells.]
“This month, all four Enlightening Paintings have been used up, and all four spells have made significant progress.” Zhao Xing pondered, “As for the other spells, aside from the Sleep Bug, the rest are still the same.”
In this month, he selectively practiced spells, and the four new spells had basically reached the seventh or eighth transformation, as the foundation provided by the Enlightening Paintings was quite powerful.
However, Zhao Xing spent the most time on the Sleep Bug spell from the introductory section of the Great Dream Chronicle.
[Sleep Bug: Intermediate Spell]
[Progress: Nine Transformations (Perfection)]
[Effect: Extract the Sleep Bug from the soul across space.]
“The Sleep Bug in this Sand Soul Box has already turned a deep purple-black.” Zhao Xing touched the box in his arms, “Now, even Long Xiao and Old Chen probably can’t withstand it; once hit, they’ll fall asleep immediately.”
On the first day of November, the last Yang month of the fifteenth year of Emperor Jing arrived.
The clerks of the Agricultural Affairs Bureau began to get busy again.
Because Winter was about to arrive.
The four seasons and eight festivals always had assessments, and this was the second-to-last assessment before the year ended.
Most people knew they had no hope of being appointed, but even if it wasn’t for the assessment, it was still linked to allowances.
Who wouldn’t want a little more year-end bonus during the New Year?
The more it was this time, the more they had to put on a show.
“Elder Brother.”
“Brother!”
Chen Ziyu and Qian Dong caught up with him in the corridor.
“Qian Dong, Ziyu.” Zhao Xing turned to look at them, “Why are you up so early today?”
“Elder Brother, Ziyu and I get up this early every day; it’s you who has become lazy recently.” Qian Dong laughed.
“Yeah, Brother. Where have you been lately? We haven’t seen you; your house has been shrouded in clouds and mist, and we don’t know what you’re doing. Uncle Zhao said not to disturb you.” Chen Ziyu asked.
“It’s all for the Winter Assessment.” Zhao Xing had prepared his excuse, “After all, I only have four chances this year; my previous results were only average. I’m not quite sure if I can be appointed.”
This was, of course, just an excuse. After he opened the mountain during the Autumn Equinox, Ji Ming had specifically pointed out that he needed to participate in the winter assessment.
This meant that there would definitely be a spot for him reported from Nanyang County.
Minister Li had already communicated with Chen Shijie, ensuring that Zhao Xing would pass; they were just short of directly saying that they had leaked the exam questions to him.
County-level exams were set by the head of the Agricultural Affairs Bureau, with Li Wenzheng supervising. If these two colluded, even a fool could pass.
Of course, this was also because Zhao Xing himself was strong; if Li Wenzheng and Chen Shijie really reported a mediocre talent to the county, there would be problems.
The recommenders, results, and personal strength all had to be solid; the rest depended on Zhao Xing's performance in the temple examination.
The reason for saying this was merely to decline visitors.
“Brother is really diligent; no wonder you can do it.” Chen Ziyu admired.
“Next spring, I’ll be waiting for good news from you, Elder Brother.” Qian Dong smiled, “Ziyu and I congratulate you in advance.”
“Thank you for your good wishes.” Zhao Xing smiled.
“Enough talk, Elder Brother; the old agricultural officer is about to start the lesson; we’ll head over first!”
On November 5th, the content and location of the Winter Assessment for the Agricultural Affairs Bureau were announced. On the same day, the year-end assessment content and locations for the Heavenly Crafts Workshop, Martial Affairs, Weaving Bureau, and Temple of Divinity were also announced.
Chen Shijie, Li Wenzheng, Gongsun Yang, and other heads of various departments in Grain City had a sudden inspiration to hold a joint assessment for multiple professions, including martial artists, mechanism masters, agricultural officers, weavers, and ceremonial officers, all in the same location, which was in Peaceful Town.
After the assessment content was announced, the clerks complained loudly, privately cursing Chen Shijie and Li Wenzheng for being unreasonable and coming up with such absurd ideas.
However, no matter how much they cursed, it could not change the decisions of the two big shots. They could only prepare diligently for this bizarre joint examination.
On November 5th and 6th, a large number of clerks arrived early in Peaceful Town and began to inspect the assessment venue outside Peaceful Town—a deserted forging factory.
On November 7th, the Temple of Divinity in the county town and the Agricultural Affairs Bureau in Grain City rang with the sound of bells.
It was as if announcing to the people of Gu County that winter had begun.
(End of Chapter)