Chapter 127: Raise Your Arms and Call—Respondents Gather Like Clouds!

"You're the sixteenth from last to fall." Tian Shan said.

"Sixteenth from last?" Zhao Xing was somewhat surprised; he had thought he would be among the very last.

"Top-grade geniuses don't fall far apart in time." Tian Shan said with a smile. "Shi Yong and Zhuang Ziqing only held out ten breaths longer than you. The last one to fall was actually Feng Qiu."

"In the final stage, it actually depends a bit on luck."

Zhao Xing nodded slightly.

True—when it came down to the last few dozen people, it no longer mattered what your own strength was.

It depended on where the strongest geniuses on the opposite side were positioned, and who you chose to engage.

As far as Zhao Xing knew, the two strongest geniuses of the Martial Division, Xia Jing and Fu Ying, had both reached late eighth-rank, and had even comprehended Wu Ji beyond the Nine Revolutions.

If your luck was bad and you ran into these two in the final stage, you might drop outside the top twenty-one.

"【Impossible Training】, conducted once every two days."

"In between, you may go participate in the various academies' elective trainings."

"For others, the requirement is just to achieve Upper-C grade to pass."

"But for you, in elective trainings, you must at least get an A-grade to qualify." Tian Shan said. "Top-grade treatment means you must complete ten elective trainings in a year, and every single one must receive an A-grade evaluation. Anything below A-grade doesn't count."

"Yes." Zhao Xing nodded. "Then this student will take his leave first."

"Go ahead."

On the way back to his residence after leaving Fuchun Garden, it was very lively.

Everywhere people were discussing 【Impossible Training】.

"It hurts, it hurts so much! Those Martial Division guys hit way too hard!"

"You said it! My butt got beaten into a flower!"

"Brother, are you sure you were beaten and not trampled?"

"You must have fallen right at the start, right? Whose Wu Ji specifically targets the butt?"

"Xia Jing and Fu Ying of the Azure Dragon Martial Division are too strong. I looked at the Martial rankings—these two are in first and second place."

"Guess how many people they knocked down?"

"How many?"

"Xia Jing knocked down one thousand one hundred and twenty-three people, Fu Ying knocked down one thousand and eighty-five. Just these two alone took down more than a fifth of everyone!"

"What? That's way too exaggerated!"

"It really is exaggerated. These two are on a whole different level of strength—nobody else is that domineering. It's like in our Agricultural Division: Shi Yong and Zhuang Ziqing are also on a different level, and everyone after them is a notch weaker."

"I don't think that's necessarily true. Zhao Xing, who ranked third in the fourth trial last time, isn't weak either."

"Zhao Xing isn't weak, but I always feel he's not overwhelmingly strong. Maybe if people chase him a bit, they'll surpass him."

"Maybe it's because Zhao Xing keeps a low profile. These past two months I've rarely seen him spar or gamble-fight with anyone, yet Shi Yong's rating at the 【Nine-Section Arena】 has already reached third-tier—he hasn't lost a single match up to now!"

"Zhuang Ziqing has also reached third-tier. At the 【Nine-Section Arena】 he defeated a 'Garrison Commander' of the Zhenhai Army—a military Agricultural Officer with several hundred men under him—and still lost in the sparring match."

"What you say does make sense. I've heard Feng Qiu, Guan Junyang, Cao Shuang and others performed well at the 【Nine-Section Arena】, but I haven't heard anything about this Zhao Xing."

"..."

"There's a chasm-level gap between me and Zhuang Ziqing and Shi Yong?"

Zhao Xing listened to the discussions carried on the wind.

It had already been two months since entering the Ten Sun Grotto-Heaven. Apart from mandatory trainings he had to attend, or necessary outings to buy things, he rarely went to public areas, let alone did any socializing.

Only Han Bing he had seen a few more times; normally he was extremely low-key.

"Although I have a gap with Shi Yong and Zhuang Ziqing, it's not a chasm-level gap, is it? Is it because of my record at the 【Nine-Section Arena】?" Zhao Xing pondered.

The 'Nine-Section Military Agricultural Officer' specializes in military campaigns.

The 【Nine-Section Arena】 is also a feature of the military world—anyone can go to the 【Nine-Section Arena】 to spar and compete with other military Agricultural Officers.

During the two months since entering the Ten Sun Grotto-Heaven, Zhao Xing had not been distracted by other matters, focusing entirely on cultivation. Naturally, he had never gone to any 【Nine-Section Arena】 to gamble-fight and earn points.

"Looks like that's the reason outsiders think there's a huge gap between me and the others."

"But I've only been studying the three great secret classics for how long—I haven't even started comprehending the Solar Terms Stele yet. No rush to enter the 【Nine-Section Arena】." Zhao Xing thought secretly.

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He had his own plan and wouldn't be easily swayed by outside commentary.

"This month I'll first complete 【Impossible Training】, and also attend a few elective trainings."

Zhao Xing wasn't in a hurry to start elective trainings either. After all, the most important thing right now was still 【Impossible Training】—if he dropped out of the top 21 three times in a row, he'd be demoted.

Zhao Xing's ranking this time was sixteenth—just five places away from dropping out!

Tian Hou said the final stage involved some luck, but he also said Zhuang Ziqing and Shi Yong held out ten breaths longer!

"Kui Niu Thunder Roar, Folded Sound Curve Form—there's still room for improvement."

"Cultivating the Yin-Yang Original Self Scripture must also continue." Zhao Xing reviewed. "In the final stage, my Kui Niu Thunder Roar had already started to deform, mainly because my Yuan Qi consumption was too great and I was injured, which let that Xia Jing get in front of me easily."

"If I had been at peak condition for that roar? No matter how formidable Xia Jing and Fu Ying were, they couldn't have taken me down in one strike while enduring my Kui Niu Thunder Roar."

"If my strength improves a bit more, I'll last longer in the final stage too."

"Once or twice, when those Martial Division geniuses find I'm tougher to deal with, they'll naturally go after others first." Zhao Xing thought secretly. "They call it luck, but strength also affects the enemy's choice."

【Impossible Training】 begins on the seventh of May.

After it ends there are two days of rest, and the Agricultural Officers have already begun their 【Elective Trainings】. There are many types of 【Training】.

Teachers from the Heavenly Timing Academy, Earth Advantage Academy, Grand Granary Academy, Level Huai Academy, and other branch academies set up training challenges for the Agricultural Officers to attempt.

However, Zhao Xing did not make his selection, still acting according to his own plan.

The tenth of May, Southwest Training Ground.

"Kill!"

"Charge through them!"

"Brothers of the Agricultural Bureau, are you ready to receive big brother's mighty fists?!"

"Hmph, I hadn't even exerted myself, and you've already fallen."

A melee, another melee.

At the opening stage, Zhao Xing once again chose to use 【Refracted Sound, Curved Form】 to pierce through the weak points of the martial artists' formation.

Afterwards he roamed about, actively eliminating the remaining martial artists while also guiding more Agricultural Bureau members to follow him.

By the mid-to-late stage, the primal energy had become extremely chaotic, yet Zhao Xing still handled it with ease.

"Zhao Xing! Come fight me one-on-one!"

While walking along, he suddenly heard a furious roar.

It was Chen Fang of the Azure Dragon Martial Bureau.

After being eliminated by Zhao Xing last time, his ranking had dropped terribly, and he had even been reprimanded by his teacher for being too careless. This left Chen Fang deeply resentful—how had he been outmaneuvered by that Agricultural Bureau fellow?

So he gathered fellow victims Hu Bing and Shan Fei from the Dark Warrior Bureau, determined to find Zhao Xing and wipe away the previous disgrace.

"No need for honor against these martial brutes—everyone, charge together!" Zhao Xing stirred up the Agricultural Bureau members beside him and rushed toward Chen Fang.

"What? Despicable!"

Seeing this, Chen Fang, Hu Bing, and Shan Fei immediately fled in panic.

They weren't fools either—if Zhao Xing accepted the fight, they would immediately gang up three-on-one. But now Zhao Xing had so many people with him, and they weren't a rabble, so they immediately turned tail and ran.

"Hmph, trying to outscheme a Military Agricultural Bureau man—you're still a bit green." Zhao Xing didn't chase the three, continuing to roam the training ground.

A few hours later.

The Agricultural Bureau side suffered another great defeat, but with the lessons learned from the first time, the time they held out had clearly improved significantly.

They lasted one hour longer than the first time before being completely defeated.

This time Zhao Xing held on until the fourteenth from last to fall, taken down by Fu Ying of the Azure Dragon Martial Bureau, once again beaten to a bruised and swollen face.

May 13th, Southwest Training Ground.

The Agricultural Bureau members' cohesion grew ever stronger, mainly because Zhao Xing, Zhuang Ziqing, Shi Yong, Feng Qiu, Meng Song, Jiang Tianming, Guan Junyang, and others had all begun consciously organizing their personnel.

These capable people taking the lead, combined with their numerical advantage, did indeed produce some effect.

But after all, the distance was too close and the space too cramped.

The Agricultural Bureau side was still soundly defeated.

This time Zhao Xing held on until the nineteenth from last to fall, taken down by Huang Qingshan of the Bai Hu Martial Bureau, breaking four bones.

May 14th, Zhao Xing's 【Refracted Sound, Curved Form · Sound Blade】 and 【Refracted Sound, Curved Form · Sound Spike】 broke through to nine revolutions.

May 15th, 【Kui Ox Thunder Roar】 broke through to six revolutions.

May 16th, with Zhao Xing's increased strength and the Agricultural Bureau Bureau's personnel cooperating skillfully,

the others were unwilling to come after Zhao Xing. Even at the end when only ten people remained, it was still Xia Jing of the Azure Dragon Martial Bureau who delivered Zhao Xing the final blow.

This time he was the ninth from last to fall.

May 17th.

"Clop-clop-clop~"

Gao Ming rode a bamboo horse and arrived outside the gate of the Eighteen Locust and Willow Courtyard.

"Zhao Xing, your goods are here—I've left them at your door!"

"Alright."

At the courtyard gate, Zhao Xing appeared with bandages and medicinal plasters wrapped around his forehead, then carried the box inside.

"I spent four thousand points a few days ago, and another two thousand today on Lung Metal Spiritual Liquid—now all my points are used up."

"Hopefully Kui Ox Thunder Roar can make a breakthrough this time."

"Damn it, you martial brutes just wait for me."

Zhao Xing clutched his head, glanced left and right, and hurried into the courtyard carrying the box.

Shortly after, roars came from inside the house again.

May 18th, with the help of 【Lung Metal Spiritual Liquid】, Zhao Xing could practice sonic martial techniques almost without interruption.

After ten days of frenzied practice that consumed six thousand points, 【Kui Ox Thunder Roar】 finally broke through to seven revolutions!

By analogy, the two nine-revolution martial techniques of 【Refracted Sound, Curved Form】 also advanced a great deal in progress.

May 19th, Southwest Training Ground, another 【Impossible Training】 began.

This time, at the start of battle, Zhao Xing shouted with 【Kui Ox Thunder Roar】.

"Anyone with a seven-revolution martial technique, rally to me!"

"We'll take out the people from the four great martial bureaus—Azure Dragon, Bai Hu, Zhu Que, and Dark Warrior—first!"

"This time, it's not for ranking, only for revenge!"

Han Bing was the first to respond: "I'm in!"

Zhuang Ziqing followed closely: "Count me in!"

Cao Shuang and Jiang Tianming hesitated for a moment, then followed along as well.

The five top-grade geniuses of Dili Court taking the initiative to organize immediately triggered a bandwagon effect.

Being beaten to bruised and swollen faces day after day had left the Agricultural Bureau members seething with pent-up fury.

Zhao Xing's slogan was also plain and simple—not for ranking, only for revenge—and it struck straight at the Agricultural Bureau members' hearts.

Moreover, if even those top-grade geniuses didn't care about ranking anymore, what did a mere Grade B have to fear?

"Charge!"

"I'm in too!"

"Kill them all!"

"Take out these crude warriors!"

Thus, when Zhao Xing raised his arm and called out, he immediately received a massive response.

It wasn't just the Land Advantage Court — even the Grand Granary Court, Pinghuai Court, and Heavenly Timing Court had many people voluntarily coming over.

Shi Yong of the Heavenly Timing Court glanced at Zhao Xing in surprise.

After thinking it over, he followed as well.

So on May 19th, during the 【Impossible Training】, a rare scene appeared.

The Agricultural Supervisor's formation organized a powerful offensive.

Led by Zhao Xing, Zhuang Ziqing, and Han Bing, nearly a hundred geniuses formed a spearhead and actively charged the warriors' formation!

"Have these Agricultural Supervisors gone mad? They're actually not running?" Zhang Jie, watching from the rear of the warriors' formation, was immediately taken aback by the charging Agricultural Supervisors.

"They usually hold firm and resist, with only a few charging — why are so many charging today?" Chen Fang also watched in confusion.

The men of the Four Great Martial Offices were all placed at the rear of the formation, the exact opposite of how the Agricultural Supervisor assembled.

"Cornered, that's all." Hu Bing snorted. "But what's the use of being desperate?"

"Something's off — this time seems different!" Shan Fei leaped up to look ahead, and after landing, his face was full of shock. "Damn it, this time it really does seem different."

High in the sky, on the tower ship.

"Good, good lad!" Lu Bang slapped the table and rose. "I've finally been waiting for you."

"With this move of his, the momentum is truly grand — he's roused the blood of the Agricultural Supervisors." Zuo Zizhi said, "Tian Hou, did you know he would do this today?"

"I didn't." Tian Shan shook his head. "He never mentioned it."

"Not for ranking, only for revenge? This Zhao Xing really knows how to organize." A strange glint flashed in Fang Wu's eyes. "If he'd shouted any other slogan, others might not have believed him, but this one — it's truly stirring."

Fan Zhaoli smiled and said: "After his rousing, most people followed — even Shi Yong went along."

Fang Wu said: "Even without his organizing, it was already somewhat disappointing. If Shi Yong hadn't followed at a time like this, I'd really have to mark him down. No matter how strong one person is, how much resistance can they put up alone? How could he be a general?"

"No matter how high his dao arena rises to star-grade, it's Send Bai Ming. Good thing he followed this time."

Fan Zhaoli asked: "Does General Fang think the Agricultural Supervisor has a chance of winning this time?"

Fang Wu shook his head: "Honestly, no — the gap can't be bridged by courage alone. But it will certainly cause chaos. Zhao Xing is aiming for the geniuses of the Four Great Martial Offices. I reckon the top rankings of the Martial Offices are about to see a major reshuffle."

Zhao Xing's shout was contained within the range of the Agricultural Supervisor formation.

The opposing warriors' formation had no idea their target was the geniuses of the Four Great Martial Offices.

The warriors' formation was arranged from weakest to strongest, so the warriors at the very front couldn't possibly withstand the charge of this elite force Zhao Xing had gathered.

"Roar!"

Kui Niu Thunderous Roar, sun and moon darkened — Zhao Xing charged at the very front.

Behind him, a phantom image of a Kui Niu seemed to appear, roaring toward the heavens.

The shockwave spread toward the frontmost ranks of warriors, instantly striking panic into the hearts of over a thousand at the front, as if a great calamity had descended.

Moreover, this roar wasn't meant to eliminate people — its main purpose was to cause chaos.

Among them, seventy percent suffered intermittent blindness and deafness from this roar.

Panic in their hearts, combined with deafness and blindness.

The usually fierce warriors immediately broke and fled, turning to sprint toward the rear.

This created enormous obstruction for the geniuses of the Four Great Martial Offices behind them.

"Don't run!"

"Bastards, what are you afraid of!"

"Are you insane? I'm a warrior too — why the hell are you hitting me!"

"Mountain-Crushing Fist! Get out of my way… damn!"

"……"

Chaos — utter chaos.

The Agricultural Supervisors' surprise offensive, combined with Zhao Xing's roar, produced an excellent effect.

Once the distance closed, large numbers of warriors were immediately eliminated.

Half of them were eliminated because the warriors had thrown their own formation into disarray, trampling and attacking each other.

Zhang Jie — eliminated!

Chen Fang — eliminated!

Hu Bing — eliminated!

Shan Fei — eliminated!

Lu Dong — eliminated!

……

At this moment, the Four Great Martial Offices saw mass eliminations — mainly because geniuses like Zhao Xing, Shi Yong, Zhuang Ziqing, Jiang Tianming, Meng Song, and Cao Shuang moved so quickly. The team composed of these elite Agricultural Supervisor geniuses was like a spearhead, piercing into the warriors' formation.

With their formation thrown into chaos, apart from a small handful of top-tier fighters, the rest of the Four Great Martial Offices had their strength greatly diminished, reduced to 'inferior horses.'

The Agricultural Supervisor's spearhead team, meanwhile, was all superior horses!

"What kind of joke is this!" On the tower ship, Chen Min watched this scene in great shock. "How could they be so fragile?"

"What's going on? Why did they collapse so fast!" Another martial instructor could no longer sit still, gripping the railing tightly and staring down below.

"Zhao Xing's roar — isn't its power a bit excessive? Seventy percent of the Martial Offices' people were actually affected?"

"What a Kui Niu Thunderous Roar — with such power, it must have reached the Seven-Turn realm!"

"Kui Niu Thunderous Roar is so hard to practice — he's actually reached Seven-Turn? The previous times I saw, it was still at the Five-Turn level."

"Treacherous — it was clearly powerful enough to shatter the people in front, yet he didn't unleash its full power directly. Instead, he caused deafness and blindness, letting the warriors throw themselves into chaos."

"So embarrassing…"

It was truly unexpected—Zhao Xing had actually unleashed a Seven-Turn Kui Ox Thunder Roar!

It wasn't only the martial instructors on Martial Division's side who were shocked; the powerful cultivators of the Agricultural Supervisorate were equally astonished.

"A Seven-Turn Kui Ox Thunder Roar—does this mean he's going to win?" Ge Jinsong muttered to himself. "He's a clerk who only just got his full appointment, so there's no reason he could have learned it before. That means he reached Seven Turns in at most two months… and his martial arts comprehension is this high too?"

The martial arts training arc—once this chapter is done, it'll be about wrapped up. It won't take up too much space; the perspective will still mainly stay with the Agricultural Supervisorate.

There's still a third update, coming after midnight. Everyone, don't stay up—you can read it tomorrow.