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Chapter 134: Brother Xia, Say Something!
🕑 Added 2024-10-20 06:48:03 +0000 UTCBy the second day, Zhao Xing had planted a type of second-grade plant, very ordinary, with a yield of around 1,500 jin.
He earned the basic points, with an additional 500 jin bonus.
However, the score wasn't much, and for the martial artists, it was just a small matter.
When Zhao Xing delivered the supplies:
Everyone sighed in relief.
"Thankfully, it's just second-grade provisions, and it's not poisonous."
"With this amount, even the weakest, Wang Meng, could handle it all on his own."
Xia Jing also felt relieved.
The 5,000 jin of Horse Fish Fruit still hadn’t been finished, but Zhang Jie, Hu Bing, and Chen Fang had already collapsed.
Some were hallucinating, some were vomiting.
In the end, only Xia Jing was still persevering, continuing to eat.
"Rumble... rumble..."
When Zhao Xing arrived with the supplies, Xia Jing picked up two Horse Fish Fruits and stuffed them into his mouth. His abdomen roared like thunder.
At this moment, even though Xia Jing's lips were turning purple and his energy was waning, he had yet to take a single break.
The third stage of his Devouring Technique was indeed powerful.
It was just that the fishy taste was unbearable.
He no longer dared to taunt Zhao Xing, nor did he dare to utter any harsh words.
Because deep down, he was starting to feel uneasy.
His scalp was still numb—how could he dare provoke Zhao Xing further?
However, he didn't bow down to Zhao Xing either.
While others begged Zhao Xing to go easy and change the flavor of the provisions, Xia Jing remained silent.
Zhao Xing glanced at Xia Jing but said nothing more.
After delivering the ordinary second-grade provisions, he swiftly returned to his planting area.
Fire Brilliance Cactus
Grade: Mid-tier Fourth Grade
Stage: Seedling
Effect: Growth cycle is medium to short. Classified as a herbaceous plant, it belongs to both metal and fire elements. Its roots, when stripped of thorns, are edible and can replenish a significant amount of energy. The downside: it’s spicy and hard to chew.
Overall Assessment: Fourth-grade supply.
The Fire Brilliance Cactus resembled a cactus in appearance.
In its seedling form, it looked like a ball of spiky hair. Zhao Xing chose it after considering the local conditions.
Even though he had adjusted the Earth veins, both fire and metal elements remained dominant.
This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, as Fire Brilliance Cactus was a derivative species cultivated by the Self School precisely for such environments.
It could absorb fire and metal energies to grow, making it the most appropriate fourth-grade plant for this location.
The upper portion of Fire Brilliance Cactus, once stripped of its spikes, was edible, though its metal attribute made it difficult to chew.
Its roots, growing underground, were not tough, but they were extremely spicy due to the high concentration of fire element.
Zhao Xing had only eaten it once before, but the memory was seared into his mind.
In his previous life, he had gnawed on this thing during a mission in a sandy terrain, and the aftereffects lasted a month. He couldn’t sit comfortably and had to walk with his backside sticking out. Ever since then, he never touched it again.
"Being stubborn? Fine, I’ll give you something to really chew on!"
Zhao Xing grinned wickedly as he planted the seedling.
Fire Brilliance Cactus, being fourth-grade, was incredibly hardy.
After pushing it past the seedling stage with Wild Growth, Zhao Xing didn’t switch to Wasteland Essence Convergence.
Why? Because Wild Growth was a root-strengthening technique!
Fire Brilliance Cactus stored most of its nutrition in its roots, which were the primary edible part.
Thus, it was most appropriate to use Wild Growth throughout its development.
Using Wasteland Essence Convergence wouldn’t have as good of an effect here.
"It’s a pity I haven't yet learned Breaking Branches Technique and Primal Essence Technique. Otherwise, it could be even more effective." Zhao Xing sighed.
Breaking Branches Technique would concentrate all the energy into the roots, stopping the upper part from growing entirely.
Primal Essence Technique, on the other hand, could amplify any part of the plant, making it more versatile than Breaking Branches Technique, which had limitations—especially with root-focused plants.
"This is good enough. A mid-tier fourth-grade Fire Brilliance Cactus should be more than enough for them to eat."
Zhao Xing summoned a gentle rain and waited for the Fire Brilliance Cactus to mature.
On the third day, at dawn.
In the martial artists' training area.
"The last one! I’ll finish it!"
Xia Jing closed his eyes, held his breath, and swallowed the last Horse Fish Fruit.
"Hah!"
He stood up abruptly, exhaling a mouthful of turbid air.
"Roar!"
Standing atop a large rock, he let out a long roar toward the sky, and a green dragon coiled around him.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
The roar shook the nearby rocks, causing them to shatter.
"What an impressive display."
"Lord Xia's Azure Dragon Essence Technique is a famous skill, encompassing body technique, offense, defense, and sonic attacks. Xia Jing seems to have inherited his father’s mastery."
"Do you know why the Azure Dragon Division is named after the Azure Dragon? Lord Xia was one of the founders and played a pivotal role in reclaiming the Ten Sun Cave-Heaven from the barbarians."
"So fierce…"
The others looked at Xia Jing with envy or admiration.
Xia Jing’s roar continued for a long time, as if he was expelling the fishy taste from his body.
It was also as if he was declaring himself the victor in his contest with Zhao Xing.
"Alright, Xia Jing, enough roaring," Liu Yongli said. "Come down and assemble."
"Yes." Xia Jing’s roar had restored some of his energy.
"There’s no rapid-eating training today. We’ll move on to the next exercise." Liu Yongli announced. "As usual, we’ll start with extreme—"
"Commander Liu, wait!" A voice suddenly called out from the distance.
"Hmm?" Liu Yongli turned his head to see a green whirlwind rising in the distance, spinning rapidly toward them.
"Zhao Xing?"
Xia Jing’s face paled.
The other nine martial artists also stared in horror at the whirlwind.
Because Zhou Ming had followed along.
If not for the appearance of more provisions, Zhou Ming wouldn’t have come. He was only there to count the supplies.
The middle-aged military doctor beside them also looked on in surprise.
Another batch on the third day, at dawn?
Hadn’t they just received a batch of second-grade provisions yesterday?
He thought that was the limit of this land’s capacity…
But Zhao Xing was demonstrating that the land’s limit wasn’t his limit!
"You..." Liu Yongli, watching Zhao Xing’s approach, was equally shocked as he recognized what Zhao Xing was carrying. "Is that... fourth-grade provisions?!"
"Indeed, it is fourth-grade!" Zhao Xing descended from the sky, landing in front of them. "The Horse Fish Fruit was merely an appetizer for the martial brothers. The rapid-eating training is only just beginning."
Only just beginning?
All ten martial artists, including Xia Jing, were dumbfounded.
The Horse Fish Fruit was just an appetizer?
What was next?
Zhou Ming turned to the military doctor. "Mid-tier fourth-grade Fire Brilliance Cactus, a total of ten thousand jin."
"Of course, after removing the thorns and skin, only three thousand jin will be edible, according to the regulations."
The middle-aged doctor remained expressionless.
Liu Yongli's heart skipped a beat. "How, how much?"
"Three thousand jin."
Zhou Ming repeated.
"Three thousand jin of fourth-grade provisions?!" Hearing this, Zhang Jie’s eyes darkened.
"Fourth-grade provisions, and three thousand jin?" Chen Fang’s jaw dropped.
"Brother Chen, why don’t we just kill ourselves? That way, we won’t waste food by eating ourselves to death..." Hu Bing muttered.
Wang Meng and the other six were utterly stunned.
They were going to be stuffed to death! How could they ever finish that much?
Xia Jing looked at the rows of spiky plants, speechless.
He had originally thought that Zhao Xing wouldn’t be able to produce anything significant by the third day.
At most, he’d expected another batch of second-grade provisions to earn some basic points.
But to his surprise, Zhao Xing had grown another ten thousand jin!
Though only three thousand jin were edible, they were still fourth-grade provisions!
But the rules were the rules.
Liu Yongli had no choice but to abandon his plans for other training: "Warm up for a quarter-hour, and then we’ll proceed with rapid-eating training!"
"Commander." Zhao Xing spoke up at this moment. "It’s quite inconvenient for the martial brothers to remove the thorns and peel the plants. How about I help them?"
Liu Yongli glanced at Zhao Xing. This guy was oddly considerate.
Could it be that he was worried they wouldn’t be able to finish?
"Alright." Liu Yongli smiled. "I’ll thank you on their behalf."
Zhao Xing used his wind technique to remove the thorns, quickly peeling and cleaning the ten thousand jin of Fire Brilliance Cactus, which was then neatly arranged on the ground.
To ensure the martial brothers ate well, the roots were laid on a clean layer of their own skin, with no dust or dirt.
He even cut them into sections for easy consumption.
In no time, the dark-red roots of the Fire Brilliance Cactus, each as thick as an arm, were neatly prepared.
"Please enjoy."
Zhao Xing smiled, gesturing like a chef presenting his masterpiece to his guests.
"I’ll go first."
Wang Meng, steeling himself for death, rushed forward.
He grabbed a section and shoved it into his mouth.
Crunch.
After biting into it, Wang Meng's face turned bright red, and after chewing a few times, he closed his eyes tightly.
Everyone around him found it odd. Chen Fang asked the military doctor, "Doctor, is he poisoned?"
"No," the middle-aged doctor shook his head.
"Then why did he close his eyes?"
"He’s trying to hold back his tears."
"…"
It took Wang Meng a full quarter-hour to finally stand up again.
That one section of Fire Brilliance Cactus weighed ten jin.
When Wang Meng opened his eyes again, they were bloodshot.
"How is it?"
Zhang Jie asked cautiously.
Wang Meng said nothing, merely shook his head, then nodded.
"What do you mean by shaking and nodding? Explain!" Chen Fang was getting anxious.
"He’s temporarily mute," the middle-aged doctor replied. "He can't speak for now."
"What?" someone exclaimed, "Wang Meng only has the first level of Devouring Technique, and just one small section made him mute. How can this be considered provision? It’s clearly poisonous!"
Zhou Ming raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Not provisions? Are you questioning the capability of Shennong Division?"
"Wang Meng may be mute, but he's not dead. Even without a military doctor, he only needs half an hour of regulation before he can fight again. Eating one section of Fire Brilliance Cactus a day allows him to live and maintain at least 70% of his combat effectiveness!"
"Fire Brilliance Cactus is ranked one hundred and eighty-ninth in the fourth-grade military supplies list, strictly forbidden for export or private sale. In the desert, it’s a lifesaving resource that has helped the Great Zhou army overcome numerous crises!"
"Just because you can’t eat it doesn’t mean others can’t!"
"Countless Shennong pioneers poured their hearts into cultivating this derivative species. Do you think you, a new recruit, are qualified to judge it?!"
Zhou Ming’s tone was stern, and by the time he spoke his last words, lightning flickered around him, and the sky above showed faint signs of changing weather.
Clearly, the recruit’s words had angered Zhou Ming.
Slap! Liu Yongli delivered a hard slap to the mouthy recruit, sending him flying. "Idiot, disrespecting your elders and speaking nonsense. You deserve this!"
Zhao Xing glanced at the martial artist and shook his head slightly.
Zhou Ming was the judge; if you wanted to question him, you should have addressed him respectfully and asked for permission first.
And how could you drag the entire Shennong Division into your complaint?
Did you think this was a joke?
"Master Zhou, please calm down. It’s my fault for not managing my men properly. He’s just an ignorant child; please don’t take it to heart." Liu Yongli bowed apologetically.
"Commander Liu, make sure they understand the rules. Don’t let this happen again." Zhou Ming waved his hand, and the weather phenomenon dissipated.
"Yes, it was my mistake." Liu Yongli forced a smile.
In real battle situations, they wouldn’t need to eat this much.
But this was training. Advancing in the Devouring Technique required practice, and they should be thanking Zhao Xing for providing such an opportunity.
Other teams might not have as much to eat to earn points.
Training continued.
Zhou Ming didn’t leave, and neither did Zhao Xing.
Wang Meng couldn’t handle more than one section, but that didn’t mean the others couldn’t.
Zhang Jie, Hu Bing, and Chen Fang all managed to keep eating.
Crunch.
On the first section, Zhang Jie felt his abdomen heating up, but he could still endure.
By the second section, the heat spread throughout his body.
By the third, tears streamed down his face as his body sweated profusely. The fire element was rampaging through him, and his second-level Devouring Technique could no longer fully absorb it.
By the fourth, Zhang Jie felt like he was on fire, his throat scorched by the overwhelming spiciness. He couldn’t suppress the burning sensation anymore and felt like he was going to combust.
"Water! Water!"
Zhang Jie croaked hoarsely.
"Don’t shout. Be quiet." The middle-aged doctor inserted needles into Zhang Jie’s body. "You’ve been invaded by fire poison. Regular water won’t help. Remember, if you ever have to consume a large amount of Fire Brilliance Cactus in the future, immediately target four meridian points and five acupoints."
"The Stomach Meridian’s Shuitu and Shuidao, the Kidney Meridian’s Shuiquan, the Du Meridian’s Shuigou, and the Ren Meridian’s Shuifen."
"Like I’m doing now. Got it?"
Zhang Jie, tears streaming down his face, nodded vigorously.
He would never forget this in his life!
Chen Fang and Hu Bing also gritted their teeth and kept eating.
By the time they reached the fourth or fifth section, they were completely overwhelmed. Tears flowed freely, their lips were swollen, and they ran to the doctor for needles.
Xia Jing, seeing how miserable the others were, couldn’t help but feel his scalp go numb again.
He buried his head and kept eating, circulating his Devouring Technique as he went.
He managed to consume eighteen sections before retreating to sit cross-legged and receive treatment.
At this moment, a recovering Chen Fang cupped his hands and said hoarsely, "Shennong Zhao, your talent is extraordinary. I, Chen Fang, am deeply impressed."
Hu Bing also cupped his hands. "Brother Zhao, three days, three types of provisions. Your Shennong techniques are truly divine. I, Hu Bing, concede."
Zhang Jie followed suit, bowing deeply. "Big Brother Zhao, this land is so barren, yet you’ve provided so much military food. I too am thoroughly convinced!"
Seeing that Zhao Xing merely returned their bows without speaking, the three men turned to look at Xia Jing, whispering, "Brother Xia, this can’t go on. We’ve still got twenty-seven days to go. Say something!"
Tears streaming down his face, Xia Jing pointed to his throat.
He was still mute!
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