Chapter 138: New Heaven's Three Laws: The Nine-Section Arena

The Nine-Section Military Agricultural Officials are dedicated solely to fighting wars.

When the term "Military Agricultural Official" was first coined, it referred exclusively to the Nine-Section Military Agricultural Officials, because in the beginning the Military Agricultural Officials did not need to handle the army's grain supply — they were solely responsible for fighting.

However, as the Qi-Dynasty developed, battles usually no longer took place within the nation's borders, but abroad. Thus, higher demands were placed on the Military Agricultural Officials, and they were further subdivided.

After Zhao Xing left Fuchun Garden, he took out his Earth Mirror and checked the detailed information on the 【Nine-Section Arena】 as he walked.

By the time he walked back to the Eighteen Pagoda Trees Courtyard, Zhao Xing had already memorized all the relevant information about the Nine-Section Arena.

The 【Arena】 is a venue that facilitates soldiers in the Soldier Realm to conduct actual combat sparring.

The 【Nine-Section Arena】 is a sub-category beneath it, prepared for sparring among Military Agricultural Officials.

The 【Arena】 adopts a win-based points system: draws award no points, wins award 1 point, losses deduct 1 point.

It offers one-on-one individual battles, ten-person squad battles, hundred-person team battles, and ten-thousand-person army battles.

Above that, there are even larger-scale legion battles.

The grandest event of legion battles is the 【Soldier Realm Legion Grand Martial Exhibition】.

However, the highest level the arena in Shiyang Grotto-Heaven offers is the 'Ten-Thousand-Person Army Battle'.

The 【Nine-Section Arena】 spent a great deal of money to deploy formation arrays that create different environments, providing over ten thousand battle maps.

"The arena's deployment comes from a supreme divine weapon, the 'Dao Origin Pearl'. Its preciousness is on par with the Great Dream Academy, and this supreme divine weapon also contains a great secret." A flash of greed crossed Zhao Xing's eyes. But in an instant, he snuffed out the thought.

"It's too early to think about this now. Even if I became a First Rank Grand Military Agricultural Official, the Dao Origin Pearl still wouldn't fall to me to manage."

"To scheme for the Dao Origin Pearl, I'd at least have to wait past the Wu Di reign, until the Qi-Dynasty shows signs of collapse."

Zhao Xing applied for 【Arena】 practice permissions on his Earth Mirror. Once the 【Arena】 is activated, the 【Nine-Section Arena】 naturally becomes accessible as well.

【Shen Wei Army's Zhao Xing, you have activated Arena permissions (Shiyang Grotto-Heaven), and may enter the Arena to conduct various forms of training.】

【Below is your personal information:】

【Name: Zhao Xing】

【Affiliated Army: Shen Wei Army】

【Matches: None】

【Rating: None yet】

【Arena Points: None】

"Right now I'm just a blank slate." Zhao Xing put away his Earth Mirror. "No rush to go in now — I'll practice a bit first. If I go in now, I'll easily get stomped."

In the Nine-Section Arena's individual training, opponents are randomly assigned from all Military Agricultural Officials across the entire Shiyang Grotto-Heaven.

The random assignment rule matches opponents of the same rank for sparring. Although Zhao Xing is a reservist, he is currently Eighth Rank, so it's possible he could be matched against some regular-army Military Agricultural Officials.

Zhao Xing wasn't fighting for ranked points — his main purpose was to verify what he'd learned and to contemplate the three great secret manuals.

"Clop-clop-clop~"

He had just reached the gate of the Eighteen Pagoda Trees Courtyard when he heard the sound of a hobby-horse galloping behind him.

"Old Gao?" Zhao Xing looked at Gao Ming, who was carrying a large pack on his back. "I didn't buy anything."

"There's a letter," Gao Ming said. "It was sent in from the outside. The mailing address is Gucheng, Nanyang Commandery, and it came through the county office's channels."

"A letter?" Zhao Xing was puzzled. They said it was a letter, yet Gao Ming handed him a box.

"I'm off." Gao Ming clip-clopped away.

Zhao Xing pushed open the courtyard gate and went inside, then opened the box.

Inside was a Mirage Pearl and two letters.

The first was signed by Zhao Ruide.

The second was signed by Zong Zong Shichang.

Zhao Xing first opened Zong Zong Shichang's and took a look:

"On seeing your words, I feel as though we meet face to face, and my heart is at ease. Since we parted in Gucheng, it has been several months since I last saw you. How have you been lately, Brother Zhao... Is this really written by Zong Zong Shichang? Brother, you had a secretary ghostwrite this for you, didn't you?!"

Zhao Xing couldn't help but laugh.

Sure enough, becoming an official changes everything — even writing a letter, he knows to have a secretary polish the wording.

The letter's contents were brief.

Because what truly needed to be said was contained within this Mirage Pearl.

"Hum~"

Following the letter's instructions, Zhao Xing channeled a wisp of primordial energy into the Mirage Pearl to activate it.

The next moment, light flowed within the Mirage Pearl, projecting a three-dimensional image into the room.

The first thing to come into view was Zong Zong Shichang's face. He was wearing a Ninth Rank Lotus Blossom Carp Robe, and from the background, it appeared to be his own residence.

When the image began moving, Zong Zong Shichang was still looking down, brushing off his sleeves.

Until an off-screen voice came through: "Young Master, we're starting."

"Oh, oh."

Zong Zong Shichang hurriedly looked up and cleared his throat.

"Zhao Xing, I've been transferred back to Nanyang Commandery!"

"Heh heh, look at this Lotus Blossom Carp Robe — official Ninth Rank!"

"I'm now the same rank as the veteran Military Agricultural Officials!"

"Pretty impressive, right? It only took me three months to transfer back to Nanyang Commandery, and I even got promoted!"

"How are you doing in the army? Have you gotten promoted and made your fortune? You'd better work hard, or next time you see me, you'll have to address me as my lord Zong, hahahahaha..."

Seeing Zong Zong Shichang's smug look, Zhao Xing couldn't help but smile.

To be fair, Young Master Zong did have some real ability. In just a few months, not only had he been promoted, he'd also been transferred back to Nanyang Commandery.

"Alright, my turn, my turn."

"Brother Zong, are you done talking yet?"

Just then, another voice came from off-screen.

Seeing this, Zong Shichang waved his hand toward the front.

Then a figure bounced into the frame.

It was Zhao Zheng.

He was wearing a white training outfit with bindings on his legs. He looked a bit thinner, but had grown taller.

"Big Brother! I…"

Zhao Zheng opened his mouth, then suddenly didn't know what to say, so after calling out "Big Brother" he just stood there.

"Why aren't you talking? Weren't you just saying you wanted to talk to your big brother?" Zong Shichang rubbed Zhao Zheng's head.

"But I'm not facing Big Brother, I'm facing Uncle Tang." Zhao Zheng scratched his head. "Facing Uncle Tang's face, I really don't know what to say."

"That's too much." Zong Shichang lightly patted Zhao Zheng's head. "Steward Tang isn't ugly."

"Ah, that's not what I meant…" Zhao Zheng didn't know what to say either, suddenly shook off Zong Shichang's hand, ran a bit closer, and said, "How about I perform a set of punches for Big Brother!"

Saying so, Zhao Zheng began practicing his fist technique with great seriousness.

"Hiyah!"

"Big Brother, watch closely! This is called 'Tiger-Subduing Fist'!"

Zhao Zheng rooted his stance, lunged forward, and punched the house pillar of the Zong residence.

His movements actually had some flair to them, except he ran a bit out of frame.

Steward Tang adjusted the angle before Zhao Zheng could be seen again.

But the next second, Zhao Xing laughed.

Zhao Zheng was crouching under the pillar, clutching his fist and blowing on it nonstop.

"Hahaha… of all things to hit, you hit my house's pillar—it's hundred-year hardwood, you little fool." Zong Shichang laughed mercilessly.

"Ahhh, Brother Zong, why didn't you say so earlier…" Zhao Zheng was in so much pain that tears came to his eyes.

After Zong Shichang finally soothed Zhao Zheng, Steward Tang reminded him that the recording time on the Mirage Bead was almost up.

Zong Shichang hurriedly said: "Zhao Xing, I'll keep it short. Everything at home is fine. The Xuantian Sect hasn't appeared again. Your family is all healthy and safe. The martial instructor I hired for Zhao Zheng is very dedicated. Don't be fooled by him crying in pain now—actually, he's already at the second stage of Qi Gathering."

"You don't need to worry. Train well in the army. If you need anything, write back and tell me—just use the county office channel. My father has some connections in the army too… Xiao Zheng, is there anything else you want to say?"

Zong Shichang asked, turning his head.

Zhao Zheng walked over with reddened eyes, leaned close to the Mirage Bead, and said: "Big Brother, when are you coming back to see me? I miss you."

"Buzz~"

The image ended here.

Zhao Xing had been smiling, but upon hearing Zhao Zheng's last words, he couldn't help but pause.

After rubbing his fingertip over the Mirage Bead twice, Zhao Xing showed a faint smile again.

He put away the Mirage Bead and opened Zhao Ruide's letter.

The contents were also fairly simple, mainly about household trivialities. The letter also mentioned the Xue family.

The old Agricultural Officer's temporary position had been made permanent, rising from unofficial Ninth Rank Upper to official Ninth Rank Lower.

Zhao Xing figured this was because Xue Wenzhong had benefited from the Xuantian Sect hideout being raided.

The old man had become a leader late in life, his grandson Xue Bai had found a proper job, and now the old Agricultural Officer's health was actually better than ever, his spirits much improved over last year too.

Zhao Ruide also complained in the letter about Madam Cai, saying she insisted on checking every day whether the Tianyuan pear tree had bloomed, and took better care of the Tianyuan pear tree than of her husband, and so on.

After reading the letter, Zhao Xing wrote two replies.

He also used the Mirage Bead to record another message, briefly introducing his situation. In short, the core was four words: everything is fine.

After finishing the letters, he placed an order on the Earth Mirror.

Soon Gao Ming came clip-clopping to the outside of the Eighteen Pagoda Trees Courtyard again.

"Do you want it expedited?"

"Yes."

Zhao Xing still had plenty of points now, with the new month's 5,000 points having arrived, so he didn't care about spending a few.

"You're quite generous." Gao Ming laughed as he took the box. "Such a short distance and you still want expedited—but then again, you're now a top-tier Class A genius, so you don't lack points."

After a pause, Gao Ming asked again: "By the way, is it really true you only sleep one shichen a day? Using all the rest of your time for cultivation?"

Zhao Xing was taken aback: "Where did you hear that?"

Gao Ming said: "The whole Agricultural Office is saying so. Is it true or not?"

Zhao Xing nodded: "Pretty much."

Gao Ming gave a thumbs-up: "You're impressive. Now a lot of people in the Four Great Courts are placing orders for alertness-boosting items to aid their cultivation. Looks like they're trying to copy what you're doing. Your Agricultural Office folks really go all out."

Zhao Xing shrugged: "Your Mechanism Masters aren't much better, often staying up till they're going bald. Though you're an exception."

Gao Ming rubbed his head and said: "I'm just not very skilled, so I can only run these odd jobs to earn some points. Anyway, enough talk, I'm off."

"See you."

In the Heavenly Timing Court, within a grand hall, stood one hundred and eight stone steles.

The steles were inscribed with mysterious patterns, each one forty to fifty meters tall.

Different steles emanated different auras—some scorching like fire, some cold as ice.

Zhao Xing sat cross-legged fifty meters from one of the steles, quietly comprehending this 【Lichun Stele】.

"Lichun, the first of the twenty-four solar terms."

"The Qi of the Five Elements passes and continues here; and the Qi of spring wood first arrives, hence it is called 'Li' (establishing)."

"The Lichun Stele, and the twenty-six steles surrounding it, all depict spring."

"The first layer of the Solar Tokens is the Knowing realm. What does it mean to know the heavens' timing? To know the five-element changes contained within the solar terms, to know the three phenological changes within the solar terms, and to know the effects of heaven-timing spells in different solar terms."

"Spells, phenological changes, five elements. The Knowing realm has nine revolutions: the first three comprehend spells, the middle three comprehend phenological changes, the last three comprehend the five elements."

"The six Solar Tokens I previously condensed, 【Start of Spring】 and 【Start of Summer】, both reached the second-revolution realm."

"After three days of comprehension here, I completed the remaining eighteen Solar Tokens, and also brought the Start of Summer and Start of Spring Solar Tokens to the third-revolution realm. Truly worthy of being a treasured ground of the Heaven-Timing Academy."

Zhao Xing had two chances to comprehend, and after finishing the second training session, he finally used one up.

The effect was also very remarkable. Now twenty-four Solar Tokens floated in his Origin Dantian, and among these twenty-four Solar Token phantoms, the Start of Spring and Start of Summer were the most solid, revolving around the Hou Tu sand and gravel.

"The third revolution can enhance spells. When I comprehend the stone stele, I can see plants growing, I can see the naturally formed heaven-timing spells, and I've even grasped three new heaven-timing techniques. But I still cannot see any obvious changes in physical phenomena."

Zhao Xing knew he should leave; further comprehension in a short time wouldn't yield particularly great progress.

"To the Nine-Section Dao Arena."

Zhao Xing left the Heaven-Timing Hall, ending this session of comprehension.

Leaving the great hall, his Cloud-Stepping Boots rose on clouds, flying northwest toward Yangcheng.

"Three new heaven-timing techniques: 【Heavenly Frost】, 【Heavenly Fire】, 【Mist Concealment】. Each technique, once comprehended, is already at the seventh-revolution realm."

"They were comprehended from the Start of Spring, Start of Summer, and Frost's Descent solar terms."

"These three heaven-timing techniques are also most powerful in these three solar terms."

"I'll start practicing these three techniques to verify the insights from these three days."

"These three heaven-timing techniques are also a manifestation of physical phenomena. If I can perfect them, I might have a chance to enter the fourth revolution of the Knowing realm and grasp the changes of physical phenomena."

The entrance to the Dao Arena was northwest of Yangcheng. Zhao Xing flew for about half a shichen before arriving at the arena's entrance.

It was a massive cloud gate, a hundred meters tall and fifty meters wide, its frame entirely condensed from clouds and mist.

"Let me register first."

Zhao Xing took out his Earth Mirror and found the Nine-Section Dao Arena selection training course.

This selection training course was overseen by a Si Nong named Cen Sanji.

"【Nine-Section Dao Arena】 selection training course: for Grade C geniuses, the requirement is to obtain a seven-star rating within one month."

"Grade B geniuses must obtain fourteen stars within one month."

"Grade A geniuses are required to obtain a twenty-one-star rating within one month. During this month, Cen Sanji will from time to time give lectures on the plaza outside this cloud gate, and even personally demonstrate."

"Three days have passed, and over twenty-five hundred people have already completed the selection training." Zhao Xing looked at the information on his Earth Mirror. "But most of them passed at Grade C."

Many people, upon entering, went straight to the 【Nine-Section Dao Arena】 training, having long since accumulated enough ratings, so this selection training course could be passed directly.

"Seventy-five people passed at Grade B, and for Grade A, currently only twelve people have passed."

The 【Dao Arena】's grading is seven stars per tier, meaning Zhao Xing must reach a third-tier rating within one month to earn the selection training course's score.

"I wonder how intense it is. Logically speaking, now that the reserves have all come to the Dao Arena to train, there should be plenty of rookies." Zhao Xing looked at the figures going in and out of the cloud gate. "Let me go in and try."

Whoosh~ Zhao Xing also followed the flow of people and flew into the cloud gate.

A bit stuck on the writing; I pulled an all-nighter just to finish one chapter, and the next update will be written after I get up in the afternoon.