Chapter 131: So Your Name Is Xia Jing! (Third Update)

What Zhao Xing remembered most vividly from 【Unable to Train】 was 'Xia Jing'.

The very first time, he had been knocked down by Xia Jing, whose Fragment Yuan Finger had broken four of his ribs.

In the subsequent trainings, he was knocked down by Xia Jing four more times!

Such an experience naturally left a deep impression of this Blue Dragon Martial Division genius on Zhao Xing.

He also had an impression of Chen Fang — this guy had been slapped flying by him in the first training, and the second time he came looking for trouble with Hu Bing, but got scared off.

As for Zhang Jie, he only remembered the name — he was from the Xuanwu Division.

Xia Jing, the two of us have met again in this second round, what a coincidence. I'll definitely give you a proper welcome... Zhao Xing walked into the cabin with a smile.

He was clearly smiling, yet the ten martial artists in the cabin all couldn't help but shiver.

Why does it feel like something's not quite right?

The Flowing Cloud Flying Boat was a small flying divine weapon, with few seats inside — only ten. Seeing there was nowhere to sit when Zhao Xing came in, he immediately stood in the middle of the aisle and swept his gaze over everyone.

Zhang Jie immediately read that look and quickly stood up: "Zhao Si Nong, you sit, I'll step out for some fresh air."

Hu Bing also stood up with a smile: "Zhao Si Nong, take my seat, mine's by the window."

Zhang Jie glared at Hu Bing in annoyance — damn it, you're fighting for it too?

Chen Fang was a beat too late; he'd already shifted his butt to get up, only to be beaten to it.

"Thanks, you're too polite."

Polite words on his lips, but his actions were anything but polite — he plopped himself right down on the seat Zhang Jie had given up. Then he closed his eyes to rest.

The other six martial artists, seeing this scene, also found it somewhat baffling.

One of them quietly nudged Chen Fang in front of him and asked in a low voice: "Brother, who is this guy? Why does he look like he's really something?"

Chen Fang said quietly: "His name is Zhao Xing."

"Zhao Xing? Never heard of him. Is he really that amazing?" the asking martial artist was puzzled.

"You didn't participate in the joint training with the Agricultural Monitors last month, so it's normal you haven't heard of him."

Last time only three thousand were selected to participate in the training; many martial artists went to train elsewhere. For Agricultural Monitors it was mandatory training, but for martial artists it was only selective.

This time was different — one Agricultural Monitor paired with ten people. The reserve martial artists from all nine armies had almost all been brought in.

So some unfamiliar faces had simply never seen or heard of Zhao Xing.

Chen Fang looked at Zhao Xing resting with closed eyes and explained quietly: "Zhao Xing is a top-tier genius from the Geography院. This guy is fierce. In one selective training, the Agricultural Monitor team he led almost flipped us!"

"You mean the one where Fu Ying got eliminated?" the speaking martial artist looked astonished. "I remember now — so it was him?"

"Mm." Chen Fang nodded.

"What grudge does he have with Xia Jing? Why does it feel like the two of them aren't being friendly when chatting — there's something hidden in their words." another person asked.

"Xia Jing knocked him down multiple times," Chen Fang said. "Now he's been assigned to this group again. Think we'll have it easy?"

"Hiss, it can't be that bad... my Gluttony Art is only at the second layer. How did I run into such a tough character?" The other martial artists' faces all changed.

If they ran into too weak an Agricultural Monitor, they'd go hungry.

But if they ran into too strong an Agricultural Monitor, it wouldn't be pleasant either.

Those people had sharp eyes — they could make sure their own results weren't affected while screwing you to death. Just as Chen Fang said, if you really offended them, would you have it easy?

"There has to be some poison involved." Chen Fang sighed softly.

The other martial artists, hearing Chen Fang say this, all grew uneasy in their hearts.

At the same time, on a flying boat that had taken off from the Heavenly Timing院.

Shi Yong climbed into the cabin and also ran into a familiar face.

"Fu Ying."

"Shi Yong, come sit." Fu Ying smiled and beckoned. Immediately a martial artist beside him obediently gave up his seat.

Shi Yong was from the Tiger Jiao Army, and Fu Ying was also from the Tiger Jiao Army.

The two of them did know each other.

"Why arrange you and me in one group." Shi Yong asked with a smile. "Did the higher-ups do it on purpose?"

"How would I know." Fu Ying had a rugged appearance, while Shi Yong was sunny and handsome — both had extraordinary bearing. "Probably on purpose. After all, if they assigned me a weaker Agricultural Monitor, it wouldn't have any training effect at all."

"You're so confident — what layer is your Gluttony Art at?" Shi Yong asked.

Fu Ying held up four fingers.

"Not bad." Shi Yong nodded slightly. "That's already first-rate level."

The Gluttony Art was too difficult to practice. The first three layers were manageable — what one ate was still normal stuff, just that one had to eat a lot, and needed the five elements balanced.

Starting from the fourth layer, it involved poisons!

Starting from the seventh layer, what one ate was no longer food — one had to swallow gold and consume silver!

Although the Gluttony Art could be practiced without entering any grade, above the fourth layer, even eighth-grade practitioners found it very hard to master.

As for the seventh layer? One would have to start practicing Earth Sha from seventh grade to have a chance to master it. The eighth and ninth layers both required sixth-grade Heavenly Gang practitioners to train.

Fu Ying being able to reach the fourth layer was already first-rate.

"Shi Yong, how are things at the Heavenly Timing院? Seems like Zhuang Ziqing has been chasing you the whole time." Fu Ying also asked about Shi Yong's situation. "And that Divine Might Army's Zhao Xing has also risen suddenly... Is your number-one position stable?"

"Don't know." Shi Yong's smile was warm. "I only compete with myself. I don't care how the others are doing."

"Your mindset is pretty good." Fu Ying said. "I really want to have a proper match with Xia Jing. I heard Xia Jing's Gluttony Art is only at the third layer — this time I'm definitely going to beat him!"

"He's only at the third layer?" Shi Yong was somewhat surprised. "Why would it be that low?"

"Hmph, a Hou Fu heir — being a bit spoiled is perfectly normal."

The Cloud Rain Tower Ship穿梭 through the clouds, and Lu Bang, holding the roster, revealed a sinister smile.

"Shi Yong is assigned to Fu Ying's group."

"Zhuang Ziqing is assigned to Ye Feng's group."

"Zhao Xing is assigned to Xia Jing's group."

"..."

"The seeds supplied by the Taicang Institute are all carefully selected exotic varieties. Wonderful, truly wonderful."

Zuo Zizhi, seeing his friend's appearance, could not help but speak: "Brother Lu, exactly what seeds did you put in? Your current state is rather unsettling."

Lu Bang tossed the list aside: "Rest assured, they are all edible. To train the warriors in the Gluttony Method, careful selection is necessary; I am doing this for their own good. Zizhi, how can you say such things to me? By the way, are the physicians and pharmacists ready?"

Zuo Zizhi: "..."

Two suns hung in the sky, beneath a slope of rubble.

The flying boat carrying Zhao Xing descended slowly.

"Everyone get down, we have arrived."

The official outside shouted.

Zhao Xing walked out of the cabin door and saw three people at the landing spot.

Besides the judge piloting the Flowing Cloud Flying Boat, there were two other officials.

Judging by their attire, one was a military officer and the other a physician.

The military officer is responsible for training the warriors; that is no problem.

But why bring a physician along?

The warriors stepping out of the cabin had a vague sense of ominous foreboding.

"Follow me." The military officer waved to the ten warriors, "Your training ground is nearby."

"Yes." The ten warriors obediently followed the military officer and the physician.

"Zhao Xing, your farming area is right here in this rubble slope zone. As long as you do not leave the boundary marker, you may plant wherever you like."

"Additionally, these are the seeds and seedlings distributed from above."

The judge pointed to three bamboo boxes.

"Regardless of whether you succeed in growing them, the quantity is fixed. If you use them all up, no new ones will be issued for three days. Do you understand?"

"Understood." Zhao Xing nodded and used a Wind Technique to lift the boxes down from the flying boat.

"I will call you when it is time to eat; if there is no emergency, do not disturb me." The judge lay on the flying boat, "Remember, do not wander off. If you leave the zone, your results will be void."

"Yes."

Zhao Xing clasped his hands in a bow, then cast the Small Nine Heavens Great Wind Art and flew upward.

He was not in a rush to select seeds; he would observe the surrounding environment first.

Flying in the sky along the boundary marker for a circle, Zhao Xing gained a general understanding of the celestial timing and terrain, then landed.

"The training for the first day is not yet harsh."

"The celestial timing is merely two suns in the sky; the temperature is slightly high, but not particularly hot, roughly equivalent to the Li Xia solar term in the outside world."

"There is also a water source; one kilometer away, there is a small pond."

"Let us see how the earthly advantages are. Divine Step Protection!"

At Zhao Xing's thought, his entire body was wrapped in a layer of pale yellow light, then he slowly sank into the ground.

Judge Zhou Ming, lying on his side on the flying boat drinking wine, saw this scene and could not help but raise an eyebrow: "The Profound Earth Technique, you do have some skill."

After Zhao Xing sank into the ground, his form plummeted rapidly. The Profound Earth Protection could safeguard his movement underground; of course, if he were to travel via the earth veins, combining the two techniques would be the most proper approach.

At present, he was merely inspecting the earth veins; there was no need to combine the two techniques.

"The five elements of the earth veins: Fire is slightly vigorous, Metal is somewhat abundant, Water is balanced, Earth is restless, Wood is not apparent."

"Fortunately, the earth vein conditions are merely average, neither good nor bad."

Zhao Xing quickly surfaced from underground.

"Celestial timing and earthly advantages; if we were to assign a difficulty level, it is currently Simple Mode."

"Then the difficulty must lie with the seeds."

After finishing the inspection, Zhao Xing opened the bamboo box marked with the Third Tier.

He naturally would not plant the 【Second Tier Supplies】; that would yield no extra points, and such a choice was not fitting for a genius like him.

The three bamboo boxes were all very large; the models carried personally before were smaller, whereas these were military versions.

In the context of marching and warfare, these would belong to a twenty-person formation's bamboo boxes.

Four people would be responsible for carrying them, while the remaining sixteen would be responsible for protection.

Requiring four warriors to carry them, one can imagine how large and heavy they were.

"Seeds account for seventy percent, seedlings for thirty percent."

"But why are there so many I do not recognize? So many derivative species?"

While inspecting the bamboo boxes, Zhao Xing was also somewhat surprised.

Derivative species are new varieties artificially cultivated.

Many do not appear in the "Great Observation of Trees" or the "Compendium of Materia Medica."

The seedlings are all trees with long growth cycles, and most of the seeds are unfamiliar; the difficulty has emerged.

If edible crops are not grown within a single day, not only will the base score be unattainable, but points will also be deducted.

"As expected, the difficulty lies here, but for me, this is trivial. Rise!"

Very quickly, Zhao Xing selected one type from among them.

【Numb Fish Fruit (Seed)】

【Variety: Aquatic Thorn Class】

【Third Tier, High Quality】

【Effect: Short growth cycle; edible and fills the stomach; absorbing the primordial energy from the Numb Fish Fruit brings a sour and numbing sensation; the taste carries a fishy odor and is unpleasant; slightly toxic, but the dosage is small.】

【Comprehensive Evaluation: Tier-Three Supply Item。】

"Not bad, you're the one."

Zhao Xing pointed with one hand, and a batch of seeds immediately floated out.

He then rode the gale wind, carrying this batch of seeds as he flew toward a pond one kilometer away.

"It's starting." On a flat patch of ground in the distance, Chen Fang watched Zhao Xing wrapped in gale wind fly off. "Wonder what he's planting."

"Chen Fang, you still dare get distracted? Take this fist!" Hu Bing immediately threw a punch into Chen Fang's eye.

"Damn, you sneak-attacked me! Here comes my move!"

Arriving beside the pond, Zhao Xing slowly descended.

"Whoosh~"

The gale wind blew past, scattering the loose stones beside it.

It scraped the ground layer by layer, until it had scraped away all the rock strata and exposed the soil, only then did it stop.

Within a thousand meters around the pond, everything had been scraped down by one layer.

"King Di Zang Return to Origin!"

Zhao Xing pointed with one hand, and Jin Guang flashed repeatedly, sinking into the ground.

A complex and mysterious cage-like structure appeared within the earth veins; the power of the Five Elements was instantly harmonized, and all the primal energy began gathering toward this spot.

"Go!"

Zhao Xing planted this batch of seeds; the quantity was large — he had already emptied out all his hemp-fish fruit seeds.

"Swallow Clouds!"

"Spread Rain!"

Above the pond, clouds swiftly gathered, drawing the water out of the pond, and then began to rain.

At first it was heavy rain; once the gullies had been irrigated enough, Zhao Xing changed from spreading rain to 【Drizzle】.

The drizzle fell continuously, warming the seeds within the soil.

"Wild Growth!"

Tier-Three superior-grade seeds were very hardy; Zhao Xing wanted to ripen them quickly, so of course he still used Wild Growth first.

"Rustle rustle~"

Faint stirrings arose from the soil; in the blink of an eye, specks of green appeared all around.

The seeds broke through the soil, sprouting tender shoots.

A quarter-hour later, they were already half a meter tall.

Zhao Xing then changed his spell again.

"Wasteland Essence Condensation Art!"

At this point, the primal energy was already extremely abundant, because Zhao Xing's King Di Zang Return to Origin — Plant Edition had already reached the Eight-Turn realm.

Under the effect of the earlier 【Wild Growth】, their roots and stems had already plunged deep into the earth.

Having entered the growth period, the most suitable method was no longer a root-strengthening art like Wild Growth, but the Essence Condensation method.

"Rustle rustle~"

The green leaves swayed, beginning to spread wildly outward, cycling and renewing, growing along the optimal paths.

"The Essence Condensation method has already reached Seven-Turn; this speed is indeed fast."

"In just half a shichen, it has already passed through the maturation period."

"In another half a shichen, it can bear fruit."

Zhao Xing estimated the time.

For Tier-Three superior-grade, from start to finish, roughly one shichen was enough to harvest.

But Zhao Xing stubbornly waited an extra half shichen.

Why?

Because waiting an extra half shichen, its primal energy content would be a bit fuller, and its size a bit larger.

Absolutely not because its numbing sensation would be stronger, its toxicity heavier, its fishy smell stronger, and it would be harder to eat… absolutely not!

"I've already emptied out all my hemp-fish fruit seeds."

"Judging by this coverage area, at the very least, I can harvest five thousand jin of hemp-fish fruit, meeting the Tier-Three supply standard."

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Zhao Xing's mouth.

He looked toward the direction where the martial artists were training.

"So you're the one called Xia Jing?!"

Third update delivered, everyone get some rest early, see you tomorrow!