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Chapter 144: Celestial Silkworm Transformation and Straw Puppet Technique Training Class
🕑 Added 2024-10-22 06:52:43 +0000 UTC【Shenwei Army’s Zhao Xing, you have been randomly matched with your opponent, ‘Wei Chen’ (Zhenhai Army).】
【Random environment: Yanghu Wetlands.】
【The battle will begin in sixty breaths. Please prepare.】
"Wei Chen? Seems like he’s a lower-tier genius from Pinghuai Academy."
Zhao Xing recognized the name.
There were only so many geniuses on the ranking list, and Wei Chen was somewhat known in Pinghuai Academy.
"I’ve been matched against Zhao Xing!"
On another preparation platform, Wei Chen was excited.
He had just watched the battle between Zhao Xing and Feng Qiu, and on a whim, decided to queue for a match.
He never expected to actually be matched with Zhao Xing.
Wei Chen, who had already reached the third stage in the Nine-Section Dao Field, had been hovering around the first and second stars for a while.
"I hope I can hold out for a little while against him."
With anticipation, Wei Chen waited for the battle to begin.
Five breaths later, Wei Chen reappeared on the preparation platform, his expression filled with shock.
"I lost in just one move? I couldn’t even last five breaths?!"
"The gap between people... it’s unbelievably vast."
Wei Chen shook his head in frustration.
The Yanghu Wetlands were supposed to be his specialty. As soon as the battle began, Wei Chen had immediately used his defensive technique.
His secret water technique was called Heavy Water Gate, a combination of water element techniques and profound earth techniques.
Wei Chen could conjure nine Heavy Water Gates, each capable of absorbing and distorting his opponent’s attacks using water energy. The gates could also be used to trap enemies.
"All nine of my Heavy Water Gates were shattered by him in a single move."
"They were as fragile as paper."
Wei Chen felt a sense of desolation.
He had thought the gap between himself and upper-tier geniuses wasn’t too large and that, at the very least, he could put up a fight for a few moves.
Instead, he was instantly defeated.
...
【Shenwei Army’s Zhao Xing, you have completed the third-stage promotion battle!】
【Dao Field Points: 69】
【Net Wins: 69】
【Dao Field Rating: Third-Stage, One Star】
【Dao Field Ranking: 712,452 (Ten Sun Cave-Heaven)】
【Nine-Section Dao Field Ranking: 55,214 (Ten Sun Cave-Heaven)】
【Upon reaching the third stage, you can now choose to challenge other third-stage opponents or accept challenge invitations.】
"Another training course completed," Zhao Xing smiled slightly.
In the second promotion battle, Zhao Xing didn’t feel any pressure from Wei Chen, so he had simply used a water technique to instantly defeat his opponent.
Having advanced to the third stage, Zhao Xing’s ranking in the Nine-Section Dao Field rose to over 50,000, and his overall ranking in the Ten Sun Dao Field jumped by 200,000 places.
"Cen Sanji’s training course is now complete. I can move on to Lu Bang’s training. Growing third-stage plants under unlimited earth power can be done in an hour."
"Once that’s completed, I’ll have two out of the ten optional training courses done," Zhao Xing thought.
As an upper-tier genius, not only did he need to perform well in mandatory training, but he also needed to complete ten optional training courses with top-tier scores.
Suddenly, Zhao Xing’s Earth Mirror vibrated.
【Shenwei Army’s Zhao Xing, Hujiao Army’s ‘Zhuang Zhiqing’ has issued a challenge to you. Do you accept?】
【Shenwei Army’s Zhao Xing, Xuanjia Army’s ‘Guan Junyang’ has issued a challenge to you. Do you accept?】
【Shenwei Army’s Zhao Xing, Xuanjia Army’s ‘Cao Shuang’ has issued a challenge to you. Do you accept?】
【...】
In an instant, several challenge notifications appeared on the Earth Mirror.
"Looks like a lot of people were waiting for me to rank up," Zhao Xing laughed.
It seemed many were eager to challenge him, especially after Feng Qiu’s defeat. These geniuses were itching to test themselves against him.
"I’ll take one of them."
Zhao Xing accepted Zhuang Zhiqing’s invitation.
He was curious about how his newly mastered Drop of Water technique would fare in a real fight against Zhuang Zhiqing.
After all, Zhuang Zhiqing and Shi Yong had both reached the fourth transformation of the Profound Realm.
As for the others, Zhao Xing wasn’t sure.
To accept a challenge, it made sense to choose a worthy opponent.
"Accept," Zhao Xing confirmed on the Earth Mirror.
【This challenge will be a private battle, no spectators allowed. The battle will begin in sixty breaths...】
"A secret challenge? Little Zhuang is keeping his cards close. Worried about people seeing his techniques?"
Private challenges allowed the participants to choose whether or not the battle would be public. If it were public, others could watch the battle through the Earth Mirror.
If private, it would only show that a battle was in progress, without revealing the results or the process.
...
"He accepted?" Zhuang Zhiqing stood on his preparation platform. The moment Zhao Xing accepted his invitation, Zhuang Zhiqing felt a surge of excitement. "Looks like he really has reached the fourth transformation of the Profound Realm and feels confident."
Zhuang Zhiqing had been itching for a fight, especially since Shi Yong was too strong for him to defeat, making any sparring session unsatisfying.
Now that Zhao Xing had emerged as a formidable opponent, Zhuang Zhiqing couldn’t wait to face him.
"The random map is Spring Grassland?"
Zhuang Zhiqing glanced at the environment, put away his Earth Mirror, and patiently waited.
After reaching the third stage, personal challenge duels had longer wait times, as the arenas were larger to accommodate more complex battles.
On the Spring Grassland, the sky was a clear blue, without a single cloud in sight.
Two figures appeared on the vast plain.
"Zhao Xing!"
Zhuang Zhiqing didn’t immediately make a move after entering but called out to Zhao Xing.
"You’ve reached the fourth transformation of the Profound Realm and gained a high-level technique, haven’t you?"
"Let’s skip the warm-up techniques and go straight to our strongest moves. One strike to decide the victor, how about that?"
Zhao Xing nodded. "Alright."
Zhuang Zhiqing floated closer. "You go first. You’ve only just comprehended your Profound Realm technique, whereas I’ve already learned several secret techniques. If I strike first, you won’t have a chance."
"Alright."
Zhao Xing didn’t hesitate. Energy flowed through his fingers, and the Seasonal Qi Command in his dantian trembled slightly.
The Spring Grassland was the perfect environment for using the Dripping Rain technique.
In an instant, he easily drew upon the power of heaven and earth.
A drop of water appeared at his fingertips.
"Whoosh!"
With a flick of his finger, the water droplet shot toward Zhuang Zhiqing.
"Hmm?"
A strange light flashed in Zhuang Zhiqing’s eyes.
It was just a single drop of water, yet he felt as if the entire weight of the heavens was crashing down on him.
He instinctively summoned his defensive technique.
"Hiss~"
Around Zhuang Zhiqing, countless fibrous threads appeared, while the grass at his feet began to grow wildly.
Thread by thread, the fibers intertwined, quickly forming an oval-shaped white cocoon, like a silkworm chrysalis, enveloping Zhuang Zhiqing.
Just as the water droplet reached him, the cocoon was fully formed.
"Boom!"
The cocoon seemed to take a heavy hit, sending both it and Zhuang Zhiqing flying backward.
"Rumble~"
The ground churned, and grass flew everywhere.
The cocoon plowed a trench over ten meters long and half a meter deep before coming to a stop.
"Hmm? This is the secret technique Celestial Silkworm Transformation?" Zhao Xing was surprised as he watched Zhuang Zhiqing. "I thought your specialty was thunder techniques, but it turns out your high-level technique is based on wood energy."
"You’re one to talk. Everyone says your Devouring Cloud is unrivaled, but your high-level technique turns out to be a water element technique," Zhuang Zhiqing’s voice came from within the cocoon.
The water droplet hadn’t broken through the cocoon’s defenses. Although it left several cracks, the strength of wood techniques lies in their regenerative nature, and the Celestial Silkworm Transformation was an advanced application of this principle.
Wood energy flowed like threads, rapidly repairing the cocoon.
"It didn’t break through, hehe. Now it’s my turn."
The cocoon suddenly rose into the air, spinning furiously.
Countless silken threads shot toward Zhao Xing.
Some of the threads twisted as they flew, while others were as taut as arrows.
Dodging was possible, but that would defeat the purpose of this training.
Zhao Xing didn’t use any defensive techniques, as they had agreed not to.
"Drop of Water."
Another water droplet appeared in Zhao Xing’s palm, spinning around him as he tried to counter the oncoming threads.
"Bang bang bang bang!"
The moment the water droplet collided with the threads, a series of explosive sounds echoed through the air. Despite being small, both the water droplet and the silken threads produced tremendous force when they met.
Initially, Zhao Xing could easily borrow the power of the heavens, but as the water droplet struck the threads, he began to feel resistance. Zhuang Zhiqing was also drawing upon the power of the heavens.
"Hiss~"
The threads quickly wrapped around Zhao Xing’s right arm, disrupting his casting. The water droplet lost its control, falling to the ground and creating a deep crater.
The threads wrapped tighter, digging into Zhao Xing’s flesh.
"Buzz~"
The Dao Protection Barrier activated, and golden light enveloped Zhao Xing, transporting him out of the arena.
Back on the preparation platform, Zhao Xing’s injuries healed rapidly. They were only superficial wounds, and he was instantly restored.
Leaving the Cloud Gate, Zhao Xing met up with Zhuang Zhiqing in the plaza.
"What’s with you?" Zhao Xing asked in surprise.
"What do you mean?" Zhuang Zhiqing looked confused.
"Look at you—you’re a mess. How long has it been since you slept?" Zhao Xing could tell at a glance that Zhuang Zhiqing wasn’t in good condition. Using the Great Dream of Spring and Autumn, Zhao Xing could sense the exhaustion in Zhuang Zhiqing’s soul. He had clearly been using fatigue-clearing treasures excessively.
While the body’s fatigue could be alleviated, the soul’s weariness was much harder to deal with. Zhao Xing himself had to sleep at least an hour a day to allow his soul to rest.
"It’s no big deal. I’ll sleep when I get back," Zhuang Zhiqing dismissed it casually.
"You came all this way just to have a match with me?"
"You’ve made a breakthrough, so of course, I had to spar with you," Zhuang Zhiqing smiled. "Right now, there are only five of us in the reserve force who have mastered high-level techniques from the Seasonal Qi Command: you, me, Shi Yong, Cao Shuang, and Guan Junyang. Since your technique is different from ours, I wanted to test it out."
He had another reason in mind as well. Zhao Xing’s progress had been so rapid that if he didn’t spar with him now, he might never be able to keep up later!
After all, Zhao Xing was the fastest-growing talent in the Shennong Division. He was the only one selected for the Shennong Division straight after becoming an official.
Even with the resource advantages in the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven, it was still terrifying that Zhao Xing had cultivated his Seasonal Qi Command to the fourth transformation in just a few months.
"I’m still only scratching the surface," Zhao Xing shook his head. Zhuang Zhiqing’s Celestial Silkworm Transformation was clearly well-practiced, and he had already mastered its secret techniques. The silken threads and cocoon were extensions of his high-level wood techniques.
"I’m just scratching the surface, too," Zhuang Zhiqing replied. "If you had mastered a secret technique for your Drop of Water, I wouldn’t have won so easily. Of the five of us, only Shi Yong is truly proficient."
"Have you sparred with Shi Yong?" Zhao Xing asked.
"I have," Zhuang Zhiqing nodded. "We’re both in the Hujiao Army, so we know each other well. Since entering the Nine-Section Dao Field, I’ve fought him ten times."
"How did you fare?"
"Let’s not talk about depressing things," Zhuang Zhiqing shrugged. "I’ll let you know when I finally surpass him."
So, not even one win... Zhao Xing thought to himself.
"Alright, I’m heading back to sleep," Zhuang Zhiqing yawned. "There’s a training course coming up in a few days with point rewards, so I need to prepare. Let’s train together again sometime, Zhao Xing."
"Sure thing."
After parting ways with Zhuang Zhiqing, Zhao Xing didn’t return to the Nine-Section Dao Field.
There was no rush to train further; he preferred to wait until he had more insights.
On July 17th, Zhao Xing completed his third-stage promotion and received an upper-tier rating from Cen Sanji.
On July 18th, Zhao Xing visited the Earth Vein Hall’s inner chamber for cultivation. The diagrams in the inner chamber were far more profound than those in the outer chamber, with only nine earth veins, but their power was far greater. That day, his Earth Element techniques improved.
His Divine Travel Guard even broke through to the tenth transformation, as both his Mysterious Earth Guard and Divine Travel Palace were related to earth veins. This breakthrough gave Zhao Xing two techniques with high-level power.
From July 19th to July 23rd, Zhao Xing returned to Tianshi Academy to observe the 108 Seasonal Qi Monuments.
After five days, Zhao Xing reluctantly left this treasure land.
"I’ve used up both free observation sessions at Tianshi Academy."
"But my 24 Seasonal Qi Commands have all reached the third transformation, except for Start of Spring, which is at the fourth transformation."
"I still have one more free session at Dili Academy, and two at Taicang Academy and Pinghuai Academy."
"My high-level technique, Drop of Water, is at the third transformation. Breaking through further will be tough unless I purchase the Drop of Water Domain."
Zhao Xing had been progressing quickly.
But at the high-level technique stage, he was starting to encounter bottlenecks.
High-level techniques were the hallmark of the sixth rank, and even among seventh-rank Military Shennong, only about 30% mastered at least one high-level technique.
As for eighth-rank geniuses who could master high-level techniques, they were exceedingly rare due to the difficulty of cultivation.
"I’ve only got around 10,000 points left. I still need more to purchase the Drop of Water Domain."
He couldn’t ask Lord Tian for more points; after all, Lord Tian had already given him 80,000 points worth of items.
Any more would be excessive and against the rules.
"During training, I can’t take on tasks unless assigned by the Shennong Division."
"But starting from July 15th, optional training courses have begun offering point rewards, as the reserve Shennong have grown stronger and demand for points has increased."
"Let’s see what training courses offer points," Zhao Xing thought as he pulled out his Earth Mirror.
"Hmm? A Straw Puppet Technique training class?"
The first line that caught his eye was a Straw Puppet Technique training class.
"On the afternoon of July 23rd, at Tianning Courtyard, hosted by Fifth-Rank Shennong ‘Liu Tianning’... isn’t that today?"
"The first-place reward is 50,000 points?"
"A Straw Puppet Technique training class, with such a high point reward?"
Adjusting to the sudden surge of excitement, Zhao Xing decided to explore the course further.
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