Chapter 180: The Primordial Instant, Blood Essence Fruit, and Heart-Worm Grass! (6K)

It was not without reason that Prince Lingde raised this question.

The tasks issued by the Military Realm to the Military Agronomists are mainly divided into two types: the first is the basic task, also known as the professional task.

The second is the general task, also known as the advanced task.

Basic tasks have an upper limit, calculated by the month.

It is already quite difficult to complete the basic tasks.

Because they are divided into two tiers.

The first tier is the professional duty.

It requires providing the food and Qi supplies needed by the army for that month.

The imperial court grants officials eighth or ninth-rank status, and they receive a monthly salary, so they must do this much work.

If done well, it is just fulfilling one's duty; if done poorly, one faces salary deductions and demotion.

This is the first tier, the professional duty, which basically offers little in terms of military merit. Of course, if the front line wins a battle, one can also share in some of the team-based military merit.

Think it's hard? If you don't do it, there are plenty of people scrambling to take your place!

Taking a seventh-rank official as an example, in basic tasks, completing the first tier, settled monthly, yields at most 10,000 military merit points.

Because it only requires you to satisfy the army's basic food and drink needs.

If you can't even do this, then why be a Military Agronomist?

Go back to the grassroots in the rear and hone your skills some more.

The second tier of basic tasks, besides satisfying the army's "eating," must also meet the following conditions:

Growing medicinal herbs for physicians; materials for the Engineering Division to craft equipment, materials for the Weaving Division to weave magic robes, and incense materials for the priests.

The requirements are more comprehensive, and the basic quota is doubled.

For example, if the Shenwei Army requires 100,000 shi of third-tier supplies that month, that belongs to the first tier of basic tasks. The second tier would be 200,000 shi.

Such professional tasks also have an upper limit; beyond three or five times the quota, no additional military merit is awarded.

Normally, a seventh-rank Agronomist can only just manage to meet the demands of the various divisions mentioned above.

It is already very difficult to max out basic tasks.

Because the imperial court is not a charity; salary and benefits can be increased slightly, but military merit is for granting land and titles. If military merit is handed out too freely, it is detrimental to the country.

Coupled with the style of Emperor Jing, the standard for obtaining military merit is also very high.

Furthermore, the battlefield changes in an instant; no one knows if any accidents will occur.

One must also consider enemy ambushes, weather, terrain, and other issues.

Zhao Xing storing a portion of the spoils in the inner treasury to prepare for emergencies is to ensure that City No. 92 can complete its basic tasks.

Therefore, being able to max out basic military merit tasks already makes one an outstanding Agronomist!

Advanced tasks are even harder.

Basic tasks supply the needs of one's "own camp," which doesn't count as a "difficult problem."

Because what one's own army needs to eat and which line they are attacking is actually planned years in advance, and seeds and seedlings are all fully prepared.

Advanced tasks, however, involve the military needs of the entire Pingman Legion.

Naturally, the military merit awarded is greater.

Because advanced tasks are meant to allow those excellent talents to stand out.

Under such difficulty, Zhao Xing submitted an advanced task every two hours and obtained 10,000 military merit points in four hours.

This speed naturally made Prince Lingde astonished.

Like Chen Lu, an ordinary seventh-rank, who has only accumulated 30,000-plus military merit points since the start of the Pingman War.

Grade-A geniuses like Wang Ji and Han Bing, after struggling for more than twenty days, have only reached 50,000 or 60,000 points.

Prince Lingde felt this speed was too exaggerated.

Even Agronomists below the sixth rank might not have such high efficiency!

"That kid spent the longest time in the Primordial Dao Field; could it be that he had a breakthrough in the spells of the Self-Nature School?" Prince Tianyan speculated. "High-tier spells of the Self-Nature School are extremely rare among seventh-ranks."

Heavenly Timing spells and Earthly Advantage spells—cultivating high-tier spells at the seventh rank is nothing in the eyes of the three princes.

Like Guan Junyang and Cao Shuang, both reached the fourth turn of the Knowing Realm a year ago and comprehended high-tier spells.

But until now, none of the geniuses of the Ten Suns Grotto-Heaven have comprehended high-tier spells.

"Looking across the five great Grotto-Heavens, among nearly 200,000 seventh-rank Agronomists, those who have mastered high-tier spells of the Self-Nature School number no more than fifty, and most are elderly, having mastered them only after long-term study," Prince Lingde said. "If this is true, then this kid Zhao Xing truly has a boundless future."

Self-Nature School spells are too difficult to practice; it is said that only at the fifth rank does one reach the threshold of entering the Dao.

"We don't need to guess here," Prince Luohou said. "Summon Lu Bang to ask, and we will know."

Lu Bang is one of the Agronomist Rectors of the Taichu Academy; he would certainly know about such matters.

Prince Luohou took out the Earth Mirror and tossed it into the sky.

"Hum~" The Earth Mirror spun a few times, emitting a pale green light, projecting a three-dimensional image, which was Lu Bang.

"Greetings to Prince Luohou, Prince Lingde, and Prince Tianyan." Lu Bang bowed to the three princes.

"Official Lu, no need for formalities," Prince Lingde said.

Lu Bang is a fifth-rank official with real power and a real position, and he is still young; he is a junior with a promising future.

"I wonder why Prince Luohou is looking for me?" Lu Bang asked in confusion. He knew these three princes were transcendent, and the fifteen supervisors of this Pingman training exercise were all of princely rank.

"Lu Bang," Prince Luohou asked, "do you know about Zhao Xing's situation in the Primordial Dao Field? Has he comprehended a high-tier spell of the Self-Nature School?"

Asking about Zhao Xing? Lu Bang was stunned.

"Yes."

Lu Bang nodded.

"The reason he was twenty days late to the battlefield was because he was gaining insights in the Primordial Dao Field."

"However, I can only confirm that he has mastered a high-tier spell; as for which specific spell, I am not sure."

"So that's it, it's nothing then," Prince Luohou nodded. "You may go."

"Yes." Lu Bang bowed again and cut off the communication.

Prince Tianyan smiled and said, "Luohou, I think you can give me that seventh-tier divine weapon in advance."

Prince Lingde also laughed; he was just watching the fun and hadn't placed a bet.

But with Zhao Xing's high-tier Self-Nature School spell, as long as he doesn't die prematurely, just based on this high-tier spell, there is certainly no problem with him being in the first batch to be enfeoffed as a second-class Marquis.

"Tianyan, it's too early to say that now," Prince Luohou snorted. "Zhao Xing alone is not enough; Xia Jing must also be in the first batch."

"Moreover, the Shenwei Army is about to reach the territory of the Fire Demon Tribe. The environment there is harsh, and the logistics troops must also push forward. Zhao Xing may not be able to maintain such a fast rate of merit accumulation."

"Hahaha, Luohou," Prince Tianyan knew he was a person who refused to admit defeat. "Everything you say makes sense, but don't learn from Cheng Qingming and Ge Jinsong of the Ten Suns Grotto-Heaven. At the time, their analysis was also very reasonable."

Prince Luohou: "..."

Taicang Academy, Lu Bang, Zuo Zizhi, Tian Shan, and Liu Tianning were chatting.

Lu Bang's sudden departure just now had left all three of them very confused.

"Brother Lu, why did Prince Luohou look for you?" Zuo Zizhi asked. "How does he have a connection with him?"

"Prince Luohou has always been unsympathetic and is famously cold," Tian Shan laughed. "I couldn't tell that you, Brother Lu, had this kind of relationship."

Liu Tianning was silently drinking, looking into the distance, as if he hadn't heard their conversation.

Lu Bang shook his head: "I don't have any connection with Prince Luohou; I haven't seen him once in over ten years. This time he suddenly looked for me, and it even gave me a fright."

"I was afraid that I had made some mistake in my daily work and that this person had found out."

"Hahaha, you are guilty of a guilty conscience," Zuo Zizhi laughed.

Lu Bang sat down and took the wine pot from Liu Tianning's hand: "Besides drinking while working, I haven't made any mistakes. Prince Luohou wouldn't bother with such trivial matters."

"He summoned me this time because of Zhao Xing."

"Hmm?" Tian Shan's expression changed slightly. "What's wrong with him? To actually attract Prince Luohou's attention."

Liu Tianning also withdrew his gaze and looked at Lu Bang.

"I'm not sure," Lu Bang said. "Prince Luohou just asked if Zhao Xing had comprehended a high-tier spell. I think it shouldn't be because he made a mistake that he was noticed. As for the specific reason, I don't know."

"His merit accumulation is too fast," Liu Tianning suddenly said. "Look at the Earth Mirror; Zhao Xing's ranking among seventh-ranks is already 4,321."

"If I were Prince Luohou, I would also pay attention to such an abnormal situation."

"However, you don't need to worry; Zhao Xing's military merit can withstand investigation."

Tian Shan immediately felt relieved, but he looked at Liu Tianning with some surprise; this person's brain turned too fast.

Moreover, why are you paying so much attention to Zhao Xing?

That is my student!

City No. 92, Public Fields.

"The transport airship is ready to depart to deliver supplies to the front line. Liao Rulong has already led his troops to set out from Mazhang City and push towards the southeast."

"This time, City No. 92 has cleared out 70% of the June supply inventory, leaving only 30% in reserve."

Han Bing stood on the ridge of the field, reporting to Zhao Xing.

"Southeast direction?"

Zhao Xing was squatting in front of a pile of grass seedlings, and hearing Han Bing's words, he immediately opened the map.

"The Wolf God Tribe has retreated. From Mazhang City to the southeast, after breaking through two more defensive lines, one must face the territory of the 'Fire Demon Tribe' under the Jinyu Royal Court."

"Liao Rulong might not necessarily fight the Fire Demon Tribe, right?" Han Bing asked.

"Hard to say," Zhao Xing shook his head. "Let's put this question aside for now. Where did Liao Rulong ask the transport airships to rendezvous?"

"Zhiyou City."

"Oh." Zhao Xing had no impression of this name, which meant the danger level was not high. "With Long Xiao on the ship, there shouldn't be any problems going there. On the way back, let them take the Gale Layer the whole way."

Alien races generally do not rob in the Gale Layer; that requirement is too high. Unless one is at the sixth-rank Heavenly Gale Realm, it is not easy to fight in the Gale Layer.

Taking the Gale Layer back just costs a bit more in core materials for the magic array drive.

But now Liao Rulong's troops have pushed 6,000 li into the Southern Wilderness, and Zhiyou City deviates from the original safe route.

Safety first, Zhao Xing still let the transport team fly towards the Gale Layer.

Han Bing nodded and continued to report: "According to your requirements, the Agronomist Supervision has adjusted the planting direction of crops, mainly planting the 'Alien Beast Mint' of the Thorn family, the 'Heavenly Heart Grass' of the herbaceous class, and the 'Blood Essence Fruit' tree of the woody class."

"These three major categories of crops, totaling 149 types, are all third and fourth tier."

"The original inventory had these seeds and seedlings. It's easy to build up the scale for third-tier, but fourth-tier is a bit difficult, mainly relying on the seventh-rank Agronomists of the Agronomist Supervision."

Zhao Xing said: "Activate the Earth-Returning Origin Array and let the ninth-rank Agronomists participate as well."

Han Bing was in a difficult position: "What you mentioned is currently not on the Military Realm's task list. We previously had the spare capacity to plant other things, but now you are drastically changing the direction to plant other things, and you also want to activate the Earth-Returning Origin Array. This will significantly affect the speed at which others obtain military merit."

Honestly, if it weren't for Zhao Xing, Han Bing would have slapped him.

Because this is purely blind command.

"Are you worried that I might be scolded by others?"

Han Bing said: "Not might, definitely."

Zhao Xing laughed: "Then let them scold a few words, but the work must be done. This is the army, not a chamber of commerce."

Han Bing thought for a moment and said: "Forget it, let them scold me instead. I'll just say it was my suggestion."

Zhao Xing waved his hand and said: "No need for that. In the future, we will expand the city. I will definitely follow the main force forward, and you might have to stay in City No. 92."

"Besides, scolding me a few words now, they might thank me in the future."

"Fine, then I'll go handle it."

Just as Han Bing flew away on a cloud, the priest Song Fang flew over.

"Official Zhao."

Song Fang is a seventh-rank upper official and the head priest of City No. 92. He is already sixty years old and a veteran in the army. However, facing Zhao Xing, Song Fang did not dare to put on airs and bowed respectfully.

"Official Song," Zhao Xing returned the salute. "In recent days, you will fully cooperate with the work of the Agronomist Supervision. All priests who can invite the Agronomist God should be transferred to the Agronomist Supervision to work."

"The others will be sent to summon souls and help Wang Ji's Engineering Division repair and expand the outer city."

Priests in supply cities also do logistics work.

Of course, if people or ghosts come to raid, the priests are also responsible for defense and guarding the city.

Priests have another benefit: even if they lie down and do nothing, as long as the city is not broken for a day, they have the merit of guarding.

Not everyone can do priestly work, but those who can are treated very well.

Today the city was not broken, and with a 'ding', 800 military merit points were credited.

Song Fang arched his hands and said: "Does the official want to recall the ghost guards who patrol outside the city day and night?"

Zhao Xing nodded: "Yes."

"In that case, I'm afraid that if the enemy arrives, they will be unaware."

Zhao Xing said lightly: "With me here, you can rest assured and do as I say."

"Yes," Song Fang said hurriedly.

He didn't know Zhao Xing before and hadn't heard of him.

But as soon as Zhao Xing took office, he was full of airs.

The effect brought by that Nether Flame warship was too shocking.

Being able to snatch such spoils of war means he is not a simple character, and he will probably be promoted to the sixth rank very quickly in the future.

Zhao Xing now has high military merit and strong strength, and both Wang Ji and Han Bing, the two main officials, are convinced. Wang Ji even praises Zhao Xing to everyone he meets.

Therefore, although Song Fang had never seen or heard of Zhao Xing's abilities, he did not dare to oppose any of Zhao Xing's opinions.

The main official of the Martial Division, 'Gao Li', goes without saying.

This person used to be Long Xiao's subordinate, and Long Xiao calls Zhao Xing brother, so how could Gao Li dare to be dissatisfied with Zhao Xing?

There is also a strategist in the city named Yang Da, but in a logistics supply city, Yang Da has no say at all, because there are only five ritual cultivators in City No. 92.

Strategists can only be effective when there is a war to fight; in peacetime logistics work, they are of no use at all.

How do they earn military merit? They can only earn some city-guarding merit, which is just a few dozen points a day. Of course, they don't have much work to do either.

"Now I am just a city commander, in charge of only 5,000 people, and things are not too many."

"In the future, when I command a million-strong army, I will have to consider more."

"I must master the Self-Nature Grass Man as soon as possible," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

When he first arrived, all divisions were very cooperative, but it might not be so smooth in the future.

And this is only one city; what if it were three cities, ten cities?

By then, the Self-Nature Grass Man could come in very handy.

"However, the Self-Nature Grass Man is a high-tier spell, involving the principles of the five elements, yin and yang, and changes, and it also requires the five-method integration of the grass man. Mastering it is probably harder than comprehending the Primordial Instant," Zhao Xing said, looking down at the grass.

The Primordial Instant is a high-tier spell comprehended in the Primordial Dao Field.

It belongs to the high-tier "Origin Analysis Technique," which can break the growth shackles of life.

It is precisely because of this spell that he was able to submit an advanced task so quickly.

Zhao Xing now has the fourth-tier plant [Heart-Worm Grass] planted in the field on the left, which is the main medicinal material for the "Heart-Protecting Pill."

On the right is a shrubbery called [Blood Essence Tree], which can bear fourth-tier [Blood Essence Fruit], which can quickly perform a blood transfusion for martial artists.

"The reason Heart-Worm Grass and Blood Essence Fruit appeared on the Military Realm's advanced task list."

"It's probably because the Pingman Legion has encountered more Insect Shamans and Blood Shamans."

Zhao Xing squatted down and examined these seedlings and young trees.

"However, with the foundation of the Great Zhou, once this kind of task is released, I am afraid that countless Agronomist geniuses will come to plant these two treasures."

"Under saturated planting, tasks related to these two plants will probably soon drop in price or be cancelled."

"Hurry up and earn more military merit."

Zhao Xing began to cast spells on this patch of grass.

Advanced tasks all have a time limit; once this village is gone, there will be no such shop.

It might be a month, or even shorter, before the military merit given by the two advanced tasks will decrease, or even be completely cancelled.

"Whoosh!"

Zhao Xing pointed his finger, and the golden light of the spell fell on the Heart-Worm Grass.

"Heart-Worm Grass is a fourth-tier medicinal material, but it is very difficult to grow to fourth-tier middle grade."

"Ordinary Agronomists, even if they cultivate it, are only fourth-tier lower grade."

"The advanced task released by the Military Realm this time requires fourth-tier upper grade and fourth-tier peak grade Heart-Worm Grass."

"The same is true for Blood Essence Fruit. A tree bears fifty or sixty Blood Essence Fruits, and perhaps not even one can reach fourth-tier middle grade."

Zhao Xing observed the Heart-Worm Grass with the Five Elements View.

Under the microscopic perspective, the Heart-Worm Grass was growing rapidly. Two hours later, the Heart-Worm Grass had entered the maturity period and could be harvested.

"I have already changed the timing of this field, and I have also cultivated it with Earth-Hidden Origin, Savage Growth, Nine Dragons Folding, and Wasteland Condensation."

"But in this patch of grass, only one percent of the Heart-Worm Grass reached fourth-tier middle grade."

"The shackles of life are so unbreakable, unless cultivated in a Grotto-Heaven, but then the cost is even higher."

If the Military Realm planted these things on a large scale in the Grotto-Heavens in the rear, one is that the cultivation cost is raised, two is that the transport cost is raised, and three is that it loses the meaning of training troops.

Seeing that it was time to harvest, Zhao Xing could only cast a high-tier spell.

In the microscopic world inside the Heart-Worm Grass, there are many misty gray gases.

These gray gases twisted into a chain, as if locking the life structure of the Heart-Worm Grass.

If it weren't for the fact that he had cultivated the "Yin-Yang Self-Nature Scripture" to the threshold of the second layer, Zhao Xing would not have discovered it.

"Primordial Instant!"

Dots of golden light emerged from his fingertips and then fell on these Heart-Worm Grasses.

"Whoosh!"

The starlight seen from the outside entered the inside of the Heart-Worm Grass, but it was like a comet, dragging a long golden tail flame, crashing into the inner world of the Heart-Worm Grass!

"Boom!"

A golden comet crashed and shattered one of the gray chains.

Every time it shattered a chain formed by gray gas, the golden light would just happen to disappear.

But immediately, gray gas would fill in and form a new chain.

"Boom boom boom boom boom boom!"

The golden comet kept crashing.

The microscopic world seemed to have a great decisive battle.

When hundreds of millions of gray gas chains were shattered.

Finally—

"Hum~"

A majestic energy erupted from inside the Heart-Worm Grass, growing vigorously in the gaps of the gray chains.

It absorbed nutrients again and entered the growth period again!

And this time the momentum was even more violent, unstoppable like the beginning of heaven and earth.

"Phew~"

Zhao Xing ended the investigation of the Five Elements View and looked at the Heart-Worm Grass with his naked eyes again.

At this time, a large area of Heart-Worm Grass had jumped from fourth-tier lower grade to fourth-tier middle grade!

"Fifty percent fourth-tier middle grade, thirty percent fourth-tier upper grade, ten percent fourth-tier peak grade."

"Less than ten percent still remained at fourth-tier lower grade."

Zhao Xing smiled with satisfaction.

The Primordial Instant is to make mature plants return to the "growth period" in an instant.

Secondary absorption of nutrients!

This is the effect of the Origin Analysis Technique.

Of course, the mid-tier Origin Analysis Technique does not have such a strong effect.

Because Heart-Worm Grass is not lacking in nutrients.

Under Zhao Xing's spellcasting, the nutrients of this land are more than enough.

It is that the upper limit of life growth is difficult to reach fourth-tier peak grade.

Growing to fourth-tier lower grade, Heart-Worm Grass cannot absorb nutrients and touches the growth shackles of living beings between heaven and earth.

The Primordial Instant breaks this shackle in a very short instant, allowing the Heart-Worm Grass to continue to grow.

"Origin Analysis Technique is one of the most profound spells in the Self-Nature School."

"It's a pity that it can only act on plants for now."

"If it could act on people... I don't know where Mi Fu is now."

Zhao Xing has always been thinking about Mi Fu, the genius of the Self-Nature School.

The "Xuanhuang Origin Analysis Technique" he created by mistake has an average effect on plants, but the effect on people is awesome.

It can even allow people to condense "Pure Origin Soil" in advance.

"I sent people to inquire everywhere, but I didn't find Mi Fu's existence."

"If Mi Fu were in Pinghai Prefecture, I would have found him long ago."

"Unless he is not fifth-rank now, or he is fifth-rank, but he went to some secret Grotto-Heaven world," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

Some Grotto-Heaven worlds in the Great Zhou are relatively secret, not public, and are classified as confidential.

The effects of the Grotto-Heaven and everything inside are confidential, and even the people who go in will be transferred to confidential files.

This kind of thing is generally only accessible to fifth-rankers.

But it is impossible for fifth-rankers to use the Forget-Worry Spell to make them forget some things, so they can only strengthen confidentiality.

"Forget it, I can reach fifth-rank during Emperor Jing's period anyway. Mi Fu will definitely appear during the Two-Governance period, so it won't be too late for me to find him then."

Zhao Xing cast a wind spell to harvest the Heart-Worm Grass and then planted another batch.

Then he ran to the side of the Blood Essence Tree.

At this time, the Blood Essence Tree had also just entered the maturity period and bore red "Blood Essence Fruit."

He cast "Primordial Instant" again.

Making the Blood Essence Fruit grow again one after another.

"The number of fourth-tier middle grade Blood Essence Fruits is not as large as Heart-Worm Grass."

"There is still a difference between herbaceous plants and woody plants, and their inner world is more complex and mysterious."

"The Primordial Instant is also harder to shake the shackles in the dark," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

"However, my spell has also improved, and now it is only high-tier second turn."

"If it reaches the high-tier fourth turn Primordial Instant effect, it can go up another level."

"Go submit the task and see how much military merit there is."

After harvesting the finished products, Zhao Xing rode a cloud and headed towards the temple.

There is a second chapter of 6K, which is relatively late. I don't know how late it will be, so as not to have brothers waiting at that time, everyone can watch it tomorrow.