Chapter 23: Beginning of Autumn Assessment

Giving extra training in private could be justified as cherishing talent.

Taking a Tier 4 'transmitting Dao painting' to help Zhao Xing pass the examination was purely a selfish act.

The old Chief Agricultural Officer was doing something for personal gain for the first time, and he was still somewhat unable to let go. He didn't speak during the meal, and after eating, he told Zhao Xing to get lost.

Zhao Xing also tacitly didn't mention it, bowed, and said goodbye to go home.

With the help of the old Chief, the primary spell Thriving Growth had reached max level.

Observing the Ten Thousand Things Growth Picture rubbing, he easily comprehended an intermediate spell [Savage Growth].

Agricultural spells only have 'practical' and 'super practical' distinctions.

This intermediate spell belonged to the super practical spell.

[Savage Growth: Intermediate Spell]

[Progress: 0/9999]

[Effect: After casting, it has a destructive power that exceeds the environment's capacity and affects the survival of other species.]

The proficiency of intermediate spells is still 1000 points per turn, and the upper limit is the same, but the difficulty of improvement increases accordingly.

Why is Savage Growth super practical? Because it is a strong confrontation spell!

In the process of shortening the maturity cycle of plants, it will crazily seize the surrounding nutrients, with a highly destructive trend, exceeding the environment's own capacity.

Most importantly, it will squeeze the living space of other plant life and even extract the vitality of other plants to use as nutrients.

The subsequent advancement route of this spell has a heaven-defying name after the revival version transformation—"Only I Am Law!"

It is also hailed by Agricultural Officer players as the 'Civil War God Skill'. My plants live, yours cannot live; it is extremely domineering!

As for the other primary spell obtained from the Ten Thousand Things Growth Picture rubbing, it was also very practical.

[Earth Vein Synthesis: Primary Spell]

[Progress: 0/9999]

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[Effect: Draw the power of the Earth Vein, synthesize Earth Vein Qi]

The Earth Vein is the foundation of the world, and every place is connected to the spiritual veins deep underground, just with different degrees of strength.

Earth Vein Synthesis is an auxiliary spell that can seize Earth Vein Qi to make the soil of a certain area fertile.

Based on [Earth Vein Synthesis], the ultimate goal is to advance to [Five Elements Blessed Land].

This is a spell of the Earth-Benefit School. This series of spells has a nickname called 'Stealing Yuan Method'.

Unlike [Savage Growth], it is not easy to detect and has high concealment.

Many 'Old Sixes' (sneaky players) like to raise this spell to an extremely high level, run to the side of someone else’s blessed land, and secretly cast spells to fatten themselves up.

What is stealing vegetables? I directly steal the Earth Vein Qi!

"Old habits are hard to change... How come all the spells I comprehended are this kind of 'Old Six' spell." Everyone comprehends different things when observing the Ten Thousand Things Growth Picture, just like the randomness of temple transmission. Zhao Xing guessed that he had been an 'Old Six' too much in his previous life.

Returning home, it was already dark, but it wasn't too late.

Zhao Xing planned to run to his own vegetable garden and practice with the two newly acquired spells.

Not long after entering the vegetable garden, his little brother ran over excitedly with a lantern.

"Big Brother, Big Brother, what are you doing? Are you making a midnight snack?"

Zhao Xing was a bit speechless: "Didn't your mother give you dinner? It’s just dark, and you want a midnight snack."

"I ate, hehe, but it didn't taste as good as what Big Brother makes." Zhao Zheng seemed to think of something and slurped.

Although this big brother liked to beat him, he also had advantages: the food he made was delicious, and he could always tinker with some delicious dried fruit and candied fruit.

"Big Brother, I’ll hold the lantern for you! I’ll burn the fire for you when you make food later."

"Go, go, go, go away." Zhao Xing was a bit disgusted, "There is a box of snacks under my bedside table, find it yourself and eat it, don't bother me here."

"Thank you, Big Brother!!!" The little brother hung the lantern on the fence next to him and ran away.

Tinkering for about two hours, Zhao Xing saw that both spells had reached the 1st turn level, so he didn't continue to grind.

Tomorrow is the Beginning of Autumn examination, so he should keep his energy.

Early the next morning, Zhao Xing got up to wash and prepare to go out. His foster father, Zhao Ruide, was already practicing boxing in the courtyard, moving very slowly, which belonged to health-preserving boxing.

"Foster Father, I’m going to report for duty." Zhao Xing greeted.

Seeing Zhao Xing empty-handed, Zhao Ruide asked: "Why don't you carry a lantern? The family doesn't lack this little bit of expense."

"I can already see at night." Zhao Xing moved his mind, and in the dark night, his pupils suddenly became yellow-green.

"Oh?" Zhao Ruide took a look and nodded slightly: "Then before you go, go help me call Zheng'er up."

"Okay." Zhao Xing ran to another room and didn't be polite, kicking the door open directly.

Since last year, Zhao Zheng had been sleeping separately from Madam Cai. This was forced by Zhao Xing; otherwise, this mother who loved her cub would have been afraid to bring the baby to sleep for a few more years.

"Who the hell dares to disturb Young Master..." His eyelids hadn't opened yet, and he was already cursing, but after opening them, he immediately swallowed the words back.

"Get up! Put on your clothes." Zhao Xing lifted the thin blanket and picked Zhao Zheng up. This kid was actually sleeping while holding a jar of candied fruit.

"Big Brother, Big Brother, what’s wrong?" Zhao Zheng was confused, but still obediently put on his clothes.

"Go practice martial arts."

"Ah?" Zhao Zheng frowned, "The rooster hasn't even crowed yet..."

"Hmm?"

"Yes, Big Brother! I’m dressed!" Zhao Zheng was cowardly very quickly. Anyway, Big Brother would leave soon. He wouldn't be beaten less if he resisted, but if he went out to practice martial arts, he could act spoiled to his father and mother later and come back to sleep in a return cage.

Waking up Zhao Zheng, Zhao Xing went out to the Agricultural Office.

Madam Cai also woke up not long after, because she heard the child’s voice crying for hunger.

She got up quickly and ran to the vegetable garden, but found it lush and couldn't help but exclaim: "Ah! How come the vegetable seedlings I had a few days ago are already..."

"...Beginning of Autumn minor examination, held in the Hundred Grass Garden."

"Starts at the Si hour on the 6th day of the 8th month, and ends at the Wu hour on the 9th day of the 8th month."

Just approaching the Agricultural Office within a thousand meters, he heard a voice circling in his ears. This was Master Chen’s voice.

"Transmitting sound with the wind, can exceed several miles, the sound is clear and enters the ears. A ninth-rank Agricultural Officer, his strength is truly extraordinary." Zhao Xing thought to himself.

This is an advanced application of the [Rising Wind] spell, and his control over Qi is far from what a minor official can compare to.

However, there are even more exaggerated ones, such as County Magistrate Li Zhengchen of Gucheng, who once demonstrated the ability of [Golden Sound and Jade Vibration, Sound Transmitting for a Hundred Miles] during the process of issuing the 'Recruitment Order', but that was also with the help of some external forces.

Zhao Xing listened carefully for a while, rushed into the Agricultural Office, and basically figured out the rules.

From the Si hour on the 6th day of the 8th month to the Wu hour on the 9th day of the 8th month, it was about four days and three nights.

Each minor official can choose an unlimited number of 'seedlings' in the 'Seedling Area' in the Hundred Grass Garden. Then go to the [Cultivation Area] for cultivation.

Minor officials can enter the venue at any time during these three days, but once they enter, they cannot exit.

It ends at the Wu hour on the 9th day, and people sent by the County Magistrate's Office will witness, count the results, and record them in the file.

The evaluation criteria are three points: as of the Wu hour on the 9th day, first, look at the quality of the seeds or seedlings chosen by the minor official; second, look at the number of surviving plants; third, look at the state of the plants after they survive. ===== CHAPTER 24 =====