Chapter 146: Zhao Xing Was Shocked—So It Was Him, the Unrivaled-Under-Heaven Straw Man

Following the straw man to the halfway point of the mountain, the terrain flattened out, and a palace appeared ahead, with many plots of land cleared around it, planted full of flowers, plants, and trees, ranging from Second Rank to Fourth Rank.

This was the one good thing about being a Si Nong—major construction was extremely easy. As long as one was even slightly capable, whether their dwelling was luxurious or not was another matter, but it was certainly going to be big.

Following the bluestone path forward, there was a plantation on the outer perimeter of the palace.

Some straw men were holding hoes and digging the earth, some were holding saws and chopping wood, and still others were carrying bundles of firewood on their backs, striding briskly past him.

Entering the interior of the palace walls, on the drill ground there were straw men wielding sabers, spears, swords, and halberds, hacking at each other.

Passing by a pool of water, there was a straw man fishing at the water's edge.

Walking past a covered corridor, a straw man suddenly popped up from underground, holding a piece of glittering golden stone in its hand.

In a distant pavilion, there were still straw men holding scrolls and reading.

Even though Zhao Xing was experienced and knowledgeable, seeing this scene still made his scalp tingle.

Because these straw men, without exception, all looked exactly like Liu Tianning!

Not only that, some of the 'Liu Tianning' appearances were very strange—missing hands or feet was basic, and some didn't even have heads, yet still kept walking.

Though their appearances were identical, some 'Liu Tianning' had a cold, sinister temperament, some were bright and sunny, and others looked foolish, even manic.

"A Fifth Rank Si Nong who has reached the Pure Origin realm does have abundant vital energy, and supporting so many straw men is nothing unusual, but just how obsessed with straw man arts is this Liu Tianning? And he made them all in his own likeness…"

Zhao Xing suspected that this big shot's mind had some issues.

Either a genius, or a madman, or perhaps a genius-level madman!

Arriving before a palace, over a hundred people had already gathered on the plaza.

Zhao Xing's arrival drew not the slightest attention.

Because all of these people were watching the straw men.

"This place is called the Ten Thousand Laws Palace. I use straw men to perform the Ten Thousand Laws, without rest throughout the year."

"On the Law-Performance Plaza, there are eighteen types of intermediate straw man arts, not included in those promoted by the imperial court."

"You may observe and study on your own here, or you may go to various places in the palace to observe."

"If you wish to earn points as a reward, you must master one intermediate straw man art and practice it to the Fourth Rotation."

"Passing the third trial's test will earn you eight hundred points."

"One month from now, rankings will be contested using straw man arts. First place may obtain 50,000 points."

"Do you have any other questions?" the straw man asked.

"None." Zhao Xing shook his head.

"If you have questions, you may come here to ask." Liu Tianning smiled and said, "If you only need directions, just look for a straw man with the character 'Liu' stuck on its body."

"Yes." Zhao Xing cupped his hands in a salute.

Afterwards, the straw man turned and left, blending into the vast sea of straw men. In a short while, he could no longer tell which one had just been guiding him.

Zhao Xing did not immediately go to comprehend the arts, but first surveyed his surroundings.

The vast majority of straw men moved according to fixed trajectories—for example, one hoeing the ground kept hoeing the ground, one watering flowers kept watering flowers.

These were Repetition-Acting straw men, only able to act according to fixed commands. However, they were completely different from what Zhao Xing himself knew—the circulation of the Five Elements within their bodies was exquisitely subtle.

There were also some straw men with a high degree of freedom, able not only to speak, but also to see and hear.

Their clothes all had a 'Liu' character stuck on them.

"Ten Thousand Laws Palace, Ten Thousand Laws Palace… so he is that Liu Half-Mad from the era of Wu Di."

"So many True-Self straw men—no wonder he went mad. Starting from now, he has already created so many 'True-Self straw men'…" A flash of shock crossed Zhao Xing's eyes.

He had encountered a familiar figure.

Liu Tianning's current appearance, though similar to his later one, had a sinister and manic temperament completely different from now.

Therefore Zhao Xing had not recognized him either.

He did not remember Liu Tianning's name, but he did remember the nickname and characteristics.

Now, hearing the name Ten Thousand Laws Palace, he recalled.

Liu Tianning shocked the world with his straw man arts. During the era of Wu Di, he had been a Second Rank Transport Commissioner, responsible for the supply of provisions and fodder for the Ten Imperial Armies.

He was not the Military Si Nong responsible for just one of the Imperial Armies, but rather the provisions and fodder for all Ten Imperial Armies were his responsibility.

Additionally, Liu Tianning was also the 'Three Armies Inspector', personally bestowed the supreme treasure Nine-Joint Staff. For any illegal matters involving Military Si Nong of Fourth Rank or below, Liu Tianning could execute first and report afterwards.

At his peak, the number of troops under Liu Tianning's responsibility exceeded one hundred thousand, his authority radiating out to the Four Southern Campaign Armies.

His mobile command palace was called the Ten Thousand Laws Palace, and his straw man arts were unrivaled under heaven.

He was the Si Nong who controlled the most straw men—no one could compare.

Therefore, the scope and scale of what Wu Di entrusted to him were both extremely vast.

"During the first campaign against the barbarians, Liu Tianning became insane. In the later stages of the campaign, the number of Si Nong who died at his hands exceeded one million, and the number of Wu Hou who died at his hands exceeded two hundred."

As for players? There was no count. Zhao Xing himself had been cut down by Liu Tianning's straw men several times.

Why did he execute them? Most were on fabricated or suspected charges, wrongfully accused or implicated. By the end of the first southern campaign, Liu Tianning had earned the nickname Half-Mad, and facts proved his mind truly had problems.

Later he was dismissed from his post and transferred to serve at the 'Creation Dao Academy', where he was occasionally lucid and occasionally manic.

Normal teaching was impossible, so Wu Di could only send him out to a blessed land and spirit mountain to guard the mountain and recuperate in seclusion.

Mi Fu was appointed to replace Liu Tianning.

"Liu Tianning must have been practicing the Inner Cultivation Marquis Reform, and madly researching True-Self straw men. He is currently a Fifth Rank Si Nong official. Even if self-cultivating, influenced by the Qi Fortune Dynasty system, his realm would not exceed the Fourth Rank Soul-Form realm. He doesn't even have the Third Rank 'Soul-Origin' realm, yet he's already making so many straw men… if you're not mad, who is?"

What are 'True-Self straw men'?

True-Self straw men are also called Avatar straw men, or Ten Thousand Laws straw men.

Among straw man arts, they belong to the high-level arts.

They emphasize strong controllability and strong expandability.

Based on the three straw man arts of Reconnaissance, Repetition-Acting, and Great Strength, the caster can use straw men as avatars—to speak, observe, and even fight.

What is strong controllability? The Benwo straw figure can do far too many things — it's like a second body. Other straw figure methods simply cannot achieve this.

Strong expandability means it can fuse with all straw figure methods!

For example, the 'Divine Movement Straw Figure' and 'Great Strength Straw Figure' that Zhao Xing currently knows — if he continues to study them, he can achieve 'fusion of two methods' and produce a 'Divine Movement Great Strength Straw Figure', or fuse three, even four methods.

But other straw figure methods, when combined, max out at three or four kinds. The Ten Thousand Methods Straw Figure uses 'Benwo' as its foundation, and its internal five-element operation mechanism completely imitates oneself — theoretically, it can fuse infinitely.

The Ten Thousand Methods Straw Figure is also the ultimate goal of the straw figure method school — to contain ten thousand methods, and even contain the three souls!

The physical body withers, but the three souls transfer to the straw figure, thereby achieving undying and imperishable existence! Eternal life!

The Benwo Sect's ideas have always been rather bold, and the straw figure method school is the megalomaniac among them!

Setting aside these fantastical ideals, the Benwo straw figure also places a heavy burden on the heart-spirit. Over time, it can even cause irreparable damage to the Life Soul — because to control over ten thousand kinds of 'Benwo straw figures', one must cultivate the 'Soul-Splitting Method', splitting the Life Soul to strengthen the heart-spirit's control over the straw figures.

Every method the Ten Thousand Methods Straw Figure fuses raises the demand on the Life Soul, and the heart-spirit burden grows even greater.

How many straw figures was Liu Tianning controlling at the time? Far more than ten thousand!

"He didn't catch the later resurgence period, so he couldn't break through that layer of shackles, transform his heart-spirit into Divine Thought, and elevate his three souls. Relying solely on the Life Palace's protection, his madness was only natural."

"Liu Tianning should have been invited to the Ten Sun Grotto-Heaven. This guy should still be relatively normal right now... right?"

"Damn it, I'll have to avoid this person from now on. I absolutely cannot get cut down again in this life." Zhao Xing shrank his head. He only had one life now, and this person, at his peak, was favored by Wu Di — even Wang Hou and Imperial Princes were cut down on a whim.

…………

After observing for a while, Zhao Xing began searching the Method-Demonstration Square for straw figures to observe and study.

The straw figure methods Zhao Xing had previously learned in Gucheng all belonged to the beginner level.

Beginner-level straw figure methods rely heavily on 'materials'.

For example, the Great Strength Straw Figure — if made with ordinary essence-rice stalks, it might not even beat a grown strong man.

At best, it could chase away grain-eating birds and the like.

But if Vajra Bamboo is used, the Great Strength Straw Figure becomes very powerful — it can rival the strength of a rank-entering martial artist.

Of course, the Great Strength Vajra's behavior is simple, with no technique to speak of — it just charges blindly.

Straw figure methods rely on numbers — the main idea is 'swarming all at once'.

But intermediate straw figure methods are different.

They value both method and material.

Materials raise the upper limit, and the lower limit of the spell's power and effect is also very high.

For example, what Zhao Xing is currently observing.

"Invisibility Straw Figure."

Zhao Xing reached out and felt at a patch of air — though nothing was visible before his eyes, his hand touched soft straw.

"Even with the most ordinary first-tier straw material, the straw figure produced can turn invisible — this is the effect of the method."

"The Invisibility Straw Figure essentially cultivates the 'Invisibility Method', using the power of the five elements to conceal."

"But concealing a person is far harder than concealing a dead object."

The 'Invisibility Method' cultivated by humans is a high-level method, because a person is alive — their life fluctuations, qi-blood fluctuations, essence fluctuations, and five-element power fluctuations are all complex and change in an instant. How do you hide them?

But relying on a straw figure, it's only an intermediate method — the straw figure only involves 'five-element power fluctuations'.

Using it to deceive enemies is relatively easy.

"Combining the Invisibility Straw Figure with the Scout Straw Figure — intermediate method combined with low-level method — is relatively easy. Used for reconnaissance, it's both covert and doesn't require putting oneself in danger."

"If it can be combined with the Divine Movement Straw Figure method — three methods fused — that would be the perfect scout."

The Invisibility Straw Figure was walking back and forth, repeatedly moving around the flower beds, square, and soil at the edges of the plaza.

To make it easier for learners to study, this Invisibility Straw Figure was constantly adjusting its position.

Using Keen Observation and Five-Element Object Viewing, Zhao Xing could clearly see its existence, and also observe the changes within it.

"The five-element power merges into heaven and earth, changing with the environment."

Zhao Xing also walked back and forth following the Invisibility Straw Figure.

After about a quarter of an hour, the Invisibility Straw Figure automatically disintegrated, scattering into a pile of straw material on the ground.

But soon a streak of Jin Guang flew out from within the palace, landing on the straw material.

"Hum~"

The scattered straw figure reassembled, and step by step, slowly formed into the Invisibility Straw Figure.

When the final step was completed, the straw figure became completely invisible.

After watching once, Zhao Xing vaguely gained some insight.

Because his Bright Pupil Method had been cultivated to intermediate perfection, and Five-Element Object Viewing had also advanced to the intermediate level — this method is called Five-Element Object Viewing all the way up to the high level.

【Keen Observation】 paired with 【Five-Element Object Viewing】.

What Zhao Xing observed was the essence of the Invisibility Straw Figure; as for the weaving steps, they were secondary — he could master them with a casual glance.

"After the third trial, the ranking competition will likely involve actual combat. The Invisibility Straw Figure has no fighting power, but this method cannot be missed."

"Once I learn it, studying the 'Invisibility Method' later will be easier."

The 'Willow Weaving Transmission Method' taught by Xue Wenzhong contained the Invisibility Straw Figure.

Zhao Xing had seen Xue Wenzhong demonstrate it at the time, but he couldn't learn it then — he only made a mental note.

Recalling it now, he found that the old Si Nong and Liu Tianning differed greatly.

The old Si Nong himself was only ninth-rank. When he studied this method, he approached it from the 'weaving' side path, copying the form and using flawless technique to stabilize the internal five-element operation.

But Liu Tianning's Invisibility Straw Figure here demonstrates from the essence.

Even if one or two strands of straw are pulled out, it doesn't matter — Zhao Xing even vaguely felt that even if an arm were cut off, it could remain invisible.

The old Si Nong's approach couldn't do that.

Lose a single hair and the invisibility breaks. This can't be blamed on the old Si Nong — the main reason is that the gap between the two in their comprehension of the Dao of methods is simply too vast.

Now Zhao Xing could confirm that Liu Tianning was a true native of Taihe Commandery, and a direct-line descendant of Liu Zonghai.

【You observed the straw figure's drill and comprehended the mid-tier spell 'Invisible Straw Figure.'】

【Invisible Straw Figure: 1/9999】

【Effect: Body follows the five elements, hidden between heaven and earth】

"Rise!"

When the straw figure scattered again, Zhao Xing did not wait for the golden light to fly out from the hall; he cast the spell himself.

"Hum~"

The scattered straw materials quickly assembled into shape, and a rather shoddy straw figure slowly turned invisible.

Why say shoddy? Because its head was crooked and its feet splayed outward.

But that did not prevent it from being an invisible straw figure.

"Ugly is ugly, but it still works."

"Take two steps."

Zhao Xing gave the invisible straw figure an order.

The straw figure began to walk, swaying unsteadily.

"There are still some problems."

Zhao Xing was thoughtful, because when the straw figure walked from the flower bed to the plaza, the five-element transition showed a half-second of stagnation.

During that half-second a blurry shape was revealed; without using a spell and looking carefully, it could be seen with the naked eye.

"Let's try again."

Zhao Xing ordered the straw figure to scatter, then found another set of materials from the side and continued practicing.

Inside the Myriad Arts Palace.

Liu Tianning glanced toward a corner of the plaza, a trace of surprise showing on his face.

"Dissecting the essence, learning it in just one look?"

"And on the very first casting, though the straw figure's appearance is ugly, it already has effect."

"This boy has quite a talent for the straw figure art."

How lofty was Liu Tianning's eye? He saw at a glance that Zhao Xing possessed considerable talent in the straw figure art; he did not need to watch for long — just seeing this first attempt at learning was enough for him to judge.

Because Zhao Xing's learning dissected the essence, and he was able to do it.

Most of the others could not do it; they all began by 'learning its form.'

"Hm? What is he doing?" Liu Tianning glanced over, then chuckled lightly and shook his head. "This boy, mischievous!"

He actually used the invisible straw figure to tug at someone's waist sash.