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Chapter 25: Cutting and Devouring, Crushing the Opponent
🕑 Added 2024-10-01 09:25:17 +0000 UTCChen Shijie watched the scene unfold with a leisurely expression, and the other officials, though reluctant, had no choice but to join him.
There was no helping it—after all, Chen Shijie held a higher rank and stronger cultivation than any of them. Moreover, he was the youngest official in the Shennong Division, not just in Gucheng but in all of Nanyang Prefecture.
It was clear that this Lord Chen’s future would not stop at the ninth rank.
"Lord Chen's adjustments are truly remarkable! As officials of the Shennong Division, we must compete with the heavens and the earth. Without a desire to win, how can we succeed?" said Gao Linong after sitting down. He had misspoken during the Minor Heat Exam and had been trying to redeem himself ever since. Now, he had found the perfect opportunity to align his thoughts with his superior.
Chen Shijie gave a faint smile and nodded in acknowledgment.
Gao's flattery was a bit too obvious, nearly a word-for-word repetition of something Chen Shijie had said before.
Tang Wanchun, however, was much more skillful in his approach. Instead of offering direct praise, he brought up the clerk who had been the first to raise a cloud. "It seems the first clerk to summon a cloud has grasped your deeper intentions, Lord Chen, securing an early advantage. But can he maintain his position?"
"Lord Xue’s exam not only tests the clerks' abilities but also their endurance. Surviving without food or drink for four days and nights in the scorching heat is no easy task," he continued.
This piqued Chen Shijie’s interest. "I recall this same clerk performed quite well in the last exam. Lord Xue, is he one of your students?"
Xue Wenzhong, who had been quietly resting after sitting down, changed his mind upon hearing Zhao Xing's name. "Yes, his name is Zhao Xing. I’ve only provided him with a bit of guidance. His talent and comprehension are naturally excellent. Lord Chen, I hope you can pay him some attention—he’s a rare talent."
Chen Shijie nodded. "If Lord Xue speaks so highly of him, I will certainly keep an eye on his performance."
It was rare for Xue Wenzhong to openly praise anyone, let alone recommend a clerk in front of Chen Shijie. Could it be that Zhao Xing was his apprentice? This stirred some unease among the other officials.
Promoting clerks to official rank was not just something the lower-ranking clerks desired; even these current officials valued it highly. Nurturing and recommending talent was a significant achievement!
Just as someone was about to comment, Chen Shijie’s gaze shifted to a particular spot. "Look, someone is heading toward Zhao Xing."
Zhao Xing, who had been the first to summon a cloud, had claimed two wells and three piles of ash in the northeast corner.
To his north was Wen Nanxing, and to his south was Xiao Ze. Those who had been defeated by these two quickly set their sights on Zhao Xing.
However, Zhao Xing’s cloud wasn’t something to be trifled with either. A Cloud Summoning spell at the seventh transformation was considered top-tier in the Shennong Division.
Though many were watching, only three clerks dared to approach.
One of them, a fair-skinned young man, cupped his hands toward Zhao Xing. "I am Huang Tao from the Hundred Flower Garden. Brother Zhao, would you mind moving over a bit?"
Huang Tao hoped to resolve the situation peacefully. He respected the fact that Zhao Xing’s cloud had reached the seventh transformation, and Zhao Xing’s previous high ranking on the A-list also deserved recognition.
Zhao Xing smirked. "Brother Huang, would you mind leaving instead?"
Huang Tao’s face stiffened, and his expression darkened. "You’ve claimed two wells and three piles of ash for yourself, and you’re still unwilling to give way? In that case, pardon me!"
One of the other challengers, already impatient, scoffed, "Why waste words with him? Got lucky once and thinks he’s invincible... Cloud Summoning!"
The three of them unleashed their clouds simultaneously. Even Huang Tao’s cloud was at the seventh transformation!
Dark clouds spread rapidly, converging on Zhao Xing’s position.
"It’s been a while since I had a proper challenge," Zhao Xing licked his lips, staring at the approaching clouds with excitement.
In truth, he had been expecting challengers. Without such confrontations, it would be impossible to hold his ground.
"Wind Summoning!"
Zhao Xing pointed, and the wind rose from the east.
The wind then split in two, blowing in two different directions.
"Whoooosh~"
"Whoooo~"
Two gusts of wind rushed toward the two challengers beside Huang Tao. Their clouds collided with an invisible wall of wind and began to roll back, as if an impenetrable barrier was pushing them back.
"Huh? My cloud can't move forward!"
"Mine neither, it's stuck!"
The two challengers were stunned. They hadn’t expected Zhao Xing’s Wind Summoning spell to hold them off.
"Push harder!" Unwilling to admit defeat, the two increased the flow of their energy.
But the more they pushed, the more the wind pushed back.
The harder they tried to advance, the stronger the resistance became. After exerting so much effort, they had barely moved an inch!
"What's with this weird wind?!"
"It’s like the wind knows our weaknesses and is messing with us from the inside... Oh no!"
One of the challengers, who had weaker control over his energy, saw his cloud begin to disintegrate.
Once it started, there was no stopping it, and soon he was completely defeated in the struggle.
Before they could even threaten Zhao Xing, one of the challengers' clouds had been blown apart!
"Cough, cough, cough..." The defeated clerk coughed violently, suffering from the backlash of losing control over his energy.
Huang Tao’s face changed. A sense of unease crept in. He hadn’t faced any obstacles yet, so how had his companion already fallen?
But there was no time to dwell on it. Taking advantage of the fact that Zhao Xing was busy dealing with his companions, Huang Tao seized the opportunity to crash his cloud into Zhao Xing’s territory.
"Humm~"
The expected collision never came. No thunder, no rain, no wind.
Instead, Zhao Xing’s cloud suddenly collapsed inward, revealing the crackling lightning within. It looked like a massive, purple-black maw.
"What the...?" Huang Tao suddenly felt a portion of his cloud disappear, as if it had been bitten away.
Then, Zhao Xing's cloud surged forward.
"Boom!" A deafening thunderclap echoed across the field!
Huang Tao’s cloud began shrinking at a visible rate.
"What... Such precise control... I concede!" Feeling that he had completely lost control of his cloud, Huang Tao immediately shouted his surrender.
But Zhao Xing didn’t relent. His lightning slashed like a blade, accurately slicing through and devouring Huang Tao’s cloud, completely destroying it.
"Argh!" Huang Tao felt a searing pain in his mind, far worse than what his companions had suffered. He collapsed on the spot, unable to withstand the backlash of his shattered spell.
"Brother Huang, Brother Huang..." His companions rushed over to help him up.
"I-I’m fine..." Huang Tao gasped for breath. "But don’t try again. Let’s find another spot."
"Zhao Xing went too far! It was just a competition. We can’t let him off that easily."
"No," Huang Tao shook his head. "We were outmatched. His spell control is even more precise than Wen Nanxing and Xiao Ze’s. Competing with him is just asking for humiliation. Let’s leave!"
Watching the three retreat in defeat, Zhao Xing sent out a message carried by the wind, spreading in all directions: "Anyone else want to challenge Zhao Xing’s territory? Come and try!"
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