Chapter 73: The Dao of Cloud Technique, Only I Am Supreme!

The Dao of Cloud Technique, Only I Am Supreme!

Different from the variety of other spells, Cloud Technique has always been on this domineering path.

Internal strife among Agricultural Officials, competing for air superiority, is the first priority.

Zhao Xing gathered the cloud energy again, and before Cao Qiushui could counter, he quickly organized a second attack.

The edges of the cloud layer were stacked layer by layer, forming a cloud mountain, like a rock, blocking the front. Cao Qiushui's Flowing Clouds were separated from the middle, actually showing signs of splitting into two.

This move really shocked Cao Qiushui.

The proportion of Agricultural Officials among many professions who dare to climb the mountain is the smallest, and those who dare to come to compete for the first incense are even fewer.

Cao Qiushui didn't encounter a decent opponent of the same profession on the first night.

Now he knew that he had encountered a strong enemy!

In the blink of an eye, the next second after Cao Qiushui's Flowing Clouds were separated, the Flowing Clouds on both sides rolled, and the cloud energy like a river rose rapidly, climbed over the top of the mountain, and reunited above the cloud mountain before being completely separated.

"Flowing Cloud 'Suspended River' style, this Cao Qiushui reacts really fast." Zhao Xing saw this scene and knew that his plan to fight a quick battle had failed.

He absorbed the cloud energy of four people, originally wanting to take advantage of Cao Qiushui's instability after cleaning up the others to quickly cut him.

Then imitate the previous method, using small to cut big, and swallow Cao Qiushui's cloud energy as well.

But Cao Qiushui reacted quickly, not only resolving the crisis, but the Flowing Clouds climbed to the top of the cloud mountain and also formed a cloud mountain, wanting to crush Zhao Xing's cloud layer with this.

Spell confrontation changes in an instant.

The mid-grade Cloud Technique, in terms of spell strength, is indeed stronger than the initial grade. Zhao Xing had no choice but to disperse the cloud layer underneath, turn the whole into parts, take advantage of the situation to shrink back a section, and then re-condense.

"What? This..." Cao Qiushui was stunned.

He thought he had crushed Zhao Xing's cloud layer, but didn't expect the other party's cloud control technique to be so powerful that it didn't lose much under heavy pressure.

It is easy to turn the whole into parts, but it is too difficult to re-condense. It is like the feigned retreat move on the battlefield, which can only be played by high-level generals. If it is not good, it will form a real collapse!

Controlling countless cloud energies at the same time, making them quickly bypass the enemy's attack, and regrouping, how difficult is it?

Cao Qiushui admitted that it was very difficult to do, not to mention that there was a realm gap.

Zhao Xing's wave simply showed him off!

"I feel his Cloud Walking hasn't reached the true mid-grade power, but this control technique, I don't know how much it wins over me."

"Master, this is a true master!"

Once an expert makes a move, you know if there is one.

In the blink of an eye, they clashed three times. Cao Qiushui understood that he couldn't defeat the other party by relying on Cloud Technique in a short time.

Zhao Xing saw it even earlier, because his Cloud Walking was only initial-grade 9th turn, while Cao Qiushui's Flowing Cloud spell was mid-grade 4th turn.

Although his control technique was stronger and his experience was richer, using small to cut big, he must see advantages quickly, otherwise it would be unfavorable to him.

So Zhao Xing cast "side moves" again.

"Ghostly Wind, rise!"

Zhao Xing pointed his finger, and the ghostly wind from the ground arrived in an instant.

Ghostly wind at the Zi hour, fast and easy.

The characteristics of Ghostly Wind are hidden, and other professions can't see it at all, even the other defeated Agricultural Officials in the Altar Square didn't notice it.

A ghostly wind passed through the crowd and blew accurately toward Cao Qiushui.

Just at this moment, Zhao Xing's brow jumped.

His feet exerted force, and he immediately jumped to the side.

The original position suddenly collapsed into a pit half a meter wide and two meters deep.

"Earth-benefit faction's Earth-Cracking spell?" Zhao Xing stared at the pit, a flash of surprise in his eyes, but then he realized.

Cao Qiushui also thought of using side moves. He was a descendant of True Person Cao Xi, and what Cao Xi was good at was the Earth-benefit faction's spells.

Cao Qiushui was casting a spell, but suddenly shivered, and the spell was broken and interrupted, failing to exert the maximum power of the Earth-Cracking spell.

Immediately after, his eyes began to blur, and he was confused, as if he had been working for three days and three nights.

"Buzz~" The gray straw raincoat on his body lit up with a burst of light, and the jade pendant on his chest also flashed, transmitting a heat into his body.

Cao Qiushui then woke up.

"This is... Ghostly Wind spell?"

Cao Qiushui felt his scalp go numb.

He never thought that among the Agricultural Officials climbing the mountain this time, someone actually mastered the Ghostly Wind spell!

And the spell strength was extremely large, far from the level of one or two turns.

The Tier 3 high-grade Soul Jade he wore, the originally smooth jade pendant, was now full of cracks! Dim and lusterless!

"Cao, Cao... admits defeat!"

Cao Qiushui said this sentence tremblingly, quickly removed the cloud layer, and jumped out of the Altar Square in two or three steps to show that he dared not compete with him again.

"What? Brother Cao, why is this?" The members of Cao Qiushui's team looked at him with incomparable surprise.

Agricultural Officials cannot come to compete for the first incense alone. Even if Cao Qiushui wins the incense, as long as there is a martial artist guarding the stone steps, he can't go up, so there are many people in the Altar Square who huddle together for warmth, forming small groups to compete for incense.

There were three Tier 7 Yuan Gathering martial artists in Cao Qiushui's team, Agricultural Officials assisting, martial artists charging. They won two incense sticks last night, and two people entered the temple as the fifth and seventh respectively.

After offering incense and praying to the True Person, they got spiritual treasure revelations, and they gained a lot during the day.

I didn't expect that in this second night of competing for incense, Cao Qiushui would have this performance, completely different from his bravery last night!

He was even trembling!

"Don't ask why, believe me, this wave, don't compete." Cao Qiushui looked at the seven golden lights floating in the air, muttering to himself. "Can't compete, at least 7th-turn Ghostly Wind."

Cao Qiushui's defeat made everyone drop their jaws.

"What, the Cao family descendant actually lost?!"

"Who is it, who defeated him?"

"Cao Qiushui is already Tier 9 of Yuan Gathering, is there anyone stronger than him? Why didn't he appear last night?"

"Cao Third will know three mid-grade spells, and all have 4th or 5th turn power, which is already extremely rare. Ordinary Tier 9 Yuan Gathering martial artists dare not resist hard, he actually lost?"

"Is there anyone whose spell level is higher than his?"

In the dark night, countless people exclaimed.

But everything happened too fast, from the temple gate opening, golden light appearing.

To the martial artists jumping and landing, it was only three breaths of time.

And Zhao Xing and Cao Qiushui, from dealing with the opponents around them, to the clash producing results.

The process was only a dozen breaths of time.

During this period, because of the clash of the two people's Cloud Walking, countless thunder and lightning were produced, so no one dared to rise to the air to snatch the incense.

Tier 9 Yuan Gathering Agricultural Officials are not eating rice. Cao Qiushui and another person clashed equally, that is, two Tier 9 Yuan Gathering people competing for the weather, who dares to go up and catch the sky thunder?

Mid-grade spells are not for fun!

Based on Cao Qiushui's performance last night, everyone was waiting for him to win, and then send someone to take away two incense sticks. This is matched with the strength of his group. If he wanted to be greedy for more, someone would stop him.

But I never expected that Cao Qiushui actually lost, and lost to another unknown Agricultural Official.

"The Cao family descendant still has some things." Seeing Cao Qiushui retreat decisively, Zhao Xing secretly thought.

Being able to block the 9th-turn Ghostly Wind, and retreat unscathed, realizing that he couldn't resist, this is very rare.

Those who know the times are heroes, not to mention Cao Qiushui also made an effective counterattack in his own hands.

It's a pity he met himself.

"Zhao Xing, you, you actually beat Cao Qiushui?" Young Master Zong was shocked.

At this moment, Zhao Xing's cloud layer had completely covered the Altar Square, lightning was gestating in the cloud layer, not yet released, emitting terrifying power.

Gusts of wind blew, lightning was dense, warning everyone in the square not to act rashly.

"Lucky, lucky." Zhao Xing perfunctorily, "Young Master Zong, how many incense sticks did you originally plan to take?"

"Two incense sticks." Uncle Cang took over, "At least send two people into the temple."

"I'll help you snatch these two incense sticks, two hundred taels will be written off, are you willing?" Zhao Xing looked at Zong Shichang.

"Can, too damn can!" Zong Shichang patted his thigh, "Quick, quick, quick, Uncle Cang, Uncle Hu, you jump! Go take two incense sticks!"

"Wait, take four incense sticks." Zhao Xing said indifferently, "I want one myself, send you one more, five hundred taels, do you want to change?"

"Change!" Zong Shichang said immediately, "But can this work?"

There are only seven incense sticks left on the field, and so many people are staring at them. If they take away four incense sticks at once, will they be besieged?

"Whether it works or not, you'll know after trying."

Zhao Xing waved his hand, and his voice moved with the wind: "I and Young Master Zong want to occupy four incense sticks, and you all share the remaining three."

"I've finished speaking, who agrees, who opposes?"

The voice was very flat, but it revealed a strong confidence.

Zong Shichang beside him looked at Zhao Xing's back, wishing he could rush up and kiss him.

Zhao Xing is too kind, bringing him along while showing off.

Young Master Zong has never felt that these few hundred taels were spent so worthily!

Addictive, addictive!

"Right, right, right, who dares not to obey?!" Zong Shichang also shouted loudly.

It's a pity that he won't remember after going down the mountain, otherwise he can blow for a year!

I and Brother Zhao killed in the Altar Square! Overpowering the heroes!

"Who is your Excellency, actually wanting to occupy four incense sticks?!" In the dark night, someone sneered, "Zong Shichang is just a waste, and the three masters he invited are only Tier 8 of Yuan Gathering."

"Your Excellency's cloud technique is indeed good, but if we swarm up, can you still stand firm?"

Someone questioned Zhao Xing's strength, because Cloud Technique has no lethality, and at most it is just playing support.

Cao Qiushui's Cloud Technique and Earth-Cracking spell are both mid-grade 4th or 5th turn, which has great suppression on martial artists, but it is just suppression.

In the final analysis, it still needs to cooperate with the martial artists in his team to exert team strength, but he only dared to ask for two incense sticks.

Where did you pop out from, actually daring to ask for four incense sticks?

"Boom!"

Zhao Xing pointed his finger, and a thunderbolt descended from the cloud layer in the sky, heading straight for the source of the sound.

Mid-grade spell, 7th-turn Lightning Attraction!

The person who spoke just now let out a scream and fell to the ground, charred all over.

Between the lightning and thunder, everyone saw his miserable state.

Zhao Xing answered his question directly with a spell!

It's a pity that the price of this question was a bit heavy, and this person directly lost his combat power.

Zhao Xing showed with action that he was not Cao Qiushui, he was more powerful!

Cao Qiushui's spells are biased toward support, and he not only possesses offensive spells, but the spell level is also higher than Cao Qiushui's!

"7th-turn Heavenly Thunder?" Wen Zhao shook his feather fan and looked at the sky, his pupils shrinking, "Borran, with my help, can you resist it?"

Zhang Boran rolled his eyes: "Even if you give me two more layers of spells, I might not be able to resist it."

"He swallowed the cloud energy of eight people, at least he can drop dozens of heavenly thunders. How many layers of spells can you stack for me?"

"Unless your Harmony Ritual can make him disperse the cloud layer, I will charge over with a strong attack, period to his side. Even if the two Tier 8 Yuan Gathering martial artists of the Zong family join forces, I have the confidence to win."

Wen Zhao heard this and was shocked: "Oops, I burned his straw men, won't I be held a grudge?"

Zhang Boran said helplessly: "Take it one step at a time."

"Who else is not convinced?" Zhao Xing spoke again.

Now no one in the square dared to squeak.

The one who was struck just now was a Tier 8 Yuan Gathering martial artist. He was thick-skinned and didn't die, but this blow caused him to lose his combat power.

Due to Yang Junxiong's reason, the number of Tier 9 Yuan Gathering experts decreased by three. Now there are fewer masters who dare to compete than last night.

Just this 7th-turn Lightning Attraction spell is enough to occupy four incense sticks! Not to mention that there is a group of martial artists gathered by Zong Shichang around Zhao Xing.

"Damn it, this bastard is too arrogant!" Lu Qian didn't see the person, but she recognized the voice. The person speaking was the guy who tied her up.

"Qian'er, you are really strange today. How can you be so out of character time and again? What happened?" Liu Muqing sensed that something was wrong, "You have had an encounter with this person who is speaking?"

"No, no." Lu Qian's eyes dodged.

"Then where did your Sparrow Feather Dharma Robe go?" Liu Muqing pointed to Lu Qian, "You couldn't have lost it while taking a bath, could you?"

"...This, this, in short, there is a reason." Lu Qian blushed and stammered, unable to say anything.

"Young Master Zong, send someone to take the incense." Zhao Xing saw that no one dared to oppose, and signaled to Zong Shichang.

The latter looked at Zhao Xing more and more pleasingly, because he spoke directly to himself, not to Uncle Cang or Uncle Hu.

Young Master Zong wants this sense of importance!

"Alright, take the incense!" Zong Shichang waved his big hand excitedly.

Two Tier 8 Yuan Gathering martial artists jumped up and took down four incense sticks respectively.

Then they rotated and landed, easily dissolving the impact with the ground.

"Brother Zhao, many thanks." Uncle Cang divided an incense stick to Zhao Xing, and the golden light was emitted from it.

"You're welcome." Zhao Xing took the incense for worshiping the gods.

A total of four incense sticks, Uncle Cang and Uncle Hu got one.

The third one, Zong Shichang held it himself.

"Uncle Yuan, I'll rely on you to send me in." Zong Shichang looked at the middle-aged man beside him, who was the third master who had never spoken.

At this time, Zong Shichang asked, and he just nodded.

Zhao Xing took a look and happened to meet the other party's eyes, and his heart jumped.

In the other party's eyes, there was a statue of a god hidden!

This is actually a divine position!

"Zong Shichang, how rich is your family, that you can hire divine position personnel?"

Many officials participated in this mountain climbing, from all departments, but there were very few officials from the temple. [73-14

Many clerks participated in this mountain ascent, coming from all sorts of departments, but clerks from the Temple were few and far between.

This is because Temple clerks are quite unique; they do not require spiritual talent, and their methods, cultivation, and everything else do not follow the normal paths of promotion. Moreover, members of the clergy are famous for being pure of heart, having few desires, and being indifferent to fame and wealth.

The more one interacts with yin spirits, the fewer distracting thoughts one has, and all kinds of desires also greatly subside.

"Let's go wait over there."

"Let's go."

After taking four sticks of incense, Zhao Xing also dispelled his cloud-walking technique.

There is no use in having too much incense; there is only one opportunity per night.

Furthermore, there will be a second and third wave of incense appearing.

There were still quite a few experts on the Altar Square, they just hadn't made a move immediately. If he didn't dispel it, he would be making enemies of everyone, and there was no need for that.

"Yang Junxiong and Du Jiaojiao still haven't decided the winner?"

After descending from the Altar Square, he saw the two streaks of light ahead still locked in combat.

Yang Junxiong uses a spear, and Du Jiaojiao also uses a spear.

One red, one silvery-white.

They were blocking the entrance to the temple.

"My Bright Eyes observation is meticulous, but I still can't see their movements clearly, only streaks of light. I'm afraid both of them have already entered the ranks," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

He has had his own fortuitous encounters, and others may have had theirs as well.

Yang Junxiong took the first incense last night, and Du Jiaojiao took the second. By burning incense and worshipping the gods, one can at least obtain the whereabouts of 'mid-grade spiritual talent' or methods to harvest spiritual talent, and it might even involve high-grade spiritual talent!

Both were already at the ninth stage of Yuan Gathering; it is quite normal for them to enter the ranks after obtaining spiritual talent.

After Zhao Xing left, a fierce struggle broke out on the Altar Square.

Only three sticks of incense remained, but there were still dozens of people.

When entering the temple to worship, the first ten sticks of incense have the best effect.

All can receive a manifestation of the True Person, who will inform them of the location of spiritual talent or grant them a method to obtain it.

For those later on, there are only obscure revelations, not explicit information.

Zhao Xing watched the square quietly, activating his Bright Eyes spell to observe.

One pair caught his attention.

"A zither for accompaniment, performing the Great Shao war dance?"

A chaotic battle was taking place on the square, but two people stood out from the fray. Zhao Xing had seen one of them before; it was Lu Qian, whom he had tied up.

She was performing a very wild dance, while another young girl playing a zither provided the accompaniment.

This combination of dancer and musician was performing [Great Shao], one of the "Six Songs."

Legend has it that "Great Shao" was composed by the ancient music official Kui, using dance and music to enact the laws of heaven and earth, attracting all beasts to bow and phoenixes to land in their nests; it was meant to praise the achievements of the "Xia Emperor" of the ancient era.

Great Shao is a war dance, but also a musical piece.

"The dense herds of elephants, daily seeing the law fulfilled. Wishing to hear of my beginnings, the mysterious seal is dark and deep..."

Liu Muqing plucked the zither and chanted, while Lu Qian danced.

As the two performed, half of the martial artists on the square suddenly began attacking their own people uncontrollably.

The other half joined the dance, which further increased the power of [Great Shao].

Only two or three were able to remain clear-headed, but whether it was their spell-casting movements or combat techniques, everything was severely distorted.

In the end, there was no other way; they could only let these two sisters take one portion of incense each.

Having proven their strength and obtained the incense, Lu Qian and Liu Muqing stopped their performance.

They bowed toward the Altar Square. This wasn't because they were being polite, but because the "Great Music Ritual" regulations required this procedure.

Ritual and music, ritual and music—in the Great Zhou Dynasty, the two are inseparable.

Without this concluding ritual, their performance would not have increased their cultivation (meaning proficiency must include this process to improve).

"A single musician and a single dancer, to be able to perform 'Great Shao' and have this much power—it is truly a rare sight," Zhao Xing said.

"I've known them for a long time; how did I not know they were so formidable?" Zong Shichang asked curiously.

Zhao Xing explained: "Great Shao, one of the Six Songs, is the greatest of war dances because it requires many people and many instruments. Next are 'Cloud Gate,' 'Great Scroll,' 'Only Martial,' 'Great Bell,' and 'Great Chapter'."

"I've seen Great Shao too, but it wasn't as powerful as you say."

Zhao Xing teased: "I'm talking about the proper way; was what you were listening to the proper way?"