Chapter 184: The Instant of Primordial Beginning, Blood Origin Fruit and Heart Insect Grass

Ling De Wang raised this question for good reason.

The Bingjie Sect assigns Military Agromancers two main types of missions: first, basic missions, also called duty missions.

Second, general missions, also called advanced missions.

Basic missions have a monthly cap.

Completing basic missions is already quite difficult.

This is because they are divided into two tiers.

The first tier consists of official duties.

One must provide the food and Qi supplies required by the great army for the current month.

Since the imperial court grants officials of the eighth and ninth ranks their salaries and benefits, they must perform this much work.

Doing well fulfills one's duty; doing poorly results in salary deductions and demotion.

This is the first tier, consisting of official duties, where there is little military merit to speak of; of course, if the front lines win a battle, one can also share in some team-based military merit.

Think it's hard? If you won't do it, plenty of others are eager to take your place!

Taking a seventh-rank official as an example, completing the first tier of basic missions, settled monthly, yields at most ten thousand military merit points.

This is because it only requires you to satisfy the basic food and drink needs of the great army.

If you cannot even achieve this, what business do you have serving as a Military Agromancer?

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

The second tier of basic missions, besides satisfying the great army's 'eating' needs, must also meet the following conditions:

Planting medicinal herbs for physicians; providing materials for weapon crafting by the Engineering Bureau, materials for weaving Dharma robes by the Weaving Bureau, and incense materials for priests.

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

For instance, if the Divine Might Army requires one hundred thousand stones of third-tier supplies for the month, that belongs to the first tier of basics; the second tier would be two hundred thousand stones.

Such duty missions also have a cap; reaching three to five times the quota yields no additional military merit.

Normally, a seventh-rank Agromancer can barely meet the demands of all these bureaus.

Merely completing the full basic missions is already very difficult.

This is because the imperial court is not running a charity; while wages and benefits can be raised slightly, military merit grants land and titles, so flooding the system with military merit would harm the nation.

Furthermore, given Emperor Jing's style as Emperor, the standards for acquiring military merit are extremely high.

Additionally, the battlefield changes in an instant; no one knows what unexpected events might occur.

One must also consider enemy sneak attacks, timing, terrain, and other factors.

Zhao Xing deposited part of that batch of spoils into the inner treasury to prepare for unforeseen needs, thereby ensuring that the basic missions for the entire City No. 92 could be completed.

Therefore, being able to complete the full basic military merit missions already makes one an outstanding figure among Agromancers!

Advanced missions are even more difficult.

Basic missions supply the logistical needs of 'one's own camp and unit,' which does not count as a 'difficult problem.'

This is because what one's own army needs to eat and which front line to fight on are actually planned years in advance, with seeds and seedlings all fully prepared.

Advanced missions, however, involve the logistical needs of the entire Barbarian-Suppressing Legion.

Naturally, the military merit awarded is much greater.

This is because advanced missions are precisely intended to make outstanding talents stand out.

Under such difficulty, Zhao Xing submitted one type of advanced mission every two hours and gained ten thousand military merit points within four hours.

Such speed naturally astonished Ling De Wang.

Ordinary seventh-ranks like Chen Lu, from the start of the great Barbarian-Suppressing War until now, have only accumulated slightly over thirty thousand military merit points.

Grade-A geniuses like Wang Ji and Han Bing, after struggling hard for more than twenty days, have only reached fifty or sixty thousand military merit points.

Even Ling De Wang felt this speed was too exaggerated.

Even Agromancers ranked just below the sixth rank might not possess such high efficiency!

"That boy spent the longest time delayed at the Primordial Dao Grounds; could it be that he broke through with a Benwo Sect spell?" King Tianyan guessed. "High-tier spells of the Benwo Sect are extremely rare among seventh-ranks."

In the eyes of the Three Kings, cultivating high-tier spells of Heaven-Timing or Earth-Advantage methods at the seventh rank counts for nothing.

Figures like Guan Junyang and Cao Shuang had already reached the fourth turn of the Known Realm and comprehended high-tier spells a year ago.

Yet until now, not a single genius from the Ten-Sun Grotto-Heaven has comprehended a high-tier spell.

"Looking across the Five Great Grotto-Heavens, among nearly two hundred thousand seventh-rank Agromancers, those who have mastered high-tier Benwo Sect spells number no more than fifty, most of whom are older and mastered them only after long study," Ling De Wang said. "If this is truly the case, then this boy Zhao Xing has a boundless future indeed."

Benwo Sect spells are too difficult to practice; it is said that reaching the fifth rank is merely the threshold for entering the Dao.

"There is no need for us to guess back and forth here," Luo Hou Wang said. "Summon Lu Bang and ask him directly; then we will know."

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

Luo Hou Wang took out an Earth Mirror and flung it toward the sky.

"Hum~" The Earth Mirror spun several times, emitting a pale green light that projected a three-dimensional image, which was none other than Lu Bang.

"Greetings to Luo Hou Wang, Ling De Wang, and King Tianyan," Lu Bang said, bowing to the three kings.

"Lord Lu need not stand on ceremony," Ling De Wang spoke.

Lu Bang is a fifth-rank official with real power and an actual post; moreover, he is still relatively young and is a promising junior.

"I wonder what matter brings my lord Luo Hou Wang to seek me?" Lu Bang asked in confusion. He knew these three titled kings stood above worldly affairs, and that the fifteen supervisors for this Barbarian-Suppressing military training were all of Wang Jue rank.

"Lu Bang," Luo Hou Wang asked, "do you know the situation regarding Zhao Xing at the Primordial Dao Grounds? Has he comprehended a high-tier Benwo Sect spell?"

Asking about Zhao Xing? Lu Bang was stunned.

"Yes."

Lu Bang nodded.

"The reason he was twenty days late in entering the battlefield is precisely because he was contemplating and comprehending within the Primordial Dao Grounds."

"However, I can only confirm that he has mastered a high-level technique; as for exactly which technique it is, I am not clear."

"I see, no problem then." Luo Hou Wang nodded. "You may go down."

"Yes." Lu Bang bowed again and severed the communication.

King Tianyan smiled and said, "Luo Hou, I think you can give me that seventh-grade divine weapon ahead of schedule."

Ling De Wang also smiled; he was merely watching the spectacle and had not placed a bet.

But Zhao Xing of the Benwo Sect possesses a high-level technique; as long as no accident befalls him prematurely, relying solely on this high-level technique, securing a second-rank marquis title in the first batch is certainly no problem.

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

"Moreover, the Divine Might Army is about to strike the Fire Demon Clan territory; the environment there is harsh, and the logistics troops must advance with them. Zhao Xing may not be able to maintain such a rapid cultivation speed."

"Hahaha, Luo Hou." King Tianyan knew he was a person who would not admit defeat. "Everything you say makes sense, but do not imitate Cheng Qingming and Ge Jinsong of the Ten Yang Cave Heaven; at that time, they also analyzed things with great reason."

Luo Hou Wang: "..."

In the Taicang Courtyard, Lu Bang, Zuo Zuo Zizhi, Tian Shan, and Liu Tianning were chatting.

Just now, Lu Bang suddenly leaving the scene had left all three of them very puzzled.

"Brother Lu, what did Luo Hou Wang want with you?" Zuo Zuo Zizhi asked. "How does he even have a connection with him?"

"Luo Hou Wang has always been unapproachable, famous for his coldness." Tian Shan smiled. "I never saw that you, Brother Lu, had this kind of relationship."

Liu Tianning silently drank wine, staring at the distance as if he had not heard the three men's conversation.

Lu Bang shook his head: "I have no ghost of a relationship with Luo Hou Wang; I haven't seen him once in over ten years. This time he suddenly sought me out, and it even startled me."

"I was afraid I had committed some mistake in my daily conduct that this person might have found out about."

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

Lu Bang sat down and took the wine pot from Liu Tianning's hand: "Except for drinking when working, I have committed no faults; he, Luo Hou Wang, should not bother managing such trivial matters."

"This time he summoned me because of Zhao Xing."

"Hmm?" Tian Shan's expression changed slightly. "What happened to him? He even attracted Luo Hou Wang's attention."

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

"I am not clear," Lu Bang said. "Luo Hou Wang simply asked whether Zhao Xing had comprehended a high-level technique. I suppose it is not because he committed some mistake that he attracted attention; as for the specific reason, I am not clear."

"His cultivation speed is too fast." Liu Tianning suddenly spoke. "Look at the Earth Mirror; Zhao Xing's ranking among the seventh-grade cultivators is already four thousand three hundred and twenty-one."

"If I were Luo Hou Wang, I would also pay attention to such an abnormal situation."

"However, you need not worry; Zhao Xing's military merits can withstand investigation."

Tian Shan immediately felt relieved, but the look he cast at Liu Tianning was also somewhat surprised; this person's mind turned far too quickly.

Moreover, why do you pay such attention to Zhao Xing?

He is my student!

City No. 92, Public Fields.

"The transport flying ship is preparing to depart to deliver supplies to the front lines. Liao Ru has already led his troops to depart from Machang City and advance toward the southeast."

"This time, City No. 92 has cleared seventy percent of June's supply stockpile, leaving only thirty percent as reserve."

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

"Southeast direction?"

Zhao Xing was crouching before a pile of grass seedlings; hearing Han Bing's words, he immediately opened the map.

"The Wolf God Tribe has retreated. From Machang City toward the southeast, after breaking through two more defensive lines, one must face the territory of the Fire Demon Clan under Jin Yu Wang Ting."

"Liao Ru may not necessarily fight the Fire Demon Clan, right?" Han Bing asked.

"Hard to say." Zhao Xing shook his head. "Let's put this question aside for now. Where did Liao Ru request the transport flying boat 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 should be no problem going there; on the return, let them travel the entire way through the Gao Feng Layer."

Alien races generally do not ambush in the Gao Feng Layer; the requirements are too high. Without reaching the sixth-grade Tiangang Realm, it is not easy to fight in the Gao Feng Layer.

Returning via the Gao Feng Layer merely consumes more core materials for the array drivers.

But now Liao Ru's troops have already advanced six thousand li into the Southern Wasteland, and Zhiyou City deviates from the original safe route.

Safety first; Zhao Xing still ordered the transport convoy to fly through the Gao Feng Layer.

Han Bing nodded and continued reporting: "According to your request, the Ministry of Agriculture has adjusted the planting direction of the crops, mainly planting the thorny family's 'Beast Mint', the herbaceous category's 'Heart Sky Grass', and the woody category's 'Blood Origin Fruit' trees."

"These three major categories of crops, totaling one hundred and forty-nine species, are all third-grade and fourth-grade."

"The original stockpile contains these seeds and seedlings; scaling up the third-grade is easy, but the fourth-grade is somewhat difficult, relying mainly on the seventh-grade officials of the Ministry of Agriculture."

Zhao Xing said: "Activate the Later Earth Return to Origin Array and let the ninth-grade Ministry of Agriculture officials participate as well."

Han Bing felt somewhat troubled: "What you mentioned is currently not on the list of tasks for the Martial Realm. We previously had spare capacity to grow some other things, but now you are drastically changing direction to grow other crops and also want to activate the Later Earth Return to Origin Array; this will greatly affect the speed at which others obtain military merits."

To be honest, if it were not for Zhao Xing, Han Bing would have slapped him across the face.

Because this was purely blind, nonsensical command.

"Are you worried I might be scolded by people?"

Han Bing said: "Not might, but certainly."

Zhao Xing smiled: "Then let them scold me a few times, but the matter must be done. This is an army, not a merchant guild."

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

Zhao Xing waved his hand and said: "There is no need for that. In the future, we will expand the city; I will definitely move forward with the main force. You might end up staying in City No. 92."

"Moreover, if they scold me a couple of times now, perhaps later they will even be grateful to me."

"Alright, then I will go handle it."

Just as Han Bing flew away riding clouds, the priest Song Fang flew over.

"My Lord Zhao."

Song Fang was a Senior Seventh-Rank official, the High Priest of City No. 92. He was sixty years old, a veteran of the army, yet facing Zhao Xing, Song Fang dared not put on airs, performing his duties with utmost respect.

"My Lord Song," Zhao Xing returned the salute. "In recent days, you have fully cooperated with the Bureau of Agriculture. All priests capable of invoking the Agricultural God are to be immediately transferred to the Bureau of Agriculture to work."

"The rest are to be dispatched to summon souls, assisting Wang Ji's office in expanding the outer city."

In the Supply City, priests also perform logistical duties.

Of course, if humans or ghosts launch a surprise attack, the priests are responsible for defense and guarding the city.

Priests also have one benefit: even if they lie down and do nothing, as long as the city holds for a day, they earn merit for its protection.

Divine offices are not for ordinary people, but those who can hold them enjoy excellent treatment.

Today the city did not fall; with a 'ding', eight hundred battle merits were credited to the account.

Song Fang clasped his hands and said, "Does my lord intend to recall the Ghost Guards patrolling day and night outside the city as well?"

Zhao Xing nodded. "Yes."

"In that case, I fear that if enemies arrive, they will come without the gods or ghosts knowing."

Zhao Xing said calmly, "With this official present, rest assured and simply follow the orders."

"Yes," Song Fang said hurriedly.

He had not known Zhao Xing before, nor had he heard of him.

But since Zhao Xing took office, he had been full of authority.

The effect brought by that warship of General Ming Yan was too shocking.

One who could seize such a war trophy was no simple master; his promotion to Sixth Rank would likely be swift in the future.

Zhao Xing now possessed high battle merits and great strength; furthermore, the two main officials, Wang Ji and Han Bing, both submitted, with Wang Ji even boasting about Zhao Xing to everyone he met.

Thus, although Song Fang had neither seen nor heard of Zhao Xing's capabilities, he dared not oppose any of Zhao Xing's opinions.

As for Gao Li, the main official of the Martial Office, there was no need to mention it.

This man was formerly a subordinate of Long Xiao; since Long Xiao addressed Zhao Xing as a brother, how could Gao Li dare to feel any dissatisfaction with Zhao Xing?

There was also a strategist in the city named Yang Da, but in the Supply City, Yang Da had absolutely no say, because the combined number of ritual cultivators in City No. 92 was only five.

Strategists could only have some effect when there was a battle; for routine logistical work, they were of no use whatsoever.

How could they earn battle merits? They could only scrape up some merit for city defense, meaning a few dozen points per day; of course, they also had little work to do.

"Now I am merely a city commander, commanding no more than five thousand people, so the matters are not yet numerous."

"In the future, when commanding a million-strong army, the considerations will be far greater."

"I must master the Self-Straw Man as soon as I have time," Zhao Xing thought silently.

Upon his arrival, all offices were very cooperative, but that might not be so smooth in the future.

Moreover, with only one city's territory, if there were three cities or ten cities...

At that time, the Self-Straw Man could be put to great use.

"However, the Self-Straw Man is a high-level spell involving the principles of the Five Elements, Yin-Yang, and mechanical transformations; it also requires the unification of the five methods of the straw man. Mastering it is probably harder than comprehending the Instantaneous Primordial," Zhao Xing said, looking down at the grass.

The Instantaneous Primordial was a high-level spell comprehended within the Primordial Dao Arena.

It belonged to the high-level 'Analysis of Origin Art', capable of breaking the growth shackles of life.

Precisely because of this spell, he was able to submit an advancement quest so quickly.

Zhao Xing now had, on the left side of the field, four-tier plants called 【Heart-Worm Grass】, the primary medicinal material for the 'Heart-Protecting Pill'.

On the right was a patch of shrubs named 【Blood-Origin Tree】, which could bear four-tier 【Blood-Origin Fruits】, capable of rapidly performing a blood replacement for martial artists.

"The reason Heart-Worm Grass and Blood-Origin Fruit appeared in the advancement quests of the Soldier Realm..."

"... is likely because the Ping-Man Legion has encountered more Insect Witches and Blood Witches."

Zhao Xing squatted down, examining these seedlings and young trees.

"However, with the Great Zhou's foundation, once such a quest is issued, countless Agricultural geniuses will likely come to cultivate these two treasures."

"Under saturated cultivation, quests related to these two plants will likely see their rewards reduced or be cancelled very soon."

"Hurry up and earn more battle merits."

Zhao Xing began casting spells on this patch of grass.

Advancement quests all have time limits; miss this village, and there is no other shop.

It might be a month, or perhaps even shorter; the battle merits given by the two advancement quests will decrease, or even the quest will be completely cancelled.

"Whoosh!"

Zhao Xing pointed with his hand, and the golden light of the spell fell upon the Heart-Worm Grass.

"Heart-Worm Grass is a four-tier medicinal herb, but growing it to the Four-Tier Medium grade is extremely difficult."

"Generally, even if an Agricultural cultivator raises it, it will only reach Four-Tier Low grade."

"Yet the advancement quests issued by the Soldier Realm this time all require Four-Tier High grade or Four-Tier Supreme grade Heart-Worm Grass."

"The Blood-Origin Fruit is the same; a single tree might bear fifty or sixty Blood-Origin Fruits, yet not a single one may reach Four-Tier Medium grade."

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

Under the microscopic view, the Heart-Worm Grass grew rapidly; after two hours, the Heart-Worm Grass had already entered the maturity stage and could be harvested.

"I have already altered the heavenly timing of this field, and additionally cultivated it using King Di Zang's Return to Origin, Wild Growth, Nine Dragons Bending, and Wasteland Condensation."

"Yet in this patch of grass, only one percent of the Heart-Worm Grass reached Four-Tier Medium grade."

"The shackles of life are so unbreakable; unless cultivated in a Grotto-Heaven Blessed Land, but doing so would make the costs even higher."

If the Soldier Realm were to cultivate these things on a large scale in the Grotto-Heaven Blessed Lands behind the lines, first, the cultivation costs would rise; second, the transportation costs would rise; third, the significance of training soldiers would be lost.

Seeing the time for harvest approaching, Zhao Xing could only cast high-level spells.

Within the microscopic world inside the Heart-Worm Grass, many misty gray qi existed.

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

If Zhao Xing had not reached the threshold of the second layer of the Yin-Yang Benwo Scripture, he would not have discovered this.

"Instant Primal Origin!"

Dots of Jin Guang emerged from his fingertips, then fell upon these Heart-Worm Herbs.

"Whoosh!"

To the outside observer, these specks of starlight entered the interior of the Heart-Worm Herbs, yet they seemed like a comet, trailing a long tail of Jin Guang, crashing into the internal world of the Heart-Worm Herbs!

"Boom!"

A comet of Jin Guang shattered one of the gray chains.

Every time it shattered a chain formed by gray qi, the Jin Guang would also vanish just then.

But immediately, gray qi would fill in, forming a new chain.

"Boom boom boom boom boom!"

The Jin Guang comet struck repeatedly.

It seemed as though a great battle was taking place in the microscopic world.

After hundreds of millions of gray qi chains were shattered.

Finally—

"Vmm~"

A massive surge of energy erupted from within the Heart-Worm Herbs, growing vigorously in the gaps of the gray chains.

It reabsorbed nutrients and entered the growth stage once more!

And this time, the momentum was even more fierce, unstoppable as if the heavens and earth had just opened.

"Huff~"

Zhao Xing ended his Five Elements Observation, looking at the Heart-Worm Herbs with his naked eyes again.

At this moment, vast patches of Heart-Worm Herbs had leaped from Fourth Rank Lower Grade straight into Fourth Rank Middle Grade!

"Fifty percent are Fourth Rank Middle Grade, thirty percent are Fourth Rank Upper Grade, ten percent are Fourth Rank Supreme Grade."

"Less than ten percent remain stuck at Fourth Rank Lower Grade."

Zhao Xing smiled with satisfaction.

Instant Primal Origin causes plants that have already matured to instantly return to the 'growth stage'.

Secondary absorption of nutrients!

This is the effect of the Yuan-Extraction Art.

Of course, the mid-tier Yuan-Extraction Art does not have such a strong effect.

Because the Heart-Worm Herbs were not lacking nutrients.

Under Zhao Xing's casting, the nutrients in this land were more than sufficient.

It was that the upper limit of their life growth was very difficult to reach Fourth Rank Supreme Grade.

Once they grew to Fourth Rank Lower Grade, the Heart-Worm Herbs could no longer absorb nutrients, hitting the growth shackle of living beings between heaven and earth.

Instant Primal Origin, however, breaks this shackle in an extremely short instant, allowing the Heart-Worm Herbs to continue growing.

"The Yuan-Extraction Art is one of the most profound spells in the Benwo Sect."

"Pity that currently it can only be applied to plants."

"If it could be applied to humans... I wonder where Mi Fu is now."

Zhao Xing had always kept Mi Fu, this genius of the Benwo Sect, in his thoughts.

By a twist of fate, the 'Xuanhuang Yuan-Extraction Art' he created had an average effect on plants, but its effect on humans was incredibly powerful.

It could even cause people to condense 'Pure Yuan Soil' in advance.

"I sent people to inquire everywhere, but found no trace of Mi Fu."

"If Mi Fu were in Ping Haizhou, I would have found him long ago."

"Unless he is not Fifth Rank now, or he is Fifth Rank but has gone to some secret cave-heaven worlds," Zhao Xing thought silently.

Certain cave-heaven worlds of Great Zhou are relatively hidden, not public, and are classified as top secret.

The effects of the cave-heavens, everything inside them, are classified, and even the people who enter become classified files.

Generally, only Fifth Rank individuals can enter such places.

But Fifth Rank individuals cannot be made to forget certain things via the Oblivion Method, so only enhanced secrecy is possible.

"Never mind, during the reign of Emperor Jing I will surely mix my way up to Fifth Rank; Mi Fu will definitely appear during the Two Administrations period, so there is no rush to find him then."

Zhao Xing cast a Wind Spell to harvest the Heart-Worm Herbs, then planted a new batch.

Afterwards, he ran over to the side of the Blood Yuan Tree.

At this time, the Blood Yuan Tree had also just entered the maturity stage, bearing bright red 'Blood Yuan Fruits'.

He cast 'Instant Primal Origin' once again.

Causing the Blood Yuan Fruits to grow anew as well.

"The number of Fourth Rank Middle Grade Blood Yuan Fruits is not as large as that of the Heart-Worm Herbs."

"Herbaceous plants and woody plants still have differences; their internal worlds are more complex and profound."

"Instant Primal Origin finds it harder to shake that unseen shackle," Zhao Xing thought silently.

"However, my spells have also improved; currently I am only at High Tier Second Turn."

"If I reach High Tier Fourth Turn, the efficacy of Instant Primal Origin can climb another step."

"Go submit the mission and see how much merit I have earned."

After harvesting the finished products, Zhao Xing rode on clouds and mist, walking toward the Temple.

There is still a second chapter of 6K, which will be quite late; how late is uncertain, so to avoid brothers waiting at that time, everyone can read it tomorrow.