Chapter 141: Awaiting Transformation Law, the Pig Transformation Law

"It's Feng Qiu." Yang Yang said, "This happens to be Feng Qiu's second promotion match. Win it and he advances; lose and he has to start winning matches all over again."

"Him?" Yu Chunwu said, "Feng Qiu was ranked fifth last time, and Zhao Xing pulled so many points from him. Not much to see, is there?"

"Feng Qiu started at the Heavenly Timing Court with only mid-grade A treatment; he only got promoted last time."

"You're underestimating Feng Qiu too much." Peng Ran shook his head. "Supply-line training is ultimately not combat. It's not the same thing."

"When Feng Qiu reported in, he was already ranked third, behind only Shi Yong and Zhuang Ziqing. In the Tiger Jiao Army's internal selection, he also only lost to Shi Yong and Zhuang Ziqing."

"I heard from a friend in the Tiger Jiao Army that the reason Feng Qiu got mid-grade A in the branch court examination was because his performance in the Thunder Law Trial was mediocre."

"But his attainment in Wind Law is absolutely astonishing!"

"He's devoted to the Dao of Wind. Before coming to the Ten Sun Grotto-heaven, he already had one Wind Law technique that reached ten revolutions!"

"Hiss, ten revolutions?" Yu Chunwu, He Yu, and Yang Yang all sucked in a breath of cold air.

A ten-revolution technique means it has already broken through the limit. In this mid-grade technique, his attainment even surpasses the founder's.

Of course, the founders of mid-grade techniques vary in strength.

Some mid-grade techniques were created by first-rank figures, making the techniques especially powerful. Take Cloud-Swallowing Law, for instance—it was created by an ancient sage, and to this day no one has been able to improve it to perfection. Nine revolutions, complete, is already the limit.

Some mid-grade techniques were created by ninth-rank figures, and their power is somewhat weaker.

Of course, those promoted by the imperial court are basically not weak, and pushing further is quite difficult.

"After the branch court, Feng Qiu remained devoted to the Dao of Wind. Other methods, he only cultivated to seven revolutions before stopping, continuing to research Wind Law."

"Specializing in one technique led to his Wind Law becoming extremely fearsome. The Heavenly Timing Court's teachers all say that among this cohort of reserve Si Nong, when it comes solely to Wind techniques, Feng Qiu is number one!" Peng Ran said. "In this round of combat, Feng Qiu's odds of winning are probably greater."

"Not so. I think Feng Qiu puts too much weight on one technique. The eighth-rank Spirit Bridge realm is meant to broaden the breadth of one's techniques, not deepen research into one. The combined effect of multiple techniques is also more powerful. What good is reaching ten revolutions in a single Wind technique?" He Yu stated that he sided with Zhao Xing.

"I said Feng Qiu's Wind technique is formidable, but I never said he was one-sided. I heard from a friend that most of his techniques are above seven revolutions. Other techniques reaching seven revolutions can hardly be called weak." Peng Ran argued, "When one isn't weak and has one standout technique, that becomes the key to deciding victory or defeat."

"Stop arguing, you two." Seeing signs of a quarrel between them, Yu Chunwu immediately cut in: "The truth will be clear at a glance. Hurry up and watch the match."

Inside the Dao arena, the preparation platform.

"My accumulated comprehension has reached a critical threshold. I don't know how to break through this barrier." Zhao Xing opened his eyes and let out a long breath.

The progress of the Solar Terms Command—currently, 【Start of Spring】 and 【Start of Summer】 are both at the third revolution of the Knowing Realm.

Only 1 point of progress away from breaking through at full value.

But that 1 point involves two layers.

In the first three revolutions, casting the Solar Terms Command only enhances the technique's power, granting home-field advantage.

But at the third revolution, the Solar Terms Command itself carries tremendous power! Because it involves phenological changes, mastering the 'Phenological Transformation Law.'

"When the Solar Terms Command reaches the fourth revolution of the Knowing Realm, one initially grasps the mysteries of phenological transformation in people, objects, and beasts, and can cast the Phenological Transformation technique."

"Although one cannot achieve the complete metamorphosis found in nature, even grasping a portion of it is extremely astonishing."

Just how awesome is the Phenological Transformation Law?

Legend has it that during the reign of the Grand Ancestor, the Grand Si Nong Wu Cheng, when accompanying the army in the campaign against the Thousand Kingdoms, there was a country called 'Gu Han.'

When Wu Cheng arrived, the King of Gu Han opened the gates and surrendered. But after Wu Cheng left, he went back on his word and ordered a hundred thousand Royal Guards to attack the Grand Ancestor's territory.

The Grand Ancestor, kind-hearted, ordered Wu Cheng to go over and suppress them, but gave the King of Gu Han a second chance. So the King of Gu Han surrendered once more.

Three years later, he rebelled again.

This rebellion directly enraged Wu Cheng. He didn't even wait for the Grand Ancestor's order.

He went alone to the capital of Gu Han and cast the Phenological Transformation technique.

The King of Gu Han, the plutocrats and nobility, along with the hundred thousand Royal Guards—all turned into pigs within a single day!

Originally, Wu Cheng had no intention of killing anyone, lest it sully the Grand Ancestor's reputation. He only planned to teach them a lesson and turn them back after seven days.

But unexpectedly, the common people of that country had long been dissatisfied with the tyrant's cruelty and the plutocrats' excesses.

Upon learning the news, they immediately stormed the palace, slaughtered the pig-transformed King of Gu Han and the nobility, and in the end the common people divided and ate them.

The might of Phenological Transformation is terrifying to such a degree.

Zhao Xing recalled this story and couldn't help sighing.

After Wu Cheng cast it, the Phenological Transformation Law once gained a nickname: the Pig Transformation Law.

Keep barking? Keep barking and see if I don't turn you into a pig and eat you!

"The Phenological Transformation Law is divided into internal and external cultivation. It can be used on enemies, or on oneself."

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"The Seventy-Two Phenological States correspond to the Twenty-Four Solar Terms, three states per term. The internal cultivation of the Phenological Transformation Law is also called the Seventy-Two Transformations."

"However, the Seventy-Two Phenological Transformation Law also carries risks. Lose control once, and you can never transform back."

"The 'Creation Dao Court' among the Seventy-Two Dao Courts once produced terrifying results when using condemned prisoners as subjects. During the reign of Emperor Wen, research below the fourth rank was once prohibited."

"Now it's better. By the time of Wu Di, it became completely uninhibited again."

As for the Phenological Transformation Law applied to beasts and objects, there aren't so many intricacies.

Additionally, before reaching the third layer of the Solar Terms Command, the Phenological Transformation Law all has a time limit—even if you wanted to cause trouble, you couldn't.

In short, the Phenological Transformation Law is a powerful category of techniques after mastering the Solar Terms Command.

Setting aside those uses that harm the harmony of heaven, it's quite excellent for cultivating exotic beasts.

"If I reach the fourth revolution, even if I only learn the surface, its wonderful uses would be endless." Zhao Xing took out the Earth Mirror, preparing for the promotion match.

After a while, a notification came from the Earth Mirror.

【Shenwei Army Zhao Xing, you have been randomly matched with opponent 'Feng Qiu' (Tiger Jiao Army)】.

【The random environment is 'Wind Thunder Canyon'.】

【Combat will begin in sixty breaths. Please prepare.】

"Feng Qiu? He's reached the promotion match too." The cold, stern face surfaced in Zhao Xing's mind. A top-grade A genius—he had heard something of him.

Other geniuses, while somewhat arrogant, were still within normal bounds. But Feng Qiu was thoroughly and completely aloof.

He basically didn't socialize with people, and in public only exchanged a few words with Shi Yong, Zhuang Ziqing, and others who ranked high in the Tiger Jiao Army.

"I heard his wind art is very strong; even before entering the grotto-heaven he already had a tenth-revolution spell, while my Lesser Nine Heavens Gang Wind spell is only at the eighth revolution now."

"He's devoted to a single discipline, so that discipline is especially strong; his wind art is reputed to be number one among the reserves."

A formidable opponent, but precisely because of that, there's training value!

"I hope Feng Qiu can give me enough pressure."

Zhao Xing put away his earth mirror and waited for the battle to begin.

On another preparation platform, a youth wearing a blue-green straw rain cape, his expression cold and stern, also opened his eyes.

"Shenwei Army's Zhao Xing?"

"Matched up against him."

A trace of fighting spirit ignited in Feng Qiu's eyes.

"When he registered, he was only ranked twenty-ninth; I never took him seriously at all. I didn't expect him to grow so fast."

"Still, training is training, and actual combat is a whole different matter."

"Before challenging Shi Yong and Zhuang Ziqing, I'll use you to warm up first!"

Feng Qiu put away his earth mirror and stood up.

"Feng Qiu and Zhao Xing are matched up." Zhuang Ziqing wasn't at the dao arena at this moment — after all, he had long since completed this selection training — but he was still following the movements of the other geniuses, especially Feng Qiu from his own army, as well as the geniuses from the Earth Advantage Academy.

Zhuang Ziqing yawned. He hadn't closed his eyes for three days and three nights; ever since being stimulated by Zhao Xing, he had started a grind-grind-grind mode, training every day or on his way to training.

By today, he could barely hold on any longer. He planned to sleep for three hours and then get up to practice again, but upon seeing the matchup between Feng Qiu and Zhao Xing, he decided not to sleep first.

"Watch it first, then sleep." Zhuang Ziqing had crossed hands with Feng Qiu, but he had no concept yet of Zhao Xing's actual combat ability.

The advancement match between Feng Qiu and Zhao Xing immediately drew widespread attention from the members of the Agricultural Supervisor's reserves.

After all, among these more than ten thousand reserves, both Zhao Xing and Feng Qiu were existences ranked at the very top.

Especially Zhao Xing — he had ranked in the top three many times, yet had never truly demonstrated solid combat ability.

【Unable to Train】 That doesn't count — using Wu Ji, how could that count?

So when Zhao Xing and Feng Qiu collided.

This news immediately spread through the Agricultural Supervisor like the wind.

"Feng Qiu and Zhao Xing are both in advancement battles — quick, look!"

"The second genius of the Heaven Timing Academy versus the second genius of the Earth Advantage Academy!"

"Damn, who's second? My Brother Zhao has to be ranked first in the Earth Advantage Academy, right? Last time he even beat Zhuang Ziqing!"

"Feng Qiu has maintained a winning streak, never losing a single match, and Zhao Xing is the same!"

"When these two meet, who will win?"

The Agricultural Supervisor was abuzz with heated discussion.

Even on the Martial Department's side, Xia Jing and Fu Ying both took out their earth mirrors to watch.

Fu Ying even shouted at the Martial Department:

"Odds are open, odds are open! My Tiger Jiao Army's Feng Qiu versus Shenwei Army's Zhao Xing — anyone want to bet? I'm backing Feng Qiu, starting at 10 points."

"Brother Fu, you're backing Feng Qiu — who would bet with you? If you have the guts, back Zhao Xing!"

"Don't look down on the guy." Fu Ying said, "Zhao Xing was ranked second last time. I'm backing Feng Qiu purely because he's from the Tiger Jiao Army; if I backed Zhao Xing, that wouldn't look good."

"I'll take it." Just then, Xia Jing walked over with a group of people. "Fu Ying, what's the maximum you'll take?"

"Oh?" Fu Ying laughed. "How much do you want to bet?"

"Too little is no fun — at least 10,000 points. If you can take more, that's fine too." Xia Jing pointed at the people beside him. "I can pool more from my side."

"Oh?" Fu Ying raised an eyebrow and immediately shouted: "Tiger Jiao Army, where are you? Anyone willing to bet with me on Feng Qiu?"

"I'll bet 500 points!"

"I'll bet 300 points!"

"Me too, 1,000 points!"

"……"

The four great Martial Departments had plenty of people, all geniuses with plenty of points.

Soon Fu Ying had pooled more than 70,000 points!

"Xia Jing, I have 70,000 on my side. Take it or not?"

Xia Jing swept his gaze over Zhang Jie, Hu Bing, Chen Fang, and others behind him.

Fu Ying had originally expected the people on Xia Jing's side to waver — after all, this was 70,000 points, quite a scene. But he didn't expect Chen Fa, Hu Bing, and Zhang Jie's attitudes to be extremely firm.

Where did they get such confidence? Fu Ying was somewhat puzzled.

"Take it!"

"Good." Xia Jing had spoken, so Fu Ying couldn't back out.

In just a few words, a large-sum wager was settled.

And at this moment, the earth mirror also displayed the specific scene.

The battle began.

Wind Thunder Canyon was a rather special map.

Inside, gang winds blew, and heavenly thunder roared overhead.

It was three kilometers long in total, but only fifty meters wide.

Both sides were smooth cliffs, with standing water and mountain rocks on the ground.

Zhao Xing and Feng Qiu appeared at the two ends of the canyon.

The two were two thousand meters apart, with only five hundred meters of space behind each of them.

There isn't much room to retreat; withdrawing from the arena also counts as a loss.

"Whoosh~"

The moment the barrier of the preparation platform opened, Feng Qiu rode the Gang Wind and charged toward Zhao Xing.

"Hm? Quite fast."

Feng Qiu didn't deploy any clouds — first, he knew Zhao Xing's cloud techniques were domineering; second, he saw no need to prop up a cloud.

Charge in, cast a spell, knock him down, victory.

What's the point of propping up a cloud?

"Before, I was always the one using this kind of method to rush people; now this Feng Qiu is using the same approach against me." Zhao Xing gave a cold snort. "You play like this against weaklings, and you play like this against me too? You clearly don't take this number-two rank of mine seriously at all."

"Swallowing Clouds!"

"Mist Concealment!"

"Yin Wind!"

Zhao Xing waited at ease for the exhausted enemy, swiftly casting three spells in rapid succession.

The environment of Wind Thunder Canyon could be put to use; Zhao Xing's traveling cloud rapidly devoured the thunderclouds overhead.

Feng Qiu also borrowed the Gang Wind; as he charged forward, nearly all the Gang Wind within the canyon swept toward his side.

At this moment, a rare sight appeared in Wind Thunder Canyon — the canyon, originally a mingling of green and purple, now became sharply divided!

Green gathered toward Feng Qiu's direction, while purple all converged into the cloud layer above Zhao Xing's head.

The moment the two entered the battlefield, they swiftly scrambled for the advantage of the heavens.

In terms of their first combat awareness and ability, the two sides were evenly matched.

But in the second move, Zhao Xing still held the upper hand.

Because he didn't charge, while Feng Qiu needed time to rush over, Zhao Xing cast two additional spells.

"Heavenly Frost!"

Hum~ A layer of white qi descended from the sky like a blanket, carrying a chilling aura as it swept toward that mass of green. This move showcased Zhao Xing's masterful command of the spell 【Heavenly Frost】.

The green wind was instantly coated with a layer of white, its speed dropping slightly.

"Heavenly Fire!"

Zhao Xing pointed once more, and in an instant the fire-aspect power above the canyon was drained dry, condensing into clusters of flame that hurtled toward Feng Qiu.

"Four spells in two breaths — what astonishing control!" Outside the Cloud Gate, Peng Ran, who was watching the battle, suddenly contracted his pupils. "I know Heavenly Fire, but what kind of heaven-aspect spell is that white net? How come I've never seen it before?"

"And his cloud — doesn't it look a bit strange? How is it extending continuously into the canyon?"

"You're wrong, it's five spells in two breaths, and what's inside the canyon isn't a cloud spell." Yang Yang beside him said excitedly. "I asked Zhao Xing — that's the 【Mist Shadow】 spell… hehe, this is it, this is it — five spells unleashed at once, Feng Qiu's going to take a big beating this time!"

Second update delivered, there's still a third update, but it'll probably be quite late — don't wait up, read it tomorrow morning.