The Dao Sovereign of Shennong

On April 25th, the nine-ring task was completed. Zhao Xing had successfully achieved the rank of a Lower Seventh Rank official. At this point, he no longer held the position of Yun City's Water Commander.

After the nine-ring task ended, Zhao Xing returned to the battle sequence of the Shenwei Army. Xia Jing also returned to the Xuanjia Army. However, since new appointments had not yet been issued, he took the opportunity to return to Ten Sun Cave-Heaven for a short while.

The main reasons for his return were to handle the spoils of war, comprehend the three great secret manuals, solidify his current cultivation realm, and study new advanced techniques.

Long Xiao and his Mountain Cat, Aotian, also returned with him. With the opening of the Pacification Merit Rankings approaching, they too had to prepare at the cave-heaven station.

Old Chen was not in the cave-heaven station, as he had accepted a farming task and had crossed the river.

Ten Sun Cave-Heaven, Yang City, Armory.

"Whoosh~"

A Swordfish Airship swayed as it landed on the square in front of the Armory. Numerous airships were present, and next to them were piles of treasures, surrounded by people sorting through them.

This was Yang City's Armory, where spoils of war could be exchanged for points. Selling spoils directly to the armory would immediately convert them into merit points.

"Did you schedule an evaluator?" Long Xiao asked.

"I did," Zhao Xing nodded, "Look, he's here."

"Tap tap tap~"

A familiar figure came running from afar.

It was none other than the mechanist Gao Ming.

"Whew~" Gao Ming stopped in front of them, riding his bamboo-horse airship. "Zhao Xing, congratulations, you've reached the rank of Lower Seventh Rank!"

"It was just luck," Zhao Xing modestly replied as he disembarked from his airship. "Brother Gao, you came quickly. I just arrived, and you're already here."

"Work calls, so I rush over," Gao Ming glanced at the Swordfish Airship. "Wow, you really struck it rich, brother. The entire airship is packed with goods, and the array is fully loaded!"

"I was just picking up scraps in the Southern Wilderness," Zhao Xing humbly said. "It's not worth much, just a large quantity."

"Let me calculate and find out how much it's worth." Gao Ming said, "Unload everything."

"Alright." Zhao Xing waved his hand, sending a gust of wind into the airship's cargo hold. Soon, numerous objects floated out and stacked up in the square.

Before long, a small mountain about fifteen meters high appeared next to the airship.

"Tsk tsk, look at that. How many tribes did you raid? The styles of these treasures are all different," Gao Ming marveled as he examined the goods.

Zhao Xing's spoils were abundant and varied, due to the different beliefs among the various tribes.

After making a round, Gao Ming was impressed by the overall quality.

After all, Zhao Xing was now a Seventh-Rank officer, and his spoils were naturally of good quality.

"Brother, you're being modest. There's at least 150,000 points worth of merit here!" Gao Ming looked at Zhao Xing.

"Only 150,000?" Zhao Xing had hoped it would be closer to 200,000.

However, upon reflection, he realized it made sense.

In most cases, the Military Realm allowed commanders to handle spoils themselves without requiring contributions to the state.

That being said, the court wasn't entirely without gain.

The Military Realm had strict rules: spoils of war had to be handed over to the armory for recycling, and armies were not allowed to privately trade with merchants.

The Military Realm set the recycling price, which was lower than the resale price, to reduce the costs of war.

Though war always resulted in losses, this practice minimized the deficit, and as long as habitable lands were conquered, it would be profitable in the long run.

Moreover, the low price wasn't entirely due to regulations. The influx of spoils from various armies often affected the recycling price, and equipment and weapons made by the Southern Barbarians were generally inferior to those crafted by Da Zhou.

Take, for instance, the "Earth Dragon Armor" Gao Ming was currently inspecting.

"Even though it's Earth Dragon Armor, the Southern Barbarians' version has weaker durability. While its defense reaches the Fourth Rank's lower grade, its durability is inferior to that of Da Zhou's version. Ours can withstand five hundred thousand strikes from a Fourth-Rank weapon, but theirs can only handle fifty thousand strikes."

"Naturally, an inferior version costs less."

"Look at this 'Seven-Star Scimitar.' The Southern Barbarians lack Water Blue Crystal for tempering, so they used substitutes. Its durability and power are both weaker than Da Zhou's standard."

"And this piece..."

Gao Ming carefully inspected each item, explaining as he went to ensure Zhao Xing understood.

"Brother, I'm not trying to undervalue your items. It's just that these reasons affect the price. I'm not making a profit off you."

"Brother Gao, no worries. The Armory's standards take precedence."

Mechanist Gao Ming spent over an hour calculating Zhao Xing's spoils before giving a final total.

"Alright, the total recycling price is 165,462 points."

"I've made a detailed list. Take a look and see if there are any discrepancies," Gao Ming said.

Zhao Xing took out his communication mirror to check, and indeed, a detailed list of the spoils appeared.

"No issues."

"Great. Could you help load the items onto the cargo airship? I don't know wind techniques," Gao Ming asked.

"No problem."

Zhao Xing waved his hand, sending the goods onto the cargo airship Gao Ming had summoned.

The transaction was completed.

Zhao Xing now had over 160,000 points in hand.

"These small tribes are still too poor," Long Xiao lazily commented. "You raided so many of them at such risk, yet you only earned this much."

Zhao Xing nodded in agreement—it wasn't a lot.

He couldn't help but think of how, during Qi Shan's tenure as a provincial governor, he had embezzled over three million taels in three years. In comparison, 1 merit point was worth about 1.5 to 2 taels.

Zhao Xing had earned over 160,000 points in two months due to the ongoing war. In peacetime, it would take three years of accumulation to match that, yet it still wouldn't equal the corrupt wealth of officials.

"What's your next move?" Long Xiao asked.

"I'm dropping you off and preparing to refine my sword technique," Long Xiao patted his sword. "It hasn't been drawn in a while. We'll meet again once you receive your official military appointment."

"Agreed." Zhao Xing nodded, and they parted ways.

With 160,000 merit points in hand, Zhao Xing immediately went to the Four Major Halls of the Shennong Office to exchange for access to sacred cultivation grounds.

Over the past two months of practical experience, he had gained new insights into many of his techniques.

Even though he had completed the nine-ring task, he planned to return to Ten Sun Cave-Heaven for further study.

"My wind and cloud techniques have shown signs of breakthrough. It's time to observe the Seasonal Qi Monument again."

Arriving at the Hall of Seasonal Qi, Zhao Xing purchased a single access pass from his communication mirror.

Observing the 108 Seasonal Qi Monuments required a fee of 50,000 merit points for a single entry, with no time limit.

Since he had already completed his training, he no longer received a discount. However, with his ability to earn points greatly improved, the lack of a discount didn't bother him.

At the entrance of the Seasonal Qi Hall, Zhao Xing discovered that today's guardian was Ge Jinsong.

"Lord Ge, I've come to observe the Seasonal Qi Monuments."

The seated Ge Jinsong was taken aback when he heard the familiar voice. "Zhao Xing? You're back already?"

"Yes, Lord Ge. I've completed the nine-ring task in the Military Realm and returned," Zhao Xing replied, cupping his hands.

"So soon? It's only been two months!" Ge Jinsong's expression twitched. "Alright, go ahead."

"Thank you."

Zhao Xing bowed again and entered the Seasonal Qi Hall.

Ge Jinsong watched Zhao Xing's retreating figure and muttered to himself, "I underestimated him. He's already at the rank of Lower Seventh. He's the fastest Shennong officer in Ten Sun Cave-Heaven to complete the nine-ring task. Even Shi Yong is still at the seventh ring..."

Ge Jinsong hadn't been paying close attention, but upon checking, he realized Zhao Xing was now a Lower Seventh Rank official!

"Will this kid outrank me one day? Will I have to call him 'Lord Zhao'?" The thought made Ge Jinsong blush, feeling as though he had been slapped invisibly.

Inside the grand hall, 108 Seasonal Qi Monuments emitted a faint mist.

"I now possess four Seasonal Qi Commands, all at the fourth level of Profound Realm: 'Rain Water,' 'Autumn Equinox,' 'Start of Summer,' and 'Start of Spring.' The rest are at the third level of Profound Realm."

"I've comprehended three advanced techniques from these Seasonal Qi Monuments. The Autumn Equinox granted me 'Soaring Serpent Transformation,' Start of Summer granted me 'Thunder Breaking Delusion Finger,' and Rain Water granted me 'Dropping Water Technique.'"

"Only the 'Start of Spring' has yet to yield an advanced technique. The 'Mist Concealment' technique I gained from it is only a middle-level technique at full mastery."

"The Thunder Breaking Delusion Finger, an advanced technique I created myself, is also close to having a second variation."

"'Heavenly Frost' and 'Heavenly Fire,' two middle-level techniques gained from 'Frost Descent' and 'Start of Summer,' are also at full mastery."

As Zhao Xing stood once more before the Seasonal Qi Monuments, countless insights surged through his mind, and for a moment, he wasn't sure which monument to start with.

"Let's begin with 'Start of Spring' and strive to break through with the 'Mist Concealment' technique."

Zhao Xing sat cross-legged before the fifty-meter-tall 'Start of Spring' monument.

The 'Mist Concealment' technique was one of the essential techniques of the Seasonal Qi Command, often more useful for survival than escape techniques like the Divine Travel Guard.

In certain environments, escape techniques like burrowing weren't always an option—like being at sea, where the Divine Travel Guard would be less effective, or being trapped in a location sealed by a powerful array, where burrowing was impossible.

"Whoosh~"

As Zhao Xing observed the 'Start of Spring' monument, a mist quickly spread, enveloping him entirely.

"Hmm? Such a dense mist!"

Suddenly, Zhao Xing realized that the monument in front of him had disappeared, and all around him was a vast expanse of white mist with visibility reduced to just a meter.

His observational techniques were entirely blocked, unable to penetrate the mist.

"Let's try another technique."

Zhao Xing activated the Five Elements Observation, and at that moment, the dense mist appeared as strands of 'qi,' intricately woven together, filling his vision.

It was these threads of 'qi' that were obstructing his view.

"Is this the Five Elements of Heaven and Earth?" Zhao Xing mused. "It's so similar to the inner Five Elements I've observed through the Yin-Yang Self Technique."

The three major sects were never entirely independent of each other but were interconnected. Now, as Zhao Xing observed both the internal Five Elements within himself and the external Five Elements of the mist, he immediately felt a breakthrough.

"The internal Five Elements of my body connect with the external Five Elements of the world, linked through the Spirit Bridge. Observing the world is akin to observing myself."

"In the past, I cast the 'Mist Concealment' technique purely through the external Seasonal Qi Command. I've never tried to invoke it through my internal qi."

As Zhao Xing focused on the strands of mist, he unconsciously manipulated his internal qi to mimic them.

"Whoosh~"

Mist surged from Zhao Xing's body, and he merged into the surrounding mist. This sensation was similar to conjuring clouds, but unlike the rising nature of cloud techniques, the mist gathered around him, remaining still.

"Boom!" The mist suddenly expanded outward, rippling in waves that carried a scorching heat. The area around him turned dark red.

"Whoosh!" In the next moment, the mist turned from dark red to icy blue, chilling the air.

As Zhao Xing adjusted the Five Elements within himself to resonate with the mist, the mist's shape and color continuously changed—golden, green, blue...

It was unknown how much time passed, but eventually, Zhao Xing opened his eyes with a smile.

He glanced at his status panel.

[You have comprehended the Start of Spring Seasonal Qi Monument, learning the advanced technique 'Five Elements Mist Concealment'!]

[Five Elements Mist Concealment: Uninitiated]

[Effect: Merges oneself into the qi of Heaven and Earth, isolating all detection. By manipulating the Five Elements within, different effects can be achieved.]

"The 'Five Elements Mist Concealment' technique isn't just for evasion and defense—it can also be used offensively."

"I remember there's a secret technique that can generate 'Miasma,' disrupting the Five Elements balance within the body, damaging physical functions, and causing a poisoning effect."

The mist around him dissipated, and Zhao Xing took out his communication mirror. Browsing through the list of secret techniques, he soon found the 'Five Elements Miasma' secret technique.

"It's fairly cheap, only 18,000 points." Zhao Xing immediately made the purchase. Unlike the 'Dropping Water Domain,' which was a complete set of techniques, the 'Five Elements Miasma' was more focused on application. As long as one had mastered the 'Five Elements Mist Concealment,' casting the miasma was straightforward.

"With this, I've now mastered my fifth advanced technique."

The Thunder Breaking Delusion Finger was his strongest single-target technique.

Divine Travel Guard was his escape technique.

Dropping Water was an area-effect technique.

Soaring Serpent Transformation was a long-range shapeshifting technique.

And now, Five Elements Mist Concealment, which served both defensive and supportive roles. With the Five Elements Miasma, it could even be used offensively.

"Time to continue comprehending."

Zhao Xing resumed walking among the 108 Seasonal Qi Monuments, moving without a specific goal. He simply observed the evolution of the seasonal qi and the mysterious symbols on the monuments, stopping only when inspiration struck.

Few people visited the Seasonal Qi Hall for comprehension, so it was spacious and quiet, free of distractions.

"Hmm?"

Zhao Xing suddenly found himself standing in front of a smaller monument.

The Seasonal Qi Monument: Awakening of Insects.

"Boom!"

As Zhao Xing sat down cross-legged before the monument, a bolt of lightning seemed to jolt his soul out of his body. The moment he sat down, his scalp tingled.

"Boom!"

The second bolt of lightning struck, and Zhao Xing found himself standing on loose soil. As the thunder rumbled, countless insects and beasts emerged from the ground.

"Rumble~"

The earth trembled, and a small hill suddenly rose from the ground, as if something massive was about to break through.

"Squeak squeak~"

Suddenly, a tree sprouted from the hilltop, and as it swayed, it grew taller and taller, reaching toward the sky.

Looking closer, Zhao Xing realized it wasn't a tree—it was a colossal earthworm!

"This is..."

Zhao Xing's thoughts moved, and the next moment, he appeared atop the enormous earthworm.

"Boom!"

The third bolt of lightning struck the earthworm.

"Crack crack crack~"

The earthworm's skin began to peel away, revealing a layer of thick black scales.

"Boom boom boom!"

With each bolt of lightning, the earthworm chased after the flashes, while the ground below was teeming with writhing creatures.

As lightning struck, the earthworm underwent radical physiological changes.

Zhao Xing kept his eyes locked on the transformation, noting that with each strike of lightning, the creature's body and appearance underwent significant changes.

When the fourth bolt struck, the earthworm's two antennae fell off, and a sharp horn emerged in their place.

The fifth bolt hit.

"Hiss hiss~"

The gray-black scales on its abdomen peeled away, revealing raw, exposed flesh. The multicolored qi of Heaven and Earth flowed into it, and soon, powerful claws began to form.

"Roar!"

After dozens of lightning strikes, the earthworm was gone.

In its place, a massive Earth Dragon stood, roaring at the sky!

"Awakening of Insects transformation, from earthworm to dragon."

Zhao Xing observed the entire process unfold right before his eyes. Each bolt of lightning triggered a profound physical transformation.

Within the Earth Dragon's body, the Five Elements qi converged into vortices at various points, like meat grinders.

"The Awakening of Insects transformation is terrifying in its power."

Zhao Xing closed his eyes.

Sitting atop the Earth Dragon, he meticulously contemplated the dramatic changes Heaven and Earth brought to living creatures.

Time passed without notice.

When Zhao Xing reopened his eyes, all the strange phenomena had vanished.

[Your Awakening of Insects Seasonal Qi Command has reached the fourth level of understanding. You have comprehended the 'Awakening Thunder Transformation' technique!]

[Awakening Thunder Transformation: Advanced Technique (Uninitiated)]

[Effect: Induces a transformation in alien creatures. Success rate below 10%. Success rate doubles if the creature's Five Elements are aligned with earth. Failure will cause irreversible damage to the target.]

"I didn't expect to comprehend a second transformation technique so quickly."

"This technique is quite unique—using lightning to trigger transformation." Zhao Xing couldn't help but smile.

The Awakening Thunder Transformation technique was an auxiliary method, primarily for nurturing alien beasts.

Of course, it needed to be practiced to perfection before it could truly become a nurturing technique.

Without sufficient practice, it would remain a highly destructive technique.

"Life's progression solved by a single bolt of lightning—no wonder ancient immortals had so many divine beasts as mounts."

"The Awakening Thunder Transformation differs from the Soaring Serpent Transformation. The Soaring Serpent Transformation can be unleashed as a purely offensive technique, or practiced internally to transform into the legendary divine beast, Soaring Serpent."

"One focuses on self-cultivation and combat, aiming toward the ultimate goal of transformation."

"The other is for nurturing alien beasts, covering a broader range but with less depth."

"When the Awakening of Insects thunder cracks open the barriers of winter, the world's spiritual energy concentrates and is released in a flash. That multicolored qi must be a higher level of energy than ordinary qi."

"The nurturing aspect of this technique will surely prove useful in the future."

After the Pacification War ends, with Emperor Jing in power, there likely won't be many battles for a while. If Zhao Xing, as a Shennong officer, wants to advance, he'll need to focus on farming and horse breeding.

Having comprehended the Awakening Thunder Transformation, Zhao Xing left the monument and continued wandering through the Seasonal Qi Hall.

Ge Jinsong, the guardian of the hall, had been closely monitoring Zhao Xing's progress through his communication mirror since Zhao Xing first entered.

His responsibility was to ensure the safety of those comprehending the Seasonal Qi Monuments. If someone fell into qi deviation or became demonically possessed, he had to respond quickly to save lives.

This was especially important once people began comprehending transformation techniques. Entranced by their newfound powers, practitioners might begin experimenting with techniques unconsciously.

If the practitioner cast the technique externally, the protective arrays in the hall would block any damage.

However, if they practiced the technique internally, problems could arise.

There had been a case where a genius comprehending a Seasonal Qi Monument accidentally turned himself into a donkey.

It had taken him more than half a year, with the help of several powerful experts, to return to his original form.

"He's moved again. In just three days, he's shifted to multiple monuments," Ge Jinsong murmured to himself.

"He's comprehended multiple advanced techniques in such a short time. His insight is terrifying."

Yes, the 108 Seasonal Qi Monuments were a treasure trove, capable of helping people quickly gain comprehension.

But Zhao Xing's speed was simply too fast.

"He's only been out on the battlefield for two months, yet he's changed so much. Does fighting in a war really help this much?"

Watching Zhao Xing's progress made Ge Jinsong's blood boil. He couldn't help but fantasize about heading to the battlefield himself.

"Lord Ge, Lord Ge?!" Just then, Cheng Qingming arrived to switch shifts. Seeing Ge Jinsong staring intently at his communication mirror, he asked, "What are you watching? You seem so absorbed."

Ge Jinsong flipped his communication mirror to reveal the image of a Seasonal Qi Monument, with Zhao Xing sitting cross-legged at its base.

"I'm watching our own little joke. This kid's only been here three days, but the monument's vibrated multiple times. He's comprehended at least two advanced techniques."

"In just three days, sigh…"

Cheng Qingming: "..."

Half a month later, Zhao Xing finally emerged from the 108 Seasonal Qi Monuments.

When he stepped out, he saw Cheng Qingming and Ge Jinsong both standing at the entrance, looking at him with a strange expression.

"Lord Ge, Lord Cheng," Zhao Xing touched his face. "Is there something wrong with me?"

He was worried that he might have fallen into qi deviation without realizing it.

He touched his head, relieved to find no signs of demonic possession or abnormal growth.

"Zhao Xing," Ge Jinsong said, "Did you comprehend any advanced techniques?"

"I did. It was pure luck," Zhao Xing humbly replied.

"Are you running low on merit points? You've mastered advanced techniques, so you'll need to purchase secret techniques to go with them," Ge Jinsong said. "Lord Cheng and I can lend you a hand and gift you one for free."

Huh? A free gift?

Zhao Xing was taken aback.

"How could I accept such generosity from the two of you?"

It was best to refuse first, just to see what they wanted.

"You absolutely can accept it," Cheng Qingming said, growing anxious. "It's a gift from your elders, so just tell us what secret techniques you need. Lord Ge and I will help you buy them!"

"Are you really just going to give it to me?" Zhao Xing cautiously asked. "You two don't have any other requests?"

"No requests at all. We're just appreciating talent." The two of them shook their heads, eyes full of sincerity.

Seeing them so eager to give him merit points, Zhao Xing was baffled. Could this be considered bribery?

No, that didn't make sense. He didn't have anything to offer them in return—there were no conflicts of interest here.

If they were offering, he might as well take it. After some thought, Zhao Xing decided to accept their offer.

"Well then, thank you both for your generosity. I'd like to purchase..."

Zhao Xing listed out his needs, which came to a few tens of thousands of merit points.

Without hesitation, Ge Jinsong and Cheng Qingming placed the orders, with the items sent directly to the Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard.

Watching Zhao Xing leave, the two of them exchanged a glance and smiled, both sighing in relief.

"Finally, it's done."

Back at the Eighteen Locust Willow Courtyard, Zhao Xing opened the courtyard gate.

"Aww!!" The Mountain Cat, Aotian, darted out, jumping into Zhao Xing's arms and meowing incessantly.

So, you remember to come back? I was about to starve to death!

"Starve? I bought you a month's worth of food before I left for comprehension," Zhao Xing said, stroking Aotian's head.

"Meow~"

"What? You ate it all in seven days? Then starved afterward? You gluttonous cat..."

"Meow meow!"

"Alright, alright. I'll buy you more food right away."

Zhao Xing looked around the courtyard and noticed that much of the grass had been chewed away. It seemed the Mountain Cat really had been starving.

"Tap tap tap~"

Soon, Gao Ming arrived riding his bamboo-horse airship.

He stopped by the courtyard gate, tossed the supplies inside, and turned to leave.

"Brother Gao, wait a moment!"

Zhao Xing quickly called out to him.

"What is it, brother Zhao?"

"Brother Gao, if you have time, could you help deliver food for the Mountain Cat once every three days? I'll pay you fifty merit points for the trouble," Zhao Xing asked.

Gao Ming chuckled, "Is that all? Sure."

With that, he departed.

Having settled the Mountain Cat's needs, Zhao Xing returned to his cultivation.

He had already visited the Hall of Seasonal Qi, and next, he headed to the Earth Vein Hall.

After spending 50,000 merit points, Zhao Xing entered the Hall of Earth Veins for further comprehension.

"Among my Earth techniques, aside from the advanced technique Divine Travel Guard, the techniques like Yin Wind, Rolling Thunder, Five Elements Earth Splitting Technique, Earth Burial, and Boundless Earth Palace are still only at the middle level."

"Earth-based techniques played a significant role in the Southern Wilderness. Having just one advanced technique is not enough."

This month's guardian of the Earth Vein Hall was his teacher, Lord Tian.

"Teacher," Zhao Xing greeted respectfully.

"Ah, you've come," Lord Tian smiled. "Go on in. It's been quiet in the Earth Vein Hall today."

"Yes, teacher."

Zhao Xing entered the Earth Vein Hall and went straight to the inner chamber.

Within the inner chamber was a long corridor of murals depicting the earth veins of the nineteen provinces.

"Each earth vein represents a province."

"Provincial-level earth veins are all ranked above the Ninth Level."

"Pinghai Province's earth veins are dominated by water veins in the east, as it borders the vast sea. In contrast, the southern regions near the Southern Wilderness are rich in earth veins."

Zhao Xing began his comprehension with the earth veins of Pinghai Province. Not only was this crucial for his cultivation, but it would also prove invaluable in the upcoming Pacification War.

On his first day in the Earth Vein Hall, Zhao Xing's Rolling Thunder technique was the first to break through.

[Earth Fiend Thunder: Advanced Technique]

[Progress: Uninitiated]

[Effect: Summons Earth Fiend Thunder to strike enemies. The thunderball's explosion carries a fiendish force that corrodes the target.]

"This Earth Fiend Thunder technique was the first to break through."

Zhao Xing gazed at the several ethereal blue orbs floating around him. The blue orbs danced playfully in the air, exuding an innocent appearance with no visible threat.

"When combined with the Boundless Earth Palace technique and cloud suppression, it'll take out large groups in one go."

On May 20th, a gust of Yin wind blew through the Earth Vein Hall.

Zhao Xing had comprehended another advanced technique.

[Yin Wind Fiend: Advanced Technique]

[Progress: First Stage]

[Effect: The Yin wind carries a fiendish force that destroys both form and spirit.]

"Compared to the middle-level Yin Wind technique, Yin Wind Fiend adds the power of the Earth Fiend. Not only does it affect the soul, but it also wreaks havoc on the body."

This breakthrough came at the First Stage because Zhao Xing already had a solid foundation in the middle-level technique. In contrast, newly comprehended transformation techniques hadn't even reached the initial stage—they were only at the most basic level.

Zhao Xing continued his comprehension in the Earth Vein Hall for another ten days.

To his surprise, the Volcano Technique was the next to break through.

[Volcano Technique: Advanced Technique]

[Progress: First Stage]

[Effect: Causes the earth to form one or more small volcanoes at random locations, which erupt with the fire of the earth veins.]

"Volcano Technique."

Images of the scene he had just comprehended flashed through Zhao Xing's mind. It was a towering volcano over ten thousand meters high, spewing lava into the sky, turning the heavens red. The ground was covered in smoke and ash, and the earth was rent asunder, making even burrowing impossible.

"The advanced Volcano Technique no longer just splits the earth. It falls under the category of 'Mountain Techniques.'"

Mountain Techniques were all at the advanced level, and they included many variations, such as Mountain Opening, Mountain Sealing, Sacred Mountain, Volcano, and Snow Mountain.

On June 1st, Zhao Xing entered the Original Dao Field.

By this point, he had exhausted his merit points.

The Self School techniques were among the most difficult to cultivate, and Zhao Xing's progress in them was the slowest.

Other than Vigorous Growth, which had reached full mastery...

Wasteland Essence Convergence had yet to reach perfection, stuck at the ninth stage.

Hundred Lines Flow was only at the seventh stage.

Transformation of Phenology was even further behind, stuck at the fifth stage.

"I don't have high expectations. If I can get the remaining three techniques to full mastery at the middle level, I'll be satisfied."

"Self School techniques will be my main focus for future development."

As a Shennong officer, Self School techniques were the cornerstone of Zhao Xing's future success.

"Zhao Xing," came a voice as he entered the Taicang Academy's Original Dao Field. It was Lu Bang. "Your teacher said you've already mastered advanced techniques in the Heaven and Earth School, but you've yet to master any in the Self School?"

"That's right," Zhao Xing admitted. "The Self School is vast and profound. I'm struggling even with the basics."

Hearing Zhao Xing's words, Lu Bang was quite pleased. As a practitioner of Self School techniques, he appreciated the respect Zhao Xing was showing.

"I've observed that you've strayed a bit in your approach to the Self School," Lu Bang said. "I'm here to offer you a piece of advice."

Strayed? Zhao Xing was confused.

"Please enlighten me, Lord Lu."

"You've focused heavily on the Yin-Yang Self Technique, seeking to dissect the essence of the Five Elements and Yin-Yang. That's a commendable approach," Lu Bang explained. "But what rank are you? You're aiming too high, too early."

"You've neglected the comprehension of the All Things Growth Chart. That's why you've found progress difficult."

"The All Things Growth Chart represents the form of life. The Yin-Yang Self Technique represents the principle of life."

"By combining form and principle, you will truly enter the Dao of the Self School."

"You can still enter the Original Dao Field, but take this scroll with you."

Lu Bang waved his hand, and a scroll floated over to Zhao Xing, landing in his hands.

The scroll felt as heavy as a mountain.

Zhao Xing's hand dipped slightly under the weight, his heart filled with awe.

This was the embodiment of the Dao, exerting a palpable pressure.

What's going on lately? Why is everyone giving me things?

Lu Bang seemed to read Zhao Xing's mind and chuckled. "I'm not like Ge Jinsong and Cheng Qingming. They gave you things to boost their reputation."

"This five-level copy of the All Things Growth Chart was drawn by me at your teacher's request, so don't read too much into it."

"I see." Zhao Xing suddenly understood. But he still bowed respectfully, "Thank you, Lord Lu, for the gift of the scroll."

"Go on."

"Yes, Lord Lu."

With the scroll in hand, Zhao Xing stepped through the pale blue vortex and entered the Original Dao Field.

Time flew by, and soon it was June 20th.

Taicang Academy, outside the Original Dao Field.

Long Xiao paced back and forth, clearly anxious.

The Pacification Merit Rankings had already been released, and the war machine of the Nine Heavens Yingyuan Prefecture was fully operational.

The Shenwei Army had already entered the war sequence, but Zhao Xing was still inside the Original Dao Field.

"Lord Lu, hasn't he come out yet?" Long Xiao asked. "Could you call him?"

"Why are you so impatient?" Lu Bang replied calmly. "Do you think any merit can compare to the importance of comprehension? He's at a critical moment. Once he breaks through in the Self School, how could he fail to earn merit on the battlefield?"

"I..." Long Xiao was at a loss for words. He knew Lu Bang was right. Sharpening the knife doesn't delay the cutting of wood. If Zhao Xing grew stronger, it didn't matter if he spent a few extra days comprehending.

"I'll come back tomorrow," Long Xiao said, preparing to leave.

"No need to wait." At that moment, Lu Bang suddenly smiled. "The comprehension is complete. He's coming out."