Chapter 186: Three Growths, the Fire Demon Tribe, and the Earth Fire Lotus! (6k)

Zhao Xing walked aimlessly on the ground, occasionally pulling up a blade of grass to taste, sometimes lying down in a patch of weeds, then suddenly sprinting off.

The flying boat above followed slowly, not disturbing Zhao Xing, nor waking him.

Arranging Long Xiao as Zhao Xing's protector was also intended to prevent any abnormalities in Zhao Xing.

It had never been used before, but now it was being put to use.

"He has been walking for a day and a night; he is almost out of our defensive zone," Liao Liao Rulong said. "Is there really no problem?"

"No problem." Chen Shijie's tone remained certain.

Liao Liao Rulong did not know where Chen Shijie got such confidence, but Chen Shijie's voice carried great weight with him.

"He is about to reach the defensive zone of the Eighty-Eighth City of the Blazing Sun Army. I will go inform them."

"Thank you," Chen Shijie said.

Liao Liao Rulong nodded, rose into the air, and rode the Great Star Qi, flying downward.

The defensive zone of the Eighty-Eighth City of the Blazing Sun Army.

At this moment, a small squad had come out to investigate the situation.

Moreover, it was led by a Farming Officer.

The commotion Zhao Xing caused was not significant in the eyes of other professions.

But in the eyes of a Military Farming Officer, it was like a bright lamp in the dark night.

Military Farming Officer Sun He had already reached the peak of the Seventh-Rank Earth Fiend Realm. In his perception, a certain area between heaven and earth exhibited extremely abnormal plant withering and flourishing.

"Brother Sun, should we go over and take a look?" a Seventh-Rank martial artist asked Sun He. "It doesn't feel like the Great Zhou; it seems like a barbarian."

Indeed, Zhao Xing now looked just like a barbarian.

His hair was almost dragging on the ground, his shoes had run off, and he was covered in dirt.

"Don't approach yet," Sun He said with a serious expression. "It doesn't seem like a foreign tribe; no foreign tribe would dare do such things in our defensive zone."

"Even if they were pretending, they wouldn't pretend like this."

"Then what is going on?" the Seventh-Rank martial artist was somewhat puzzled. "Looking at this person, he also seems to be Seventh-Rank. Could he have suffered qi deviation?"

"It could also be the legendary Enlightenment of the Dao," Sun He activated his Bright Eyes to observe. "Enlightenment of the Dao and qi deviation are separated by a single thought."

"If it is the former, this person should have a protector following nearby; we will just wait here."

Sun He was an old hand; he did not act rashly, merely watching from a distance.

Of course, if Zhao Xing had no protector, or continued approaching and could not be communicated with, then Sun He would have no choice but to capture him.

But his judgment was correct; soon a man in green armor flew down from the sky. He was burly, with a full beard, a high nose bridge, and prominent cheekbones, making him instantly recognizable.

Sun He took a closer look and was immediately astonished; he hurriedly went forward to greet him.

"Commandant Liao?"

"Sun He of the Blazing Sun Army, greets Commandant Liao." Sun He bowed; Liao Liao Rulong was now a formidable figure ranked in the top three hundred of the Sixth-Rank list.

The Divine Might Army performed heroically this time, with Liao Liao Rulong's unit and Wen Shaoyang's unit performing most outstandingly.

Originally, the Divine Might Army was the bottom-dweller among the Ten Yang Caverns, but since the Campaign Merit List for Pacifying the Barbarians opened, the Divine Might Army leaped into the second tier, with merit second only to the Tiger and Crocodile Army and the Black Armor Army.

And the Divine Might Army had far fewer personnel than these two armies.

On the battlefield, the strong always receive respect.

"Sun He," Liao Liao Rulong's voice rang like a great bell, "please do us the favor of clearing a path. One of our brothers is currently comprehending a high-level technique."

Sun He glanced at Zhao Xing's figure and thought, as expected.

He was very curious: who was so high-profile that Liao Liao Rulong would personally clear the way?

Could it be Chen Shijie?

"Since Commandant Liao vouches for him, naturally there is no objection," Sun He said hurriedly. "May this humble official know which brother of the Divine Might Army is comprehending the Dao? If confidentiality is required, Commandant Liao, just pretend I never asked."

Liao Liao Rulong smiled. "It is not a secret matter; he is Zhao Xing, the Equalization Officer of our Divine Might Army, a Seventh-Rank Military Farming Officer."

"Zhao Xing?" Sun He vaguely recalled hearing this name somewhere, but could not remember it at the moment; he dared not ask too much now and could only go back to inquire.

On his lips, however, he offered flattery: "So it is Brother Zhao of the Divine Might Army. I have long heard of his great name, never expecting to see him today."

Liao Liao Rulong smiled without speaking.

"Commandant Liao, we will not disturb you; we shall withdraw now." Seeing this, Sun He clasped his hands and led his men back.

Time passed; Zhao Xing walked for another thirteen days, and it was now the thirteenth day of the eighth month.

Liao Liao Rulong's unit had originally planned to return for only ten days of rest, but seeing Zhao Xing's state, they had to stay two more days.

Zhao Xing ran aimlessly, passing through many cities.

Occasionally, small squads from other armies discovered the situation and ran over to investigate, but all were stopped by Liao Liao Rulong and others.

Behind him, a path of flowers and grass had emerged.

Looking down from high in the sky, one could see that Zhao Xing had actually traced out a strange tree-like diagram.

"Hmm?"

Chen Shijie looked down from above and could not help but be drawn to this scene.

"He is about to return to the starting point; this pattern..."

Chen Shijie watched, somewhat moved, as if observing a painting that transmitted the Dao!

More and more people learned that in the Southeastern War Zone, a strange man named Zhao Xing had appeared; the traces he left behind, the weeds, were all First and Second-Rank!

Nowadays, many Military Farming Officers on rest ran over to watch Zhao Xing's path from the sky.

However, the vast majority returned without success, unable to discern anything meaningful.

Because the technique Zhao Xing comprehended was a high-level technique of the Benwo Sect.

The Benwo Sect is not a prominent school in the current age; mainly because it is difficult, too difficult. At the current level of the battlefield, setting aside the Sixth-Rank, among ten thousand Military Farming Officers, there might not be one who comprehends a high-level technique of the Benwo Sect.

When Zhao Xing walked to the front of City Number Ninety-Two, he suddenly stopped motionless at the city gate.

Everyone watched silently, holding their breath, afraid to disturb this genius.

Chen Shijie, Long Xiao, and Liao Ru looked at Zhao Xing with expectation.

Suddenly, Zhao Xing squatted down, revealing a faint smile.

"I understand, jiejiejiejiejie!"

"I really am awesome!"

"Jiejie!"

The sudden burst of laughter left everyone stunned, their gazes upon Zhao Xing becoming somewhat eerie.

What exactly did you understand, laughing so frighteningly!

"He..." Liao Ru looked on, words dying in his throat.

Chen Shijie's eyes wavered slightly as well.

Could Zhao Xing have truly gone mad?

"Old Chen!"

Just then, Zhao Xing suddenly turned around and beckoned to Chen Shijie in mid-air.

"Come look quickly!"

Liao Ru intended to stop him, for he felt Zhao Xing was somewhat dangerous at this moment.

But before he could speak, Chen Shijie jumped down without hesitation.

Seeing this, Liao Ru and Long Xiao immediately jumped down as well.

"Hmm? Everyone jumped down, who's piloting the flying boat now!"

Liao Ru was speechless, instantly returning to the flying boat to control its descent as it tilted.

"Here I come."

Chen Shijie ran to Zhao Xing's side. "What do you want to show me?"

Zhao Xing pointed to a vine beneath his feet. "What is this?"

"First-tier, Tough Vine, Vine type."

"Look again." Zhao Xing extended a finger, and dots of Jin Guang fell upon the Tough Vine.

"Second-tier, Tough Vine, possessing double toughness."

Zhao Xing cast another spell of Jin Guang onto the vine; at this moment, the Tough Vine climbed up Chen Shijie's ankle and quickly covered his waist.

"How is it now?" Zhao Xing asked with a smile.

Chen Shijie exclaimed in surprise. "Third-tier."

He tried to break free but found the Tough Vine unbreakable.

"Grown to third-tier supreme? Triple toughness, what astonishing resilience!"

Chen Shijie was somewhat shocked.

The Tough Vine is merely the most ordinary Vine-type plant; its growth limit is first-tier.

Yet now, a third-tier Tough Vine has appeared!

No, this one is practically the Vine King!

"Hehe, impressive, right?" Zhao Xing boasted like a child who had discovered treasure.

Chen Shijie smiled and praised, "Impressive."

He felt that this time, Zhao Xing's smile was the most sincere, his state the most relaxed, without that air of premature maturity.

At this moment, Chen Shijie could feel Zhao Xing's trust in him had reached its peak, for he had lowered his defenses and revealed his truest self.

"Old Chen, want to learn? I'll teach you," Zhao Xing said.

"Next time," Chen Shijie smiled. "You're all dirty and stink to high heaven."

"Uh?"

Zhao Xing suddenly realized.

He looked around; many pairs of eyes were staring at him.

Although before, he had also felt the presence of many gazes, only now had his attention fully withdrawn from 'comprehending the Dao'.

"True." Zhao Xing reined in his smile; with this restraint, Chen Shijie could no longer sense Zhao Xing's aura at all. His temperament suddenly shifted, as if draped in a veil, making him impossible to see clearly.

"Wind, come!"

A gust of Gao Feng blew past Zhao Xing.

The Gao Feng circled around Zhao Xing; in the next instant, Zhao Xing's hair returned to its previous length, and the dust on his face and body vanished.

"Rain, come!"

Splash~

A basin of water poured down from above.

Yet no soaking wetness appeared.

Instead, the stains on his clothes vanished completely.

"Done."

Zhao Xing cupped his hands toward everyone and said, "Sorry to disturb you brothers; I am fine now, everyone may disperse."

Han Bing and Wang Ji, seeing this, also dispersed the onlookers.

Wang Ji thoughtfully brought Zhao Xing the Cloud-Treading Boots.

Previously, they had been lost while running; Wang Ji had cleaned them and kept them ready.

"Boss, put on your shoes."

Wang Ji squatted down.

"Wang Gong, you're far too courteous," Zhao Xing said with a smile, reaching out to help him up. "I can dress myself."

"No trouble at all, let me, let me," Wang Ji insisted regardless of the circumstances, forcing himself to put the shoes on Zhao Xing.

Liao Ru watched this scene and nodded silently in his heart.

He knew Wang Ji well; this was a top-tier genius of the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven.

He was now a seventh-rank official.

Such a genius was actually willing to do this kind of thing for Zhao Xing?

There was absolutely no need for him to put on a show; it meant he genuinely felt there was nothing wrong with doing so.

This was enough to show Zhao Xing's status in the hearts of others.

"In just two short months, he managed to unite the entire City No. 92 from top to bottom and even broke into the front ranks of the Merit List. No wonder the Marquis and the Strategist both value him so highly and instructed me to take good care of him," Liao Ru thought to himself.

Geniuses are common, but geniuses of the caliber of commanders are not.

Take Shi Yong, the top genius of the Tiger-Jiao Army's Ministry of Agriculture Reserve; thrown into the army, he stirred up no waves at all. His performance could only be described as meeting the standard of a seventh-rank Ministry of Agriculture officer. Perhaps he could be called excellent, but there were plenty of excellent people; the army didn't lack just one of him.

However, Zhao Xing, no matter where he was transferred—Yun City or now City No. 92—could adapt quickly and take charge of the situation.

"This subordinate pays his respects to Commandant Liao," Zhao Xing said, having finished putting on his shoes, and immediately came to pay his respects to Liao Ru.

In name, Liao Ru was his superior officer; since this was their first meeting after he woke up, of course he had to pay his respects immediately.

Furthermore, this sixth-rank martial artist had previously protected his Dao; whether for public duty or private gratitude, he deserved a bow.

"Don't be so polite," Liao Ru said with a chuckle, extending his hand. Protective aura energy manifested into two energy palms, holding Zhao Xing up and preventing him from bowing down. "We are all brothers here. In my Liao Ru's camp, as long as we are not at war, there is no distinction between superior and subordinate!"

"You can even call me Old Liao! Hahahaha!"

Zhao Xing smiled as well. Every general had their own style of leading troops; some were strict with clear distinctions between ranks, while others were highly approachable, often calling themselves brothers with the lower-ranking soldiers and eating and sleeping together.

Liao Ru possessed a kind of bold "chivalrous righteousness" of the Jianghu.

"Let's go, don't just stand here. Let's talk once we enter the city!"

Liao Ru hooked his left arm around Long Xiao's neck, held Chen Shijie's shoulder with his right hand, and tilted his head toward Zhao Xing: "Let's go into the city, drink and talk as we go!"

"I've heard them two tell many amusing stories about you in the Ten Yang Grotto-Heaven, especially the origins of that Ge Wuzhu and Blind Cheng. How did two perfectly normal fifth-rank Ministry of Agriculture officers end up with such nicknames? Hahahaha, let's go, let's go back to the city and talk in detail."

On the evening of the thirteenth day of the eighth month, Liao Ru had originally planned to summon his other three sixth-rank deputy generals to City No. 92 for a reunion.

However, thinking of Li Que's precedent (the lesson set by Chen Lu's superior), he abandoned the idea.

Thus, the only sixth-rank officers in City No. 92 were Chen Shijie and himself.

After so much time, Chen Shijie had also advanced to the sixth-rank Tian Gang Realm, whereas Long Xiao, the sword cultivator, had advanced more slowly.

During the meal, while conversing with Liao Ru and others, Zhao Xing obtained more detailed intelligence.

Liao Ru's unit originally consisted of twelve thousand people, divided into eight battalions: the Five Elements Battalion, the Divine Mechanism Battalion, the Nine-Jointed Battalion, and the Dragon-Form Battalion.

The Five Elements Battalion consisted of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth elementalists; these elementalists also cultivated Dao techniques and were all recruited from the seventy-two academies and three hundred and sixty libraries of the Great Zhou.

The Divine Mechanism Battalion was composed of artificers; the Nine-Jointed Battalion consisted entirely of Ministry of Agriculture officers; the Dragon-Form Battalion consisted entirely of martial artists.

During operations, they were always deployed in combination with one another.

"Fighting until now, my unit has increased to over twenty-three thousand people."

"Mainly due to continuous replenishment of personnel; the number of brothers who died or were injured is not particularly high."

"It is estimated that we will replenish around seven thousand more people in the future, with a maximum not exceeding fifty thousand."

After eating and drinking their fill, Liao Ru and Zhao Xing discussed the current state of the army.

"That is why I have stayed here for a longer period of rest. I have been back for nearly a month, simply waiting for the General to send people over."

"A Commandant commanding troops can never have too many; even more would be no problem," Zhao Xing said with a smile.

Although Liao Ru had said there was no distinction between superior and subordinate, the moment they discussed serious matters, Zhao Xing addressed him as Lord Liao or Commandant Liao.

"That is not the case," Liao Ru shook his head. "Fifty thousand is the limit of my command. Any more, and I cannot command them."

"The Strategist trained me many times, and the final conclusion reached was that I am suited for a path of elite soldiers and powerful generals."

"Thirty thousand is optimal; fifty thousand is the limit."

"Any more, and I cannot command them, and the army's strength would actually fail to be utilized."

Zhao Xing said nothing; not everyone was Han Xin, truly capable of handling "the more the better."

The battlefield changes in an instant; once fighting begins, the commander-in-chief does not know how much information they must process within a single second. This flow of information contains both truth and falsehood, some important and some not.

Beyond a certain threshold, the brain simply cannot keep up.

It is just like the Straw Man Technique: some people create a single straw man with very high combat power. But once they create more than ten, the combat power of the straw men actually weakens.

"After defeating the Wolf God Tribe, both the Marquis and the Strategist said that I and Wen Shaoyang pushed too fast. They ordered us to slow down our vertical advance, so I plan to advance horizontally toward the southeast to fight the Fire Demon Tribe."

"My previous plan to go from Machang City to Zhiyou City was based on this intention."

Hearing Liao Ru speak, Han Bing and Wang Ji exchanged a glance, their expressions strange.

"Hmm? What is wrong with you two? Is something I said incorrect?" Liao Ru asked in confusion.

"Commandant, that is not the case," Han Bing and Wang Ji shook their heads. "We were just thinking of something."

"You two do not seem surprised that I intend to fight the Fire Demon Tribe?" Liao Ru said. "I heard that your respective departments are preparing equipment, medicinal materials, and other military supplies to deal with the Fire Demon Tribe?"

Upon returning to the Supply City, Liao Ru naturally had Chen Shijie inspect the internal treasury as well.

He immediately saw that these quantities were abnormal.

Too much! Prepared far too much!

It could not possibly be the amount produced in the last few days.

He had wanted to ask long ago but was always preoccupied with Zhao Xing's affairs; only today did he suddenly remember to ask.

"Replying to the Commandant," Wang Ji said, "About two months ago, when Lord Zhao first arrived here, they had the Ministry of Agriculture Supervision and the Works Department change the direction of military supply production. They also mentioned that you would sooner or later fight the Fire Demon Tribe."

Liao Ru looked at Zhao Xing with some surprise: "Two months ago? At that time, I was still fighting the Wolf God Tribe. You could already see this?"

Zhao Xing said modestly, "It is not as mysterious as they say. A fool may think a thousand times and hit upon one good idea. In any case, the planting capacity of my Ministry of Agriculture Supervision is overflowing; growing a little more here does no harm."

"Oh?" Liao Ru became interested. "Then what suggestion do you have?"

Zhao Xing pondered for a moment, then truly stopped pretending. He waved his hand, summoning a map and spreading it out. "Commandant, please look. Currently, the territory of the Fire Demon Tribe is being approached by armies on its east, west, and north sides."

"Because the Jin Yu Wang Ting must guard the Qinggang Mining District. This is one of the few precious lands in the Southern Barbarians, comparable to the Heavenly Caves and Blessed Lands of our Great Zhou."

"Among them, the strongest contingent is the Divine Thunder Army of Lu Yuanwei in the west. They have five hundred thousand men. With so many people and their deployment already spread out, no one in the west can compete with him; he is the only army there."

"In the north, the Tiger Crocodile Army, the Black Armor Army, the Zhaoyuan Army, and the Danxia Army—these four powerful armies are piled up on the Fire Demon Tribe's northern defensive line. Their vanguard forces alone total over one million."

"In the east, we have the Shenwei Army, the Zhenhai Army, the Lieyang Army, and eighteen other armies. However, although there are many armies, the number of people is actually smaller, only two hundred thousand, because the east side of the Fire Demon Tribe is an extremely harsh environment, with the 'Flame Mountain Range' stretching across the ground."

"Above, a ten-thousand-meter layer of Gao wind blocks the way. The only passable route is the Huolong Pass."

"This place is easy to defend and hard to attack. With only a small number of barbarian soldiers and generals, one can block a million-strong army."

"The possibility of passing through here is very small."

"But if one can pass, one can then drive straight in and strike directly at the Qinggang Mining District. Because the main forces of the Southern Barbarian Tribe are in the west and north."

Liao Ru asked, "How should we pass?"

Zhao Xing said, "Cross the mountains."

Liao Ru frowned and said, "This is probably very difficult. Our army cannot universally equip fifth-rank magical robes. Without fifth-rank supreme Fire-Avoiding Magical Robes, the soldiers simply cannot pass."

"The floating ships cannot pass either. The layer of Gao wind in that area is too strong. If we control the floating ship to fly at a height of one thousand meters, it is too forced. If we force our way through, it is equivalent to letting the people of Huolong Pass shoot at live targets."

"They also have large-scale mechanical divine weapons."

Zhao Xing said, "Yes. Equipping forty to fifty thousand men of the entire army with fifth-rank supreme Fire-Avoiding Magical Robes? With such a luxurious family fortune, we could directly attack Huolong Pass ourselves."

"However, there are many strange treasures under heaven. The Flame Mountain Range of the Fire Demon Tribe does not require fifth-rank supreme Fire-Avoiding Magical Robes to pass; fifth-rank inferior ones can also achieve this."

"Oh?" Liao Ru looked at Chen Shijie.

The latter pondered for a moment and asked, "I truly do not recall any plant that, when made into a magical robe, can have this effect."

Zhao Xing said, "Earth Fire Lotus."

"Earth Fire Lotus?" Chen Shijie was stunned. "Does such a thing really exist? I have only seen it in books."

"It exists." Zhao Xing stated confidently. "The 'Record of Strange Treasures of the Southern Barbarians' recorded it. It grows in the magma river beneath the ground of the Flame Mountain Range."

"Are there its seeds in the Soldier Realm?" Liao Ru asked.

"Unclear. Perhaps there are, perhaps there aren't." Zhao Xing said, "But even if there are in the Soldier Realm, there certainly won't be many. Moreover, the price certainly won't be low. When they first come out, the price will certainly be very high, and they will be supplied to the powerful armies first."

"Because the environment of the Fire Demon Tribe is relatively harsh. On the outskirts of the Qinggang Mining District, two branches of the Flame Mountain Range have been artificially guided to guard the west and north. This is a grand project created by the Sky Witches of the Jin Yu Wang Ting."

Long Xiao asked, "That is to say, if the Shenwei Army can buy some, then the other powerful armies already have them?"

"If we wait until the great armies in the west and north strike before the Qinggang Mining District, then we won't even get to drink the soup."

"Buying is very expensive, but if we have the raw materials ourselves, then the cost is much lower." Zhao Xing said, "So, we must seize this time difference as early as possible."

Chen Shijie looked at Zhao Xing. "Don't tell me you have already prepared the Earth Fire Lotus seeds. There are none to exchange in the Soldier Realm."

"You overestimate me. I truly do not have them." Zhao Xing smiled. "But you do."

"I do?" Chen Shijie was stunned. "How do I not know this?"

Zhao Xing said, "You go to Huolong Pass and steal a bit from the earth veins, and you will have it! You are skilled in the Fire Prison Underground Palace; you also understand the Fire Escape Technique, right?"

"However, this matter is somewhat dangerous. There must be people guarding it there."

"If the difficulty is too high, we can also wait for the Soldier Realm to release the seeds or seedlings of the Earth Fire Lotus."

Chen Shijie looked at Zhao Xing. "After stealing them, how do we plant them? Its growth conditions must be very harsh, right?"

Zhao Xing said, "I can plant them. I know the High-Rank Volcano Technique. Now, my 【Instant Primal Origin】 has already undergone five transformations. It can grow three times and can be applied to fifth-rank plants."

"As long as you can get them, I can plant them!"

"You... also know the Volcano Technique?" Chen Shijie suddenly remembered the scene of Zhao Xing comprehending the Dao these past few days and couldn't help but feel a shock in his heart. "You had already thought of targeting the Earth Fire Lotus long ago?"