Chapter 80: Zhao Xing Goes Down the Mountain! Where's My Law Robe? Where's My Bamboo Horse?

Hearing it was a clerk from Gucheng, Chen Shijie and Xue Wenzhong couldn't sit still anymore.

The other officials also followed out one after another.

However, the result disappointed Chen Shijie and Xue Wenzhong greatly.

The one who came out wasn't Zhao Xing, but Shen Zhui of the Martial Office.

After coming out of the mountain, Shen Zhui first came to pay respects to County Magistrate Li Wenzheng and the superior of the Martial Office, Wang Long.

"Greetings, County Magistrate, greetings, Lord Wang."

"Good, good, good. Never thought you had already ranked up; it's truly a happy event for the Martial Office." Li Wenzheng was very happy.

The Inspector of the commandery and many officials were watching here; his Gucheng, which he governed, had produced a genius, so of course, it was worth being happy.

East Lake Spirit Mountain was in Gucheng territory; he, the County Magistrate, was equivalent to the host. Climbing the Spirit Mountain to pick spiritual items was equivalent to a heavyweight exam. If the clerks under his command didn't perform as well as those from other counties, it would be somewhat embarrassing.

Now that Shen Zhui had ranked up, he also had face.

"Greetings, Lord Chen." Shen Zhui saw Chen Shijie coming over and bowed again.

"Not bad." Chen Shijie just perfunctorily replied; he hadn't seen Zhao Xing yet, so his mood was also somewhat poor.

Seeing this, Xue Wenzhong was also somewhat lost. Could it be that some accident really happened?

"Old Xue, wait a bit longer." Chen Shijie patted Xue Wenzhong's hand. "He will definitely be fine."

Everything that happened on Spirit Mountain in these three days, the participating clerks would forget, and the officials outside also didn't know the situation inside, so they could only wait for notification.

So worrying in a hurry was useless.

Just when Chen Shijie and Xue Wenzhong intended to return to the viewing area to wait.

Suddenly—

"Clatter, clatter, clatter~"

A crisp sound of horse hooves came from the mist.

At the Forget-Worry Stele, Zhao Xing rode a bamboo horse, carried a bamboo box on his back, and held a small cat in his arms, flying out from the air.

"Zhao Xing? It's Zhao Xing who came out!"

"It's Zhao Xing of Gucheng, why is he riding a horse?!"

"Ignorant, that's a mechanical beast bamboo horse from the Industry Office!"

"Hiss, looking at this momentum, the harvest is not small!"

The bystanders discussed heatedly.

Chen Shijie showed a smile and laughed loudly.

Xue Wenzhong also completely let go of his heart.

The Si Nong's [Five Elements Observation] could quickly see if a person was injured and roughly what realm they were in.

At this moment, they looked and saw Zhao Xing was not only safe and sound.

But he had already ranked up!

"Zhao Xing, actually ranked up?!" Tang Wanchun exclaimed. "He seemed to be only at the fourth rank of Yuan Gathering before entering the mountain?!"

"Did I see wrong?" Pang Yuan was also dumbfounded. "He gained so much?"

In three days, jumping several ranks, it was simply going to drop their jaws!

Gao Linong had originally been complacent about the progress of Li Chengfeng and Zong Shichang, feeling that this wave was truly his two students stealing the show.

But never expected a Zhao Xing to pop out!

Fourth rank of Yuan Gathering, to ranked?!

The harvest was much greater than Zong Shichang and Li Chengfeng!

Gao Linong felt terrible in his heart.

He had just finished showing off, but he was slapped in the face so quickly!

"What kind of dog shit luck did Zhao Sanjia hit to actually leap into the ranks?" Zong Shichang was very curious, because he vaguely felt that he and Zhao Xing had had interactions on the mountain.

But what specifically it was, he couldn't remember.

"He actually, ranked up?" Li Chengfeng looked at Zhao Xing, who was surrounded by stars, and felt bad in his heart.

Fifteen minutes ago, he had enjoyed similar treatment, but now, compared to this, he was instantly compared down.

As for Wen Nanxing, Xiao Ze, and others, they were only envious and didn't have the thought of climbing and competing anymore.

Because the gap was too big; they could still compete in their hearts before.

But when the gap was big enough, there was no such thought left.

Only envy remained.

"Whoa~"

Zhao Xing subconsciously pulled the reins, slowed down, and when he arrived before the Gucheng officials like Chen Shijie, he was still frowning.

"Zhao..."

"Don't interrupt him, let him organize his thoughts." Li Wenzheng's words seemed to have magic, and the people around instantly quieted down, not daring to make a sound.

This ninth-rank Ritual Cultivator directly opened a "total mute" for everyone!

At this moment, within a radius of fifty meters, except for "administrators" like Chen Shijie and Xue Wenzhong, only Zhao Xing could speak.

"Why am I riding a horse?" Zhao Xing sat on the horse's back, somewhat confused.

He remembered that Old Si Nong and Old Chen had sent a bamboo box, but there didn't seem to be a bamboo horse?

The memory was somewhat blurry; Zhao Xing knew he must have been affected by the Forget-Worry Stele. He tried hard to recall, but only vaguely remembered that this bamboo horse was snatched.

Snatched from whom? Forgot.

"Little mountain cat." Zhao Xing looked down at the mountain cat in his arms and lifted it out.

The scene of fighting side by side with the mountain cat was also forgotten; the scene of it acknowledging him as its master was still vaguely remembered, and this relationship hadn't been affected.

Tang Wanchun and Gao Linong looked at that mountain cat and were instantly stunned!

A ranked exotic beast, this was even stronger than them! Looking at it, it seemed it was still subdued by Zhao Xing?!

Li Wenzheng and Chen Shijie looked at each other, somewhat surprised.

Other officials could only see the mountain cat was ranked, but couldn't touch its specific strength.

As for the two of them, they could see it accurately.

One used [Clear Observation of Autumn Hair], the other used [Five Elements Observation].

Both reached the same conclusion: ninth rank perfection! Comparable to a human's ninth-rank upper level; in terms of combat power, this exotic beast could probably beat most human cultivators.

Zhao Xing continued to dig into his arms.

He pulled out a handful of silver notes.

"A thousand taels of silver notes? The ticket is from the Nanyang Chamber of Commerce; this should be Young Master Zong's." Zhao Xing recalled, vaguely remembering a scene where a hand handed money to him.

This hand was very young; as for whether it was Zong Shichang?

Also couldn't remember.

But the probability was high; besides Young Master Zong, who would bring so many silver notes up the mountain?

"This money is very likely mine!" Zong Shichang, who was watching, was somewhat surprised. "But how could I give him so much money?"

Zong Yonglong's eyes were also shining; could it be that on the mountain, this person had some friendship with his son? Or a grudge?

The other onlookers looked on with envy.

This is what you call climbing a mountain; others spend a lot of money to set up equipment and treasures.

When they go down the mountain, they are all exhausted.

He still has money to earn?

Simply infuriating!

"Eh, Sparrow Feather Law Robe, why is there this thing in the bamboo box? It looks like something a woman wears; did I rob a dancer?"

"Cough, cough, Zhao Xing, that's enough." Li Wenzheng couldn't help but open his mouth to interrupt Zhao Xing's immersive counting.

The Sparrow Feather Law Robe was clearly a woman's intimate clothing; he was afraid Zhao Xing would pull out something else in public.

Although it was the other's ability, it wasn't elegant!

Zhao Xing also woke up and stuffed the half-taken-out law robe back into the bamboo box.

He felt there were many things inside, because this box was much heavier than when he went up the mountain.

But it wasn't a good time to count at this moment.

"Greetings, County Magistrate, greetings, Lord Chen, greetings, Teacher, and all the lords." Zhao Xing bowed.

"Hahaha, no need for formalities, no need for formalities. Follow this official, let people see the young talent of my Gucheng."

Li Wenzheng pulled Zhao Xing over kindly and couldn't wait to take him to show off to the commandery officials and colleagues from neighboring counties.

Not long after Zhao Xing left the Forget-Worry Stele.

A few people came out of the thick fog.

He held a cavalry spear, his expression melancholic; it was Yang Junxiong.

However, after passing the Forget-Worry Stele, a smile appeared on his face.

"This mountain climbing, I have already ranked up, and reached the ninth rank upper level. Before entering the mountain, I was only at the ninth rank of Yuan Gathering; it can be considered not a wasted trip."

But immediately, his smile froze.

"Wait, where is the bamboo horse?!"

Yang Junxiong looked left and right, issuing a deep question: "Where is my horse? Why is it gone?!"

Then his gaze fell on a familiar figure in front.

It was Zhao Xing riding the bamboo horse.

"T-that is my bamboo horse? Hmm? Can't sense the War Soul. Could it be his?"

"No, that is definitely my bamboo horse! Why did it drop to the third-rank low grade?"

"Could it be, snatched by him?"

Many confusions appeared in Yang Junxiong's heart, but he had already gone down the mountain; regardless of how it was, he could only put it aside.

Climbing the mountain always has risks; let alone losing a bamboo horse, even losing one's life is normal.

"I always feel this person has a great connection with me, and I vaguely feel some reluctance and loss in my heart. Unfortunately, I don't know what happened."

Yang Junxiong sighed, took a deep look at Zhao Xing's position, and strode away.

After he left.

Out of the thick fog walked three graceful figures.

They were Du Jiaojiao, Lu Qian, and Liu Muqing.

"Hmm? Qian'er, Qing'er, are you okay?" Du Jiaojiao looked at her two close friends.

"I'm fine." Liu Muqing said happily: "I'm already at the ninth rank of Yuan Gathering, and my music technique has also improved!"

"I'm fine too." Lu Qian also showed a smile. "I'm at the ninth rank of Yuan Gathering, and my two spells have each improved by three turns. Sister Jiao, what about you?"

Du Jiaojiao smiled: "Ninth rank lower level, but my spear technique hasn't improved much. I wanted to comprehend that move 'Dragon Out of the Sea', which is quite a pity..."

"Ah!" Suddenly, Lu Qian let out a cry of surprise, her expression flustered as she touched her body. She had discovered she was missing something.

"Hmm? Qian'er, what's wrong with you?!"

"My law robe? My Sparrow Feather Law Robe is gone!" Lu Qian's expression was flustered.

"What?" Du Jiaojiao and Liu Muqing's expressions also changed.

They all knew about the existence of the Sparrow Feather Law Robe and also knew that the Sparrow Feather Law Robe was worn intimately by Lu Qian.

Now that it was lost, didn't it mean that Lu Qian had been...

Suddenly, Lu Qian raised her head fiercely; she sensed the existence of the law robe—that was the spell bond generated between her and the treasure after long use.

Just like Yang Junxiong could sense the existence of the bamboo horse.

Her gaze fell on the youth riding the bamboo horse in front.

"My law robe is in that person's hand, could it be that..." Lu Qian bit her lip, tears shining in her eyes.

"Achoo~"

Zhao Xing suddenly sneezed.

Don't know why, he always felt someone was thinking about him.

"Enemy? Not necessarily, the things on the mountain can't be remembered."

Zhao Xing muttered in his heart.

He was now following to the viewing platform built around the Earth Altar Square.

Climbing Spirit Mountain and picking spiritual items is both an opportunity for clerks to change their fate against the heavens and is also counted in the results of the transfer assessment.

And this time it was definitely a big bonus, just like winning a key competition.

As for how to judge?

Naturally, it was announced by the shrine priest.

The Yin spirit of the Spirit Mountain shrine was under the jurisdiction of the commandery-level shrine of Nanyang Commandery; the Gucheng shrine had no right to know.

The Yin spirit on the mountain would inform the Nanyang Commandery shrine priest of the clerks' performance—who got how many spiritual items, what grade they were, all were clear, and based on this, the ranking was discussed.

Between counties, between various government agencies, each discussed their own; that is to say, as long as Zhao Xing was top-notch among the clerks of the Gucheng Si Nong Supervision, he could obtain an A-grade rating.

Now it was just waiting for the results to be announced.

Zhao Xing had just entered the viewing platform to wait when he discovered someone was looking at him.

One of them was a youth holding a long spear; his Adam's apple was prominent, and his neck and chest were very sturdy.

Zhao Xing looked and saw this person was a military man and must have practiced sound-wave martial arts.

Just didn't know why he was staring at himself with such a melancholic gaze.

The other side was even more excessive.

It seemed to be a clerk from the commandery; one held a zither, one held a spear, and in the middle was a beautiful girl wearing colorful clothes, looking at him with a complex gaze.

Her expression had expectation, tenderness, and also resentment and confusion.

Strange, too strange!

What exactly happened on the mountain?

Lu Qian looked at Zhao Xing, her mindset completely different now.

She thought like this: "When Sister Jiao went up the mountain, she was already at the ninth rank of Yuan Gathering, and her spear technique was deeply inherited from her father."

"Qin'er and I, one music, one dance, combined can perform 'Six Songs', and can also make Sister Jiao's combat power even stronger by three points."

"She ranked up on the mountain, and Qin'er and I were also at the ninth rank of Yuan Gathering; the three of us together, there were few opponents."

"What kind of person could snatch my intimate Sparrow Feather Law Robe under such circumstances?"

"Even if I was separated from them, since he snatched my law robe, how could he resist not doing anything to me? But I didn't lose my virginity..."

Lu Qian looked at Zhao Xing, her mindset gradually changing.

"Since it wasn't snatching, then it must be... I fell in love with him on the mountain, so I gave this Sparrow Feather Law Robe to him myself."

"Mmph, listening to Zong Eighteen, he was only at the fourth rank of Yuan Gathering before entering the mountain, now he has actually ranked up."

"Such a genius, his appearance is also quite good, Zong Eighteen also said he is an interesting person, perhaps I really..."

Thinking and thinking, Lu Qian's gaze at Zhao Xing became somewhat wrong.

Zhao Xing couldn't stand it; who is this woman?

How could her gaze at him be so clingy!

"That's it, she is a dancer, her charm is natural, she used it without realizing it. Eh? That Sparrow Feather Law Robe in my box, wouldn't it be snatched from her?"

Zhao Xing suddenly realized this point.

As for why he didn't think in other directions, such as a token of love... Zhao Xing could be sure he definitely didn't have this thought.

He was determined not to marry or have children. To prevent luck from entering his body and blessing his wife and children, being shared out, and failing to reach the goal of surviving until the recovery era.

How could he be distracted by such things?

"Definitely snatched." Zhao Xing had a very clear self-awareness. "This thing also fits my standard for robbery; a third-rank high-grade law robe, and there's also a fourth-rank feather on it, very valuable."

"Don't know what her background is, she shouldn't have discovered it, right?"

"Doesn't matter, if she dares to seek revenge later, I'll just snatch it again."

Zhao Xing turned around and stopped looking at Lu Qian.

"You have already ranked up, A-grade is a nail in the coffin, but the process is just this process. The big shots of the commandery are all here; showing your face won't do you any harm." Xue Wenzhong saw Zhao Xing looking around and couldn't help but urge. "You must sit still, don't lose your composure."

"Okay, Teacher." Zhao Xing nodded, then stopped looking around; he wanted to know how big his harvest was this time. So he calmed his mind and checked the panel and records.