Chapter 114

March 6th, first quarter of the Si hour.

Zhao Xing was running in the Eighteen Scholar Tree Courtyard.

Suddenly—

"Hum~"

A ball of flame emerged from his body; this flame formed a profound pattern, and through the flame, Zhao Xing also saw a golden body existing within the flame.

"It is the Li Huo True Lord's Dao-Establishing Dharma Body!"

Zhao Xing quickly bowed his hands.

"Thank you, True Lord, for lending the Dao."

"Twenty thousand and eighty-three miles of road have been repaid; the cause and effect are cleared."

As soon as the words fell, the flame disappeared into thin air.

Zhao Xing also let out a long breath.

"Finally finished repaying."

Because he ran with a load for at least four hours every day, the days of repaying the Dao were also a bit earlier than expected.

In just over six days, he had already finished repaying the Li Huo True Lord's Dao.

Regarding this process of repaying the Dao, Zhao Xing's feeling was that it was tiring, extremely tiring.

After all, this training was close to the limit of his body every day.

"However, being tired has its benefits."

"My progress at the fifteenth tier of Yuan Gathering is now more than halfway."

Before entering the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven, Zhao Xing had just reached the fifteenth tier of Yuan Gathering and still had a long way to go, but now the distance had been greatly reduced.

More than six days of extreme training, the squeezing of the body's potential, was stronger than ever before; these six days were completely based on the training volume of a martial artist.

Don't underestimate weighted running; as the saying goes, the Great Dao is simple—this is a way to exercise the whole body and mobilize the strength of the whole body.

"With sufficient insights into the Dao, every ten tiers of Yuan Gathering, one rises by one rank. My insights into the Dao were already sufficient; now at the fifteenth tier, I am still five small tiers away from the eighth rank." Zhao Xing pondered.

Yuan Gathering is the improvement of physique, the condensation of Yuan energy, and the process of developing the body.

The vast majority of spell professions have physiques that lag behind their insights into the Dao.

Because they have to allocate a large amount of time every day to comprehending the Dao (cultivating spells), this comprehension of the Dao cannot improve the seven souls of the body.

But martial artists, their martial arts training itself exercises the seven souls.

"Martial artists are relatively weak in the early stages, but it is easier for them to enter the fourth-rank Yuan Soul realm later. However, by the third rank, they are slower than other professions; the Yuan Soul realm requires very high requirements for insights into the Dao."

"However, Military Agronomists also attach great importance to the body. I wonder if there are training items here to exercise the body."

According to Zhao Xing's situation in his previous life, many Military Agronomists began to exercise their seven souls very early.

Because the environment of the Natural Disaster Era was too poor and too extreme.

Many times, it was so extreme that Heavenly Timing Methods and Earthly Advantage Methods failed completely!

In order to save their lives and cope with this extreme situation, they all chose to exercise their seven souls early.

At least when that kind of extreme situation really appeared, they wouldn't have zero combat power. Carrying a big machete with them, at critical moments, Military Agronomists could also swing a knife to hack people.

"Rolling Ground Thunder has reached the fourth turn, and the Li Huo True Lord's Dao has been repaid."

"Basic training is over; I can start advanced training."

Zhao Xing washed up, opened the courtyard gate, stepped on auspicious clouds, and flew out.

Basic training: buying cheap spell classics from the arsenal and relying on one's own comprehension to reach entry-level.

Advanced training: using the treasure lands of the Agronomist Supervision to contemplate in the treasure lands and further improve.

Zhao Xing was now heading to the Earthly Advantage Academy.

"There are three treasure lands in the Earthly Advantage Academy where one can contemplate for free."

"First is the Earth Vein Hall, which contains nineteen earth vein maps, depicting ten thousand types of earth veins in the nineteen provinces."

"Contemplating it is equivalent to observing a preaching painting with infinite times."

"The second place is called the Seventy-Two Earth Palaces."

"The seventy-two earth palaces are infinitely mysterious, built on exposed earth veins; observing them from afar also gives one a chance to realize the Dao."

"The third place is the Profound Earth Prison."

"The Profound Earth Prison holds various underground creatures, which were captured when the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven was developed."

"The magic array of the Profound Earth Prison will stimulate the alien beasts inside to go crazy every hour; once they go crazy, they will involuntarily cast their innate methods. Observing these underground alien beasts casting their innate talents also helps in the realization of the Dao."

Zhao Xing went to the Seventy-Two Earth Palaces first.

Because there were fewer people in the Seventy-Two Earth Palaces, and there were more people in other places, he planned to wait until it was dark and there were fewer people before going to the other two places.

After flying for a while, Zhao Xing landed in front of a city wall.

The Seventy-Two Earth Palaces were enclosed by the city wall magic array.

How dangerous is it for earth veins to be exposed on the surface?

Like the Fire-Earth Plain, it was because the earth veins rose too much, and Zhao Xing's casual spellcasting caused the Fire-Earth Plain to have level five turbulence.

Therefore, the Seventy-Two Earth Palaces were all wrapped and protected by heavy magic arrays.

There were also regulations for those visiting the earth palaces.

"If you want to enter the earth palaces to contemplate, you must wear this Yuan-Locking Ring. Except for injecting a wisp of Yuan energy into the Cloud-Stepping Boots for travel, all other spells cannot be cast." The guard in front of the city gate was explaining the rules to those entering.

"All earth palaces must not be approached within a hundred meters; you can only watch from the periphery. If anyone violates the rules, their visiting qualification will be permanently canceled."

"It is also forbidden to throw fruit pits, elixirs, or anything exceeding the third tier at the earth palaces; violators will be dealt with by military law."

"It is forbidden to urinate or defecate inside."

"..."

The rules were very strict, and some were even outrageous.

But behind every outrageous rule, there was a real case.

For example, the one about throwing fruit pits at the earth palaces—Zhao Xing guessed that someone must have thrown them before.

He was also very familiar with this rule.

Because in his previous life, there were players who didn't believe in evil and insisted on throwing things inside, and they did it secretly.

Exceeding the third tier, the fruit pit itself possesses vigorous vitality.

By chance, the fruit pit grew into a seedling and began to absorb the power of the earth veins, leading to a riot in the earth palace and causing extremely serious consequences.

The queue moved very fast, and soon it was Zhao Xing's turn.

"Please show your secret seal."

Zhao Xing handed over his personal secret seal.

"Please read the rules on the notice board and confirm whether you understand the rules for contemplating the earth palaces."

Zhao Xing spent ten seconds, then nodded: "Confirmed."

The guard handed over a device that looked like handcuffs: "Please put on the Yuan-Locking Ring."

Zhao Xing extended his right hand expressionlessly.

Click~

The mechanism engaged, and nine needles extended from inside the heavy handcuffs, piercing into Zhao Xing's skin.

Looking at the panel, the Yuan energy value was temporarily returned to 1 point.

Except for using the Cloud-Stepping Boots, he couldn't do anything else.

"Alright, go in."

"Thank you."

Passing through the city gate tunnel, Zhao Xing felt a burst of heat.

First to catch his eye was a dark red palace, the roof covered with glazed tiles, with a flame pearl top in the center, and waterfalls flowing down from the eaves around the treasure top.

Zhao Xing looked closely; this was no waterfall, but the power of the Fire-Earth vein had become so rich that it was like a river!

"The Fire Prison Earth Palace cast by Old Chen is somewhat similar to this palace."

"However, his Fire Prison Earth Palace is not even one percent as real as this one."

The more real the constructed Earth Palace Method is, the greater its power!

Zhao Xing looked at this Fire Prison Earth Palace; except for that waterfall, he couldn't tell which part was the illusory power of the earth veins.

"Every brick and tile seems real; impressive."

Zhao Xing didn't stay long in front of this earth palace.

The [Boundless Earth Palace] he learned was completely different from this earth palace; drawing inferences, contemplation also requires the general direction to be consistent.

Following the auxiliary path for visitors, Zhao Xing observed the distant palaces one by one.

There was the [Fire Prison Earth Palace] that was overall flaming and seemed to be surrounded by a ball of fire, the [Crystal Earth Palace] composed entirely of Water-element power and almost completely transparent, and the [Wind-Thunder Earth Palace] with tornadoes and thunder flashing...

Seventy-two types of earth palaces, containing the mysteries of the five elements of the earth veins.

Zhao Xing kept walking and never stopped.

Until he turned a corner—

"Hmm? This earth palace..."

After turning the corner, Zhao Xing felt moved, and his eyes were involuntarily attracted by a building in front.

"Is this a palace?"

Zhao Xing didn't stop because he found that this palace was very small, and couldn't even be called a palace, because it was only the size of a room.

Its shape was more like an octagonal cage, and it was constantly moving.

Zhao Xing quickened his pace.

Because the octagonal palace seemed to move only a short distance, but it was actually very fast.

If it weren't for the fact that this octagonal palace was walking in a circle around the auxiliary path, and he was separated by a distance of over a hundred meters, Zhao Xing might not have been able to keep up.

"What kind of Earth Palace Method is this? Why have I never seen it before? So strange..."

Zhao Xing observed while running.

Fortunately, he had become familiar with this way of contemplation these past few days; he activated his Bright Eyes and kept staring at the octagonal palace.

The pale golden octagonal palace suddenly sank into the ground after circling Zhao Xing once.

"Disappeared?"

Just as Zhao Xing was watching, he suddenly turned his head and found that the octagonal earth palace had emerged from another place.

"Hmm? This is not an ordinary Earth Palace Method; the Profound Earth Method combined with the Earth Palace Method?!"

Zhao Xing's eyes lit up.

He wished he could fly into the sky and run to the vicinity of the earth palace to observe it carefully.

Attracted by this magical earth palace, he subconsciously wanted to cast a spell to fly over, but the Cloud-Stepping Boots didn't take off, and his wrist felt a stinging pain.

"Hiss~"

Zhao Xing gasped.

"It actually made me unable to resist casting a spell; I was attracted involuntarily."

"I must seize the opportunity!"

Zhao Xing didn't know the origin of this earth palace, but he had never seen this kind of thing among the seventy-two earth palaces.

An intuition in the dark made him feel that he must not miss it.

"Clatter, clatter, clatter~" The sound of footsteps rang out.

Zhao Xing was not the only one who discovered the magic of the octagonal palace; at this time, there were seven or eight other people who also discovered this octagonal palace and were chasing after the octagonal earth palace together.

"Bang!"

Because they were too focused, three people in front actually collided with each other.

"Sorry."

"It's okay."

Another person didn't pay any attention to the person who bumped into him; his expression was cold, and he didn't even look at the two, continuing to chase.

Two quarters of an hour later.

Of the eight pursuers, six had already given up.

Because contemplation was too difficult; first, they were not used to contemplating while running, and second, this octagonal earth palace was too profound and always disappeared suddenly.

Zhao Xing was also a bit irritable; just as he was about to see some clues, it disappeared immediately, as if his contemplation was interrupted. This octagonal earth palace was playing a "teasing" challenge with people!

However, he still patiently continued to chase.

The harder it was, the more it proved that this octagonal earth palace was not simple, and it had some resonance with the Boundless Earth Palace he learned; Zhao Xing naturally wouldn't let it go easily.

Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, three days had gone by.

For three days, without eating or drinking, almost without resting for a moment, Zhao Xing constantly chased this small octagonal earth palace.

During this period, participants came and went.

Now there were still many people following, but they were no longer the same group as before.

Only the cold-looking youth who was bumped into at the beginning, like Zhao Xing, had not given up.

"Bang!"

The earth palace suddenly turned a corner; they were not far apart, and the two who had discovered some clues collided instantly.

Zhao Xing reacted quickly, and this collision didn't cause any injury.

But the person opposite, not knowing if he was too focused, hit his head directly on the edge of a hard stone.

The corner of his eye split, and a cut opened on his forehead, and blood flowed like a fountain.

"Brother, are you okay?" Zhao Xing finally pulled his attention back to the present, and seeing this scene, he was startled.

"I'm fine." Han Bing shook his sleeve, wiped his wound, and stood up after a casual wipe.

Is this guy's head that hard?

Even like this, he still wants to continue contemplating?

"Maybe you should stop the bleeding." Zhao Xing pulled the other person, "This will affect your contemplation; in the blink of an eye, if you are not careful, you won't see anything."

Han Bing thought for a moment: "That works."

He took out a piece of white gauze ointment from his bosom, tore it open, and slapped it on his head.

Zhao Xing recognized this as military wound ointment, made by pharmacists, used to treat external injuries.

Seeing his operation, Zhao Xing felt a bit strange.

How skilled are you at getting injured?

Coming to contemplate, and carrying military wound ointment?

Seeing that he seemed really fine and didn't seem willing to talk much, Zhao Xing bowed his hands and intended to continue walking, but unexpectedly, Han Bing took the initiative to ask: "You have also been watching for three days; have you recognized what method this is?"

Zhao Xing also remembered that this person was the one who persisted the longest, so he stopped: "I guess it's a combination of the Earth Palace Method and the Profound Earth Method. For the Earth Palace Method part, I have seen some clues; it should be the [God-Walking Earth Palace]. I haven't seen the Profound Earth Method part yet."

Han Bing looked up in surprise: "How could it be the God-Walking Earth Palace? It is clearly the Cold Current Earth Palace."

Zhao Xing was also somewhat surprised, and he immediately thought of a possibility.

"What did you see?" x2

It was Han Bing who also thought of it, and the two asked together.

"You speak first." x2

"It's okay, you speak first." x2

"..."

Zhao Xing and Han Bing stared at each other; this was too tacit, right?

Finally, Zhao Xing stretched out his hand, signaling Han Bing to speak first.

"Okay, I'll speak first." Han Bing pointed to the earth palace that had just emerged, "What I see is a dock shape, a bit like a miniature version of a dragon-headed building ship. Although its pattern is unpredictable, it has always been wandering on different earth veins according to the pattern of earth, water, earth-fire, earth, metal, earth, and wood."

Zhao Xing said in surprise: "What I see is a house; the shape of this house is a bit strange, like an octagonal cage, and it doesn't even have a door, as if it were sealed. The pattern I see is also different from yours; it is walking according to the pattern of earth-wind, earth-metal, earth-fire, earth-thunder, and earth-water."

After hearing this, Han Bing also fell into deep thought: "No wonder so many people collided before; I thought everyone was focused on watching and ignored the surroundings."

"Now it seems it was simply the reason for this earth palace."

Zhao Xing smiled and nodded: "I also realized it; sorry about just now, brother. My name is Zhao Xing, from the Divine Might Army. And you?"

Han Bing's expression was somewhat surprised: "Divine Might Army, Han Bing."

Divine Might Army, Han Bing? The tenth to report, such a coincidence?

"So it turns out we are on the same side; excuse my ignorance, Brother Han." Zhao Xing bowed his hands.

Han Bing's expression was no longer as cold as before, becoming more vivid: "You are too polite. I think if you and I have any insights later, we can communicate again."

Zhao Xing nodded: "That makes sense. Then, continue?"

"Hmm."

In the blink of an eye, two more days passed.

During this period, many people came to try to observe the elusive earth palace, but most chose to give up.

After all, there is only one month, and wasting too much time on contemplating uncertain things is really not worth it.

However, Zhao Xing and Han Bing did not give up.

Zhao Xing hadn't seen this earth palace before; he hadn't even heard of this thing in the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven in his previous life, so naturally, he wouldn't give up.

Han Bing was stubborn and had a tenacity to not stop until he reached his goal.

Just like this, the two occasionally communicated.

Three more days passed.

"It's the eighth day."

Zhao Xing felt somewhat hungry and tired; he hadn't brought anything to eat, and he hadn't expected to stay here without sleep or rest for so long!

Han Bing gave him two fruits to eat, as if he had the habit of carrying things on his body.

"It's already the eighth day. Since the fifth day, I have had a vague feeling that I am about to realize a spell, but I am always missing that little bit of inspiration." Zhao Xing was also somewhat anxious in his heart, "Is it really that I am about to realize it, or is it an illusion, or is the owner of this earth palace deliberately teasing me?"

That possibility wasn't non-existent.

There are many experts in the Military Realm; some are not forced to teach, and the military department will not order them.

These are generally old guys who have lived for hundreds of years, and it's normal to encounter one with a strange temper.

"After today, if I still haven't realized it, I have to leave." Zhao Xing had a plan for his training, and this plan had already been disrupted in rhythm.

"I'll stay for three more hours; if I can realize it, I will; if not, I'll leave. Do I really need this little bit of opportunity from you?" Zhao Xing collected his mind and quickly adjusted his state of mind.

With his state of mind adjusted, Zhao Xing was no longer in a hurry, walking slowly and no longer chasing like before.

In any case, when the time is up, he will leave regardless of success or failure.

When the earth palace disappeared underground, he even went to other places to look around, no longer worrying about this mysterious earth palace.

It was with this state of mind, in the midnight hours approaching the Zi hour.

Zhao Xing realized it instead.

When he saw the octagonal earth palace emerge again.

A door was suddenly reflected in his eyes.

The octagonal earth palace was originally completely closed, although the outer walls had various five-element powers flowing, forming profound patterns.

But at this moment, on the side facing Zhao Xing, a door suddenly opened.

It was as if a door had also opened in Zhao Xing's mind.

"So that's how it is." Zhao Xing sat cross-legged and closed his eyes.